Prevalence of enteropathogens in suckling and weaned piglets with diarrhoea in Southern Germany

Faecal samples from suckling (n = 205) and weaned piglets (n = 82) with dia rrhoea from 24 farms in Southern Germany were examined for shedding of impo rtant metazoic parasitic. viral and bacterial pathogens using culture, micr oscopic and electronmicroscopic methods. Lischerichia coli isolates were te sted further for the enterotoxin genes est-Ia and elt-I by colony blot hybr idization. Isospora suis was diagnosed in 26.9% and Cryptosporidium in 1.4% of the piglets investigated. The proportion of coronavirus-positive animal s was 13.4% and 4% were positive for rotavirus. It was found that 17.6% of the animals were infected with enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC; 10.1% ETEC-ST -Ia and 8.6% ETEC-LT-I, respectively). The occurrence of the pathogens was significantly associated with the age of the animals examined (P< 0.001). I sospora suis was predominantly isolated from suckling piglets (in the secon d and third week of life), while in weaned piglets (fourth week of life) ro tavirus and ETEC were most prevalent. On 22 of the 24 piglet production far ms examined at least one of thr investigated pathogens was detected. Corona virus was diagnosed in 66.7%, I. suis in 62.5%, rotavirus in 20.8% and C pa rvum in 8.3% of the farms. These results underline the fact that despite th e hygienic, technical and immune preventive efforts during the last rears, enteropathogens are still common in German piglet production units.