Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Canadian Veterinary Journal logoLink to The Canadian Veterinary Journal
. 2001 Jan;42(1):33–37. doi: 10.4141/cjas62-005

An investigation of the etiology of a mild diarrhea observed in a group of grower/finisher pigs.

W T Johnston 1, C E Dewey 1, R M Friendship 1, N Smart 1, B J McEwen 1, M Stalker 1, C F de Lange 1
PMCID: PMC1476423  PMID: 11195519

Abstract

An investigation into a mild diarrhea in a group of grower/finisher pigs was carried out in order to determine the etiology. A tiamulin injection and a carbadox-medicated ration were given to pens of pigs in a 2 x 2 factorial experimental design. Pens of pigs were assessed a score, based on the consistency of the feces in the pen, each week. The clinical investigation looked for the intestinal pathogens Brachyspira pilosicoli, B. hyodysenteriae, Lawsonia intracellularis, Salmonella spp., Yersinia spp., transmissible gastroenteritis virus, and rotavirus. Despite a rigorous investigation, the diarrhea was not attributed to any pathogen. A mild colitis was noted among pigs necropsied while affected with diarrhea. Improved diagnostic tools may allow a more effective response to an outbreak of mild disease, while at the same time reducing the amount of antimicrobials used in swine production.

Full text

PDF
33

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Atyeo R. F., Oxberry S. L., Combs B. G., Hampson D. J. Development and evaluation of polymerase chain reaction tests as an aid to diagnosis of swine dysentery and intestinal spirochaetosis. Lett Appl Microbiol. 1998 Feb;26(2):126–130. doi: 10.1046/j.1472-765x.1998.00294.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Kunkle R. A., Kinyon J. M. Improved selective medium for the isolation of Treponema hyodysenteriae. J Clin Microbiol. 1988 Nov;26(11):2357–2360. doi: 10.1128/jcm.26.11.2357-2360.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. McOrist S., Gebhart C. J., Boid R., Barns S. M. Characterization of Lawsonia intracellularis gen. nov., sp. nov., the obligately intracellular bacterium of porcine proliferative enteropathy. Int J Syst Bacteriol. 1995 Oct;45(4):820–825. doi: 10.1099/00207713-45-4-820. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Muniappa N., Mathiesen M. R., Duhamel G. E. Laboratory identification and enteropathogenicity testing of Serpulina pilosicoli associated with porcine colonic spirochetosis. J Vet Diagn Invest. 1997 Apr;9(2):165–171. doi: 10.1177/104063879700900210. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Pearce G. P. Epidemiology of enteric disease in grower-finisher pigs: a postal survey of pig producers in England. Vet Rec. 1999 Mar 27;144(13):338–342. doi: 10.1136/vr.144.13.338. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Taylor D. J., Simmons J. R., Laird H. M. Production of diarrhoea and dysentery in pigs by feeding pure cultures of a spirochaete differing from Treponema hyodysenteriae. Vet Rec. 1980 Apr 12;106(15):326–332. doi: 10.1136/vr.106.15.326. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Taylor D. J. Tiamulin in the treatment and prophylaxis of experimental swine dysentery. Vet Rec. 1980 Jun 21;106(25):526–528. doi: 10.1136/vr.106.25.526. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Tenaya I. W., Penhale W. J., Hampson D. J. Preparation of diagnostic polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against outer envelope proteins of Serpulina pilosicoli. J Med Microbiol. 1998 Apr;47(4):317–324. doi: 10.1099/00222615-47-4-317. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Thomson J. R., Smith W. J., Murray B. P. Investigations into field cases of porcine colitis with particular reference to infection with Serpulina pilosicoli. Vet Rec. 1998 Mar 7;142(10):235–239. doi: 10.1136/vr.142.10.235. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Trott D. J., Stanton T. B., Jensen N. S., Duhamel G. E., Johnson J. L., Hampson D. J. Serpulina pilosicoli sp. nov., the agent of porcine intestinal spirochetosis. Int J Syst Bacteriol. 1996 Jan;46(1):206–215. doi: 10.1099/00207713-46-1-206. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Canadian Veterinary Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

RESOURCES