Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of Lawsonia intracellularis infections

Vet Pathol. 2014 Mar;51(2):465-77. doi: 10.1177/0300985813520249. Epub 2014 Jan 29.

Abstract

Proliferative enteropathy is an infectious disease caused by an obligate intracellular bacterium, Lawsonia intracellularis, and characterized by thickening of the intestinal epithelium due to enterocyte proliferation. The disease is endemic in swine herds and has been occasionally reported in various other species. Furthermore, outbreaks among foals began to be reported on breeding farms worldwide within the past 5 years. Cell proliferation is directly associated with bacterial infection and replication in the intestinal epithelium. As a result, mild to severe diarrhea is the major clinical sign described in infected animals. The dynamics of L. intracellularis infection in vitro and in vivo have been well characterized, but little is known about the genetic basis for the pathogenesis or ecology of this organism. The present review focuses on the recent advances regarding the pathogenesis and host-pathogen interaction of L. intracellularis infections.

Keywords: Lawsonia intracellularis; equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE); horses; obligate intracellular bacterium; pathogenesis; pigs; porcine proliferative enteropathy (PPE); proliferative enteropathy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Desulfovibrionaceae Infections / immunology
  • Desulfovibrionaceae Infections / microbiology
  • Desulfovibrionaceae Infections / pathology
  • Desulfovibrionaceae Infections / veterinary*
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Enterocytes
  • Genome, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Horse Diseases / immunology
  • Horse Diseases / microbiology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology*
  • Horses
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions*
  • Lawsonia Bacteria / genetics
  • Lawsonia Bacteria / pathogenicity*
  • Lawsonia Bacteria / physiology
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / immunology
  • Swine Diseases / microbiology
  • Swine Diseases / pathology*