This report describes the first preliminary characterization of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) isolates from pigs affected with post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in Brazil. Diseased pigs were examined at necropsy and by histopathology. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses revealed lesions reported to be typical of PMWS, which included, respectively, emaciation, enlargement of lymph nodes, thymus atrophy and interstitial pneumonia, and granulomatous lymphadenitis with syncytial cells, among others. Using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or imunoperoxidase it was possible to detected DNA or antigen of PCV2, respectively. The PCR' s amplified fragment could be differentiated from PCV1 and PCV2 from one another by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. PCV2 DNA was detected in 70% (14/20) of samples of pigs with clinical signs and lesions associated with PMWS. This study shows that PCV2 is associated with lesions and symptoms indicative of PMWS in pigs. It is also shown that the Brazilian PCV2 isolates may have variation in their genome.
swine; porcine circovirus; post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome; preliminary characterization; PCV2
