Prevalence of viral pathogens causing endemic diarrhea in Korean weaning and post-weaning piglets (2004∼2009)
Although several enteric viral pathogens including the porcine groups A, B and C rotaviruses (PGARV, PGBRV, and PGCRV), sapovirus (PSaV), and torovirus (PToV) are known to cause endemic diarrheas in weaning and post-weaning piglets, their precise prevalence in Korea is not clear. Therefore, we examined 1,222 diarrhea stools obtained from 627 farms during 2004~2009 by RT-PCR and/or nested PCR for evaluating their precise prevalence in Korea. PGARV was the predominant pathogen during 2004~2007 but its prevalence was markedly reduced during 2008~2009. PGBRV infections caused endemic diarrhea during 2004~2007, but was hardly detected during 2008-2009. PGCRV was detected at 27.0%, 14.5%, 42.4%, 28.8%, 7.3%, and 54.2% during each year of 2004~2009, respectively, indicating its high prevalence in Korea throughout the years. PSaV induced with high prevalence (32.4-39.2%) during 2004~2005 but its detection rate was markedly decreased during 2006~2009. PToV caused sporadic infections only during 2006 (1.0%) and 2007 (6.9%). These enteric viruses were detected in diarrhea specimens in piglets usually in combination with each other and/or together with bacterial pathogens including the Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Brachispira hyodysenteriae, and Lawsonia intracellularis. Infections with PGARV, PGCRV, PSaV, and PToV were more prevalent in fecal samples collected in cold seasons. These results provide important epidemiological data for the control and establishment of a surveillance system for the prevailing enteric viruses in Korea.