More than 20 years after the first outbreaks, the phylogenetic picture of PRRSV is still incomplete and full of gaps, especially in regards of PRRSV 1. Due to the exceptional diversity observed at the eastern borders of Europe and the low number of available sequences from Central Eastern European countries, the authors collected and analyzed both recent as well as already submitted sequences comparing them to a large backbone set of available ORF5 sequences representing the full spectrum of PRRSV 1 Subtype 1 diversity to conduct a systematic phylogenetic analysis and reclassification elucidating the diversity of the virus in these countries. Moreover, further analyses of the EUROSTAT data regarding the live pig movement trends revealed their influence of virus diversity and evolution. The results indicate that besides the effect of local, isolated divergent evolution and the use of modified live vaccines, the most important factor influencing a given country’s virus diversity is the transboundary movement of live, infected animals.

Porcine respirovirus 1, also kown as Porcine parainfluenza virus 1 (PPIV‐1) was first identified in Hong Kong in 2013, later in the USA and most recently in Chile. Here we report the first detection of PPIV‐1 outside these three regions. We screened 22 farms in Hungary by testing 15 nasal swab samples obtained from 3‐week‐old piglets (3 randomly chosen piglets from 5 litters in each farm. Only one farm was found to be positive. We subsequently sampled the positive farm by taking cross‐sectional 20 nasal swab samples from 2, 4, 6 and 8‐week‐old piglets. Virus detection by qRT‐PCR showed that although all investigated age groups were positive to PPIV‐1, a higher number of infected animals and higher viral loads were found among 4‐week‐old animals. Based on the phylogenetic analyses of partial F and L genes, the 3 Hungarian strains are genetically closely related to the very first PPIV‐1 strain identified in Hong Kong in 2013, whereas the overall genetic difference compared to the recently described North American isolates was around 10%.

Porcine respirovirus 1 (PRV1) is also known as porcine parainfluenza virus 1 (PPIV1). The prevalence and the role of PRV1 infections for pig health is largely unknown. In order to assess the PRV1 prevalence in Poland, nasal swabs and oral fluids collected from pigs from 30 farms were examined with RT real-time PCR. Additionally, IAV and PRRSV infection statuses of PRV1-positive samples were examined. The results showed that the virus is highly prevalent (76.7% farms positive) and different patterns of PRV1 circulation in herds with mild–moderate respiratory disease were observed. Co-infections with IAV and PRRSV were infrequent and detected in 8 (23.5%) and 4 (11.8%) out of 34 PRV1-positive nasal swab pools from diseased pens, respectively. In one pen PRV1, IAV, and PRRSV were detected at the same time. Interestingly, PRV1 mean Ct value in samples with co-infections was significantly lower (29.8 ± 3.1) than in samples with a single PRV1 infection (32.5 ± 3.6) (p < 0.05), which suggested higher virus replication in these populations. On the other hand, the virus detection in pig populations exhibiting respiratory clinical signs, negative for PRRSV and IAV, suggests that PRV1 should be involved in differential diagnosis of respiratory problems.

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is an emerging pathogen that has been reported worldwide in all ages of healthy and clinically ill pigs. The presence of this virus in Hungary has been confirmed in a commercial farm experiencing reproductive failures, but there were no data on the circulation of PCV3 in the country. Here we report the prevalence and the genetic diversity of PCV3 in Hungarian herds. To estimate the prevalence, 1855 serum samples, 176 oral fluid and 97 processing fluid samples were collected in a systematic, cross-sectional method from 20 large scale swineherds and tested by real-time qPCR. PCV3 was present in at least one type of diagnostic matrix in 19 out of the 20 (95%) pig farms. The highest detection rates were observed in the processing fluid samples (61%), but 41% of the oral fluid and 23% of the serum samples were positive. The virus was found in all age groups, and slightly more adult animals were infected than growing pigs, but the viral burden was lower amongst them. Phylogenetic analysis of nine complete genomes, obtained from either the sampled herds or organ samples of PCV3-positive carcasses, showed high nucleotide identity between the detected sequences, which all belonged to the PCV3a genotype. Our results indicate that PCV3 is widespread in Hungary, but in most cases, the virus seems to circulate subclinically, infecting all age groups and production phases without the presence of apparent clinical disease.

In Europe, the first Thelazia callipaeda infections were found in the eyes of some dogs in Italy three decades ago. Since that time, this vector-borne nematode species has been diagnosed in domestic and wild carnivores and humans in some western European countries. During the last few years, autochthonous thelaziosis of dogs, red foxes, cats and humans has also been reported from eastern Europe. The first cases of ocular infections caused by T. callipaeda have been described in dogs living in the eastern and southern part of Slovakia and Hungary. Whitish parasites found in the conjuctival sac and/or under the third eyelid of one or both eyes of animals were removed and morphologically identified according to species and sex. To confirm the morphological identification with molecular analysis a single step conventional PCR was carried out. A total of 116 adult worms (1–37 per dog, median: 7, IQR: 14.5 and 7 from a cat) were collected from the eyes of 11 animals. Nematodes were identified as T. callipaeda according to the morphological keys and molecular analysis. The sequences of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene were identical to those representing T. callipaeda haplotype 1, previously reported in neighbouring and other European countries. Since the infected cat and dogs had never travelled abroad, all of the cases were autochthonous thelaziosis. The present study reports the first case of thelaziosis in a cat and new cases in 10 dogs found in the southern and northern region of Hungary, respectively. Further studies are needed to clarify whether wild carnivores (e.g. red foxes, golden jackals) may act as reservoirs of this eyeworm species in the country.

Due to difficulties in eradicating porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) linked to biosecurity challenges, transmission of the virus and the lack of efficient DIVA vaccines, successful control of PRRS requires a combination of strict management measures and vaccination of both sows and piglets. The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of a recently developed MLV vaccine (Ingelvac PRRSFLEX® EU) in piglets at 2 and 3-weeks of age in the presence of homologous maternally derived antibodies as the dams were vaccinated with the same vaccine strain (ReproCyc® PRRS EU). The study was carried out on a Hungarian farrow to finish farm naturally infected with PRRSv. The study was designed as a blind, placebo controlled side by side trial. ORF5 sequence similarity of the vaccine strain and the resident field strain was 87.8 %. PRRS specific real-time quantitative PCR was performed from serum samples to measure both the viral load and the frequency of virus positive animals. At the time of the natural infection observed in the control group at 10–12 weeks of age, the number of viraemic animals did not increase significantly in the vaccinated group. To understand the infection dynamics, positive PCR samples with low Ct values were sequenced (ORF5) and the data analysis indicated the circulation of wild type virus in both groups, however wild type virus was only found in non-vaccinated animals. Our data indicate that piglets vaccinated at as early as 2 weeks of age with Ingelvac PRRSFLEX® EU were protected both in terms of proportion of viraemic animals and viraemia levels. It has to be highlighted that these results were achieved in piglets with high levels of homologous maternally derived antibodies (MDA) at the time of vaccination.