Detection of Infectious Tobamoviruses in Forest Soils

Our objectives were to evaluate elution and bait plant methods to detect infectious tobamoviruses in forest soils in New York State. Soils were collected from two forest sites: Whiteface Mountain (WF) and Heiberg Forest (HF). The effectiveness of four buffers to elute tomato mosaic tobamovirus (ToMV) from organic and mineral fractions of WF soil amended with ToMV was tested, and virus content was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The effectiveness of Chenopodium quinoa (Willd.) bait plants to detect the virus also was tested. Both methods then were utilized to detect tobamoviruses in 11 WF and 2 HF soil samples. A phosphate buffer (100 mM, pH 7.0) eluted more ToMV from soil than the other buffers tested. Mineral soil bound more virus than organic soil. Virus recoveries from virus-amended organic and mineral soils were 3 and 10%, respectively, and the detection sensitivity was 10 to 20 ng/g of soil. Roots of bait plants grown in all virus-amended soils tested positive by ELISA, and virus concentrations averaged 10 ng/g. Both ToMV and tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV) were transmitted to C. quinoa by elution from one of two HF soil samples but not from the WF soil samples. A tobamovirus was detected by bait planting in 12 of 73 (16%) root extracts representing 5 of 13 soil samples (38%). Tobamovirus-like particles were seen by transmission electron microscopy in 6 of 12 infected root extracts. Tobamoviruses occur in forest soils in New York State. Abiotic soil transmission to trees may permit localized spread and persistence of these viruses in forest ecosystems.     

Adaptive Immunity Restricts Replication of Novel Murine Astroviruses

The mechanisms of astrovirus pathogenesis are largely unknown, in part due to a lack of a small-animal model of disease. Using shotgun sequencing and a custom analysis pipeline, we identified two novel astroviruses capable of infecting research mice, murine astrovirus (MuAstV) STL1 and STL2. Subsequent analysis revealed the presence of at least two additional viruses (MuAstV STL3 and STL4), suggestive of a diverse population of murine astroviruses in research mice. Complete genomic characterization and subsequent phylogenetic analysis showed that MuAstV STL1 to STL4 are members of the mamastrovirus genus and are likely members of a new mamastrovirus genogroup. Using Rag1^−/− mice deficient in B and T cells, we demonstrate that adaptive immunity is required to control MuAstV infection. Furthermore, using Stat1^−/− mice deficient in innate signaling, we demonstrate a role for the innate immune response in the control of MuAstV replication. Our results demonstrate that MuAstV STL permits the study of the mechanisms of astrovirus infection and host-pathogen interactions in a genetically manipulable small-animal model. Finally, we detected MuAstV in commercially available mice, suggesting that these viruses may be present in academic and commercial research mouse facilities, with possible implications for interpretation of data generated in current mouse models of disease.     

运用套式PCR检测传染性喉气管炎病毒核酸

选择鸡传染性喉气管炎病毒保守TK基因的蛋白编码区域,设计并合成了一对外引物和一对内引物,建立并优化了检测鸡传染性喉气管炎病毒DNA的套式PCR法.通过检测ILTV感染的鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜、实验室病料和临床病料,结果表明,套式PCR法能检测出ILTV感染后的非免疫鸡胚和SPF鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜研磨液中的被稀释了105倍的病毒(约1fg的ILTVDNA),攻毒后第10天还能从非免疫鸡和SPF鸡气管拭子中检出ILTV,第10天非免疫鸡气管拭子中ILTV的最大检出率为7/10,第10天SPF鸡气管拭子中ILTV的最大检出率为8/10.对非免疫鸡和SPF鸡的气管拭子中ILTV最佳检出时间均在攻毒后第5天.对临床样品中的ILTV的最大检出率为7/7.经过核酸杂交验证,套式PCR法具有很高的特异性和敏感性,为从分子水平探讨ILTV的发病机理、临床早期快速诊断提供了新的研究手段.     

运用套式PCR检测传染性喉气管炎病毒核酸

选择鸡传染性喉气管炎病毒保守TK基因的蛋白编码区域,设计并合成了一对外引物和一对内引物,建立并优化了检测鸡传染性喉气管炎病毒DNA的套式PCR法。通过检测ILTV感染的鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜,实验室病料和临床病料,结果表明,套式PCR法能检测出ILTV感染后的非免疫鸡胚和SPF鸡绒毛膜研磨液中的被稀释了10^5倍的病毒（约1fg的ILTV DNA）,攻毒后第10天还能从非免疫鸡和SPF鸡气管拭子中检出ILTV,第10天非免疫鸡气管拭子中ILTV的最大检出率为7／10,第10天SPF鸡气管拭子中ILTV的最大检出率为8／10。对非免疫鸡和SPF鸡的气管拭中ILTV最佳检出时间均在攻毒后第5天。对临床样品中的ILTV的最大检出率为7／7。经过核酸杂交验证,套式PCR法具有很高的特异性和敏感性,为从分子水平探讨ILTV的发病机理、临床早期快速诊断提供了新的研究手段。     

Detection of Infectious Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts in Surface and Filter Backwash Water Samples by Immunomagnetic Separation and Integrated Cell Culture-PCR

A new strategy for the detection of infectious Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in water samples, which combines immunomagnetic separation (IMS) for recovery of oocysts with in vitro cell culturing and PCR (CC-PCR), was field tested with a total of 122 raw source water samples and 121 filter backwash water grab samples obtained from 25 sites in the United States. In addition, samples were processed by Percoll-sucrose flotation and oocysts were detected by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) as a baseline method. Samples of different water quality were seeded with viable C. parvum to evaluate oocyst recovery efficiencies and the performance of the CC-PCR protocol. Mean method oocyst recoveries, including concentration of seeded 10-liter samples, from raw water were 26.1% for IMS and 16.6% for flotation, while recoveries from seeded filter backwash water were 9.1 and 5.8%, respectively. There was full agreement between IFA oocyst counts of IMS-purified seeded samples and CC-PCR results. In natural samples, CC-PCR detected infectious C. parvum in 4.9% (6) of the raw water samples and 7.4% (9) of the filter backwash water samples, while IFA detected oocysts in 13.1% (16) of the raw water samples and 5.8% (7) of the filter backwash water samples. All CC-PCR products were confirmed by cloning and DNA sequence analysis and were greater than 98% homologous to the C. parvum KSU-1 hsp70 gene product. DNA sequence analysis also revealed reproducible nucleotide substitutions among the hsp70 fragments, suggesting that several different strains of infectious C. parvum were detected.     

Membrane Concentration of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis Virus from Water

A membrane adsorption procedure was used to concentrate infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus from 1-liter quantities of distilled water. Cellulose nitrate membrane filters (0.45-mum pore size) efficiently adsorbed this herpesvirus from water, and virus was recovered from the membrane by elution with 10 ml of fetal calf serum during sonic treatment. The average recovery rate was 70%.     

电化学免疫传感器在传染病快速检测中的应用

传染病的快速检测是传染病预防控制的重要环节,其中现场快速检测对于及时有效控制传染病疫情尤为关键。相比于传统检测方法,电化学免疫传感器具有操作简单、快速、灵敏、准确、设备可小型化等优势,可用于传染病快速检测。简要综述了近年来电化学免疫传感器在传染病快速检测中的应用研究进展,重点阐述了该类传感器在现场检测中的主要贡献和不足之处,以及免疫磁分离技术与电化学传感检测相结合在传染病快速检测方面的优势。     

实时荧光定量PCR及其在传染性疾病检测中的应用

实时荧光定量PCR技术被广泛应用于实验研究、临床检测中。与普通的PCR相比,实时荧光定量PCR技术具有特异性强、灵敏度高、重复性好、定量准确、速度快、全封闭反应等优点。我们综述了实时荧光定量PCR技术的原理、定量方法,及其在传染性疾病检测研究中的应用。     

Detection of Infectious Adenoviruses in Environmental Waters by Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting Assay

Methods for rapid detection and quantification of infectious viruses in the environment are urgently needed for public health protection. A fluorescence-activated cell-sorting (FACS) assay was developed to detect infectious adenoviruses (Ads) based on the expression of viral protein during replication in cells. The assay was first developed using recombinant Ad serotype 5 (rAd5) with the E1A gene replaced by a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. Cells infected with rAd5 express GFP, which is captured and quantified by FACS. The results showed that rAd5 can be detected at concentrations of 1 to 10⁴ PFU per assay within 3 days, demonstrating a linear correlation between the viral concentration and the number of GFP-positive cells with an r² value of >0.9. Following the same concept, FACS assays using fluorescently labeled antibodies specific to the E1A and hexon proteins, respectively, were developed. Assays targeting hexon showed greater sensitivity than assays targeting E1A. The results demonstrated that as little as 1 PFU Ads was detected by FACS within 3 days based on hexon protein, with an r² value greater than 0.9 over a 4-log concentration range. Application of this method to environmental samples indicated positive detection of infectious Ads in 50% of primary sewage samples and 33% of secondary treated sewage samples, but none were found in 12 seawater samples. The infectious Ads ranged in quantity between 10 and 165 PFU/100 ml of sewage samples. The results indicate that the FACS assay is a rapid quantification tool for detecting infectious Ads in environmental samples and also represents a considerable advancement for rapid environmental monitoring of infectious viruses.Waterborne viral infection is one of the most important causes of human morbidity in the world. There are hundreds of different types of human viruses present in human sewage, which, if improperly treated, may become the source of contamination in drinking and recreational waters (6, 12, 19). Furthermore, as water scarcity intensifies in the nation, so has consideration of wastewater reuse as a valid and essential alternative for resolving water shortages (31).Currently, routine viral monitoring is not required for drinking or recreational waters, nor is it required for wastewater that is discharged into the environment. This lack of a monitoring effort is due largely to the lack of methods that can rapidly and sensitively detect infectious viruses in environmental samples. In the past 20 years, tremendous progress has been made in detection of viruses in the environment based on molecular technology (32, 33, 35). PCR and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) methods have improved both the speed and sensitivity of viral detection compared with detection by the traditional tissue culture method (2, 11, 17, 18). However, they provide little information on viral infectivity, which is crucial for human health risk assessment (22-24, 35). Our previous work using a real-time PCR assay to detect human adenoviruses (Ads) in sewage could not differentiate the infectious viruses in the secondary treated sewage from those killed by chlorination disinfection (15). In this research, we pursued an innovative approach to detecting infectious viruses in water using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). This method is rapid and sensitive, with an established record in microbiological research (29, 34, 39).FACS is a specialized type of flow cytometry which provides a method for counting and sorting a heterogeneous mixture of biological cells into two or more kinds, one cell at a time, based upon the specific light-scattering and fluorescent characteristics of each cell (4, 25, 34, 38). It is a useful method since it provides fast and quantitative recording of fluorescent signals from individual cells (14, 16, 34, 47). The FACS viral assay is based on the expression of viral protein inside the recipient cell during viral replication (16). Specific antibody labeled with fluorescence is bound to the target viral protein, which results in fluorescence emission from infected cells. Viral particles outside the cell will not be captured, because the size of virus is below the detection limit of flow cytometry. Therefore, detection of cells, which can be captured with fluorescently labeled viral antibody, is a definitive indication of the presence of infectious virus.This research used human Ads as the target for development of the FACS method. The rationale for this choice is as follows. (i) Ads are important human pathogens that may be transmitted by water consumption and water spray (aerosols) (26, 32). The health hazard associated with exposure to Ads has been demonstrated by epidemiological data and clinical research (1, 7, 9, 35, 40, 43). (ii) Ads are among the most prevalent human viruses identified in human sewage and are frequently detected in marine waters and the Great Lakes (17, 32, 33, 35). (iii) Ads are more resistant to UV disinfection than any other bacteria or viruses (3, 5, 10, 24, 41, 42, 44). Thus, they may survive wastewater treatment as increasing numbers of wastewater treatment facilities switch from chlorination to UV to avoid disinfection by-products. (iv) Some serotypes of Ads, including enteric Ad 40 and 41, are fastidious. They are difficult to detect by plaque assay, and a routine assay of infectivity takes 7 to 14 days (8, 20).In this study, recombinant Ad serotype 5 (rAd5) with the E1A gene (the first transcribed gene after infection) replaced by a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was first used to test for sensitivity and speed of the assay. Two other viral proteins were then used as targets for development of FACS assays using Ad serotype 2 (Ad2) and Ad41. This study demonstrated the feasibility, sensitivity, and reliability of the assay for detection of infectious Ads in environmental samples.     

Automated Detection of Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Hospitals: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Detection of outbreaks of hospital-acquired infections is often based on simple rules, such as the occurrence of three new cases of a single pathogen in two weeks on the same ward. These rules typically focus on only a few pathogens, and they do not account for the pathogens'' underlying prevalence, the normal random variation in rates, and clusters that may occur beyond a single ward, such as those associated with specialty services. Ideally, outbreak detection programs should evaluate many pathogens, using a wide array of data sources.

Methods and Findings

We applied a space-time permutation scan statistic to microbiology data from patients admitted to a 750-bed academic medical center in 2002–2006, using WHONET-SaTScan laboratory information software from the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance. We evaluated patients'' first isolates for each potential pathogenic species. In order to evaluate hospital-associated infections, only pathogens first isolated >2 d after admission were included. Clusters were sought daily across the entire hospital, as well as in hospital wards, specialty services, and using similar antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. We assessed clusters that had a likelihood of occurring by chance less than once per year. For methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), WHONET-SaTScan–generated clusters were compared to those previously identified by the Infection Control program, which were based on a rule-based criterion of three occurrences in two weeks in the same ward. Two hospital epidemiologists independently classified each cluster''s importance. From 2002 to 2006, WHONET-SaTScan found 59 clusters involving 2–27 patients (median 4). Clusters were identified by antimicrobial resistance profile (41%), wards (29%), service (13%), and hospital-wide assessments (17%). WHONET-SaTScan rapidly detected the two previously known gram-negative pathogen clusters. Compared to rule-based thresholds, WHONET-SaTScan considered only one of 73 previously designated MRSA clusters and 0 of 87 VRE clusters as episodes statistically unlikely to have occurred by chance. WHONET-SaTScan identified six MRSA and four VRE clusters that were previously unknown. Epidemiologists considered more than 95% of the 59 detected clusters to merit consideration, with 27% warranting active investigation or intervention.

Conclusions

Automated statistical software identified hospital clusters that had escaped routine detection. It also classified many previously identified clusters as events likely to occur because of normal random fluctuations. This automated method has the potential to provide valuable real-time guidance both by identifying otherwise unrecognized outbreaks and by preventing the unnecessary implementation of resource-intensive infection control measures that interfere with regular patient care. Please see later in the article for the Editors'' Summary     

水体中诺瓦克病毒RT-PCR检测研究

诺瓦克病毒是公认的食源性或水源性非细菌性胃肠炎的主要致病因子之一。建立诺瓦克病毒的RT-PCR检测方法,验证其特异性及灵敏度,并在实验室人工污染水样,进行模拟水样的检测,验证RT-PCR检测方法的实用性。所用引物为RNA多聚酶区的JV12/JV13,多次反复实验,均可产生327bp预期大小的特异条带,并通过杂交进一步证实了其特异性和正确性;在临床粪样中,可达到的最高检测限为50pg/mL。在共42份模拟样品的检测中,经过播毒、富集和浓缩,38份均可检出诺瓦克病毒。其中4份池塘水未检出。在模拟水样中的检测灵敏度为200pg/mL。实验中所建立的试验条件和体系可用于实际水样中诺瓦克病毒的筛选,对水质控制起到了很好的监控作用。     

水体中诺瓦克病毒RT-PCR检测研究

诺瓦克病毒是公认的食源性或水源性非细菌性胃肠炎的主要致病因子之一。建立诺瓦克病毒的RT-PCR检测方法,验证其特异性及灵敏度,并在实验室人工污染水样,进行模拟水样的检测,验证RT-PCR检测方法的实用性。所用引物为RNA多聚酶区的JV12/JV13,多次反复实验,均可产生327bp预期大小的特异条带,并通过杂交进一步证实了其特异性和正确性;在临床粪样中,可达到的最高检测限为50pg/mL。在共42份模拟样品的检测中,经过播毒、富集和浓缩,38份均可检出诺瓦克病毒。其中4份池塘水未检出。在模拟水样中的检测灵敏度为200pg/mL。实验中所建立的试验条件和体系可用于实际水样中诺瓦克病毒的筛选,对水质控制起到了很好的监控作用。     

Detection of Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus by Real-Time PCR in Naturally and Experimentally Infected Chickens

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is an acute, highly contagious upper-respiratory infectious disease of chickens. In this study, a real-time PCR method was developed for fast and accurate detection and quantitation of ILTV DNA of chickens experimentally infected with ILTV strain LJS09 and naturally infected chickens. The detection lower limit of the assay was 10 copies of DNA. There were no cross reactions with the DNA and RNA of infectious bursal disease virus, chicken anemia virus, reticuloendotheliosis virus, avian reovirus, Newcastle disease virus, and Marek''s disease virus. The real-time PCR was reproducible as the coefficients of variation of reproducibility of the intra-assay and the inter-assay were less than 2%. The real-time PCR was used to detect the levels of the ILTV DNA in the tissues of specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens infected with ILTV at different times post infection. ILTV DNA was detected by real-time PCR in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, larynx, tongue, thymus, glandular stomach, duodenum, pancreatic gland, small intestine, large intestine, cecum, cecal tonsil, bursa of Fabricius, and brain of chickens in the infection group and the contact-exposure group. The sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the ILTV real-time PCR assay revealed its suitability for detection and quantitation of ILTV in the samples from clinically and experimentally ILTV infected chickens.     

Detection of Infectious Virus from Field-collected Mosquitoes by Vero Cell Culture Assay

Mosquitoes transmit a number of distinct viruses including important human pathogens such as West Nile virus, dengue virus, and chickungunya virus. Many of these viruses have intensified in their endemic ranges and expanded to new territories, necessitating effective surveillance and control programs to respond to these threats. One strategy to monitor virus activity involves collecting large numbers of mosquitoes from endemic sites and testing them for viral infection. In this article, we describe how to handle, process, and screen field-collected mosquitoes for infectious virus by Vero cell culture assay. Mosquitoes are sorted by trap location and species, and grouped into pools containing ≤50 individuals. Pooled specimens are homogenized in buffered saline using a mixer-mill and the aqueous phase is inoculated onto confluent Vero cell cultures (Clone E6). Cell cultures are monitored for cytopathic effect from days 3-7 post-inoculation and any viruses grown in cell culture are identified by the appropriate diagnostic assays. By utilizing this approach, we have isolated 9 different viruses from mosquitoes collected in Connecticut, USA, and among these, 5 are known to cause human disease. Three of these viruses (West Nile virus, Potosi virus, and La Crosse virus) represent new records for North America or the New England region since 1999. The ability to detect a wide diversity of viruses is critical to monitoring both established and newly emerging viruses in the mosquito population.Download video file.^{(46M, mov)}