The porcine brucellosis - evidence of the role of Yersinia enterocolitica O:9 in occurrence of false positive serological reactions

Forty four pigs with typical characteristics for false positive serological reactions (FPSR) were examined for the presence of Yersinia enterocolitica O:9. The positive reactions were observed in rose bengal test (RBT, N=23 sera), serum agglutination test (SAT, N=16), complement fixation test (CFT, N=9), indirect ELISA (i-ELISA, N=11) in first, and in RBT (N=14), SAT (N=8), CFT (N=7) and i-ELISA (N=18) in second examination, respectively. In bacteriological examination Y. enterocolitica was confirmed in 12 cases. Six of these isolates were identified with PCR as Y. enterocolitica O:9

A case of bovine tuberculosis in pigs in Poland - a country free from the disease

Introduction. Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic contagious disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis or Mycobacterium caprae. Before widespread action conducted in Poland between 1959–1975 to combat bovine tuberculosis (BTB), about 40% of all tuberculosis cases in pigs was caused by the bovine bacillus. At the present time, correctly carried out, long-term control of cattle has resulted in cases of bovine tuberculosis in pigs and humans being extremely rare and sporadic. In pigs, tuberculosis is most often caught in a slaughterhouse during slaughter. Materials and method. Samples came from pigs kept on the farm. Traditional bacteriological methods on solid media (Stonebrink, LJ with pyruvate) supported by the semi-automatic, liquid indicative culture method (MGIT) and PCR test were applied in targeted studies. The GenoType Mycobacterium MTBC and CM tests (Hain Lifescience, Germany) were used to additionally confirm that isolated strains classification was used. Results. Strains of mycobacteria were isolated from all examined pigs. Mycobacterium bovis was determined by real time PCR and Hain Genotype methods. Conclusions. In order to effectively fight against BTB, all animals on farms should be tested, regardless of species, while the milk of suspected cows should be utilized without being used for feed. It is important to adapt the current legal regulations to the current epidemiological situation

The value of Fluorescence Polarisation Assay in verification of problematic sera from pigs for brucellosis

The aim of the study was an evaluation of fluorescence polarisation assay (FPA) as a potential tool improving specificity of serological diagnosis of brucellosis in pigs. The evaluation was done by comparing the results of FPA with the results of rose bengal test (RBT), serum agglutination test (SAT), complement fixation test (CFT) and ELISA when false positive sera were tested. One hundred ninety porcine samples, reacting positively in at least one classical serological assay were used. We observed that among 198 sera, 104 were also positive in FPA. The studies confirmed that porcine FPA adds little as far as specificity in comparison to other methods is concerned

Characteristics of Brucella strains isolated from animals in Poland

A total of 42 Brucella strains were isolated from animals in Poland in years 2003-2012. Most of them (N=37) originated from wild animals, 3 from cattle, 1 from pig and 1 from sheep. The strains were characterised using both bacteriological and molecular (Bruce-ladder and MLVA) methods. The examinations revealed that all strains from wild boars, hares, cattle and pigs (N=41) had the same phenotypic characteristics and were classified as B. suis biovar 2. The remaining strain, isolated from sheep, was classified as B. ovis. The molecular examination showed that all B. suis biovar 2 strains, except one, had the same molecular profile as reference strain B. suis bv2 Thomsen. Different from the others strain originated from boars imported to Poland and its VNTR profile was typical for Iberian strains

Serological studies to determine the occurrence of Johne’s disease and mycoplasma infection in the Northern-East Polish population of European bison (Bison bonasus)

A serological study of twenty three European bison (Bison bonasus) derived from Northern-East Poland for the seroprevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC, Mycoplasma agalactiae and Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae was conducted. Only specific antibodies to M. bovis were detected in two animals (8.7%) which were connected with the clinical signs and macroscopic anatomopathological lesions

Analiza oporności na leki przeciwprątkowe wśród szczepów MTBC izolowanych od bydła w Polsce jako zagrożenie dla zdrowia ludzi

Background. Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease affecting humans and animals. It is caused by mycobacteria that are part of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). The etiological agent causing bovine tuberculosis is mycobacteria bovis: Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium caprae. According to the World Health Organization bovine tuberculosis is classified as direct zoonosis. Material and methods. The study material consisted of 129 MTBC strains isolated from Polish cattle, which were microbiologically analyzed. The resistance phenotype was tested for first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs used in the treatment of tuberculosis in humans. The drugs included streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. The MTBC strains tested in this study were isolated from cattle tissue post mortem so that the determination of drug resistance could meet only the epidemiological criterion. Results. Polish strains of mycobacteria bovis have not acquired environmental resistance despite the huge dynamics of changes in the phenotype of mycobacterial tuberculosis resistance. Strains classified as M. bovis are characterized by natural resistance to PZA, which is typical of this species. Conclusions. Drug resistance imposes the use of additional drugs. Drugs that are less effective than the basic drugs, drugs causing side effects more frequently and drugs that are much more expensive.Wprowadzenie. Gruźlica jest wysoce zakaźną chorobą ludzi i zwierząt, którą powodują prątki wchodzące w skład kompleksu Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTBC). Czynnikiem etiologicznym gruźlicy bydlęcej są prątki bydlęce: Mycobacterium bovis i Mycobacterium caprae. Zgodnie z klasyfikacją Światowej Organizacji Zdrowia, gruźlica typu bydlęcego zaliczana jest do zoonoz bezpośrednich. Materiał i metody. W pracy poddano analizie mikrobiologicznej 129 szczepów MTBC wyizolowanych od bydła w Polsce. Fenotyp oporności zbadano pod kątem leków przeciwprątkowych pierwszej linii stosowanych w leczeniu gruźlicy u ludzi: streptomycyny, izoniazydu, rifampicyny, etambutolu i pyrazynamidu. Szczepy MTBC badane w niniejszej pracy wyizolowano z tkanek bydła pobranych post mortem, tak że oznaczenie lekooporności w tym zadaniu spełniło jedynie kryterium epidemiologiczne. Wyniki. Polskie szczepy prątka bydlęcego nie nabyły oporności środowiskowej. Szczepy sklasyfikowane jako M. bovis cechują się charakterystyczną dla tego gatunku naturalną opornością na PZA. Wnioski. Wystąpienie lekooporności zmusza do stosowania leków dodatkowych, mniej skutecznych niż leki podstawowe i powodujących częściej objawy uboczne, a jednocześnie znacznie droższych

Treatment for active tuberculosis in giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) in a Zoo and potential consequences for public health - case report

Introduction. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an infectious disease that occurs in many species of both domestic and freeranging animals, as well as animals kept in zoos. According to the Polish regulations, cattle tuberculosis are slaughtered and microbiological examinations are performed, the rest of animal species can be treated and laboratory diagnostics are not obligatory. Case report. The presented case concerns two male giraffes which were purchased by the zoo and united with a third male. After a year, the oldest male died. Post mortem examinations confirmed generalized tuberculosis. After a further six months, the second male was euthanized after suffering great pain. The material for the study of drug resistance was a swab from the nose, obtained ante mortem from the third male. Attempted treatments did not produce the expected results. Genotyping allowed the exclusion of a common source of transmission. Conclusions. The final effect of the anti-tuberculosis therapy in the male giraffe raises the question whether the research team should have undertaken the treatment of the animal with active tuberculosis