Open status of pig-breeding farms is associated with slightly higher seroprevalence of F18+ Escherichia coli in northern Belgium.
F18+ enterotoxigenic and verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) are widespread and induce post-weaning diarrhoea and oedema disease, respectively. No commercial vaccine exists. Therefore, the F18 herd seroprevalence of 178 randomly selected pig-breeding farms in northern Belgium was evaluated by determining F18-specific IgG antibody titres in pooled sera of sows per breeding farm. This survey reported the first data concerning F18 herd seroprevalence and showed that F18+ E. coli seroprevalence was common in northern Belgium. Significantly more open pig-breeding farms were F18 seropositive (96.4%) compared to closed (88.8%). Furthermore, no clear association was determined between the F18 herd seroprevalence and the number of sows per breeding farm (rsp = 0.19), or with the number of fattening pigs per breeding farm (rsp = 0.17).
Verdonck
F
F
Laboratory of Veterinary Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Frank.Verdonck@UGent.be
Cox
E
E
Ampe
B
B
Goddeeris
B M
BM
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D001947:Breeding; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D011897:Random Allocation; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G