what is erysipelas in pigs
Vegetative endocarditis lesion, showing the gram-positive filaments typical of this organism. Courtesy of Dr. John Prescott. Erysipelas is an infectious disease caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae seen mainly in growing pigs and characterized clinically by sudden death, fever, arthritis, and skin lesions.The disease may be acute, subacute, or chronic.cute erysipelas is difficult to diagnose in individual pigs showing only fever, poor appetite, and listlessness; however, in outbreaks involving several animals, the presence of skin lesions and lameness is likely to be seen in at least some cases and would support a clinical diagnosis.