Experimental infection of conventional pigs with a 'Brachyspira hampsonii' isolate recovered from a migrating waterfowl in Spain

- Avian 'Brachyspira hampsonii' AIS50 isolate was used to experimentally infect pigs.
- In the conditions used, all inoculated pigs shed 'B. hampsonii'.
- Transmission of AIS50 from inoculated to sentinel pigs was confirmed.
- Clinical disease and lesions identical of swine dysentery occurred in one infected pig.

'Brachyspira hampsonii' is a recently proposed new species within the Brachyspira genus, which produces a dysentery-like disease in pigs. This study aims at investigating whether a 'B. hampsonii' isolate recovered from a migrating waterfowl was capable of colonizing pig intestines, inducing clinical signs of dysentery and being transmitted among pigs. Eleven 7-week-old pigs were randomly assigned into two separate groups which were orally administered an avian isolate of 'B. hampsonii' (inoculated group, n = 5) or BHI broth (control group, n = 6). After inoculation, three pigs from the control group were placed in the inoculated pen and served as sentinel pigs. Our results show the capacity of this avian 'B. hampsonii' isolate to colonize the large intestine of pigs and to be transmitted among pigs. According to this, migrating birds could play a role in the epidemiology of 'B. hampsonii' as a possible source of infection in swine populations.