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This study assesses the utility of saliva samples to monitor the time course of the acute-phase response to different viruses in pigs under field conditions by using time-resolved immunofluorometric assays (TR-IFMA).
A total of 30 pigs from three different farms, located in Southeast Spain, were used. Farm 1 had outbreaks of porcine circovirus type 2, farm 2 had infections with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and farm 3 had concomitant infections with both viruses. Serology was used to determine the time of seroconversion of pigs to two different pathogens. The levels of two acute-phase proteins (APPs), C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin (Hp), were measured in saliva and serum samples and compared with pig's serology.
Kinetic curves of both APPs across the study obtained in saliva samples were similar to those of serum, with R of 0.68 and 0.78 for CRP and Hp, respectively. The median CRP and Hp concentrations in saliva were higher around the theorized time of infection, according to previous experimental studies, and at seroconversion of animals. CRP increments were apparent 1 week before the increments obtained in Hp.
These findings indicate that salivary APP concentrations, by using TR-IFMA, can be used in longitudinal studies as non-invasive early indicators of health status.
A. M. Gutiérrez, J. J. Cerón, P. Fuentes, A. Montes and S. Martínez-Subiela. Longitudinal analysis of acute-phase proteins in saliva in pig farms with different health status. animal. 2012. Vol. 6 (2), 321-326. doi:10.1017/S1751731111001662
