Exudative epidermitis in pigs: etiological studies and pathology.

The experimental production of exudative epidermitis of pigs following the inoculation of skin scrapings or cultures from field or experimentally-produced cases of the disease is described. Typical lesions of exudative epidermitis were produced following inoculation, either intravenously or by scarification, of broth cultures of 4 strains of a micrococcus isolated from field cases of the disease. The experimental inoculation of pigs with skin scrapings sterilized by filtration or antibiotic treated, yielded negative results. Cultures of CORYNEBACTERIUM PYOGENES and of STREPTOCOCCUS SP. also isolated from the affected pigs, likewise yielded negative results on experimental inoculation of pigs. The conclusion is drawn, that the micrococcus isolated from field cases and which produced the disease experimentally is the primary etiological agent of exudative epidermitis as seen in weaned pigs in this area. The histopathology of the experimentally produced disease is described.