Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Trueperella pyogenes isolated from ruminants

Trueperella pyogenes is an opportunistic pathogen that causes suppurative infections in animals including humans. Data on phenotypic and genotypic properties of T. pyogenes isolated from ruminants, particularly goats and sheep, are lacking. We characterized, by phenotypic and genotypic means, T. pyogenes of caprine and ovine origin, and established their phylogenetic relationship with isolates from other ruminants. T. pyogenes isolates (n = 50) from diagnostic specimens of bovine (n = 25), caprine (n = 19), and ovine (n = 6) origin were analyzed. Overall, variable biochemical activities were observed among the T. pyogenes isolates. The fimbriae-encoding gene, fimE, and neuraminidase-encoding gene, nanH, were, respectively, more frequently detected in the large (p = 0.0006) and small (p = 0.0001) ruminant isolates. Moreover, genotype V (plo/nanH/nanP/fimA/fimC) was only detected in the caprine and ovine isolates, whereas genotype IX (plo/nanP/fimA/fimC/fimE) was solely present in the isolates of bovine ori...