Vaccination against Atrophic Rhinitis: Effect on Clinical Symptoms,Growth Rate and Turbinate Atrophy

Two combined Pasteurella multocida/Bordetella bronchiseptica whole cell bacterins were tested in 15 swine herds in which atrophic rhinitis (AR) was a problem, though of varying significance. One half of the sows/litters in each herd was vaccinated, the other half acting as a control group. Vaccination resulted in reduced clinical symptoms of AR and an average increase in weight gain of 2.4 % in the 8 herds in which toxigenic P. multocida had been isolated, which was not statistically significant. Clinical symptoms and turbinate atrophy were also observed in vaccinated animals in most herds. The need for improved methods to diagnose the presence of toxigenic P. multocida is discussed. Vaccination programmes in which herds are selected on the basis of the presence of toxigenic P. multocida are proposed.