TREATMENT OF EUBACTERIUM-SUIS INFECTION I N BOARS

The main habitat of Eubacterium suis (E. suis) is the preputial divert iculum of male pigs. E. suis can be transmitted from boars to sows at the time of mating, and ascending urinary tract infections (cystitis a nd pyelonephritis) in sows may develop. In this paper different method s of treatment were investigated to eliminate E. suis from the diverti culum of carrier boars (n = 33). Local therapy and feed medication wer e administered separately or in combination. For local instillation in to the preputial sac penicillin, penicillin/streptomycin or enrofloxac in were used, while medicated feed contained enrofloxacin. None of the treatments resulted in boars, which were persistently free from E. su is. Also additional hygiene measures as washing of boars and desinfect ion of pens could not improve the results. At the latest 18 days after treatment E. suis could be detected again in the preputial diverticul um of all boars. Short duration of action of antibiotics in the preput ial sac as well as re-colonisation of the diverticulum by contaminated pens are discussed. In herds in which urinary tract infections are tr oublesome it is worthwhile using artificial insemination to prevent tr ansmission of E. suis to the sow. Treatment of unspecific urinary trac t infections in sows may be also important, because alterations of bla dder mucosa due to other bacteria may support the colonisation of E. s uis.