Carriage of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae on common insect vectors

Abstract

The interactions of likely insect and murine vectors of the causative agent of swine dysentery, Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, were investigated. Insects were collected and analysed from 3 pig farms positive for B hyodysenteriae. Within these farms, several Musca domestica and Orphyra adult fly, Blatta sp. cockroach digestive tracts and hover fly (Eristalis sp) pupal form contents were positive in a standard PCR assay for B hyodysenteriae, whereas all other insect samples on these and case control farms were negative. In challenge exposure studies, B hyodysenteriae DNA was detected in the digestive tract of cockroaches and M domestica flies from day 1 post-inoculation with cultured B hyodysenteriae, for up to 5 days or 10 days respectively, while control non-inoculated insects remained negative. Isolates consistent with B hyodysenteriae were only cultured from frass samples of these inoculated cockroach and flies on days 1–3 post-inoculation. Isolates consistent with B hyodysenteriae were detected by analysis of agar plates exposed to live B hyodysenteriae-inoculated adult flies wandering and feeding on these plates for 20 min per day. In generational challenge inoculation studies, B hyodysenteriae was detected in the adult emergent flies, and internal components of fly pupae on days 1–7 of the pupation period, after being inoculated with B hyodysenteriae as larvae. Five-week-old conventional mice (C3H) that consumed 2 meals of B hyodysenteriae-infected flies remained negative for B hyodysenteriae throughout the next 10 days. The results indicated that pathogenic Brachyspira sp have a limited ability to internally colonise likely insect vectors and do not readily transmit infection to mice. However, the insect vectors analysed were demonstrably capable of mechanical carriage and likely on-farm involvement in consequence.