Escherichiosis (colibacteriosis) is a dangerous disease that is widespread in farms. Mostly young animals are affected, the rapid prevalence of the disease and the high mortality of newborn piglets causes significant economic damage. How this pathology manifests itself and how to protect the livestock - information in the article.
Causes and causative agents
The cause of colibacillosis is a pathogenic gram-negative motile bacillus Escherichia coli. At the moment, about 9 thousand serological variations of Escherichia are known that determine their type. But, only some of the species infect animals. Enterotoxigenic (resistant to antibiotics) and enteroinvasive Escherichia strains are widespread.
Bacteria are very stable in the environment, in soil and water they remain viable up to 60-80 days, in feces up to 30 days. When boiling, death occurs immediately, when heated to 80 degrees, the stick dies within 15 minutes.
The transmission of the pathogen is also through water, common household items and contaminated feed. In this case, infection occurs after switching to self-nutrition.
Rodents can cause colibacillosis in farms, because they are carriers of pathogenic strains.
As provoking factors, we can distinguish:
- unbalanced diet;
- lack of trace elements;
- lack of exercise and ultraviolet radiation.
Forms of the disease
Like any infection, this pathology, depending on the state of the immune system and the degree of pathogenicity of the harmful agent, can occur:
- keenly;
- superbuilding;
- substructure;
- chronically.
Unformed stools in newborns often indicate infection and are accompanied by such general symptoms:
- cyanosis of the skin;
- mucous secretion is revealed in the nasal passages;
- edema is found in the following areas: eyelids, neck, submandibular space and occiput. In the back of the body, swelling is rare.
The symptomatology of colibacteriosis also varies based on the clinical form and course of the disease:
1 Septic form
It is observed in only born and sucking piglets. The disease is acute and over-built. Mortality is fast and high (for 24-48 hours). The development is due to the penetration of bacteria into the bloodstream, followed by reproduction. Outwardly manifested:
- refusal of food;
- general oppression;
- high persistent temperature, further - a violation of coordination;
- respiratory failure (cyanosis of the mucous membranes), and as a result, a violation in the work of the heart;
- conjunctivitis;
- severe diarrhea or dehydration and lack of diarrhea (feces first liquefy, becomes gray-white in color, with streaks of blood, and then becomes watery and foams);
- cramps
- septicemia.
2 Enterotoxemic form
It is noted in the post-weaning period, proceeds sharply and manifests itself after a period of 3 to 12 hours. Fatal outcomes are observed in almost 50% of cases. It is characterized by the penetration of coli into the small intestine and is manifested by toxic and neurotoxic symptoms:
- loss of appetite;
- damage to the central nervous system - increased irritability, an acute reaction to touching, twitching of the head and passing cramps of the lower jaw, walking in a circle;
- diarrhea;
- collapse.
3 Enteric form
Chronic and subacute infection. It is characterized by a low mortality rate. Symptoms:
- lethargy, lethargy;
- lack of appetite;
- severe diarrhea;
- dehydration.
Diagnostics
It is possible to diagnose infectious colibacteriosis after evaluating and analyzing the clinical symptoms, pathological changes, and the epizootological situation. Bacteriological analysis of material obtained from dead piglets is also important.
When mass diarrhea occurs, without wasting time, send to the laboratory such materials taken from a dysfunctional economy:
- dead piglets;
- pathological materials: lobe of the liver and part of the gallbladder, brain, blood vessels, lymph nodes, tubular bone, fragment of the small intestine;
- for bacteriological analysis, it is necessary to take fresh feces from less than five piglets (1-2 g from each head).
For an accurate bacteriological diagnosis, materials from sick animals not treated with antibiotics are used.
The diagnosis of colibacteriosis in piglets is considered established in the case of:
- Isolation of bacterial cultures from the spleen, bone marrow and brain.
- Identified during pathological examination in piglets after the death of the following changes:
- in the pericardial region, a certain amount of serous-fibrinous effusion with inclusions is noted;
- respiratory system - the lungs are full of fluid, with an admixture of blood;
- a small amount of point inclusions is found under the pleural region;
- the intestine is hyperemic, there are hemorrhages, fibrin filaments are found among the loops;
- the lymph nodes during the incision are swollen, there are hemorrhages, the size is increased;
- parenchymal organs (liver, kidneys) flabby;
- stagnation is observed in the brain and blood vessels;
- skeletal muscle wasted, pale.
And also after exclusion in dairy pigs:
- rotavirus enteritis;
- dysentery;
- viral gastroenteritis;
- funny faces;
- plague
- Aujeszky's disease.
In older individuals, the following is excluded:
- streptococcosis;
- salmonellosis;
- pasteurellosis;
- coronovirus infection;
- adenovirus infection.
Treatment
Since the disease is complex and spreads rapidly, treatment is started as early as possible. The veterinarian prescribes the use of drugs and their dosage, based on the condition of each individual, weight and age of the animal.
The treatment of escherichiosis is symptomatic and is based on:
- restoration of the water-salt balance - a solution of 0.9% sodium chloride, Ringer's solution;
- normalization of the digestive tract - the use of probiotics (Emprobio), biovit 40-80-120, also enveloping drugs to relieve inflammation from the mucous membrane;
- stabilization of the heart and the elimination of oxygen starvation - caffeine benzoate;
- elimination of toxicity - adsorbents (activated carbon, Enterosgel, Carbitox);
- increase immunity - consists in the use of specific antibodies against the causative agent of colibacteriosis (polyvalent serum in a therapeutic dosage of 15-20 ml for five-day piglets, serum from the blood of animals to be slaughtered, and serum from sows vaccinated against sows). Also, natural resistance raises the increased amount of vitamin C that piglets get from food;
- restoration of appetite;
- suppression of infection - exclusively with drugs to which bacteria have sensitivity. These include prolonged antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Cobactan), as well as Nitox, Neopen, Gentavet - with enteritis.
Sick piglets must be kept separate from healthy livestock during treatment.
An important factor in the treatment of intestinal pathologies is a hungry diet lasting up to 12 hours. She is prescribed from the first day of the disease. Colostrum is replaced with a warm solution of sodium chloride (such a measure will reduce the degree of dehydration). Further, up to 50% of the daily norm of colostrum can be added to the solution. Piglets are drunk every 6 hours.
During this time period, piglets organize a exercise, enhance the nutritional value of the feed with minerals and vitamins. It is preferable to give fermented milk products and succulent feeds to food.
Prevention
Often, colibacillosis is a scourge of unfavorable households with signs of unsanitary conditions. With an outbreak of the disease, it is imperative to establish a sanitary environment in the pigsties in order to exclude the possibility of moving the infection inside the farm.
For the most favorable outcome of the disease, or its prevention, the preventive strategy is based on an integrated approach that affects:
- the source of infection - sick young animals and pregnant sows immediately before birth;
- ways of transmission of infection - premises for animals, equipment, the presence of rodents;
- susceptible individuals - newborn piglets and piglets after weaning.
Vaccination
It is very important that the piglets acquire passive immunity obtained with colostrum. To do this, pregnant sows are given a multivalent GOA vaccine, in which there are 9 strains of different serogroups of the bacterium.
Sequence:
- administered to the sow twice 4-6 weeks before farrowing 5 ml of solution intramuscularly, with a 2-week interval between vaccines;
- active immunity in sucking piglets is developed at a weekly age;
- the same vaccine is used in piglets at a dose of 2 ml 2-3 weeks before weaning.
The disadvantages of this procedure include the fact that biofactory vaccines have only O-serogroups, their effectiveness is considered low.
In the case of an animal disease with a serotype of Escherichiosis, which is not in the vaccine, it is more effective to replace the branded product with an autovirus. To increase the efficiency in this case, it is recommended to exercise control over the Escherichia serogroups circulating in the economy.
For five-day-old young animals, polyvalent serum against Escherichiosis is administered intramuscularly, in a preventive dose of 8-10 ml (10-15 ml for piglets older than five days). For treatment, the same serum is administered in doses of 15-20 ml and 20-30 ml, respectively, age.
Full feeding and timely vaccination are the key to strong immunity and animal health.
Disinfection
In a room with pigs, it is important to control the temperature regime (up to 34 degrees), monitor the purity of water.
It is also recommended to timely clean floors, utensils and equipment. To do this, use:
- For flooring and the bottom of the wall - a hot solution of sodium hydroxide in the form of irrigation at the rate of 0.5 liters per square meter of surface. The solution is left for 30 minutes and then washed off with water under pressure.
- For room disinfection, solutions of chloramine or hypochlorite of 2% concentration are effective. The contact time in this case is 60 minutes. The fluid flow rate is similar. After the surface is washed with water, ventilate the room.
- Sows preparing for farrowing are transferred to pre-trained and disinfected mother liquors (separate for each pig).
- Before the corral, each uterus is cleaned of impurities, the limbs are washed with a solution of 0.5% lysol or 5% formalin.
- By the beginning of farrowing, the back of the body of the sow is washed with a solution of potassium permanganate or furatsilina.
- Personnel receiving newborn piglets should be dressed in clean uniforms. Hands are thoroughly disinfected.
- After the end of labor, the pig is washed, the nipples are treated with a clean cloth and disinfectant, and only then the piglets are brought.
- During weaning, young animals are kept separately, after complete processing of the premises (manure removal, surface cleaning), is transferred to more adult animals.
In pig breeding, it is especially important to adhere to recommendations for the prevention of infectious diseases, observing sanitary standards. Only in this way the risk of escherichiosis in the economy will be minimized, and will save the economy from economic losses.