Blue eye disease
It is a viral disease that produces nervous symptoms, reproductive failure and corneal opacity that develops a bluish color.
Alternative names: blue eye disease, BE, paramyxovirus
Information
This viral disease is caused by a paramyxovirus; it has mainly been detected in Mexico, but also in other countries (not in Europe). It causes nervous symptoms and often produces corneal opacity (developing a blue color). This disease is unique to pigs. When it appears in a susceptible breeding farm, the first clinical signs are usually seen in the farrowing rooms.
Symptoms
Sows
- Some animals have bluish eyes.
- Increase in the rate of returns, which lasts about six months.
- There may be abortions and stillbirths.
Boars
- Up to 40% have testicular enlargement; usually unilateral, followed by shrinkage.
- Loss of fertility.
Lactating piglets
- They have a hunched posture, and show coarse hair for a short time.
- They develop acute neurological symptoms.
- Difficulty in walking, they begin to tremble and sit in abnormal postures.
- Some are lying on their side, making rowing motions with their legs and they move their eyeballs from side to side.
- Some Piglets have watery eyes and their eyelids become swollen and sticky.
- Mortality is up to 90%.
- It can affect up to 65% of litters.
Nursery and fattening
- Most young piglets can develop a bluish color of their pupils.
- The disease slowly disappears spontaneously after several weeks.
- Piglets of more than 1 month of age or older show milder transient symptoms such as loss of appetite, fever, sneezing and coughing.
- Neurological symptoms are less frequent.
Causes / Contributing Factors
- Carrier pigs.
- Nasal dissemination.
- Mechanic dissemination.
Diagnosis
- In severe / acute outbreaks a presumptive diagnosis can be made based on clinical signs.
- Confirm diagnosis by serological tests.
- Isolation of virus from brain tissue.
- Histopathologic lesions especially in the brain are highly suggestive.
Control/Prevention
- There is no effective treatment.
- Get replacement animals from negative farms.