IS THE PIGLET A USEFUL ANIMAL-MODEL OF SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME

A prospective study of early death was conducted in a large population of piglets in order to investigate the causes of mortality and determ ine whether this species could be useful as an animal model of the sud den infant death syndrome (SIDS). 1,921 live-born piglets were closely monitored from birth to 2 months of age. The cause of death was analy zed in all the animals which died during this period. Complete histolo gical, bacteriological and virological examinations of all sudden deat h animals were compared to identical examinations performed in age-mat ched control animals. 384 animals (20%) died during the study period a nd 8 sudden deaths were observed (0.4%). The principal causes of nonsu dden death were overlaying (9.4%), hypotrophy (6%), infection (2%) and acute fetal suffering (1.4%). Bacterial infection was found in 6 of t he sudden deaths. There was 1 case of suffocation and 1 unexplained su dden death. Compared to controls, there was a significantly greater pr evalence of pathology (p < 0.01) and of positive tissue bacteriology ( p < 0.05) in sudden death animals. The 6 sudden deaths due to bacteria l infections were clearly different from the human syndrome. Suffocati on is a known cause of sudden infant death. In the final analysis, onl y 1 animal (0.5 parts per thousand) had an outcome which could be assi milated with SIDS. It is concluded that although there probably exists a syndrome in the piglet equivalent to SIDS, its incidence is very lo w and major obstacles related to the high level of early mortality in this species hinder investigation.