Effect of aerial ammonia on porcine infection of the respiratory tract with toxigenic Pasteurella multocida

Morten Andreasen, P. Bækbo, J.P. Nielsen

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

The objective of the experimental study was to examine whether aerial ammonia alone could predispose the respiratory system of pigs to infection with toxigenic Pasteurella multocida type A. Two groups of 5 pigs each were continuously exposed to 50 ppm ammonia and less than 5 ppm ammonia, respectively, for a 59-day period (from 37 kg to 90 kg bodyweight) followed by necropsy. In an aerosol chamber all pigs were exposed to an aerosol of toxigenic I! multocida type A (mean bacterial concentration in the aerosol-exposure chamber: 10(5) colony forming units/m(3); exposure period: 25 min) at day 10, 21, 35 and 49 after the onset of ammonia exposure. During the experiment none of the pigs showed clinical signs of pneumonia nor did they develop visible distortion of the snout. None of the pigs had gross lesions in the lungs at necropsy and toxigenic Il multocida was not detected by culture from the lungs from any of the pigs. The chance of recovering toxigenic I! multocida from nasal swabs (collected during experiment) was 2-4 times greater in the test group compared to the control group. The average dairy weight gain was lower for the ammonia exposed pigs compared to the control group. In conclusion the results from this study suggest that ammonia in concentrations of 50 ppm is unlikely to predispose growing pigs to pulmonary infection with toxigenic P. multocida.
Original languageEnglish
JournalActa Veterinaria Scandinavica
Volume40
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)197-203
ISSN0044-605X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1999

Keywords

  • aerosol exposure
  • respiratory disease
  • pigs
  • nasal colonisation
  • weight gain

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Effect of aerial ammonia on porcine infection of the respiratory tract with toxigenic Pasteurella multocida'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this