New Australian frontier in freshwater fish invasion via Torres Strait Islands

All continents, excluding Antarctica and the Artic, have been affected by incursion from alien freshwater fish species. Australia has not been spared. Four hundred and fifty species have now been declared on the ornamental importation list, making management a real challenge. With approximately 25 non-native species documented, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has likely some problems with invasive freshwater fish. Many of these species have been intentionally introduced to increase access to food as a protein source for remote communities or have spread naturally from western parts of Java and Indonesia, and now constitute a large biomass on some floodplain areas in PNG. The Torres Strait is located between PNG and northern Queensland and was previously a land bridge, though now under higher sea levels the region exists as a series of approximately 300 islands. The threat of further range extension of freshwater fish from PNG into northern Queensland via the Torres Strait Islands is significant, with two invasive fish species already recorded on northern islands of the Torres Strait (climbing perch, Anabas testudineus which has been continually recorded for the past decade; and recently the GIFT tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus). Here we present a case to control further spread of invasive freshwater fish species towards Australia, using a Land and Sea Ranger program, where Rangers are trained to be confident in the identification of pest fish species and to implement strategies to protect their borders from potential future incursions. The success of this program relies on Rangers to continue partaking in surveillance monitoring of coastal waters, checking and controlling for any new invasive species moving from PNG into Australian waters. We outline the biosecurity obligation under Article 14 of the Treaty between the two nations, which identifies the importance of conservation and protection of coastal floodplains from invasive species, and the spread between both nations

Vaccine strain affects seroconversion after influenza vaccination in COPD patients and healthy older people

Though clinical guidelines recommend influenza vaccination for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and other high-risk populations, it is unclear whether current vaccination strategies induce optimal antibody responses. This study aimed to identify key variables associated with strain-specific antibody responses in COPD patients and healthy older people. 76 COPD and 72 healthy participants were recruited from two Australian centres and inoculated with influenza vaccine. Serum strain-specific antibody titres were measured pre- and post-inoculation. Seroconversion rate was the primary endpoint. Antibody responses varied between vaccine strains. The highest rates of seroconversion were seen with novel strains (36–55%), with lesser responses to strains included in the vaccine in more than one consecutive year (27–33%). Vaccine responses were similar in COPD patients and healthy participants. Vaccine strain, hypertension and latitude were independent predictors of seroconversion. Our findings reassure that influenza vaccination is equally immunogenic in COPD patients and healthy older people; however, there is room for improvement. There may be a need to personalise the yearly influenza vaccine, including consideration of pre-existing antibody titres, in order to target gaps in individual antibody repertoires and improve protection

Environmental DNA survey of Rhinella marina (cane toad) on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) – June 2022

As part of an on-going cane toad monitoring campaign on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), Queensland, Brisbane City Council employees collected water samples for eDNA analysis from five sites considered to be at high risk of human-assisted cane toad incursion. Cane toad eDNA presence was detected at sampling site 5, in one of the three field replicates, constituting positive detection in 33.33% of samples taken at this site. However this site's GPS co-ordinates supplied indicated that this site was on the mainland and not Mulgumpin. Where toad eDNA wa detected on the island it is thought it has come from residual samples on vehicle tyres. To be confident that no populations of cane toad have established on Mulgumpin, it is recommended that surveillance of cane toad eDNA in water bodies continue. Subsequent surveys should be focused at sites of higher risk from cane toad incursion

Environmental DNA survey of Torres Strait Islands for invasive species – 2022 sampling campaign

The Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) engaged the Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER) to conduct environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis of water samples collected at Saibai, Mua, Kirriri and Muralag Islands during the 2022 sampling campaign. The species targeted on each island were: Kirriri Island and Muralag Island – cane toad (Rhinella marina); Mua Island – cane toad and snakehead fish (Channa striata); Saibai Island – cane toad, snakehead and tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus and Tilapia mariae). No presence of eDNA from any of the invasive species assessed was detected at any of the sites and islands surveyed in the 2022 sampling campaign

Linear and branched beta(1-3) D-glucans activate but do not prime teleost macrophages in vitro and are inactivated by dilute acid: Implications for dietary immunostimulation

beta(1-3) glucans are a diverse range of carbohydrate polymers of differing lengths and structures that make up the cell walls of yeast, fungi, algae and some plants and activate innate immune responses in plants, invertebrates and higher animals. Consequently glucans are often used as dietary immunostimulants in commercial feeds for aquacultured fish species. The present study investigates the capability of purified glucans of differing structures and configurations, including curdlan, paramylon, laminarin and purified yeast 9 glucan to activate innate immunity in vitro using barramundi pronephros macrophages as a model, and compares them to Zymosan, a complex mixture derived from yeast cell walls, and lipopolysaccharide from Gram negative bacteria. All of the glucans were able to stimulate respiratory burst in barramundi macrophages at concentrations of 100 mu g/mL and 1000 mu g/mL, with curdlan eliciting the highest respiratory burst response at 1000 mu g/mL. LPS and Zymosan were the only immunostimulants tested that could prime barramundi macrophages by incubating with low concentrations (0.1 and 1 mu g/mL) for 24 h before triggering respiratory burst with PMA, suggesting teleost macrophages may not prime through the glucan receptor. As glucans are used as dietary immunostimulants, the pH of the barramundi stomach was assayed for 6 h following feeding and indicated that pH was as low as 2 for up to 6 h. Treating the glucans with dilute HCl at pH 2 completely neutralised their macrophage-activating capability. These results are important as they indicate that glucans do not prime barramundi macrophages but will activate them at high concentrations. However, it is debatable whether glucans will have any effect on macrophages if administered in the diet due to the combination of high concentration required and probable hydrolysis of the polymer structures as they pass through the acid environment of the stomach. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

An additional taxon of the Kelisia guttula group from Central Italy: Kelisia italica (Auchenorrhyncha, Fulgoromorpha, Delphacidae).

Kelisia italica n. sp. found in high altitudes, between 1800-2200 m, in two mountain regions of the Central Italy (Monte Terminillo, Monte Velino) is described. It is closely related to K. guttula (Germar) sensu Wagner and K. sima Ribaut, but is easily distinguished from these species by the shape of the male genital segment (lobuliform projection of the caudal margin lateral of the anal tube) and the lack of the aedeagal lamella. In addition, it differs from K. vittipennis J. Sahlberg by the bigger spot on the genae, the lack of dark markings on the pronotum between eyes and scutum, and by the shape of the aedeagus, and from K. irregulata Haupt by its smaller size, the bigger spot on the genae and the male genital morphology. In the female genitalia there exists a very broad basal part of the “edeagal duct” not present in any other species of the K. guttula-group

COPD is associated with elevated IFN-β production by bronchial epithelial cells infected with RSV or hMPV

IFN treatment may be a viable option for treating COPD exacerbations based on evidence of IFN deficiency in COPD. However, in vitro studies have used primarily influenza and rhinoviruses to investigate IFN responses. This study aims to investigate the susceptibility to infection and IFN response of primary bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) from COPD donors to infection with RSV and hMPV. BECs from five COPD and five healthy donors were used to establish both submerged monolayer and well-differentiated (WD) cultures. Two isolates of both RSV and hMPV were used to infect cells. COPD was not associated with elevated susceptibility to infection and there was no evidence of an intrinsic defect in IFN production in either cell model to either virus. Conversely, COPD was associated with significantly elevated IFN-β production in response to both viruses in both cell models. Only in WD-BECs infected with RSV was elevated IFN-β associated with reduced viral shedding. The role of elevated epithelial cell IFN-β production in the pathogenesis of COPD is not clear and warrants further investigation. Viruses vary in the responses that they induce in BECs, and so conclusions regarding antiviral responses associated with disease cannot be made based on single viral infections.</p

Two hepcidin-like antimicrobial peptides in Barramundi Lates calcarifer exhibit differing tissue tropism and are induced in response to lipopolysaccharide

Fish represent the most diverse and abundant extant vertebrate infraclass. They are also one of the earliest divergent phyla with adaptive immunity based on antigen recognition by MHC and immunoglobulin. The aquaculture industry, which currently provides more than half of the fish for human consumption globally, has successfully exploited the adaptive immune system of fish through mass vaccination programs. However, vaccination against highly diverse antigens, mostly carbohydrates, such as capsular polysaccharides and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is challenging. Fish have a subdued innate response to LPS, but adaptive response is generally high and type-specific. To better understand the link between initial innate response and early onset of adaptive immunity to carbohydrate antigens in the perciform barramundi (Lates calcarifer), an immune transcriptome was prepared from pronephros and spleen following vaccination with LPS and peptidoglycan. From 163,661 transcripts derived by Illumina mRNA-Seq, most grouped in neuronal, endocrine or immune system categories, suggesting a close relationship between the three systems. Moreover, digestive enzyme transcripts in spleen appeared to be highly inducible in barramundi. Most of the known TLRs were transcribed in the barramundi spleen and HK transcriptome, with the notable exception of TLR4, which is primarily responsible for LPS recognition in mammals. Several C-type lectin receptors were also identified, including CD209, CD205, and CLEC4E (Mincle). As Mincle has been shown to bind LPS and is abundant on dendritic cells, its role in response to LPS in barramundi was further investigated. A high dose of LPS induced TNF-alpha expression via Mincle. However, IL-6 regulation, whilst still regulated in response to LPS, did not depend upon the Mincle pathway, suggesting other routes of activation. This study thus suggests that Mincle acts as a partial substitute for TLR4 in barramundi in the processing of LPS

Chronic IL-33 expression predisposes to virus-induced asthma exacerbations by increasing type 2 inflammation and dampening antiviral immunity

Rhinovirus infection triggers acute asthma exacerbations. IL-33 is an instructive cytokine of type 2 inflammation whose expression is associated with viral load during experimental rhinovirus infection of asthmatic patients.We sought to determine whether anti-IL-33 therapy is effective during disease progression, established disease, or viral exacerbation using a preclinical model of chronic asthma and in\ua0vitro human primary airway epithelial cells (AECs).Mice were exposed to pneumonia virus of mice and cockroach extract in early and later life and then challenged with rhinovirus to model disease onset, progression, and chronicity. Interventions included anti-IL-33 or dexamethasone at various stages of disease. AECs were obtained from asthmatic patients and healthy subjects and treated with anti-IL-33 after rhinovirus infection.Anti-IL-33 decreased type 2 inflammation in all phases of disease; however, the ability to prevent airway smooth muscle growth was lost after the progression phase. After the chronic phase, IL-33 levels were persistently high, and rhinovirus challenge exacerbated the type 2 inflammatory response. Treatment with anti-IL-33 or dexamethasone diminished exacerbation severity, and anti-IL-33, but not dexamethasone, promoted antiviral interferon expression and decreased viral load. Rhinovirus replication was higher and IFN-λ levels were lower in AECs from asthmatic patients compared with those from healthy subjects. Anti-IL-33 decreased rhinovirus replication and increased IFN-λ levels at the gene and protein levels.Anti-IL-33 or dexamethasone suppressed the magnitude of type 2 inflammation during a rhinovirus-induced acute exacerbation; however, only anti-IL-33 boosted antiviral immunity and decreased viral replication. The latter phenotype was replicated in rhinovirus-infected human AECs, suggesting that anti-IL-33 therapy has the additional benefit of enhancing host defense