Pathomorphology of spontaneous kidney lesions in slaughtered pigs

The present study was conducted to know the occurrence of various spontaneous kidney lesions in slaughtered pigs and to describe their pathomorphological features. A total of 320 slaughtered pigs of either sex and mostly of marketable age were screened for the possible gross renal lesions in different regions of Krishna District in Andhra Pradesh state. Gross and microscopic examination revealed renal lesions of pathological significance in 115 animals (35.94%). Histopathologically, the lesions were categorised as vascular changes (15.65%), nephrosis (7.83%), nephritis (67.83%) and renal cysts (8.69%). Vascular changes were comprised of renal congestion (12.17%) and renal hemorrhage (3.48%). Nephritis was categorized into glomerular (30.44%), interstitial (36.52%) and tubulo-interstitial (0.87%) types. Glomerulonephritis was comprised of acute (3.48%), sub-acute (24.35%) and chronic (2.61%) types; while interstitial nephritis included sub-acute (33.04%) and chronic (3.48%) types. The present study infers a significant occurrence of spontaneous renal lesions in slaughtered pigs; the most common pathological condition being interstitial nephritis and the most consistent lesion being mononuclear cellular infiltration.