Proliferative enteropathy (PE) caused by Lawsonia intracellularis and swine dysentery (SD) with the etiological agent Brachyspira hyodysenteriae are the most common bacterial diarrheal diseases affecting pigs during the growing and finishing stages of production. The economic impact of PE and SD on swine production is attributable to mortality, reduced feed efficacy, costs of medication and additional animal care. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of L. intracellularis and B. hyodysenteriae infections in diarrheic and/or poor growth of pigs by examination of fecal samples obtained from Polish farms with farrow to finish production. On the basis of clinical interviews in 200 medium and large-scale farrow-to-finish pig holdings, 66 farms were chosen for further laboratory examinations. In the investigated farms diarrhoea and/or diversity in body weight was observed in weaners and finishers. Chosen farms were divided into 2 groups: farrow-to-finish medium-scale farms with up to 100 sows (M Farm) - 26 farms; and large-scale farms (above 100 sows; L Farm) - 40 farms. In each kind of farm laboratory examinations for detection of B. hyodysenteriae and L. intracellularis in 18 fecal samples from pigs with diarrhoea or, in absence of diarrhoea, from pigs with a weaker condition were taken. Every 3 fecal samples were put together in one collective sample. The fecal samples were analyzed by nested PCR (L. intracellularis) and PCR (B. hyodysenteriae). L. intracellularis was found in 133 of the 396 fecal samples, which gives a prevalence level of 33.58%. Of the 66 farms tested, 41 (62.12%) were positive for PE. Brachyspira hyodysenteriae was detected in 54 (13.63%) of the 396 tested fecal samples. Of 66 investigated farms suspected of SD 21 (31.81%) were positive. Analyzing the infection level of B. hyodysenteriae with reference to farm size it was observed that 26.92% of medium scale farms and 35.0% of large scale farms were infected. The difference between medium and large farms was distinct concerning PE. From 26 M farms 12 (46.15%) and in case of farms L 72.5% were infected. Our findings show that the prevalence of L. intracellularis in infected farrow-to-finish medium and large scale farms was distinctly higher than the level of B. hyodysenteriae infection. Mixed infections with the mentioned bacteria are also common. Studies on the prevalence of L. intracellularis and B. hyodysenteriae infections showed that these pathogens are widely distributed in the swine population of Poland.
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