Matched case-control study evaluating the frequency of the main agents associated with neonatal diarrhea in piglets

Abstract

A case-control study was carried out in litters of 1 to 7-day-old piglets to identify the main infectious agents involved with neonatal diarrhea in pigs. Fecal samples (n=276) from piglets were collected on pig farms in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from May to September 2007. Litters with diarrhea were considered cases (n=129) and normal litters (n=147) controls. The samples were examined by latex agglutination test, PAGE, conventional isolating techniques, ELISA, PCR, and microscopic methods in order to detect rotavirus, bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens type A and C, and Clostridium difficile), and parasites (Coccidian and Cryptosporidium spp.). Outbreaks of diarrhea were not observed during sampling. At least one agent was detected in fecal samples on 25 out of 28 farms (89.3%) and in 16 farms (57.1%) more than one agent was found. The main agents diagnosed were Coccidia (42.86%) and rotavirus (39.29%). The main agents identified in litters with diarrhea were Clostridium difficile (10.6%), Clostridium perfringens type A (8.8%) and rotavirus (7.5%); in control litters, Clostridium difficile (16.6%) and Coccidian (8.5%). Beta hemolytic Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens type C were not detected. When compared with controls, no agent was significantly associated with diarrhea in case litters. These findings stress the need for caution in the interpretation of laboratorial diagnosis of mild diarrhea in neonatal pigs, as the sole detection of an agent does not necessarily indicate that it is the cause of the problem. dos surtos e a diarréia, quando presente, apresentou-se leve. Pelo menos um agente foi identificado nas amostras fecais de 25 entre 28 granjas (89,3%) analisadas e em 16 granjas (57,1%) mais de um agente foi detectado. Os principais agentes encontrados nas granjas foram coccídeos (42,86%) e rotavírus (39,29%). Os principais agentes detectados nas leitegadas com diarreia foram Clostridium difficile (10,6%), Clostridium perfringens tipo A (8,8%) e rotavírus (7,5%). Por outro lado, nas leitegadas controle os agentes mais prevalentes foram Clostridium difficile (16,6%) e coccídeos (8,5%). E. coli Beta hemolítica e Clostridium perfringens tipo C não foram detectados. O presente estudo de caso-controle demonstrou que nenhum agente infeccioso esteve associado significativamente com diarreia (p>0.05). Esses achados reforçam a necessidade de que haja cuidado na interpretação de resultados de exames laboratoriais em materiais coletados de leitões com diarreia neonatal leve, pois a detecção isolada de um agente infeccioso não indica necessariamente que o mesmo seja a causa do problema.

A surveillance of enteropathogens in piglets from birth to seven days of age in Brazil

“…Our results demonstrate a 13.3% rotavirus-positive frequency in diarrheic piglets, a significant association between pathogen detection and the presence of diarrhea (p≤0.05). Our rate in diarrheic piglets is higher than the 7.5% rate reported by Lippke et al (2011) and similar to the 13% rate reported by Yaeger (2007). In contrast, Gregori et al (2009) reported a rotavirus frequency of 29.9% (as determined by PAGE) in stool samples from 144 piglets with clinical diarrhea; unfortunately, the authors did not report the age of the sampled animals.…”

Clostridium difficile infection: main features and occurrence in domestic species in Brazil

“…In Brazil, two different surveys conducted in Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais found that approximately 16% of the animals were positive for the A/B toxins (LIPPKE et al, 2011;SILVA et al, 2011). Interestingly, 53% of the farms sampled in the latter study had at least one positive animal, suggesting widespread dissemination of the disease.…”

Padronização de um modelo de infecção por Clostridium difficile em hamsters sírios Mesocricetus auratus

“…Em animais, a infecção por C. diffi cile (ICD) foi recentemente confi rmada no Brasil em potros, cães e descrita em uma jaguatirica criada em cativeiro (SILVA et al, 2013a;SILVA et al, 2013b;SILVA et al, 2013c). Em suínos, estudos recentes sugerem uma grande disseminação da doença em granjas brasileiras com elevado número de matrizes (LIPPKE et al, 2011;SILVA et al, 2011), dado semelhante ao relatado nos últimos anos em países da Europa e nos Estados Unidos, onde a ICD é considerada a principal causa não controlada de diarreia em leitões (SONGER, 2010).…”