OCCURRENCE OF STREPTOCOCCUS SUIS SEROTYPES IN PIGS IN BRAZIL

摘要

The Streptococcus suis has been identified as a major cause of contagious disease in pigs where the swine industry is developed. The pathogen, spread all over the world, infects the upper respiratory and alimentary tracts and genital parts of the animals causing meningitis, pneumonia, septicemia or arthritis. The piglets can be infected during the farrowing or suckling in contact with other infected piglets. Clinical signs of disease are fluctuating fever, inappetence, depression, inability to stand,paddling, convulsions affecting mainly weaned pigs from 4 to 12 weeks old. Thirty five S. suis capsular serotypes have been described and the scrotype 2 is the most frequently found in infected pigs around the world, followed by serotype 1. Others like1/2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 are also common in several countries. In Brazil the occurrence of the S. suis serotypes has not been determined.