Diamond skin disease is an acute septicemic disease of swine which affects all age group. The disease is caused by a bacteria called Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.

1. SWINE ERYSIPELAS
Diamond skin disease
It is contagious disease of young pigs characterized in acute cases by
high fever, reddish spots on the skin and haemorrhages in the internal
organs and in chronic cases by dyspnoea, arthritis, vegetative
endocarditis.
Aetiology
•Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Transmission
Through skin abrasions
Alimentary tract
Flies may transmit the disease
Organisms found in the excreta and urine of affected animals

2. Pathogenesis
Infection is by ingestion From the tonsil or intestine reach the
blood circulation and proliferate cause septicemia
Toxin liberated and Injure the wall of blood vessels causing
erythematous lesion on skin and hemorrhages in internal organs
Organisms settles in joints or heart valves causing arthritis and
vegetative endocarditis

3. Clinical signs
•Acute febrile reaction with high mortality
•On the skin bright red erythema and urticarial swelling of rhomboid
shape referred to as Diamond skin disease (abdomen, neck, ear and
thighs)
•Progress to necrosis, crust formation and sloughing
•Joints - Hot, painful and swollen with lameness
•Heart involvement- Dyspnoea and cyanosis
Gross lesions
•Oedema and haemorrhages in serous cavities and organs due to damage
of blood vessels
•Diamond skin lesions initially bright red later turns to dark
•Arthritic form- Joint capsule is enlarged, thickened, distended with fluid
•Vegetative endocarditis

8. Microscopic lesions
•Infiltrated with lymphoid cells and neutrophils
•Cardiac form- mitral or bicuspid vave shows coarse vegetation and it
occlude the lumen
Diagnosis
•Symptoms and lesions
•Organisms can be isolated from blood