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Effect of Aerial Ammonia on Porcine Infection of the Respiratory Tract with Toxigenic Pasteurella multocida

Eksperimentelt infektionsforsøg til belysning af om aerogen ammoniak alene kan prædisponere slagtesvin for luftvejsinfektion med toxinproducerende Pasteurella multocida

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 40, pages 197–203 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

The objective of the experimental study was to examine whether aerial ammonia alone could predispose the respiratory system of pigs to infection with toxigenic Pasteurella multocida type A. Two groups of 5 pigs each were continuously exposed to 50 ppm ammonia and less than 5 ppm ammonia, respectively, for a 59-day period (from 37 kg to 90 kg bodyweight) followed by necropsy. In an aerosol chamber all pigs were exposed to an aerosol of toxigenic P. multocida type A (mean bacterial concentration in the aerosol-exposure chamber: 105 colony forming units/m3; exposure period: 25 min) at day 10, 21, 35 and 49 after the onset of ammonia exposure.

During the experiment none of the pigs showed clinical signs of pneumonia nor did they develop visible distortion of the snout. None of the pigs had gross lesions in the lungs at necropsy and toxigenic P. multocida was not detected by culture from the lungs from any of the pigs. The chance of recovering toxigenic P. multocida from nasal swabs (collected during experiment) was 2–4 times greater in the test group compared to the control group. The average daily weight gain was lower for the ammonia exposed pigs compared to the control group.

In conclusion the results from this study suggest that ammonia in concentrations of 50 ppm is unlikely to predispose growing pigs to pulmonary infection with toxigenic P. multocida.

Sammendrag

Formålet med det beskrevne eksperimentelle forsøg var at undersøge, om eksponering for 50 ppm ammoniak kan disponere slagtesvin for lungeinfektion med Pasteurella multocida. To grupper à 5 grise blev i 59 dage (fra 37 kg til 90 kg legemsvægt) eksponeret kontinuerligt for henholdsvis 50 ppm ammoniak og mindre end 5 ppm ammoniak (kontrolgruppe).Ti, 21, 35 og 49 dage efter starten på ammoniak eksponering blev grisene i et specielt designet aerosolkammer udsat for en aerosol (gennemsnitlig aerosolkoncentration: 105 CFU toxinproducerende P. multocida type

A per m3). Hver anden uge blev grisene vejet, og næsesvabre udtaget. Grisene blev aflivet og obduceret en uge efter den sidste aerosolisering.

Ingen af grisene udviste kliniske symptomer på pneumoni eller nysesyge. Ved obduktion var alle grise uden pneumoniske forandringer, og toxinproducerende P. multocida kunne ikke isoleres fra lungerne. Sammenlignet med kontrolgruppen var der mod slutningen af forsøget iblandt forsøgsgrisene en øget chance for at isolere toxinproducerende Ρ. multocida fra næsesvabre. Den daglige tilvækst var i forsøgsgruppen lavere end i kontrolgruppen.

Undersøgelsen konkluderer, at eksponering for 50 ppm ammoniak formodentlig ikke kan prædisponere ung- og slagtesvin for lungeinfektion med toxinproducerende Ρ. multocida.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterinary Division, Danish Bacon & Meat Council, Axelborg, Copenhagen, USA

    M. Andreasen & P. Bœkbo

  2. Department of Animal Science and Animal Health, Division of Ethology and Health, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, USA

    M. Andreasen

  3. Danish Veterinary Laboratory, Copenhagen, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Department of Clinical Studies, Large Animal Medicine, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark

    M. Andreasen & J. P. Nielsen

Authors
  1. M. Andreasen
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  2. P. Bœkbo
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  3. J. P. Nielsen
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Correspondence to M. Andreasen.

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Andreasen, M., Bœkbo, P. & Nielsen, J.P. Effect of Aerial Ammonia on Porcine Infection of the Respiratory Tract with Toxigenic Pasteurella multocida. Acta Vet Scand 40, 197–203 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547017

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147