Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have reported the first detection of the new porcine parvovirus (nPPV) in Denmark. The virus was identified on a sow farm where some pigs displayed clinical signs consistent with the newly described syndrome previously reported in the Netherlands.
The main clinical signs include bulging eyes, skin lesions, alopecia (hair loss), growth retardation, post-weaning diarrhoea, and non-specific respiratory symptoms. The disease primarily affects young pigs, while mortality generally remains low.
Laboratory analyses detected the virus in the liver and spleen of all examined pigs. Genetic sequencing revealed that the Danish isolate is highly similar to the strains currently circulating in the Netherlands. However, researchers have not yet determined when or how the virus was introduced into Danish pig herds.
The syndrome was first described in the Netherlands in the autumn of 2024. According to researchers, it may affect up to 80% of piglets in approximately half of the litters. By the first half of 2025, the virus had already been detected on more than 70 Dutch pig farms, indicating its widespread distribution.
Scientists note that the new pathogen belongs to the parvovirus family but is genetically distinct from the classical porcine parvovirus (PPV), the causative agent of SMEDI syndrome. As a result, currently available PPV vaccines are unlikely to provide protection against the new virus.
Furthermore, nPPV cannot be detected using the standard PCR assays employed for classical PPV diagnosis. Specific diagnostic methods are required, and these have already been developed by researchers in the Netherlands and at the University of Copenhagen.
Although the new parvovirus was detected in all examined pigs showing the characteristic clinical signs, researchers stress that it is still too early to conclude that the virus is the direct cause of the syndrome. Further epidemiological investigations and experimental studies will be necessary to confirm its pathogenic role.
In the meantime, veterinarians and pig producers are encouraged to remain vigilant for the described clinical signs in young pigs and to report any suspected cases. This will help determine the extent of the virus's spread beyond the Netherlands and Denmark and support the development of effective control measures.
PigUA.info, based on Pig333.com