Category:Brachyspira and Serpulina

• Anaerobic, intestinal spirochaetes, found in normal and diseased pigs
• Enterophogens of pigs
• B. hyodysenteriae, B. pilosicoli, B. innocens, Serpulina intermedia and S. murdochii occur in pigs
• Carrier pigs shed B. hyodysenteriae for up to 3 months, acting as a source of infection for healthy pigs
• Demonstrated in stained faecal smears or silver-stained histopathology sections
• Cultured anaerobically on selective blood agar
• Spirochaetes differentiated by pattern of haemolysis on blood agar as well as molecular techniques

• Pathogenesis
  • Motility in mucous allows colonisation of pig intestine
  • Haemolytic and cytotoxic activiity important for virulence
  • Attachment of B. pilosicoli to epithelial cells of colonic mucosa disrupts their function and leads to their shedding and oedema

• Clinical infections

Brachyspira hyodysenteriae

Brachyspira pilosicoli