Conjunctivitis

Causal agent	Unknown. Probably a combination of Bordetella bronchiseptica and Chlamydia psittici.
Age group	Weaners and progresses into grow/finish and young adults
Clinical signs
	Sneezing and runny eyes in the late farrowing house and nursery.
	Conjunctiva of both eyes become injected and inflamed
	Third eyelid prolapses. Once prolapsed condition seems to become static.
	Many only affect individuals, but on some farms all pigs in the pen are affected.
	The pigs otherwise do not seem affected by the condition
Growing pigs with conjunctivitis		Both eyes are equally affected	Detail of conjunctivitis with prolapse of the third eyelid
Infectivity
	Unknown
Transmission
	Probable nose to nose contact. Organisms isolated are very common on all farms with or without the problem
Post-mortem lesions
	Severe conjunctivitis with prolapse of the third eyelid.
	Sclera and cornea unaffected
	Tear staining on face.
	Young pigs moderate to severe purulent rhinitis
Diagnosis
	Clinical signs
	Chlamydia suspected as a secondary invader following swollen exposed conjunctiva
Treatment
Individual/group	Review Progressive atrophic rhinitis vaccine programme.
	Test and eliminate toxigenic Pasteurella multocida as a problem
	Antimicrobials appear to have little effect. Overuse of antimicrobials may encourage Chamydia as a problem
Control	Review management of the farm buildings
	Avoid chilling and draughts
	Reduce ammonia concentrations in the air
	Reduce dust levels in the grower and finishing house – cover feeders, consider wet feeding
	Minimise the clinical effects of PRRSv
Common differentials
	Progressive Atrophic Rhinitis. Swine Influenza
Zoonotic Implications
	Some of the potential pathogens are zoonotic agents – Chlamydia for example.