Monitored control programme for proliferative enteropathy on British pig farms

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Proliferative enteropathy, caused by Lawsonia intracellularis, is a significant enteric disease in pigs.
• Effective control strategies are crucial for mitigating economic losses in swine production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of control programs on proliferative enteropathy and Lawsonia intracellularis.
• To assess the efficacy of antibiotic treatments in reducing pathogen shedding and clinical signs.

Main Methods:

• Prospective monthly monitoring of fecal samples using Lawsonia intracellularis-specific PCR on four British pig farms.
• Clinical and microbiological assessment of pigs under different treatment regimens.

Main Results:

• Antibiotic treatment (tiamulin and chlortetracycline) reduced PCR-positive pigs from 50-70% to 0% in acute cases, but some 14-week-old pigs remained positive.
• Oral tylosin phosphate controlled chronic proliferative enteropathy, with medicated pigs remaining PCR-negative while controls showed persistent infection.
• Farms with regular chlortetracycline treatment remained clinically and PCR-negative for Lawsonia intracellularis.

Conclusions:

• Antibiotic interventions can effectively control Lawsonia intracellularis shedding and clinical signs of proliferative enteropathy in pigs.
• Sustained control may require ongoing management strategies, as demonstrated by farms with regular prophylactic treatments.
• Further research into optimal treatment durations and prevention protocols is warranted.