Oxberry Sophy L, Hampson David J
Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Perth, Australia.
Vet Microbiol. 2003 May 19;93(2):167-74. doi: 10.1016/s0378-1135(03)00017-8.
Anaerobic intestinal spirochaetes of the genus Brachyspira are known to colonise dogs, but relatively little is known about their prevalence, distribution or pathogenic potential. One species, Brachyspira pilosicoli, is thought to cause diarrhoea in dogs, as well as in other animals and humans. To investigate the prevalence and distribution of infection, faecal samples from 49 puppies from six pet shops in the suburbs of Perth, Western Australia were subjected to selective culture for anaerobic intestinal spirochaetes. Growth from the primary plates was also harvested, the DNA extracted and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a portion of the 16S rRNA gene of B. pilosicoli applied. Weakly beta-haemolytic intestinal spirochaetes (WBHIS) grew on plates from 20 of the dogs (40.8%). Seven plates (14.2%) yielded PCR positive amplification for B. pilosicoli. Seven WBHIS isolates were obtained in pure culture, and two of these were shown to be B. pilosicoli by PCR. Application of multilocus enzyme electrophoresis to the seven isolates confirmed that the two PCR positive isolates were B. pilosicoli, whilst the other five belonged to a group previously designated "Brachyspira canis". All the "B. canis" isolates came from healthy puppies, suggesting that this WBHIS is a commensal. Three of the seven puppies with PCR evidence of B. pilosicoli had diarrhoea, but the sample size was small and the association between colonisation and diarrhoea was not statistically significant. Pet shop puppies are commonly infected with intestinal spirochaetes, and may act as a reservoir of B. pilosicoli for other animals and humans.
短螺旋体属的厌氧肠道螺旋体已知可在犬类中定殖，但对其流行情况、分布或致病潜力了解相对较少。其中一个物种，即柔毛短螺旋体，被认为可导致犬类以及其他动物和人类腹泻。为调查感染的流行情况和分布，对来自澳大利亚西部珀斯郊区六家宠物店的49只幼犬的粪便样本进行了厌氧肠道螺旋体的选择性培养。还从原始平板上收获了生长物，提取了DNA，并应用聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增了柔毛短螺旋体16S rRNA基因的一部分。20只犬（40.8%）的平板上生长出弱β溶血肠道螺旋体（WBHIS）。七块平板（14.2%）对柔毛短螺旋体的PCR扩增呈阳性。通过纯培养获得了七株WBHIS分离株，其中两株经PCR鉴定为柔毛短螺旋体。对这七株分离株进行多位点酶电泳分析证实，两株PCR阳性分离株为柔毛短螺旋体，而其他五株属于先前命名为“犬短螺旋体”的一组。所有“犬短螺旋体”分离株均来自健康幼犬，表明这种WBHIS是一种共生菌。七只经PCR检测有柔毛短螺旋体感染证据的幼犬中有三只出现腹泻，但样本量较小，定殖与腹泻之间的关联无统计学意义。宠物店幼犬普遍感染肠道螺旋体，可能是柔毛短螺旋体传播给其他动物和人类的储存宿主。
