Abstract:

Administration of a homologous bacterin to sows prefarrowing provided partial protection against streptococcosis in their weaned pigs

Sandra F. Amass, DVM, PhD, Dipl ABVP; Gregory W. Stevenson, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVP; Bryan D. Vyverberg; Travis W. Huxford; Kay E. Knox; Lee Ann Grote

Complete article is available online.

PDF version is available online.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of a Streptococcus suis bacterin administered to sows 4 weeks and 1 week before farrowing, in protecting their pigs from clinical streptococcosis when inoculated intravenously at weaning with the homologous strain.

Methods: Ten sows were inoculated intramuscularly in the neck 4 weeks and 1 week prefarrowing, with either 2 mL of a S. suis type-14 bacterin (five sows) or 2 mL of a placebo bacterin (five sows). Twenty pigs (two per sow) were weaned at 13 days of age and inoculated with the homologous strain of S. suis type 14. Pigs were observed for clinical signs of lameness and meningitis, and humanely euthanized for necropsy and collection of samples for testing, either when moribund or 8 days after inoculation.

Results: The homologous bacterin used in sows pre-farrowing protected their piglets from depression (P=.048), central nervous system signs (P=.019), and microscopic lesions of meningitis (P=.049). There was no difference in mortality, lameness, microscopic lesions of septicemia, or rate of isolation of S. suis type 14 from the blood or CSF of piglets from vaccinated or control sows.

Implications: Under the conditions of
this study, administration of two doses of
a S.suis bacterin to sows prefarrowing prevented neurological signs of streptococcosis, but not lameness, bacteremia, or mortality in their progeny from the day of challenge (13 days of age) to 21 days of age.

Keywords: Streptococcus suis, swine, meningitis, sow vaccination

RIS citationCite as: Amass SF, Stevenson GW, Vyverberg BD, et al. Administration of a homologous bacterin to sows prefarrowing provided partial protection against streptococcosis in their weaned pigs. J Swine Health Prod 2000;8(5):217-219.

Search the AASV web site for pages with similar keywords.