[Neonatal diarrhoea in pigs: alpha- and beta2-toxin produced by Clostridium perfringens]

Abstract

Since 2001 the Pig Health Unit of Utrecht University has been consulted by various pig farms regarding neonatal diarrhoea. When preventive measures against E. coli-induced diarrhoea had no or limited results, the diarrhoeic piglets were investigated further. The microbiological and pathological findings were indicative of infection with Clostridium perfringens. Toxin typing by polymerase chain reaction led to the detection of genes encoding a-toxin (cpa) and beta2-toxin (cpb2). Surprisingly, alpha- and beta2-toxin-producing C. perfringens was isolated from all tested herds with piglets with neonatal diarrhoea. From our observations, it is likely that many herds in the Netherlands are infected with beta2-toxin-producing C. perfringens strains. As present vaccines lack beta2-toxoid and thus do not provide piglets with protection against beta2-induced diarrhoea.