SCOURS IN SUCKLING PIGLETS OF 1 TO 4 WEEK S OF AGE FROM SELECTED HERDS - INFECTIOUS AGENTS, HISTOPATHOLOGY, ENZYME-HISTOCHEMISTRY

Postmortem investigation was performed on 54 scouring (soon after onse t of diarrhea) and 23 healthy suckling piglets. The animals were 1 to 4 weeks of age and were collected from 27 herds. In 21 herds diarrhea had been observed for a long time in piglets in this age group. Coccid ia were found in 34 piglets, rotavirus in 2, cryptosporidia in 2, ente rotoxigenic E.; coli in 6, attaching and effacing E. coli in 1, Cl. pe rfringens type C in 1, Campylobacter coli in 53 and C. hyointestinalis in 8 piglets. Some of these microorganisms were isolated from healthy piglets as well. TGE- and FED-Virus antigen, as well as Salmonella we re not recovered from any of the pigs. Results of the histopathologica l and enzymehistochemical investigations were in agreement with data f rom the literature. They confirmed and emphasized the role of coccidia as enteropathogenic agents in the animals examined. On the other hand evidence was shown, that C. coli is non-pathogenic. The role of C; hy ointestinalis could not be fully elucidated. At least one sort of ente ropathogenic agent was detected in about 68% (n=37) of the scouring pi gs or was present in 81% (n=17) of the herds, respectively.