Diarrhea in one to three week-old piglets associated with Clostridium perfringens type A.

Abstract

Investigation on the aetiology of diarrhoea in piglets of one to three weeks of age revealed high numbers of Clostridium perfringens type A in intestinal contents of severely affected animals. Experimental infections with hysterectomy derived, colostrum deprived piglets performed in an isolator resulted in a clinical picture indistinguishable from the clinical signs observed under field conditions i.e. creamy diarrhoea, emaciation, abundant gas in the gut but usually low mortality rate. The predominant post-mortem findings were the presence of gas in the intestinal lumen and in the mucosa, superficial necrosis and villus atrophy.