Cent Of Pigs Research Articles

Porcine Cysticercosis Sero-prevalence and Factors Associated with its Occurrence in Southern Highlands, Tanzania

Porcine cysticercosis is endemic in Tanzania, especially in the Southern Highlands, Central areas and Northern Highlands regions of the country. It is a condition that reduces pork quality and suitability for human consumption and hence affecting public health and the pig industry. The prevalence and possible associated factors for porcine cysticercosis occurrence were investigated to assist in the planning for sustainable control measures. This study was conducted in three wards of Iringa region, southern Tanzania. A blood sample was collected from 346 pigs in 88 households and analysed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to detect Taenia solium antigens (Ag). A questionnaire administered to farmers and an observational checklist tool assisted the researcher in collecting household information on pig management, sanitation and hygiene practices. On average, 22.3±3.44 per cent of pigs was seropositive for porcine cysticercosis in the three wards, and 53.4 per cent of the surveyed households had at least one seropositive pig. Statistically, porcine cysticercosis was associated with the scavenging pig rearing method (OR=2.426; p≤0.05) and poor quality pig housing (OR=1.75; p≤0.05). This means that scavenging pigs and those living in poor-quality pens had two times higher chances of being infected. Having more than half studied pig units with positive case(s) indicates limited inputs in pig feeding and sheltering thus exposing them to infection vulnerability. The poor-quality pens allowed pigs to escape and/or scavenge on T. solium eggs contaminated environment. Training and sensitising on improved pig management using locally available resources is essential. Also emphasising regular latrine use, hygiene and sanitation practices can support control.

Cerebrocortical necrosis causes multiple deaths in Scottish ewes and lambs.

Cerebrocortical necrosis causes multiple deaths in Scottish ewes and lambs.

Diagnostic accuracy of porcine acute phase proteins in meat juice for detecting disease at abattoir

The aim of this work was to evaluate whether acute phase protein (APP) determinations could assist Official Veterinarians carrying out work in slaughterhouses. To test this hypothesis, the diagnostic accuracy...

Associations between marker genotypes, halothane reaction, CC activity and meat quality characters in a sample of German Landrace pigs

Routine blood typing of German Landrace pedigree populations and an earlier study revealed very low frequencies of the favourable alleles at the marker loci Phi, Pgd and H. The hypothesis was that in this population the whole linkage group of favourable alleles at the halothane and neighbouring marker loci may have been lost as a consequence of intense selection for leanness and type. The present study of 1050 German Landrace pigs at the Relliehausen experimental station, where some effort has been made to maintain a higher frequency of the favourable alleles PhiA (0.48), H- (0.43) and PgdA (0.70) gave quite different results. The frequency of halothane-positive pigs found by using a severe test was only 30%. Only 5.4%, 8.8%, 13.4% and 13.9% of animals with PhiA/A, H-/-, PgdA/A and PhiA/B genotypes respecitively were halothane-positive. Forty to sixty per cent of pigs with these marker genotypes could therefore be expected to be homozygous halothane-negative (N/N) animals. Creatine kinase activity and three selected meat quality characters showed highly significant differences between the A/A and the B/B genotypes for the marker loci Phi and Pgd, with the heterozygotes being intermediate. These differences are greater than those observed between halothane-negative and halothane-positive phenotypes. The only other consistently superior marker genotype in this population was the H blood group genotype H-/-. In contrast to findings from Sweden and Switzerland, the postalbumin locus Po2 and the suppressor locus S for the A-O blood groups did not exhibit useful marker qualities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A method for assessing induced resistance to enzootic pneumonia of pigs

The resistance induced in pigs by the intravenous, intraperitoneal and subcutaneous inoculation of live Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae was tested by placing inoculated pigs in contact with pigs artificially infected with enzootic pneumonia. Control pigs inoculated by the same routes with sterile culture medium were exposed simultaneously to the infected pigs and the incidence and extent of the pneumonia in both groups were compared. A score derived from the cube root of the calculated or estimated volume of the lung lesion, was used to evaluate severity. Ninety-six per cent of the control pigs developed lesions characteristic of enzootic pneumonia but only 29 per cent of the pigs that had previously been inoculated with M hyopneumoniae developed lesions. Induced lesions differed from those seen in natural cases in extent rather than in character. The method of challenge was satisfactory in that a high proportion of control pigs became infected without the resistance of a majority of inoculated pigs being overwhelmed.

Campylobacter jejuni/coli in abattoirs and butchers shops

Summary In a survey of abattoirs and butcher's shops campylobacters were isolated from the carcasses of 32 per cent of cattle, 70 per cent of sheep, 56 per cent of pigs and 34 per cent of environmental swabs. Campylobacters were not isolated from 270 swabs taken from a wholesale butcher's and 20 retail butchers. Campylobacters, which are oxygen-sensitive, die during the cold storage in the abattoir and in butcher's shops, and this work suggests that fresh meat sold to the public-is not an important source of infection for man.

The prevalence of Brodetella bronchiseptica and turbinate (conchal) atrophy in English pig herds in 1978-79.

Examination of pigs (eight to 10 per farm) slaughtered between December 1978 and March 1979 at abattoirs in southern England indicated that infection with Bordetella bronchiseptica was widespread. The organism was recovered from the nasal cavity of 424 out of 844 (50 per cent) of such pigs and these were distributed among 79 out of 86 (91 per cent) of the herds submitting animals. The sensitivity to sulphonamide or potentiated sulphonamide of 255 of these strains was determined: in 20 out of 70 (25 per cent) herds there was partial or complete resistance to the former drug and, in 16 out of 79 (20 per cent), to the latter also. Despite this general level of infection and bacterial resistance the prevalence and severity of turbinate atrophy was less than in a survey undertaken by others in 1974. Thus about 74 per cent of pigs had no or minor atrophy only and about 10 per cent severe lesions. Some 10 per cent of the farms sent groups in which the majority of the pigs had severe atrophy.

Polyarthritis of pigs in western Australia: the role of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.

A 3-month survey of polyarthritis in pigs was carried out at 3 metropolitan abattoirs in Western Australia. The incidence of total carcass condemnations for polyarthritis was 0.46% and partial condemnation for "arthritis" 1.66% of 15,919 pigs. It was demonstrated that the majority of joint lesions found in either total or partial condemnations were identical pathological conditions, usually differing only in the number of joints involved. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated from the joints of 63% of pigs condemned for polyarthritis; it appears that this organism is the most significant aetiological agent of polyarthritis in Western Australia. The role of mycoplasmas has not been determined. The groww and microscopic lesions seen in affected joints were those of a non-suppurative proliferative polysynovitis. The stifle and elbow joints showed the highest incidence of the most severe lesions. Pigs condemned for polyarthritis over a 6-month period were traced back to 125 farms. Eighty per cent of pigs that had been condemned for polyarthritis had not been vaccinated against erysipelas or were of doubtful vaccination status. Only 3% of pigs had been vaccinated as recommended. The results would suggest that erysipelas vaccine is not directly implicated in the pathogenesis of polyarthritis. The majority of pigs condemned for polyarthritis originated from poorly managed small piggeries run as sideline enterprises. There was no significant pattern to the geographical distribution of polyarthritis cases in Western Australia. Likewise, no significant realtionship was established between polyarthritis condemnations and either breed, sex or bodyweight of thepigs involved.

Immunosuppressive effects of soluble cell membrane fractions, donor blood and serum on renal allograft survival.

Soluble cell membrane extracts of liver and spleen have been injected intravenously at the time of renal allografting. In dogs and rhesus monkeys there was slight prolongation of transplant survival in some experiments. Survival was markedly prolonged in 30 per cent of pigs, however. Donor blood and serum had a similar effect in protecting porcine liver allografts from rejection.

Infectious pneumonia of pigs.

PNEUMONIA is more common in the pig than in any other domestic animal. Usually 20–60 per cent of pigs killed in slaughter-houses in the United Kingdom and Australia have some consolidation of the lungs. In the United States and also in Great Britain, much of the pneumonia in pigs has been thought to be due to the virus of swine influenza, a virus closely related to human influenza A virus. In addition to its economic importance, influenza in pigs is of interest owing to its connexion with disease in man: human strains can infect pigs naturally during epidemics in man1,2, and it has been reported that pigs may harbour the virus of swine influenza for long periods3,4. Thus pigs might serve as reservoirs for influenza viruses infectious for man.