316 research outputs found
Tularemia and Plague Survey in Rodents in Earthquake Zones in Southeastern Iran
OBJECTIVES: Earthquakes are one the most common natural disasters that lead to increased mortality and morbidity from transmissible diseases, partially because the rodents displaced by an earthquake can lead to an increased rate of disease transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of plague and tularemia in rodents in the earthquake zones in southeastern Iran. METHODS: In April 2013, a research team was dispatched to explore the possible presence of diseases in rodents displaced by a recent earthquake magnitude 7.7 around the cities of Khash and Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Rodents were trapped near and in the earthquake zone, in a location where an outbreak of tularemia was reported in 2007. Rodent serums were tested for a serological survey using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: In the 13 areas that were studied, nine rodents were caught over a total of 200 trap-days. Forty-eight fleas and 10 ticks were obtained from the rodents. The ticks were from the Hyalomma genus and the fleas were from the Xenopsylla genus. All the trapped rodents were Tatera indica. Serological results were negative for plague, but the serum agglutination test was positive for tularemia in one of the rodents. Tatera indica has never been previously documented to be involved in the transmission of tularemia. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence of the plague cycle was found in the rodents of the area, but evidence was found of tularemia infection in rodents, as demonstrated by a positive serological test for tularemia in one rodent
Tularemia - possible increase and new risk factors
Purpose: Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. In Europe each year approximately 1200 human cases are reported. Four subspecies are currently known: tularensis (the most virulent form), holarctica (the most widespread form), mediasiatic, and novicida. In Austria Francisella tularensis supsp. holarctica is endemic in the eastern part of the country (Lower Austria and Burgenland), and is known to have a 5-year cycle. Zoonotic transmission from pet species in Europe has only been described in Norway due to a cat bite, as well as after an accidental exposure to the disease while spaying a cat. In 2014 first reports of clinically ill dogs were reported from Norway.
Methods & Materials: As hunting with dogs has a long tradition in Austria, and as there are endemic areas for the disease a first serological screening of 80 hunting dogs used in the hunt for European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) was conducted.
Results: Of these 80 dogs 5 tested positive for tularemia (6.25%, CI 2.1% - 14%). One positive dog had shown some clinical symptoms, however this female dog also tested positive for Brucella canis.
Conclusion: This result shows that dogs not only have contact to the pathogen, but also seroconvert. The occurrence of the disease is thought to increase in the next years due to our changing climate, and this year there is a new hotspot of the disease in Austria (i.e. Salzburg). These changes, as well as the result of this study highlight the need to raise the awareness level of the disease, its possible increase and new risk factors
Development of molecular biological tools for the rapid determination of antibiotic susceptibility of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae isolates
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is the etiologic agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, a contagious respiratory disease,
causing significant economic losses worldwide. Antibiotic treatment is commonly utilised in the pig industry
to control M. hyopneumoniae infection. Since the conventional antibiotic susceptibility test is time-consuming,
taking up to weeks’ period, antibiotics are usually empirically chosen.
Certain single nucleotide polymorphisms in the parC (C239A/T, G250A) and gyrA (G242C, C247 T, A260 G)
genes show correlation with decreased fluoroquinolone susceptibility by the change of the target site.
Furthermore, the nucleotide alteration A2059 G in the 23S rRNA sequence correlates with significantly decreased
macrolide and lincosamide susceptibility of M. hyopneumoniae. Mismatch amplification mutation assays
(MAMA) and high resolution melt (HRM) analysis, capable to detect the mentioned resistance markers, were
developed in the present study, in order to provide susceptibility data in a considerably shorter time than the
conventional methods. The results of the MAMA and HRM assays were congruent with the results of the conventional
antibiotic susceptibility method of the tested M. hyopneumoniae field isolates. The sensitivity of the
MAMAs was 103-104 copy numbers, while that of the HRM assay was 105-106 copy numbers.
To the best of our knowledge this was the first time that MAMA and HRM assays were developed for the rapid
detection of decreased fluoroquinolone, macrolide or lincosamide susceptibility in M. hyopneumoniae strains
Screening of bat faeces for arthropod-borne apicomplexan protozoa: Babesia canis and Besnoitia besnoiti-like sequences from Chiroptera
Background
:
45
Microbats (Chiroptera: Microchiropte
ra) are among the most eco
-
epidemiologically important
46
mammals, owing to their presence in human settlements and ani
mal keeping facilities
.
47
Roosting of bats in buildings may bring pathogens of veterinary
-
medical importance into the
48
environment of domestic
animals and humans. In this context bats
have long been studied as
49
carriers of various pathogen groups. However,
despite their close association with arthropods
50
(both in their f
oo
d and as their ectoparasites),
only
a
few molecular surveys have been
51
publish
ed on their role as carriers of vector
-
borne protozoa. The aim
of the present study was
52
to compensate for this scarcity of information.
53
Findings
:
54
Altogether 221 (mostly individual) bat faecal samples were collected in Hungary and the
55
Netherlands. The DNA w
as extracted
,
and analysed with PCR and sequencing for the
56
presence of arthropod
-
borne apicomplexan protozoa.
Babesia canis canis
(with 99
-
100%
57
homology) was identified in five samples, all from Hungary. Because it was excluded with an
58
Ixodidae
-
specific PC
R that the relevant bats consumed ticks, these sequences derive either
59
from insect
carriers
of
Ba. canis
, or from the infection
of
bats. In one
bat faecal
sample from
60
the Netherlands a sequence having the highest (99%) homology to
Besnoitia besnoiti
was
61
am
plified.
62
Conclusions
:
63
The
se
findings
suggest
that some aspects of the epidemiology of canine babesiosis are
64
underestimated or unknown, i.e. the potential role of insect
-
borne mechanical transmission
65
and/or the susceptibility of bats
to
Ba. canis
. In addit
ion, b
ats need to be added to future
66
studies in the quest for
the
final host of
Be. besnoiti
Antimicrobial susceptibility of Bacillus anthracis strains from Hungary
The susceptibility of 29 Bacillus anthracis strains, collected in Hungary between 1933 and 2014, was tested to 10 antibiotics with commercially available minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test strips. All strains were susceptible to amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, doxycycline, gentamicin, penicillin, rifampicin, and vancomycin. Intermediate susceptibility to erythromycin and cefotaxime was detected in 17.2% (5/29) and 58.6% (17/29) of the strains, respectively. Correlations were not observed between the isolation date, location, host species, genotype, and antibiotic susceptibility profile of strains
Rapid, simple and cost-effective molecular method to differentiate the temperature sensitive (ts+) MS-H vaccine strain and wild-type Mycoplasma synoviae isolates
Mycoplasma synoviae
infection in chickens and turkeys can cause respiratory disease,
infectious synovitis and eggshell apex abnormality; thus it is an economically important
pathogen. Control of
M
.
synoviae
infection comprises eradication, medication or vaccina-
tion. The differentiation of the temperature sensitive (ts
+
) MS-H vaccine strain from field iso-
lates is crucial during vaccination programs. Melt-curve and agarose gel based mismatch
amplification mutation assays (MAMA) are provided in the present study to distinguish
between the ts
+
MS-H vaccine strain, its non-temperature sensitive re-isolates and wild-
type
M
.
synoviae
isolates based on the single nucleotide polymorphisms at nt367 and nt629
of the
obg
gene. The two melt-MAMAs and the two agarose-MAMAs clearly distinguish the
ts
+
MS-H vaccine strain genotype from its non-temperature sensitive re-isolate genotype
and wild-type
M
.
synoviae
isolate genotype, and no cross-reactions with other
Mycoplasma
species infecting birds occur. The sensitivity of the melt-MAMAs and agarose-MAMAs was
10
3
and 10
4
copy numbers, respectively. The assays can be performed directly on clinical
samples and they can be run simultaneously at the same annealing temperature. The
assays can be performed in laboratories with limited facilities, using basic real-time PCR
machine or conventional thermocycler coupled with agarose gel electrophoresis. The
advantages of the described assays compared with previously used methods are simplicity,
sufficient sensitivity, time and cost effectiveness and specificity
Isolation of Mycoplasma anserisalpingitidis from swan goose (Anser cygnoides) in China
Abstract
Background: Mycoplasma anserisalpingitidis causes significant economic losses in the domestic goose (Anser anser)
industry in Europe. As 95% of the global goose production is in China where the primary species is the swan goose
(Anser cygnoides), it is crucial to know whether the agent is present in this region of the world.
Results: Purulent cloaca and purulent or necrotic phallus inflammation were observed in affected animals which
represented 1–2% of a swan goose breeding flock (75,000 animals) near Guanghzou, China, in September 2019.
From twelve sampled animals the cloaca swabs of five birds (three male, two female) were demonstrated to be M.
anserisalpingitidis positive by PCR and the agent was successfully isolated from the samples of three female geese.
Based on whole genome sequence analysis, the examined isolate showed high genetic similarity (84.67%) with the
European isolates. The antibiotic susceptibility profiles of two swan goose isolates, determined by microbroth
dilution method against 12 antibiotics and an antibiotic combination were also similar to the European domestic
goose ones with tylvalosin and tiamulin being the most effective drugs.
Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge this is the first description of M. anserisalpingitidis infection in swan
goose, thus the study highlights the importance of mycoplasmosis in the goose industry on a global scale.
Keywords: Antibiotic, China, Mycoplasma, Swan goose, Phallus inflammation, Venereal disease, Whole genom
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