Bowel Oedema

Causal agent	Escherichia coli with the STx2e toxin. Normally associated with the F18 (rarely F4) fimbriae attachments. The E. coli is β haemolytic.
Age group	2 weeks post-weaning
Clinical signs
	Sudden death 2 weeks post-weaning.
	Pigs present with diarrhoea and neurological signs
	Leg paralysis, splaying, staggering, circuling and severe ataxia
	Swollen eyelids
				Dying weaner with swollen eyelids.
Transmission
	From pig to pig – faecal oral route
Post-mortem lesions
	Oedema of the mesocolon, stomach, eyelids and forehead
	The Stx2e toxin is a vasotoxin causing microangiopathy – leakage of the capillary vessels. This leads to oedema. The blood pressure increases to 20 mm Hg resulting in oedema of the brain and neurological signs.
			Oedema in the loops of the spiral colon
Diagnosis
	Isolation of the F18 antigen and the STx2e toxin.
Treatment
Affected litters	Acidify the water supply with 22g citric acid per litre drinking water for the first 21 days post-weaning
	Zinc Oxide at 2300g/tonne. Ensure dosage is accurate.
	Antibiotics where possible.
	All-in/all-out
	Thoughly clean between batches
	Minimise utensil spread
Vaccine	Sow vaccination will not prevent bowel oedema
	Vaccinate with the non toxigenic F18 at weaning, one week post-weaning and 4 weeks post-weaning through the water supply.
Genetics	Possible to use resistant pigs – recessive gene
	Change boar line and possibly sow line.
Common differentials
	Meningitis associated with Streptococci or Haemophilus parasuis.