INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE EPIZOOTIOLOGY AND PATHOGENIC SIGNIFICANCE OF INFECTIONS WITH I-SUIS IN 10 PIG BREEDING FARMS IN NORTH-RHINE-WESTPHALIA

From July 1993 to June 1994 2036 fecal samples from 196 litters from 1 0 pig farms were collected. Three or four piglets from each litter and the respective sows were examind 3 times at 2, 3 and 4 weeks after fa rrowing. I. suis was detected in all 10 farms. The rate of infection o f the litters was 62.2%. 71.6% of all litters with diarrheic problems were I. suis positive. The percentage of I. suis in the feces of pigle ts was 17.4% at the age of 2 weeks, 41.3% at the age of 3 weeks and 39 .1% at the age of 3 weeks. It was also shown that I. suis occurs on an y farm with any type of management system and at any time of the year. Fecal samples of sows were always Isospora negative. It is inferred t hat I. suis is a more important causative agent of porcine neonatal di arrhoea than considered so far. Therefore, further studies on epizooti ological and therapeutical aspects and sanitation measures are necessa ry.