| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The study was designed to investigate correlation between histological findings of <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> in porcine cases of diarrhoea and the quantitative detection of <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> in faeces. A total of 156 pigs (10 to 70 days post weaning) with diarrhoea were randomly selected from 20 herds: The pigs were subjected to necropsy, histopathology, immunohistochemistry and faecal quantification of <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> by real time PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> excretion was significantly higher in pigs with gross lesions of proliferative enteropathy (median excretion: 5.92 log<sub>10</sub> bacteria/g faeces) compared to pigs without gross lesions of proliferative enteropathy (median excretion: <3.3 log<sub>10</sub> bacteria/g faeces) (<it>P</it><0.001). Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the measureable PE lesions and <it>L. intracellularis</it> excretion was 0.50 (<it>P</it><0.001). A significantly increasing trend in <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> excretion level for increasing proliferative enteropathy histopathology and immunohistochemistry scores was demonstrated (<it>P</it><0.001; <it>P</it><0.001). Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the histopathology scores and <it>L. intracellularis</it> excretion was 0.67 (<it>P</it><0.001). Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the IHC scores and <it>L. intracellularis</it> excretion was 0.77 (<it>P</it><0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The histological and quantitative PCR detection of <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> were correlated in pigs with diarrhoea. Overall the results suggest that clinically important levels for <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> excretion in faeces may be established. Such clinical threshold levels may be used in practice to confirm a diagnosis of <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> associated diarrhoea.</p>
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