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. 2022 Jan 25;9(2):44.
doi: 10.3390/vetsci9020044.

Pathogens Detected in 205 German Farms with Porcine Neonatal Diarrhea in 2017

Nicolas Mertens  1 , Tobias Theuß  2 , Monika Köchling  1 , Karen Dohmann  3 , Kathrin Lillie-Jaschniski  1
Affiliations

Pathogens Detected in 205 German Farms with Porcine Neonatal Diarrhea in 2017

Nicolas Mertens et al. Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Neonatal diarrhea (ND) is still a frequently observed problem in modern industrial pig production. ND is predominantly caused by bacterial and viral pathogens. The objective of this study was to give an overview of different pathogens involved in ND in Germany. In 2017, a total number of 555 litters from 205 German pig farms with clinical ND were sampled with pooled fecal samples. All samples were analyzed regarding bacterial pathogens by culture and viral pathogens by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Isolated strains of Clostridium (C.) perfringens, Escherichia (E.) coli, and C. difficile were further characterized by molecular techniques (e.g., PCR). There were 200 litters (36%), out of 555 sampled litters of 205 farms, which were positive for at least one, while most of them were positive for two or more pathogens. Toxin-producing C. perfringens type A could be detected in 122 farms (59.2%), C. difficile in 116 (56.1%), pathogenic E. coli in 79 (38.6%), and Rotavirus type A in 72 (35%). Among E. coli isolates, enterotoxigenic (8.8%) (F4 fimbriae positive (60.0%)) and necrotoxigenic E. coli (5.3%) were the most frequently detected pathotypes. In conclusion, in most of the farms with porcine ND it turned out to be a disease mainly caused by multiple pathogens, predominantly C. perfringens type A, pathogenic E. coli, and Rotavirus type A. Nevertheless, C. difficile and necrotoxigenic E. coli might be emerging pathogens in ND.

Keywords: C. difficile; C. perfringens; E. coli; Germany; Rotavirus; fecal samples; neonatal diarrhea.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. This study did not use or evaluate any commercial product.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Location of farms participating in the ND study in Germany in 2017.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Combinations of pathogens detected in neonatal diarrhea samples in German herds in 2017 (n = 205 farms). tCpA: toxin producing C. perfringens type A; pEC: pathogenic E. coli (ETEC, EPEC, EDEC, NTEC); RVA: Rotavirus type A; Cd: C. difficile.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Frequency of detection of virulence factors, adhesins, and toxins detected in E. coli isolates (n = 510) of samples (n = 552) from neonatal diarrhea.
Figure 4
Figure 4
E. coli pathotypes and combinations found in neonatal diarrhea samples of 205 farms in Germany (ETEC: enterotoxigenic E. coli; EPEC: enteropathogenic E. coli; EDEC: edema disease E. coli; NTEC: necrotoxigenic E. coli).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Percentage of farms with at least one C. perfringens type A isolate producing alpha-and/or beta2 toxin under in-vitro conditions (immunoblot) in neonatal diarrhea samples of 205 farms in Germany 2017.
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