0
Porcine torovirus has been reported in Canada, South Africa and European countries, Italy, Hungary, and in recent years also in Spain. However, to autor's knowledge, detection of PToV in China has not been reported. In 2011 winter, there were epidemic outbreaks of diarrhea that occurred with high morbidity and mortality in China, which has caused great economic losses.
A total of 168 samples of feces or intestines from piglets that died of severe diarrhea from 20 farms in southwest China were collected during the winter of 2011, when there were epidemic outbreaks of diarrhea that occurred with high morbidity and mortality, which has caused great economic losses. Porcine torovirus (PToV) was detected from intestinal samples of piglets with diarrhea from 20 farms in southwest China. The total prevalence of PToV was 45% (9 out of 20 farms); it was the first detection of PToV in China.
The study also analyzed the phylogenetic relationships between the Chinese PToV and PToV reference strains as well as other representative toroviruses. Genetic and phylogenetic analysis showed the existence of genetic diversity among geographically separated PToV. Statistical analysis of the PToV positive rate as well as a survey for other enteric pathogens in diarrheic pigs suggests that PToV may play a role as a causative agent of severe diarrhea in piglets.
Yuancheng Zhou, Lei Chen, Ling Zhu, and Zhiwen Xu; Molecular Detection of Porcine Torovirus in Piglets with Diarrhea in Southwest China; ScientificWorldJournal. 2013; 2013: 984282. Published online Dec 26, 2013. doi: 10.1155/2013/984282