Description of Meloidoderita salina sp. n. (Nematoda, Sphaeronematidae) from a micro-tidal salt marsh at Mont-Saint-Michel Bay in France

Meloidoderita salina sp. n. is described and illustrated from the halophytic plant Atriplex portulacoides L. (sea purslane) growing in a micro-tidal salt marsh in the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay in France. This new species is the first member of Meloidoderita Poghossian, 1966 collected from a saline environment, and is characterized by the following features: sedentary mature females having a small swollen body with a clear posterior protuberance; slightly dorsally curved stylet, 19.9 mu m long, with posteriorly sloping knobs; neck region irregular in shape and twisted; well developed secretory-excretory (S-E) pore, with markedly sclerotized S-E duct running posteriorly; prominent uterus bordered by a thick hyaline wall and filled with eggs. The adult female transforms into a cystoid. Eggs are deposited in both egg-mass and cystoid. Cystoids of Meloidoderita salina sp. n. display a unique sub-cuticular hexagonal beaded pattern. Male without stylet, pharyngeal region degenerated, S-E duct prominent, deirids small, developed testis 97.5 mu m long, spicules 18.4 mu m long, cloacal opening ventrally protruded, small phasmids posterior to cloaca opening and situated at 5.9 (3.2-7.7) mu m from tail end, and conical tail ending in a rounded terminus marked with one (rarely two) ventrally positioned mucro. Additionally, some young males of the new species were observed enveloped in the last J2 cuticle. Second-stage juvenile body 470 mu m long, with a 16.4 mu m long stylet, prominent rounded knobs set off from the shaft, hemizonid anterior and adjacent to S-E pore, small deirids located just above S-E pore level, genital primordium located at 68-77% of body length, phasmids small and located at about 19 mu m from tail tip, and tail 38.7 mu m long, tapering to finely pointed terminus with a finger-like projection. Phylogenetic analyses based on the nearly full length small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences of Meloidoderita salina sp. n. revealed a close relationship of the new species with Sphaeronema alni Turkina & Chizhov, 1986 and placed these two species sister to the rest of Criconematina

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B virus Infection by Quantitative Chemiluminescent in Tabriz (North West of Iran), 2010-2011

Background: Hepatitis B is considered as one of the most common infectious diseases. The contamination of this virus has caused hygienic problems all over the world. Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are most important consequences of this disease. The purpose of this study is to determine the rate of infection in Tabriz North West of Iran.Materials and Methods: This study is carried out, on partial and short time basis between 2010 and 2011, on test results of 21421 examined individuals whom have visited clinics in Tabriz. HBsAg of the samples was analyzed with chemiluminescence apparatus and finally, SPSS software was used to conduct the statistical examination of the results.Results: Among 21421 examined individuals (5021 cases in 2010 and 16400 cases in 2011), 594 samples (2.77%) were reported positive and 20827 samples (97.23%) were reported negative.Conclusion: According to the results, gender was not a determining factor affecting the susceptibility of patients. Our country is endemic to this disease, so diagnostic and preventive methods are crucial, more over comprehensive national vaccination can help to noticeably reduce the infectious cases caused by the disease

Two new root endophyte and nematode cyst parasite species of the widely distributed genus Laburnicola

Fungal root endophytes, including the common form group of dark septate endophytes (DSEs), represent different taxonomic groups with potentially diverse life strategies. During surveys of DSE communities and of nematode cysts colonizing fungi, isolates representing Laburnicola ( Didymosphaeriaceae , Pleosporales ) lineages were discovered. Here we carried out a comprehensive study of the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of fungi collected from plant roots in Hungary, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan and from eggs of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi in Turkey. In addition to the study of the morphology and culture characteristics of the strains, four loci (internal transcribed spacer, partial large and small subunit regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha) were used to infer the molecular phylogenetic relationships of the strains within Laburnicola . The isolates were found to represent two distinct lineages, which are described here as novel species, Laburnicola nematophila and L. radiciphila . The interaction of the strains with plants and nematodes was examined using in vitro bioassays, which revealed endophytic interactions with the plant roots and parasitic interactions with the nematode eggs. Analyses of similar ITS sequences found in public databases revealed that members of the genus Laburnicola are widely distributed characteristic members of the plant microbiome, and they are reported as parasites of plant parasitic cyst nematodes here for the first time

Suppressive Effect of Soil Microbiomes Associated with Tropical Fruit Trees on <i>Meloidogyne enterolobii</i>

Plant-parasitic nematodes are one of the main biotic factors limiting agricultural production worldwide, with root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) being the most damaging group. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of soil microbiomes, associated with various subtropical fruit trees, on the management of a Meloidogyne enterolobii population. Of 14 soil microbiomes tested for nematode suppression, 9 samples in the first experiment and 10 samples in the repeat experiment had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower numbers of eggs and J2 compared to the untreated control. The highest nematode suppression was recorded for SA12 extracted from a papaya orchard with a 38% reduction in the nematode population density. In addition, the presence of some bacteria (Bacillus aryabhattai, B. funiculus and B. simplex) and fungi (Metarhizium marquandii, Acremonium sp. and Mortierella sp.) was correlated to a higher suppression potential in some samples. Substantial variations were observed for the diversity of bacterial and fungal isolates among the samples collected from various crop hosts and regions. This suggests that the nematode suppression potential of different soil microbiomes highly depends on the abundance and diversity of fungal and bacterial strains present in the soil. The study confirmed that among all variables, soil dryness, pH, Fe, Zn, organic matter, altitude, and crop cultivar strongly influenced the soil microbial composition

Molecular and sequencing study and identification of novel SeM-type in beta-hemolytic streptococci involving the upper respiratory tract in Iran

Abstract Background Beta-hemolytic streptococci involving the upper respiratory tract cause strangles and strangles-like diseases in horses and cause severe economic damage to the equestrian club each year. Therefore, careful epidemiological study of these bacteria, evaluation of phylogenetic connections and SeM-typing can be useful to determine the source and epidemiological characteristics of the disease outbreak. Isolates were analyzed using molecular and phylogenetic methods and to determine antibiotic resistance pattern in Iranian isolates. Molecular and phylogenetic methods were used to evaluate Iranian streptococcal isolates, and the similarity of the Iranian SeM-97 sequence with other alleles was assessed using the Neighbor-joining method with the Kimura 2 Parameter statistical model. The amino acid sequence of this gene was compared with the predicted SeM-3 reference amino acid sequence (FM204883) using MEGA 7 software. Results One type of SeM was found among streptococcal isolates. This type (SeM-97) was reported for the first time and was a new SeM. The relationship between streptococcal isolates and age, sex, race, clinical signs and geographical area was investigated. A significant relationship was observed between streptococcal isolates with age variables and clinical symptoms. Conclusions In our study, a Streptococcus equi subsp. equi genotype was identified. The 97 allele of this gene has not been officially reported anywhere and is only registered in the Public databases for molecular typing and microbial genome diversity (PubMLST)-SeM database by Katy Webb. This was the first isolate reported and registered in the mentioned database. The isolate (Tabriz61) had the SeM-97 allele with clinical signs including mucopurulent discharge, abnormal sounds in lung hearing, warmth and enlargement or discharge and abscess of retropharyngeal lymph node and fever. This isolate was sensitive to penicillin, meropenem, ampicillin, cefotaxime, tetracycline, erythromycin, azithromycin, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin antibiotics and resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and gentamicin antibiotics

Monocillium gamsii sp. nov. and Monocillium bulbillosum: two nematode-associated fungi parasitising the eggs of Heterodera filipjevi

Monocillium gamsii sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Hypocreales, Niessliaceae) isolated from eggs of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence. The new taxon discovered in wheat fields in Turkey destructively parasitises nematode eggs. The infected eggs were readily colonised by the fungus, which produced microsclerotia. The fungus could be grown on artificial media and the parasitism of M. gamsii towards H. filipjevi was reproducible in vitro. Hyphae penetrating the nematode eggs entirely colonised the embryo, developed into multicellular chlamydospore and dictyochlamydospore-like structures eventually forming microsclerotia. Molecular and morphological differences and similarities between M. gamsii and its phylogenetically related species are discussed. Monocillium bulbillosum was found to be closely related to the new species. The pathogenicity of M. bulbillosum against H. filipjevi was also assayed in vitro because of its sister group relationship to M. gamsii revealing that this species was also capable of colonising eggs of H. filipjevi

The importance and management strategies of cereal cyst nematodes, Heterodera spp., in Turkey

WOS: 000349853800001Cereal cyst nematodes (CCNs) can cause significant economic yield losses alone or in combination with other biotic and abiotic factors. The damage caused by these nematodes can be enormous when they occur in a disease complex, particularly in areas subject to water stress. Of the 12 valid CCN species, Heterodera avenae, H. filipjevi, and H. latipons are considered the most economically important in different parts of the world. This paper reviews current approaches to managing CCNs via genetic resistance, biological agents, cultural practices, and chemical strategies. Recent research within the soil borne pathogen program of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center has focused on germplasm screening, the potential of this germplasm as sources of resistance, and how to incorporate new sources of resistance into breeding programs. Breeding for resistance is particularly complicated and difficult when different species and pathotypes coexist in nature. A lack of expertise and recognition of CCNs as a factor limiting wheat production potential, combined with inappropriate breeding strategies and slow screening processes limit genetic gains for resistance to CCNs.Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock; International Wheat and Maize Improvement Centre (CIMMYT, Mexico); ILCI private agriculture research companyThe authors would like to thank the Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the International Wheat and Maize Improvement Centre (CIMMYT, Mexico), and ILCI private agriculture research company for supporting this work. Editing assistance from Emma Quilligan (CIMMYT) is appreciated