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Value of skin punch biopsies for the diagnosis of acute classical swine fever

Correspondence: ¹Corresponding Author: Jens P. Teifke, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, D-17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany, e-mail: jens.teifke{at}fli.bund.de

The objective of this study was to determine if skin punch biopsies are appropriate for the diagnosis of classical swine fever. For this purpose, 6 wild boars and 2 domestic pigs were experimentally infected with the highly virulent classical swine fever virus (CSFV) Koslov and 5 domestic pigs with a CSFV field isolate (genotype 2.3 Uelzen) derived from wild boar. Skin biopsy specimens were tested using virus isolation, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rtRT-PCR), and fluorescent antibody test (FAT) on cryosections. Whereas CSFV Koslov was first detected at 4 days postinfection (DPI) by rtRT-PCR and virus isolation, FAT failed to detect CSFV antigen until 9 DPI. In domestic pigs infected with CSFV 2.3 Uelzen, viral RNA and CSFV were detected at 7 DPI. FAT was negative until 11 DPI. CSFV antigen was detected in endothelial cells of the vascular plexus in the upper dermis as shown by confocal laser-scanning microscopy and double labeling with von Willebrand factor. At 18 DPI, CSFV antigen was present diffusely in capillaries and spindle shaped cells of the dermis, multifocally within keratinocytes of the epidermis and in numerous cells of the inner and outer root sheath epithelium, hair bulb, and intravascular leukocytes. The rtRT-PCR proved to be the test with the highest sensitivity followed by virus isolation and FAT. Taken together, this study demonstrates that skin is easy to sample antemortem and is also suitable as postmortem tissue, and suggests that rtRT-PCR of skin should be included for CSF diagnosis in the acute period of disease.

Key Words: Biopsy • classical swine fever virus • diagnosis • hog cholera • pig • RNA • skin