Brachyspira pilosicoli (formerly Serpulina pilosicoli) causes swine spirochaetosis and can also be isolated from human faeces, although its role in human disease remains unclear. The genetic and biochemical variations amongst 19 isolates of human spirochaetes from five different countries were evaluated and compared to those found amongst swine isolates of B. pilosicoli. All isolates were negative for β-glucosidase and all but one were positive for hippurate hydrolysis, which are characteristics typical of B. pilosicoli. The isolates showed variation in indole production and α-galactosidase and α-glucosidase activity, other characteristics which can be used to identify B. pilosicoli. The DNA sequences of part of the 16S rRNA gene differed from each other and from that of B. pilosicoli by 0–3 bp out of 283 bp. It is concluded that there is considerable variation amongst human intestinal spirochaetes. Since few of the isolates reported here match the current criteria for B. pilosicoli, it is concluded that this species is more heterogeneous than previously appreciated. However, it cannot be excluded that some isolates may belong to uncharacterized related BrachyspiralSerpulina species.
BarrettS. P.,
HoltonJ. J. M.,
HookeyJ. V.,
CostasM.,
GannerM.,
MundyR.,
WrightD. J. M.1996; Heterogeneity of human intestinal spirochaetes demonstrated by one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins visualised by 35Smethionine labelling and coomassie blue staining. J Med Microbiol 45:6–9
De SmetK. A. L.,
BrownI. N.,
YatesM.,
IvanyiJ.1995; Ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequences are identical among Mycobacterium avium–intracellulare complex isolates from AIDS patients, but vary among isolates from elderly pulmonary disease patients. Microbiology 141:2739–2747
FellströmC.,
PettersonB.,
UhlénM.,
GunnarsonA.,
JohanssonK.-E.1995; Phylogeny of Serpulina based on sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and comparison with a scheme involving biochemical classification. Res Vet Sci 59:5–9
LeeJ. I.,
HampsonD. J.1992; Intestinal spirochaetosis colonizing Aborigines from communities in the remote north of Western Australia. Epidemiol Infect 109:133–141
MuniappaN.,
MathiesenM. R.,
DuhamelG. E.1997; Laboratory identification and enteropathogenicity testing of Serpulina pilosicoli associated with porcine colonic spirochetosis. J Vet Diagn Invest 9:165–171
ParkN. Y.,
ChungC. Y.,
McLarenA. J.,
AtyeoR. F.,
HampsonD. J.1995; Polymerase chain reaction for identification of human and porcine spirochaetes recovered from cases of spirochaetosis. FEMS Microbiol Lett 125:225–230
PettersonB.,
FellströmC.,
AndersonA.,
UhlénM.,
GunnarssonA.,
JohanssonK.-E.1996; The phylogeny of intestinal porcine spirochaetes (Serpulina species) based on sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. J Bacteriol 178:4189–1199
SannaA.,
DettoriG.,
GrilloR.,
RossiA.,
ChiarenzaD.1982; Isolation and propagation of a strain of treponema from the human digestive tract–preliminary report. Ig Modll 77:287–297
StantonT. B.,
Fournié-AmazouzE.,
PosticD.,
TrottD. J.,
GrimontP. A.,
BarantonG.,
HampsonD. J.,
Saint GironsI.1997; Recognition of two new species of intestinal spirochetes : Serpulina intermedia sp. nov. and Serpulina murdochii sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 47:1007–1012
ThomsonJ. R.,
SmithW. J.,
MurrayB. P.,
McOristS.1997; Pathogenicity of three strains of Serpulina pilosicoli in pigs with a naturally acquired intestinal flora. Infect Immun 65:3693–3700
TrottD. J.,
HuxtableC. R.,
HampsonD. J.1996b; Experimental infection of newly weaned pigs with human and porcine strains of Serpulina pilosicoli. Infect Immun 64:4648–4654
Validation List No. 641998; Validation of publication of new names and new combinations previously effectively published outside the USB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 48:327–328