Identification of Actinobacillus suis genes essential for the colonization of the upper respiratory tract of swine

Actinobacillus suis has emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen of high-health-status swine. A colonization challenge method was developed, and using PCR-based signature-tagged transposon mutagenesis, 13 genes belonging to 9 different functional classes were identified that were necessary for A. suis colonization of the upper respiratory tract of swine.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaOntario Ministry of Agriculture and Foo