A case report and review of the literature on swine hemorrhagic tracheitis syndrome in a Portuguese farm

Abstract

Background: Respiratory diseases, including the multifactorial "swine respiratory disease complex", have a significant impact on swine production. Recently, a condition manifesting primarily in the trachea, known as Haemorrhagic Tracheitis Syndrome (HTS), has been described in pigs. HTS is characterised by severe coughing and high mortality in finishing pigs. Case Description: This report presents the first case of HTS in an adult male pig from a Portuguese farm. The animal died without any previous clinical signs. Necropsy revealed significant thickening of the trachea. Fibrinous necrotic hemorrhagic tracheitis was identified through histopathological analysis, but no bacterial infectious agents were detected during microbiological examination. Conclusion: This case underscores the need for comprehensive research, including systematic necropsies and histopathological assessments, to understand the actual prevalence of the disease, elucidate the aetiology and develop effective interventions for HTS in swine productions. [Open Vet J 2024; 14(3.000): 926-929]

Keywords

• swine
• hemorrhagic tracheitis syndrome
• respiratory
• cough