Fluorescent in situ hybridization targeting 16S ribosomal RNA was used for specific detection of the obligate intracellular bacterium Lawsonia intracellularis in enterocytes from pigs affected by proliferative enteropathy. A specific oligonucleotide probe was designed and the specificity of the probe was determined by simultaneous comparison with indirect immunofluorescence assay for detection of L. intracellularis in formalin-fixed tissue samples from 15 pigs affected by porcine proliferative enteropathy. We used 10 tissue samples from pigs without proliferative mucosal changes as negative controls. The results showed that the oligonucleotide probe is specific for L. intracellularis and that fluorescent in situ hybridization targeting ribosomal RNA is a suitable and fast method for specific detection and histological recognition of L. intracellularis in formalin-fixed tissue.