Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in clinically healthy German sheep flocks

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current epidemiological data on the situation of <it>Coxiella (C.) burnetii </it>infections in sheep are missing, making risk assessment and the implementation of counteractive measures difficult. Using the German state of Thuringia as a model example, the estimated sero-, and antigen prevalence of <it>C. burnetii </it>(10% and 25%, respectively) was assessed at flock level in 39/252 randomly selected clinically healthy sheep flocks with more than 100 ewes and unknown abortion rate.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The CHECKIT™ Q-fever Test Kit identified 11 (28%) antibody positive herds, whereas real-time PCR revealed the presence of <it>C. burnetii </it>DNA in 2 (5%) of the flocks. Multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeats analysis of 9 isolates obtained from one flock revealed identical profiles. All isolates contained the plasmid QpH1.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results demonstrate that <it>C. burnetii </it>is present in clinically inconspicuous sheep flocks and sporadic flare-ups do occur as the notifications to the German animal disease reporting system show. Although <it>C. burnetii </it>infections are not a primary veterinary concern due to the lack of significant clinical impact on animal health (with the exception of goats), the eminent zoonotic risk for humans should not be underestimated. Therefore, strategies combining the interests of public and veterinary public health should include monitoring of flocks, the identification and culling of shedders as well as the administration of protective vaccines.</p

Acute Q fever infection in Thuringia, Germany, after burial of roe deer fawn cadavers (Capreolus capreolus): a case report

We report on a case of a 48-year-old man who presented with acute Q fever infection after burying two fawn cadavers (Capreolus capreolus). Recent outbreaks of Q fever in Europe have been traced back to intensive goat breeding units, sheep flocks in the proximity of highly populated urban areas or to farmed deer. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing Q fever infection in a human linked to roe deer as a source of infection

Involvement of common intermediate 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine in chromophore biosynthesis of quinomycin family antibiotics

Quinomycin antibiotics, represented by echinomycin, are an important class of antitumor antibiotics. We have recently succeeded in identification of biosynthetic gene clusters of echinomycin and SW-163D, and have achieved heterologous production of echinomycin in Escherichia coil. In addition, we have engineered echinomycin nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) to generate echinomycin derivatives. However, the biosynthetic pathways of intercalative chromophores quinoxaline-2-carboxylic acid (QXC) and 3-hydroxyquinaldic acid (HQA), which are important for biological activity, were not fully elucidated. Here, we report experiments involving incorporation of a putative advanced precursor, (2S, 3R)-[6'-2H]-3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine, and functional analysis of the enzymes Swb1 and Swb2 responsible for late-stage biosynthesis of HQA. Based on these experimental results, we propose biosynthetic pathways for both QXC and HQA via the common intermediate 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine

Ecosystem services driven by the diversity of soil biota - understanding and management

International audienc

Burkholderia pseudomallei

Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is an emerging infectious disease with an expanding geographical distribution. Although assessment of the environmental load of B. pseudomallei is important for risk assessment in humans or animals in endemic areas, traditional methods of bacterial culture for isolation have low sensitivities and are labor-intensive. Using a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting a Tat domain protein in comparison with a bacterial culture method, we examined the prevalence of B. pseudomallei in soil samples from an oceanarium in Hong Kong where captive marine mammals and birds have contracted melioidosis. Among 1420 soil samples collected from various sites in the oceanarium over a 15-month period, B. pseudomallei was detected in nine (0.6%) soil samples using bacterial culture, whereas it was detected in 96 (6.8%) soil samples using the specific PCR assay confirmed by sequencing. The PCR-positive samples were detected during various months, with higher detection rates observed during summer months. Positive PCR detection was significantly correlated with ambient temperature (P<0.0001) and relative humidity (P=0.011) but not with daily rainfall (P=0.241) or a recent typhoon (P=0.787). PCR-positive samples were obtained from all sampling locations, with the highest detection rate in the valley. Our results suggest that B. pseudomallei is prevalent and endemic in the oceanarium. The present PCR assay is more sensitive than the bacterial culture method, and it may be used to help better assess the transmission of melioidosis and to design infection control measures for captive animals in this unique and understudied environment