Coccidiosis

1. DESCRIPTION:

Coccidiosis is a disease of the young piglet due to infection with Isospora suis and is characterized by diarrhea which is nonresponsive to antibacterial therapy. There is variable morbidity and mortality. Piglets develop a more severe clinical illness and enteritis when infected with I. suis at one to three days of age than when infected at two weeks of age. Microscopic lesions range from villous atrophy and mild erosion to severe fibrinonecrotic enteritis.

2. ETIOLOGY:

Coccidiosis is caused by small parasites called coccidia that live and multiply inside the host cells, mainly in the intestinal tract. There are three types, Eimeria, Isospora and Cryptosporidia. Disease is common and widespread in weaners and occasionally in piglets up to 15 weeks of age. Diarrhea is the main clinical sign.

3. CLINICAL SIGNS:

Coccidiosis should be suspected if there is a diarrhea problem in piglets from 7-21 days of age that does not respond particularly well to antibiotics. Coccidiosis can be recognized from the following clinical signs:

  • Coccidiosis causes diarrhea in piglets due to damage caused to the wall of the small intestine. This is followed by secondary bacterial infections.
  • Dehydration is common.
  • The faeces vary in consistency and colour from yellow to grey green, or bloody according to the severity of the condition.
  • Secondary infection by bacteria and viruses can also result in high mortality, although mortality due to coccidiosis on its own is relatively low.

4. PREVENTION:

Once the oocysts have become established in an environment the sow plays only a minor role. The oocysts contaminate the environment by other means such as flies, dried feces, dust and faeces contaminated surfaces. Hygiene and insect control are important.

  • Remove sow's and piglet's feces daily.
  • Improve the hygiene in farrowing houses, in particular farrowing pen floors and prevent the movement of feces from one pen to another.
  • Ensure as far as possible that slurry channels are completely emptied between farrowings.
  • Keep pens as dry as possible and in particular those areas of the floor where piglets defecate. An effective method is to cover the wet areas with proper beddings (i.e straw, pine shavings,…) and remove them daily.
  • Wallowing can be an ideal focus of infection particularly during lactation. Provide alternative wallow-site.
  • Wallows site should be well-away from the source of food.

5. TREATMENT:

It is strongly advisable to use SANFO.SIROCOLI, please click on the image that will take you directly to the product. For this to be effective it must be given just prior to the invasion of the intestinal wall. Once clinical signs have appeared the damage has been done.

During treatment, it is recommended to use the following recommended products to enhance the animals’ natural resistance by supplying nutrition, electrolytes. These following products also acts an antihemorrhagic drugs which temporary stops the bleeding.

 

Know-How, Swine