title: Earthworms (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae) and mycobacteria.
abstract: The objective of the study was to define the role of earthworms in the survival of mycobacteria in animal populations. In 13 sampling sites mycobacteria were detected in 53 (5.5%) samples of faeces and parenchymatous tissues from animals, in 25 (7.3%) environmental and in nine (8.2%) earthworm samples. In cattle and goat farms affected by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) of IS900 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) type B-C1 was isolated from 37 (4.6%) faecal samples, three (1.4%) environmental and one (3.1%) earthworm sample. Investigations of aviaries affected by avian tuberculosis detected M. avium of genotype IS901+ and IS1245+ in six (7.9%) bird's faecal and in four (4.4%) environmental samples. M. avium (genotype IS901- and IS1245+) was detected in four (4.4%) and M. abscessus in one (1.1%) environmental sample. M. avium of genotype IS901- and IS1245+ and M. gastri were isolated from three (6.4%) earthworm samples. In pig farm with mycobacteriosis M. avium of genotype IS901- and IS1245+ was detected in five (20.0%) faecal samples from pigs and in four (12.9%) environmental samples. M. scrofulaceum was isolated in one (4.6%) sample of Lumbricus rubellus. In laboratory experiments identical RFLP types of M. paratuberculosis were isolated from bodies and faeces of earthworms 1-2 days after the last contact with the faeces contaminated with the same RFLP type of M. paratuberculosis. The results suggest that earthworms may become vectors of mycobacteria.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 62132 Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Matlova
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartl
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dvorska
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Svastova
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: du Maine
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melicharek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pavlik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D001717:Birds; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D006041:Goats; D016927:Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000382:microbiology*; D010283:Paratuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission