[Increased piglet losses upon exudative epidermitis - a case report]. / Umgang mit erhöhten Ferkelverlusten nach Auftreten von exsudativer Epidermitis ­ ein Fallbericht.

A massive outbreak of exudative epidermitis (EE) occurred on a Western German piglet producing farm with 350 productive sows. Gilts are produced on site. In one group of piglets, more than 50% of suckling and nursery piglets were clinically affected; furthermore, gilts as well as sows showed localized blackish-squamous skin lesions in the neck area. Generalized infection in suckling and nursery piglets resulted in mortality rates of up to 10% per weaning group. Swabs of moist, affected areas of skin taken on the farm in addition to swab and organ samples collected during necropsy were examined via bacterial cultivation. Both Staphylococcus (St.) hyicus and St. chromogenes strains were detected in affected skin lesions, with St. hyicus also present in systemic localizations. Further characterization of the St. hyicus strains identified ExhA and SHETA as toxins involved, and isolates showed resistance to penicillin and aminopenicillin. In the short term, antibiotic treatment with trimethoprim-sulfadiazine of the whole age group combined with individual treatment of severely affected animals as well as washing with an iodine-containing solution improved the clinical signs. In order to reduce the antibiotic use, an autogenous vaccine against the isolated St. hyicus and St. chromogenes strains for gilts and sows was produced and applied as a basic immunization twice before farrowing. In addition, external and internal biosecurity was evaluated and adjusted using an objective questionnaire (Bio-check.UGentTM). The combination of taken measures resulted in a long-term improvement of the overall health status. Several months after the severe EE outbreak, the sporadic occurrence of new EE cases in individual piglets could be controlled by the adjustment of the autogenous vaccine with an additional St. hyicus isolate. The case report illustrates how the combination of continuous monitoring, individual and group antibiotic treatment, biosecurity evaluation, and the use of appropriate immune prophylaxis can improve the clinical picture of EE.

Reassorted pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza A virus discovered from pigs in Germany.

A natural reassortant influenza A virus consisting of seven genome segments from pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus and a neuraminidase segment from a Eurasian porcine H1N1 influenza A virus was detected in a pig herd in Germany. The obvious reassortment compatibility between the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and H1N1 viruses of porcine origin raises concern as to whether swine may become a reservoir for further reassortants of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 viruses with unknown implications for human health and swine production.

Cowpox virus outbreak in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) and jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) with a time-delayed infection to humans.

BACKGROUND: Often described as an extremely rare zoonosis, cowpox virus (CPXV) infections are on the increase in Germany. CPXV is rodent-borne with a broad host range and contains the largest and most complete genome of all poxviruses, including parts with high homology to variola virus (smallpox). So far, most CPXV cases have occurred individually in unvaccinated animals and humans and were caused by genetically distinguishable virus strains. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Generalized CPXV infections in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) and jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) at a Zoological Garden were observed with a prevalence of the affected animal group of 100% and a mortality of 30%. A subsequent serological investigation of other exotic animal species provided evidence of subclinical cases before the onset of the outbreak. Moreover, a time-delayed human cowpox virus infection caused by the identical virus strain occurred in a different geographical area indicating that handling/feeding food rats might be the common source of infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Reports on the increased zoonotic transmission of orthopoxviruses have renewed interest in understanding interactions between these viruses and their hosts. The list of animals known to be susceptible to CPXV is still growing. Thus, the likely existence of unknown CPXV hosts and their distribution may present a risk for other exotic animals but also for the general public, as was shown in this outbreak. Animal breeders and suppliers of food rats represent potential multipliers and distributors of CPXV, in the context of increasingly pan-European trading. Taking the cessation of vaccination against smallpox into account, this situation contributes to the increased incidence of CPXV infections in man, particularly in younger age groups, with more complicated courses of clinical infections.

Cowpox virus infection in pet rat owners: not always immediately recognized.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this article is to make physicians of all specialties aware of the possible variations of clinical course in human cowpox infection. This has been a matter of current interest since the detection of a first cluster of infections among owners of white pet rats in the Krefeld area in the spring of 2008. Two further cases arose in the Krefeld area in November 2008, and there have since been multiple further reports from various regions in Germany and the neighboring countries. METHOD: The authors report on the first six documented cases of infection with cowpox virus among young persons owning pet rats, with both typical and atypical clinical courses. RESULTS: The clinical, molecular biological, and serological findings confirmed cowpox virus infection in all six cases. The DNA sequence of the cowpox virus hemagglutinin gene was identical in all patients. The infections had arisen after direct contact with pet rats. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular genetic analysis of the cases described here suggests that the observed occurrence of cowpox virus infection among human beings and pet rats in multiple geographical areas represents a unitary epidemiological event that has not yet come under control. Further cases can be expected.