Brachyspira | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Bacteria |
Phylum: | Spirochaetota |
Class: | Spirochaetia |
Order: | Brachyspirales |
Family: | Brachyspiraceae |
Genus: | Brachyspira Hovind-Hougen et al. 1983 non Foliella non Pfeiffer 1855 |
Type species | |
Brachyspira aalborgi Hovind-Hougen et al. 1983
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Species | |
See text. | |
Synonyms | |
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Brachyspira is a genus of bacteria classified within the phylum Spirochaetota.[1][2] [3]
Brachyspira species include pathogens in pigs, birds, dogs, and humans.
B. pilosicoli colonizes millions of humans worldwide, leading to human intestinal spirochaetosis, a chronic, intermittent watery diarrhea vastly underdiagnosed [4] because of the lack of a simple diagnostic tool for clinicians. Multiplex qPCRs are promising diagnostic tools, as Brachyspira do not grow on conventional media.[5]
B. pilosicoli also cause avian spirochetosis:[1] birds might be considered as the natural reservoir.
B. hyodysenteriae leads to diarrheal disease in growing pigs worldwide, causing the so-called swine dysentery, typhlocolitis or porcine intestinal spirochaetosis, which contributes to major "production losses" in agrobusiness.
Some species like B. innocens or B. intermedia seem to be less virulent.