MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

With TechPEPCon, new digital frontline technologies (third generation nanopore sequencing (PathoSense), digital biosecurity analysis (Biocheck) and climate sensing (Healthy Climate Solutions)) were implemented to analyze (i) infections that are occurring on healthy and clinically affected farms and may cause disease, (ii) biosecurity and (iii) stable climate. On ‘healthy’ farms, it was demonstrated that (i) a large number of respiratory, intestinal and general viruses and bacteria are enzootically circulating, mainly causing subclinical infections; (ii) periods of clinical signs were present and accepted by the farmer as being normal and (iii) biosecurity and stable climate could be improved. On ‘affected’ farms, the combined use of these digital frontline technologies allowed to make correct diagnoses, which would be much more difficult with the current way of making diagnoses (detection of selected pathogens). It became clear that the value of the ‘diagnosis of one pathogen’ is restricted. Pigs are continuous under an ‘immunostimulation’ status, which is negative for their growth and allows viruses with a tropism for lymphoblasts (parvo- and circoviruses) to damage the immune system and to evolve fast. The digital diagnostic platform allows to follow up viruses and bacteria in real time and to identify emerging pathogens.  

PERSPECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTIVITIES

• At present, the visual and auditive digital data that are collected in swine herds are of little use for veterinarians. More efforts should be made to develop usable software for swine veterinarians.
• It is recommended to centralize the digital data from third generation diagnostic platforms at a national and European level and open it for practitioners and decision-making authorities.
• Veterinary students and veterinarians should be trained to use the new digital diagnostic tools in a proper way.
• The number of infections that pigs experience in their life should be reduced to improve their growth and health/welfare and to reduce the evolution of circo- and parvoviruses.