Diagnosis of Swine Dysentery and Spirochaetal Diarrhoea: Part III: Resultsof cultural and biochemical differentiation of intestinal Brachyspira spec. by routine culture from 1997 to 1999.

A survey is given on the occurrence and distribution of different Brachyspi ra species in pigs, in the northwest of Germany. In total 2975 specimen (fe ces, fecal swabs, colon) were taken and sent for laboratory analysis during the years 1997 to 1999. 1218 Brachyspira (B.) strains were found by cultur al analysis. 1757 samples (59 %) were negative. The cultural and biochemica l differentiation revealed 720 (59,1%) strains B. hyodysenteriae (77,5% wer e indole negative), 22 (1,8%) B. pilosicoli, 29 (2,4%) B, intermedia, 167 ( 3,7%) B, innocens and 114(9,4%) B. murdochii. 166(13,6%) strains could not be identified. These strains could either not be compared with any of the d escribed species by the methods used or it was impossible to achieve a pure culture from these isolates. The results demonstrate the wide spread of B. hyodysenteriae in pig herds in the northwest of Germany with a very high p revalence of indole negative strains. The most frequent strain was B. hyody senteriae. B. pilosicoli which causes spirochaetal diarrhoea was rarley iso lated and seems not to play an important role in Germany. Experience from r outine cultures for Brachyspira give evidence that it is more useful to exa mine faeces from single pigs instead of pooled samples from a herd. It is r ecommended to use special transport media for the transport of the specimen .