Contagious Porcine Pleuropneumonia

Synonyms

and epidemiology:

Acute disease in susceptible herds with high morbidity and mortality (up to 50%)

In acute outbreaks, pigs may be dyspnoeic, pyrexic or anorexic

Blood-stained froth surrounding nose and mouth

Cyanosis

Pregnant sows abort

Causes pneumonia in pigs

Carrier herds have some immunity, protecting from acute disease, where lesions are often subclinical, and deaths sporadic

Lung scarring and pleural adhesions in many recovered animals

Solid immunity develops in recovered animals to all serotypes

The disease is spread between herds by carrier pigs

Diagnosis:
- Haemorrhagic consolidation close to the main bronchi and fibrinous pleuritis may be suggestive
- Specimens are cultured on chocolate agar and blood agar in 5-10% carbon dioxide for 2-3 days
- Small colonies surrounded by clear haemolysis
- No growth on MacConkey agar
- Positive CAMP reaction with Staphylococcus aureus
- Most strains are NAD-dependent (grow on Heated Blood agar)
- Immunofluorescent- or PCR-based techniques
- The bacteria on the palatine tonsil may remain undetected by serological tests and swabbing, and can therefore cause an outbreak in naive pigs
Treatment:
- Antibiotics depending on the strain of bacteria
- Prophylactic antibiotics for in-contact pigs
Control:
- Killed and polyvalent bacterin vaccines as well as a subunit vaccine are available
- Improve ventilation, avoid chilling and overcrowding

Caused by Haemophilus (Actinobacillus) pleuropneumonia
Seen mainly between 6wks-6mths of age but will affect any age
Highly pathogenic strains are capable of initiating disease on their own with high mortality in young pigs
A fibrinonecrotic broncho pneumonia with pleurisy
Foci of haemorrhagic consolidation or necrosis, mainly around major bronchi, tend to sequestrate
Tending to spread throughout all lung lobes: therefore a cranioventral distribution may not be particularly evident