Skyler Fraga

Period 6

LUNGWORMS IN
SWINE

Facts
There are three types of lungworms
that infect swine
Each of these falls under the
Metastrongyle classification
Metastrongylus elongatus (apri)
M. pudendotectus (salmi)
Metastrongylus elongatus

Appearance
Lungworms are easily visible during
necropsy
Adult lungworms are:
white
threadlike
can be 14-66 mm
Lungworm ova are:
larvated
thick shelled

Adult
lungworm
in a petri
dish with a
coin for
size
reference

Life Cycle
Eggs are eaten by earthworms

Earthworms are eaten by pigs

Ova mature into worms

Worms lay eggs which

are passed through pigs feces

Swine at risk of
being infected

Infection
Occurs most commonly in swine kept
outdoors
Infection can only happen if a pig eats
an earthworm that carries lungworm
ova

Earthworm in
mud

Symptoms
Pulmonary symptoms include:
coughing
difficulty breathing
pneumonia
The only non-pulmonary symptom is
impaired growth rate

Lungworm on
bronci

Management/Control
Prevent access to earthworms
If possible, do not keep pigs in
grassy areas
If this is not possible, make sure to
move pigs every couple of years.

Hogs kept on
concrete to avoid
contact with
infected
earthworms

Treatment
Medications:
Injections
Doramectin
Ivermectin 1%
Levamisole 7.5%
Supplements
Febantel
Febendazole (pellets)
Febendazole 5% (powder)
Ivermectin 0.6%

Works Cited
Merial a Sanofi Company. Sanofi, n.d. Google. Web. 15
Nov. 2014.
<http://www.merial.com.ar/Producers/Swine/Parasitos
_Information/Pages/disease_vermePulmonar.aspx>
The Pig Site. 5M, n.d. Google. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.thepigsite.com/pighealth/article/415/lung
worms-metastrongylus-apri>.
Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Iowa State University, n.d. Google. Web. 15 Nov.
2014.<http://vetmed.iastate.edu/vdpam/new-vdpamemployees/food-supply-veterinarymedicine/swine/swine-diseases/lungworm-infectionme>.