Epidemiology of mycotoxic porcine nephropathy.

Mycotoxic porcine nephropathy is a renal disorder caused by ingestion of feed-borne secondary fungal metabolites, possessing nephrotoxic properties. The disease is present endemically in all areas of Denmark, but unevenly distributed, with frequency varying from 0.6 to 65.9 cases per 10,000 pigs in 1971. Epidemics were encountered in 1963 and 1971, apparently associated with excessive climatic conditions. The highest frequency of the disease is found among pigs from the smaller farms. Ordinarily the same farm delivers cases during only one year. Female pigs contract the disease more frequently than male (castrated) pigs. The epidemiology of mycotoxic porcine nephropathy shows similarities with the epidemiology of endemic Balkan nephropathy.