− | A.suis is a beta-haemolytic Gram-negative bacterium. Strains of A.Suis vary due to differences in their lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which is known as the 'O' antigen and is referred to as O1,O2 and O3 and capsules (CPS), called 'K' antigen with variants described as K1, K2 and K3. | + | ''A.suis'' is a beta-haemolytic Gram-negative bacterium. Strains of ''A.Suis'' vary due to differences in their lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which is known as the 'O' antigen and is referred to as O1,O2 and O3 and capsules (CPS), called 'K' antigen with variants described as K1, K2 and K3. |
− | In piglets aged 1 to 8 weeks old the organism causes acute and rapidly fatal septicaemia, and localized infections such as endocarditis, polyarthritis, and respiratory distress may also been seen with additional neurological signs. Adult pigs can suffer pneumonia like symptoms. See clinical signs for more details. Although A.suis mainly affects pigs it has also been linked to septicaemia, acute haemorrhagic pulmonary infarction and necrotizing pneumonia in horses, airsaculitis in waterfowl, neonatal calf pneumonia and localised infections and polyarthritis in alpacas. It is not considered a zoonosis but there has been a report of a human ebing infected after a pig bite Escande et al., 1996. | + | In piglets aged 1 to 8 weeks old the organism causes acute and rapidly fatal septicaemia, and localized infections such as endocarditis, polyarthritis, and respiratory distress may also been seen with additional neurological signs. Adult pigs can suffer pneumonia like symptoms. See [Actinobacillus_suis#Clinical signs/ clinical signs] for more details. Although ''A.suis'' mainly affects pigs it has also been linked to septicaemia, acute haemorrhagic pulmonary infarction and necrotizing pneumonia in horses, airsaculitis in waterfowl, neonatal calf pneumonia and localised infections and polyarthritis in alpacas. It is not considered a zoonosis but there has been a report of a human ebing infected after a pig bite Escande et al., 1996. |
| A.suis have genes that encode toxins similar to apxI and apxII of A. pleuropneumoniae, but are less virulent as they produce less Apx toxins than A. pleuropneumoniae. Once an animal is infected with A.suis it can provide partial cross protection against A. pleuropneumoniae. | | A.suis have genes that encode toxins similar to apxI and apxII of A. pleuropneumoniae, but are less virulent as they produce less Apx toxins than A. pleuropneumoniae. Once an animal is infected with A.suis it can provide partial cross protection against A. pleuropneumoniae. |