In general there are three Corynebacterial organisms that cause disease in pigs, they are C. pyogenes, C. equi, and C. suis. These organisms are common inhabitants of the skin, the upper respiratory tract, and the genital tract of healthy animals. Clinical disease appears to be of endogenous origin with some predisposing factor, generally trauma, is necessary to set it off. With the germ there to start with, when tissue becomes devitalized as it can be from injury, the lesions of disease develop. Frequent sites of infection include the tail following tail biting, the uterus following difficult birth or traumatic breeding, castration wounds, skin punctures, etc.
Diagnosis is based on culturing the organisms from lesions.
Treatment consists of antibiotics therapy, surgical draining of abscesses and good sanitation. Prevention involves adopting practices to avoid the predisposing traumatic causes. There are no effective vaccines for prevention. The development of pneumonia and other respiratory disorders can occur secondary to atrophic rhinitis and may lead to significant losses. Affected pigs may often have black lines extending from the corners of their eyes as dirt mixes with excessive tearing.