Swine Dysentery

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  • Swine dysentery gives rise to fibrinous/ haemorrhagic enteritis.
  • A quite common and important disease.
  • The disease is caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae.
    • Is not seen in gnotobiotic animals - other enteric pathogens such as Fusobacterium or Bacteroides may therefore also be required in order to produce disease.
  • The disease is NOT systemic.
  • Swine dysentery is spread by the faeco-oral route, and is carried by pigs and rodents.

Clinical

  • Affects post weaning pigs at approximately 4 months of age.
  • White scour becomes a liquid dirty red / brown scour with a foul smell.
    • Contains poorly digested focal shreds of mucosa and fibrin strands.
      • Mucoid covered faeces.
  • There are three outcomes to infection; the animal may:
    • Die
    • There is a morbidity up to 90% in the herd, with up to 50% mortality.
    • Recover
    • Become chronically infected.
  • Symptoms are due to loss of absorption in colon.
    • The colon is normally a key site of absorption for water and electrolytes in the pig.

Pathology

  • The serosa of the spiral colon may appear shiny from the outside.
    • Is turgid and oedematous.
    • In severe cases, haemorrhage may be seen.
  • The small intestine NOT affected.
  • Fibrinous deposits are seen on the mucosa as the disease progresses.
    • The mucosa underneath is eroded to expose blood vessels in lamina propria.
      • Accounts for the bleeding.
  • Animals often recover, but have a low feed conversion ratio for sometime.

Diagnosis

  • Silver stains show organisms in the epithelium of the mucosa.
  • Also by immunofluorescence or electron microscopy.