Effect of terramycin in balantidiosis of pigs.

In an industrial pig farm in Lubumashi, Zaïre, Balantidium coli produced severe clinical and fatal disease. Terramycin at a dose rate of 15 mg/kg body weight administered twice daily with concentrates gave clinical recovery in all the pigs treated. The complete parasitological recovery was obtained in 14 out of 20 animals. In the remaining 6 there was significant reduction in the number of B. coli. Keeping in view the large spectrum of activity of terramycin in various infections as well as B. coli, terramycin can be useful in the treatment of balantidiosis of pigs.