Infection with RS streptococci in pigs

Abstract

RS streptococci were isolated from pigs that died in an outbreak of septicemia and meningitis in a Danish herd of swine. Most of the affected pigs were 7-9 weeks old. Experimental inoculation of SPF pigs with a culture of the streptococci isolated from the brain of a pig that had died during the outbreak showed that the bacterium was pathogenic for pigs. Out of 35 8-15-week-old pigs inoculated, nine developed arthritis and one died in septicemia. At necropsy, four of the pigs were found to have endocarditis. Blood cultures from pigs with endocarditis were constantly positive throughout the experiment, i.e., until the pigs died 5-7 weeks after inoculation. In vivo loss of capsular antigen was observed. A human strain of R streptococci isolated from a case of septicemia was also shown to be pathogenic for pigs.