VetBact

Phylum	Class	Order	Family	Genus	Species/Subspecies

Species/Subspecies:

Lawsonia intracellularis

Etymology:

Genus name: named after the Scottish veterinarian Gordon H.K. Lawson, who discovered the organism.
Species epithet: within the cell (intracellularly).

Significance:

A very common infection that is spread all over the world.
[Very important]

Taxonomy:

Phylum	Class	Order	Family	Genus
Proteobacteria	Deltaproteobacteria	Desulfovibroniales	Desulfovibrionaceae	Lawsonia

Type Strain:

1482/89 = NCTC 12656.

Macromorphology (smell):

Cannot be grown on solid media.

Micromorphology:

Rods (0.3-0.4 x 1.5-2.0 µm), which are usually curved (vibroid-shaped). Darting motility by means of one polar flagellum has been observed in certain preparations.

Gram +/Gram -:

G-

Metabolism:

Microaerophilic

Catalase/Oxidase:

Fermentation of carbohydrates:

Is not used for identification of Lawsonia spp. because it may be difficult to differentiate the metabolism between the bacterium and the host cell. Furthermore, many intracellular bacteria lack enzymes for carbohydrate metabolism because of evolutionary gene reduction.

Spec. Char.:

Optimal growth temperature: 35-37°C. Celldependent and can be co-cultivated with intestinal epithelial cells.

Hosts:

gris

Disease (Swedish):

Proliferativ enteropati.

Disease (English):

Ileitis

Clinical Picture:

Cement-like diarrhea and wasting.

Genome Sequence: