Open AccessPhenotypic characteristics of Serpulina pilosicoli the agent of intestinal spirochaetosis
Author(s) -
Trott D.J.,
Stanton T.B.,
Jensen N.S.,
Hampson D.J.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1996.tb08432.x
Subject(s) - biology , microbiology and biotechnology , spirochaete , strain (injury) , phenotype , bacteria , genetics , gene , anatomy
The phenotypic characteristics of three Serpulina pilosicoli strains isolated from humans with diarrhoea (WesB, Kar, Hrm7) and two porcine S. pilosicoli strains isolated from pigs with intestinal spirochaetosis (1648, 3295), were compared with the type strain of the species P43/6/78 T (T = type strain) and other intestinal spirochaetes within the genus Serpulina . All S. pilosicoli strains had a characteristic ultrastructural appearance, displayed similar growth rates, hydrolysed hippurate, lacked β‐glucosidase activity, utilised d‐ribose as a growth substrate, and had similar sensitivities to rifampicin and spiramycin. The only consistent phenotypic characteristic that differentiated human strains from porcine strains of S. pilosicoli was that the human strains all utilised the pentose sugar d‐xylose. These distinguishing phenotypic traits appear useful for identifying S. pilosicoli .