Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-07T23:19:50.322Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Intestinal spirochete infections of chickens: a review of disease associations, epidemiology and control

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2007

C.P. Stephens  and
D.J. Hampson
C.P. Stephens
Affiliation:
Toowoomba Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Primary Industries, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
D.J. Hampson*
Affiliation:
Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
*
*Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of intestinal spirochete infections of chickens. It focuses particularly on studies in Australia, where recent surveys of 136 layer and broiler breeder flocks have revealed a high rate of infection (>40%) with intestinal spirochetes. Infection was not detected in broiler flocks. Approximately 50% of isolates from infected flocks were Brachyspira (Serpulina) intermedia or B. pilosicoli, with the other isolates being B. innocens, B. murdochii or the proposed species ‘B. pulli’. No isolates of B. alvinipulli were found. Intestinal spirochetes were significantly associated with wet litter problems and/or reduced egg production. Experimental infection of point-of-lay birds with either B. intermedia or B. pilosicoli caused reduced egg production, and, with B. intermedia, a significant increase in fecal moisture content. Infection with B. innocens caused no significant changes. In-water treatment of a flock with a mixed spirochete infection using lincospectin resulted in a slimy diarrhea lasting for 2–3 weeks, followed by absence of spirochetes for 3 months. Birds treated with tiamulin remained healthy, and had a reduced level of infection with intestinal spirochetes (30%) for 3 months. Trials are under way to test the efficacy of antimicrobials in point-of-lay chickens experimentally infected with either B. intermedia or B. pilosicoli.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Health Research Reviews , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , June 2001 , pp. 83 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © CAB International 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Atyeo, RF, Oxberry, SL and Hampson, DJ (1996). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for sub-specific differentiation of Serpulina pilosicoli (formerly ‘Anguillina coli’). FEMS Microbiology Letters 141: 77–81.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Atyeo, RF, Oxberry, SL, Combs, BG and Hampson, DJ (1998). Development and evaluation of polymerase chain reaction tests as an aid to the diagnosis of swine dysentery and intestinal spirochaetosis. Letters in Applied Microbiology 26: 126–130.Google Scholar
Atyeo, RF, Stanton, TB, Jensen, NS, Suriyaarachichi, DS and Hampson, DJ (1999). Differentiation of Serpulina species by NADH oxidase gene (nox) sequence comparisons and nox-based polymerase chain reaction tests. Veterinary Microbiology 67: 47–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boyne, M, Jensen, TK, Moller, K, Leser, TD and Jorsal, SE (1998). Specific detection of the genus Serpulina, S. hyodysenteriae and S. pilosicoli in porcine intestines by fluorescent rRNA in situ hybridization. Molecular and Cellular Probes 12: 323–330.Google Scholar
Buckles, EL, Eaton, KA and Swayne, DE (1997). Cases of spirochete-associated necrotizing typhlitis in captive common rheas (Rhea americana). Avian Diseases 41: 144–148.Google Scholar
Davelaar, FG, Smit, HF, Hovind-Hougen, K, Dwars, RM and van der Valk, C (1986). Infectious typhlitis in chickens caused by spirochaetes. Avian Pathology 15: 247–258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duhamel, GE, Trott, DJ, Muniappa, N, Mathiesen, MR, Tarasiuk, K, Lee, JI and Hampson, DJ (1998). Canine intestinal spirochetes consist of Serpulina pilosicoli and a newly identified group provisionally designated ‘Serpulina canis’ sp. nov. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 36: 2264–2270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dwars, RM, Smit, HF, Davelaar, FG and Veer W van, T (1989). Incidence of spirochaetal infections in cases of intestinal disorder in chickens. Avian Pathology 18: 591–595.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dwars, RM, Smit, HF and Davelaar, FG (1990). Observations on avian intestinal spirochaetosis. Veterinary Quarterly 12: 51–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dwars, RM, Davelaar, FG and Smit, HF (1992 a). Spirochaetosis in broilers. Avian Pathology 21: 261–273.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dwars, RM, Davelaar, FG and Smit, HF (1992 b). Influence of infection with avian intestinal spirochaetes on the faeces of laying hens. Avian Pathology 21: 427–429.Google Scholar
Dwars, RM, Davelaar, FG and Smit, HF (1993). Infection of broiler parent hens (Gallus domesticus) with avian intestinal spirochaetes: effects on egg production and chick quality. Avian Pathology 22: 693–701.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fantham, HB (1910). Observations on the parasitic protozoa of the red grouse (Lagopus scoticus), with a note on the grouse fly. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 692–708.Google Scholar
Fellström, C and Gunnarsson, A (1995). Phenotypical characterisation of intestinal spirochaetes isolated from pigs. Research in Veterinary Science 59: 1–4.Google Scholar
Griffiths, IB, Hunt, BW, Liste, SA and Lamont, MH (1987). Retarded growth rate and delayed onset of egg production associated with egg production in pullets. Veterinary Record 121: 35–37.Google Scholar
Hampson, DJ and McLaren, AJ (1997). Prevalence, genetic relationships and pathogenicity of intestinal spirochaetes infecting Australian poultry. Proceedings of the Australian Poultry Science Symposium 9: 108–112.Google Scholar
Hampson, DJ and McLaren, AJ (1999). Experimental infection of laying hens with Serpulina intermedia causes reduced egg production and increased faecal water content. Avian Pathology 28: 113–117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hampson, DJ and Trott, DJ (1995). Intestinal spirochaete infections of pigs: an overview with an Australia perspective. In: Hennessy, DP and Cranwell, PD (eds), Manipulating Pig Production V. Werribee, Victoria, Australia: Australasian Pig Science Association, pp. 139–169.Google Scholar
Harris, MBK (1930). A study of spirochaetes in chickens with special reference to those of the intestinal tract. American Journal of Hygiene 12: 537–569.Google Scholar
Hunter, D and Clark, A (1975). The direct fluorescent antibody test for the detection of Treponema hyodysenteriae in pigs. Research in Veterinary Science 19: 98–99.Google Scholar
Hunter, D and Wood, T (1979). An evaluation of the API ZYM system as a means of classifying spirochaetes associated with swine dysentery. Veterinary Record 104: 383–384.Google Scholar
Jensen, NS, Casey, TA and Stanton, TB (1992). Characterisation of Serpulina (Treponema) hyodysenteriae and related intestinal spirochaetes by ribosomal RNA gene restriction patterns. FEMS Microbiology Letters 93: 235–242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kouwenhoven, B (1993). Environment, husbandry, genetics and nutritional interactions in infectious diseases in poultry. In: York, J (ed.), Proceedings of the Xth International Congress of the World Veterinary Poultry Association Sydney, pp. 113–126.Google Scholar
Kunkle, RA and Kinyon, JM (1988). Improved selective medium for the isolation of Treponema hyodysenteriae . Journal of Clinical Microbiology 26: 2357–2360.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kunkle, RA, Harris, DL and Kinyon, JM (1986). Autoclaved liquid medium for propagation of Treponema hyodysenteriae . Journal of Clinical Microbiology 24: 669–671.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, JI and Hampson, DJ (1994). Genetic characterisation of intestinal spirochaetes and their association with disease. Journal of Medical Microbiology 40: 365–371.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, JI, Hampson, DJ, Lymbery, AJ and Harders, SJ (1993). The porcine intestinal spirochaetes: identification of new genetic groups. Veterinary Microbiology 34: 273–285.Google Scholar
Leser, TD, Moller, K, Jensen, TK and Jorsal, SE (1997). Specific detection of Serpulina hyodysenteriae and potentially pathogenic weakly beta-haemolytic porcine intestinal spirochaetes by polymerase chain reaction targeting 23S rDNA. Molecular and Cellular Probes 11: 363–372.Google Scholar
Lymbery, AJ, Hampson, DJ, Hopkins, RM, Combs, BG and Mhoma, JRL (1990). Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis for identification and typing of Treponema hyodysenteriae and related spirochaetes. Veterinary Microbiology 22: 89–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mathey, WJ and Zander, DV (1955). Spirochaetes and caecal nodules in poultry. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 126: 475–477.Google ScholarPubMed
McLaren, AJ, Hampson, DJ and Wylie, SL (1996). The prevalence of intestinal spirochaetes in poultry flocks in Western Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal 74: 319–320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McLaren, AJ, Trott, DJ, Swayne, DE, Oxberry, SL and Hampson, DJ (1997). Genetic and phenotypic characterisation of intestinal spirochetes colonizing chickens, and allocation of known pathogenic isolates to three distinct genetic groups. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 35: 412–417.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mikosza, ASJ, La, T, Brooke, CJ, Lindboe, CF, Ward, PB, Heine, RG, Guccion, JG, de Boer, WB and Hampson, DJ (1999). Polymerase chain reaction amplification from fixed tissue indicates the frequent involvement of Brachyspira aalborgi in human intestinal spirochetosis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 37: 2093–2098.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ochiai, S, Adachi, Y, Mori, K (1997). Unification of the genera Serpulina and Brachyspira, and proposals of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae comb. nov., Brachyspira innocens comb. nov. and Brachyspira pilosicoli comb. nov. Microbiology and Immunology 41: 445–452.Google Scholar
Oxberry, SL, Trott, DJ and Hampson, DJ (1998). Serpulina pilosicoli, water birds and water: potential sources of infection for humans and other animals. Epidemiology and Infection 121: 219–225.Google Scholar
Park, NY, Chung, CY, McLaren, AJ, Atyeo, RJ and Hampson, DJ (1995). Polymerase chain reaction for identification of human and porcine spirochaetes recovered from cases of intestinal spirochaetosis. FEMS Microbiology Letters 125: 225–230.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Phillips, KD (1976). A simple and sensitive technique for determining the fermentation reactions of non-sporing anaerobes. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 41: 325–328.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sagartz, JE, Swayne, DE, Eaton, KA, Hayes, JR, Amass, KD, Wack, R and Kramer, L (1992). Necrotizing typhlocolitis associated with spirochetes in rheas (Rhea americana). Avian Diseases 36: 282–289.Google Scholar
Smit, HF, Dwars, RM, Davelaar, FG and Wijtten, AW (1998). Observations on the influence of intestinal spirochaetosis in broiler breeders on the performance of their progeny and on egg production. Avian Pathology 27: 133–141.Google Scholar
Songer, JG, Kinyon, JM and Harris, DL (1976). Selective medium for the isolation of Treponema hyodysenteriae . Journal of Clinical Microbiology 4: 57–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stanton, TB and Lebo, DF (1988). Treponema hyodysenteriae growth under various culture conditions. Veterinary Microbiology 18: 177–190.Google Scholar
Stanton, TB, Postic, D and Jensen, NS (1998). Serpulina alvinipulli sp. nov., a new Serpulina species enteropathogenic to chickens. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 47: 1007–1012.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stephens, CP and Hampson, DJ (1999). Prevalence and disease association of intestinal spirochaetes in chickens in eastern Australia. Avian Pathology 28: 447–454.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stephens, CP and Hampson, DJ (2000). Effects of intestinal spirochaete infection on egg production in meat breeders. In: Proceedings of the Australian Poultry Science Symposium Sydney, pp. 182–185.Google Scholar
Stoutenburg, JW and Swayne, DE (1992). Comparison of microbiologic characteristics of spirochetes isolated from pigs, rats, chickens and ratites. Poultry Science 71 (supplement): 69.Google Scholar
Sueyoshi, M and Adachi, Y (1990). Diarrhea induced by Treponema hyodysenteriae: a young chick cecal model for swine dysentery. Infection and Immunity 58: 3348–3362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Suriyaarachichi, DS, Mikosza, ASJ, Atyeo, RF and Hampson, DJ (2000). Evaluation of 23S rDNA polymerase chain reaction assay for identification of Serpulina intermedia, and strain typing using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Veterinary Microbiology 71: 139–148.Google Scholar
Swayne, DE (1997). Avian intestinal spirochetosis. In: Calnek, BW (ed.), Diseases of Poultry. Ames, Iowa: Mosby-Wolfe, pp. 325–332.Google Scholar
Swayne, DE and McLaren, AJ (1997). Avian intestinal spirochaetes and intestinal spirochaetosis. In: Hampson, DJ and Stanton, TB (eds), Intestinal Spirochaetes of Domestic Animals and Humans. Wallingford: CAB International, pp. 267–300.Google Scholar
Swayne, DE, Bermudez, AJ, Sagartz, JE, Eaton, KA, Monfort, JD, Stoutenberg, JW and Hayes, JR (1992). Association of cecal spirochaetes with pasty vents and dirty eggshells in layers. Avian Diseases 36: 776–781.Google Scholar
Swayne, DE, Eaton, KA, Stoutenburg, J, Trott, DJ, Hampson, DJ and Jensen, NS (1995). Identification of a new intestinal spirochete with pathogenicity to chickens. Infection and Immunity 63: 430–436.Google Scholar
Trampel, DW, Jensen, NS and Hoffman, LJ (1994). Cecal spirochaetosis in commercial laying hens. Avian Diseases 38: 895–898.Google Scholar
Trampel, DW, Kinyon, JM and Jensen, NS (1999). Minimum inhibitory concentration of selected antimicrobial agents for Serpulina isolated from chickens and rheas. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 11: 379–382.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trivett-Moore, NL, Gilbert, G, Law, CLH, Trott, DJ and Hampson, DJ (1998). Isolation of Serpulina pilosicoli from rectal biopsy specimens showing evidence of intestinal spirochetosis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 36: 261–265.Google Scholar
Trott, DJ, Stanton, TB, Jensen, NS, Duhamel, GE, Johnson, JL and Hampson, DJ (1996). Serpulina pilosicoli sp. nov., the agent of porcine intestinal spirochetosis. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 46: 206–215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trott, DJ, Combs, BG, Oxberry, SL, Mikosza, ASJ, Robertson, ID, Passey, M, Taime, J, Sehuko, R and Hampson, DJ (1997). The prevalence of Serpulina pilosicoli in humans and domestic animals in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Quinea. Epidemiology and Infection 119: 369–379.Google Scholar
Webb, DM, Duhamel, GE, Mathiesen, MR, Muniappa, N and White, AK (1997). Cecal spirochetosis associated with Serpulina pilosicoli in captive juvenile ring-necked pheasants. Avian Diseases 41: 997–1002.Google Scholar