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Conjunctival microbial flora of clinically normal pigs

H J Davidson¹, D P Rogers, T J Yeary

¹Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506.

American Journal of Veterinary Research

|July 1, 1994

Summary

Healthy pigs harbor common bacteria like alpha-Streptococcus and Staphylococcus on their conjunctiva. Chlamydia species were also detected in a significant portion of healthy swine conjunctival swabs.

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Area of Science:

Veterinary Microbiology
Animal Ophthalmology

Background:

The normal microbial population of the porcine conjunctiva is not well-characterized.
Understanding the conjunctival flora in healthy pigs is crucial for diagnosing ocular diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the normal bacterial, fungal, mycoplasmal, and Chlamydia populations in the conjunctiva of healthy pigs.
To establish a baseline for comparison with diseased swine.

Main Methods:

Conjunctival swabs were collected from healthy pigs across four age groups (nursing, nursery, feeder, sows) from four commercial swine operations.
Cultures were performed for bacterial and fungal growth.
Mycoplasma and Chlamydia species were detected using specific diagnostic methods (ELISA for Chlamydia).

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Main Results:

Bacteria were recovered from 98% of the conjunctival specimens.
The most prevalent bacteria were alpha-Streptococcus sp. (89%), followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (39%) and Staphylococcus sp. (39%).
Chlamydia sp. was identified in 28% of specimens; Mycoplasma sp. was not detected.

Conclusions:

Healthy pigs possess a distinct conjunctival microbial population dominated by alpha-Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species.
The presence of Chlamydia sp. in healthy swine conjunctiva warrants further investigation regarding its role in ocular health and disease.