Created page with '*Anaerobic, intestinal spirochaetes, found in normal and diseased pigs *Enterophogens of pigs *''B. hyodysenteriae, B. pilosicoli, B. innocens, Serpulina intermedia'' and ''S. mu…'
*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]]

**''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

*Clinical signs
**''B. pilosicoli'' causes less severe signs than [[Brachyspira hyodysenteriae|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
**Immunofluorescence, DNA probes and biochemical tests
**Serology using ELISA can be used on a herd basis
**PCR
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