Evaluation of potassium penicillin G administered in-water for the control of Streptococcus suis in weaned pigs

摘要

Streptococcus suis is an increasingly important pathogen affecting the swine production industry. S suis can reside as commensal bacteria in the upper respiratory tract of pigs, and may colonize newborn piglets via the respiratory tract during farrowing and suckling. Infectious S suis can spread to other animals during the production stage, or cause disease due to stress at weaning.1 Without appropriate treatment, S suis can be associated with high mortality rates in swine herds.2 There is also growing concern about the impact of S suis as a zoonotic agent, particularly for individuals involved with the handling of pigs and pig carcasses. The prevalence of S suis appears to be very high in Quebec3 and Ontario4 swine farms. Therefore, it is necessaryto explore and implement possible interventions in order to minimize the spread of infectious S suis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effiqacy of administering potassium penicillin G via drinking water to weaned pigs to reduce mortalityand spread of infection caused by S suis.