Using Oral Fluid to Monitor Virus in Pig Donor Herds
Author Information
Author(s): Schommer Susan K., Samuel Melissa S., Whitworth Kristin M., Byrne Addison K., Wells Kevin D., Prather Randall S.
Primary Institution: University of Missouri
Hypothesis
Can oral fluid testing effectively monitor porcine cytomegalovirus/roseolovirus status in xenotransplant donor herds?
Conclusion
Oral fluid testing can effectively verify that pig herds are free from porcine cytomegalovirus/roseolovirus.
Supporting Evidence
- Oral fluid samples were collected from pigs and tested for the virus using real-time PCR.
- Testing detected 71% of positive animals when using both oral fluid and blood samples.
- All pens of young pigs tested positive for the virus using pooled oral fluid samples.
Takeaway
Scientists found that testing pig saliva can help check if they have a virus that could make organ transplants unsafe.
Methodology
The study used real-time PCR to test oral fluid and blood samples from pigs, comparing results to postmortem spleen samples.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in sample selection as pigs were selected based on herd needs.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable to all pig herds due to specific conditions at the research facility.
Participant Demographics
Pigs included both wild-type and genetically modified animals, aged from 6 weeks to over 2 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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