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Although the incubation period for classical swine fever is generally less than ten days, in the field it may take up to four weeks for clinical signs to become apparent in a population. Disease severity varies with virulence, immune status and the age of the animal: this means that although acute, chronic and congenital forms of the disease can be appreciated, there is no "classic" disease presentation.
 
Although the incubation period for classical swine fever is generally less than ten days, in the field it may take up to four weeks for clinical signs to become apparent in a population. Disease severity varies with virulence, immune status and the age of the animal: this means that although acute, chronic and congenital forms of the disease can be appreciated, there is no "classic" disease presentation.
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In the acute form, animals are almost always pyrexic. In piglets the fever may exceed 40°, but in adults temperatures may be no higher than 39.5°. Lethargy, conjunctivitis, lymphomegaly may be seen, as well as respiratory signs and diarrhoea. Neurological signs such as gait abnormalities, incoordination and convulsions are also common. The most telling sign of classical swine fever is haemorrhage of the skin. These arise in the second or third week post-infection on the ear, tail, abdomen and medial aspect of the limbs and persist until death. CSF virus also causes severe leukopenia and immunosuppression, which can to secondary enteric or respiratory infections which may cause confusion by masking or overlapping the more typical signs of CSF. With increasing age of infected animals, the clinical signs of acute CSF become less specific and diagnosis more difficult. Alao, acute classical swine fever is indistinguishable from African swine fever and so care must be taken when formulating a diagnosis. Other differential diagnoses for acute CSF are erysipelas, PRRS, purpura haemorragica, PWMS, PDNS, Salmonellosis and Pasteurellosis. Classical swine fever should also be considered in any pyrexic enteric or respiratory disease cases that are not responsive to antibiotics.  
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In the acute form, animals are almost always pyrexic. In piglets the fever may exceed 40°, but in adults temperatures may be no higher than 39.5°. Lethargy, conjunctivitis, lymphomegaly may be seen, as well as respiratory signs and diarrhoea. Neurological signs such as gait abnormalities, incoordination and convulsions are also common. The most telling sign of classical swine fever is haemorrhage of the skin. These arise in the second or third week post-infection on the ear, tail, abdomen and medial aspect of the limbs and persist until death. CSF virus also causes severe leukopenia and immunosuppression, which can to secondary enteric or respiratory infections which may cause confusion by masking or overlapping the more typical signs of CSF. With increasing age of infected animals, the clinical signs of acute CSF become less specific and diagnosis more difficult. Alao, acute classical swine fever is indistinguishable from African swine fever and so care must be taken when formulating a diagnosis. Other differential diagnoses for acute CSF are erysipelas, PRRS, purpura haemorragica, PWMS, PDNS, Salmonellosis and Pasteurellosis. Classical swine fever should also be considered in any pyrexic enteric or respiratory disease case that is not responsive to antibiotics.  
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the chronic form of classical swine fever develops when pigs fail to mount an effective immune response to viral infection. Initially, the signs are similar to the acute form of the disease, but symptoms become less specific as the course progresses. For example, pigs may display chronic enteritis, loss of condition or intermittent pyrexia. Although animals may survive some months after contracting chronic CSF, the disease is always eventually fatal and animals continue to shed virus until death.
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CHRONIC COURSE OF CLASSICAL SWINE
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FEVER VIRUS INFECTION
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The chronic form of CSF is always fatal. It develops
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when pigs are not able to mount an effective immune
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response against the infection. Initial signs
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are similar to die acute infection. Later, predominantly
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non-specific signs are observed, e.g. intermittent
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fever, chronic enteritis and wasting. Animals
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may survive for 2–3 months before they die. CSF
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virus is shed from the onset of clinical signs constantly
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until death. Antibodies may be temporarily
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detected in serum samples, as the immune system
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starts to produce antibodies although they are not
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able to eliminate the virus from the host. Consequently
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the antibodies are neutralised by the virus
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and cease to be detectable (Depner et al., 1996).
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Pathological changes are less typical, especially the
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lack of haemorrhages on organs and serosae. In
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animals displaying chronic diarrhoea, necrotic and
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ulcerative lesions on the ileum, the ileocaecal valve
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and the rectum are common. Since clinical signs of
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chronic CSF are rather non-specific, a broad range
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of other diseases must be considered as part of any
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differential diagnosis.
   
PRENATAL COURSE OF INFECTION AND
 
PRENATAL COURSE OF INFECTION AND
 
LATE ONSET OF DISEASE
 
LATE ONSET OF DISEASE
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