Title: Haemophilus parasuis (Glasser’s Disease) | Iowa State University
Headings: Haemophilus parasuis (Glasser’s Disease)
Haemophilus parasuis (Glasser’s Disease)
Definition
Occurrence
Historical information
Etiology
Epidemiology
Pathogenesis
Clinical signs
Lesions
Diagnosis
Control

Content: Acclimatization and vaccination of breeding stock has been of some benefit. Minimizing stressors associated with weaning and the nursery environment should be emphasized. Formalin-killed bacterins are available and can be effective for prophylaxis. Unfortunately, protection against one serovar of H. parasuis may not assure good protection against all serovars. Limited research suggests that piglets from dams that have been vaccinated against H. parasuis prior to farrowing, or piglets vaccinated when one to three weeks old, have considerable resistance to disease caused by the same serovar. Colostral immunity in the piglets may sometimes interfere with very early vaccination against H. parasuis infection. Recognition of the natural relationship between the infection of young pigs in the face of maternal immunity with subsequent induction of active immunity during this phase has led to innovative approach to control of disease. Preliminary reports suggest that controlled exposure of nursing piglets to live H. parasuis organisms indigenous to the farm will allow successful infection and development of active immunity while disease expression is suppressed by maternal immunity. This concept attempts to mimic the natural ecology of organism and host to mitigate disease -postweaning.