Publication Date: January 29, 2014
Reference: Centralia Swine Research Update , 2014
Country: Canada
Summary:
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The cause of death for pigs in transit is usually not examined, but previous research has found heart lesions are often present. This study’s goal was to characterize the lesions, and determine if any genetic components are associated with them. The results show in-transit deaths were often from heart failure, and the hearts were heavier and visibly enlarged. Lesions were found in ITD hearts and the controls, were chronic in nature, and associated with 40 genes. Two of the associated genes cause HCM in humans, and the lesions were both visibly and microscopically similar to those found in HCM.