Association ofSerpulina hyodysenteriaewith the colonic mucosa in experimental swine dysentery studied by fluorescentin situhybridization

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Abstract
The localization ofSerpulina hyodysenteriaein experimental swine dysentery was studied by fluorescentin situhybridization (FISH) using an oligonucleotide probe targeting the 23S rRNA ofS. hyodysenteriae.Nine 8‐week‐old pigs were challenged. Seven of the pigs were intragastrically dosed with 1 times 109cfuS. hyodysenteriaefor 3 consecutive days, whereas two pigs were infected by contact. Six non‐challenged pigs served as negative controls. The challenged pigs developed clinical swine dysentery from 8 to 14 days postinfection with typical gross lesions. By FISHS. hyodysenteriaecells in huge numbers were found colonizing the mucus layer, the luminal epithelium and the crypts of the large intestinal mucosa. The orientation of the spirochaetes to the epithelium appeared to be random. Spirochaetes in clusters or as single cells were invading the epithelium and were occasionally detected in the adjacent lamina propria. The distribution of spirochaetes in the mucosa provides further evidence thatS. hyodysenteriaeis intimately associated with the mucus layer and the epithelium in a random pattern. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the applicability of FISH for specific detection ofS. hyodysenteriaecells in clusters or as single cells in formalin‐fixed tissue samples.