EN
Lawsonia intracellularis, a Gram-negative, curved rod was identified as the causative agent of porcine proliferative enteritis (PPE) in the 1990's. The bacterium is an obligate intracellular parasite, and thus cannot be multiplied in-vitro on standard media. Nowadays, two types of the disease have been distinguished: acute and chronic. Pigs with PPE usually demonstrate clinical signs two weeks after a period of stress caused by transportation, heat, overcrowding or weaning piglets from sows. The infected animals suffer from diarrhea and indicate reduced growth rate and weight gain. In some cases the disease leads to death. PPE is difficult to diagnose as both its clinical signs and the pathological changes it causes are unspecific. The pathogen is identified in laboratory conditions by the use of PCR, and IFAT is applied to track specific antibodies. Tiamulin and tylozyne are the most popular drugs used to prevent PPE.