The porcine pathogen Lawsonia intracellularis is an obligate intracellular bacteria which causes proliferative enteropathy in pigs, an etiology that took two decades to be unraveled. The bacteria has only been cultured in cells under special conditions and not in cell free media. A clear picture on the pathogenesis is yet to be seen. Many aspects of the biology, such as entry of the bacteria into the cells, variations in the progression of the disease (acute versus chronic forms), and aspects of the host response (proliferations) are yet to be clearly understood. Antibacterials were widely used to control this pathogen. However, with mandatory and voluntary restrictions on the use of antibacterials, the control of Lawsonia intracellularis infections has become challenging. Commercial oral live attenuated and inactivated par enteral vaccines help to mitigate the burden of infection but are insufficient in control programs. The knowledge gaps in the biology of the organism, host response and novel methods of infection control, such as pre and probiotics need to analyzed by the researchers in the domain.
Knowledge about the biology of Lawsonia intracellularis, and the pathogenesis caused by the infection is not clear and many aspects of the host response and disease progression have not been broached upon. Though antibacterials and vaccines have been used for almost two decades now, the pathogen remains a burden. A collaborative cross disciplinary analysis is required to understand the pathogen to formulate comprehensive control practices.
• Genomics of Lawsonia intracellularis
• Host response to Lawsonia intracellularis
• Immune response to Lawsonia intracellularis and vaccines
• Microbiome and Lawsonia intracellularis infection
• Antibacterials and resistance Lawsonia intracellularis
• Prebiotics and probiotics
• Econometrics of Lawsonia intracellularis infection
The porcine pathogen Lawsonia intracellularis is an obligate intracellular bacteria which causes proliferative enteropathy in pigs, an etiology that took two decades to be unraveled. The bacteria has only been cultured in cells under special conditions and not in cell free media. A clear picture on the pathogenesis is yet to be seen. Many aspects of the biology, such as entry of the bacteria into the cells, variations in the progression of the disease (acute versus chronic forms), and aspects of the host response (proliferations) are yet to be clearly understood. Antibacterials were widely used to control this pathogen. However, with mandatory and voluntary restrictions on the use of antibacterials, the control of Lawsonia intracellularis infections has become challenging. Commercial oral live attenuated and inactivated par enteral vaccines help to mitigate the burden of infection but are insufficient in control programs. The knowledge gaps in the biology of the organism, host response and novel methods of infection control, such as pre and probiotics need to analyzed by the researchers in the domain.
Knowledge about the biology of Lawsonia intracellularis, and the pathogenesis caused by the infection is not clear and many aspects of the host response and disease progression have not been broached upon. Though antibacterials and vaccines have been used for almost two decades now, the pathogen remains a burden. A collaborative cross disciplinary analysis is required to understand the pathogen to formulate comprehensive control practices.
• Genomics of Lawsonia intracellularis
• Host response to Lawsonia intracellularis
• Immune response to Lawsonia intracellularis and vaccines
• Microbiome and Lawsonia intracellularis infection
• Antibacterials and resistance Lawsonia intracellularis
• Prebiotics and probiotics
• Econometrics of Lawsonia intracellularis infection