Swine erysipelas

Summary

Swine erysipelas is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae seen mainly in growing pigs and characterised clinically by sudden death, fever, skin lesions and arthritis. The fever can induce abortion in pregnant gilts and sows.

Stress factors such as overstocking, mixing pigs after weaning and sudden changes in temperature can trigger clinical erysipelas.

Environmental contamination is common because bacteria are excreted via saliva, nasal secretions, faeces, and urine.

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae can survive for weeks outside the pig. Ecoshelters with deep litter bedding on earth bases can allow an environmental build-up of bacteria.

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae also causes polyarthritis in sheep and lambs and serious mortality in turkeys. In humans, infection causes erysipeloid, a local skin lesion, which occurs mainly as an occupational hazard of abattoir workers, veterinarians, laboratory workers, etc. The organism is occasionally isolated from cases of endocarditis in humans and rarely causes acute septicaemic disease.

Topics include:

  • Clinical signs
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Prevention



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Factsheet 1223 Second Edition

Published: 22 Aug 2017