Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education (PAVE) Practice Test

Salmonellosis in piglets is spread primarily through the fecal-oral route. The bacteria are shed in the feces of infected or carrier pigs, and pigs can ingest the organism when their mouths encounter contaminated feed, water, or environmental surfaces. Even clinically normal pigs can intermittently shed Salmonella, and rodents can serve as a reservoir, spreading contamination within the environment and facilitating transmission to piglets. Airborne spread isn’t the typical route for this disease in pigs, and direct skin contact doesn’t usually cause infection. While contaminated water can be a vehicle, restricting transmission to streams only ignores the more common fecal-oral pathways present in farm settings.