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SWINE
ERYSIPELAS BY GEORGE GERGMAN, DVM |
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The disease in swine is caused by the bacterium Eryssipelothrix Rhusiopathiae and is manifested by acute or subacute septicemia and chronic proliferative lesions. The acute disease has the bacteria in the animals circulation and causes severe lesions throughout the animals body. Skin lesions, joint lesions and heart lesions are all frequently seen as a result of this infection. Animals under three months of age or over three years of age are less commonly affected. Most often infection occurs when susceptible pigs contact infected pigs that are shedding organisms. It has been estimated that from 1/3 to 1/2 of all pigs harbor the organism in their tonsils and other lymphoid tissues. The majority of these animals do not show signs of the disease, they have sub clinical (unrecognized) infections. The clinical signs of swine erysipelas can be divided into three general headings; i.e. cause infection, sub acute infection and chronic infection. ACUTE ERYSIPELAS - Clinical Signs
SUB ACUTE ERYSIPELAS Similar symptoms as acute form only less severe i.e. lower temperatures and milder signs. CHRONIC ERYSIPELAS This form often is seen three or more weeks after the initial infection and the signs exhibited result from the chronic proliferation's typical of the disease. If the proliferation's occur on the heart valves, then exercise intolerance is observed. If the proliferation's occur in and around the joint surfaces than stiffness and enlargements of the structures are seen. Swine erysipelas is of real concern to the potbelly pig and to their owners. This disease is widespread over the world. Prevention is much preferred to treatment and bacterins are available that offer protection. Treatment of the disease is very often successful if started early in the course of the disease. The antibiotic penicillin is most often the drug of choice. The organism causes disease in sheep and turkeys as well as many other species of wild and domestic mammals and birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Human infection occurs as an occupational disease of persons handling and processing meat from infected animals. The disease in humans produces local skin lesions known as erysipeloid. On rare occasions humans may develop heart lesions and generalized widespread infections. |
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