Stem rot and wilt on Euonymus

Im August 2008 trat an Euonymus japonica eine Stammfäule mit Welke unbekannter Ursache auf. Aus der Triebbasis wurde ein Pilz der Gattung Calonectria (Anamorphe: Cylindrocladium) isoliert (Isolat JKI 2140). Das Isolat wies morphologisch große Ähnlichkeit mit Ca. colhounii, Ca. fujianensis sowie Ca. pseudocolhounii auf, allerdings waren die Konidien im Durchschnitt größer als für diese drei Arten beschrieben. Die Sequenzanalysen ergaben hohe Übereinstimmungen mit Ca. colhounii, Ca. eucalypti, Ca. fujianensis und Ca. pseudocolhounii. Der taxonomische Status des Pilzisolates aus E. japonica ist noch nicht eindeutig geklärt. Es gehört zum Arten­komplex Ca. colhounii, eine sichere Zuordnung zu oder Abtrennung von einer der bekannten Arten aus diesem Komplex lässt sich aber anhand eines einzigen Isolates nicht treffen. Der Pilz wird vorläufig als Calonectria colhounii compl. bezeichnet.Die Pathogenität des Pilzes wurde an E. japonica und an E. fortunei geprüft. Die ursprünglich an E. japonica beobachteten Symptome ließen sich reproduzieren, der Pilz reisolieren. Die Pathogenität von Isolat JKI 2140 an beiden Euonymus-Arten ist damit nachgewiesen. Seit dem Erstauftreten dieses Pilzes gab es keine weiteren Meldungen über eine Stammgrundfäule mit Welkeerscheinungen an Euonymus in Deutschland. Die Bedeutung dieses Erregers an Euonymus ist deshalb als gering einzustufen. DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2015.10.01, https://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2015.10.01In August 2008, stem rot and wilt symptoms of unknown origin were observed on Euonymus japonica. From the symptomatic stem base a fungus belonging to the genus Calonectria (anamorph: Cylindrocladium) was isolated (isolate JKI 2140). The isolate was morphologically very similar to Calonectria colhounii as well as to Ca. fujianensis and Ca. pseudocolhounii, except for the larger conidia. Sequence analysis of genes (ITS, BT, TEF-1α, HIS3) showed high similarity to Ca. colhounii, Ca. eucalypti, Ca. fujianensis and Ca. pseudocolhounii. The taxonomic status of the fungal isolate from E. japonica is not yet clear. It belongs to the complex Ca. colhounii but a definitive allocation to or separation from a known Calonectria species is not possible on the basis of a single isolate. The fungus is provisionally named Calonectria colhounii compl.The pathogenicity of the fungus was tested on E. japonica and E. fortunei. The disease symptoms originally observed on field plants of E. japonica were reproduced and the fungus was re-isolated. Thus the pathogenicity of isolate JKI 2140 on both Euonymus species is proved. Since the first occurrence of this infestation there were no further notifications of stem canker and wilt on Euonymus spp. in Germany. Therefore the importance of this pathogen on Euonymus is considered to be low. DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2015.10.01, https://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2015.10.0

Comparison of MICs in Escherichia coli isolates from human health surveillance with MICs obtained for the same isolates by broth microdilution

Objectives Human health surveillance and food safety monitoring systems use different antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods. In this study, we compared the MICs of Escherichia coli isolates provided by these methods. Methods E. coli isolates (n = 120) from human urine samples and their MICs were collected from six medical laboratories that used automated AST methods based on bacterial growth kinetic analyses. These isolates were retested using broth microdilution, which is used by the food safety monitoring system. The essential and categorical agreements (EA and CA), very major errors (VME), major errors (ME) and minor errors (mE) for these two methods were calculated for 11 antibiotics using broth microdilution as a reference. For statistical analysis, clinical breakpoints provided by EUCAST were used. Results Five study laboratories used VITEK®2 and one MicroScan (Walkaway Combo Panel). Out of 120 isolates, 118 isolates (98.3%) were confirmed as E. coli. The 99 E. coli isolates from five study laboratories that used VITEK®2 showed high proportions of EA and CA with full agreements for gentamicin, meropenem, imipenem and ertapenem. Additionally, 100% CA was also observed in cefepime. Few VME (0.5%), ME (1.9%) and mE (1.5%) were observed across all antibiotics. One VME for ceftazidime (7.1%) and 12 MEs for ampicillin (29.4%), cefotaxime (2.4%), ciprofloxacin (3.2%), tigecycline (1.5%) and trimethoprim (22.2%) were detected. Conclusions MICs from E. coli isolates produced by VITEK®2 were similar to those determined by broth microdilution. These results will be valuable for comparative analyses of resistance data from human health surveillance and food safety monitoring systems

Clinical Follow-Up and Postmortem Findings in a Cat That Was Cured of Feline Infectious Peritonitis with an Oral Antiviral Drug Containing GS-441524

This is the first report on a clinical follow-up and postmortem examination of a cat that had been cured of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) with ocular manifestation by successful treatment with an oral multicomponent drug containing GS-441524. The cat was 6 months old when clinical signs (recurrent fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and fulminant anterior uveitis) appeared. FIP was diagnosed by ocular tissue immunohistochemistry after enucleation of the affected eye. The cat was a participant in a FIP treatment study, which was published recently. However, 240 days after leaving the clinic healthy, and 164 days after the end of the 84 days of treatment, the cured cat died in a road traffic accident. Upon full postmortem examination, including histopathology and immunohistochemistry, there were no residual FIP lesions observed apart from a generalized lymphadenopathy due to massive lymphoid hyperplasia. Neither feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA nor FCoV antigen were identified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively, in any tissues or body fluids, including feces. These results prove that oral treatment with GS-441524 leads to the cure of FIP-associated changes and the elimination of FCoV from all tissues. Keywords: FCoV; FIP; Mutian; Xraphconn®; antiviral chemotherapy; feline coronavirus; necropsy; therapy; treatmen

Curing cats with Feline Infectious Peritonitis with an oral multi-component drug containing GS-441524

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV) is a common dis-ease in cats, fatal if untreated, and no effective treatment is currently legally available. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and toxicity of the multi-component drug Xraphconn$^{®}$ in vitro and as oral treatment in cats with spontaneous FIP by examining survival rate, development of clinical and laboratory parameters, viral loads, anti-FCoV antibodies, and adverse effects. Mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance identified GS-441524 as an active component of Xraphconn$^{®}$. Eighteen cats with FIP were prospectively followed up while being treated orally for 84 days. Values of key parameters on each examination day were compared to values before treatment initiation using linear mixed-effect models. Xraphconn$^{®}$ displayed high virucidal activity in cell culture. All cats recovered with dramatic improvement of clinical and laboratory parameters and massive reduction in viral loads within the first few days of treatment without serious adverse effects. Oral treatment with Xraphconn$^{®}$ containing GS-441524 was highly effective for FIP without causing serious adverse effects. This drug is an excellent option for the oral treatment of FIP and should be trialed as potential effective treatment option for other severe coronavirus-associated diseases across species

Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) Inhibits Collagen I and IV Synthesis in Hepatic Stellate Cells by miRNA-29 Induction

BACKGROUND: In chronic liver disease, hepatic stellate cells (HSC) transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts, promoting extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and deposition. Stimulation of HSC by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a crucial event in liver fibrogenesis due to its impact on myofibroblastic transition and ECM induction. In contrast, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), exerts antifibrotic activities. Recently, miR-29 has been reported to be involved in ECM synthesis. We therefore studied the influence of HGF and TGF-β on the miR-29 collagen axis in HSC. METHODOLOGY: HSC, isolated from rats, were characterized for HGF and Met receptor expression by Real-Time PCR and Western blotting during culture induced myofibroblastic transition. Then, the levels of TGF-β, HGF, collagen-I and -IV mRNA, in addition to miR-29a and miR-29b were determined after HGF and TGF-β stimulation of HSC or after experimental fibrosis induced by bile-duct obstruction in rats. The interaction of miR-29 with 3'-untranslated mRNA regions (UTR) was analyzed by reporter assays. The repressive effect of miR-29 on collagen synthesis was studied in HSC treated with miR-29-mimicks by Real-Time PCR and immunoblotting. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The 3'-UTR of the collagen-1 and -4 subtypes were identified to bind miR-29. Hence, miR-29a/b overexpression in HSC resulted in a marked reduction of collagen-I and -IV synthesis. Conversely, a decrease in miR-29 levels is observed during collagen accumulation upon experimental fibrosis, in vivo, and after TGF-β stimulation of HSC, in vitro. Finally, we show that during myofibroblastic transition and TGF-β exposure the HGF-receptor, Met, is upregulated in HSC. Thus, whereas TGF-β stimulation leads to a reduction in miR-29 expression and de-repression of collagen synthesis, stimulation with HGF was definitely associated with highly elevated miR-29 levels and markedly repressed collagen-I and -IV synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Upregulation of miRNA-29 by HGF and downregulation by TGF-β take part in the anti- or profibrogenic response of HSC, respectively