RAMESH APARTHIBAN STANUVASDHINAKAR RAJ GHEMALATHA SANBU KUMAR K2023-12-292023-12-292022https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810205083The present study was aimed at molecular characterization of the circulating porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) under field condition in southern India and development of a inactivated vaccine. A total of 434 field samples comprising of serum (n=273), post mortem tissues (n=109) and swabs from natural orifices (n=52) collected from swine populations of southern India during the period from 2019 to 2021 were used in this study. Of the 434 field samples screened, 53(12.2%) samples were found positive for PCV2 infections by ORF2 gene based diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Statistical analysis of PCV2 positivity within breed, age, sex and vaccination status revealed no significant difference (P>0.05) but there was a significant difference (P<0.05) in the positivity of PCV2 among healthy and suspected swine populations. ELISA based PCV2 specific antibody to capsid protein screening in 176 serum samples collected from non-vaccinated animals (based on history) revealed seropositivity of 44.8% (n=79). Screening for PCV1 and PCV3 circulation in the field and their co-infection studies revealed, 2.99% (n=13) positivity for PCV1 genome and 0.69% (n=3) positivity for PCV3 genome. The PCV3 incidence was documented for the first time in southern part of India. The PCV2 co-infection analysis revealed, 11.32% (n=6) co-infection of PCV2 with PCV1 and 1.88% (n=1) co-infection of PCV2 with PCV3.EnglishThesis