000163932 001__ 163932
000163932 005__ 20251113160752.0
000163932 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1186/s40813-025-00468-z
000163932 0248_ $$2sideral$$a146077
000163932 037__ $$aART-2025-146077
000163932 041__ $$aeng
000163932 100__ $$aMarcos-Cienfuegos, Marcial
000163932 245__ $$aPrevalence and impact of Rotavirus A and C in suckling piglets from Spanish farms: an epidemiological study
000163932 260__ $$c2025
000163932 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted
000163932 5203_ $$aBackground: Rotaviruses (RVs) are a leading cause of viral acute gastroenteritis in mammals, including pigs. Infection with porcine RVs can result in a range of clinical outcomes, from asymptomatic cases to severe acute disease. The prevalence of RVs is high in major pork-producing countries but varies by region, age group, and overall animal health. Several studies have assessed Rotavirus A (RVA) and Rotavirus C (RVC) prevalence in suckling piglets in Spain and other regions; however, systematic sampling studies remain limited. This study aimed to determine the true prevalence of RVA and RVC in suckling piglets across Spanish regions and to identify potential risk factors associated with infection.
Results: A total of 563 fecal samples were collected from 106 farms, 84.5% from piglets with diarrhea and 15.5% from healthy piglets from farms without neonatal enteric disorders. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that RVA is a widespread pathogen in suckling piglets, with 43.7% of the samples and 74.5% of the farms testing positive. Conversely, RVC was detected in 25.4% of samples and 44.3% of the farms. The prevalence of RVA was higher in diarrheic piglets than in non-diarrheic ones (46.6% vs. 27.6%). Similarly, RVC prevalence was markedly higher in diarrheic compared to non-diarrheic piglets (29.2% vs. 4.6%). While RVA was detected throughout the lactation period, RVC was more frequently identified during the first week of life. For both viruses, higher viral load and proportion of positive animals were associated with enteric disorders during lactation, while RVC infection specifically correlated with increased mortality. Co-infections of RVA and RVC were relatively rare, suggesting that the presence of one virus may reduce the likelihood of detecting the other. Several risk factors were associated with rotavirus infection, including farm production type, farm size, and the duration of downtime in farrowing units.
Conclusions: RVA and RVC are highly prevalent among suckling piglets, with a clear association between infection and diarrhea, particularly when viral loads are high. Farm production type, farm size, and management practices strongly influenced infection risk. These findings provide valuable epidemiological insights into RV infection in piglets and support the development of improved prevention and control strategies.
000163932 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby$$uhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es
000163932 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000163932 700__ $$aMartínez-Lobo, Francisco Javier
000163932 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0001-5026-5144$$aTejedor, M. Teresa$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000163932 700__ $$aCastillo-Pérez, Jaime
000163932 700__ $$aPrieto, Cinta
000163932 7102_ $$11001$$2420$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Anatom.,Embri.Genét.Ani.$$cÁrea Genética
000163932 773__ $$g11 (2025), 54 [11 pp.]$$tPorcine Health Management$$x2055-5660
000163932 8564_ $$s1903926$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163932/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada
000163932 8564_ $$s2243412$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163932/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada
000163932 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:163932$$particulos$$pdriver
000163932 951__ $$a2025-11-13-14:58:06
000163932 980__ $$aARTICLE