Immunostimulatory Effects of a Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Cell Wall Feed Supplement on Rohu (Labeo rohita), an Indian Major Carp

The immunostimulatory role of an orally administered yeast cell wall preparation from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (NutrifermTM) was assessed in the Indian major carp, rohu (Labeo rohita). Fish were fed a diet containing the preparation for 15 days and then returned to the con- trol diet for 20 days. Non-specific immunity was assessed at the end of the experimental feed- ing period (day 0) and on days 10 and 20. In vitro oxidative radical production, phagocytosis of leukocytes, nitrite production, and proliferation of lymphocytes were determined. All four para- meters remained stable in control fish but, in fish fed the supplemented diet, reached a peak on day 10 and remained higher than in the control until day 20, indicating that ingestion of the diet containing the yeast cell wall preparation for 15 days had significant immunostimulatory effects

Izdvajanje, molekularna obilježja i otpornost na antibiotike enterotoksigenih (ETEC) i nekrotoksigenih sojeva E. coli izdvojenih iz zdravih azijskih vodenih bivola.

The present study was undertaken to detect the prevalence, virulence gene profile and antibiotic resistance of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Necrotoxigenic E. coli (NTEC) in healthy water buffalo in West Bengal. Out of the 363 E. coli isolates from 165 faecal samples, 18 (4.95%) and 7 (1.9%) isolates were found to possess genes for ETEC (LT or STa or STb) and NTEC (cnf1 or cnf2), respectively in PCR. Among the 18 ETEC isolates, 13 (72.22%), 12 (66.67%), and 1 (5.56%) isolates were found to harbour STa, LT, and STb genes respectively. However, among the 7 NTEC isolates, 3 (42.85%) and 4 (57.14%) were detected to possess cnf1 and cnf2 genes, respectively. Further, among the five isolates possessing the EAST 1 gene, four were detected with the STa gene and one (1) with the LT gene. However, the majority of the F41 strains possessed ST genes, and F5 strains harboured both LT and ST. In addition, one out of three cnf1 NTEC isolates was detected to harbour the papC gene and all the four cnf2 NTEC isolates contained the cdt gene. The ETEC isolates belonged to 11 different serogroups (O11, O53, O71, O84, O88, O103, O112, O120, O128, O153, and O158), while, four NTEC isolates belonged to the OUT serogroup and the remaining 3 were disseminated among the O2, O4, and O6 serogroups. The RAPD of the ETEC isolates produced different electrophoretic profifi les. The antibiotic resistance of ETEC and NTEC isolates was observed most frequently to amikacin (56%), kanamycin (44%), gentamicin (40%), neomycin (36%). The study thus revealed water buffalo as a reservoir of multi drug resistant ETEC/NTEC for the first time in India.Istraživanje je provedeno s ciljem da se ustanovi prevalencija, geni za virulenciju i otpornost na antibiotike enterotoksigenih (ETEC) i nekrotoksigenih (NTEC) sojeva bakterije Escherichia coli izdvojene iz zdravih vodenih bivola iz Zapadnog Bengala. Od 363 izolata E. coli iz 165 uzoraka fecesa, 18 (4,95%) je posjedovalo neki od gena za ETEC (LT ili STa ili STb), a sedam (1,9%) izolata imalo je gene za NTEC (cnf1 ili cnf2) dokazane PCR-om. Od 18 izolata ETEC, 13 (72,22%) je imalo gen STa, 12 (66,67%) gen LT i jedan (5,56%) gen STb. Međutim, od sedam NTEC izolata, tri (42,85%) su imala gen cnfl , a četiri (57,14%) gen cnf2. Nadalje, od pet izolata koji su posjedovali gen EAST 1, četiri su imala gen Sta, a jedan gen LT. Većina sojeva F41 posjedovala je gen ST, a sojevi F5 i LT i ST gen. Nadalje, jedan od triju cnf1 NTEC izolata imao je i gen papC, a sva četiri izolata cnf2 NTEC sadržavala su gen cdt. Izolati ETEC pripadali su u 11 različitih seroloških skupina (O11, O53, O71, O84, O88, O103, O112, O120, O128, O153 i O158). Četiri izolata NTEC pripadala su serološkoj skupini OUT, a preostala tri skupinama O2, O4 i O6. RAPD izolata ETEC davao je različite elektroforetske profile. Izolati ETEC i NTEC najčešće su bili otporni na amikacin (56%), kanamicin (44%), gentamicin (40%) i neomicin (36%). Ovim istraživanjem prviput je u Indiji ustanovljeno da su vodeni bivoli rezervoar multiplo rezistentnih sojeva ETEC/NTEC

Izolati E. coli koji proizvode cefalosporinaze proširenog spektra izdvojeni iz kokoši pasmine kuroiler

The present study was undertaken to detect the incidence of extended-spectrum-cephalosporinase gene possessing-Escherichia coli, its co-resistance pattern against other antimicrobials, and the clonal relationship of the isolates in healthy kuroiler birds. A total of 80 cloacal swabs from kuroilers were collected randomly from West Bengal, India. The use of costly antimicrobials (cephalosporins) was not practiced by farmers. Escherichia coli was isolated and identified by standard biochemical tests and 16SrRNA-PCR. All the E. coli isolates, including controls, were subjected to PCR for detection of blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCMY-2 genes. By comparing the RAPD-banding pattern, the phylogenetic relationship among the isolates was established. All the isolates were tested for phenotypical resistance against other antibiotics. In total, 60 isolates were identified as E. coli from the kuroilers studied (n = 80). Among them, 12 (20%) isolates possessed one of the studied extended-spectrum cephalosporinase genes. Among the studied genes, blaTEM and blaSHV were detected in 6 (10%) and 12 (20%) E. coli isolates, respectively. None of the E. coli isolates possessed blaCTX-M and blaCMY-2. In phylogenetic analysis, the strains isolated from same localities with similar genetic profile were grouped into the same cluster. Resistance of extended-spectrum cephalosporinase gene possessing E. coli isolates was observed most frequently against ampicillin/cloxacillin, co-trimoxazole, amoxyclav, piperacillin, ceftriaxone, and tetracycline. Kuroiler birds with no cephalosporin usage profile may act as a reservoir of extended-spectrum cephalosporinase gene possessing E. coli. This is the first systematic study in kuroilers, to raise the awareness of consumers regarding the possibility of transmission of antimicrobial resistant E. coli from them.Istraživanje je poduzeto da se odredi incidencija bakterije E. coli koja posjeduje gene za cefalosporinaze proširenog spektra, a istodobno je rezistentna na druge antimikrobne tvari, te klonski odnos izolata u zdravih kokoši pasmine kuroiler. Ukupno je bilo nasumce prikupljeno 80 obrisaka kloake spomenute pasmine u Zapadnom Bengalu u Indiji. Skupe antimikrobne tvari (cefalosporini) nisu bile rabljene za liječenje. Izolati E. coli bili su identificirani standardnim biokemijskim testovima i 16SrRNA-PCR-om. Svi izolati bili su lančanom reakcijom polimerazom (PCR) pretraženi na prisutnost gena blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV i blaCMY-2. Filogenetska srodnost izolata bila je određena RAPD-om. Otpornost svih izolata bila je fenotipski pretražena i na druge antibiotike. Ukupno je izdvojeno 60 izolata E. coli iz 80 kuroiler kokoši. Od toga je u 12 (20 %) bio dokazan jedan od istraživanih gena za cefalosporinaze proširenog spektra. Među istraživanim genima, blaTEM je bio dokazan u 6 (10 %) izolata, a blaSHV u 12 (20 %) izolata E. coli. Nijedan od izolata nije posjedovao blaCTX-M i blaCMY-2. Filogenetskom analizom ustanovljeno je da su izolati iz istih lokaliteta sa sličnim genetičkim profilom bili grupirani u istu skupinu. Posjedovanje gena za cefalosporinaze proširenog spektra bilo je najčešće dokazano za antibiotike ampicilin/kloksacilin, kotrimoksazol, amoksiklav, piperacilin, ceftriakson i tetraciklin. Perad pasmine kuroiler kojoj nikad nisu davani cefalosporini može biti rezervoar E. coli koja ima gene za cefalosporinaze proširenog spektra. To je prvo sustavno istraživanje u pasmine kuroiler od značenja za svjesnost konzumenata o mogućnosti prijenosa bakterije E. coli otporne na antimikrobne tvari

Effects of a Glucan from the Edible Mushroom (Pleurotus florida) as an Immunostimulant in Farmed Indian Major Carp (Catla catla)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a dietary mushroom glucan on the non- specific immune responses and disease resistance of the Indian major carp, Catla catla. Glucan was extracted from farm-raised edible mushrooms (Pleurotus florida). The glucan was fed to test animals for two weeks at 0.5 g or 1 g/kg feed. Afterward, the fish received the control diet for another four weeks. Non-specific immune responses were measured at the end of the two-week experimental feeding (week 0), two weeks later (week 2), and four weeks later (week 4). Control and test fish were challenged by intraperitoneal injection of the fish pathogenic bacterium, Aeromonas hydrophila, seven days after the two-week experimental feeding period. Mortality was observed and the relative percent survival was calculated. In the 0.5 g treatment, significant enhancement (p0.05), but lysozyme activity was raised at weeks 2 and 4 in the 0.5 g treatment and at week 2 in the 1 g treatment. Both con- centrations significantly enhanced relative percent survival

Seroepidemiology of bluetongue in South Bengal

Aim: With the aim of revealing the epidemiological intricacies of bluetongue (BT) in the southern part of West Bengal state, the present study was undertaken to assess seroprevalence of BT along with identification of the vector of the disease, i.e., Culicoides midges available in the region in their breeding season with conducive environmental factors, if any. Materials and Methods: A total of 1509 (sheep-504, goat-1005) samples were collected from three different agroclimatic zones of South Bengal viz. new alluvial, red laterite and coastal saline. To detect anti-BT antibodies in the collected serum samples, indirect-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) was performed. Culicoides midges were collected from those agro-climatic zones of South Bengal for species identification. The meteorological parameters, viz. temperature (maximum and minimum), rainfall and relative humidity of three agro-climatic zones of South Bengal were analyzed for the months of July to December during 2010-2013. Results: The overall seropositivity was 33.13% and 30.24% in sheep and goat, respectively as assessed by i-ELISA. In South Bengal, the predominant species of Culicoides found were Culicoides schultzei, Culicoides palpifer and Culicoides definitus. Conclusion: Since virus transmitting species of Culicoides midges could be detected in South Bengal, besides high seropositivity in ruminants, the possibility of circulating BT virus in South Bengal is quite imminent

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the marine sponge skeleton as a bone mimicking biomaterial

This investigation was carried out to identify and characterize marine sponges as potential bioscaffolds in bone tissue engineering. The marine sponge (Biemna fortis) samples were collected from the rocky intertidal region of Anjuna, Goa, India, freeze-dried and converted to pure cristobalite at low temperature. After thorough evaluation of sponge samples by DTA-TGA thermography, XRD, FTIR, SEM and cell cytotoxicity by MTT assay, bare sponge scaffolds were fabricated by firing at 1190 degrees C. These scaffolds were loaded with growth factors (IGF-1 and BMP-2), checked for quasi-dynamic in vitro release kinetics and finally implanted into femoral bone defects in rabbits for up to 90 days, by keeping an empty defect as a control. The in vivo bone healing process was evaluated and compared using chronological radiology, histology, SEM and fluorochrome labeling studies. SEM revealed that the sponge skeleton possesses a collagenous fibrous network consisting of highly internetworked porosity in the size range of 10-220 mu m. XRD and FTIR analysis showed a cristobalite phase with acicular crystals of high aspect ratio, and crystallinity was found to increase from 725 to 1190 degrees C. MTT assay demonstrated the non-cytotoxicity of the samples. A combination of burst and sustained release profile was noticed for both the growth factors and about 74.3% and 83% total release at day 28. In the radiological, histological, scanning electron microscopy and fluorochrome labeling analysis, the IGF-1 impregnated converted sponge scaffold promoted excellent osseous tissue formation followed by the BMP-2 loaded and bare one. These observations suggest that the marine sponge alone and in combination with growth factors is a promising biomaterial for bone repair and bone augmentation