PCR and qPCR for detection of Porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in captive white-lipped (Tayassu pecari) and collared (Tayassu tajacu) peccaries from Southern Brazil

Abstract

Porcine virus type 2 (PCV2) is an emergent virus found in commercial pig farms and may cause clinical or subclinical infection. Wild pigs such as collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) and white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) may also be infected by PCV2. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to molecularly identify PCV2 in whole blood samples of captive peccaries (16 collared and 6 white-lipped) by conventional and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Although the housekeeping gene (?-actin) DNA was successfully amplified, all 22 peccaries tested negative for PCV2 by both molecular methods. Previous studies have shown no antibodies against PCV2 in 49 free-range collared peccaries of Southern Brazil but PCV2 DNA was detected by PCR in tissue samples of 9/10 (90.0%) collared and 3/3 (100%) white-lipped free-ranging peccaries from Central and Northern Brazil. In conclusion, although PCV2 may be endemic in free ranging wild pigs of Central and Northern Brazil, lack of serological and molecular PCV2 evidence (in whole blood) of both captive and free-range wild pigs may indicate low risk of disease in Southern Brazil.