OBJECTIVEIn mid-July 2005, five patients presented with septic shock to a hospital in Ziyang city in Sichuan, China, to identify the etiology of the unknown reason disease, an epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory study were conducted.

METHODSAn enhanced surveillance program were established in Sichuan, the following activities were introduced: active case finding in Sichuan of (a) laboratory diagnosed Streptococcus suis infection and (b) clinically diagnosed probable cases with exposure history; supplemented by (c) monitoring reports on meningococcal meningitis. Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infection was confirmed by culture and biochemical reactions, followed by sequencing for specific genes for serotype and virulence factors.

RESULTSFrom June 10 to August 21, 2005, 68 laboratory confirmed cases of human Streptococcus suis infections were reported. All were villagers who gave a history of direct exposure to deceased or sick pigs in their backyards where slaughtering was performed. Twenty six (38%) presented with toxic shock syndrome of which 15 (58%) died. Other presentations were septicaemia or meningitis. All isolates were tested positive for genes for tuf, species-specific 16S rRNA, cps2J, mrp, ef and sly. There were 136 clinically diagnosed probable cases with similar exposure history but incomplete laboratory investigations.

CONCLUSIONAn outbreak of human Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infections occurred in villagers after direct exposure to deceased or sick pigs in Sichuan. Prohibition of slaughtering in backyards brought the outbreak to a halt. A virulent strain of the bacteria is speculated to be in circulation, and is responsible for the unusual presentation of toxic shock syndrome with high case fatality.

Animals ; Bacteremia ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Shock, Septic ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Streptococcal Infections ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; veterinary ; Streptococcus suis ; isolation & purification ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; microbiology

This study was done to characterize diversity in 10 Brachyspira hyodysenteriae isolates in Korea. The isolates were compared with 14 well-characterized non-Korean strains of various Brachyspira species. All Korean isolates showed strong beta haemolysis and had blunt cell ends with 7~14 periplasmic flagella. They produced indole, and did not ferment fructose. They were alpha-glucosidase positive and alpha-galatosidase negative using the APIZYM kit. Using polyclonal antisera raised in rabbits against recognized serotypes, all isolates showed a strong reaction to B. hyodysenteriae antisera E, A and B. Using multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) with 15 enzymes and 5 buffer systems, the Korean and non-Korean isolates were divided into 22 electrophoretic types (ETs) and 5 divisions (A, B, C, D and E). Division A corresponded to B. hyodysenteriae, B to B. innocens, C to B. intermedia, D to B. murdochii and E to B. pilosicoli. The 10 Korean isolates of B. hyodysenteriae were relatively diverse, being divided into 9 ETs within MLEE division A. They were all distinct from the non-Korean strains.
Animals ; Electrophoresis ; Genes, Bacterial ; Korea/epidemiology ; Rabbits ; Serotyping ; Serpulina hyodysenteriae/classification/genetics/*isolation&purification ; Spirochaetales Infections/*microbiology ; Swine/microbiology ; Swine Diseases/*microbiology ; Variation (Genetics)

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) causes neonatal and post-weaning diarrhea in pigs. In order to determine the risk factors, rectal/fecal swabs and visceral organs obtained from pig farms in two regions of South Africa were analyzed microbiologically against risk variables. Seventy-two percent of young pigs were found to be positive for ETEC toxin genes; estB (38.9%), estB/STAP (25%), and estB/LT (13.9%) were dominant. Risk factors for ETEC-diarrhea in pigs include: leaving sick piglets in a pen with healthy piglets [odds ratio (OR) = 33.52; P < 0.0001]; water spillage in pen (OR = 42.87; P < 0.0001); hypothermic piglets (OR = 7.29; P < 0.0001); runt piglets in pen with healthy littermates (OR = 3.65; P < 0.0001); and prolonged use of antibiotics (OR = 3.05; P = 0.05).
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Diarrhea ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli Infections ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; veterinary ; Genes, Bacterial ; Prevalence ; Rectum ; microbiology ; Risk Factors ; South Africa ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Weaning

The prevalence of Lawsonia intracellularis, Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and Salmonella spp. were investigated by multiplex PCR using fecal samples of pigs with diarrhea or a history of diarrhea. The overall herd prevalence of L. intracellularis, B. hyodysenteriae and Salmonella spp. were 46.5%, 37.2% and 51.1%, respectively. Also, the prevalence of L. intracellularis, B. hyodysenteriae and Salmonella spp. among all sampled pigs were 19.9%, 10.8% and 17.7%, respectively. Seventeen of 43 herds were positive with 2 enteric organisms, and 2 herds were positive with L. intracellularis, B. hyodysenteriae and Salmonella spp. simultaneously. It was notable that 11 of 12 herds with more than 2, 000 pigs were affected with Salmonella spp., and that only 2 of 12 the herds were affected with B. hyodysenteriae. This study suggested that herds positive for L. intracellularis, B. hyodysenteriae and Salmonella spp. were distributed throughout Korea, although the relationship among other pathogens such as viral or parasitic ones and/or with metabolic disorders was not determined.
Animals ; DNA, Bacterial/isolation&purification ; Desulfovibrionaceae Infections/epidemiology/microbiology/*veterinary ; Diarrhea/microbiology/veterinary ; Korea/epidemiology ; *Lawsonia Bacteria/isolation&purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Prevalence ; *Salmonella/isolation&purification ; Salmonella Infections, Animal/*epidemiology/microbiology ; *Serpulina hyodysenteriae/isolation&purification ; Spirochaetales Infections/epidemiology/microbiology/*veterinary ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology

In the present study, Staphylococcus (S.) hyicus strains isolated in Russia (n = 23) and Germany (n = 17) were investigated for the prevalence of the previously described genes sheta and shetb. Sheta was detected in 16 S. hyicus strains. Sheta-positive strains were mainly found among strains isolated from exudative epidermitis, and frequently together with the exfoliative toxin-encoding genes exhD and exhC. Partial sequencing of sheta in a single S. hyicus strain revealed an almost complete match with the sheta sequence obtained from GenBank. None of the S. hyicus strains displayed a positive reaction with the shetb-specific oligonucleotide primer used in the present study. According to the present results, the exotoxin encoding gene sheta seems to be distributed among S. hyicus strains in Russia and Germany. The toxigenic potential of this exotoxin, which does not have the classical structure of a staphylococcal exfoliative toxin, remains to be elucidated.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/epidemiology/microbiology ; DNA Primers ; Dog Diseases/epidemiology/microbiology ; Dogs ; Epidermitis, Exudative, of Swine/epidemiology ; Exfoliatins/*genetics/immunology ; Germany ; Pneumonia/epidemiology/veterinary ; Russia ; Staphylococcal Infections/immunology/veterinary ; Staphylococcus aureus/genetics/*pathogenicity ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/epidemiology ; Virulence/*genetics ; Virulence Factors/genetics/immunology

In the present study 41 mucoid growing Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus strains (37 strains isolated from healthy two from diseased pigs, two strains isolated from healthy monkeys) appeared to be phenotypically and genotypically identical to mucoid growing S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus strains isolated from a previously described outbreak among the pig and monkey population on the island of Bali, Indonesia. These findings indicate that the mucoid growing S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus clone was still present in the pig and monkey population in Indonesia.
Animals ; DNA, Bacterial/chemistry/genetics ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field/veterinary ; Haplorhini ; Indonesia/epidemiology ; Monkey Diseases/epidemiology/*microbiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/chemistry/genetics ; Streptococcal Infections/epidemiology/microbiology/*veterinary ; Streptococcus equi/*classification/genetics/growth&development ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/epidemiology/*microbiology

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) in pigs, farm workers, and the environment in northern Thailand, and to assess LA-MRSA isolate phenotypic characteristics. One hundred and four pig farms were randomly selected from the 21,152 in Chiang Mai and Lamphun provinces in 2012. Nasal and skin swab samples were collected from pigs and farm workers. Environmental swabs (pig stable floor, faucet, and feeder) were also collected. MRSA was identified by conventional bacterial culture technique, with results confirmed by multiplex PCR and multi locus sequence typing (MLST). Herd prevalence of MRSA was 9.61% (10 of 104 farms). Among pigs, workers, and farm environments, prevalence was 0.68% (two of 292 samples), 2.53% (seven of 276 samples), and 1.28% (four of 312 samples), respectively. Thirteen MRSA isolates (seven from workers, four from environmental samples, and two from pigs) were identified as Staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec IV sequences type 9. Antimicrobial sensitivity tests found 100% of the MRSA isolates resistant to clindamycin, oxytetracycline, and tetracycline, while 100% were susceptible to cloxacillin and vancomycin. All possessed a multidrug-resistant phenotype. This is the first evidence of an LA-MRSA interrelationship among pigs, workers, and the farm environment in Thailand.
*Animal Husbandry ; Animals ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/classification/*genetics/*isolation & purification ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests/veterinary ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Multilocus Sequence Typing/veterinary ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Occupational Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Phylogeny ; Prevalence ; Sequence Analysis, DNA/veterinary ; Staphylococcal Infections/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Thailand/epidemiology

This study was conducted to analyze the prevalence and quantitative loads of Salmonella spp. on pig farms in Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Thailand to assess loading levels before slaughtering. The serotype diversity, antimicrobial-resistance pattern and pulse-field type of Salmonella spp. were also characterized to assess the dynamic propagation of the pathogen. The Salmonella-positive prevalence was 246/805 (30.56%), and the quantitative loads varied from 1.48~4.04 Log10MPN/g, with a mean +/- standard deviation of 2.11 +/- 0.57. AMP/S/TE (ampicillin/streptomycin/tetracycline) was the highest frequency antimicrobial resistance pattern found in this study. In addition, Salmonella Rissen was the primary serotype in this region. PFGE results indicated the occurrence of infection by cross contamination among pig farms. Our study showed that pork is easily contaminated with this pathogen. Farm control programs must be based on strict biosecurity and hygienic measures, which could further reduce the contamination pressure at slaughterhouses or retail shops.
Abattoirs ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*pharmacology ; Bacterial Load/veterinary ; Colony Count, Microbial/veterinary ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial/*drug effects ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field/veterinary ; Feces/microbiology ; Female ; Male ; Prevalence ; Salmonella/classification/*drug effects/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Salmonella Infections, Animal/*epidemiology/microbiology/transmission ; Serotyping/veterinary ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology/transmission ; Thailand/epidemiology

OBJECTIVEIn order to investigate the positive rate of streptococcus suis type 2 and the genes of their suilysin (sly), extracellular protein (epf) and muramidasa-released protein ( mrp) and to understand the antibiotic susceptibility of S. suis type 2.

METHODSS. suis type 2, isolated from slaughtered healthy pig's tonsil in 10 county area of Guangxi, were identified by Multiplex PCR, and the genes of their sly, epf, mrp and the antimicrobial sensitivity analysis were performed.

RESULTS1105 strains of Streptococcus including 667 strains of S. suis and 33 strains of S. suis type 2 were detected from 1179 samples. In these S. suis type 2 strains, there were 22 strains of sly + mrp + epf+ type,1 strain of sly + mrp + epf - type, 2 strains of sly - mrp + epf + type, 7 strains of sly - mrp + epf - type and 1 strain of sly - mrp - epf- type. When these strains were subjected to be tested with penicillin, eritrocina, vacocin, gentamycin, specti-nomysin, enraxacin, ciprofloxaxin, cephalothin VI, sulfadiazine sodium, cyantin, mycifradin, amikacin and achromcin, some were found to be resistant to but most strains were susceptible to cephalothin VI, penicillin and enraxacin. There were 31, 29 and 27 strains over medium sensitivity, respectively, but 28 and 27 resistant strains to amikacin and achromcin were found.

CONCLUSIONThe positive rate of S. suis type 2 in clinical healthy pigs was low (2.8%) and did not show obvious difference between the counties with or without a history of S. suis infection. All the isolated strains were susceptible to cephalothin VI, but most strains were virulent.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; genetics ; Hemolysin Proteins ; genetics ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Molecular Epidemiology ; methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Streptococcal Infections ; epidemiology ; genetics ; microbiology ; Streptococcus suis ; drug effects ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; epidemiology ; genetics ; microbiology

Porcine proliferative enteropathy(PPE) is an enteric disease been caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. It has become one of the critical problems in the pig industry. To investigate the prevalence of PPE in Korea, serum samples of 828 pigs from 65 herds were tested using indirect immunofluorescence antibody technique(IFA). The infection rate in individual pigs varied from 44 to 69%, whereas 100% in pig farms. The infection frequency was 57, 44.9, and 59.4% according to age respectively. Administration of tylosin in feed at a concentration of 110 ppm for 14 days reduced the infection rate of the farms. These data indicated that the high prevalence of PPE may be controlled by tylosin.
Administration, Oral ; Animal Feed ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Bacterial/blood ; Enteritis/epidemiology/prevention&control/*veterinary ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect/veterinary ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/prevention&control/*veterinary ; Korea/epidemiology ; *Lawsonia Bacteria/drug effects/growth&development/immunology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology/prevention&control ; Tylosin/*therapeutic use