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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Veterinary bacteriology: information about important bacteria
Veterinary bacteriology


Species/Subspecies: Brachyspira pilosicoli
Categories: Causes hemolysis; motile
Etymology: Genus name: short spiral
Species epithet: shaggy colon (refers to the fact that the colon looks hairy [false brush border] during infection).
Significance:  [Important]   
Alternative Species Name(s):Serpulina pilosicoli
Taxonomy:
Phylum
Spirochaetota
Class
Spirochaetia
Order
Brachyspirales
Family
Brachyspiraceae 
Genus
Brachyspira
Type Strain: P43/6/78 = ATCC 51139.
Macromorphology (smell):
Brachyspira pilosicoli  Brachyspira pilosicoli  
Forms small irregular colonies (0.1-3 mm in diameter), which may spred over the agar surface (the bactera "swarm" on the agar plate). Gives a weak hemolysis on blood agar.
Micromorphology:
Brachyspira pilosicoli  
Thin, spiral shaped and motile. Has 8-12 periplasmic flagella (= endoflagella or axial filaments) per cell.
Gram +/Gram -:G- (Uppträder som G-, men har en annan typ av cellvägg).
Metabolism: Anaerobic, but aerotolerant
Catalase/Oxidase:
Biochemical Tests: Tryptophanase +/-, hippuricase +/-, α-galactosidase +/-, β-glucosidase -
Fermentation of carbohydrates: D-ribose +
Spec. Char.:
Special Media:
Disease:Spirochetal diarrhoea
Hosts: Pig
Clinical Picture:
Genome Sequence:
Acc-noStrainSize (bp)Genome
NC_014330 95/1000 2 586 443 1c + 0 
Tre stammar har sekvenserats.

16S rRNA Seq.:
Acc-noStrainNumber of NTOperon
U14927 (T) 1431 

Taxonomy/phylogeny:
Brachyspira pilosicoli  
Seven species with standing in nomenclature has been described within genus Brachyspira. About 10 additional species have been reported, but their names have not been approved. Some of these species have been included in the phylogenetic trees and their names are given within quotation marks (see Fig. 97:5 and 6). All species within the genus Brachyspira are very closely related, but "B. corvi", B. aalborgi and B. pilosicoli differ significantly from the other species.
Reference(s): No. 44, 64, 71, 92
Link: The Swedish Brachyspira, Leptospira and Treponema Group
Updated:2023-03-08

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