An Investigation of Bacterial Causes of Arthritis in Slaughter Hogs

Abstract

Abstract. Joints from 153 arthritic and 80 normal slaughter hogs were examined by culture for presence of bacteria. Although none of the normal joints yielded bacteria, 37% of the disease joints were positive for bacterial growth. Of 67 bacterial isolates obtained, 45% were Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. Occurrence of other bacteria in order of their frequency was Streptococcus suis (16%), Actinomyces pyogenes (10%), Mycoplasma spp. including 3 M. hyorhinis isolates (7%), staphylococci (7%), Streptococcus spp. (6%), and organisms of uncertain significance (7%).Arthritis is common in hogs sent to market and is a cause of economic concern to the farmers because of loss of portions of carcasses as well as condemnation of entire carcasses in the abattoir. Joint diseases are responsible for a significant percentage of total condemnations of swine in Canada. 10 Figures collected at Garden Province Meats, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, where over 80% of the island's hogs are slaughtered, indicate that on average every month 0.6% of the hogs (11 condemned and 70 demerited) had arthritis. The association of Zoonotic agents with swine arthritis and the resulting public health hazards are other major considerations.Despite the importance of arthritis in swine, there has been a paucity of documented research on this subject, particularly during the last 15 years. Because most cases of porcine arthritis are probably the result of bacterial infections, 2,3 the present study was aimed at identifying the bacteria associated with arthritis in slaughter pigs and determining antimicrobial susceptibility. Materials and methodsSpecimen collection. Two hundred thirty-three hogs slaughtered at Garden Province Meats, Charlottetown, were chosen for this study. The hogs were 6-7 mo old and were raised in confinement. The samples were collected during May-August 1990, and all the arthritic joints were sampled consecutively. Of 145 hogs sampled, 93 had >1 joint affected. Arthritic joints were selected on the basis of the following criteria: the joint was swollen, and the accompanying lymph node that drained the joint was enlarged. One hundred fiftythree joints that met these criteria were retained for culture. In the case of polyarthritis, the most severely affected joint was sampled. Of 153 joints sampled, 60% were stifle and the remainder were elbow (14%), hock (13%), and other (13%). One hundred fifteen enlarged lymph nodes directly associated with affected joints were also collected and placed on ice for transport to the laboratory. Control hogs without arthritis and the specific joints cultured were chosen randomly using a random number generator. Eighty normal joints were collected. The joints were taken to the plant's laboratory. Skin and subsequently subcutaneous tissue were flamed with a propane torch. Using sterile forceps and scalpel blade, the synovial membrane was opened and the joint fluid was aspirated with a sterile 10-ml syringe and 16-gauge needle. Bacteriologic examination. Immediately after collection, a drop of as...

Erysipelothrix Spp. Genotypes, Serotypes, and Surface Protective Antigen Types Associated with Abattoir Condemnations

“…10 Bacterial causes of arthritis in Canadian slaughter hogs were investigated in 1992, and E. rhusiopathiae was identified as the most common bacterial pathogen (45%) isolated from arthritic joints. 2 For these reasons, the full economic and public health impact of swine erysipelas may be greatly underestimated. Because of constraints at the abattoir, condemnations as a result of septicemia or arthritis not highly suspected of swine erysipelas were not included in the present study.…”

Isolation ofArcanobacterium(Actinomyces)Pyogenesfrom Cases of Feline Otitis Externa and Canine Cystitis

“…pyogenes is a frequent and well-known opportunistic pathogen of economically important domestic animals, such as cattle, sheep, and swine. 10,12,15,16 Unlike in domestic animals, A. pyogenes is not known to be a normal inhabitant of humans or their companion animals. Infections in man are rare, although they have been reported.…”

Comparison of detection procedures of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyosynoviae, and Mycoplasma hyorhinis in lungs, tonsils, and synovial fluid of slaughtered pigs and their distributions in Thailand

“…Additionally, other prevalent pathogens (Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Streptococcus suis, Actinomyces pyogenes, M. hyorhinis, staphylococci, and Streptococcus spp.) are also concurrently etiologic of arthritis (Hariharan et al 1992;Thacker 2004) which are not included in this study.…”