Lecture 6 - Erysipelas in Pigs

Erysipelas in Pigs
(Diamond Skin Disease)

Erysipelas is an infectious disease caused by Erysipelas rhusiopathiae in pigs that:
- Affect growing and adult swine in most areas where large-scale intensive swine
production is practiced.
- Is among the oldest diseases recognized in swine.
Epidemiology
Erysipelas is endemic where intensive production of pigs is common.
Transmission
- Erysipelas rhusiopathiae inhabits tonsils (At the pharynx) of normal pigs which are
reservoirs for the bacterium.
- The microorganism is shed in oral and nasal secretions and feces by carrier pigs.
- Infection is spread through ingestion of contaminated feed and water by susceptible
pigs through cutaneous wounds.
- The organism is viable in feces for months.
- On farms, young pigs are exposed naturally to E rhusiopathiae from the
environment.
- Maternal antibodies provide passive to immunity to new-born pigs which
suppresses development of clinical disease until immunity wanes.
- Stress induces infection in carrier pigs or predispose normal pigs to infection.
- Recovered pigs and chronically infected pigs become carriers of E rhusiopathiae
- Healthy swine may be asymptomatic carriers.
Clinical Signs
1. The disease starts as sporadic episodes affecting individual or small group of pigs
but may affect herds in endemic areas.
2. Erysipelas presents as acute, sub-acute, chronic and asymptomatic forms of disease.
Acute erysipelas
- Sudden onset of outbreak, death without pre-monitory signs (due to septicemia)..
- Fever, inappetence and painful joints, reluctance to move or stand (recumbency)
- Skin lesions varying from generalized red coloration (Cyanosis) to rhomboid
urticaria (Diamond skin) lesions.
- Mortality ranges from 0-100 %.
Sub-acute and chronic erysipelas
- Enlarged joints, stiff walking posture and shifting of body weight between limbs.
- Intolerance to vigorous activity due to cardiac incompetence e.g. respiratory
distress.
- Anorexia, thirst, cooling on wet floor or seeking the shade (due to fever).
- Agalactia in nursing sows.
- Skin lesions occurring as discrete discoloration, (erythematous or purple)
Chronic cases develop in untreated pigs and characterized by:
- Raised skin lesions above the skin surface, firm, necrotic and sloughs from normal
skin.
- Tips of ears and tail become necrotic and sloughs off.
- Chronic arthritis (mild to severe lameness) and vegetative vulvular endocarditis
(nodular growths on heart valves).
- Sudden death from cardiac insufficiency or embolism.
- Lethargy, cyanosis and low mortality rate.
Erythema – i.e. cyanosis in acute erysipelas
Diamond skin lesions

Post-mortem findings
Acute erysipelas
- Skin lesions
- Enlarged and congested liver, lymph nodes and spleen
- Petechial hemorrhages on kidney and heart.
Chronic form
- Valvular endocarditis (proliferative, granular growths on the heart valves).
- Affected joints are enlarged and contain viscous synovial fluid and thickened joint
capsule.
- Erosion or fibrosis of articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints.
Diagnosis
- Clinical signs (particularly diamond skin lesions is pathognomonic- thus
confirmatory)
- Necropsy gross lesions.
- Response to penicillin treatment (drug of choice).
- Culture of E rhusiopathiae from blood samples.
Differential diagnosis
1) Conditions that are characterized by septicemia in swine e.g.

a. African swine fever (a viral disease; acute or per-acute and presents
cyanosis).
b. Colibacillosis and salmonellosis
c. Endocarditis caused by Streptococcus suis
d. Skin lesions similar to those in porcine dermatitis, actinobacillosis or mange.
Treatment
1. Early treatment by injection of penicillin leads to recovery.

2. In large herds, administration of tetracycline in feed or drinking water.
Control
- Vaccination by injection of bacterins or attenuated live vaccines is highly effective.
- Vaccinate before anticipated season associated with occurrence of disease.
o Vaccinate young pigs before weaning; repeat after 3-5 weeks.
- Avoidance of stress – compromises immunity and predisposes to outbreaks.
- Culling chronic cases of erysipelas.

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Lecture 6 - Erysipelas in Pigs

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Erysipelas in Pigs

(Diamond Skin Disease)

Erythema – i.e. cyanosis in acute erysipelas

Diamond skin lesions

1) Conditions that are characterized by septicemia in swine e.g.

1. Early treatment by injection of penicillin leads to recovery.

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