An abattoir survey of pneumonia and pleuritis in slaughter weight swine from 9 selected herds. IV. Bacteriological findings in chronic pneumonic lesions.

A total of 855 pig lungs were collected at slaughter and evaluated macroscopically. Bacteriological examinations were carried out on tissue samples from chronic pleuropneumonic lesions (n = 196) and from chronic bronchopneumonic lesions with suppuration (n = 14). Samples from normal lung tissue (n = 22) were also included. Pasteurella multocida was isolated from 54%, Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) pleuropneumoniae from 11%, and Streptococcus spp. from 14% of the pneumonic lesions, respectively. From normal lung tissue P. multocida was isolated from 3 (14%) of the samples, A. pleuropneumoniae was not recovered and streptococci were isolated from only 1 (5%) of these samples. The above mentioned bacterial species were recovered either in pure cultures or mixed with various other microbes. A total of 109 P. multocida strains were further characterized by capsular serotyping and testing for production of dermonecrotic toxin. Ninety-nine (91%) of the strains were capsular type A 10 (9%) were type D. Out of the type A and the type D strains 94% and 90% were toxigenic, respectively. Most of the A. pleuropneumoniae strains were serotype 2. Strains of serotypes 1 and 7 were also identified. The majority of the streptococci were identified as either Streptococcus suis or Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Actinomyces pyogenes was isolated from 14% of the lesions and anaerobic bacteria from 18%, respectively. The significance of the various bacterial species in relation to the development of chronic pneumonic lesions is discussed. Special attention is paid to P. multocida, and it is concluded that this bacterial species is probably of importance for the development of both types of chronic pneumonias.