Streptococcus suis — a zoonotic bacterium commonly found in the upper respiratory tract of pigs — is a massive economic drain on the global pork industry.
“It is a leading cause of post-weaning mortality, triggering meningitis, arthritis, septicemia, and sudden death,” said Dongyan Xu Niu a researcher from the University of Calgary who is heading up a new effort to find a better way for producers to combat Streptococcus suis.
Xu Niu told Prairie Hog Country (PHC) that the bacterium is of concern on a broader basis than the swine industry too.
“Beyond animal welfare and economics, S. suis is a significant zoonotic pathogen. It can be transmitted to humans — particularly abattoir workers and those handling raw pork — causing severe illness, which makes controlling it a public health priority,” she said.
In more detail Streptococcus suis can cause severe infections in swine, including meningitis and septicemia. Many pigs carry the bacteria harmlessly, but environmental stressors – such as overcrowding, poor ventilation, or weaning – can cause it to become pathogenic.
Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) is one of the groups behind the new research investing in the project aimed at addressing Streptococcus suis.
In a SIP article at their website the note, “the project, ‘harnessing Lactobacillus: Engineering Bacteriophage Endolysins to Combat Streptococcus suis Infection in Post-Weaned Piglets,’ is a three-year study which “will explore a novel approach to controlling Streptococcus suis by engineering beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria to deliver bacteriophage-derived enzymes that can specifically target and break down the pathogen. Researchers will identify and optimize these enzymes, integrate them into Lactobacillus strains, and evaluate their ability to protect piglets from infection, potentially improving piglet health while reducing reliance on antimicrobials.”
“We’re developing precision tools – bacteriophages and their enzymes – to replace antibiotics in weaned pigs, starting with one of the costliest pathogens in the industry, Strep suis,” detailed Xu Niu to PHC. “The goal is a practical, on-farm-ready alternative that keeps pigs healthier, reduces antibiotic reliance, and protects both animal and human health.

“We’ll be taking the genetic code for enzymes from Streptococcus suis phages, then engineering and producing those enzymes in E. coli. We will then test anti- Streptococcus suis activities of these enzymes in vitro and in vivo. The work is being carried out at the University of Calgary and Laval Université.”
Xu Niu said ultimately they hope to create a new way for producers to deal with Strep suis.
“If we’re successful, producers will have commercially available phage-based products – for example delivered through water medication systems or feeding system – that they can use prophylactically during the high-risk weaning window,” she said. “Veterinarians will have a new tool for treating Strep suis outbreaks without reaching for ceftiofur or penicillin. Overall antibiotic use in nurseries will drop measurably, and we’ll have a regulatory and manufacturing pathway established that makes it easier to develop phage products for other swine pathogens too.”
While a commercial product could require three to five years after a successful research effort Xu Niu said they also hope that through their effort they will create a sort of ‘blueprint’ in terms of the regulatory process for getting a product such as the one they hope to create approved.
That new product will be a new tool in its approach.
“Reduced antibiotic use means lower costs, fewer treatment failures from resistant bacteria, and alignment with market and regulatory pressure for reduced antimicrobial use,” offered Xu Hiu. “It also means healthier pigs through the nursery phase — better average daily gain, lower mortality, less labour spent on sick animals — and preserves the effectiveness of antibiotics for when they’re truly needed.”
Supported by the Pork Promotion and Research Agency, this project is the latest funded under SIP’s Advancing Swine Research Call for Proposals. SIP will invest up to $150,000, mobilizing up to $419,580 in total project funding.
“Strategic research investments like this help ensure Canadian producers have access to innovative tools and solutions to address priority health challenges in the barn,” said Mark Ferguson, Chair of Swine Innovation Porc on their website.
Projects are selected through a rigorous review process informed by industry input and scientific expertise, ensuring research outcomes are relevant, impactful, and positioned to deliver value back to producers and processors.
“This project reflects the type of collaborative, forward-looking research we aim to support through the Advancing Swine Research Call for Proposals,” said Daniel Ramage, General Manager of SIP. “By bringing together leading researchers and industry priorities, we’re helping advance solutions that strengthen the long-term resilience and competitiveness of Canada’s pork sector.”
The Advancing Swine Research Call for Proposals supports one to three-year projects running from 2025 to 2028 and involves collaboration among leading research institutions across Canada.
To learn more about the Advancing Swine Research Call for Proposals and recent project visit research.swineinnovationporc.ca •
— By Calvin Daniels