Nutrient medium for the isolation of hemocultures from brucellosis patients]

To isolate brucellosis causative agent from the blood of patients against the background of antibiotic therapy the authors used for the first time the medium consisting of aminopeptide, beta-globulin agar with glucose, glycerine, and twin-60. No valuable food products--meat, liver--were required to prepare the medium; by-product of gamma-globulin production being used. With the aid of the suggested medium there was isolated 2.4 times more hemocultures than on the widely used meat-peptone medium. This is attributed to the presence in the medium of human protein, essential amino acids, and blood mineral substances, which, in combination, facilitated adaptation of brucellosis causative agent to the nutrient medium similar to human blood by composition. Economical effect in using the mentioned medium constituted 53.8% annually.     

Detection of a large linear plasmid in Borrelia spielmanii isolate

Borrelia spielmanii belongs to human pathogenic species within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex in Europe, which is a causative agent of Lyme disease. So far, the human disease caused by B. spielmanii has been associated with skin manifestations. The aim of the study was to analyze 4 human B. spielmanii isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and to localize genes of 3 important Borrelia proteins: OspA, DbpA, and VlsE. The analysis revealed variation within linear plasmid profiles among the strains; isolate PSigII contained a large plasmid of 100 kb compared with a 50 kb plasmid present in the 3 other B. spielmanii isolates, all carried the genes ospA and dbpA. Differences in the size of linear plasmids among the Borrelia strains may be a result of host-pathogen interactions, as the PSigII strain was the only strain of the 4 tested strains to be isolated from a patient with a previous history of Lyme disease, whereas 3 other patients were diagnosed with this disease for the first time.     

Complete Genome Sequence of Bartonella quintana,a Bacterium Isolated from Rhesus Macaques

Bartonella quintana is a re-emerging pathogen and the causative agent of a broad spectrum of disease manifestations in humans. The present study reports the complete genome of B. quintana strain RM_11, which was isolated from rhesus macaques.     

Controlled activation of the Cpx system is essential for growth of Yersinia enterocolitica

Until recently, three spirochete genospecies were considered to be the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis (LB) in Europe: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii . However, the DNA of Borrelia valaisiana, Borrelia lusitaniae, Borrelia spielmanii and Borrelia bissettii has already been detected in samples of human origin, or the spirochetes were isolated from the patients with symptoms of LB. Molecular analysis of 12 selected serum samples collected in the regional hospital confirmed the presence of B. bissettii DNA in cases of single and multiple infection in patients with symptomatic borreliosis or chronic borrelial infection. The presence of B. bissettii as a single strain in patients provides strong support of the fact that B. bissettii might be a causative agent of the disease. After the first isolation of B. bissettii from the samples of human origin in Slovenia, following the detection of this species in cardiac valve tissue of the patient with endocarditis and aortic valve stenosis in the Czech Republic, here we present additional molecular data supporting the involvement of B. bissettii in LB in Europe.     

Complete genome sequence of the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis TDC60, which causes periodontal disease

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a black-pigmented asaccharolytic anaerobe and a major causative agent of periodontitis. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of P. gingivalis strain TDC60, which was recently isolated from a severe periodontal lesion in a Japanese patient.     

Identification and characterization of the virus causing rabbit hemorrhagic disease.

Liver tissue from animals that died of rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) was used to identify the causative agent. After extraction of liver homogenates and sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation, distinct bands were obtained. The respective gradient fractions reacted positively in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as well as in hemagglutination assays and were infective for rabbits. These fractions contained virions which had a diameter of 40 nm and resembled morphologically those of the family Caliciviridae. By immunoblotting, a major structural protein with a molecular weight of 60,000 was identified. Highly pure RNA of about 8 kilobases was isolated from virions. Labeled cDNA synthesized from virion RNA detected two RNAs of 8 and 2 kilobases in Northern (RNA) blots of liver RNA from animals infected with RHD virus. Finally, isolated virion RNA injected into the liver of rabbits produced a disease with clinical symptoms and pathological findings typical of RHD. We conclude that a calicivirus represents the causative agent of RHD.     

The epidemiology of lyme borreliosis

The tick-transmitted bacterial infection known as Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, has recently emerged as the leading arthropod-borne disease in Europe and North America. Several thousand new cases of human Lyme disease are reported each year from Europe and the USA. The causative agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, has been isolated from several species of mammals, birds, ticks and insects and, in this article, Thomas Jaenson discusses the geographical differences in the epidemiology of the infection.     

Complete genome sequence of Brucella suis VBI22, isolated from bovine milk

Brucella suis is the causative agent of swine brucellosis and is known to be able to infect several different hosts, including cattle, dogs, and horses, without causing disease symptoms. Here we report the complete genome sequence of Brucella suis VBI22, which was isolated from raw milk from an infected cow.     

Isolation and purification of penicillinase from Francisella tularensis

beta-Lactamase was isolated from the cells of a penicillinase-producing strain of the tularemia causative agent. It was purified 100 times. By its properties (the substrate profile, Km, temperature optimum and thermostability) beta-lactamase differed from penicillinases isolated from other sources.     

Bacteriophage in the Ixodes dammini spirochete, etiological agent of Lyme disease

A bacteriophage with a B-3 morphology was detected by electron microscopy in a spirochete isolated from the tick Ixodes dammini. It has a 40- to 50-nm elongated head and a tail 50 to 70 nm in length. It appears devoid of collars or kite-tail structure. The spirochete has been identified as the causative agent of Lyme disease.     

Furunculosis in cultured American eel Anguilla rostrata (Le Sueur)

Diseased American eels, Anguilla rostrata , were collected from an eel culture facility in South Carolina and examined. The disease was characterized by skin lesions located on the body. A bacterium identified as Aeromonas salmonicida was isolated from the lesions and shown to be the causative agent. The bacterium was also isolated from the kidney during later stages of the disease.     

Epitope-Based Vaccine Designing of Nocardia asteroides Targeting the Virulence Factor Mce-Family Protein by Immunoinformatics Approach

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Nocardia asteroides is the main causative agent responsible for nocardiosis disease in immunocompromised patient viz. Acquired...     

利用对虾原代细胞增殖对虾杆状病毒HHNBV的研究

自1993年起,国内养殖的中国对虾(Ｐｅｎａｅｕｓｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ)出现暴发性流行病。该病来势猛,发病急,传播快,死亡率高,严重影响我国的对虾养殖。在青岛地区,发病时间在6～8月。一旦发病,全池对虾可在3～10ｄ内大部或全部死亡。现已查明,该流行病的病原体为对虾皮下?..     

Cases of Equine Coital Exanthema in Denmark

A venereal disease usually designated equine coital exanthema (ECE) has been observed in horses all over the world. In a very few oases a virus, claimed to be the causative agent of the disease, has been isolated.     

Isolation of avian paramyxovirus 1 from a patient with a lethal case of pneumonia

An unknown virus was isolated from a lung biopsy sample and multiple other samples from a patient who developed a lethal case of pneumonia following a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. A random PCR-based molecular screening method was used to identify the infectious agent as avian paramyxovirus 1 (APMV-1; a group encompassing Newcastle disease virus), which is a highly contagious poultry pathogen that has only rarely been found in human infections. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the presence of APMV-1 antigen in sloughed alveolar cells in lung tissue from autopsy. Sequence from the human isolate showed that it was most closely related to virulent pigeon strains of APMV-1. This is the most completely documented case of a systemic human infection caused by APMV-1 and is the first report of an association between this virus and a fatal disease in a human.     

Diverging effects of human recombinant anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody fragments derived from a single patient on the infectivity of a vesicular stomatitis virus/HCV pseudotype

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major causative agent of blood-borne non-A, non-B hepatitis. Although a strong humoral response is detectable within a few weeks of primary infection and during viral persistence, the role played by antibodies against HCV envelope glycoproteins in controlling viral replication is still unclear. We describe how human monoclonal anti-HCV E2 antibody fragments isolated from a chronically HCV-infected patient differ sharply in their abilities to neutralize infection of HepG2 cells by a vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotype bearing HCV envelope glycoproteins. Two clones were able to neutralize the pseudotype virus at a concentration of 10 micro g/ml, while three other clones completely lacked this activity. These data can explain the lack of protection and the possibility of reinfection that occur even in the presence of a strong antiviral antibody response.     

Characterization and Plasmid Profile of Xanthomonas campestris pv. Glycines from Maharashtra, India

Xanthomonas campestris pv. glycines , (Xcg), the causative agent of the bacterial pustule disease of soybean was isolated and characterized. On susceptible soybean the pathogenic isolates displayed characteristic chlorotic lesions around the site of infection within 48 h of inoculation. The pathogenic isolates were found to contain two cryptic plasmids. A smaller plasmid of 1.5 kb and a larger one of size about 25 kb. SDS-PAGE profile of the soluble proteins of the pathogenic isolatess, howed a different pattern compared to that of the non-pathogenic isolates.     

Changes in the composition of the causative agents of wound infection in emergency surgery in the period from 1967 through 1987

The composition of the causative agents of suppurations, isolated from suppurating wounds of patients hospitalized at different departments of the Sklifosovski? Emergency Aid Institute was studied. The proportion of representatives of different microbial families among more than 18,000 strains of the causative agents of wound infection was estimated. Fluctuations in the amount and structure of the agents were analyzed in different clinics over the period of 1967-1987. Under the conditions of emergency aid hospital Staphylococcus aureus proved to be the most frequent causative agent of suppurative inflammatory processes at different departments. At the same time no tendency towards an increase of the etiological role of any microbial family in the development of wound infections was noted. The incidence of different causative agents of suppurations was found to vary at different departments, depending on their specialization and season. The results of observations on the composition of the causative agents of wound infection may be used for the planning and evaluation of antiepidemic measures.     

The lipid component of lipoproteins from Borrelia burgdorferi: structural analysis, antigenicity, and presentation via human dendritic cells

The spirochaetal bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) is the tick-borne causative agent of lyme disease. The major membrane immunogens of Bb are outer surface proteins. The lipid component of these lipoproteins is relevant for the immunogenicity of Bb-lipoproteins. To characterize the antigenic properties, the native lipid component of lipoproteins was isolated and the detailed molecular structure was analyzed. The molecular structure of the lipoprotein-lipid component turned out to be S(propane-2',-3'diol)-3-thio-2-aminopropanic acid (S-glyceryl-cysteine) with one ester-linked fatty acid, one acetyl group, and one N-terminal amide-bound fatty acid. Fatty acid analysis of the lipid component indicated a heterogeneous composition comprising C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2, and C 20:0. The antigenicity was tested with in vitro bioassays using human blood-derived dendritic cells (DCs) as antigen-presenting cells and autologous Bb-specific T-cells. We found that human DCs present the lipid component of Bb-lipoproteins via MHC class II inducing an antigen-specific T-cell immune response in vitro.