ORIGINAL RESEARCH Streptococcus suis colonization of piglets during parturition

Objective—To determine whether piglets were colonized with Strepto-coccus suis of sow origin during parturition Materials and methods—Multiple samples were collected from 43 pig-lets of eight dams. Oral and vaginal swab samples were collected from each sow prior to farrowing. Piglets were removed from the vagina using individual sterile obstetrical sleeves into which they were immediately placed. Swab samples of the oropharynx and dorsal surface of each pig-let were collected. Umbilical blood from each piglet was collected into tubes of culture media. Room air was sampled to estimate the concentra-tion of airborne S. suis. All collected samples were culturally examined for S. suis. Streptococcus suis isolates were serotyped using antisera to S. suis serotypes 1/2–34. Results—Fifty-four isolates of S. suis were identified. Multiple serotypes of S. suis were isolated from samples collected from a single animal in 11 of the 51 sows and piglets sampled. Streptococcus suis was isolate