Streptococcal infection in young pigs: IV. An outbreak of streptococcal meningitis in weaned pigs

Abstract

SUMMARYTwenty-eight pigs died in an outbreak of streptococcal meningitis in an East Anglian herd. Most were 10–14 weeks old. The outbreak lasted from January to April and was finally controlled by antibiotic therapy. A similar number of losses had occurred in the previous year though no diagnosis had then been made.The causal agent appeared to be a haemolytic streptococcus belonging to group D and provisionally designatedStreptococcus suistype 2. It is probably identical with de Moor's group R streptococcus which causes a similar disease in the Netherlands. It is serologically distinct fromStreptococcus suistype 1 which causes meningitis in piglets. Type 2 infection in pigs appears to be widespread in England and Wales and to occur in animals up to the age of at least 14 weeks.A comparison is drawn betweenStr. suismeningitis in pigs and group B streptococcal meningitis in human infants.