Prevalence of Chlamydial Infections in Fattening Pigs and Their Influencing Factors.

Chlamydial infections in pigs are associated with respiratory disease, diarrhea, conjunctivitis and other pathologies. The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of Chlamydiaceae in Swiss fattening pigs by applying sensitive and specific detection methods and to correlate prior antibiotic tr...

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Main Authors: Karolin Hoffmann, Franziska Schott, Manuela Donati, Antonietta Di Francesco, Michael Hässig, Sabrina Wanninger, Xaver Sidler, Nicole Borel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4664257?pdf=render
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author Karolin Hoffmann
Franziska Schott
Manuela Donati
Antonietta Di Francesco
Michael Hässig
Sabrina Wanninger
Xaver Sidler
Nicole Borel
author_facet Karolin Hoffmann
Franziska Schott
Manuela Donati
Antonietta Di Francesco
Michael Hässig
Sabrina Wanninger
Xaver Sidler
Nicole Borel
author_sort Karolin Hoffmann
collection DOAJ
description Chlamydial infections in pigs are associated with respiratory disease, diarrhea, conjunctivitis and other pathologies. The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of Chlamydiaceae in Swiss fattening pigs by applying sensitive and specific detection methods and to correlate prior antibiotic treatment and farm related factors with differences in prevalence. Conjunctival and fecal swabs were collected from 636 pigs in 29 Swiss fattening pig farms with and without antibiotic treatment, at the beginning and the end of the fattening period. The swabs were screened by real-time PCR for Chlamydiaceae. For the chlamydial detection and species-identification, a DNA-microarray analysis was performed. All farms were positive for Chlamydiaceae with 94.3 and 92.0% prevalence in fecal swabs as well as 45.9 and 32.6% in conjunctival swabs at the first and second time points, respectively. Antibiotic treatment could not clear the infection on herd level. Potential contact with wild boars was a significant risk factor, while hygiene criteria did not influence chlamydial prevalence. A correlation of chlamydial positivity to diarrhea, but not to conjunctivitis was evident. Chlamydia suis was the predominant species. Mixed infections with C. suis and C. pecorum were common, with a substantial increase in C. pecorum positivity at the end of the fattening period, and this finding was associated with ruminant contact. C. abortus was detected in one conjunctival swab. In this study, C. suis inhabited the intestinal tract of nearly all examined pigs, implying a long-term infection. C. pecorum was also common and might be transmitted to pigs by ruminants.
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spelling doaj.art-090f5f85be0f4931a1aa752b90abd86d2022-12-22T01:29:32ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-011011e014357610.1371/journal.pone.0143576Prevalence of Chlamydial Infections in Fattening Pigs and Their Influencing Factors.Karolin HoffmannFranziska SchottManuela DonatiAntonietta Di FrancescoMichael HässigSabrina WanningerXaver SidlerNicole BorelChlamydial infections in pigs are associated with respiratory disease, diarrhea, conjunctivitis and other pathologies. The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of Chlamydiaceae in Swiss fattening pigs by applying sensitive and specific detection methods and to correlate prior antibiotic treatment and farm related factors with differences in prevalence. Conjunctival and fecal swabs were collected from 636 pigs in 29 Swiss fattening pig farms with and without antibiotic treatment, at the beginning and the end of the fattening period. The swabs were screened by real-time PCR for Chlamydiaceae. For the chlamydial detection and species-identification, a DNA-microarray analysis was performed. All farms were positive for Chlamydiaceae with 94.3 and 92.0% prevalence in fecal swabs as well as 45.9 and 32.6% in conjunctival swabs at the first and second time points, respectively. Antibiotic treatment could not clear the infection on herd level. Potential contact with wild boars was a significant risk factor, while hygiene criteria did not influence chlamydial prevalence. A correlation of chlamydial positivity to diarrhea, but not to conjunctivitis was evident. Chlamydia suis was the predominant species. Mixed infections with C. suis and C. pecorum were common, with a substantial increase in C. pecorum positivity at the end of the fattening period, and this finding was associated with ruminant contact. C. abortus was detected in one conjunctival swab. In this study, C. suis inhabited the intestinal tract of nearly all examined pigs, implying a long-term infection. C. pecorum was also common and might be transmitted to pigs by ruminants.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4664257?pdf=render
spellingShingle Karolin Hoffmann
Franziska Schott
Manuela Donati
Antonietta Di Francesco
Michael Hässig
Sabrina Wanninger
Xaver Sidler
Nicole Borel
Prevalence of Chlamydial Infections in Fattening Pigs and Their Influencing Factors.
PLoS ONE
title Prevalence of Chlamydial Infections in Fattening Pigs and Their Influencing Factors.
title_full Prevalence of Chlamydial Infections in Fattening Pigs and Their Influencing Factors.
title_fullStr Prevalence of Chlamydial Infections in Fattening Pigs and Their Influencing Factors.
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of Chlamydial Infections in Fattening Pigs and Their Influencing Factors.
title_short Prevalence of Chlamydial Infections in Fattening Pigs and Their Influencing Factors.
title_sort prevalence of chlamydial infections in fattening pigs and their influencing factors
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4664257?pdf=render
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