The Disease

Potential impact of the reduction of antibiotics

The ban on antimicrobial growth promoters in the EU affected the kinetics of the infection in different pig diseases
Know the alternatives to fighting ileitis

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, the trend for the reduction of antimicrobial usage is a fact in most of the countries with a relevant swine production. There are already specific rules for antimicrobial use in regions such as North America, more specifically in the United States, and very soon the same will happen in South America, mainly in Brazil.

This scenario started to gain importance with the ban on the usage of antimicrobial growth promoters in feed in Sweden in 1986, followed by the European Union ban on avoparcin in 1997, and on bacitracin, tylosin, spiramycin and virgiamycin in 1999. Just after the banning there was a substantial increase in the therapeutic use of antimicrobials, but over time producers and veterinarians had to learn how to work with this new requirement.

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L. intracellularis is a gram-negative rod with a sigmoid or curved shape and with a single long flagellum.

History and Etiology of ileitis

Not much is known about the epidemiology of L. Intracellularis.

Epidemiology of ileitis

L. Intracellularis has specific infectious mechanisms, and generally appears in the growing and finishing stages

Pathogenesis of L. Intracellularis

The symptoms of ileitis in pigs are diverse, and include hemorrhagic or acute, chronic and subclinical.

Clinical signs and forms of ileitis

Diagnosing ileitis involves considering four important factors

Diagnosis of ileitis

Ileitis outbreaks must be treated immediately to reduce losses

Treatment of ileitis

The best preventative option for ileitis depends on the specific farm

Prevention of ileitis

The indications are that nearly all pig populations are susceptible to Lawsonia Intracellularis

Prevalence of ileitis

Economic impact results mostly from productivity losses caused by the diseas

Economic losses related to ileitis