Virus Research 66 (2000) 65–77
Characterisation of PCV-2 isolates from Spain, Germany
and France
Annette Mankertz
a,
*, Mariano Domingo
b
, Josep M. Folch
c
, Pierre LeCann
d
,
Andre´ Jestin
d
, Joaquim Segale´s
b
, Barbara Chmielewicz
a
, Juan Plana-Dura´n
e
,
Dirk Soike
f
a
Robert Koch Institut, P
24 (
Xenotransplantation
)
, Nordufer
20
,
13353
Berlin, Germany
b
Histologia i Anatomia Patolo`gia, Facultat de Veterina`ria, Uni6ersitat Auto`noma de Barcelona,
08193
Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
c
Gene`tica i Millora Animal, Facultat de Veterina`ria, Uni6ersitat Auto`noma de Barcelona,
08193
Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
d
Laboratoire de Biologie Mole´culaire, AFSSA
(
Agence Francaise de Se´curite´ Sanitaire des Aliments
)
, BP
53
,
22440
Ploufragan, France
e
Fort Dodge Veterinaria, Carretera Camprodon s/n, La Riba,
17813
Vall de Bianya, Girona, Spain
f
Staatliches Veterina¨r und Lebensmitteluntersuchungsamt, Pappelallee
20
,
14469
Potsdam, Germany
Received 4 June 1999; received in revised form 13 September 1999; accepted 5 October 1999
Abstract
The new isolated circovirus variant PCV-2 is discussed to be the etiological agent of a new emerging swine disease
with a variable morbidity and high lethality, postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). PMWS has been
diagnosed in North America and West Europe. Clinical signs include dyspnea, loss of weight, lymph node
enlargement and lymphocyte depletion in lymphoid tissues. This report describes the characterisation of PCV-2
isolates from animals affected with PMWS from Germany, Spain and France. We could demonstrate the presence of
circovirus by electron microscope, in situ hybridisation and PCR. PCR revealed incidence of PCV-2 in many tissues
of one infected animal with the exception of heart and nervous system. The phylogenetic analysis of all PCV-2 isolates
yet published in the database, showed relationship of isolates from Spain, Germany and France, with three sequences
from Canada determined recently and two isolates from Taiwan, while other North American sequences display a
separate cluster. PCR screening of randomly collected organ samples from German pigs not affected with PMWS,
revealed a rate of infection with PCV-1 of 5% and with PCV-2 of 26.8%, while blood samples showed a lower
incidence. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords
:
Porcine circovirus; Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS); Circo6iridae; Genomic sequence
www.elsevier.com/locate/virusres
1. Introduction
Porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV-1) has been
isolated and described as a persistent contaminant
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +49-30-45472594; fax: +49-
30-45472598.
E-mail address
:
mankertza@rki.de (A. Mankertz)
0168-1702/00/$ - see front matter © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S0168-1702(99)00122-7