Occurrence and distribution of gross and microscopic gastrointestinal lesions in pigs in Northern Kerala

Abstract

Gastroenteritis in swine herds pose a big constraint in pig farming due to the economic losses accompanying it. The present study utilised 57 pig carcasses to assess the occurrence and distribution of various gastrointestinal lesions in pigs in Northern Kerala. Gross changes in stomach were observed in 84.21 per cent of carcasses in which mucosal congestion (61.40 per cent) was the most frequent lesion. Principal microscopic gastric lesions observed were mucosal necrosis, cellular infiltration in lamina propria, hyperplastic epithelium, hyperkeratinisation and fibrino-necrotic membrane. Gross changes in at least one region of intestine were evident in all the samples. The most common lesions in intestines were engorgement of mesenteric blood vessels (80.70 per cent) followed by catarrhal enteritis (73.68 per cent). Salient gross lesions such as mucosal ulcers were observed only in caecum and colon, diphtheritic membrane formation was observed in ileum, caecum and colon. Major histological lesions observed in intestines were mucosal necrosis (89.47 per cent) followed by cellular infiltration in lamina propria (68.42 per cent). Histologically, the major site-specific lesions observed were Brunner gland hyperplasia in duodenum, necrosis, hyperplasia, and lymphocytic depletion of Peyer’s patches in ileum, granulomatous infiltration in ileum and colon, neutrophilic colitis and goblet cell depletion in colon. The present study observed a higher incidence of gastrointestinal variations in pigs irrespective of age and further research is needed to understand the etiological factors contributing to such heavy burden of gastrointestinal lesions.