Haematological and pathological findings of pigs experimentally inoculated with a Chilean isolate of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

The aims of this study were to characterize the haematological and bone marrow changes, gross and microscopic lesions of pigs experimentally inoculated with the Chilean isolate of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. Twelve 3-week-old pigs were divided in 4 groups of 3, one of which corresponded to the negative control group sacrificed at 0 days post-inoculation (dpi), and the 3 remaining groups corresponded to the inoculated pigs sacrificed at 7, 14 and 21 dpi. For each sampling period blood was collected for complete haemograme and at the necropsy time gross lesions were registered and samples for both bone marrow smears and histopathology were taken. The results of this study revealed haematological alterations characterized by a significant reduction (P<0.05) in the haematocrit and a significant increase (P<0.05) in the total leukocyte count associated with an increase in the monocytes and baciliforms. The bone marrow did not show significant variations in the ratio of myeloid to erythroid cells (P>0.05). At the same time, the gross lesions were mild and mainly characterized by the presence of conjunctivitis, periocular edema and a slight increase in the size of the lymph nodes. Microscopic lesions were characterized by the presence of interstitial pneumonia, depletion and necrosis in lymphoid organs, rhinitis, hepatitis, myocarditis and non-purulent encephalitis. These findings suggest that the Chilean isolate of the vPRRS to a strain with a low virulenc

Los estudios veterinarios de D. Juan Darbón Díaz, el "médico de Platero"

Con este artículo queremos dar a conocer la vida académica, y el contexto en que esta se desarrolló, del Veterinario D.Juan Darbón Díaz, uno de los personajes que aparecen en la novela “Platero y yo”, obra en la que la Veterinaria está presente a través de los numerosos animales que la pueblan, aprovechando la conmemoración del primer centenario de su publicación para rendir el debido reconocimiento a su autor, Juan Ramón Jimenez, posiblemente gran amigo del “médico de PLATERO”.With this article we want to announce the academic life and the context in which this one developed of the veterinarian D. Juan Darbón Díaz, one of the prominent figures who appear in the novel “ Platero y yo “, novel in wich the Veterinary is present across the numerous animals that populate this work, taking advantage ofe commemoration of the first centenary of his publication, to give the due recognition of his author, Juan Ramon Jiménez, possibly great friend of the “Platero’s doctor”

Las células presentadoras de antígeno y su papel en el síndrome reproductivo y respiratorio porcino

Las células presentadoras de antígeno son aquellas células encargadas de capturar, procesar y presentar antígenos con la finalidad de lograr una respuesta inmune efectiva por parte del organismo. Su papel, como centinelas, es crucial durante el transcurso de diversas enfermedades infecciosas. El estudio de estas células tras la infección con el virus del Síndrome Reproductivo y Respiratorio Porcino nos da información para abordar nuevas estrategias de control frente a esta enfermedad.Antigen presenting cells are able to capture, process and present antigens in order to develop an effective immune response. The role of these cells during infectious diseases is crucial to control the disease. Thus, the study of these cells after the infection with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus gives us useful information on how to control this disease

Bases de la respuesta inflamatoria en la forma respiratoria del PRRS

El Síndrome Reproductivo y Respiratorio Porcino (PRRS) es una enfermedad de distribución mundial que causa graves pérdidas económicas al sector porcino. Este virus no sólo es importante como agente causal del PRRS sino también por su participación en el desarrollo del Complejo Respiratorio Porcino. Su interacción con las defensas pulmonares, la alteración de la respuesta inmune y su persistencia en los órganos linfoides conlleva a que los cerdos tengan dificultades para luchar contra la enfermedad.Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is considered as the most economically important disease of the modern swine industry. The importance of this virus lies in not only being the causative agent of PRRSV, but also due to its implication in the onset of the Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex. The interaction of the virus with pulmonary defenses, the impairment of the immune response as well as the viral persistence in lymphoid organs make overcoming the disease diffi cult to infected pigs

Activation of T-bet, FOXP3, and EOMES in Target Organs From Piglets Infected With the Virulent PRRSV-1 Lena Strain

Transcription factors (TFs) modulate genes involved in cell-type-specific proliferative and migratory properties, metabolic features, and effector functions. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is one of the most important pathogen agents in the porcine industry; however, TFs have been poorly studied during the course of this disease. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the expressions of the TFs T-bet, GATA3, FOXP3, and Eomesodermin (EOMES) in target organs (the lung, tracheobronchial lymph node, and thymus) and those of different effector cytokines (IFNG, TNFA, and IL10) and the Fas ligand (FASL) during the early phase of infection with PRRSV-1 strains of different virulence. Target organs from mock-, virulent Lena-, and low virulent 3249-infected animals humanely euthanized at 1, 3, 6, 8, and 13 days post-infection (dpi) were collected to analyze the PRRSV viral load, histopathological lesions, and relative quantification through reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) of the TFs and cytokines. Animals belonging to both infected groups, but mainly those infected with the virulent Lena strain, showed upregulation of the TFs T-bet, EOMES, and FOXP3, together with an increase of the cytokine IFN-g in target organs at the end of the study (approximately 2 weeks post-infection). These results are suggestive of a stronger polarization to Th1 cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs), but also CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), effector CD8+ T cells, and gdT cells in virulent PRRSV-1-infected animals; however, their biological functionality should be the object of further studies

Multi-Etiological Nature of Tuberculosis-Like Lesions in Condemned Pigs at the Slaughterhouse

Tuberculosis-like lesions (TBL) in pigs have been associated with microorganisms other than mycobacteria. In this work a histopathological and microbiological evaluation of TBL in pigs is shown. A total of 352 samples belonging to 171 pigs totally condemned at slaughterhouse due to generalized TBL were sampled and selected for analysis. Pyogranulomatous (56.2%) and granulomatous lesions (20.2%) were observed in all analysed organs. Most of the granulomas observed in both lymph nodes and lungs belonged to more advanced stages of development (stages III and IV) whereas in the liver and the spleen most of lesions belonged to intermediate stages (stages II and III). Different microorganisms were simultaneously detected from TBL in the 42.7% of the animals. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) (38%), coryneform bacteria (40.3%) and streptococci (28.1%) were the main groups of microorganisms detected after bacteriological analysis, with Trueperella pyogenes and Streptococcus suis as the most frequently isolated species. Mycobacteria belonging to MTC were the most frequently detected pathogens in granulomatous and pyogranulomatous lesions in submandibular lymph nodes (32.7%) and coryneform bacteria were the microorganisms more frequently isolated from lungs (25.9%) and spleen samples (37.2%). These results may provide new insights into the pathogenesis and diagnosis of this pathology. The importance of coryneform bacteria and streptococci in such processes must be evaluated in future studie