title: Clinical and haematological characterisation of Mycoplasma suis infections in splenectomised and non-splenectomised pigs.
abstract: Mycoplasma suis causes infectious anaemia in pigs (IAP), which can manifest in various degrees of severity depending on the virulence and the host's susceptibility. As M. suis cannot be cultured in vitro experimental infections of splenectomised animals play an essential role for pathogenesis research. The aim of the present study was to characterise the course of experimental infection using the highly virulent and red blood cell (RBC-) invasive M. suis strain KI3806, to compare the experimental course in splenectomised and non-splenectomised pigs and to correlate clinical and haematological parameters with M. suis blood loads. All infected splenectomised pigs (n=7) were PCR-positive 2 days post infection (DPI) with maximum mean bacterial loads of 1.61 × 10(10)M. suis/mL on 8 DPI. They developed severe anaemia and massive hypoglycaemia by 8 DPI and had to be euthanised preterm (until 8 DPI) without seroconversion. The non-splenectomised pigs (n=7) became PCR-positive within 23 DPI and reached a maximum mean M. suis load of 1.64 × 10(5)M. suis/mL on 8 DPI. They developed mild anaemia, massive skin alterations with petechiae and haemorrhagic diathesis and seroconverted within 35 DPI. The study demonstrated that experimental infection of splenectomised pigs with the highly virulent M. suis strain KI3806 induces a fulminant course of infection. In contrast, M. suis strain KI3806 induces a mild course of disease in non-splenectomised pigs, which resembles the situation in naturally infected pigs. Therefore, these infection models are valuable for future pathogenesis studies on acute and chronic M. suis infections.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Swine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stadler
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Swine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jannasch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental and Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Medicine (with Animal Clinic), University Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mack
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental and Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Medicine (with Animal Clinic), University Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Swine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zöls
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Swine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ritzmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition, University Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoelzle
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental and Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Medicine (with Animal Clinic), University Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: ludwig.hoelzle@uni-hohenheim.de.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Hoelzle
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D058491:Bacterial Load; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013156:Splenectomy; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
keywords: Experimental infection; Haemorrhagic diathesis; Haemotrophic mycoplasma; Mycoplasma suis; Splenectomy