Investigation article published in The Veterinary Record

May 22^nd, 2004

Streptococcus suis is well known as a major cause of meningitis, septicaemia, endocarditis, reproductive disorders, pneumonia and arthritis in pigs (Higgins and Gottschalk 1999).
It is also considered an important zoonotic agent (Arends and Zanen 1988), able to induce meningitis and septicaemia in human beings, and mainly affects pig handlers (Tarradas and others 2001). At present, 35 different serotypes, based on capsular antigens, are recognised (Higgins and others 1995); serotype 2 is the most frequently isolated capsular type in Italy, France and Denmark, while serotype 9 is more frequently isolated in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium
(Gogolewski and others 1990, Aarestrup and others 1998, Sihvonen and others 1998, Berthelot-Herault and others 2000, Wisselink and others 2000, Allgaier and others 2001).
Previous studies carried out in Spain have demonstrated that
serotype 2 is the most prevalent serotype associated with
different disease conditions in pigs (Prieto and others 1993,
Luque and others 1998).

Tarradas C., Perea JA., Vela AI., Goyache J., Dominguez L., Fernandez-Garayzabal JF., Borge C., Huerta B. and Luque I.

Distribution of serotypes of Streptococcus suis isolated from diseased pigs in Spain

Distribution of serotypes of Streptococcus suis isolated from diseased pigs in Spain

	Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM).
	Servicio de Identificación y Caracterización Microbiana (ICM). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM).
	Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad de Córdoba (UCO).