Pig Nematodes Flashcards
GI Nematodes of Pig
Stomach: hyostrongylus rubidus and trichostrongylus axei– ostertagiosis like disease
Small intestine: ascaris suum*** and trichinella spiralis** (zoonosis- muscle worms, humans get from eating undercooked pork)
Large intestine: oesophagostomum** and trichuris suis**
Pig husbandry and parasites
Increasing parasite problems as we move from intenstive systems with slatted floors and no bedding to organic systems.
Pig nematodes and prevalence based on husbandry
Hyostrongylus: outdoor
ascaris: very persistent, therefore present in outdoor, indoor extensive and indoor intensive
Oesophagostomum: present in outdoor and indoor extensive- not super common in indoor intesnive but it does happen
Trichuris: present in outdoor and indoor extensive
Hyostrongylus rubidus- red stomach worm
adult worms 5-8mm, present in stomach
roughly analagous to pig ostertagiosis
causes chronic gastritis in pigs
outdoor pigs only and rare in UK
life cycle is typical trichostrongyloid- direct
PPP=3 weeks
L4 can undergo hypobiosis
Hyostrongylus rubidus- pathology
pathology is similar to ostertagia
nodule formation on surface of stomach
puncture wounds from gastric gland eruption– coffee granule appearance
Hyostrongylus rubidus- clinical signs and diagnosis
Clinical disease predominantly in lactating sows
Clinical signs- inappetance, anemia, loss of condition, redcued fertility
diagnosis: eggs in feces
disease of outdoor pigs-permanent pastures
effectively eradicated in indoor systems.
Ascaris suum
most important pig parasite
large roundworm/white spot
typical ascarid
large rigid, ropey worms (females up to 40cm)
Direct life cycle but can employ paratenic host
L3 inside egg is infective
Migratory: heptotracheal
SI of pig- larvated eggs infective
Ascaris suum- direct life cycle
Adults in SI–>egg–>L1 in egg–> L3 (inside egg) is infective
Hatches after ingestion–> L3 travels to liver via portal circulation–> L3 in liver, then travels in blood to lungs–> travel up bronchial tree and swallowed–> L4 in SI–> final moult in SI
PPP=7-9 weeks
Earthworm can be paratenic host- pigs eat earthworm with L3 larvated eggs.
Adult ascaris suum
burdens with worms typically 1-5 individuals per host
however over-dispersed population structure i.e. few animals with large burdens some with 40-60 large adults in SI
Maturation of eggs in environment
eggs are very resistant, shells sticky, pitted
Unlarvated egg (not infective)–> development in environment minimum of 4 weeks or longer depending on temp (temp <15 degress will halt)–> L3 within egg= infective
Ascaris lumbricoides- human roundworm
extremely important parasite of humans in the developing world
Relationship btwn A. suum and A. lumbricoides
very closely related but separate species. each parasite can establish infection in each host but cross infection is inefficient.
Therefore, in areas where human infection with A. lumbricoides is endemic, pigs are not an important reservoir of infection
In areas where A. lumbricoides is not endemic, get sporadic cases of human infection with A. suum
Clinical signs of A. suum
overt clinical signs rarely seen due to low parasite burden
reduced productivity (up to 10%): decreased food conversion efficiency, reduced weight gain, increased fattening time
occasionally get obstructive jaundice
occasionally transient pneumonia in young pigs due to migrating larvae- BUT other causes of pneumonia in pigs much more common
Ascaris suum in the PM room
Milk spot liver- cloudy white spots up to 1cm
milk spots caused by fibrous repair of inflammatory reaction to migrating L3
Liver condemnations– economically important.
Diagnosis of A. suum
clinical signs and history
fecal egg counts: very prolific/fecund parasites. egg numbers in the 1000s
incidence of liver condemnations- can be up to 25% of livers from herd affected