Source and Timing of Streptococcus Suis Infection in Neonatal Pigs
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH Source and timing of Streptococcus su;s infection in neonatal piss: Implications for early weaning procedures Sandra Faye Amass, DVM, MS; L. Kirk Clark, DVM, PhD; and Ching Ching Wu, DVM, PhD here are at least 29 serotypes of Streptococcus suis, with Summary: To determine the possible sources of Strepto- types 1, 2, 3, and 8 being the most common in North coccus suis that colonize neonatal pigs, and the youngest TAmerica.) Streptococcus suis may cause disease out- age at which S. suis may be isolated from pigs, multiple breaks in pigs of all ages.2 Many of the serotypes have been asso- samples were collected from 35 pigs, their dams, and the ciated with septicemia resulting in meningitis, pneumonia, arthri- environment. Streptococcus suis was not isolated from en- tis, endocarditis, and polyserositis. vironmental samples collected before sows were placed in the farrowing house. At the day of farrowing and for 6 days Mechanisms of S. suis transmission have been investigated for the thereafter, five pigs were euthanized daily and tonsils and past 10 years. Clifton-Hadley,et al} concluded that although S. meningeal swabs were collected from each pig. Additionally, suis can infect suckling pigs, the major spread was among multiple samples (sow vaginal swab, placental swab, milk, weaned pigs within intensive production units. More recently, re- sow teat skin swab, sow feces, sow saliva, sow nasal secre- searchers have been unable to eliminate S. suis from pigs using tions, piglet water, swab of piglet mat, environmental air) . medicated early weaning (MEW)techniques. Wiseman, et al} were collected at the time the pig was removed. All samples have shown that commingledpigs from source herds affectedby were culturally examined for s. suis. Streptococcus suis porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), isolates were serotyped and antimicrobial susceptibility tests pseudorabies virus (PRV),Bordetella bronchiseptica, S. suis, were performed. No conclusions were drawn from the Serpulina hyodysenteriae, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, meningeal swab samples; cultural examination confirmed Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, and that they had become contaminated during sampling. Forty- Haemophilus parasuis could be weaned at less than 10 days old, five isolates of S. suis serotypes I-8 were isolated. The most medicated, reared in isolation, and remain free of all organisms prevalent serotype of S. suis isolated was serotype 3 exceptS. suis. Clark,et al.,4examinedpigs weaned at 7, 10, and (33.3%), followed by 5 (22.2%), 7 (17.8%), 4 (I I. 1%), 6 21 daysold to determinewhether age segregationwouldproduce (6.7%), 8 (6.7%), and 2 (2.2%). Often (six of seven dams), high-health-statuspigs withoutthe high cost ofmedication.Again, multiple serotypes of S. suis were isolated from samples col- S. suis survived all components of these early weaning proce- lected from a single dam. Streptococcus suis was isolated dures. from samples of sow origin beginning on day 0 (two of seven In segregated early weaning (SEW) studies that were part of the sows), and the tonsils of pigs as early as day I (two of five National Pork Producers Council's genetic evaluation program, pigs). In four of seven dams, S. suis of the same serotype researchers treated approximately 200 of 400 pigs at different isolated from samples collected from the dam was detected times against clinical signs consistent with S. suis infection dur- in samples of the tonsil of that dam's pig.These results sug- gest that the source of S. suis was the sow, and that S. suis ing a 42-day time period. In some cases, the same pigs were treated for a second episode of disease, and approximately five could have colonized the tonsil of the pig shortly after birth pigs were treated for as many as six disease episodes. The time when the pig contacted sow excretions and secretions. interval between treatments ranged from 5-9.5 days.s Ninety-one percent of the S. suis isolates were susceptible to amPicillin.Less than 50% of these isolates were susceptible Thus, S. suis infection is responsible for a large portion of the to apramycin, lincomycin, penicillin, spectinomycin, tetracy- treatment and mortality costs of raising SEWpigs. Moreover, with cline, and tylosin. Consequently, the use of antimicrobial sus- current SEWprocedures, there is considerable risk of subsequent ceptibility testing on herd isolates of S. suis is recommended epidemics of S. suis infection developing in older pigs. due to the variability in sensitivity between isolates. From the results of previous SEWstudies,4 we concluded that S. SFA,LKC, CCW: Swine Production Medicine, 1248 Lynn suis was transmitted from dam to pig before the pig was 7 days Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907. old, and that dam-to-pig transmission was of prime importance. Swine Health and Production- Volume 3, Number 5 189 The purposes of this study were to determine the youngest age at cated pig was removed from the dam. Sources chosen to be which S.suis could be isolated from pigs, and possible sources of sampledwere those that the pig would have come in contact with the S. suis that infects SEWpigs. Additionally, all S. suis isolates during the firstweek of life. were serotyped, and antimicrobial sensitivity tests were per- Sources from the dam of the allocated piglet (all taken by sterile formed for future research to develop a protocol for eliminating swab) included: S.suis from SEWpigs. placenta, . vaginalfluids, Materials and methods . milk, Experimental design . teatskin, . feces, Newborn to 6-day-old crossbred pigs from a single herd were . saliva,and used. Although samples were only taken from 35 pigs, the study . nasal secretions. population of 49 pigs included 14 additional pigs to ensure an adequate sample size after preweaning mortality. The 49 pigs Sources from the environment of the allocated piglet included: were from seven sows in one weekly farrowing group. A 50% herd . air (sampled by placing an opened sheep blood agar plate on prevalence of S. suis was assumed among the population. Thus, the floor of the pig's crate for 30 seconds), the organism should have been detected in at least one pig with . swab of the piglet nipple waterer, 95% confidence with a sample size of five pigs (Episcope, K. swab of the surface of the pig mat under the heat lamp. Frankena and ).0. Goelema, Wageningen, the Netherlands) for the sample population of 35 pigs. All swab samples were taken using sterile swabs (S/P@ Brand culturette system;BaxterDiagnosticsInc., Deerfield,Illinois). If The farrowing room was pressure washed and disinfected 3 days it happened that twopigletsfrom the same litter were allocated to before the start of the project. Samples of the air, piglet water, and be removed from their dam on the same day, two sets of dam- a swab of the surface of the piglet floor mat were culturally exam- source and environmentalswabswere taken, one for each piglet. ined to determinewhether the room wasfree ofS.suis before the sows entered. Allsowswere washedwith BiosentryS-3TM before Cultural examination being placed in the farrowing room. Farrowing was induced with All samples were kept at 4°C and plated on to sheep blood agar 263 mcg cloprostenol sodium injected intramuscularly within 48 hours of collection. Tonsils were macerated in 10 mL of (Estrumate@, Miles, Shawnee, Kansas), about 24 hours before the trypticase soy broth. One tenth of one mL of the solution was then start of the project. 1\vo pigs from one sow were manually deliv- plated onto sheep blood agar. After 24 hours of aerobic incuba- ered due to uterine inertia. Crate design prphibited physical con- tion at 37°C,three 1- to 2-mm flat alpha-hemolyticcolonies were tact between pigs from litters in adjacent crates. selected and subcultured onto sheep blood agar. These isolates were then Gram stained and biochemically tested. Gram-positive Five randomly selected pigs from the study population of 49 pigs were removed from their dams on. each of days 0 through 6 and catalase-negativediplobacilli were considered to be S. suis sus- euthanized. If a pig allocated to be removed from its dam on a pects. Each suspect isolate was inoculated into a tube containing a 6.5% NaCIsolution. Enterococcus spp. were suspected if there given day had already died, one of the extra 14 pigs in the study was bacterial growth in the salt solution after 48 hours of incuba- population was used instead. All pigs, except for those collected at birth, remained in the farrowing crates with their dams and tion. The isolate was serotyped with antiserum to S. suis types were allowed to nurse until their designated day of removal. No 1-8 if there was no growth in the salt solution after 48 hours of incubation at 37°C.The culture was considered to be S. suis if it cross-fostering was performed in the sample litters. satisfied all of the above-mentioned criteria and agglutinated the Piglet sample collection antiserum. No conclusions were drawn from isolates that satisfied All samples were collected at the farm of origin. The allocated pig all requirements but did not agglutinate the antisera to S. suis was euthanized by intracardial injection of 1 mL of pentobarbital 1-8, even though these isolates could potentially be S. suis of sodium (6 grains per mL) per 4.5 kg (10 lb) bodyweight. The other serotypes. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed tonsil of the pig was removed using aseptic technique. Next, the on all S. suis isolates type 1-8 ( Sensititre LTD@,WestSussex, calvarium was bisected with a knife, and manually forced open. England.) The meninges were exposed and swabbed (S/P@Brand culturette Three additional suspect colonies were chosen randomly from system; Baxter Diagnostics Inc., Deerfield, Illinois).