Pathogenicity of live bacteria and extracellular products of motile Aeromonas isolated from eels

The pathogenic activities in vitro and in vivo of live bacteria and extracellular products (ECP) of 24 motile Aeromonas strains were investigated. Most Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei isolates were pathogenic for eels (LD₅₀ 10^5·4-10^7·6 cfu fish^-1) but no Aer. sobria , Aer. caviae and Aer. allosaccharophila caused mortality in eels at doses of > 10^8·4 cfu fish^-1. Of these Aeromonas strains, Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei in particular produced elastases and haemolysins against fish erythrocytes. ECP from Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei caused degenerative changes in fish cell lines and were strongly toxic for eels (LD⁵⁰ 1·0–3·2 μg (g fish)^-1) reproducing the symptoms associated with natural disease. ECP from non-pathogenic species were inactive on fish cell lines as well as being poorly lethal for eels (LD⁵⁰ > 9·2 μg (g fish)^-1). All these biological activities of Aeromonas ECP were lost after heat treatment. These findings indicate differences between pathogenic and non-pathogenic Aeromonas species with respect to the expression of virulence factors, and show that elastases, haemolysins and exotoxins play a leading role in the pathogenicity of motile Aeromonas for eels.     

L-asparaginase activity in Aeromonas sp. isolated from freshwater mussel

Aeromonas sp. from Lamellidens marginalis produced L-asparaginase when grown at 37 degrees C. The optimum enzyme activity was at pH 9 when temperature was 45 degrees C. Half-life of partially purified enzyme at 50 degrees C and 55 degrees C was 35 and 20 min, respectively. Activation and deactivation energies of partially purified enzyme were 17.48 and 24.86 kcal mol-1 respectively. The enzyme exhibited a Km (L-asparagine) value of 4.9 x 10(-6) mol l-1 and a Vmax of 9.803 IU ml-1. Three metal ions inhibited the enzyme activity at 10-20 mumol l-1 concentrations. Catalytic activity was also inhibited by EDTA, iodoacetic acid, parachloromercuribenzoic acid and phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride at 0.1 mumol l-1.     

Immunological analysis of extracellular products and cell surface components of motile Aeromonas isolated from fish

The present work describes the characterization of antigens present in the extracellular products (ECP) and cell wall of strains of motile Aeromonas isolated from rainbow trout culture systems. The relationships among virulence for fish, O-serogroup and profile of LPS were also examined. The slide agglutination test showed that most of the virulent strains of motile Aeromonas (72%) were included in the serotypes O3, O6, O11 and O19 (Guinée and Jansen System). However, there were also non-pathogenic strains within these groups. Electrophoretic analysis of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and proteins from cell envelope and ECP showed heterogeneity not only among the different serogroups but also within the same serotype. Immunoblot assays of cell envelope components, and of LPS present in the ECP demonstrated a close relationship among Aeromonas strains from the same serotype, while strains from different serotypes were not immunologically related. Moreover, this assay showed that motile Aeromonas belonging to distinct serotypes produced extracellular proteins immunologically related. On the other hand, antigenic cross reactivity was observed between the LPS obtained from cell envelope and those obtained from the ECP. The present results point out the need to include strains representative of each of the serotypes which predominates in a particular area and their ECPs in the formation of vaccines against motile Aeromonas septicaemia.     

Effect of wastewater stabilization ponds on antimicrobial susceptibility and haemolysin occurrence among motile Aeromonas strains

Aeromonas strains (total=953) isolated from raw wastewater, stabilization pond effluent and sediments were evaluated for their susceptibilities to 17 antibiotics and for their ability to produce haemolysins. Stabilization ponds did not seem to select highly resistant strains of aeromonads. There were no differences in the resistance patterns of isolates from raw sewage, stabilization pond effluent and sediments. All strains were found to possess multiple resistance, most commonly to ampicillin, amoxicillin and novobiocin. Almost 90% of the strains of A. hydrophila and A. caviae were resistant to cephalothin, whereas more than 80% of A. sobria isolates were found to be susceptible to this antibiotic. Resistance to trimethoprim, oxytetracycline, nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazol, polymyxin B, kanamycin or erythromycin among all isolates did not exceed 10%. Moreover, no strain was found to be resistant to gentamycin and only 9 of the 953 isolates exhibited resistance to cefotaxim. The percentage of haemolytic strains was significantly higher in the stabilization pond effluent than in raw sewage. This high incidence of haemolytic activity was connected with a high proportion of A. sobria whereas, in samples from the raw sewage or stabilization pond sediments a high proportion of A. caviae decreased the total amount of haemolytic aeromonads. The high incidence of haemolytic activity (+) was associated particularly with A. sobria (93.3%) and A. hydrophila (88.7%) whereas A. caviae was found to be the lowest haemolytic species (16.3%).B. Imziln and Y.M.O. Lafdal are with Cadi Ayyad University, Faculty of Sciences Semialia, Department of Biology, Laboratory of Microbiology, BP S/15 Marrakech, Morocco. M. Jana is with the Hôpital Millitaire Avicenne Marrakech, Morocco.     

Identity of Naegleria strains isolated from organs of freshwater fishes.

Eighteen Naegleria strains were isolated from organs of freshwater fishes belonging to 5 species. Morphometric study allowed the separation of the Naegleria strains from the non-vahlkampfiid amoeboflagellates, but was inadequate for species determination. Six strains, representatives of groups that had a slightly different cyst size, were selected and corresponding derived clones were subjected to sequence analysis and riboprinting restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-PCR analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA genes. One strain isolated from the brain of a fish with systemic infection was characterised by an intronless 2 kb long SSU rRNA gene and was identified as N. australiensis. Another 5 strains had a 1.3 kb long group I intron in their SSU rRNA gene and, based on the SSU rRNA sequences and riboprints, RFLP-PCR patterns appeared in phylogenetic trees to be closely related to Naegleria clarki.     

西伯利亚鲟嗜水气单胞菌与其它3株气单胞菌间的免疫交叉反应

采用间接免疫荧光技术分析了西伯利亚鲟细菌性败血症致病菌嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophlia)X1菌株、豚鼠气单胞菌(Aeromonas caviae)XL2-T菌株、致病性温和气单胞菌(Aeromonas sobria)W1菌株与无致病性嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophlia)M3菌株等水产养殖主要病原菌与抗血清之间的免疫交叉反应。结果显示具有致病性的同属菌株X1菌株、XL2-T菌株、W1菌株交叉反应程度较大,说明这3株菌表面存在较多相同抗原决定簇。而无致病性菌株M3与其他3株致病性菌株免疫交叉反应程度较小。     

四株杂交鳢致病性舒伯特气单胞菌特性及致病性比较

【背景】舒伯特气单胞菌为革兰氏阴性短杆菌,是一种人-畜-鱼共患的条件性致病菌,它能引起不同程度的人类疾病,近年来更是在水产养殖中被频繁报道。【目的】比较分析4株杂交鳢源舒伯特气单胞菌(WL-4、ZL-1、ZL-13、D075)菌株间生理生化特性、致病性以及对常用药物的敏感性差异,为水产舒伯特气单胞菌病的防治提供参考依据。【方法】使用全自动细菌生化鉴定仪检测菌株的生理生化特性;运用PCR扩增和测序比对菌株的gyrB、16S rRNA基因序列;采用改良平板法检测毒力因子表达,PCR技术检测菌株毒力基因和耐药基因的携带情况;通过人工注射感染分析4株舒伯特气单胞菌对杂交鳢的致病性差异;并采用微量二倍稀释法测试15种抗菌药物对菌株的最小抑菌浓度。【结果】以ATCC43700 (人源舒伯特气单胞菌)作为参考,4株菌株理化特性基本相同,gyrB和16SrRNA基因一致性分别为99.57%和100%,聚类分析聚为一簇;不同的舒伯特气单胞菌(ATCC43700、WL-4、ZL-1、ZL-13、D075)均具有溶血性、蛋白酶活性和脂肪酶活性;但人源菌株(ATCC43700)与杂交鳢源舒伯特气单胞菌携带的毒力基因存在差异,其中人源菌株携带了hlyA、ela、lip、ahal、act,而杂交鳢源菌株(WL-4、ZL-1、ZL-13、D075)携带hlyA、ela、lip、ahal、aer;4株杂交鳢源舒伯特气单胞菌对杂交鳢致病性存在差异,1.2×10~5CFU/mL浓度腹腔注射感染健康杂交鳢,WL-4、ZL-1、ZL-13、D075对杂交鳢的感染致死率依次为30%、40%、70%和80%;不同菌株(ATCC43700、WL-4、ZL-1、ZL-13、D075)的药物敏感性以及携带的耐药基因也存在差异。【结论】4株杂交鳢源舒伯特气单胞菌在致病性、药物敏感性等方面存在差异,研究结果有助于进一步开展舒伯特气单胞菌病发病机制和防控技术研究。     

Survival ability of cytotoxic strains of motile Aeromonas spp. in different types of water

The ability of motile Aeromonas spp. to survive in drinking water (mineral and tap water) and in sea water was experimentally tested. Clinically isolated cytotoxic strains of A. hydrophila, A. caviae and A. sobria were selected for this study. After contamination of water samples, the survival of Aeromonas strains was studied for at least three months using viable counts. The results obtained show that the survival of the Aeromonas spp. varies considerably depending on species and water type. For all three species, the survival time was longest in mineral water, where viable bacteria of each strain were still detected after 100 d. Moreover, A hydrophila and A. caviae also re-grew on the first day. In tap water all strains showed marked survival, although to a lesser extent than in mineral water. Aeromonas cells showed a rapid decline in sea water (90% reduction in viable cells after about two d) and thus seem to be more sensitive to saline/marine stress than chlorination.     

Characterization of Aeromonas encheleia strains isolated from aquatic environments in the Czech Republic

Aims:  Characterization and identification of Aeromonas strains isolated from surface and underground waters using phenotypic and genotyping methods.
Methods and Results:  Biotyping using the ENTEROtest 24 kit and conventional biochemical and physiological tests assigned four strains to Aeromonas encheleia , whereas three isolates were identified as ambiguous Aeromonas bestiarum/Aeromonas caviae and one strain as Aeromonas eucrenophila/Aeromonas encheleia . Further characterization grouped the analysed strains together with Aer. encheleia CCM 4582^T and assigned the analysed group as members of Aer. encheleia species using ribotyping, whole-cell protein analysis and ERIC-PCR fingerprinting. The results obtained were verified by DNA gyrase A subunit gene sequencing. All analysed isolates showed unique molecular patterns, except for isolates P 1769 and CCM 7407, which revealed the same Eco RI ribotype profile and proved to be identical strains.
Conclusions:  Our results imply that Aer. encheleia strains occur in unpolluted surface as well as in underground waters and demonstrate applied methods as suitable for their identification.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  To our best knowledge, this is the first report of the isolation and identification of Aer. encheleia in the Czech Republic.     

Characteristics of myxobacteria isolated from the surface of freshwater fish

A study was made of 32 nonpathogenic myxobacterial isolates obtained from a variety of fish taken in the Pacific Northwest. Morphological, cultural, biochemical, and serological studies were carried out on these strains. All were found to be members of the genus Cytophaga. Two myxobacterial strains pathogenic to fish were also included in this study for comparative purposes. These pathogenic organisms were found to be culturally and physiologically similar to some of the nonpathogenic strains. Antiserum against the pathogenic species, however, showed no cross agglutination when tested against the other myxobacterial isolates. As a result, serological procedures appear promising as a rapid means for distinguishing pathogenic myxobacteria from one another and from saprophytic myxobacteria commonly found on fish.     

Aspects of constitutive and acquired antibioresistance in Aeromonas hydrophila strains isolated from water sources

Over the last three decades, the literature pointed out the implications of Aeromonas species in human pathology. These species were described as being involved in intestinal (several outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis of choleric/dysenteric form or chronic diarrhoea, ulcerative colitis, etc.) in normal adults or children, as well as in extraintestinal infections in immunocompromised hosts. This last aspect included a large range of cutaneous injuries (micronecrosis, abscesses, bums, cellulites, furunculosis), joint, bones, respiratory, urinary tract, ocular infections up to meningitis, endocarditis, peritonitis, hepatobilliary disease, endotoxic shock and septicemia (as consequence of leech microvascular surgery). During the last decade, the literature reported a high mortality in Aeromonas infections determined by certain phenospecies (A. hydrophila and A. veronii) especially in extraintestinal infections in immunocompromised patients. In microbiologists' opinion this high rate of mortality was probably due to poor knowledge concerning the aspects of antibioresistance in Aeromonas strains, to empiric treatments with antibiotics to which these bacteria exhibiting constitutive resistance lead to insuccessful results, and at last to the increasing trend of aeromonads resistance to certain antibiotics after 1996. The literature mentioned also that for a great number of Beta-lactamase producing Aeromonas strains, the use of microdilution method (by comparison to disk diffusion in agar medium) giving false results made more difficult the true knowledge of Aeromonas antibioresistance patterns. At the same time, in 2002, the literature mentioned 4 ecological compartments considered as "reservoirs for dissemination and transfer of microbial antibioresistance i.e. humans, animals, plants and natural soil and water. In the last time, more and more data of the literature revealed that some bacteria with role of reservoir of antibioresistance in the natural environment, even without a direct medical impact, however they could play an indirect one remaining permanent sources of R genes for bacterial strains with pathogenic abilities implicated in human pathology (i.e. Aeromonas infections in man related to different professional activities such as fishing, surfing, swimming, diving, etc.). The purpose of this work was to determine the aspects related to constitutive and acquired antibioresistance in 35 A. hydrophila strains isolated in aquatic environment of Danube Delta (10 salmaster waters, 5 aquatic plants, 5 fish intestinal content, 5 fish sapling, 5 snake and oyster shells). The strains were biochemically identified by using API20E and API20NE kits. The antibioresistance spectrum was determined by disk diffusion method following NCCLS 2000 recommendations. The choice and disposal of antibiotics on the Mueller Hinton plate was done to allow the interpretive reading and the phenotypic detection of different antibioresistance mechanisms, as follows: beta-lactamases (PEN, ME, AMX, AMC, CAZ) and carbapenemase (IMP) production; porin deficiency (FOX); efflux mechanism (C, TE, NOR). All tested strains exhibited high resistance to penicillin, aspect pleading for constitutive penicillinase production in Aeromonas strains. With reference to other penicillins (ME, AMX, AMC) and cephalosporins (CAZ, FOX) the tested strains exhibited 2 different antibioresistance patterns: AMX-R, AMC-S, CAZ-S (65%) indicating the presence of beta-lactamase sensitive to inhibitors and AMX-R, AMC-R, CAZ-S (22%) indicating the presence of beta-lactamase resistant to inhibitors. Resistance to FOX in 8% of strains signifies a phenotypical marker for the presence of porin deficiency. Only one Aeromonas strain (2.8%) was resistant to IMP. Three strains (8%) were simultaneous resistant to TE and TMP/SMX, NOR and CHL probably due to the presence of a resistance plasmid (codifying an efflux/ enzymatic mechanism). These aspects are pleading for the necessity to investigate the bacterial antibioresistance patterns of bacterial strains isolated from the environment, in the purpose to identify the factors responsible for the spreading of certain antibioresistance mechanisms in the external medium as risk factors for the colonization process with possible impact upon the human pathology.     

Characteristics of the Propionibacterium strains isolated from acne patients

Propionibacterium acnes is a component of physiological flora of human skin. It colonizes the outlets of sebaceous glands and participates in the pathogenesis of inflammatory acne. Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease. It is found in more or less exacerbated form in approximately 85% of adolescent population. The main purpose of the research was to confirm the hypothesis of Propionibacterium bacteria participation in the aetiopathogenesis of acne vulgaris. The researches have proved the presence of Propionibacterium acnes on the surface of the skin both of people with acne-related changes and these with whom such changes were not found. Statistically significant differences were found in the number of P. acnes bacteria per 1 square centimeter of healthy and disease-affected skin as well as in the diversity of biochemical types. The highest number of P. acnes bacteria have been found in fresh changes with visible symptoms of inflammation. In order to confirm the hypothesis of the participation of Propionibacterium bacteria in the aetiopathogenesis of acne, a detailed phenotypical analysis of isolated P. acnes strains have been conducted. Type, biotype, resistance pattern, proteolytic and lipolytic properties have been determined.     

Production of acylated homoserine lactones by Aeromonas and Pseudomonas strains isolated from municipal activated sludge

Up to now, the production and role of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) in activated sludge have been poorly understood. In this study, cross-feeding assays with the reporter strains Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4 and Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 were used to investigate AHL signal production by municipal activated sludge samples. AHL signal production was consistently detected from municipal activated sludge when different samples were incubated on nutrient media. From one municipal activated sludge sample, 10 strains producing AHL-like auto inducers were isolated by an overlay technique. 16S rDNA-based phylogenetic analysis showed that eight of the isolates belonged to Aeromonas spp. and two to Pseudomonas spp. Box-PCR indicated that six of these Aeromonas isolates were different strains and the two Pseudomonas strains were identical. The production of AHL or AHL-like compounds by these strains was confirmed by thin layer chromatography and biosensor overlays. The six different Aeromonas strains were found to produce the same set of AHLs, including N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone. These results may indicate the possible presence of AHLs in municipal activated sludge. The potential roles of AHL in this eco system are briefly discussed.     

Comparison of extracellular proteases produced by Aeromonas salmonicida strains, isolated from various fish species

Extracellular products (ECPs) of five typical and 25 atypical Aeromonas salmonicida isolates from various fish species and geographical locations were analysed by substrate specificity, inhibition of proteolytic activity and substrate SDS-PAGE. The type strains of Aer. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida and Aer. salmonicida subsp. achromogenes were included for comparison. The results indicated that the strains formed six protease groups. The proteases produced by the two type strains were of a different nature. All the typical strains belonged to one group and showed proteolytic activities comparable to P1 and P2 proteases. Three atypical (oxidase-negative) strains secreted a protease comparable to P1. With the exception of these three, all strains produced metallo-gelatinases. A metallo-caseinase (AsaP1) was detected in the ECP of subsp. achromogenes type strain and 10 of the atypical strains. A number of proteolytic components with different apparent molecular weights (AMWs) were identified. These include caseinases with AMWs of > 100, 80, 60 and 30 kDa and gelatinolytic components with different AMWs, including some with AMW higher than P1 and lower than P2. The protease production of the isolates was not found to be host specific.     

Characteristics ofPseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from urinary tract infections

Thirty-three uropathogenic strains ofPseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated for hemolytic activity in both bacterial broth culture filtrates and isolate lyzates, resistance to bactericidal activity of fresh human serum, resistance to six antibiotics and plasmid DNA profile. Twenty-four of the 33 (73%) bacterial filtrates showed lysis of rabbit erythrocytes, as did the three after guinea-pig erythrocyte treatment. Twelve of 33 isolate lysates showed in parallel lysis of both types of erythrocytes used. Serum resistance was found in 17 (52%) isolates, intermediate resistance in 15 (45%) isolates and only one isolate showed serum sensitivity. Resistance to antibiotics was detected as follows (in %): tetracycline 94, kanamycin 79, chloramphenicol 76, septrin 73, ampicillin 64, streptomycin 45, gentamicin 18. None of the isolates investigated showed resistance to colistine. With the exception of one isolate, plasmid DNA was detected in allP. aeruginosa strains.     

Identification of major common extracellular proteins secreted by Aeromonas salmonicida strains isolated from diseased fish

Ten different strains of Aeromonas salmonicida that were isolated from diseased fish were grown under identical conditions (24 h at 25 degree C) in 3% (wt/vol) tryptone soya broth medium supplemented with vitamins and inorganic ions. In each case the extracellular proteins that were formed were compared by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and it was found that there were two significant common components, one with a molecular weight of 70,000 and the other with a weight of 56,000. Application of enzyme purification techniques to the supernatant fraction proteins of a culture of one of the strains resulted in the isolation of a 70-kilodalton (kDa) component, which was found to be a serine protease, and a 56-kDa component, which was hemolytic to trout erythrocytes. Rocket immunoelectrophoresis with rabbit antibodies to the isolated protease and hemolysin showed the same antigenic components in the supernatant fractions of all the cultures. These activities were assayed, and protease activity was found to vary by a factor of three, from 59 to 195 U/ml, while the range of hemolytic activity was over a narrow band, from 28 to 43 U/ml. There was an inconsistency between the immunoelectrophoretic and direct assay data in only one case. This indicated the presence of additional hemolytic activity, in addition to the 56-kDa component. The detection of large amounts of the same protease and hemolysin, two potent degradative activities, in a random series of strains of A. salmonicida suggests that they may be obligatory virulence factors in the development of furunculosis.