Abstract Over the last two decades, the pig population in Africa has grown rapidly, reflecting the increased adoption of pig production as an important economic activity. Of all species, pigs are likely to constitute a greater share of the growth in the livestock subsector. However, constraints such as respiratory infectious diseases cause significant economic losses to the pig industry worldwide. Compared to industrialized countries, the occurrence and impacts of respiratory diseases on pig production in Africa is under-documented. Hence, knowledge on prevalence and incidence of economically important swine respiratory pathogens in pigs in Africa is necessary to guide interventions for prevention and control. The purpose of this review was to document the current status of research on five important respiratory pathogens of swine in Africa to inform future research and interventions. The pathogens included were porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PPRSv), porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP ) and swine influenza A viruses (IAV). For this review, published articles were obtained using Harzing’s Publish or Perish software tool from GoogleScholar. Articles were also sourced from PubMed, ScienceDirect, FAO and OIE websites. The terms used for the search were Africa, swine or porcine, respiratory pathogens, M. hyopneumoniae, APP , PCV2, PPRSv, IAV, prevention and control. In all, 146 articles found were considered relevant, and upon further screening, only 85 articles were retained for the review. The search was limited to studies published from 2000 to 2019. Of all the studies that documented occurrence of the five respiratory pathogens, most were on IAV (48.4%, n = 15), followed by PCV2 (25.8%, n = 8), PPRSv (19.4%, n = 6), while only one study (3.2%, n = 1) reported APP and M. hyopneumoniae . This review highlights knowledge and information gaps on epidemiologic aspects as well as economic impacts of the various pathogens reported in swine in Africa, which calls for further studies.
In order to identify and evaluate health related constraints faced by Ugandan pig farmers, a veterinary herd health management approach (VHHM) was applied in 20 randomly selected pig farms in the Lira district, Uganda. Regular herd visits were conducted between July 2018 and June 2019, using e.g. interviews, observations, clinical examinations and laboratory analyzes to gather qualitative and quantitative data on relevant aspects of the production. The pig farmers kept on average 18.6 pigs, including 2.6 sows/year. The production figures varied considerably but were generally poor. The sows produced 1.6 litters/year and 8.2 piglets born alive per litter, the average daily gain was 101 g/day, and the mortality in growers was 9.7%. Four major constraints were identified; poor nutrition, infectious diseases, inferior biosecurity, and poor reproductive management. The quantity and quality of feed was suboptimal. Endo- and ectoparasites were very common, causing diarrhea, bronchitis, pneumonia, skin lesions and pruritus. Post-weaning diarrhea associated with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was important in the two largest herds, and parvoviral antibodies were found in seven herds, two experiencing problems with mummified fetuses. Biosecurity practices were insufficient and inconsistent, with free-ranging pigs and the use of village boars being the major risks. Reproductive figures were affected by poor estrus detection and service management. Overall, farmers lacked important knowledge on good management practices. In conclusion, the VHHM identified several important constraints that should be addressed in order to increase the productivity of Ugandan pig herds.
Abstract Background The development of antimicrobial resistance is of global concern, and is commonly monitored by the analysis of certain bacteria. The aim of the present study was to study the antibiotic susceptibility in isolates of Staphylococcus spp. and Escherichia ( E .) coli obtained from healthy pigs originating from nineteen herds enrolled in a study on herd health management in Lira district, northern Uganda. Skin and nasal swabs were analyzed for the presence of Staphylococcus spp., and selectively cultivated to investigate the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus ( S .) aureus (MRSA), and rectal swabs were analyzed for the presence of E. coli . Antibiotic susceptibility was tested by broth micro-dilution. Information on the antibiotic usage and treatment regimens during the previous year was gathered using structured interviews and longitudinal data. Results In Staphylococcus spp., resistance to penicillin (10/19 isolates; 53%), fusidic acid (42%) and tetracycline (37%) were most commonly found. In E. coli , resistance to sulfamethoxazole (46/52 isolates; 88%), tetracycline (54%) and trimethoprim (17%) was most frequent. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus was found in one sample (1/50; 2%). Multi-drug resistant isolates of Staphylococcus spp. and E. coli were found in 54 and 47% of the herds, respectively. At the herd level, no associations could be made between antibiotic resistance and herd size or treatment regimens for either of the bacteria. Conclusion In conclusion, resistance to important antibiotics frequently used in animals in Uganda was common, and the presence of MRSA was demonstrated, in Ugandan pig herds.
Med en tillvaxt pa 10-20 % mellan aren 2004 och 2010 ar hastnaringen en vaxande bransch. Kopplat till konstaterat hoga utslapp av naringsamnen fran hastanlaggningar och indikationer pa utslapp aven av fororeningar i form av fekala mikroorganismer gor det till en bransch som ar angelagen ar undersoka med avseende pa dess miljopaverkan. Studien jamforde halter av fekala indikatorbakterier i vattendrag uppstroms och nedstroms storre hastanlaggningar, och analyserade ocksa forekomsten av ESBL-producerande E.coli bade i vattendragen och i godsel. Ingen Salmonella spp., som analyserades som ett exempel pa en fekal patogen, hittades i studien. Ingen koppling kunde goras mellan hastanlaggningar och vattnets mikrobiologiska kvalite, aven om enstaka gardar gav upphov till misstanke om fororening. Resultaten kan vara falskt negativa da studien genomfordes vid torrt vader utan namnvard avrinning. ESBL-producerande E.coli hittades i ca 30 % av bade vatten- och godselproverna. Fler vattenprov nedstroms anlaggningarna var positiva for resistenta E.coli an uppstroms. Alla isolat var multiresistenta i varierande grad, och flera var resistenta mot de antibiotika som anvands till hast. Resultaten tyder pa att ESBL-producerande E.coli forekommer spritt i miljon och forekommer pa besattningsniva i hog utstrackning.
Animal health research often focus on single, specific diseases such as e.g. African swine fever. However, animal health usually depends on multiple factors. In the present thesis, the overall herd health and productivity in 20 smallholder pig farms were assessed by the use of veterinary herd health management, an iterative approach using both interviews, observations, clinical examinations and targeted sampling to obtain a holistic view on the herd. Further, certain problems were identified that likely affected many herds, and the presence of ecto- and endoparasites, parvoviral antibodies, and antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus spp. and E. coli, were screened for in all herds.
The main constraints to the production were identified as inadequate feeding, poor reproduction, poor biosecurity, and infectious diseases, although the problems varied considerably among the herds. Low quantity and quality of feed and water caused poor growth rates and poor health, and contributed to increased mortality rates. Suboptimal management was likely one of the main causes of the poor reproductive performance, but pathogens, inadequate nutrition, heat stress, low parity numbers, and inferior breeds probably also contributed to the poor results. Parasites were very common, and apart from pruritus, mainly caused by lice, endoparasites were the most commonly identified cause of clinical disease. In herds of all sizes, coccidia and nematodes caused diarrhea in suckling piglets and growing pigs, resulting in emaciation and even deaths. The two largest herds experienced post-weaning diarrhea associated with enterotoxigenic E. coli, resistant to tetracycline that was commonly used to treat the disease. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was found in a healthy pig in one herd. African swine fever was not diagnosed, but differential diagnoses such as Erysipelothrix infection were suspected. Despite the lack of vaccination programs, parvoviral antibodies were commonly found and parvovirus was thus suspected to be the cause of the high number of mummified fetuses in two herds, and possibly associated with the small litters in several herds.
In conclusion, many different factors affect the health and productivity of smallholder pig herds in Uganda. Efforts to improve health and productivity need to take into consideration both the smallholder context and the situation of the individual herd, as the conditions and motivations differ from those in intensive farms in high-income countries.
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