Pathogenicity of human and porcine intestinal spirochetes in one-day-old specific-pathogen-free chicks: An animal model of intestinal spirochetosis

Abstract

One-day-old chicks were infected orally with two strains of weakly hemolytic spirochetes isolated from a human and a pig with intestinal spirochetosis. These spirochetes both colonized birds, attached end-on to their cecal enterocytes, induced watery diarrhea, and significantly depressed growth rates. Cultures of Serpulina innocens failed to colonize the chicks.