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Anaemia and low viability in piglets infected with Eperythrozoon suis
J P Henderson1, J O'Hagan, S M Hawe
1Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
The Veterinary Record
|February 8, 1997
Summary
Eperythrozoon suis infection caused anemia and low viability in piglets. Treatment with tetracyclines, not iron alone, successfully improved piglet health, marking the first report in Northern Ireland.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Pathology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Eperythrozoon suis is an erythrocyte-infecting organism.
- Anemia and low viability in piglets can have multiple causes.
- Eperythrozoon suis infection was suspected in a pig herd with unexplained anemia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the cause of anemia and low viability in a pig herd.
- To investigate the efficacy of treatments for Eperythrozoon suis infection.
Main Methods:
- Microscopic identification of Eperythrozoon suis in piglet erythrocytes.
- Differential diagnosis to exclude other causes of anemia.
- Clinical observation of treatment responses to parenteral iron and tetracyclines.
Main Results:
- Eperythrozoon suis was identified in erythrocytes of affected piglets.
- No other causes for anemia and low viability were detected.
- Parenteral iron alone was ineffective, but tetracycline administration improved piglet viability and resolved anemia.
Conclusions:
- Eperythrozoon suis infection was the cause of anemia and low viability in the pig herd.
- Tetracyclines are an effective treatment for Eperythrozoon suis infection in piglets.
- This study reports the first occurrence of Eperythrozoon suis in Northern Ireland.