Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy
Other names |
Ileitis,
PIA, Porcine Intestinal Adenomatosis, Red Gut. Porcine Enteropathy. |
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Causal agent |
Lawsonia
intracellularis an intracellular curved bacteria. |
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Age group |
Acute
form occur in young breeding stock or finishing pigs |
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Young
growing pigs exhibit chronic forms of the disease |
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The
disease, albeit not apparent, can affect 15 to 50% of the growing herd |
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Clinical
signs |
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Acute Form Proliferative haemorrhagic enteropathy (PHE) |
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Death
(often the first signs seen). Pale
and anaemic animals. Depression,
reduced appetite and reluctance to move.
Retarded growth. Watery, dark
or bright red diarrhoea. The hindquarters
may be stained with bloody faeces.
Abortion may occur in recovering animals often within 6 days of the
onset of clinical signs. More often
seen in young adults greater than 70 kg. |
Chronic forms |
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More
often seen in growing animals 20 to 70 kg.
The clinical signs depend on the extent of the intestinal lesions. |
PIA Necrotic ileitis Regional Ileitis |
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With
Porcine intestinal adenomatosis (PIA) clinical
signs can be very slight with irregular periods of diarrhoea and
anorexia. Animals
with Necrotic ileitis
have more severe clinical signs in individuals with severe loss of condition
and often persistent scour. Death is
not uncommon. Major effect is the
increased FCR and thus feed costs necessary to finish the animal. In chronically affected herds, days to
slaughter may be extended by up to 14 days Animals
with regional ileitis
also present with severe loss of condition and sometimes a terminal peritonitis |
Infectivity |
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The
pigs are infected by oral contact with faeces from infected pigs and the
disease can be shed for at least 10 weeks. Nearly
all farms have the organism present on the unit |
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Incubation
period |
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The
incubation period is 13 days |
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Diagnosis
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Examination
of faecal samples for L.
intracellularis by specific antibody stains |
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PCR
(DNA) analysis of faeces for the bacteria.
The bacteria does not grow in media.
There are blood tests available |
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Histology
of the intestine may be useful for presumptive diagnosis |
Post-mortem Lesions |
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Post-mortem findings |
Post
mortem findings generally restricted to the terminal 50 cm of the small intestine
and possibly just into the spiral colon and caecum. |
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PHE The small intestine and
large intestines are dilated and
filled with a formed blood clot. The
colon contains black tarry faeces. The
intestinal contents are rarely liquid.
The intestines bulge out of the abdomen once opened. |
PIA:
The intestinal wall thickens often with oedema to varying degrees. The mucosa
is thrown into folds and may result in sharply defined plaques or marked multiple
polyp formation. |
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Necrotic
ileitis: There is necrosis of the underlying PIA lesion resulting in
yellow/grey cheesy masses that adhere tightly to the wall. |
Regional
ileitis: The
lower intestine becomes thickened and ridged. Often referred to as hosepipe gut. Ulceration can be seen in the
mucosa. |
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Treatment |
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Oral
vaccines can be very effective. |
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Antimicrobial
therapy, Tylosin (Valnemulin) and Tiamutin very effective. |
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Wash
and disinfect pens |
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Minimise
mixing of pigs |
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Use
all-in/all-out |
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Maintain
proper pig density, water and feeder space |
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Maintain
proper building temperature and ventilation |
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Match
health history of incoming pigs to those of the farm |
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Reduce
scrape through passageways |
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Common differentials |
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Intestinal
twist, Haemorragic bowel syndrome, gastric ulceration, Swine Dysentery, Salmonellosis,
Whip worms and chronic TGE Salmonella
- colon and focal ulcers and lymph node enlargement Swine
dysentery - large intestine only, without swelling of lymph nodes Whip
worms - pin point lesions in colon
and adult worms in large intestine |
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Zoonotic
Implications |
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Unsure. Lawsonia
intracellularis has been recognized in other animals – horses and hares. |
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