Ma. Machuca et al., Stillborn piglets: anatomopathological characterization and immunoserological studies in three intensive management farms, ARCH MED V, 31(2), 1999, pp. 243-248
The purposes of this study was to characterize the stillborn piglets, based
on gross pathological findings, and to determine the presence of potential
ly related infectious agents using immunoserological tests of pleural fluid
. The study was conducted in three "in doors" farms (A, B, and C) with inte
nsive management, in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. In total 1.024 still
births were classified in antepartum (mommified or non-mommified) and intra
partum. Two hundred randomly selected samples of pleural fluid were process
ed for detection of antibodies to porcine parvovirus, Aujeszky's disease vi
rus, Leptospira interrogans (4 serogroups) and Brucella suis. Antibodies to
Toxoplasma gondii were studied in 738 samples. The stillbirths in farms A,
B, and C were 4.1, 3.4, and 10.8%, respectively, with variable numbers for
the three different types. In farms A and C the intrapartum type reached t
he highest percentages (61.8 and 92.2), while farm B presented the highest
mummy rate (54.8). For farms A and C values were associated with Leptospira
interrogans serogroup Icterohemorrhagiae antibodies and the ones in farm B
with parvovirus antibodies. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were detected
in the three farms, and the high rate in farm B was related to abundant cat
population. All samples were negative for Brucella suis and Aujeszky's dis
ease virus. According to the results, it can be concluded that characteriza
tion of stillbirths, in association with immunoserological studies of pleur
al fluid is a simple and effective method that can contribute to the knowle
dge about the exposure of breeding stocks to reproductive pathogens.