4 th International Symposium on Emerging and Re-emerging Pig Diseases – Rome June 29th – July 2nd, 2003

SERUM-HAPTOGLOBIN CONCENTRATION IN HERDS CHRONICALLY AFFECTED BY PMWS

J. Lannou 1, F. Bernard2, N. Amenna 3 , H. Morvan,3 V. Auvigne 4
1
Sanders Océan, Vertou, France 2 Laboratoire Sogeval, Laval, France 3 LDA 22, Ploufragan, France 4 Ekipaj , St Grégoire, France

Key words: PMWS – Diagnosis - Haptoglobin

Introduction observed. To the exception of this herd the mean haptoglobin

Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) is a concentration was 1.0 mg/ml in the PMWS-free farms
major disease in many countries world-wide (5). The The variability of the results within each age group,
introduction of strict herd health control measures has expressed by the mean standard deviation of each age
allowed to significantly lower the rate of loss in severely group, was greater for the affected farms (0.8 to 1) than for
affected farms. Nevertheless, in certain farms, the losses the PMWS-free farms (0.4 to 0.8)
caused by this disease remained significant for several years
following the first appearance of the disease on the farm. Table 1: Results for all three age groups
The acute phase response is part of the early defence
mechanisms induced by trauma, inflammation or infection, Haptoglobin
Farm PMWS Status
and haptoglobin is one of the positive acute phase proteins. Mean SD
The mean haptoglobin concentration is linked to the health Mean (mg/ml)
of age groups
status of the farms (2), and, on an individual level, to the
clinical symptoms observed in the animals (3). For these 1 Chronically affected 1.9 1
reasons, haptoglobin has been suggested as a screening 2 Chronically affected 1.4 1
parameter in health management systems, in particular at 3 Chronically affected 1.5 0.8
post-weaning level (1). 4 Free 0.9 0.8
The objective of this study was to evaluate the mean 5 Free 1.3 0.6
haptoglobin level in herds chronically affected by PMWS.
6 Free 0.9 0.4
Material and methods 7 Free 0.8 0.5
The farms 8 Free 2.3 0.6
The study was carried out in eight breeder-fattener farms, one
of which was multi-site. Their average size was 185 sows Figure 1: Loss rate in the post-weaning unit and mean
(ranging from 70 to 450). Loss rates were calculated over a concentration of haptoglobin for all three age groups
six month or one year period prior to the survey. The farms
were either « chronically affected » with PMWS or « PMWS- 2.5
free » according to the following definitions: Farm 8
Chronically affected: farms with clinical signs of PMWS for at 2.0
Haptoglobin (mg/ml)

least three years, confirmed by post mortem and histological

examination (6). Loss rates in the post-weaning units over 1.5
3 % (mean=5.4). Three of the farms were included in this
group. 1.0
PMWS-free: Farms in which the clinical form of PMWS has
never been observed. Loss rates in the post-weaning units 0.5
under 2 % (mean=1.1). Five farms were included in this group.
Haptoglobin assay 0.0
0 2 4 6 8
A cross sectional study was carried out in order to evaluate
the serum haptoglobin concentration. In each of the farms, Loss rate in the post-weaning unit
pigs from the following three age groups were sampled: post-
weaning (seven to nine weeks of age), early fattening (twelve
to fourteen weeks) and finishing (nineteen to twenty-four The mean haptoglobin concentration and the standard
weeks). Ten pigs were sampled from each of the age groups. deviation for the post-weaning age group are shown in Table
The serum haptoglobin concentration was measured following 2. In this age group, the mean haptoglobin concentration was
serum centrifugation with a commercially available non 1.1 mg/ml in the PMWS-free farms and 2 in the chronically
species specific biochemical test (Tridelta Development Ltd.). affected farms. The standard deviations were also greater in
All tests were analysed as a single batch. the chronically affected farms (0.8 to 1.2) than for the PMWS-
free farms (0.1 to 0.9).
Results
A total of 242 serum samples were analysed. The mean Table 2: Results for the post-weaning age group
serum haptoglobin concentration was 1.37 mg/ml (minimum 0,
maximum 3.86). Haptoglobin
Farm PMWS Status
On a herd level, two parameters were used to describe the
results: the mean haptoglobin levels and the mean standard Mean (mg/ml) SD
deviation (SD) within each age group.
The results are given for each farm in Table 1. The mean 1 Chronically affected 1.6 1.2
haptoglobin concentration was 1.2 (0.8 to 2.3) mg/ml in the 2 Chronically affected 2 1
PMWS-free farms and 1.6 (1.4 to 1.9) in the chronically 3 Chronically affected 2.3 0.8
affected farms. Figure 1 gives the relationship between loss 4 Free 1.1 0.9
rate in the post-weaning unit and mean concentration of 5 Free 0.1 0.1
haptoglobin for all three age groups.
6 Free 1.6 0.7
Farm number 8 is a special case: it concerns a PMWS-free
farms with a high level of haptoglobin. At the time of 7 Free 0.6 0.6
sampling, the farm had just been infected by Mycoplasma 8 Free 2.1 0.6
hyopneumoniae and acute respiratory symptoms were

213
 4 th International Symposium on Emerging and Re-emerging Pig Diseases – Rome June 29th – July 2nd, 2003

Discussion
In this study, the farms chronically affected by PMWS were
characterised by a high mean haptoglobin concentration and
a high variability of results within each age group. The
combination of a high mean haptoglobin concentration and a
low variability could be associated to a clinically acute
disease episode. This confirms that the results of haptoglobin
analysis should take into account both the mean
concentration and the variability, by using the standard
deviation (4). These results should be confirmed by study
including a larger number of farms.
The haptoglobin levels in farms affected by PMWS show the
importance of inflammatory processes in this disease.
Haptoglobin could therefore be used as an objective indicator
for the evaluation of the herd health status and of the
efficacy of PMWS control measures.

Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the veterinarians of GLON-SANDERS for their
technical assistance and their contribution to the discussion of the results.

References
1. Gymnich S., et al., 2002, Haptoglobin as a screening
parameter in health management systems in the piglets
rearing. Proc. of the 17th congress of the IPVS, Ames,
Iowa, Vol. 2 ,117.
2. Petersen H.H., et al., 2002, Serum-haptoglobin
concentration in Danish slaughter pigs of different health
status. Prev. Vet. Med. 54, 325-335.
3. Petersen H.H., et al., 2002, Serum haptoglobin
concentration as a marker of clinical signs in finishing pig.
Vet. Rec, 151, 85-89.
4. Petersen B., Gymnich S., Knura-Deszczka S., Pineiro C.,
Lorenzo E., Nielsen J-P. Proper sampling and better
understanding of APP’s on pig production.
5. Segalès J., Domingo M., 2002, Porcine Circovirus Type
2 Infection: Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome
and other conditions. Proc. of the 17th congress of the
IPVS, Ames, Iowa, Vol.1 35-42.
6. Sorden S. D. Update on porcine circovirus and
postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS).
Swine Health Prod. 2000; 8(3):133-136

214