Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus – a case report of sudden death in a German sow farm

A farm in North-West Germany experienced a high morbidity and mortality in their sow herd. Sows showed fever, lethargy, oedema, mucosal discharge, dyspnoea and abortions. Necropsy revealed a severe fibrinous and purulent polyserositis. Haematological and histological examinations confirmed septicaemia. Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus was isolated in high yields from major organs. Sequencing typing of this isolate (21/455) revealed a new sequence type showing a significantly higher proliferation rate in comparison to two other isolates. Other infectious diseases (Influenza virus, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus, Porcine Circovirus 2, African Swine Fever, Classical Swine Fever, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae ) were excluded by routine diagnostic examinations. A climate check revealed an insufficient air supply in the area for the gestating sows. This case describes the first disease outbreak in swine due to S. zooepidemicus in Germany.