Topic 90 - Necrotic enteritis of piglets (GREEN) Flashcards
What is necrotic enteritis of piglets?
A worldwide disease, with high mortality, mainly seen in 2-4 day old piglets
Another name for necrotic enteritis of piglets
Pig enterotoxaemia
Causative agent for necrotic enteritis of piglets
Clostridium perfringens C
Toxins produced by the causative agent of necrotic enteritis of piglets
Alpha
Beta Trypsin senstive
Route of infection in case of necrotic enteritis of piglets
Soil - gut cycle
Replicates in the gut, shed in the faeces. The spore forms in the environment and the spore are the one responsible for the infection
Host and age most susceptible to necrotic enteritis of piglets
Mostly seen in 2-4 day old piglets, seen in litter of younger sows
Pathogenesis of necrotic enteritis of piglets
- Infection per os
- Replication in the small intestines
- We see haemorrhagic necrosis of the mucous membrane
- Toxaemia and death
Mortality = 20-100%
Clinical signs in case of necrotic enteritis of piglets
Fever
Anorexia
Abdominal pain
Hunched back
Diarrhoea: greyish yellow, gas bubbles, debris
Post mortem lesions in case of necrotic enteritis of piglets
Mostly seen in the jejunum!
- Reddish mucous membrane
- Foamy gut content
- Gas bubbles
- Necrosis, with sharp ends
How to diagnose necrotic enteritis of piglets
We can have a good diagnosis with epidemiological data + clinical signs and post mortem lesions
We can detect the agent by:
1. Smear and microscope
2. Bacterium culture can be done from the mesentrial lymph nodes only! This is not a normal habitat for the bacteria
We can also detect the toxin with ELISA
Treatment for necrotic enteritis of piglets
NO !! treatment
The litter mates was previously given hyperimmune serum
The piglets can get the penicillin through suckling, if the sow is given penicillin
Prevention of necrotic enteritis of piglets
Vaccination of ewes pregnant in their last trimester
Young sows = vaccinated 2 times
Old sows = vaccinated 1 time
