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

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.