Lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms
Abstract Background Diagnosing and treatment of diseases in pigs are important to maintain animal welfare, food safety and productivity. At the same time antimicrobial resistance is increasing, and therefore, antibiotic treatment should be reserved for individuals with a bacterial infection. The aim...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Porcine Health Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-023-00319-9 |
| _version_ | 1797811230185881600 |
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| author | Kristiane Barington Esben Østergaard Eriksen Egle Kudirkiene Karen Pankoke Katrine Top Hartmann Mette Sif Hansen Henrik Elvang Jensen Sophie Amalie Blirup-Plum Benjamin Meyer Jørgensen Jens Peter Nielsen John Elmerdahl Olsen Nicole Bakkegård Goecke Lars Erik Larsen Ken Steen Pedersen |
| author_facet | Kristiane Barington Esben Østergaard Eriksen Egle Kudirkiene Karen Pankoke Katrine Top Hartmann Mette Sif Hansen Henrik Elvang Jensen Sophie Amalie Blirup-Plum Benjamin Meyer Jørgensen Jens Peter Nielsen John Elmerdahl Olsen Nicole Bakkegård Goecke Lars Erik Larsen Ken Steen Pedersen |
| author_sort | Kristiane Barington |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Diagnosing and treatment of diseases in pigs are important to maintain animal welfare, food safety and productivity. At the same time antimicrobial resistance is increasing, and therefore, antibiotic treatment should be reserved for individuals with a bacterial infection. The aim of the study was to investigate gross and histological lesions and related pathogens in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms. In addition, high throughput, real-time qPCR monitoring of specific porcine pathogens in fecal sock and oral fluid samples were carried out to investigate the between-farm and between-batch variation in the occurrence of pathogens. Results Twenty-five batches of nursery pigs from five intensive, indoor herds were followed from weaning (approximately four weeks) to the end of nursery (seven to eight weeks post weaning). Gross and histological evaluation of 238 dead and 30 euthanized pigs showed the highest prevalence of lesions in the skin, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, and joints. Gross and histological diagnoses of lung and joint lesions agreed in 46.5% and 62.2% of selected pigs, respectively. Bacteriological detection of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus suis or Staphylococcus aureus infections in joints, lungs and livers was confirmed as genuine infection on immunohistochemical staining in 11 out of 70 tissue sections. The real-time qPCR analysis of pooled samples showed that most pathogens detected in feces and in oral fluid in general followed the same shedding patterns in consecutive batches within herds. Conclusions Gross assessment should be supplemented with a histopathological assessment especially when diagnosing lesions in the lungs and joints. Moreover, microbiological detection of pathogens should optimally be followed up by in situ identification to confirm causality. Furthermore, routine necropsies can reveal gastric lesions that may warrant a change in management. Real-time qPCR testing of fecal sock samples and oral fluid samples may be used to monitor the infections in the individual herd and testing one batch seems to have a good predictive value for subsequent batches within a herd. Overall, optimal diagnostic protocols will provide a more substantiated prescription of antibiotics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:20:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d57c3892a19f4811b6c2ada7c5f7a989 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-5660 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:20:35Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Porcine Health Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-d57c3892a19f4811b6c2ada7c5f7a9892023-06-04T11:42:11ZengBMCPorcine Health Management2055-56602023-06-019111710.1186/s40813-023-00319-9Lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farmsKristiane Barington0Esben Østergaard Eriksen1Egle Kudirkiene2Karen Pankoke3Katrine Top Hartmann4Mette Sif Hansen5Henrik Elvang Jensen6Sophie Amalie Blirup-Plum7Benjamin Meyer Jørgensen8Jens Peter Nielsen9John Elmerdahl Olsen10Nicole Bakkegård Goecke11Lars Erik Larsen12Ken Steen Pedersen13Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenAbstract Background Diagnosing and treatment of diseases in pigs are important to maintain animal welfare, food safety and productivity. At the same time antimicrobial resistance is increasing, and therefore, antibiotic treatment should be reserved for individuals with a bacterial infection. The aim of the study was to investigate gross and histological lesions and related pathogens in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms. In addition, high throughput, real-time qPCR monitoring of specific porcine pathogens in fecal sock and oral fluid samples were carried out to investigate the between-farm and between-batch variation in the occurrence of pathogens. Results Twenty-five batches of nursery pigs from five intensive, indoor herds were followed from weaning (approximately four weeks) to the end of nursery (seven to eight weeks post weaning). Gross and histological evaluation of 238 dead and 30 euthanized pigs showed the highest prevalence of lesions in the skin, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, and joints. Gross and histological diagnoses of lung and joint lesions agreed in 46.5% and 62.2% of selected pigs, respectively. Bacteriological detection of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus suis or Staphylococcus aureus infections in joints, lungs and livers was confirmed as genuine infection on immunohistochemical staining in 11 out of 70 tissue sections. The real-time qPCR analysis of pooled samples showed that most pathogens detected in feces and in oral fluid in general followed the same shedding patterns in consecutive batches within herds. Conclusions Gross assessment should be supplemented with a histopathological assessment especially when diagnosing lesions in the lungs and joints. Moreover, microbiological detection of pathogens should optimally be followed up by in situ identification to confirm causality. Furthermore, routine necropsies can reveal gastric lesions that may warrant a change in management. Real-time qPCR testing of fecal sock samples and oral fluid samples may be used to monitor the infections in the individual herd and testing one batch seems to have a good predictive value for subsequent batches within a herd. Overall, optimal diagnostic protocols will provide a more substantiated prescription of antibiotics.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-023-00319-9Herd health managementHistologyImmunohistochemistryMicrobiologyPathologyPigs |
| spellingShingle | Kristiane Barington Esben Østergaard Eriksen Egle Kudirkiene Karen Pankoke Katrine Top Hartmann Mette Sif Hansen Henrik Elvang Jensen Sophie Amalie Blirup-Plum Benjamin Meyer Jørgensen Jens Peter Nielsen John Elmerdahl Olsen Nicole Bakkegård Goecke Lars Erik Larsen Ken Steen Pedersen Lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms Porcine Health Management Herd health management Histology Immunohistochemistry Microbiology Pathology Pigs |
| title | Lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms |
| title_full | Lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms |
| title_fullStr | Lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms |
| title_short | Lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five Danish farms |
| title_sort | lesions and pathogens found in pigs that died during the nursery period in five danish farms |
| topic | Herd health management Histology Immunohistochemistry Microbiology Pathology Pigs |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-023-00319-9 |
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