First detection of atypical porcine pestivirus in piglets affected by congenital tremor in Poland

Congenital tremors are neurological disorders of newborn piglets that may lead to serious health consequences, including increased mortality. Many reports have indicated that atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV), first identified in 2015, is a possible cause of this condition. In different countries, APPV was detected in farms affected by piglets’ congenital tremors. There is a lack of data regarding the presence of this virus in Poland. However, swine veterinarians report outbreaks of congenital tremor with unestablished aetiology nationwide. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the presence of APPV in piglets with congenital tremors in Poland. Samples of blood (2), faecal swabs (7), brain (7), cerebellum (5), spinal cord, (7) lymph nodes (7), tonsil (7), thymus (6), tongue (7), heart (7), lung (7) and liver (7) were collected from piglets. Form sows’ blood (5) and oral fluid (3, pooling samples) were collected. All samples have been derived from a commercial breeding farm reporting a case of congenital tremor and subjected to the qPCR via commercial kit (EXOone Atypical Porcine Pestivirus, Exopol, Spain). Six out of seven piglets tested positive for APPV, with the highest viral loads detected in the cerebellum and tonsils. All samples from sows were negative, emphasising the virus’s specificity to piglets. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report confirming APPV’s presence in Poland. Given the potentially significant impact of APPV infections on swine health and production economics, further research evaluating the epidemiology and pathogenicity of APPV, as well as identifying preventive measures, is sorely needed.