Farmscape for March 26, 2025

With funding provided by the Swine Health Information Centre, Iowa State University has developed a diagnostic test for Glaesserella australis.
Glaesserella australis is bacterial respiratory infection of swine that presents symptoms similar to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.
Swine Health Information Center Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says the infection was first identified in Australia in 2018 and then in Ontario, Canada in 2023.

Quote-Dr. Lisa Becton-Swine Health Information Center:
Dr. Macedo at Iowa State University really wanted to dig further into this bacteria and also look at can we accurately diagnose the presence within the United States?
So, the objectives were to characterise historical samples that were held at Iowa State by traditional methods and by whole genome sequencing to identify if the pathogen has been present and then secondly to develop and optimise our diagnostic tools for detection both by PCR and ISH.
There were 21 isolates of interest from the historical collection.
None were identified as G australis but 19 were related to different Actinobacillus species.
An additional reference strain was added to the Iowa State diagnostic sequencing platform to be able to potentially detect it if found in the United States.
There was also a PCR developed and validated and the ISH assay is still underway.
This will be very impactful to be able to identify the presence of this bacteria if it truly is in clinical samples.
But it also does help to provide an understanding of prevalence and pathogenesis should this bacteria be found.
In addition, it allows for quick and accurate diagnosis and be able to differentiate between other species such as Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and so far, from a historical evaluation, it has not been identified in the U.S.

Details on the Iowa State University research can be found at swinehealth.org by clicking the link to SHIC's March eNewsletter.
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Bruce Cochrane.

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