Abstract
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the etiologic agent of porcine contagious pleuropneumonia, an important respiratory disease for the pig industry. A. pleuropneumoniae has traditionally been considered an obligate pig pathogen. However, its presence in the environment is starting to be known. Here, we report the A. pleuropneumoniae surviving in biofilms in samples of drinking water of swine farms from Mexico. Fourteen farms were studied. Twenty drinking water samples were positive to A. pleuropneumoniae distributed on three different farms. The bacteria in the drinking water samples showed the ability to form biofilms in vitro. Likewise, A. pleuropneumoniae biofilm formation in situ was observed on farm drinkers, where the biofilm formation was in the presence of other bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Acinetobacter schindleri. Our data suggest that A. pleuropneumoniae can inhabit aquatic environments using multi-species biofilms as a strategy to survive outside of their host.
Highlights
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, a member of the Pastereullaceae family, is a Gram-negative, mobile, and rod-shaped bacterial pathogen
Considering this information, and that described by Rayamajhi et al [29] we conclude that the serovar of A. pleuropneumoniae found in drinking water presumably belongs to serovar 7
As other bacteria, such as S. maltophilia, A. schindleri, and E. coli, are present in the samples, we suggest that these bacteria can supply the nutrients needed to grow in media without nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide (NAD) to A. pleuropneumoniae
Summary
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, a member of the Pastereullaceae family, is a Gram-negative, mobile, and rod-shaped bacterial pathogen. A. pleuropneumoniae resides in the upper respiratory tract in subclinically infected or colonized pigs, and transmission from pig to pig occurs mainly by direct oral, nasal contact, or by droplets of aerosol spread over short distances [2, 3]. Many virulence factors have been reported in A. pleuropneumoniae including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), exotoxins (Apx), polysaccharide capsule, protease [4], urease, iron acquisition proteins, and enzymes involved in anaerobic respiration, which may contribute to the disease [5, 6]. Apx toxins are the major virulence factors involved in the pathogenesis of pleuropneumonia [2]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
