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Symptoms and Control Methods of Swine Kidney Worm Disease

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1. Pathogen This disease is caused by the parasite Stephanurus dentatus, which lives in the kidneys of pigs or in the fat around the kidneys and the walls of the ureters. The swine kidney worm is a thick, hard nematode shaped like a matchstick, dark red in color, with a well-developed buccal capsule. The male is 20-30 mm long, and the female is 30-45 mm long. The eggs are passed out of the body with the urine, and under suitable environmental conditions they develop into infective larvae in 3-5 days. These invade the pig through the mouth or skin, migrate with the bloodstream to the liver, and then further migrate to the kidneys and surrounding tissues, gradually developing to maturity. From the time the larvae invade the pig's body until they develop to

1. Pathogen This disease is caused by the parasite Stephanurus dentatus, which lives in the kidneys of pigs or in the fat around the kidneys and the walls of the ureters. The swine kidney worm is a thick, hard nematode shaped like a matchstick, dark red in color, with a well-developed buccal capsule. The male is 20-30 mm long, and the female is 30-45 mm long. The eggs are passed out of the body with the urine, and under suitable environmental conditions they develop into infective larvae in 3-5 days. These invade the pig through the mouth or skin, migrate with the bloodstream to the liver, and then further migrate to the kidneys and surrounding tissues, gradually developing to maturity. From the time the larvae invade the pig's body until they develop to maturity and discharge eggs in the urine, the time required is about 4-5 months.

2. Symptoms Sick pigs have poor appetite and become emaciated; even a mild infection hinders growth. In the early stage of infection, inflammation and nodules can be seen on the skin, the local lymph nodes swell, the back arches, and the lumbar region becomes weak and powerless. This disease often causes weakness of the hind limbs, and when walking the rear of the body sways from side to side, and the pig prefers to lie down. In severe cases, the urine contains white thick clumps and pus. Sows become infertile or abort, and lactating sows have reduced or absent milk production, and may even die.

3. Necropsy The carcasses of pigs that die from this infection decompose rapidly. The liver is enlarged, and its surface shows irregular worm tracks and scars. Connective tissue proliferates around the kidneys, and scars are present on the kidney surface. Adult worms can be found in the tissues around the kidneys and in the walls of the ureters.

4. Diagnosis For pigs over 5 months of age, the following method can be used for examination: use a clean, smooth urine collection cup. When the pig urinates for the first time in the early morning, after the pig has passed some urine, collect 20-30 ml of the later urine, pour it into 3-4 clean, smooth glass Petri dishes, and let it settle naturally for 20-30 minutes. Then pour off the urine in the dishes, place the dishes on a flat black paper surface, and observe with the naked eye. Grayish-white, small, oval egg particles can be found adhered to and protruding from the bottom surface of the dishes.

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