<ncl style=compact maxdepth=2 headings=bullet headstart=2 showcats=1 showarts=1>Category:Spirochaetaceae</ncl>
Borrelia
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
- B. hyodysenteriae causes swine dysentery
- B. pilosicoli causes porcine intestinal spirochaetosis
- Infection is acquired via contaminated faeces
- Disease spreads slowly through the herd
- Dogs, rats, mice and flies may act as transport hosts
- B. hyodysenteriae survives several weeks in moist faeces
- Clinical signs
- B. hyodysenteriae causes dysentry in weaned pigs 6-12 weeks old; pigs lose condition and become emaciated; appetite is decreased; large amount of mucous may be present in the faeces; low mortality; poor feed conversion ratio
- B. pilosicoli causes less severe signs than swine dysentry; reduced feed conversion rates occur
- Diagnosis
- History, clinical signs and gross pathology
- Anaerobic culture on blood agar with added antibiotics for at least 3 days
- B. hyodysenteriae causes complete haemolysis whereas other spirochaetes cause partial haemolysis
- Immunofluorescence, DNA probes and biochemical tests
- Serology using ELISA can be used on a herd basis
- PCR
Subcategories
This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total.
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Pages in category "Spirochaetaceae"
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