Monday, October 10, 2011

UK Pig Veterinary Society meeting focuses on PCV2

PCV2 will feature prominently on the agenda at the UK Pig Veterinary Society’s autumn meeting England on November 16 and 17.
In a session sponsored by Merial Animal Health on the first day of the conference, two industry experts will present different aspects of PCV2. Dr. Kenneth McCullough, head of research at Switzerland’s Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis, will talk about the impact of PCV2 in the immune system. He will explain how it impairs the immune response of the pigs and why early protection is essential to the protection of the pigs. Thais Vila, technical director for EMEA for swine products at Merial Animal Health, will talk about PCV2 vaccination. She will explain how it can now be used to provide protection in piglets, gilts and sows — providing full control and flexibility to prevent losses from service to slaughter.
“Since its identification in the 1990s, PCV2 has been shown to have significant health and economic effects on pigs around the world," said Brian Rice, veterinary adviser at Merial. "Estimates indicate that it may have cost the European pig industry alone anything up to £468 million, or €562 million, per annum. PCV2 and the diseases that it causes remain a very real threat. Furthermore, recent research has established that PCV2 has a significant effect on sow reproduction, adding to the economic effect of the disease."
According to Rice, the sessions will help delegates improve their understanding of PCV2 and its effect on the immune system, as well as the treatment options open to them. 

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