Effect of African Swine Fever Infection on Some Blood Parameters in Pigs from Selected Local Government Areas in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable highly infectious lethal haemorrhagic diseasein domestic pigs. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). was carried out to detect antibodies against ASF virus and haematological investigations were also carried out on blood samples collected from one hundred and eighty seven pigs from various piggries and slaughter houses from selected Local Government Areas in Benue State Nigeria. Thirteen (6.95%) pigs were . positive to ELISA haematological investigations consisting of packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell count (RBC), and white blood cell count (WBC). The mean PCV, RBC and WBC values of pigs negative for ASF were 32.38 +10.94, 7.49 +5.32, 8.38 +10.64/ml. respectively while the values of pigs positive for ASF were 35.50 +11.35, 10.03 +4.05 and 9.10 +-6.-25/ml. respectively. It was observed that the mean PCV values (35.50+11.35) of the sero-positive pigs and sero-negative pigs (32.38+10.94) were not significantly different from the normal value; it was also observed that the sero-positive pigs had higher mean WBC count than the normal and also mean seronegative pigs. In conclusion, ASF infection caused increase in the mean values of PCV, RBC and WBC counts.