Megacolon in pigs due to segmental colon aganglionosis.

Four pigs, each of about 8 weeks of age were submitted for pathological examination because of severe cachexia, combined with an enormous distension of the abdomen. In the herd, where these pigs originated from, these clinical signs were observed frequently for some period of time and stricture of the rectum was suspected. All pigs showed a severe cachexia, and most prominent in all pigs was a megacolon with large and distended colon and caecum and stenosis about 30 to 60 cm cranial of the anus. Tissue specimens were taken from the rectum, from the colon cranial and caudal of the stenosis and from the jejunum and examined histologically. Ganglia in the intestinal wall were examined immunohistochemically by using antibodies recognising neurofilament protein (kD 200). In all pigs submucosal and myenteric ganglia were absent in the post stenotic colon and rectum and in transverse section of the stenosis, whereas in the prestenotic colon of all pigs and also in the jejunum ganglia were present. Segmental aganglionosis of the colon is also known in humans (Hirschsprung disease) and other animal species and is considered as a congenital disorder. We also suggest a familiar background of the disease in these pigs.