Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) of nonsalmonids

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a viscerotropic disease of fish that can cause enormous losses in European rainbow trout populations. Although previously thought to be species specific, recent reports have indicated that other nonsalmonid fish species, such as pike, whitefish, grayling, turbot, and herring, can become mortally infected with VHS. This paper reviews several cases of natural VHS-outbreaks in nonsalmonids. Pike, whitefish, grayling, turbot and Pacific herring infected with VHS displayed symptoms typical of hemorrhagic septicemia. The isolation and serological identification of the viruses from all of the infected fish species revealed a close relation to the Egtved-virus strain F1. The virus isolates from diseased pike and rainbow trout were capable of infecting their respective host fish. Experimental infections of pike, whitefish, and grayling fry with Egtved virus strain F1 resulted in high mortalities, with symptoms typical of VHS. Although experiments with older fish suggested an age-dependent decrease in susceptibility, the virus could be isolated from most of the infected fish after several months of experimental infection (carrier status). Histological and electron microscopical findings were comparable to those seen in VHS-infected rainbow trout. The susceptibility of nonsalmonid species to VHS infection is disconcerting with respect to the potential losses of the economically important turbot, Pacific herring, and whitefish, as well as the ecologically valuable grayling which is threatened by extinction. If the VHS susceptible nonsalmonid species can also support the propagation of the Egtved-virus, it could acquire carrier-status and, as a result, represent a “natural” reservoir for the virus.     

Rainbow trout surviving infections of viral haemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) show lasting antibodies to recombinant G protein fragments

Rainbow trout antibodies (Abs) binding to recombinant fragments (frgs) derived from the protein G of the viral haemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV)-07.71 strain, could be detected by ELISA (frg-ELISA) in sera from trout surviving laboratory-controlled infections. Abs were detected not only by using sera from trout infected with the homologous VHSV isolate but also with the VHSV-DK-201433 heterologous isolate, which had 13 amino acid changes. Sera from healthy trout and/or from trout surviving infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) infection, were used to calculate cut-off absorbances to differentiate negative from positive sera. Specific anti-VHSV Abs could then be detected by using any of the following frgs: frg11 (56-110), frg15 (65-250), frg16 (252-450) or G21-465. While high correlations were found among the ELISA values obtained with the different frgs, no correlations between any frg-ELISA and complement-dependent 50% plaque neutralization test (PNT) titres could be demonstrated. Between 4 and 10 weeks after VHSV infection, more trout sera were detected as positives by using heterologous frg-ELISA rather than homologous PNT. Furthermore, the percentage of positive sera detected by frg11-ELISA increased with time after infection to reach 100%, while those detected by complement-dependent PNT decreased to 29.4%, thus confirming that the lack of neutralizing Abs does not mean the lack of any anti-VHSV Abs in survivor trout sera. Preliminary results with sera from field samples suggest that further refinements of the frg-ELISA could allow detection of anti-VHSV trout Abs in natural outbreaks caused by different heterologous VHSV isolates. The homologous frg-ELISA method could be useful to follow G immunization attempts during vaccine development and/or to best understand the fish Ab response during VHSV infections. The viral frgs approach might also be used with other fish species and/or viruses.     

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Techniques for Demonstration of Trout Viruses and Corresponding Antibody

Two variations of the indirect fluorescent antibody technique (FAT) have been utilized in the work concerning two important virus diseases of trout, viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN). A “two layer” indirect FAT allowed demonstration of the respective viruses in cell cultures and a “three layer” indirect FAT allowed demonstration of trout antibody to the viruses. Antibody, by means of the latter technique, could be demonstrated only in artificially immunized trout.     

Detection of rainbow trout antibodies against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) by neutralisation test is highly dependent on the virus isolate used

Three serological tests, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 50% plaque neutralisation test (50%PNT) and Western blotting (WB), were used to detect antibodies against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) in 50 rainbow trout broodstock from a rainbow trout farm endemically infected with VHS but with no clinical signs of infection. When the sera were examined by 50%PNT using the VHSV reference isolate DK-F1 or the heat attenuated DK-F25 mutant strain, no neutralizing antibodies were found. In contrast, when one of the virus isolates from the farm (homologous virus) was used in the 50%PNT, 90% of the fish were found to be positive. By examining a panel of different VHSV isolates in 50%PNT, it was demonstrated that the virus isolate used as test antigen could significantly affect the sensitivity and titre determination in 50%PNT for detection of rainbow trout antibodies against VHSV. When the sera were examined for the presence of VHSV antibodies by ELISA or WB, 61% were found to be positive. When conducting WB analysis, the viral glycoprotein was the protein most frequently recognized, followed by the viral nucleoprotein.     

Genotyping and pathogenicity of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus from free-living turbot (Psetta maxima) in a Turkish coastal area of the Black Sea

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is one of the most serious fish viral diseases for cultured rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), although VHS virus (VHSV) seems to be ubiquitous among marine fishes. In the present study, VHSV isolation was performed with free-living and cultured turbot (Psetta maxima) in the Trabzon coastal area of the Black Sea to evaluate participation of VHSV in mass mortalities of seed-produced turbot larvae. VHSV was detected in 14 of 66 free-living spawners (positive ratio, 21.2%), 1 of 65 free-living immature fish (1.5%) and 7 of 40 cultured brood stock (17.5%), respectively. Based on a partial glycoprotein gene nucleotide sequence, Turkish VHSV isolates were classified into the class I-e of genotype I and were the most closely related to the GE-1.2 isolate (>98% identity), which was found >20 years ago in Georgia. Thus, it was revealed that Turkish VHSV isolates were not introduced from European countries, it could be an indigenous type of VHSV distributing in the Black Sea environment. In pathogenicity tests, the Turkish isolates did not induce mortality in turbot larvae and rainbow trout fingerlings. Mass mortalities at a rate of approximately 90% occurred in turbot larvae produced by experimental seeding, although VHSV was not detected in any dead fish. Thus, it was concluded that mass mortality in the seed-produced turbot larvae was not caused by VHSV infection.     

Rainbow trout offspring with different resistance to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia

To study immunological and immunogenetical parameters related to resistance against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS), attempts to make gynogenetic strains of rainbow trout selected for high and low resistance to VHS were initiated in 1988. The first gynogenetic generation of inbreeding resulted in the more resistant offspring E8 and the low resistance offspring K3; the K3 offspring having the same high mortality as the susceptible reference strain of outbred trout in infection trials. A second gynogenetic generation derived from the E8 strain resulted in some low resistance offspring, and two gynogenetic families in which all, or nearly all, fish survived challenge with VHS virus. In this study, an attempt to associate the distribution of different MHC class II genotypes with low and high resistance gynogenetic offspring was performed. Two different MHC haplotypes could be distinguished, and in both low and high resistance families all three genotypes were found, which could be explained by the fact that the mother fish carried the heterozygous genotype. Although no significant differences in MHC II genotypes were found between the high and low resistance offspring, a significantly different distribution of haplotypes in the low resistance offspring was observed, that could not be explained by a one- or two-locus model.     

DNA vaccination against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) in rainbow trout: size,dose, route of injection and duration of protection-early protection correlates with Mx expression

Rainbow trout of different sizes (10 and 100g) were injected intramuscularly (i.m.) or intraperitoneally (i.p.) with different doses (range 10 ng-10 microg) of a viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS)-DNA vaccine (pcDNA3vhsG). As controls, fish were injected with the pcDNA3 plasmid alone, or with inactivated VHS virus. Fish were challenged at different times post-vaccination (p.v.) to assess protection. At certain times p.v., serum samples were analysed for neutralising antibody and liver tissue was analysed for Mx mRNA expression. A DNA dose of 0.5 microg injected by the i.m. route induced protection in fish of all sizes in challenges performed either 1 or 4 weeks p.v. This dose also conferred effective protection up to 9 months p.v. in fish >100 g. With lower doses of DNA (0.1 and 0.01 microg) and challenge at 4 weeks p.v., 10 g fish were partially protected but protection was not observed in 100 g fish. Vaccination by the i.p. route induced no or lower levels of protection compared with the i.m. route. Fish vaccinated with 0.5 microg DNA i.m. had no detectable serum neutralising antibody (NAb) at 4 weeks p.v. (with the exception of a single 10 g fish) but antibody was detected at 8 weeks and 6 months p.v. but not at 9 months p.v. However, cohorts of these fish showed effective protection at all timepoints. Lack of detectable levels of NAb (at 9 weeks p.v.) despite partial protection in challenge at 4 weeks p.v. was also observed with 0.01 microg doses of DNA i.m. NAb was detected in sera of fish at 8 weeks after vaccination with 0.1 microg i.m. but not in fish vaccinated with doses of 0.01-0.5 microg i.p. Early protection (1 week p.v.) correlated with elevated Mx gene expression.     

Kinetics of Mx expression in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) parr in response to VHS-DNA vaccination

The duration of the Mx mRNA response to an intramuscular injection of the viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) glycoprotein (G) gene DNA vaccine as well as to the control plasmid was determined in rainbow trout at 14 degrees C over a period of 11 weeks. The Mx response was detectable on day 7, peaked on day 14 and returned to pretreatment levels on day 21 and thereafter. No increase in Mx expression was detectable to the control plasmid. In further experiments, the kinetics of the Mx response were compared in rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon parr kept at 10 degrees C and injected with the DNA vaccine or the synthetic double-stranded RNA, poly I:C. In both species there was a rapid response to poly I:C detectable from day 1, reaching maximum from days 3 to 9 and decreasing to background level by day 12. The peak level and return to background was reached slightly later in salmon. In both species the response to the VHS/DNA vaccine was slower to begin, not being detectable on days 1 and 3, but elevated levels were found on day 6. However, in the salmon parr, the peak level was on day 6 and the signal disappeared by day 12, while in the rainbow trout, the response peaked at day 12 and lasted until day 21. The kinetics of the Mx response to the VHS/DNA vaccine in rainbow trout correlate with the early non-specific protection against VHS in this species following vaccination. It is speculated that the more transient Mx response in Atlantic salmon parr to the DNA vaccine may be related to the innate resistance of salmon to VHS.     

Bacterial kidney disease as a model for studies of cell mediated immunity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

A cell mediated immune (CMI) response was measured in vitro to heat-killed and to paraformaldehyde fixed Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) experimentally challenged with live Rs. The mitogenic response to the T lymphocyte mitogen Concanavalin A (Con A) was reduced during samplings 4 to 6 weeks after immersion, but no effect of the response to the B lymphocyte mitogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was detected. The subpopulation of lymphocytes, detected by the monoclonal antibody 1C2, was decreased from the 4th week to the 5th week of infection, and remained at the decreased level up to 10 weeks post immersion. The proportion of Immunoglobulin (Ig) bearing lymphocytes was not affected during the Rs infection period. The humoral antibody level to heat-stable Rs-antigens was increased up to 10 weeks after immersion but after 27 weeks was reduced to a level similar to that of the non-challenged fish. An anamnestic response was demonstrated in challenged fish, as intraperitoneal injection of heat-treated Rs bacteria into Rs challenged fish elicited a stronger humoral antibody response compared with injection into non-challenged fish.     

Immunity to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) following DNA vaccination of rainbow trout at an early life-stage

Rainbow trout fry of average weight 0.5 g were vaccinated against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) by intramuscular injection of 1 microg of plasmid DNA encoding the VHS virus glycoprotein gene. Challenge with a lethal dose of virus at two different time points, 9 and 71 days post-vaccination respectively, revealed that a highly protective and lasting immunity was established shortly after vaccination, in accordance with earlier experiments with larger fish. The defence mechanisms activated by the DNA vaccine are thus functional at an early life-stage in rainbow trout.     

The serodiagnosis of Campylobacter infection in infant cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) 2 to 18 weeks old by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

We established the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies to Campylobacter and applied it in defining the period of the primary infection of Campylobacter in infant cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). The antibody to Campylobacter spp. could be detected with only 0.25 mul of serum by using commercially available antigens and anti-cynomolgus monkey IgG antibody conjugated with alkaline phosphatase. The inhibition experiments using extracts of C. jejuni, C. fetus and Yersinia enterocolitica demonstrated that the established ELISA system could detect species-specific anti-C. jejuni and anti-C. fetus antibodies. The levels of antibodies to both C. jejuni and C. fetus were high in 2 weeks old infant cynomolgus monkeys, rapidly decreasing until 6 to 14 weeks of age. This result indicates that the antibodies detected in 2 week old infants were IgG antibodies of maternal origin transferred through placenta. The C. jejuni was isolated from infants when the level of maternal antibody became the lowest. Infant cynomolgus monkeys obviously developed IgG antibodies to C. jejuni within 4 weeks after infection. On the other hand, no antibody response to C. jejuni was found in two infants from which it could not be isolated throughout the observation period. As regards C. fetus infection, infants showed a poor antibody response although it was more frequently isolated than C. jejuni. In conclusion, the ELISA system established in the present study is useful for the serological diagnosis of C. jejuni infection during infancy in the cynomolgus monkey.     

Comparative sensitivities of diagnostic procedures used to detect bacterial kidney disease in salmonid fishes

Kidney and spleen homogenates from each of 60 coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) were examined for detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum. The proportions of positives differed widely with the detection procedures used: in coho salmon, 5% were positive by the Gram-stain procedure, 10% by the direct fluorescent antibody test, 48% by bacteriological isolation, 65% by staphylococcal coagglutination, and 73% by counterimmunoelectrophoresis; in steelhead trout, 3% were positive by Gram-stain, 8.3% by fluorescent antibody, 17% by bacteriological isolation, and 67% by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. Renibacterium salmoninarum was not detected in either coho salmon or steelhead trout by immunodiffusion analysis.     

Further observations on the epidemiology and spread of epizootic haematopoietic necrosis virus (EHNV) in farmed rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in southeastern Australia and a recommended sampling strategy for surveillance

Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis virus (EHNV) is an iridovirus confined to Australia and is known only from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and redfin perch Perca fluviatilis. Outbreaks of disease caused by EHNV in trout populations have invariably been of low severity, affecting only 0+ post-hatchery phase fingerlings < 125 mm in length. To date the virus has been demonstrated in very few live in-contact fish, and anti-EHNV antibodies have not been found in survivors of outbreaks, suggesting low infectivity but high case fatality rates in trout. During an on-going study on an endemically infected farm (Farm A) in the Murrumbidgee River catchment of southeastern New South Wales, EHNV infection was demonstrated in 4 to 6 wk old trout fingerlings in the hatchery as well as in 1+ to 2+ grower fish. During a separate investigation of mortalities in 1+ to 2+ trout on Farm B in the Shoalhaven River catchment in southeastern New South Wales, EHNV infection was demonstrated in both fingerlings and adult fish in association with nocardiosis. A 0.7% prevalence of antibodies against EHNV was detected by ELISA in the serum of grower fish at this time, providing the first evidence that EHNV might not kill all infected trout. EHNV infection on Farm B occurred after transfer of fingerlings from Farm C in the Murrumbidgee river catchment. When investigated, there were no obvious signs of diseases on Farm C. 'Routine' mortalities were collected over 10 d on Farm C and EHNV was detected in 2.1% of 190 fish. Tracing investigations of sources of supply of fingerlings to Farm B also led to investigation of Farm D in Victoria, where the prevalence of anti-EHNV antibodies in 3+ to 4+ fish was 1.3%. The results of this study indicate that EHNV may be found in trout in all age classes, need not be associated with clinically detectable disease in the population, can be transferred with shipments of live fish, can be detected in a small proportion of 'routine' mortalities and may be associated with specific antibodies in a small proportion of older fish. Sampling to detect EHNV for certification purposes should be based on examination of 'routine' mortalities rather than random samples of live fish. Antigen-capture ELISA can be used as a cost effective screening test to detect EHNV on a farm provided that sampling rates conform with statistical principles.     

捕捉法ELISA检测脊髓灰质炎IgA抗体方法的建立与应用

建立了一种检测脊髓灰质炎(简称脊灰)IgA抗体的捕捉法ELISA(Aac-ELISA)。方法敏感,快速,特异,用于检测144份脊灰可疑病人的血清,IgA抗体检出率为77.8％(112/144).而这些血清的IgM抗体检出率为65.2％(94/144)。如同时检测IgM和IgA抗体,则阳性率可达91.7％(132/144)。麻痹后1～3天内IgA的检出率为76.5％(13/17),4～7天内为95％(19/20)。最长检出IgA的一例可疑病人,其血清收集于病后第59天。本方法在一部分16天后可疑病人IgM阴性血清中查出IgA阳性,故可以作为查IgM抗体诊断方法的补充,尤其适用于诊断感染后未能及时收到血清标本,IgM已经转阴而IgA抗体仍为阳性的病人。     

Prevalence of maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibody and detection of CMV DNA in amniotic fluid.

The prevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG antibody was determined in 573 pregnant women in the first trimester. The overall prevalence of CMV IgG antibody was 77.5%. The rate of seropositivity was 67.7% in women < 25 yr, and increased with age to 85.7% in women 40 yr. These results imply that young women in Japan are at increased risk for primary CMV infection during pregnancy and that congenital CMV infection rates might increase in the future. We conducted a prospective study of 75 pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis for various indications to determine if CMV DNA could be detected in the amniotic fluid. None had symptoms associated with CMV infection, CMV IgM antibody, or seroconversion to CMV IgG antibody during pregnancy. CMV DNA was not detected in the amniotic fluid using a polymerase chain reaction assay. The 65 fetuses, including 3 sets of twins, were followed through birth. CMV DNA was not detected in urine samples obtained within the first 2 weeks of life. In conclusion, CMV DNA was not detected in the amniotic fluid of women who did not have CMV infection. These results, however, suggest that the negative predictive value of prenatal amniotic fluid analysis is high and that the presence of CMV DNA in the amniotic fluid has clinical significance for the diagnosis of congenital CMV infection if detected in pregnant women.     

鸡血清与卵黄中抗中华眼镜蛇毒IgY动态变化研究

目的探索特异性IgY的产生和变化规律。方法用眼镜蛇毒原毒免疫产蛋母鸡,ELISA定期检测卵黄中的抗体效价变化,小鼠体外中和实验检测其生物活性。第1次免疫40周后,眼镜蛇毒攻击已免疫母鸡,检测攻击前后鸡血清中抗体效价变化情况,未经眼镜蛇毒免疫的母鸡作阴性对照。结果经免疫后第7天蛋黄中即可检测到抗体,经多次加强免疫,40周时蛋黄中还能保持高效价的抗体,通过分离纯化,此抗体可保护实验小鼠免受4 LD50眼镜蛇毒的攻击;同时,鸡血清中也保留着较高效价的抗体,可中和4 LD50以上的眼镜蛇毒。结论用眼镜蛇毒免疫鸡,经多次加强免疫,卵黄和鸡血清中可持久保持高效价的特异性抗体,初步检测此抗体可中和4 LD50的蛇毒。     

Serodiagnosis of Mycoplasma pulmonis infection in mice and rats by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Murine antibody against Mycoplasma pulmonis (Mp) was detected sensitively and specifically in experimentally and naturally infected animals by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), using urease conjugated antimurine immunoglobulin. More than 98% of the experimentally infected mice and rats exhibited positive reaction in the ELISA two or more weeks after infection, and the titer remained for a prolonged period (up to one year) after infection. However, we failed to detect antibody in the sera of one-week-postinfected animals. Mice and rats from breeding colonies were tested with the ELISA and compared with isolation of Mp from the respiratory organs. Positive reactions were shown in the ELISA using the sera from 91% of the mice and 98% of the rats from which the organisms were isolated. Conversely, 97% of the mice and 78% of the rats among Mp-free animals showed negative results in the ELISA. The sensitivity and specificity of the complement fixation test, which has been used widely for serodiagnosis of Mp-infection, were apparently lower compared to those of the ELISA. From these results, the ELISA was found to be available for the serodiagnosis of Mp-infection in mice and rats.     

Dirofilaria immitis: cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in experimentally-infected dogs.

Four dogs were experimentally infected with 30 Dirofilaria immitis infective larvae, four dogs received two such infections and four dogs served as uninfected controls. A partially-purified D. immitis antigen was used in an indirect hemagglutination assay to determine anti-D. immitis antibody titers. Anti-D. immitis antibody was first detected in infected dogs 4 weeks after infection. Titers were highest 2 weeks after the appearance of microfilariae and diminished to low levels thereafter in the single infection group. Antibody levels in the double infection group decreased similarly but were demonstrable throughout the study. Antibody titers were significantly higher in the infected dogs, but there were no differences in titers between single and double infection groups.The responses of peripheral lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin P and pokeweed mitogen were significantly depressed in infected dogs. Peripheral blood lymphocyte transformation could not be induced with D. immitis antigens. Differences between groups in T-cell function were not demonstrated by total hemagglutinating antibody or 2-mercaptoethanol labile hemagglutinating antibody following immunization with sheep erythrocytes.