Table 1.
Laboratory Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Diseases in Swine
| DISEASE | SPECIMEN | DIAGNOSTIC TEST |
|---|---|---|
| Colibacillosis | Duodenum Colon contents, feces | Bacterial isolation pH (alkaline) |
| Clostridium perfringens type C enteritis | Jejunum, ileum (fixed) | Histopathology |
| Jejunum, ileum (nonfixed) | Gram stain of mucosal scraping | |
| Contents of jejunum and ileum, peritoneal fluid (refrigerated or frozen) | Mouse neutralization test | |
| Salmonellosis | Jejunum, ileum, colon, liver (fixed and nonfixed), feces | Histopathology, bacterial isolation |
| Swine dysentery | Cecum, colon (fixed) | Histopathology |
| Cecum, colon (nonfixed), feces | Dark field examination, culture, Victoria blue 4-R stain of mucosal smear, immunofluorescent antibody test | |
| Proliferative enteritis (Campylobacter sputorum infection) | Ileum, lower jejunum (fixed) | Histopathology, Warthin-Starry stain |
| Ileum, lower jejunum (nonfixed) | Electron microscopy, acid fast stain of mucosal impression smears | |
| Serum | Microtiter agglutination | |
| Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) | Jejunum (fixed) Jejunum (nonfixed) Intestinal content (large and small), feces Serum |
Histopathology Subgross examination, fluorescent antibody test, electron microscopy Electron microscopy, pH (acid) Serum neutralization test |
| Other enteric viruses Rotaviruses Coronaviruses (Not TGE) Caliciviruses Adenoviruses Astroviruses |
Intestinal content, feces, small intestine (nonfixed) Small intestine (fixed) |
Electron microscopy, fluorescent antibody test Histopathology |
| Coccidiosis | Jejunum (fixed) Jejunum (nonfixed) |
Histopathology Direct microscopic examination of fresh scrapings, Wright’s stain |
| Cryptosporidiosis | Colon (fixed, nonfixed) Feces | Histopathology, electron microscopy Smear, flotation |
| Stomach worms (Ascrops, Hyostrongylus, Physocephalus spp.) | Stomach | Necropsy examination |
| Ascaris suum | Small intestine, liver, lung Feces | Necropsy, histopathology Ova detection (flotation, smear) |
| Strongyloidiases | Small intestine (nonfixed) Small intestine (fixed) Feces |
Microscopic exam of mucosal scraping Histopathology Ova detection (flotation, smear) |
| Macracanthorhynchus hirudiaceus | Small intestine | Necropsy examination |
| Trichuris suis | Cecum, colon Feces |
Necropsy examination Ova detection (flotation, smear) |
| Oesophagostomum | Colon | Necropsy examination |
| Gastric ulcers | Stomach (intact) Feces |
Gross and histopathology Occult blood |
| Intestinal hemorrhage syndrome | Small intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes | Gross necropsy examination |