Streptococcus iniae infection in cultured Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) and red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) in southern Thailand

Streptococcal infections are becoming an increasing problem in aquaculture and have been reported worldwide in avariety of fish species. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of Streptococcus iniae from Asian sea bass (Latescalcarifer) and red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) cultured in southern Thailand. Conventional and rapid identification systems,as well as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), were used to determine that the isolate was S. iniae. The virulence of thisS. iniae was higher in Asian sea bass than in red tilapia, as shown by the 10 day-LD50 in Asian sea bass and red tilapia, being1.08x104 and 1.14x107 CFU, respectively. Histopathological changes in Asian sea bass are more severe than those observedin red tilapia. The changes can be found in several organs including liver, pancreas, heart, eye and brain. Histopathologicalfindings included cellular necrosis, infiltration of lymphocytes and granuloma formation in the infected organs

Interaksi Masyarakat Keturunan Arab dengan Masyarakat Setempat di Pekalongan

Dalam penelitian ini penulis mengeksplorasi interaksi antara masyarakat keturunan Arab dengan masyarakat setempat di Kelurahan Klego Kota Pekalongan serta mengetahui faktor pendorong dan penghambat terjadinya interaksi antara masyarakat keturunan Arab dengan masyarakat setempat. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data melalui metode wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa terjadi interaksi antara masyarakat keturunan Arab dengan masyarakat setempat dengan intensitas dan kegiatan kebudayaan tertentu. Faktor pendukung terjadinya interaksi adalah adanya perkawinan campuran, terutama pada masyarakat keturunan Arab non-sayyid, dengan masyarakat setempat serta adanya kerjasama dalam bidang perdagangan. Sedangkan faktor penghambat terjadinya proses interaksi adalah adanya prasangka dan stereotip pada masyarakat keturunan Arab yang merasa masyarakat setempat kurang Islami, sebaliknya masyarakat setempat merasa masyarakat keturunan Arab itu sombong. Keturunan Arab yang tinggal di Kelurahan Klego terdiri dari golongan sayyid dan golongan non-sayyid. Keturunan Arab dari golongan non-sayyid sudah dapat berbaur dengan masyarakat setempat sedangkan keturunan Arab dari golongan sayyid belum berbaur dengan masyarakat non-Arab. Masyarakat keturunan Arab memiliki simbol-simbol seperti bahasa, pakaian, bangunan yang sangat mempengaruhi interaksi antara masyarakat keturunan Arab dengan masyarakat setempat. In this study, the author explores the interaction between people of Arab descent and the local people in the village of Klego Pekalongan city and also the factors that drive and inhibit the interaction between them. This study uses qualitative methods. The technique of collecting data are interviews, observation, and documentation. The results show that there is a pattern of interaction between people of Arab descent with the local people. Factors supporting the occurrence of interactions are the presence of mixed marriages, especially in the Arab non-sayyid descent, with the local community as well as the cooperation in the field of trade. While the factors inhibiting the interaction process is the existence of prejudice and stereotypes of people of Arab descent at a local community as less Islami. On the other hand, the local people feel that people of Arab descent are exclusive. The Arab descent living in the Village Klego consists of groups and classes of non-sayyid and sayyid. Arab descent from the class of non-sayyid are able to mingle with the local people, whereas Arab descent of sayyid cannot mingle with non-Arab communities. Society of Arab descent has symbols such as language, clothing, and building that strongly influence the interaction of people of Arab descent with the local community

Infective endocarditis with Lactococcus garvieae in Japan: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p><it>Lactococcus garvieae </it>is a well-recognized fish pathogen, and it is considered a rare pathogen with low virulence in human infection. We describe the 11th case of <it>L. garvieae </it>infective endocarditis reported in the literature, and the first reported case in Japan.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a case of a 55-year-old Japanese woman who had native valve endocarditis with <it>L. garvieae</it>. The case was complicated by renal infarction, cerebral infarction, and mycotic aneurysms. After anti-microbial treatment, she was discharged from the hospital and is now well while being monitored in the out-patient clinic.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We encountered a case of <it>L. garvieae </it>endocarditis that occurred in a native valve of a healthy woman. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was useful for the identification of this pathogen. Although infective endocarditis with <it>L. garvieae </it>is uncommon, it is possible to treat high virulence clinically.</p

Cell surface properties of Lactococcus garvieae strains and their immunogenicity in yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradiata.

The cell-surface properties of strains of Lactococcus garvieae were examined. Two capsular types were found, one with a highly developed capsule (KG9408) and one with a micro-capsule (MS93003) carrying fimbriae-like components projecting from the cell surface. One strain (NSS9310) had neither cell capsular nor fimbriae-like structures on its cell surface. The strains with the highly developed capsule were more virulent to fish than either the micro-capsular or non-capsular strains. The KG9408, MS93003 and NSS9310 strains could be clearly differentiated by their susceptibility to bacteriophages. Protection against L. garvieae infection was induced in the yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata by immunization with formalin-killed L. garvieae KG9408 and MS93003 cells. Although protection was also induced by immunization with NSS9310, the level of protection was significantly lower than that with KG9408 and MS93003 vaccines. Passive immunization with yellowtail immune sera raised against KG9408 and MS93003 conferred strong protection on yellowtail with rapid bacterial clearance after challenge with L. garvieae. Immunoblotting analysis of protein antigens extracted from L. garvieae strains using rabbit anti-KG9408 and anti-MS93003 sera and yellowtail anti KG9408 and anti-MS93003 sera indicated that some bands in KG9408 and MS93003 strains were not detectable in NSS9310

Genetic diversity, paraphyly and incomplete lineage sorting of mtDNA, ITS2 and microsatellite flanking region in closely related Heliopora species (Octocorallia)

Examining genetic diversity and lineage sorting of different genes in closely related species provide useful information for phylogenetic analyses and ultimately for understanding the origins of biodiversity. In this study, we examined inter- and intraspecific genetic variation in internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2), partial mitochondrial gene (mtMutS), and nuclear microsatellite flanking region in two closely related octocoral species (Heliopora coerulea, HC-A and HC-B). These species were recently identified in a population genetic study using microsatellite markers. The two species have different reproductive timing, which ecologically promotes lineage sorting. In this study, we examined whether species boundaries could be detected by the commonly used nuclear ITS2 and mtMutS, as well as by possibly neutral microsatellite flanking sequences. Haplotype network analysis of microsatellite flanking region revealed that a possible ancestral haplotype was still shared between the two species, indicating on-going lineage sorting. Haplotype network analysis of ITS2 and microsatellite flanking region revealed shared haplotypes between the two lineages. The two species shared fewer ITS2 sequences than microsatellite flanking region sequences. The almost fixed point mutation at the tip of helix 3 of ITS2 was not associated with the secondary structure or compensatory base changes (CBCs). The phylogenetic tree of ITS2 showed paraphyly and that of the microsatellite flanking region indicated that lineage sorting for the two species may be incomplete. Much higher intra- and inter-individual variation of ITS2 was observed in HC-B than that in HC-A, highlighting the importance of examining ITS2 from multiple individuals to estimate genetic diversity. The mitochondrial mtMutS gene sequences from 39 individuals, including both species collected from Japan and Taiwan, showed no variation because of slow rates of mitochondrial nucleotide substitution. This study suggests caution is warranted when reciprocal monophyly in a phylogenetic tree is used as the criterion for delimiting closely related octocoral species based on ITS2 or mtMtuS sequences. Detection of boundaries between closely related species requires multi-locus analysis, such as genetic admixture analysis using multiple individuals