Certain species of Brachyspira that are pathogenic to pigs cause such infections as swine dysentery, muco-haemorrhagic diarrhoea or porcine intestinal spirochetosis.

As part of research being conducted on behalf of Swine Innovation Porc scientists with the University of Saskatchewan in partnership with Novartis Animal Health are working to determine which antimicrobials will be most effective for treating specific strains of Brachyspira.

Dr Joe Rubin, an assistant professor in veterinary microbiology with the University of Saskatchewan, says there has not been a lot of research into antimicrobial susceptibility, and which drugs might be the most effective for treating Brachyspira.

Dr Joe Rubin-University of Saskatchewan:

Antibiotics have certainly been used in the swine industry in western Canada for treating brachyspira but as far as which drugs are the most effective and which drugs are the most effective for treating particular types of infections, we're really left with anecdotal evidence.

There haven't been any rigorous scientific investigations into the relative efficacy of different therapeutic choices. So the purpose of this study is really to get at which drugs might be a better choice for any particular infection.

For example, if you're dealing with an outbreak of Brachyspira hampsonii and muco-haemorrhagic diarrhoea you might be better off to go with one antimicrobial rather than another which might be more effective for treating Brachyspira pilosicoli.

So we might have some organism specific treatment guidelines that we can provide to producers and practitioners.

Dr Rubin says specific treatment recommendations will allow the most efficient and cost effective use of antimicrobials, the pigs will benefit and it will help avoid unnecessary inappropriate antimicrobial use which means decreased selection pressure for antimicrobial resistance. Results are expected start coming out this coming summer or fall.

Further Reading

Find out more information on swine dysentery by clicking here.