Abstract

We investigated the prevalence of spaA, spaB and spaC in 90 virulent or avirulentErysipelothrix strains. All Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae strains (n = 58) harboured eitherspaA or spaB, whereas all other sp.-2 (n = 3) strains harboured spaC. None of the other species, including Erysipelothrix tonsillarum (n = 25) and other sp.-1 (n = 2) and sp.-3 (n = 2), harboured spa-type genes. In mice, spa-type was not associated with virulence. In swine, erythema-eliciting strains were more prevalent in spaA-, spaB-, or spaC-positive groups than in spa-negative groups. Notably, strains eliciting systemic manifestations were found only in the spaA-positive group.

Key words: Erysipelothrix, spa type, swine, virulence.