Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) as a causal agent of disease in swine and a proposal of PCV-3 associated disease case definition

Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) was discovered in 2015 using next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods. Since then, the virus has been detected worldwide in pigs displaying several clinical-pathological outcomes as well as in healthy animals. The objective of this review is to critically discuss the evidence existing so far regarding PCV-3 as a swine pathogen. In fact, a significant number of publications claim PCV-3 as a disease causal infectious agent, but very few of them have shown strong evidence of such potential causality. The most convincing proofs of disease association are those that demonstrate a clinical picture linked to multisystemic lymphoplasmacytic to lymphohistiocytic perivascular inflammation and presence of viral nucleic acid within these lesions. Based on these evidence, individual case definitions for PCV-3-reproductive disease and PCV-3-systemic disease are proposed to standardize diagnostic criteria for PCV-3-associated diseases. However, the real frequency of these clinical-pathological conditions linked to the novel virus is unknown, and the most frequent outcome of PCV-3 infection is likely subclinical based on its worlwide distribution.

Automated summary

PCV-3 was discovered in 2015 and has been detected worldwide in pigs with various outcomes. While many studies suggest PCV-3 as a potential pathogen, strong evidence of its causality is still lacking, requiring further research to establish clear connections.