Balantidium, Cryptosporidium and Giardia species infections in indoor and outdoor pig production units in Croatia.

摘要

Faecal samples were collected from 17 outdoor and 21 indoor pig production units in Croatia suffering from subclinical enzootic pneumonia, swine dysentery and proliferative enteropathy in July and August 2004. The pigs were positive for antibodies to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and Lawsonia intracellularis. The faecal samples were analysed using ELISA and microplate assays and the average daily gain (ADG) and mortality of the pigs were also determined. It was shown that Giardia, Balantidium and Cryptosporidium spp. antigens were detected in all outdoor and 8 indoor unit samples. Growing-finishing pigs in indoor units that were affected with these organisms showed lower ADG and higher mortalities compared to uninfected pigs but the difference was not significant. Infected outdoor pigs also had significantly lower ADG and higher mortalities compared to uninfected indoor pigs. These findings suggest that Giardia, Balantidium and Cryptosporidium spp. infections causing lower liveweight gains and higher mortalities are common in outdoor growing-finishing pig production units in Croatia..