Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
| Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae | |
|---|---|
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| Cellular and colonial morphology of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Firmicutes |
| Class: | Erysipelotrichi |
| Order: | Erysipelotrichales |
| Family: | Erysipelotrichidae |
| Genus: | Erysipelothrix |
| Species: | E. rhusiopathiae |
| Binomial name | |
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Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Migula, 1900 |
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Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a Gram-positive, catalase-negative, rod-shaped, nonspore-forming, nonacid-fast, nonmotile bacterium. The organism was first established as a human pathogen late in the 19th century. It may be isolated from soil, food scraps, and water contaminated by infected animals. It can survive in soil for several weeks. In pig faeces, the survival period of this bacterium ranges from 1 to 5 months. It grows aerobically and anaerobically and does not contain endotoxin. Distributed worldwide, E. rhusiopathiae is primarily considered an animal pathogen, causing a disease known as erysipelas in animals (and erysipeloid in humans – see below). Turkeys and pigs are most commonly affected, but cases have been reported in other birds, sheep, fish, and reptiles. In pigs, the disease is known as "diamond skin disease". The human disease called erysipelas is not caused by E. rhusiopathiae, but by various members of the genus .
It is most frequently associated as an occupational disease of butchers.
Erysipeloid is transmitted by several animals, particularly pigs, in which the disease (very common in the past) has several names (swine erysipelas in English, rouget du porc in French and mal rossino in Italian). Urticaria-like lesions, arthralgia, arthritis, endocarditis, and sepsis are the most characteristic features of swine erysipelas. Other animals that can transmit the infection are sheep, rabbits, chickens, turkeys, ducks, emus, scorpion fish, and lobsters. Erysipeloid is an occupational disease, mainly found in animal breeders, veterinarians, slaughterhouse workers, furriers, butchers, fishermen, fishmongers, housewives, cooks, and grocers. One epidemic of erysipeloid was described in workers involved in manufacturing buttons from animal bone. The disease is of economic importance to the pig industries of North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Traditionally, culture methods for the isolation of E. rhusiopathiae involve the use of selective and enrichment media. Commercially available blood culture media are satisfactory for primary isolation from blood, since E. rhusiopathiae is not particularly fastidious. A number of selective media for the isolation of Erysipelothrix have been described, also. A commonly used medium is Erysipelothrix selective broth (ESB), a nutrient broth containing serum, tryptose, kanamycin, neomycin, and vancomycin . Modified blood azide medium (MBA) is a selective agar containing sodium azide and horse blood or serum. Packer’s medium is a selective medium for grossly contaminated specimens, which contains sodium azide and crystal violet. Bohm’s medium uses sodium azide, kanamycin, phenol, and water blue. Shimoji’s selective enrichment broth contains tryptic soy broth, Tween 80, tris-aminomethane, crystal violet, and sodium azide.
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