Anatomopathological and immunohistochemical characterization of a case of granulomatous meningoencephalitis in a bovine with systemic tuberculosis / Caracterização anatomopatológica e imuno-histoquímica de um caso de meningite granulomatosa em bovino com tuberculose sistêmica

A two-year-old male bovine of Aberdeen Angus breed with anorexia, weight loss, and apathy was reported for necropsy, being diagnosed with systemic tuberculosis and tuberculoid meningitis lesions. Bovine tuberculosis was observed and confirmed through the necropsy of granulomatous lesions, mainly in the lungs and regional lymph nodes; specific staining for alcohol-acid resistant bacilli and immunohistochemistry were also performed. It should be noted that bovine tuberculosis is a zoonotic disease, with mandatory notification, caused by Mycobacterium bovis. In most cases, it has nonspecific clinical symptoms, such as respiratory signs, weight loss, and lymphadenopathy. In rare cases, alterations in the central nervous system occur. Therefore, this study aimed to report a case of granulomatous meningitis in a bovine with systemic tuberculosis through the characterization of its anatomicopathological and immunohistochemical aspects

Development and evaluation of a recombinant vaccine against avian infectious bronchitis virus carried by defective adenovirus

The infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is the etiologic agent of Infectious bronchitis (IB), a highly contagious disease that causes great economic losses in the poultry industry. The IBV is an enveloped virus that has RNA single strand genome, encoding four structural proteins, among them Nucleoprotein (N), which is produced abundantly in viral infection and is known immunogenic. The IB control is done by immunization of birds by applying live attenuated vaccine, followed by vaccination using inactivated antigen, wherein the Massachusetts serotype is the only released for use in Brazil. One of the goals of the present work was to conduct an exploratory study in order to know the opinion of different segments of the poultry industry on the current situation of the occurrence of BI in Brazilian squads and the costs that it represents. Therefore, the development of alternative and safe vaccines to BI control is necessary, including the use of vectors. In order to develop an effective vaccine to IB control, samples from IBV field variants were cloned into recombinant human adenovirus and used to transfect HEK293 cells, resulting in recombinant adenovirus carriers of the N gene of the IBV. These recombinant viruses were purified and used as vaccines to immunization of SPF chickens. Based on the obtained data, it was observed that despite the different vaccination strategies, IB is still considered highly prevalent disease that causes significant economic losses in Brazilian poultry industry. The results here obtained showed that the recombinant vaccine does not causes detectable positive serological responses by commercial Elisa test in vaccinated chickens and does not reduce the tissues damage in vaccinated and challenged chickens. Thus, the recombinant vaccine carried by defective adenovirus expressing N gene of IBV was constructed and characterized, but seemed to be ineffective and did not induce sufficient protection to experimentally immunized chickens against IBV challenge.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPESO vírus da bronquite infecciosa das galinhas (VBI) é o agente etiológico da Bronquite Infecciosa (BI), uma enfermidade altamente contagiosa que causa grandes perdas econômicas na avicultura. O VBI é um vírus envelopado, que possui genoma constituído de RNA fita simples, que codifica 4 proteínas estruturais, dentre elas a Nucleoproteína (N), que é produzida em grande quantidade na infecção viral e é reconhecidamente imunogênica. O controle da BI se faz com a imunização das aves através da aplicação de vacinas vivas atenuadas, seguidas de vacinação utilizando antígeno inativado, sendo o sorotipo Massachusetts o único liberado para uso no Brasil. Um dos objetivos do presente trabalho foi realizar um estudo exploratório, afim de conhecer a opinião de diferentes segmentos da avicultura sobre a situação atual da ocorrência de BI nos planteis brasileiros e os custos que ela representa. Diante disso, surge então a necessidade do desenvolvimento de vacinas alternativas e seguras para controle da BI, entre elas a utilização de vacinas vetoriais. Dessa forma, com o objetivo de desenvolver uma vacina efetiva no controle da BI, amostras variantes de VBI foram clonadas em adenovírus humano recombinante e utilizadas para transfectar células HEK293, originando adenovírus recombinantes carreadores do gene N do VBI. Estes vírus foram purificados e utilizados como vacinas recombinantes para imunização de aves SPF. Com base nos dados obtidos, observou-se que apesar das diferentes estratégias de vacinação, a BI ainda é considerada uma doença de alta prevalência que continua causando significativas perdas econômicas na produção avícola de corte e postura no Brasil. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a vacina recombinante não induziu uma resposta sorológica detectável pelo teste de Elisa comercial utilizado, bem como não reduziu os escores de lesões nos tecidos das aves vacinadas e desafiadas. Assim, a vacina recombinante carreada por adenovírus defectivo expressando o gene N do VBI foi construída e caracterizada, porém se mostrou ineficaz e não induziu suficiente proteção às aves experimentalmente imunizadas frente ao desafio com VBI

Pathogenicity study and co-infection investigation by Porcine Circovirus and Swine Torque Teno Virus in materials from sows with reproductive failure

Many infectious agents have been associated with reproductive failure in swine, representing significantly economic losses for production. Recently, Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2), etiologic agent of PCVAD or PCV2 associated diseases, was associated with reproductive failure in swine around the world. To confirm the pathogenic potential of PCV2 inducing reproductive failure in sows, it s necessary the viral isolation and antigen and nucleic acid demonstration in fetuses. Other viral agent, Torque Teno Vírus (TTV), also have been recently associated with infections caused by PCV2. TTV alone has not showed pathogenic signals in swine, but, its role in co-infections with other pathogens has been investigated. The present study aimed the diagnostic of PCV2 in natural infections where there was reproductive failure, as well as to establish and apply the Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique for TTV from organs. Samples from field cases, as aborted fetuses, mummified, stillborn, fragile piglets and material from abattoir sows were collected and processed to diagnostic infection in order to detect PCV2 by PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Samples were collected from 21 farms; and a total of 169 fetuses were necropsied. Moreover, reproductive samples from 83 abattoir sows were collected in 4 slaughterhouses of Santa Catarina State. In the present study was possible detect viral DNA by PCR in 29 (17,1%) of 169 analyzed fetuses, where heart and lymphoid tissues showed virus DNA more frequently, 41,4% and 37,8%, respectively. Viral presence was confirmed by IHC in tissues, which detected viral antigens in 17 PCV2 positives fetuses by PCR. Samples of reproductive tissues from sows also were tested by PCR and PCV2 was identified in 4 sows (4,8%). PCR technique aimed to detect TTV was established for viral DNA from organs. Samples of reproductive tissues from sows were tested, and were found both genogroups of TTV (TTV1 and TTV2), in 25 (30,1%) and 41 (49,3%) sows, respectively. Fetuses samples that resulted positive to PCV2 by PCR were also tested to TTV, and it was observed the occurrence of co-infection between these agents. The results obtained here suggest the involvement of PCV2 in reproductive failure in sows, besides show that TTV was present in analyzed samples, corroboring the association with PCV2Muitos agentes infecciosos têm sido associados às falhas reprodutivas na produção de suínos, representando significativas perdas econômicas para os suinocultores. Recentemente o Circovirus Suíno tipo 2 (PCV2), agente etiológico da circovirose suína, foi associado a falhas reprodutivas em suínos em diversas partes do mundo. Para confirmar o potencial patogênico do PCV2 causando falhas reprodutivas em porcas, é necessário o isolamento do vírus e demonstração de antígeno e ácido nucléico viral em fetos. Outro agente viral, o Torque Teno Vírus (TTV), também foi recentemente associado às infecções causadas pelo PCV2. O TTV sozinho ainda não tem se mostrado patogênico em suínos, porém, seu papel em co-infecções com outros patógenos vem sendo investigado. O presente trabalho teve por objetivos diagnosticar o PCV2 em infecções naturais onde existiam falhas reprodutivas, assim como padronizar e aplicar a técnica de Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR) para TTV a partir de órgãos. Amostras provenientes de casos clínicos de campo, como fetos abortados, mumificados, natimortos, leitões inviáveis e material de fêmeas descartadas foram coletadas e processadas para diagnóstico da infecção pelo PCV2 através de PCR e imunoistoquímica (IHQ). Foram colhidas amostras de 21 granjas produtoras de suínos, totalizando 169 fetos, que foram necropsiados para coleta de órgãos. Além disso, amostras de órgãos reprodutivos de 83 fêmeas descartadas foram colhidas em 4 abatedouros da região oeste catarinense. No presente estudo foi possível detectar DNA viral por PCR em 29 (17,1%) dos 169 fetos analisados, sendo coração e tecidos linfóides os órgãos onde o vírus foi identificado com maior freqüência, 41,4% e 37,8%, respectivamente. A presença do vírus foi confirmada por teste de IHQ dos tecidos, sendo encontrado antígeno viral em 17 fetos positivos para PCV2 por PCR. As amostras de tecido reprodutivo das fêmeas também foram testadas por PCR e o PCV2 foi identificado em 4 porcas (4,8%). Visando a detecção de TTV foram testadas por PCR amostras de órgãos reprodutivos de fêmeas suínas, sendo diagnosticados os dois genogrupos de TTV, TTV1 e TTV2 em 25 (30,1%) e 41 (49,3%) fêmeas, respectivamente. As amostras de fetos que resultaram positivas para PCV2 pela técnica de PCR também foram testadas para TTV, observando-se a ocorrência de coinfecção entre estes agentes. Os resultados obtidos evidenciam o provável envolvimento do PCV2 em falhas reprodutivas em fêmeas suínas, bem como mostram que o TTV está presente nas amostras analisadas, confirmando a associação com o PCV

Combined use of ELISA and Western blot with recombinant N protein is a powerful tool for the immunodiagnosis of avian infectious bronchitis

Abstract Background The avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) remains a significant source of loss in the poultry industry and early diagnosis is required to prevent the disease from spreading. This study examined the combined use of an ELISA and Western blot (WB) to detect antibodies against the nucleocapsid protein (N) of IBV. The coding sequence for N was amplified by RT-PCR and expressed in Escherichia coli. A soluble recombinant N protein (rN) of approximately 50 kDa was obtained. A total of 389 sera were tested against the rN in ELISA and the results were compared with those of the commercial IDEXX IBV Ab test. ELISA-rN achieved a 90.34% sensitivity and 90.16% specificity. WB confirmed all false negative sera in ELISA-rN or IDEXX test as truly positive. The current study indicate that the combined use of rN in ELISA and WB is a powerful tool for the immunodiagnosis of avian infectious bronchitis. Methods Constructed recombinant pAE/n expression vectors were used to transform E. coli BL21(DE3) Star competent cells (Invitrogen). The rN of infectious bronchitis virus was purified by affinity chromatography using HisTrap HP 1 mL columns pre-packed with pre-charged Ni Sepharose in the ÄKTAprime Automated Liquid Chromatography system (GE Healthcare). A total of 389 serum samples from chickens were used to develop and evaluate the ELISA-rN test. To standardize the indirect ELISA development, serum dilutions (1:100, 1:200 and 1:400) and different concentrations of purified rN antigen (50, 100 and 200 ng/well) were tested. Positive and negative sera for IBV were used as controls. The results were compared with those obtained from a commercial kit. Serum samples scored as negative with the commercial kit but as positive with the ELISA-rN were further analysed by Western blot analyses using the rN protein as an antigen. The results of the ELISA-rN were compared to the commercial kit results using receiver-operating characteristics curves, area under the curve, and confidence intervals with the software GraphPad Prism version 6.0 for Windows (GraphPad Software, USA). Results The expected cDNA fragment of approximately 1240 bp was successfully amplified by PCR using primers designed to select for the coding region of the N protein. The rN was expressed as a soluble protein to avoid the refolding steps and, after purification a yield of 10 mg/L of rN was obtained. The SDS-PAGE results demonstrated the presence of two distinct bands that had a molecular mass of approximately 45 and 50 KDa. Out of 244 sera that scored positive in the commercial ELISA IDEXX IBV Ab Test, 220 were also positive in the ELISA-rN, yielding an ELISA-rN test sensitivity of 90.16%. Out of 145 sera that scored negative in the IDEXX IBV Ab Test, 131 also scored negative in the ELISA-rN, indicating a specificity of 90.34%. Sera that tested negative in the ELISA-rN and positive in the commercial test also reacted with the rN protein in Western blot. Conclusions The association between the ELISA and Western blot techniques developed in this study with a subunit of IBV (rN) were able to detect antibodies that the commercial ELISA did not detect suggesting that the ELISA-rN has greater sensitivity