[Quantitative study of the bacterial flora of the large intestine of dysenteric swine].

The bacterial flora and the pH of the large intestine of dysenteric swine during acute subacute and chronic phases have been submitted to quantitative and qualitative studies. The methods used are based on primary isolation and differentiation of the bacteria by the use of selective media and the subsequent differentiation using the replica plating technique. The most characteristic changes are the following:1. A significant increase of the pH of the chyme in the large intestine during acute dysentery2. A significant increase of Vibrio, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus in the colon and cecum during acute dysentery.3. A significant increase of Shigella in the colon and cecum during subacute dysentery.4. The almost total disappearance of Aeromonas and of the yeasts in the large intestine during acute, subacute and chronic dysentery.5. A significant decrease of Klebsiella, in the cecum, during acute dysentery and of the fungi during subacute dysentery.6. Decrease of Streptococcus in the colon during acute dysentery.7. The total quantitative flora of the large intestine do not change very much.