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Yeh JY. Prevalence and associated risk factors for Lawsonia intracellularis infection in farmed rabbits: A serological and molecular cross-sectional study in South Korea. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1058113. [PMID: 36846246 PMCID: PMC9948251 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1058113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Lawsonia intracellularis is the etiological agent of proliferative enteropathy, which is globally considered an important enteric disease in pigs and horses. Experimental studies suggest that the organism spreads by subclinical infection of many animals, including rabbits. Despite the importance of rabbits in the epidemiology of L. intracellularis, the extent of exposure to L. intracellularis in the rabbit population is poorly defined and remains unclear. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the seroprevalence and shedding of L. intracellularis in farmed rabbits. Furthermore, we aimed to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity. Sera from the rabbits were used to measure L. intracellularis-specific antibodies by immunoperoxidase monolayer assay, and rectal swabs were used to detect L. intracellularis DNA using a real-time PCR assay. Antibodies against L. intracellularis were detected in 12.3% of farms (20/163) and 6.3% of rabbits (49/774). Lawsonia intracellularis DNA in rectal swabs was detected in 3.8% of farms (6/156) and 1.2% of rabbits (8/667). The risk factor analysis showed that the presence of pigs or horses on the farm or the neighboring farm was associated with an increase in the risk of seropositivity (p < 0.05). We observed significantly increased odds of positivity for L. intracellularis in rabbits with a history of digestive trouble (diarrhea) on the farm during the 3 months before the samples were obtained (p < 0.05). Collectively, these findings demonstrated that L. intracellularis infection was evident among farmed rabbits and that rabbits might serve as an important reservoir for L. intracellularis epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Yong Yeh
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, Republic of Korea,Research Institute for New Drug Development, Incheon National University, Incheon, Republic of Korea,Convergence Research Center for Insect Vectors, Incheon National University, Incheon, Republic of Korea,KU Center for Animal Blood Medical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea,*Correspondence: Jung-Yong Yeh ✉
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Campillo M, Smith SH, Gally DL, Opriessnig T. Review of methods for the detection of Lawsonia intracellularis infection in pigs. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 33:621-631. [PMID: 33739176 PMCID: PMC8225690 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211003551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Lawsonia intracellularis is an obligate intracellular bacterium
associated with enteric disease in pigs. Clinical signs include weight loss,
diarrhea, and, in some cases, sudden death. The hallmark lesion is the
thickening of the intestinal mucosa caused by increased epithelial cell
replication, known as proliferative enteropathy. The immune response to
L. intracellularis is not well defined, and detection of
the infection, especially in the early stages, is still a significant challenge.
We review here the main approaches used to identify this important but poorly
understood pathogen. Detection of L. intracellularis infection
as the cause of clinical disease is confounded by the high prevalence of the
pathogen in many countries and that several other pathogens can produce similar
clinical signs. A single L. intracellularis–specific ELISA and
several amplification assays are available commercially to aid detection and
surveillance, although histopathology remains the primary way to reach a
conclusive diagnosis. There are major gaps in our understanding of L.
intracellularis pathogenesis, especially how the host responds to
infection and the factors that drive infection toward different clinical
outcomes. Knowledge of pathogenesis will increase the predictive value of
antemortem tests to guide appropriate interventions, including identification
and treatment of subclinically affected pigs in the early stages of disease,
given that this important manifestation reduces pig productivity and contributes
to the economic burden of L. intracellularis worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Campillo
- The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Sionagh H Smith
- The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - David L Gally
- The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Tanja Opriessnig
- The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
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Arnold M, Crienen A, Swam H, von Berg S, Jolie R, Nathues H. Prevalence of Lawsonia intracellularis in pig herds in different European countries. Porcine Health Manag 2019; 5:31. [PMID: 31890255 PMCID: PMC6918559 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-019-0137-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lawsonia intracellularis causes large economic losses in the pig industry worldwide. Pigs suffer from reduced daily weight gain, poor feed conversion ratio and increased mortality. The number of affected animals and herds in Europe remains unknown. This study will provide an overview of the prevalence of Lawsonia intracellularis in herds with a history of diarrhoea in different European countries and thereby identify country specific differences. Results Out of the 144 herds sampled in Germany, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, 90.3% (79.2-100.0%) contained at least one positive faecal sample on quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Of the 6450 nursery, growing and finishing pigs of the previously mentioned herds, 26.2% (15.9-41.5%) of the animals were tested positive in faecal samples. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results of 60 herds were 91.7% (70-100%) positive. The percentage of positive samples in these 1791 blood samples was 31.6% (20.3-51.0%). Herd prevalence did not differ significantly by qPCR or ELISA. Significant differences between the countries were found regarding: Within-herd prevalence- qPCR: Samples from Denmark were more often positive than samples of Spain or the United Kingdom. Within-herd prevalence- ELISA: Samples from Denmark were more often positive than samples from Spain and the Netherlands. Affected age category- qPCR: Nursery pigs in Denmark were more often positive and shed more genome equivalents than nursery pigs in the other countries. Concentration of detected genome equivalents- qPCR: The concentration of genome equivalents from Lawsonia intracellularis in herds in Denmark was higher compared to all other countries. Conclusion A widespread of Lawsonia intracellularis in the six European countries was confirmed, whereby a large part of the positive animals only excreted small amounts of genome equivalents. Country specific differences were found with Denmark in particular diagnosing more Lawsonia intracellularis then the other countries. Herd data collected in this study needs to be analysed to get more information about possible reasons for the differences found between the countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Arnold
- 1Clinic for Swine, Department for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Annelies Crienen
- Center for Diagnostic Solutions, MSD AH Boxmeer, Boxmeer, The Netherlands
| | - Hanny Swam
- Center for Diagnostic Solutions, MSD AH Boxmeer, Boxmeer, The Netherlands
| | | | - Rika Jolie
- 4Merck Animal Health, Madison, NJ 07940 USA
| | - Heiko Nathues
- 1Clinic for Swine, Department for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Resende TP, Pereira CER, Daniel AGDS, Vasquez E, Saqui-Salces M, Vannucci FA, Gebhart CJ. Effects of Lawsonia intracellularis infection in the proliferation of different mammalian cell lines. Vet Microbiol 2018; 228:157-164. [PMID: 30593362 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Lawsonia intracellularis is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes proliferative enteropathy in various animal species. While cellular proliferation of intestinal cells is recognized as the hallmark of L. intracellularis infection in vivo, it has not been demonstrated in in vitro models. In order to assay the effect of L. intracellularis, various cell lines were infected with pathogenic and non-pathogenic passages of the bacterium. Because of the high proliferative rate of these cell lines, serum deprivation, which is known to reduce proliferation, was applied to each of the cell lines to allow the observation of proliferation induced by L. intracellularis. Using antibodies for Ki-67 and L. intracellularis in dual immunofluorescence staining, we observed that L. intracellularis was more frequently observed in proliferating cells. Based on wound closure assays and on the amount of eukaryotic DNA content measured over time, we found no indication that cell lines infected with L. intracellularis increased proliferation and migration when compared to non-infected cells (p > 0.05). Cell arrest due to decreased serum in the culture media was cell-line dependent. Taken together, our findings provide data to support and expand previous subjective observations of the absence of in vitro proliferation caused by L. intracellularis in cell cultures and confirm that cell lines infected by L. intracellularis fail to serve as adequate models for understanding the cellular changes observed in proliferative enteropathy-affected intestines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talita Pilar Resende
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Carlos Eduardo Real Pereira
- Department of Clinic and Surgery, Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, PO Box 567, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Amanda Gabrielle de Souza Daniel
- Department of Clinic and Surgery, Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, PO Box 567, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Erika Vasquez
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Milena Saqui-Salces
- Department of Animal Science, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS), University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Fabio A Vannucci
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Connie Jane Gebhart
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA; Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Colonisation and shedding of Lawsonia intracellularis in experimentally inoculated rodents and in wild rodents on pig farms. Vet Microbiol 2011; 150:384-8. [PMID: 21349664 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2010] [Revised: 10/27/2010] [Accepted: 01/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Lawsonia intracellularis is an intracellular bacterium causing proliferative enteropathy in various animal species, and is considered an economically important pathogen of pigs. Rats and mice have been implicated as external vectors for a wide range of pig pathogens, including L. intracellularis. Previous studies have demonstrated L. intracellularis infection and proliferative enteropathy in rodents, but did not show the duration of shedding or the number of L. intracellularis shed by infected rodents, and therefore the infection risk that rodents pose to pigs. In this study, the number of L. intracellularis shed in the faeces and intestinal mucosa of wild rats trapped on pig farms was determined by a quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction assay. The prevalence of L. intracellularis in wild rats trapped on pig farms with endemic proliferative enteropathy (PE) was very high (≥ 70.6%), and large numbers of L. intracellularis were shed (10(10)/g of faeces) in a small proportion of wild rats. The duration of colonisation in laboratory rats and mice challenged with porcine isolates of L. intracellularis was also shown. Faecal shedding of L. intracellularis persisted for 14-21 days in rats and mice that were mildly affected with histological lesions of PE. The humoral immune response to L. intracellularis persisted for 40 days in both species. This study demonstrates that rodents may be an important reservoir of L. intracellularis on piggeries, and hence rodent control is important in disease eradication programs on pig farms.
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Brandt D, Kaim U, Baumgärtner W, Wendt M. Evaluation of Lawsonia intracellularis infection in a group of pigs in a subclinically affected herd from weaning to slaughter. Vet Microbiol 2010; 146:361-5. [PMID: 20605375 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2010.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2009] [Revised: 05/04/2010] [Accepted: 05/08/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to follow the course of a subclinical Lawsonia (L.) intracellularis infection in a group of 60 pigs on a commercial farm from weaning to slaughter. From 6 to 16 and at 26 weeks of age, rectal faecal samples and blood samples were collected weekly from every pig for examination by PCR and blocking ELISA, respectively. At corresponding times starting at 8 weeks of age, pigs were randomly selected for necropsy (n=51). Intestinal tissues were examined histopathologically and by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for L. intracellularis antigen. Infection with L. intracellularis showed a mainly subclinical course. Shedding of L. intracellularis was detected by PCR in three pigs as early as 6 weeks of age and persisted up until 14 weeks of age. In most pigs shedding of L. intracellularis was seen only for 1-2 weeks followed by a rapid serum antibody response. More than 50% of pigs had seroconverted by week 10. At slaughter, 30.8% of investigated animals were still found to be seropositive by ELISA. Of the 60 study animals 39 were found positive by faeces PCR (65.0%), 49 animals were found positive by serology (81.7%), and 35 pigs (68.6%) had positive results by IHC at necropsy. All but one pig were found to be L. intracellularis infected by at least one of the three methods (98.3%). In conclusion, this is the first field study revealing the presence of prominent histological lesions characteristic for L. intracellularis infection and associated positive pathogen specific PCR and immunohistological results even in subclinically infected pigs. Although intestinal alterations disappeared after 3-4 weeks, L. intracellularis was detected by IHC for a longer time, especially in intestinal lymph nodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Brandt
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, D-30173 Hannover, Germany
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Biksi I, Lorincz M, Molnár B, Kecskés T, Takács N, Mirt D, Cizek A, Pejsak Z, Martineau GP, Sevin JL, Szenci O. Prevalence of selected enteropathogenic bacteria in Hungarian finishing pigs. Acta Vet Hung 2007; 55:219-27. [PMID: 17555287 DOI: 10.1556/avet.55.2007.2.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to obtain prevalence estimates about the most important enteropathogenic bacteria: Lawsonia intracellularis, Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, Brachyspira pilosicoli, Salmonella enterica and Clostridium perfringens A and C in Hungarian farrow-to-finish pig herds. A total of 31 herds were selected, from where six pooled faecal samples, each containing three individual rectal faecal samples were collected from fattening pigs of 5-6 months of age. All 186 samples were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of the pathogens mentioned above. Lawsonia intracellularis was found in 29 herds (93.55%) and in 108 samples (58.06%); B. hyodysenteriae in 14 herds (45.16%) and in 23 samples (12.37%); B. pilosicoli in 19 herds (61.29%) and in 53 samples (28.49%); S. enterica in 17 herds (54.83%) and in 40 samples (21.50%). We detected the presence of C. perfringens A in 19 herds (61.29%) and in 46 samples (24.73%), while C. perfringens C was found in 8 herds (25.81%) and in 11 samples (5.91%). All examined herds were infected with one or more of these agents. Herds with diarrhoea in the mid- to late finishing phase had almost 10 times higher prevalence of B. hyodysenteriae than herds without such a history.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Biksi
- Diagnostic Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, H-2225 Ullo, Hungary.
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Wuersch K, Huessy D, Koch C, Oevermann A. Lawsonia intracellularis Proliferative Enteropathy in a Filly. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 53:17-21. [PMID: 16411902 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0442.2006.00776.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Proliferative enteropathy (PE) caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Lawsonia intracellularis is a disease of high economic impact in swine worldwide. In most other species the disease occurs as a sporadic infection. This paper reports a PE caused by L. intracellularis in a 9-month-old Pura Raza Española filly with a history of profuse diarrhoea. Pathological lesions consisted of a severe proliferative enteritis associated with argyrophilic bacteria in the apical cytoplasm of proliferating crypt epithelium. Characteristic PCR products confirmed the presumptive diagnosis of L. intracellularis infection. To our knowledge this is the first report of PE in a horse in Europe caused by L. intracellularis.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Wuersch
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
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