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Prevalence of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in tonsils of healthy slaughter pigs in southern Brazil

A. C. Lara, M. A. Z. Mores, R. A. Soncini

Abstract


Tonsils from healthy pigs of slaughter
age were removed to isolate Streptococcus suis
serotype 2. Thirty-four fattening pig herds were
sampled from a pig slaughterhouse located in Santa
Catarina state, Brazil. Tonsils from 10 pigs were
taken from each of the herds and the tonsils pooled.
Samples were processed in groups of 3 in a manner
that from each herd results were obtained from 3
pools. At the laboratory, samples were processed
using standard bacteriologic isolation methods.
From the 34 herds analyzed, 19 (55.88%) were
positive for at least one positive sample for S. suis
serotype 2. Prevalence for positive herds ranged
from 10 to 70%, with a mean of 27.36%. Results
demonstrate the high number of infected tonsils in
herds of pigs at the slaughter age, serving as healthy
carriers for S. suis serotype in Southern Brazil.

Keywords


Streptococcus suis; suínos; portadores; tonsilas; swine; healthy carrier state; tonsils



DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5380/avs.v12i2.9906