Abstract
This study aimed to explore the epidemiological information of Streptococcus suis (S. suis), either in pigs and human. Those information was used to find the appropriate method to reduce the number of S. suis infection in human. The tonsil swab samples from sows and fattening pigs, pork from pig slaughter houses and pork in wet and super markets in Chiang Mai province were collected for S. suis culture. Moreover, demographic data, education attitude and risk factors data from 35 S. suis infection patients were collected. The results indicated that from 43 farm, sow samples from 13 farms were detected S. suis (30.23%). In fattening pigs, S. suis was detected in 57 farms from 111 farms (30.23%). Pork sample from pig slaughter houses and pork in wet and super markets were detected S. suis 26 from 119 (21.85%) and 5 from 50 samples (10.00%), respectively. S. suis type 2 were found in 1 pork sample from pig slaughter houses and 1 pork sample from wet market. The virulence gene, including gdh+,arcA+,mrp+,thrA+ and sly+ were detected from those sample. The data in human showed that S. suis patients were male more than female. All of them had underlying diseases and always drank alcohol. They had the history of raw pork or unsure well cooked pork before showed clinical signs. Nine patients (27.71%) showed deafness and trend to be permanent deafness. This study indicated that even though pigs is the important carrier of S.suis and the agent can transmit to human via slaughter process, the consuming behavior is the key factor that effect S. suis in human.
