Assessment of sponge sampling for real-time PCR detection of Cystoisospora suis from environmental and faecal samples from piglet-producing farms.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cystoisospora suis (C. suis) infects piglets in their first week of life and can subsequently lead to diarrhoea and production losses. The detection of C. suis oocysts relies mostly on the collection of piglet faeces as sampling material and analysis through flotation and autofluorescence microscopy, which involves repeated sampling. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the use of sponges for environmental sampling for the detection of C. suis via real-time PCR and its suitability for surveillance programs applied on farms.

Results

All farms included in the study were positive for C. suis according to qPCR, with positivity rates ranging from 20 to 100%. The frequency of positive cases was 68% for faecal samples and 67% for samples collected by sponge

SUBMITTER: Loesing H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12315398 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature