Premium
Diagnosis and control of a severe outbreak of lameness caused by Mycoplasma hyosynoviae in a closed pig unit
Author(s) -
Moronato Maria Luisa,
Ustulin Martina,
Vio Denis,
Nicholas Robin A J,
Catania Salvatore
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
veterinary record case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.165
H-Index - 4
ISSN - 2052-6121
DOI - 10.1136/vetreccr-2017-000500
Subject(s) - medicine , lameness , outbreak , veterinary medicine , mycoplasma , herd , antibiotics , arthritis , infectious arthritis , surgery , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , biology
Mycoplasma hyosynoviae is a swine pathogen causing arthritic diseases and severe economic losses. The authors report an outbreak of severe lameness in a pig farm in northern Italy in which approximately 35% of the growing herd showed clinical signs. Lameness was not associated with fever, change in appetite or stiffness in the limbs but was mostly related to swelling of the affected joint. M hyosynoviae was cultured from joints and identified by PCR; tests failed to detect the presence of other infectious causes of arthritic diseases. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were carried out on isolates of M hyosynoviae taken from the tissues in order to guide the choice of antibiotics for treatment. In consultation with the farm’s private veterinary surgeon, this was recommended to be a combination of spectinomycin and lincomycin. However the pigs frequently relapsed indicating the need for longer‐term control such as vaccination which should also reduce antibiotic usage.