Investigating porcine abortions, stillbirths and mummified piglets 鈥� guidance for vets
Published 20 February 2026
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
漏 Crown copyright 2026
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叠补肠办驳谤辞耻苍诲听
Several factors听may be involved in porcine abortions and stillbirths, including:听听
- 别苍惫颈谤辞苍尘别苍迟听
- 苍耻迟谤颈迟颈辞苍听
- 驳别苍别迟颈肠蝉听
- toxic and infectious agents
Full听investigation of cases requires a听complete听and听accurate听history to include:听听
- herd background details听
- clinical signs听(including those in sows)听
- stage of gestation affected听
- parity affected听
- 惫补肠肠颈苍补迟颈辞苍听
- group social history听
- pig听management听and 苍耻迟谤颈迟颈辞苍听
- examination of听breeding records听
Diagnostic investigation听for听involvement听of infectious agents听
To investigate听the听involvement of infectious agents,听veterinary practitioners听should examine听fetuses听or听stillborn piglets听and placentas.听听
For pigs on premises in England and Wales, where possible,听you should听submit听freshly expelled whole litters,听ideally听with individual placentas,听to an APHA听Veterinary Investigation Centre or听surveillance pathology partner.
Submit each litter听in a separate bag听or听container听with a completed听.听听
Where possible,听you should听submit听litters听from several affected sows, especially听if听there are听high abortion听or听stillbirth rates.听听
If you suspect听notifiable disease,听do not听submit听samples to APHA鈥檚 diagnostic service.听听You must report听suspicion of notifiable disease听to Defra听Rural Services Helpline on:听听
- 03000 200 301 in England听
- 0300 303 8268听in Wales听听
In Scotland, contact听your local Field Services Office.听
If you do not suspect听notifiable disease and听whole听fetuses听or听stillborn piglets and placentas听cannot听be听submitted听to an APHA Veterinary Investigation Centre or听surveillance pathology partner, private veterinary听practitioners听can听examine and collect samples听from听abortion听or听stillbirth material and听submit听these听to APHA听as detailed below.听
Guidance for vets collecting and submitting samples from abortions and stillbirths
Following听this guidance enables听APHA to do听the听appropriate diagnostic听testing.听听
If these听steps are followed,听the diagnostic tests mentioned听will be听included under the subsidised charge for abortion and stillbirth investigation (test code TC0011, one charged for each litter听submitted).听
You should:听
- examine the whole litter听and complete Table 1
- examine in detail and collect听samples听as per听Table听2听from听three听piglets per litter听鈥� ideally sample听one听small,听one听medium and one听large piglet, avoiding听very autolysed听or听mummified听piglets听(except for听heart听samples for听porcine parvovirus听鈥� see听Table听2)听
- place fresh tissues into small individual containers听(e.g. 5ml bijoux)听鈥� do not pool samples听听
- place听all听fixed tissues听from one piglet听into one container (1:10 with formalin)听
- ensure all containers are labelled to听indicate听sample type,听litter听and piglet identity听
- complete one set of tables for each litter听and send with the samples听
- send samples听with听a completed听听requesting听test code TC0011听鈥� include听a thorough clinical history as听detailed above听
- package samples听according to the requirements for听sending pathological material听
- submit samples by post to:听听
APHA Starcross: APHA Veterinary Investigation Centre
Staplake听Mount听
Starcross听
Exeter听
EX6听8PE