Effects of African Swine Fever infection on blood of Pigs from Selected Local Government Areas in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Indirect Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) was carried out to detect antibodies against African Swine Fever (ASF) virus and  haematological investigations were also carried out on blood samples collected from 299 pigs from selected Local Government Areas in  Kaduna State Nigeria. The serum samples from 10 pigs (3.34%) were positive by ELISA haematological investigations consisted of packed  cell volume (PCV), red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC). The mean PCV, RBC and WBC values of pigs negative for ASF  were 34.84+9.611, 6.299+6.093 9.953+5.565/ml respectively while the values of pigs positive for ASF were 32.30+6.464, 5.160+1.182 and  9.740+4.37 /ml respectively. It was observed that the mean PCV values of the sero-positive pigs and seronegative pigs 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, African Swine Fever infection caused increase in the mean values of PCV, RBC  and WBC count.