Detection of potentially xenozoonotic viruses in the porcine ovary in Korea |
Sang-Chul Kang1, Ji-Youl Jung1, Hyoung-Seok Yang1, Bong-Kyun Park2, Dae-Yong Kim2, Jae-Hoon Kim1 |
1College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Jeju National University 2College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University |
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Abstract |
The prevalence of potentially xenozoonotic viruses in the reproductive tract of female pigs in Korea was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These viruses include porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), swine hepatitis E virus (SHEV), porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus (PLHV), and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2). Histopathological examination and PCR analysis were conducted using the ovaries of 70 slaughtered pigs that were collected from 14 farms in Jeju. Histopathologically, infiltrations of mononuclear inflammatory cells around the thick-walled coiled vessels in the ovarian medulla were observed in 15 cases. Based on the PCR method, PERV, PLHV, PRRSV, SHEV, and PCV-2 were detected in 69 (98.6%), 35 (50%), 5 (7.1%), 4 (5.7%), and 1 sample (1.4%), respectively. These results suggest that PERV and PLHV are the major xenozoonotic viruses in the porcine ovary. This study should aid in the development of a monitoring protocol for potential xenozoonotic agents and in the production of germ-free pigs for xenotransplantation. |
Key Words:
pig ovary, xenotransplantation, xenozoonotic virus |
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