Retrospective study on necrotizing enteritis in piglets in Switzerland

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Microbiology
• Animal Health

Background:

• Necrotizing enteritis (NE) has re-emerged in Swiss pig farms, prompting investigation into potential new causative agents beyond Clostridium perfringens type C.
• Concerns existed that other Clostridium perfringens toxinotypes might be responsible for recent NE outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively investigate the association between NE and specific Clostridium perfringens type C or other toxinotypes.
• To determine the etiological agents responsible for NE in piglets in Switzerland.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of pathological lesions in affected piglets.
• Analysis of routine diagnostic bacteriology results.
• Multiplex real-time PCR on archived intestinal samples from 199 piglets.

Main Results:

• Clostridium perfringens type C genotypes were detected in 96.5% of NE cases and 100% of affected herds.
• Animals without NE showed a significantly lower detection rate of type C genotypes.
• Non-affected piglets frequently harbored beta-2-toxin positive Clostridium perfringens type A strains.

Conclusions:

• Recent NE outbreaks in Swiss piglets are attributed to the spread of pathogenic Clostridium perfringens type C strains.
• The re-emergence of NE is not due to newly emerging pathogenic toxinotypes.
• Clostridium perfringens type C remains the primary pathogen responsible for necrotizing enteritis in this population.