Streptococcus Zooepidemicus Outbreaks Appear Isolated and Unrelated

Research conducted on behalf of the Swine Health Information Center suggests outbreaks across the United States of Streptococcus zooepidemicus, were the result of different strains of the bacteria and are unrelated.

Streptococcus zooepidemicus, is common in different species of animals but when it crosses species it can create problems. As part of its emerging disease monitoring efforts the Swine Health Information Center has been tracking the infection.

SHIC Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg explains Strep zoo was first identified in China many years ago, more recently there was an isolation in Canada, then a couple of years ago in Tennessee, Ohio and Pennsylvania and just recently in Indiana.

Clip-Dr. Paul Sundberg-Swine Health Information Center:

The infection in Indiana wasn't quite as severe as it was in Tennessee and Ohio and, when we took a look at the sequence of those first viruses and the virus from Indiana, even though they were both identified as Strep zoo it wasn't the same bacteria.

This bacteria is common in a number of different animals and we wanted to make sure that we understood whether or not a particular bacteria was starting to circulate in our swine herd. If a particular strain or a particular sequence was circulating in the swine herds that gives us a different picture of a potential emerging issue.

What probably happened was isolated transmission from some other species to pigs for these isolated outbreaks. Even though they are Strep zooepidemicus, it looks like it's a different bacteria and that's what we're watching for because we want to make sure we understand the transmission, we understand the risk to the national swine herd should there be one from Strep zoo.