Discovery and Genomic Characterization of Noroviruses from a Gastroenteritis Outbreak in Domestic Cats in the US

Norovirus (NoV) RNA was detected in the stools of 6 out 14 (42.8%) 8–12-week-old cats with enteritis from a feline shelter, in New York State. Upon sequence analysis of the complete capsid, the six NoVs were found to be identical, suggesting the spread of a unique NoV strain in the shelter. The full-length genomic sequence (7839 nt) of one feline NoV, CU081210E/2010/US, was determined. In the capsid protein VP1 region, the virus displayed the highest amino acid identity to animal genogroup IV genotype 2 (GIV.2) NoVs: lion/Pistoia-387/06/IT (97.9%) and dog/Bari-170/07/IT (90.4%). These findings document the discovery of a novel feline calicivirus, different from vesiviruses, and extend the spectrum of NoV host range. Epidemiological studies using feline NoV-specific diagnostic tools and experimental infection of cats are required to understand whether NoVs have a pathogenic role in this species

Sensitivity to drugs of australian leptospiral serotypes

The in vitro susceptibilities to antibiotics of stock strains of various Australian leptospiral serotypes were established. Leptospira pomona was highly susceptible to penicillin and erythromycin, susceptible to streptomycin and tetracyclines, but resistant to chloramphenicol and novobiocin. In general, the twelve serotypes tested were susceptible to streptomycin, penicillin and tetracycline, but L. icterohaemorrhagiae, L. canicola and L. zanoni were more resistant than the other serotypes, especially to penicillin. A newly isolated strain of L. zanoni was more sensitive to penicillin, streptomycin, and tetracycline than was the stock strain. Against L. australis high concentrations both of penicillin and of streptomycin were bactericidal. In lower concentrations penicillin was bacteriostatic. In high concentrations penicillin caused lysis of leptospirae, but streptomycin and the tetracyclines did not. These results do not agree well with those on the chemotherapy of experimental infections