Despite the increases in the pork supply, deficit scenarios are expected in the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2011.

Currently, the human risk factors associated with S. suis infection are: 1) Eating raw/undercooked pork meat, 2) Being a farm worker with hog contact or 3) Butchers. To date, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of S. suis.

Available data indicate that PCV2 has the ability to modulate the immune response, not only during the obvious overt disease but also in a subclinically infection.

One issue is to overcome maternal immunity, which is true for all PCV2 vaccines in the market, and another is whether the most from these vaccines is achieved independently of the PCV2 antibody titre at vaccination

The recognition of Mindanao and Visayas-Palawan-Masbate by OIE as FMD free zones without vaccination were two of the most significant achievements by the National FMD Control and Eradication Project.

When the sow is pregnant, the corpus luteum remains and continues to produce progesterone. While the levels of progesterone are high the sow does not become in heat and maintains gestation.

We may have some highly efficient vaccines, but we shouldn’t forget that for their application we must obtain good diagnostic information, and that in all cases we should not lose sight of good management and a good control of the concomitant diseases.

Between 1995 and 1997, at the beginning of an epizootic called “maladie de l’amagrissement du porcelet” (MAP), it was observed that the farms that were most affected and that had the most losses, generally presented obvious deviations from what we would consider to be a suitable management of the animals and facilities. This is why Dr. François Madec made a list of management practices with the aim of improving the anomalous situation observed.

Pigs that are not affected by the disease tend to have a quantity of sero-neutralizing (and also total) antibodies against PCV2, which is significantly greater than those that cause disease

The aim of this article is to discuss those differentiating topics which are relevant from a practical point of view and which in some way elude the disease's definition.

The autopsy is always an important diagnostic element for the majority of diseases, and this is the same for porcine circovirosis.

It is assumed that the most probable route of PCV2 transmission is the oronasal tract, which would indicate that horizontal transmission (sow-piglet or piglet-piglet) is a frequent or very frequent occurence

Porcine circovirus type 2 is a viral agent with a relatively simple structural organization of which there are two distinct genotypes (1 and 2), it is not clear if they have similar virulence. Since some years ago there has been a hypothesis developing that there exists an “agent X” that would play a role as a trigger factor of the disease in 100% of cases.

Joaquim Segalés, professor at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and researcher at the Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA) (research centre for animal health), was one of the first researchers to discover PMWS and PDNS in Spain. He will be in charge of this section where every month articles will be published on the latest themes, especially from a practical point of view. These themes will include etiology, patogenicity, epidemiology, diagnostic, treatment and prevention of porcine circovirus-associated diseases. A possible hypothesis will also be presented on the emergence of porcine circovirus on a worldwide level.

It is essential that veterinarians update their knowledge and educate livestock farmers and employees to familiarize themselves with exotic diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease or ASF, since their detection requires knowledge of them.

The appearance of Foot and Mouth Disease Type 0 (Asian types) in the United Kingdom shortly after the occurrence of Classical Swine Fever has generated a very deep crisis in United Kingdom livestock industry. The occurrence of the two so soon after one another, and both supposedly originating from the same part of the world suggests that there have been changes in the patterns of food importation into the UK that have allowed these strains to enter.

In a previous article (March '99) we suggested a standardized terminology for the description of swine production systems. The terminology covered stages of production (breeding, nursery, finishing), management practices (isowean, sourcing of pigs, movement of pigs), and physical aspects and geographical locations of production facilities (numbers of buildings, loci, and sites).

A new proposed system for terms to use in describing the various one site and multi-site production systems that have evolved in the pork production industry, and a simplified system for diagraming various types of pig farms.