316 SWINE PRACTICE 



and the droppings should be gathered daily, disinfected and properly 

 disposed of. All dead animals should be burned or buried sufficiently 

 deep and limed to destroy infection. 



Prevention. — The indications are that infectious necrotic enteritis 

 is due to microbian invasion of the intestinal mucosa and to the pro- 

 duction of an inflammatory necrotic lesion. It seems probable that 

 the B. Suipestifer is tlie primary causative factor; however, a host 

 of other microbial! agents are always present and no doubt are a 

 factor ill this disease. In the control of the B. suipestifer, which is 

 prcbabl.y the specific cause, including the sources of infection and 

 avenues of entrance, the associated microbian agents will be of no 

 consequence. The B. suipestifer, according to recent experiments, 

 does not inhabit the intestine of normal swine; therefore, its pres- 

 ence signifies a carrier or a diseased animal. The organism is elim- 

 inated in the fecal discharges, and soils, feed and water become con- 

 taminated. Pens, lots, sheds and runs that have been occupied by 

 diseased animals should be thoroughly cleaned and the litter properh' 

 disposed of and disinfected before other animals are placed therein. 

 Intestinal parasites predispose to infection with the B. suipestifer, 

 and all swine should be periodically "wormed out." 



Various biologic agents claimed to be of value as immunizing 

 agents are available. The B. suipestifer produces an endotoxin and 

 it is probable that an opsonic immunity can be produced by a bac- 

 terin made of the B. suipestifer. The reports from the successful 

 use of such a bacterin are found in practically all veterinary jour- 

 nals. Most bacterins recommended for prevention of infectious 

 necrotic enteritis include the B. suipestifer, suisepticus, coli com- 

 munis, paratyphoid and B. of Gaertner. Such products are usually 

 marketed as "Mixed Bacterin (Swine)." Extensive losses in stock 

 hogs, that had been simultaneously immunized against hog cholera 

 in public markets, have been due to infectious necrotic enteritis. 

 According to reports, the losses in stock due to this disease have 

 been materiallj^ diminished bj- the use of mixed bacterin, administered 

 when the swine are immunized against cholera and the losses were 

 reduced to a minimum in those shipments in which a second injection 

 of the mixed bacterin was given five to seven days after the first. 

 The administration of bacterin to all exposed swine on a farm is 

 advisable, and some practitioners claim to have produced beneficial 

 results by the use of bacterin as a curative agent. 



Treatment. — Affected swine sliould be provided with easily digest- 



