Incidence of Campylobacter in pigs with and without diarrhea

Two hundred pigs (1-21 weeks old), from five piggeries in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, were divided in two groups of 100 animals each, G1 with diarrhea an d G2 without diarrhea. Campylobacter was recovered from 43% of G1 and 34% o f G2 specimens, and was more frequently recovered from 0-4 week old piglets . C. coli was the most common species (44.2% in G1 and 32.4% in G2), follow ed by C. jejuni/coli (16.3% in G1 and 23.5% in G2). Campylobacter counts we re significantly higher in G1 (less than or equal to 10(8) UFC/g) than in G 2 (less than or equal to 10(4) UFC/g) (p < 0.01), which suggests that the b acterium may play a role at least in the aggravation of the diarrheic proce ss.