Actinobacillus suis infection in pigs in Australia

This is the first report of the isolation of Actinobacillus suis in associa tion with significant disease among preweaned pigs in Australia. Sudden dea ths occurred in preweaned piglets at one facility and enlarged joints, part icularly the stifles and tarsi, occurred at another. Isolates with the bioc hemical phenotype and apr genotype profile of A suis were cultured from aff ected piglets. Both facilities were of high health status and one had under gone a recent depopulation, disinfection and sow repopulation process. Revi ewing initial reports of A suis disease overseas, it is apparent that outbr eaks occurred sporadically in various locations, with disease occurring amo ng the herds involved for some months only, before development of immunity. A suis disease is now considered an emerging disease on high health status farms.