DIAGNOSIS OF PNEUMONITIS IN LIVING PIGS B Y BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE

In pigs coming from fattening units with tenacious pneumonitis problem s the attempt was made to find an etiological diagnosis in living pigs by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serological examinations on antib odies against Mycoplasma hyopneumonia, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Influenza-A-virus (serotyps H1N1 and H3N2). In some cases the res ults of the bacteriological examinations of the BAL were compared with the post mortem findings. Both methods yield similar results. Mycopla sma hyopneumonia could neither be cultured from the BAL nor indicated the results of the serological examinations infections with M. hyopneu moniae. Pasteurella multocida was isolated from 73 % of the BAL-sample s. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was found in 4 from 90 samples. Pos itive antibody titers against Influenza-virus in most of the sera indi cate that the clinical course of Influenza is changing from an acute e pidemic to an enzootic disease in fattening units.