Gene expression analysis of Atlantic salmon gills reveals mucin 5 and interleukin 4/13 as key molecules during amoebic gill disease

Abstract Amoebic gill disease (AGD) is one of the main diseases affecting Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) mariculture. Hallmarks of AGD are hyperplasia of the lamellar epithelium and increased production of gill mucus. This study investigated the expression of genes involved in mucus secretion, cell cycle regulation, immunity and oxidative stress in gills using a targeted 21-gene PCR array. Gill samples were obtained from experimental and natural Neoparamoeba perurans infections, and sampling points included progressive infection stages and post-freshwater treatment. Up-regulation of genes related to mucin secretion and cell proliferation, and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic genes were associated with AGD severity, while partial restoration of the gill homeostasis was detected post-treatment. Mucins and Th2 cytokines accoun ted for most of the variability observed between groups highlighting their key role in AGD. Two mucins (muc5, muc 1 8) showed differential regulation upon disease. Substantial up-regulation of the secreted muc5 was detected in clinical AGD, and the membrane bound muc18 showed an opposite pattern. Th2 cytokines, il4/13a and il4/13b2, were significantly up-regulated from 2 days post-infection onwards, and changes were lesion-specific. Despite the differences between experimental and natural infections, both yielded comparable results that underline the importance of the studied genes in the respiratory organs of fish, and during AGD progression

Acute hepatitis C in HIV-infected individuals: recommendations from the European AIDS Treatment Network (NEAT) consensus conference

There is increasing awareness of an ongoing epidemic of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in HIV-infected MSM. The epidemiology has been reviewed in this journal recently [1]; however, there is a lack of guidance on the management of acute HCV infection in HIV-infected individuals. To address this issue, the European AIDS Treatment Network (NEAT) invited members of the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) hepatitis group, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the European Study Group on Viral Hepatitis of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, the European AIDS Treatment group and other experts to draw up a consensus statement at a conference held in Paris, France, in May 2010. Four working groups prepared draft guidelines for consideration at the conference on case definition and diagnosis; transmission risk and epidemiology; pathogenesis and natural history; and acute HCV infection management in the HIV-infected population. A literature search using the PubMed database of the National Library of Medicine and abstract databases of the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, the Liver Meetings of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease and EASL was utilized by all groups. Statements and recommendations were graded by the strength of recommendation and level of evidence (Table 1) [2]. A consensus was reached if 80% or more of the participants were in favour