Serological survey of selected infectious diseases in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) from south-central Spain

Serum samples from 101 mouflons (Ovis aries musimon) collected from July 2002 to January 2006 were tested for antibodies against Anaplasma spp., Brucella spp., bovine viral diarrhea virus, Chlamydophila abortus, Coxiella burnetii, Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis, and Maedi-Visna virus. Mouflon came either from extensive farms or high ungulate density fenced hunting estates. Antibodies were detected against Anaplasma spp. (22.2%), C. burnetii (4.0%), M. avium ssp. paratuberculosis (1.0%) and C. abortus (1.0%). According to our results, mouflons could participate as a wild reservoir in the epidemiology of Anaplasma spp. infection and maybe Q fever, but they do not seem to contribute in the epidemiology of the rest of the studied infectious diseases in south-central Spain.     

Ten years-long survey on pathogen status of mouse and rat breeding colonies

Eleven pathogens including P. aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., E. coli O115a, c: K(B), P. pneumotropica, B. bronchiseptica, C. kutscheri, Tyzzer's organism, M. pulmonis, Sendai virus, MHV and Syphacia spp. were surveyed in 217 mouse and rat breeding colonies during 1972-1981. In conventional animals, P. pneumotropica and/or Syphacia spp. were detected in nearly 90% of 89 mouse and 64 rat colonies. Sendai virus, M. pulmonis, P. aeruginosa and MHV were positive in 51.7 to 23.6% of the colonies, and Tyzzer's organism, B. bronchiseptica and probably SDA virus were also detected in more than 10% of the rat colonies. Salmonella spp., E. coli O115a, c: K(B) and C. kutscheri were found in a few colonies. In SPF animals, P. aeruginosa was isolated from about one third of 33 mouse and 31 rat colonies, and P. aeruginosa was isolated from about one third of 33 mouse and 31 rat colonies, and P. pneumotropica was also positive in 3 rat colonies. Infection rates of P. pneumotropica, M. pulmonis, Sendai virus and Syphacia spp. were usually higher than 40% of animals sampled from colonies contaminated with them. Accidental contaminations of SPF colonies were usually caused by P. pneumotropica and Syphacia spp.     

Vector relationships and other characteristics of barley yellow striate mosaic virus (BYSMV)

Barley yellow striate mosaic virus (BYSMV) was inoculated by its planthopper vector Laodelphax striatellus (Homoptera, Delphacidae) to 44 species of Gramineae, 26 of which in eight tribes were infected. The virus was not transmitted through wheat seed nor did it infect five dicotyledonous hosts of other rhabdoviruses. The most susceptible species were in the tribes Festuceae and Hordeae. Barley, Bromus spp., oats, Phalaris canariensis, Setaria italica, Sorghum spp., and sweet corn cv. Golden were diagnostic hosts. Electron microscopy of crude sap was also a sensitive diagnostic method. Properties of BYSMV were determined by injecting L. striatellus with crude sap from infected barley. Sap was infectious after 10 min at 50–55 °C but not after 10 min at 60 °C, when diluted with buffer to 10^--² but not to 10^--³, when stored for 2 but not 4 days at 5 °C or when kept for 1 but not 2 days at 22 °C. The planthopper Javesella pellucida was an experimental vector of BYSMV but the virus was not transmitted by the leafhoppers Macrosteles sexnotatus or Psammotettix striatus (Homoptera, Cicadellidae). The latent period of BYSMV in L. striatellus was most commonly 15 or 16 days (minimum, 9 days; maximum, 29 days). The minimum acquisition access period for transmission was between 1 h and 5 h, and the minimum inoculation feeding time was 15 min. After 24 h and 8 day acquisition feeds, 30.4% and 42.8% respectively of L. striatellus transmitted BYSMV. When transferred daily, infective hoppers transmitted virus intermittently. The maximum retention of infectivity by L. striatellus was 36 days. Two of five infective females transmitted BYSMV transovarially. Larvae became infective in the second wk after hatching and transmitted for up to 3 wk.     

Complement-requiring neutralizing antibody in guinea pigs with primary and recurrent genital herpes

Guinea pigs inoculated intravaginally with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) strain 1868 produced a serum complement-requiring neutralizing (CRN) antibody during primary acute infection, i.e., 10 days postinoculation. The CRN antibody titers in the guinea pig sera decreased to less than 1:10 after heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min. It was found that 32 units of complement were necessary to obtain a satisfactory HSV-2 neutralizing antibody titer. Nonheated sera significantly reduced virus infectivity titers when mixed with 3.5 log10 PFU of HSV-2 and incubated at 37 degrees C for 20 to 60 min (P less than 0.001), whereas the same sera after heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min showed no inhibitory effect. Only 27.3% of infected guinea pigs had low serum non-CRN antibody titers ranging from 1:20 to 1:40. In addition, no evidence of increase in CRN antibody titers was noted during spontaneous recurrent genital herpes infection.     

Characterization of the oncornavirus particles in the plasma of guinea pigs with L2C leukemia.

The inoculation of L2C guinea pig leukemia cells into strain 2 guinea pigs results in the death of the animals within 12 to 15 days. Death is preceded by the simultaneous appearance in the plasma of (i) elevated leukocyte levels, (ii) extracellular virus particles, and (iii) a particle-associated RNA-directed DNA polymerase. This enzyme activity has a cation preference identical to that of the type B bromodeoxyuridine-induced guinea pig virus, i.e., an Mg2+ optimum at 20 mM and no activity using Mn2+. Competitive molecular hybridization studies also revealed that the plasma of leukemic guinea pigs contained approximately 2 X 10(9) genome equivalents per ml of an RNA that is homologous to the RNA of the bromodeoxyuridine-induced guinea pig virus. Morphological observations indicate that most, but not all, of the extracellular particles observed in leukemia plasma are derived from the intracisternal particles seen in the L2C tumor cells. The possibilities that either two viral populations are present or that the in vivo morphogenesis of the type B bromodexoyuridine-inducible guinea pig virus is markedly different from its in vitro morphogenesis are discussed.     

A trial designed to obtain a specific pathogen free Syrian hamster colony by administration of chemicals]

Conventional Syrian hamsters, contaminated with Giardia spp., Spironucleus muris, Trichomonas spp., Pasteurella pneumotropica and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were treated with chemicals in order to obtain specific pathogen free animals. Hamsters kept in the laminar flow rack were treated orally with metronidazole several times to obtain a flagellate-free colony. After all flagellates had been eradicated, one pair of animals were kept in an isolator and mating was allowed to occur. When their offspring reached the age of seven weeks, they were intramuscularly injected daily with netilmicin sulfate for 10 consecutive days. Following these treatments, all of the hamsters were free of Pasteurella and Pseudomonas. Further breeding of these animals was continued in isolators. To confirm the absence of selected pathogens, they were placed in a barrier room for further breeding as specific pathogen free animals.     

Genetic diversity of tick-borne pathogenes in Tomsk and environs

Two urban and two suburban biotopes of Tomsk were studied for tick-transmitted disease prevalence in ticks collected in the wild. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus (WNV), Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Ehrlichia spp. were found in 6.5%, 2.2%, 8%, 2.5%, and 1.7% of tick specimens, respectively. Genetic markers of Powassan virus, Bartonella spp., and Babesia spp. were not found. Analysis of the genetic diversity of revealed pathogens demonstrated that TBEV strains belonged to the Siberian and Far-Eastern subtypes, and the Far-Eastern subtype of TBEV is most frequently found in urban biotopes (up to 43% of urban strains of TBEV). WNV strains belonged to the 1a genotype. Borrelia spp. was classified as B. garinii, Rickettsia spp. was classified as R. tarasevichiae and probably as a new Rickettsia raoultii subspecies, and Ehrlichia spp. was classified as E. muris. The coexistence of several pathogens was found in 5.7% of tick specimens, and TBEV + Borrelia spp. was the most frequent combination.     

A survey of outdoor and indoor airborne fungal spora in the Redemption City, Ogun State, south-western Nigeria

The concentration and biodiversity of airborne fungi of the Redemption City, an immense campground for Christian faithful and the temporary site of the Redeemer’s University in south-western Nigeria, was studied between February and May 2011 using the culture plate method. The study was undertaken to assess the concentrations of fungal spores and their health implication in this ever-busy environment. Fifteen different sites classified as closed or open were selected. During the experiment, a total of 228 colonies were counted, and 29 fungal species belonging to 26 genera were isolated which include the following: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Bipolaris spp., Chrysosporium spp., Cladosporium spp., Coniothyrium corda, Curvularia spp., Diplodia spp., Fusarium spp., Gliocladium spp., Monilia spp., Mucor spp., Mucor plumbeus, Penicillium spp., Phycomyces spp., Phytophthora spp., Pilobolus spp., Pyrenochaeta spp., Rhizopus stolonifer, Torula spp., Trichoderma spp. and Trichophyton spp. The most frequently occurring fungi were A. niger, C. corda and M. plumbeus, while the least recorded were Torula and Trichophyton species. Majority of the fungi isolated are known allergens; they could also be opportunistic causing various diseases in man. There is therefore a dire need for good sanitation practices within the studied areas of the camp.     

Serologic survey for selected microbial pathogens in bison from Kansas.

A serologic survey was conducted on an American bison (Bison bison) herd in Kansas for antibodies against Brucella spp., Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola, pomona, grippotyphosa, icterohaemorrhagiae, and hardjo, Anaplasma spp., bluetongue virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and bovine viral diarrhea virus. There was an increase in prevalence of bluetongue antibodies from 38% in 1987 to 100% in 1989 in animals greater than or equal to 24-mo-old. Prevalences of antibodies against the other livestock pathogens were either negative or at levels associated with previous vaccination.     

Evaluation of industrial yeasts for pathogenicity.

Eleven yeasts representative of species of industrial interest were compared with Candida albicans for their potential pathogenicity for untreated and cortisone-treated mice. Only C. tropicalis produced a progressive infection similar to that produced by C. albicans. Candida lipolytica, Torulopsis spp., and Hansenula polymorpha were not recovered from mice 6 days after inoculation. Kluyveromyces fragilis, C. pseudotropicalis, C. utilis, C. guilliermondii and C. maltosa were recovered from mice but did not produce evidence of infection.     

悬铃木方翅网蝽与红带网纹蓟马的竞争关系研究

【背景】悬铃木方翅网蝽是仅危害悬铃木的外来入侵物种,而红带网纹蓟马寄主广泛,可吸食悬铃木叶片汁液,2个物种客观上发生了竞争关系。【方法】以悬铃木方翅网蝽与红带网纹蓟马共同发生的悬铃木种植街区为研究地点,每10d调查15根悬铃木枝条,记录各枝条各叶片上2个物种的数量,进而评价悬铃木方翅网蝽入侵对红带网纹蓟马的竞争排斥能力。【结果】悬铃木方翅网蝽在整个调查期间的种群数量明显高于红带网纹蓟马;悬铃木方翅网蝽在悬铃木上的时间生态位宽度和重叠指数均大于红带网纹蓟马,两者的时间生态位竞争系数达0.7022,明显高于对悬铃木枝条和叶片的竞争强度;悬铃木方翅网蝽和红带网纹蓟马对悬铃木枝条和叶片的竞争强度较低,且具有阶段性,空间竞争主要发生在6月中旬至7月下旬的2个种群发生高峰期;悬铃木方翅网蝽与红带网纹蓟马在悬铃木上的繁殖生态位出现了明显的时间分化,红带网纹蓟马仅秋季世代产卵于悬铃木叶片上,而悬铃木方翅网蝽所有世代均产卵于悬铃木叶上,但2个物种在悬铃木上共同繁殖期间,红带网纹蓟马选择产卵的枝条和叶片均有悬铃木方翅网蝽产卵,表明2个物种对产卵枝条和叶片具有相似的空间需求。【结论与意义】悬铃木方翅网蝽与红带网纹蓟马在悬铃木上整体的时空生态位竞争强度较弱,且2个物种的营养生态位差异较大;悬铃木方翅网蝽的入侵对红带网纹蓟马的生存和种群发展无明显影响。     

Cyclic dipeptides from lactic acid bacteria inhibit proliferation of the influenza a virus

We isolated Lactobacillus plantarum LBP-K10 from the traditional Korean fermented food kimchi. When organic acids were removed, the culture filtrate of this isolate showed high antiviral activity (measured using a plaque-forming assay) against the influenza A (H3N2) virus. Two fractions that were active against influenza A virus were purified from the culture filtrate using a C18 column with high-performance liquid chromatography. These active fractions were crystallized and identified to be the cyclic dipeptides cis-cyclo (l-Leu-l-Pro) and cis-cyclo(l-Phe-l-Pro) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; this identification was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. These cyclic dipeptides were identified in the culture filtrate of other lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacillus spp., Leuconostoc spp., Weissella spp., and Lactococcus lactis.     

Tick-borne infections as a cause of heart transplantation

Many bacterial species can be a cause of various heart diseases, such as: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii and Bartonella spp. The aim of the present studies was to establish if any tick-borne infections can contribute to serious heart disorders resulting in the need for heart transplantation. Myocardium, aortic and mitral valve samples from hearts removed from patients undergoing heart transplantation were tested. The presence of Bartonella spp., Borrelia afzeli and C. burnetii bacteria in malfunctioning human hearts has been shown. DNA of Bartonella spp., B. burgdorferi and C. burnetii were detected in various parts of tested hearts. DNA of B. afzelii and Bartonella spp. were found in the aortic valves. DNA of C. burnetii was detected in the myocardium. Mixed infections with Bartonella spp. and C. burnetii were also observed. Obtained results indicate that diagnosis of Bartonella spp., B. burgdorferi C. burnetii and Rickettsia spp. infections should be considered in cases of infectious endocarditis with negative blood cultures.     

Insects feeding on desert bighorn sheep, domestic rabbits, and Japanese quail in the Santa Rosa mountains of southern California.

Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis cremnobates), a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were used as bait animals to collect blood-feeding flies in an area of active blue-tongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus transmission. Precipitin tests were used to confirm the blood source where feasible. Eight species of Culicoides, members of the Leptoconops kerteszi group, Simulium spp., Anopheles franciscanus, and Stomoxys calcitrans were collected from the bighorn sheep. Feeding on the bighorn sheep by Culicoides brookmani (n = 25), C. variipennis (n = 6), C. cacticola (n = 1), and Simulium spp. (n = 3) was confirmed by precipitin testing. Primary species attacking the rabbit were C. brookmani, C. variipennis, and the L. kerteszi group. The quail were attacked primarily by members of the C. copiosus group and the L. kerteszi group.     

Decay of Sclerotia of Botrytis cinerea by Trichoderma spp. at Low Temperatures

In vitro, tests were conducted at 10°C and 5°C against sclerotia of Botrytis cinerea with 58 isolates of Trichoderma spp., highly antagonistic at 24°C but differing in their cold tolerance. Some isolates macerated and colonized sclerotia even at 5 °C. With 19 isolates of Trichoderma spp. less than 10 % of the sclerotia remained viable after 42 d at 5 °C. Conidia ol some Trichoderma spp. germinated at 5 °C within a few days and reached germination rates higher than 80 %. It seems to be feasible to use selected isolates of Trichoderma spp. for biological control of sclerotia of ß. cinerea also during the colder season.     

Fungal survival in ensiled swine faeces

The survival of several genera of fungi was determined in the ensiled solid fraction of swine faeces after 0, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days of ensiling. The experiment had two treatments, un-ensiled and ensiled manure, in a split-plot design. The manure was distributed into 50 containers; samples, taken at the specified times, were cultured in agar potato dextrose medium, incubated, and colony forming units (CFU/g) were counted and log-transformed. The ensiling process decreased the number of CFU after 56 days. Five fungal genera were identified (Absidia spp., Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Rhizopus spp. and non-fructiferous fungi), and their vulnerability to the ensiling conditions varied, although most of them slowed their growth or disappeared after 14 days of ensiling.     

A survey of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Salmonella spp., Bordetella bronchiseptica and Sendai virus in guinea pig colonies in Japan

S. pneumoniae, S. zooepidemicus, Salmonella spp., B. bronchiseptica and Sendai virus were examined in a total of 45 guinea pig colonies (17 institutional and 28 breeder's colonies) of Hartley strain, and found to be positive in 6, 3, 5, 20 and 14 colonies, respectively. Sendai virus was highly prevalent among guinea pigs, showing so high rates positive as 80 to 100% of animals obtained from 11 of the 14 contaminated colonies. B. bronchiseptica was also shown to be prevalent within contaminated colonies by indication of rates positive more than 40% of animals examined in 14 of the 20 colonies. Infection rates of other 3 pathogens, however, ranged from lower than 20% to higher than 80% according to colonies. All strains of Salmonella isolated in this survey were identified as S. typhimurium and those of S. pneumoniae as serotype 19F.     

Experimental Infections of Dogs with Type C Influenza Virus

A study was performed to determine if type C influenza infection could be established in dogs as a model for human cases. Mongrel dogs were infected with the Ann Arbor/1/50 strain of type C influenza virus and were examined for clinical symptoms, virus isolation and antibody response. After the first exposure to the virus, all infected animals developed nasal discharge and some of them also showed swelling of the eyelids, and suffusion of the eyes with tears and eye mucus, within 1 to 4 days. The animals showed an increase in hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) serum antibody, and recovery of the agent from the nasal swabs was successful. The symptoms lasted for as long as 10 days in most infected dogs, which was comparable to our human cases reported previously (Katagiri, S., Ohizumi, A., and Homma, M. 1983. J. Infect. Dis. 48 : 51–56). After the second and third virus exposures at intervals of 50 days, all animals developed the same symptoms as those described above and the rise in antibody titer was evident. The virus could be recovered from four of the six dogs 2 to 5 days after the second exposure and from one dog as late as 10 days after the third exposure. Increases in antibody titer in the IgM fraction were observed after every infection. In control dogs which were mock-infected with UV-inactivated virus, no symptoms were evident and recovery of the virus was not successful although an increase in HI serum antibody titer was seen. These results show that mongrel dogs are sensitive to type C influenza virus and that repeated infections characteristic of human influenza C can be experimentally produced in dogs.     

Impact of infections and normal flora in nonhuman primates on drug development

Preclinical safety studies that are required for the marketing approval of a pharmaceutical include single and repeat dose studies in rodent and nonrodent species. The use of nonhuman primates (NHPs), primarily macaques, as the nonrodent species has increased in recent years, in part due to the increase in development of biopharmaceuticals and immunomodulatory agents. Depending on the source of the macaques, they may vary in genetic background, normal flora, and/or the incidence of preexisting pathogens and inflammatory conditions. As the use of alternative sources of macaques rises to meet the increased demand for these animals in biomedical research, the toxicologic pathologist should be well versed in NHP pathology to adequately assess potential drug-related effects in the context of these variations. Such knowledge is particularly important in studies involving immunomodulatory drugs as the toxicologic pathologist should anticipate which type(s) of infections are most likely to arise depending on which arm of the immune system is modulated. The purpose of this review is to discuss the immunosuppressive (e.g., simian type D retrovirus, simian immunodeficiency virus) and opportunistic viruses (e.g., cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, simian virus 40, rhesus rhadinovirus, and lymphocryptovirus), primary and opportunistic bacteria (e.g., Campylobacter spp., Shigella flexneri, Yersinia enterocolitica, Moraxella catarrhalis, Mycobacterium avium complex, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli), and parasites (e.g., Plasmodium spp., Schistosoma spp., Strongyloides fulleborni) that have had the most profound impact on the interpretation of drug safety studies and/or that may reemerge as alternative sources of NHPs are used for drug safety studies.