First Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Wild Frogs from Bangladesh

EcoHealth - Global amphibian populations are facing a novel threat, chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which is responsible for the severe decline of a...     

GB virus C infection in Indonesian HIV‐positive patients

GB virus C (GBV‐C), a human virus of the Flaviviridae family that is structurally and epidemiologically closest to hepatitis C virus (HCV), has been reported to confer beneficial outcomes in HIV‐positive patients. However, the prevalence of GBV‐C in HIV‐positive individuals in Indonesia is unknown. Since GBV‐C is more prevalent in anti‐HCV positive patients than in anti‐HCV negative subjects, transmission of GBV‐C and HCV could be by the same method. This study examined the prevalence and molecular characteristics of GBV‐C infection in HIV patients in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The prevalence of GBV‐C among HIV patients (n = 125, median age 31 years) based on the 5′UTR region was 111/125 (88.8%), including 39/48 (81.3%) and 72/77 (93.5%) HIV‐infected patients with and without HCV infection, respectively. GBV‐C isolates were of genotype 2a, 3 and 6 in 58.3%, 12.6% and 28.4% of patients, respectively. Patients with genotype 3 were significantly younger than those with genotypes 2a or 6 (P = 0.001 and P = 0.012, respectively). Genotypes 3 and 6 were significantly associated with injection drug use (P = 0.004 and P = 0.002, respectively) and HCV co‐infection (P < 0.001 for both genotypes), indicating a shared transmission route with HCV. In conclusion, the prevalence of GBV‐C among HIV‐positive patients in Indonesia is high, and three genotypes were detected, namely genotype 2a, 3 and 6.     

Hydrocarbon Degradation and Biosurfactant Production by an Acenaphthene-degrading Pseudomonas Species

An acenaphthene-degrading bacterium putatively identified as Pseudomonas sp. strain KR3 and isolated from diesel-contaminated soil in Lagos, Nigeria was investigated for its degradative and biosurfactant production potentials on crude oil. Physicochemical analysis of the sampling site indicates gross pollution of the soil with high hydrocarbon content (2100 mg/kg) and detection of various heavy metals. The isolate grew luxuriantly on crude oil, engine oil and acenaphthene. It was resistant to septrin, amoxicillin and augmentin but was susceptible to pefloxacin, streptomycin and gentamycin. It was also resistant to elevated concentration of heavy metals such as 1–15 mM lead, nickel and molybdenum. On acenaphthene, the isolate exhibited specific growth rate and doubling time of 0.098 day^?1 and 3.06 days, respectively. It degraded 62.44% (31.2 mg/l) and 91.78% (45.89 mg/l) of 50 mg/l acenaphthene within 12 and 21 days. On crude oil, the specific growth rate and doubling time were 0.375 day^?1 and 1.85 days with corresponding percentage degradation of 33.01% (903.99 mg/l) and 87.79% (2403.71 mg/l) of crude oil (2738.16 mg/l) within 9 and 18 days. Gas chromatographic analysis of residual crude oil at the end of 18 days incubation showed significant reductions in the aliphatic, alicyclic and aromatic fractions with complete disappearance of benzene, propylbenzene, pristane, phytane, and nC₁₈-octadecane fractions of the crude oil. The isolate produced growth-associated biosurfactant on crude oil with the highest emulsification index (E₂₄) value of 72% ± 0.23 on Day 10 of incubation. The partially purified biosurfactant showed zero tolerance for salinity and had its optimal activity at 27°C and pH 2.0.     

A simple reverse genetics method to generate recombinant coronaviruses

Engineering recombinant viruses is a pre‐eminent tool for deciphering the biology of emerging viral pathogens such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). However, the large size of coronavirus genomes renders the current reverse genetics methods challenging. Here, we describe a simple method based on “infectious subgenomic amplicons” (ISA) technology to generate recombinant infectious coronaviruses with no need for reconstruction of the complete genomic cDNA and apply this method to SARS‐CoV‐2 and also to the feline enteric coronavirus. In both cases we rescue wild‐type viruses with biological characteristics similar to original strains. Specific mutations and fluorescent red reporter genes can be readily incorporated into the SARS‐CoV‐2 genome enabling the generation of a genomic variants and fluorescent reporter strains for in vivo experiments, serological diagnosis, and antiviral assays. The swiftness and simplicity of the ISA method has the potential to facilitate the advance of coronavirus reverse genetics studies, to explore the molecular biological properties of the SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, and to accelerate the development of effective therapeutic reagents.     

Lack of effect of vitamin D administration during pregnancy and early life on diabetes incidence in the non-obese diabetic mouse.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Several studies have suggested that vitamin D supplementation in early life may reduce the risk of developing type 1 diabetes in later life. The non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse is a model of spontaneous type 1 diabetes currently used for testing hypothesis/compounds aimed at disease prevention. In this study, we tested the effect of vitamin D (16 IU by gavage) on diabetes incidence in NOD/Ba mice treated from conception with olive oil containing vitamin D via maternal dosing up to 10 weeks of age and followed up until 32 weeks of age. METHODS: Twelve breeding pairs were administered olive oil containing vitamin D during pregnancy, 15 days following the birth of the pups and for the next 10 weeks subsequently. The same breeding pairs were bred again after a clearance period of 15 days using a control solution to produce a control litter. This control group received a control solution for the same period of time. Diabetes incidence, degree of insulitis, and insulin content in the pancreas were investigated in the two groups. RESULTS: 12 vitamin D-treated NOD mice developed diabetes compared to 15 animals in the control group (Log rank test p = 0.899, NS). There were no significant differences between the groups in diabetes incidence, time of onset of the disease, degree of insulitis, or the insulin content in the pancreas. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D administered in utero and in the early stages of life at the dosage used does not change the incidence of diabetes or modify the disease process that leads to beta cell destruction in the NOD mouse.