COMPARISON OF LABORATORY TECHNIQUES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF PORCINE PROLIFERATIVE ENTEROPATHY (PPE) IN FATTENING PIGS

摘要

Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy (PPE), caused by Lawsonia intracellularis (LI), is an economically important enteric disease of swine throughout the world, and of increasing importance in The Netherlands. So far PPE was diagnosed by microscopic examinationin suspected necropsy cases at the Animal Health Service (AHS). Thickening of the ileal and jejunal wall, irregularity of mucosal surface with pseudomembranes or blood and blood clots are findings indicating PPE. Confirmation by histology is donewith a HE staining and Warthin-Starry staining. The HE staining demonstrates crypt-abcessation in ileal and jejunal wall. The Warthin-Starry staining is colouring stains LI in the apical part of enterocytes in the ileal wall. Both techniques are not 100% specific for LI.