Many serotypes

• Type 2: meningitis

 Types 1, 1/2, 9 and 14: polyserositis, joint ill, septicaemia, meningitis

• Colonises tonsils → bacteraemia → localises in susceptible tissues

- Type 2 excluded from Minimal Disease units

- Introduced into herds by carrier pigs

- Sow to piglet transmission

- Spreads amongst weaners

- Overstocking, unsuitable housing

- Survives in environment for 2 weeks 

• Zoonotic 

Joint ill

• −  piglets and weaners

• −  Febrile, swollen joint(s), lameness, depressed

• Septicaemia
− sudden deaths

• Meningitis

− recumbency, stiff legs, paddling, febrile, distress 

Joint ill
− joint capsule distended, cloudy fibrinous fluid

- Septicaemia

− meninges congested, possibly cloudy

Individual sick pigs: antibiotic by injection. L/A peni

• Hospitalisation and nursing

• Endemic disease: prophylactic antibiotic in feed post‐weaning

− EU vaccine under license or autogenous 

• Exudative epidermitis : Staph hyicus

• Common, spreads rapidly

• Can be very extensive, fatal

• Contact infection, trauma

  • Inflammation, fibrin, scabs, ‘greasy’ feel

  • Housing, humidity, stocking 

   

• Mainly 2 – 6 weeks of age

• Multifocal lesions, spread, coalesce 

  • Non‐pruritic

• Can become extensive if severe

• Confined to skin

• Bacterial colonisation of epidermis

• Inflammation and micro‐abscesses

• Fibrinocellular exudate, scabs

• Dermal inflammation

  Skin lesions fairly characteristic • Non‐pruritic

  • Skin scrapings: bacteriology → S. hyicus

  • Differentials: mange, parakeratosis 

   

• Antibiotics (systemic +/‐ local)

• Severe cases require NSAIDs

• Large groups: water or feed medication

• Attend to predisposing factors

• Thorough clean and disinfect pens 

• Carrier pigs

• Aerosol and contact infection

• Septicaemia and localisation in body cavities

   

• Most common 1 – 3 months of age

• Sudden onset

• Febrile, anorexia, pneumonia, lameness

• Blotchy reddening of skin, peripheral cyanosis

• Recumbency, possible meningitis 

   

  • Most common 1 – 3 months of age

  • Sudden onset

  • Febrile, anorexia, pneumonia, lameness

  • Blotchy reddening of skin, peripheral cyanosis

  • Recumbency, possible meningitis

  • Deaths 

Acute: fibrinous polyserositis, pneumonia, joint fluid fibrinous

• Subacute : marked fibrinous pleurisy, pericarditis, peritonitis

• Chronic: fibrous adhesions in body cavities esp pericardium, cardiac insufficiency, chronic arthritis 

• Clinical signs, pathology

• Isolation of H.parasuis (lung or joint fluid)

• Wide range of antibiotics

• In outbreaks: antibiotic in water or feed

• Commercial vs autogenous vaccines

  - Glasser's vaccines 

• Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae

• Common in pig environments

• Carried in tonsils, shed in faeces and urine

• Immunity develops

• Zoonotic: granulomatous swellings 

Multiple routes of infection

• Mainly from 2 months ‐ adult

• Acute form: septicaemia, febrile, deaths, abortions, acute synovitis, skin lesions (typical diamond – shaped, haemorrhagic)

- Chronic: necrotic skin lesions, ear tips slough, arthritis, valvular endocarditis

Acute:

− carcase congested, petechial haemorrhages, skin lesions (infarcts), lymph nodes enlarged and congested

- Chronic:

− Heart: valvular endocarditis lesions 

Clinical signs
• Pathology
• Bacteriology from affected site

• Serology 

• Wide range antibiotics (penicillin)

• Vaccination of adult breeding stock done as a

routine

• Vaccination can be used to control outbreaks in growers

• Thorough cleaning and disinfection of buildings 

M. hyosynoviae M. hyopmeumoniae M. hyorhinis 

Arthritis in growers, finishers and young adults

• Carried in tonsils

• Infection oro‐nasal > septicaemia > localisation in joints, synovitis

• Acute lameness, one or more limbs, joint capsule swelling

nzootic pneumonia (+ other pathogens) Coughing in growing pigs
Uneven growth, poor feed conversion

- Characteristic antero‐ventral pneumonic lesions

• Very common worldwide

• EP‐free status important part of MD programme

• Carrier pigs

• Aerosol for 3 km

• Severe disease in non‐immune herds 

• Adhere to cilia

• Cause clumping and loss

• Impedes normal ciliary clearance

• Bronchopneumonia 7‐14 days pi

• Persists for 3 months or more

  Modulation of immune system

  • Immunosupression macrophages

  • Immunostimulation lymphocytes

  • Cytokine production 

   

• Endemic: chronic low‐grade coughing W‐F

• Acute outbreaks in susceptible herds

• Incubation period 2 weeks

• Barking cough

• Lasts +/‐50 days

• Depression of growth rate and feed conversion

  Bronchopneumonia
  • Perivacsular and peribronchiolar cuffing

  • Influx of lymphocytes and macrophages

  • Well demarcated

    • Enlarged lymph nodes

    • Secondary infection 

     

   

Clinical: coughing pigs with uneven growth

Pathology: lung lesions

Demonstration of M. hyo by PCR/IHC

Serology (seroconversion can be slow) 

• Lincomycin, tilmicosin, enrofloxacin, tiamulin

• Water medication during acute illness

• May need parenteral antibiotics as well

• +/‐NSAIDs

• Feed medication for extended treatment 

Vaccination piglets

• Strategic use of antibiotics

• Management strategies: AI/AO, improving ventilation, dividing airspaces, gilt acclimatisation 

• Depopulation and restocking

• Partial de‐pop, treat all remaining adults, thorough clean‐up