The Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network (CWSHIN) is advising pork producers to be aware of a rare infection that mimics the symptoms of African Swine Fever and Classical Swine Fever.
In its report on diseases reported during the second quarter of 2019 the CWSHIN identifies Clostridium septicum as a potential emerging disease. CWSHIN Manager Dr. Jette Christensen says we’ve known about this infection but it is very rare.
The reason we are concerned is this bacteria causes sudden death in pigs. The two cases that we discussed in this quarter were in the larger finishing pigs. It was either sudden death or they presented with dramatic clinical signs. They were big patches of reddening skin over the shoulders going down on the belly and a few of them died quite early on.
These clinical signs concern us because they can mimic African or Classical Swine Fever. The clinical signs that we discussed was that, in the first two to three days, you see the sudden death in the large finisher pigs. After two to three days you begin to see the reddening of the skin. It can be in different places but typically over the shoulder down under the belly. It’s also massive swelling. The skin can swell up massively and later, if they survive those first days, they can show extreme slogging of the skin so dead patches fall off.
It’s pretty extreme and that why we raised it. But again, it’s down in the very low number of cases that we talk about.
~ Dr. Jette Christensen, Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network
Dr. Christensen says, if you see sudden death in pigs or reddening of the skin, call your vet.
