Related Experiment Videos
Observations on colonial phenotypic variation in Bordetella avium
M W Jackwood1, D A Hilt, P A Dunn
1Department of Avian Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30605.
Avian Diseases
|July 1, 1991
Summary
Bordetella avium exhibits two distinct colony forms: smooth and rough. Smooth colonies are associated with turkey respiratory tract colonization and disease, while rough colonies are non-motile.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
Background:
- Bordetella avium is an important avian pathogen.
- Understanding bacterial morphology is crucial for predicting virulence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the colonial morphology of Bordetella avium.
- To correlate colonial morphology with bacterial traits and pathogenicity.
Main Methods:
- Culturing Bordetella avium isolates on various media.
- Assessing colonial morphology (smooth vs. rough).
- Evaluating motility, environmental stability, and pathogenicity in turkeys.
Main Results:
- Two distinct colonial morphologies, smooth and rough, were identified.
- Smooth colonies were motile and colonized the turkey respiratory tract, causing disease.
- Rough colonies were non-motile and did not colonize.
Conclusions:
- Bordetella avium colonial morphology is a reversible trait.
- Smooth colonial morphology is linked to virulence and colonization in turkeys.