Isolation of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae from a crow (Corvus corone) in close proximity to commercial pigs

• Published in: The veterinary journal (1997) 2018-06, Vol.236, p.111-112
• Main Authors: Zeeh, F., Klausmann, S., Masserey, Y., Nathues, H., Perreten, V., Rohde, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bird Diseases - microbiology; Bird Diseases - transmission; Brachyspira; Brachyspira hyodysenteriae; Brachyspira hyodysenteriae - isolation & purification; Corvidae; Crows; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - transmission; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - veterinary; Multilocus sequence typing; Swine; Swine Diseases - microbiology; Swine Diseases - transmission; Swine dysentery; Switzerland; Vector
• ISSN: 1090-0233; 1532-2971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.05.002

•Brachyspira hyodysenteriae was isolated from a free-ranging crow (Corvus corone) in the vicinity of two pig farms.•Both pig farms were positive for B. hyodysenteriae.•The B. hyodysenteriae isolate from the crow had the same sequence type as isolates from pigs on one of the pig farms.•The role of crows in the transmission of B. hyodysenteriae requires further investigation. The aim of this study was to determine whether crows (Corvus corone) can harbour Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, the cause of swine dysentery, and whether the organism carried by crows is related to strains infecting pigs. B. hyodysenteriae was isolated from one crow in close proximity to two pig farms in Switzerland. This isolate, along with five isolates of B. hyodysenteriae from one of the farms, belonged to sequence type (ST) 66 using multilocus sequence typing. This finding suggests that crows are potential vectors of B. hyodysenteriae, but further studies will be necessary to clarify the role of crows in the epidemiology of this organism.