Naive sows show genetic variation in response to a Japanese Encephalitis outbreak

Title
Naive sows show genetic variation in response to a Japanese Encephalitis outbreak
Publication Date
2026-07
Author(s)
Harper, J
Bunter, K L
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5587-4416
Email: kbunter2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:kbunter2
Vargovic, L
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8963-1287
Email: lvargov2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:lvargov2
Type of document
Conference Publication
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Iowa State University Digital Press
Place of publication
Iowa, United States of America
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/74508
Abstract

Japanese Encephalitis is a mosquito-borne viral infection that primarily causes reproductive issues. When infected while pregnant, sows will exhibit pregnancy loss or abortion, prolonged gestation length, an elevated number of stillbirths and mummified foetuses and weak or deformed piglets at farrowing. Prior to 2021, Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) was not endemic in Australia, resulting in a pig population immunologically naïve to the virus. The widespread use of naturally ventilated housing systems elevated the risk of infection, due to increased mosquito exposure. The objective of this study was to investigate the existence of tolerance of sows to JEV under natural challenge conditions during an outbreak for sows mated between September 2021 and January 2022. Indicator phenotypes for JEV affected sows were developed based on exposure to the virus during gestation. The JEV exposure period was identified from change-point analysis applied to reproductive data, independently verified by seroconversion testing. However, the exact timing when individual sows were infected by mosquitos was unknown. Binary indicator traits (0 = no adverse outcome; 1 = poor outcome) were as follows: farrowing failure (FF), no farrowing occurred after mating (including abortions); number of mummified piglets within litter > 1 (MUM); total born (born alive + stillbirth + mummified piglets).

Link
Citation
Proceedings of the 13th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, 2026, v.2026, p. 1-4
Start page
1
End page
4
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Files:

NameSizeformatDescriptionLink