Post Weaning Diarrhoea (PWD) is an important enteric disease that usually occurs shortly after weaning and is characterised by watery diarrhoea, dehydration, loss of body weight, and death of infected pigs.
1
Despite the high focus on controlling PWD, the incidence of post-weaning diarrhoea remains high in European countries (overall ETEC, Enterotoxigenic
E. coli, prevalence in European swine farms is at 60% according to swine producers and veterinarians).
2
PWD can result in significant economic losses. This could be due to mortality, decreased growth rate and cost of medication.
3
What approaches exist to control PWD?
There is now a vaccine to control ETEC F4/F18 that is proven to reduce antibiotic use. Other factors known to reduce the prevalence are good herd management, hygiene practices, and targeted antibiotic use.
- Chen, X., Gao, S., Jiao, X., & Liu, X.F. (2004). Prevalence of serogroups and virulence factors of Escherichia coli strains isolated from pigs with post weaning diarrhoea in eastern China. Vet. Microbiol., 103: 13-20.
- Luppi et al., 2016 – PHM.
- Fairbrother JM and Gyles LG, 2012. Colibacillosis. In: Diseases of Swine.