Abstract
Aim:This study aimed to study the prevalence of the coinfection of enteric bacterial and viral pathogens, namely Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Rotavirus, and Picobirnavirus from fecal samples of pre-weaned piglets in Northeast region of India.Materials and Methods:A total of 457 fresh fecal samples were collected from piglets under 9 weeks old during 2013-2015 from organized (n=225) and unorganized (n=232) farms of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland. Samples were collected from diarrheic (n =339) and non-diarrheic (n=118) piglets including local indigenous (n=130) and crossbreed (n=327) piglets in different seasons during the study period. The samples were processed for the isolation of E. coli and Salmonella and detection of their putative virulence genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Samples were also processed for the detection of Rotavirus and Picobirnavirus by RNA-polyacrylamide agarose gel electrophoresis and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR).Results:A total of 11 (2.40%) samples were found positive for two or more coinfecting enteric bacterial and viral pathogens. All the 11 positive fecal samples were recovered from diarrheic piglets. Salmonella Typhimurium (enterotoxin, stn gene) and Picobirnavirus genogroup 1 were found to be more frequent as coinfecting agents. Coinfection was recorded higher in unorganized (3.87%) compared to organized farm (0.88%). Again, higher detection was recorded in crossbreed (2.75%) than local indigenous piglets (1.53%). The occurrence of coinfection was found to be more common during summer (4.68%) followed by winter (2.27%) season.Conclusion:The present study highlighted the significance of E. coli, Salmonella, Rotavirus, and Picobirnavirus as important diarrheagenic pathogens causing coinfection in piglets in Northeast region of India. Probably, this is the first systematic study of the coinfection of four important diarrheagenic bacterial and viral agents associated with piglet diarrhea in India.
Highlights
Piggery is a promising venture with vast potential in Northeast region, and the region has the highest pig population in the country with 3.95 million compared to 10.29 million pig population in the whole country [1]
The present study highlighted the significance of E. coli, Salmonella, Rotavirus, and Picobirnavirus as important diarrheagenic pathogens causing coinfection in piglets in Northeast region of India
Samples positive for coinfection with E. coli, Salmonella, Rotavirus A, and Picobirnavirus GG1 were detected from diarrheic fecal samples (n=339) only; whereas, no coinfection of organisms was detected from 118 non-diarrheic fecal samples collected during 2013-15
Summary
Piggery is a promising venture with vast potential in Northeast region, and the region has the highest pig population in the country with 3.95 million compared to 10.29 million pig population in the whole country [1]. Many swine diseases and ailments affect the productivity pre-weaned piglets, and it was estimated that diarrhea alone accounts for a reduction of 8-14 g/day in average daily weight gain in the 1st week of life [2]. Huge losses in terms of health and productivity are attributed to piglet’s diarrhea worldwide. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated
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