Changes

==Epidemiology==

==Epidemiology==

The mode of virus transmission is not clear but rodent-to-pig transmission is probably common and rodents act as the '''major reservoir of the disease. Rats and other rodents probably infect pigs directly or through diseased carcasses and contaminated feeds or water supplies.

The mode of virus transmission is not clear but rodent-to-pig transmission is probably the most important and common, and rodents act as the '''major reservoir of the disease. Rats and other rodents probably infect pigs directly or through diseased carcasses and contaminated feeds or water supplies.

 

Infected pigs can shed the virus in faeces but pig to pig transmission has not yet been proved experimentally, even though it is likely that it occurs.

The route of infection in swine is likely to be oral and experiments have shown this to be the case. Virus can be shed from infected pigs for up to 9 days in their faeces. Animals that survive acute disease produced EMCV antibodies and the course of infection depends upon the virus strain, dose, history and the individual’s immune system. Further experiments have shown that intramuscular infection can cause transplacental infection and foetal deaths in pregnant sows. <ref name="Love and Grewal, 1986"> Love, R.J., Grewal, A.S., (1986). '''Reproductive failure in pigs caused by encephalomyocarditis virus'''. ''Australian Veterinary Journal'', 63(4):128-129; 3 ref.</ref>

The route of infection in swine is likely to be oral and experiments have shown this to be the case. Virus can be shed from infected pigs for up to 9 days in their faeces. Animals that survive acute disease produced EMCV antibodies and the course of infection depends upon the virus strain, dose, history and the individual’s immune system. Further experiments have shown that intramuscular infection can cause transplacental infection and foetal deaths in pregnant sows. <ref name="Love and Grewal, 1986"> Love, R.J., Grewal, A.S., (1986). '''Reproductive failure in pigs caused by encephalomyocarditis virus'''. ''Australian Veterinary Journal'', 63(4):128-129; 3 ref.</ref>

Detection of antibody specific to EMCV from still-born piglets has been used to confirm foetal infection <ref name="Joo et al., 1988"> Joo, H.S., Kim, H.S., Leman, A.D., (1988) '''Detection of antibody to encephalomyocarditis virus in mummified or stillborn pigs'''. ''Archives of Virology'', 100(1-2):131-134; 9 ref.</ref>  <ref name="Kim et al., 1991"> Kim, H.S., Joo, H.S., Christianson, W.T., Morrison, R.B., (1991) '''Evaluation of serologic methods for detection of antibodies to encephalomyocarditis virus in swine fetal thoracic fluids'''. ''Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation'', 3(4):283-286; 20 ref.</ref>

Detection of antibody specific to EMCV from still-born piglets has been used to confirm foetal infection <ref name="Joo et al., 1988"> Joo, H.S., Kim, H.S., Leman, A.D., (1988) '''Detection of antibody to encephalomyocarditis virus in mummified or stillborn pigs'''. ''Archives of Virology'', 100(1-2):131-134; 9 ref.</ref>  <ref name="Kim et al., 1991"> Kim, H.S., Joo, H.S., Christianson, W.T., Morrison, R.B., (1991) '''Evaluation of serologic methods for detection of antibodies to encephalomyocarditis virus in swine fetal thoracic fluids'''. ''Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation'', 3(4):283-286; 20 ref.</ref>

==Treatment==

==Treatment==