Concurrent pasteurellosis and classical swine fever in Indian pigs

Outbreaks of classical swine fever (CSF) occurred in four herds in Punjab state. All herds were located in the same geographical area, but were approximately 100 km apart. Overall morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rate were 88.2%, 77.5%, and 87.8%, respectively, in pigs <= 3 months of age, and 20.5%, 8.2%, and 40.0%, respectively, in older pigs. Clinical signs included high fever; erythema of the skin of the cars, abdomen, and medial thighs; and greenish watery diarrhea. Postmortem lesions observed were Intestinal ulcers; congestion and multifocal hemorrhages of the spleen; enlarged, edematous, and hemorrhagic lymph nodes; and petechial hemorrhages on the kidneys. Subcapsular hemorrhages in kidneys and chronic necrotic enteritis were the significant histological lesions. Testing by agar gel immunodiffusion in all four outbreaks identified CSF virus antigen. Pasteurella multocida isolates from two outbreaks were characterized morphologically and biochemically. Serotype B:2 was identified from both outbreaks by polymerase chain reaction using P multocida-specific primers (KMT1T7, KMT1 SP6) and B:2-type-specific primers (KTSP61, KTT72). Pneumonic lesions were more marked in cases from which P multocida was isolated.