A cross-sectional study of risk factors associated with pulmonary lesions in pigs at slaughter.
A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify herd-level factors that may influence the prevalence and severity of macroscopically visible pulmonary lesions in pigs at slaughter. Data were collected following abattoir inspection of 50 randomly-selected batches of 6335 pigs and by interviewing the producers. Macroscopic lung lesions were identified and scored semi-quantitatively in ≥ 80 pigs/herd and the prevalence of pleuritis and pneumonia was 20.76% and 23.85%, respectively. Following multivariable analysis, the seroprevalence of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (P < 0.001) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (P = 0.018) and the number of pigs/nursery pen (P = 0.023) were positively associated, whereas average weaning age was negatively associated (P = 0.001) with the pleuritis score. Risk factors associated with a higher prevalence of pneumonia were the presence of pleuritis (P = 0.001) and the frequent purchasing of pigs (P = 0.020). The findings of this study indicate that the prevalence of pleuritis and pneumonia remains high in Belgium and management factors are central to disease control.
Meyns
Tom
T
Department of Bacteriology, Pathology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Van Steelant
Jan
J
Rolly
Emily
E
Dewulf
Jeroen
J
Haesebrouck
Freddy
F
Maes
Dominiek
D
D000003:Abattoirs; D000189:Actinobacillus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D016977:Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D045705:Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial