Pathological and microbiological aspects of respiratory disease in fattening pigs in Brazil

For pathological and microbiological evaluation of porcine respiratory disease in fattening pigs, seventy five animals showing respiratory distress, fever and/or cough were analyzed. These pigs were necropsied and samples were collected for histological and microbiological analysis. Bacterial isolation procedures were performed aiming to detect major swine bacterial respiratory pathogens. Also, PCR for Mycoplasma hyorhinis, and immunohistochemistry for Influenza A, porcine circovirus type 2, and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae were carried out. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida type A were the most prevalent infectious agents. The antimicrobial sensitivity of 24 samples of P. multocida type A was evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration tests and all these samples were sensitive to doxycycline, tilmicosin and enrofloxacin. Suppurative bronchopneumonia and pleuritis were main respiratory lesions found. When P. multocida type A was present, the extension of lung lesions was increased. In 58% of the samples more than one infectious agent was identified, suggesting a high prevalence of infectious agents associations in porcine respiratory disease in Brazil.