A human intestinal spirochete isolated from a rectal biopsy specimen was morphologically characterized. The isolate was comma‐shaped, 3–6 μm in length, 0.2 μm in diameter and had tapered ends. The surface layer, external to the outer envelope, was amorphous. Four string‐like periplasmic flagella with a diameter of 20 nm were presented at each end of the SDS‐treated cells. Thin sections of the bacterial cell revealed a high‐density cytoplasmic membrane and flagella in the periplasmic space between the cytoplasmic membrane and the outer envelope. Three segments of equal length were observed in some of the cells, while other cells were bi‐segmented and more frequently observed.
ABSTRACT. Two of four weak β-hemolytic isolates of intestinal spirochetes isolated from pigs in Japan possessed a unique base alignment of TTTTTT on the 16S ribosomal DNA of Brachyspira pilosicoli and were identified as B. pilosicoli. The other two isolates were not identified by this technique. The identified isolates were 4.2 to 11 µm in length and 0.2 to 0.3 µm in diameter, 4 periplasmic flagella at each end were observed dominantly. The isolates were hippurate positive but indole negative. This is the first report on th e isolation of B. pilosicoli from pigs in Japan. KEY WORDS: Brachyspira pilosicoli, Japan, swine.
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