Virulence factors of avian Escherichia coli

A total of 45 strains of Escherichia coli isolates from chickens with colisepticemia were examined for virulence factors commonly found in pathogenic groups of E. coli. These strains were studied for the following: pathogenicity in 1-day-old chicks; toxin, hemolysin, and colicin production; cell invasiveness and adherence; hemagglutination for fimbriae detection; serum resistance; aerobactin production in iron-limited conditions; and plasmid content. The characteristics exhibited by virulent strains were invasion for HeLa and chicken fibroblast cells, serum resistance, colicin V, and aerobactin production. None of the isolates were toxigenic or positive in hemagglutination tests. The molecular genetic studies of the virulence factors by agarose electrophoresis showed that the plasmids of these strains are of high molecular weight.     

Virulence factors of Escherichia coli isolated from cows with acute mastitis

A total of 184 Escherichia coli isolates recovered from cows with acute mastitis were examined for recognized pathogenic mechanisms and virulence factors commonly found in pathogenic groups of E coli. A modification of the Eng procedure (for detecting complement deficiencies in serum) was used to test for resistance to different animal sera. The Sereny test (for invasiveness), infant mouse test (for heat-stable enterotoxin), and Y-1 adrenal tumor cell assay (for heat-labile enterotoxin) were used. Hemagglutination tests, using rabbit, sheep, and guinea pig RBC, were done with and without added mannose. All of the 184 isolates were serum resistant in all tested sera. None of the isolates was invasive. Only 1 isolate was positive for heat-stable enterotoxin and 2 cultures were positive for heat-labile enterotoxin. Multiple patterns of hemagglutination were observed. The majority of the isolates exhibited both mannose-sensitive and mannose-resistant hemagglutinins with guinea pig and rabbit RBC. A few strains were positive only in mannose-sensitive or mannose-resistant hemagglutination tests. A few strains were negative in all hemagglutination tests. Based on our results, E. coli from cows with acute mastitis lack the virulence factors commonly observed in other E coli groups associated with disease. Serum resistance was the only characteristic that could be related to virulence.     

Virulence-associated factors of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from pigs

Thirty one Escherichia coli strains isolated from pigs with urinary tract infections were investigated for presence of virulence factors and plasmid DNA profile. The most frequent virulence factors presented by these strains were mannose-resistant fimbriae, including P. fimbriae (54.8%) and aerobactin production (45.2%). The pap) operon, detected by PCR, was found in 54.8% of the strains, which is similar to its frequency in human strains. Other characteristics such as the presence of mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (16.1%), indicative of type 1 pili, and production of hemolysin (25.8%), colicin (38.7%) and toxins (22.6% for LT and for VT) were less frequent. No strains were positive for STa production. Plasmid profiles were variable among isolates from either the same or different farms.     

Pasteurella multocida (type D and A) and atrophic rhinitis of swine--hemagglutination, fimbriae and adhesion in vitro in the nasal mucosa of swine fetuses

79 strains of P. multocida were investigated, mostly isolated from porcine nasal cavities, and a mannose-resistant hemagglutination with guinea pig and human group 0, but not with porcine erythrocytes was found. Fimbriae as adhesins were demonstrated only on 2 strains. A correlation between capsular type, hemagglutination, fimbriation and toxigenicity on the examined P. multocida strains was not observed. Three strains were investigated for the adherence to the nasal mucosa of neonatal pigs; aggregates shown by scanning electron microscopy indicate colonization; a correlation of adherence with surface proteins and slime production of P. multocida is discussed.     

Virulence properties of Escherichia coli isolated from ostriches with respiratory disease

Eight Escherichia coli isolates from ostriches with respiratory disease were investigated for the presence of genes encoding the following adhesins: type 1 pili (fim), pili associated with pyelonephritis (pap), S fimbriae (sfa), afimbrial adhesin (afaI), temperature regulated adhesin, curli (crl, csgA) and temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin (tsh). Genes for heat labile (LT) and heat stable (STa and STb) enterotoxins, Shiga toxins (stx1 and stx2), cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (cnf), alpha-haemolysin (hly) and aerobactin (aer) production were also investigated. Other characteristics investigated were the presence of hemagglutination activity, growth on an iron-deficient medium, aerobactin production, serum resistance, adherence to chicken tracheal cells, pathogenicity for day-old chicks, and serogroup. Serogrouping showed that four isolates belonged to serogroup O2, two to serogroup O78, one to serogroup O9, and one to serogroup O21. The virulence genes found were: fim in all eight isolates, csgA in seven, aer in six, and pap, crl and tsh in one isolate each. All isolates analyzed were positive for mannose-resistant hemagglutination, adhered in vitro to ciliated tracheal epithelium, grew on iron-deficient medium, and showed serum resistance. Pathogenicity tests on day-old chickens revealed one highly pathogenic isolate, three of low pathogenicity and four isolates with intermediate pathogenicity.     

13株新城疫病毒强毒株的分离鉴定及部分生物学特性

2004年-2005年从黑龙江省11个地区鸡场、鸽场、鹅场疑似新城疫(ND)病死鸡、鸽、鹅体内分离到24株具有血凝活性的病毒,经HA、HI试验和电镜观察证实了13株病毒为NDV。其鸡胚平均死亡时间(MDT)和1日龄雏鸡脑内接种致病指数(IC-PI)分别为36.8 h~73.6 h和1.51~2.00之间,属于NDV强毒株或中强毒株。除HLJ-12-04株外,强毒株的血凝素热稳定性较差,属快速或中速血凝解脱型;弱毒株的血凝素热稳定性好,属慢速血凝解脱型。所有毒株均可较好地凝集鸡和人(O型血)的红细胞,但对其他动物的红细胞凝集性差异较大,对马和兔的红细胞凝集无规律。     

Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of potential virulence of intestinal avian Escherichia coli strains isolated in Algeria

In order to characterize potential pathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic hens and chickens originating from intensive battery rearing in North Algeria, the presence of a large range of virulence factors and markers was studied in 50 strains by DNA-DNA hybridization on colonies and phenotypic tests. The sequences we focused on were those coding for adhesins F5, F41, F17, Pap, Afa, and Sfa; intimin Eae; and toxins STa, STb, LT1, Stx1, Stx2, CNF1, and CNF2. The phenotypes explored were the colicins, aerobactin, hemolysins, and hemagglutinin production and serum resistance. The genotypic and phenotypic tests enabled us to categorize the isolates into two distinct groups: those with a potential to invade the host (27 strains were serum resistant and/or produced aerobactin), among which three strains were also potentially diarrheagenic, one strain was LT1 + F17+ Afa+ Pap+ (enterotoxigenic E. coli) and the two others were Stx1 (verotoxigenic E. coli). Twenty-three strains were colicinogenic, including 19 strains producing colicin V. This latter factor was also detected in isolates negative for the other virulence factors. On the basis of the type of erythrocytes agglutinated, we established 14 mannose-resistant hemagglutination patterns among the 37 strains tested, including 22 serum-resistant and/or aerobactin producing strains and 15 strains negative for these two characters. None of the strains produced alpha hemolysin, whereas two strains produced beta hemolysin and enterohemolysin, respectively. Congo red fixation was observed in 25 strains. No relationship could be detected between Congo red fixation and the presence of other virulence markers, such as serum resistance and aerobactin production. This study shows that among isolates originating from the feces of diarrheic chickens, the proportion of potentially diarrheagenic E. coli strains is low.     

Lectin binding and the carbohydrate moieties present on Newcastle disease virus strains

Lectin-binding profiles were developed for 14 strains of Newcastle disease virus in order to determine the carbohydrate moieties associated with hemagglutination and to establish whether there are any associations between the carbohydrates present on the virus envelope and virulence. All strains of Newcastle disease virus were bound by concanavalin A. Other lectins bound the viruses differentially, but there was no pattern of binding that could be associated with viral virulence. The binding of virus by Lens culinaris lectin was associated with the elution rate of the virus from chicken erythrocytes. Strains that elute rapidly from chicken erythrocytes were not bound by Lens culinaris lectin. The sugar alpha-D-N-acetylglucosamine inhibited the adsorption of Lens culinaris lectin to the strains that were "slow eluters" from chicken erythrocytes.     

Adherence of Bordetella avium to tracheal mucosa of turkeys: correlation with hemagglutination

Adherence to turkey tracheal mucosa and agglutination of guinea pig erythrocytes were determined for 20 strains of Bordetella avium. Ten type-I strains, 7 type-II strains, 2 transposon-induced mutants, and 1 revertant were evaluated. All type-I strains adhered readily to tracheal mucosa and agglutinated erythrocytes, whereas no type-II strains adhered to trachea or caused hemagglutination (HA). Two mutants selected for loss of HA activity were less adherent to tracheal mucosa, compared with the parent strain. Reversion of one mutant to HA-positive status was accompanied by reconstitution of much of its adherence capacity. Results of this study provide preliminary evidence that tracheal adherence and HA of B avium are closely related.     

Relation of plasmids to virulence and other properties of salmonellae from avian sources

A collection of 185 isolates of 34 serovars of Salmonella from avian sources was examined for plasmids, drug resistance, biochemical properties, serum resistance, and virulence. No serovars other than S. enteritidis, S. typhimurium, and S. heidelberg showed evidence of serovar-associated plasmids. All S. enteritidis isolates carried a single plasmid of 36 Mdal and were resistant to guinea pig serum; one strain that was tested was virulent. Of 27 isolates of S. typhimurium, 11 possessed a 60-Mdal plasmid and 17 harbored a 2.3-Mdal plasmid. Among isolates of S. heidelberg, 21 of 24 carried a 2.2-Mdal plasmid. The only biochemical property that varied was fermentation of inositol, which tended to be related to serovar. Of 172 isolates, 54 were resistant to at least one drug. Multiple drug resistance was usually associated with R plasmids, and transmissible plasmids that encoded resistance to chloramphenicol and gentamicin were demonstrated. Of 117 isolates tested, 43 were resistant to guinea pig serum. Resistance appeared to be a characteristic of isolates rather than serovar and could not be related to plasmids. Twenty-five isolates highly resistant to guinea pig serum were all susceptible to the bactericidal action of chicken serum. In tests for virulence using intraperitoneally (i.p.) and orally inoculated Balb/c mice and day-old chicks, only i.p.-inoculated chicks proved useful in demonstrating large differences among isolates: LD50's ranged from 10(0) to 10(8).     

对FC株猪源性肠毒素型大肠杆菌致病因子的研究

FC菌株是一株从腹泻仔猪粪便中分离的肠毒素型大肠杆菌(Enterotoxigenic E.coli,ETEC)。在MRHA反应中,本菌能凝集人O型、豚鼠、马、绵羊、牛、鸡和兔的红细胞,对人O型和豚鼠红细胞有很高的血凝性,血抗K88和K99血清不能抑制其对豚鼠和绵羊红细胞的血凝。在体外小肠上皮细胞吸附试验中,本菌对仔猪小肠上皮细胞具有强烈的吸附作用;透射电镜和扫描电镜观察证实了FC株菌除表面具有一种纤毛样结构外,还能定居在仔猪小肠段。血清学试验结果表明,本菌的O抗原属于O101。K88和987P两种抗血清均不能凝集本菌,而K99和F41抗血清均可凝集。对纯化的FC株菌粘着素抗原作等电聚焦和聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分析,结果表明,该菌的粘着素是由等电点分别为4.61和9.78,分子量分别为29500和17500的两种蛋白质抗原所组成。此外,用乳鼠胃内投服试验和兔肠结扎试验证明,该菌只产生热稳定肠毒素。总之,本菌是一株能产生ST的K99,F41的肠毒素型大肠杆菌。     

Comparison of phenotypic characteristics of Salmonella spp isolated from healthy and ill (infected) chickens

Phenotypic characteristics of 12 paired, Salmonella serotypes isolated from healthy and ill chickens were compared. Variables compared included antibiotic resistance profiles, production of colicins and siderophores, mannose-sensitive hemagglutination of erythrocytes, resistance to serum complement, carbon source utilization, presence and transmissibility of R plasmids, and invasiveness in primary chicken kidney cell culture. Differences were found between pairs for utilization of carbon sources, mannose-sensitive hemagglutination of erythrocytes, and invasiveness in cell culture.     

Colicin production in relation to pathogenicity factors in strains of Escherichia coli isolated from the intestinal tract of piglets

Three hundred and fifteen E. coli strains isolated from piglets dead due to neonatal E. coli diarrhea or traumatic lesions, were examined for presence of enterotoxin production, K-antigens 88 and 99, antibiotic resistance and colicin-production.Almost 100 % of the E. coli strains positive on enterotoxin production produced colicin, while approx. 17 % of the non-enterotoxigenic strains did so.Ninety-nine % of the E. coli strains harbouring K-antigens were found to produce colicin, while approx. 23 % of the strains without detectable K-antigens did so.In strains where neither K-antigens nor enterotoxin production was found, resistance against tetracycline, neomycin and ampicillin, and sensitivity against streptomycin, was more commonly found among colicin-producing strains, than among strains without colicin production.     

H3N2亚型猪流感病毒中国分离株的克隆纯化及生物学特性

以有限稀释克隆法对29株H3N2亚型猪流感病毒(SIV)不同地区分离株进行纯化，并对其生物学特性进行了研究。结果，8株对鸡呈现中等致病力，21株对鸡呈现低致病力。不同地区SIV分离株(第5代)的EID50差异较大，以安徽分离株最高，为10^-10.77／0．2mL，其他毒株在10^-5.5～10^-10.56／0．2mL之间。黑龙江省分离株和浙江省分离株的LD50高达10^-2.84／0．1mL，其他分离株在10^-1.17～10^-2.56／0．1mL之间。经鸡胚分离传代后，SIV分离株均能凝集0．7％人“O”型血、绵羊、兔、豚鼠、小鼠、大鼠及鸡的红细胞，其红细胞凝集谱的差异主要表现在对马、牛、驴、猪红细胞的凝集特性上。大部分SIV分离株为热不稳定型，部分毒株表现为中等热稳定型和热稳定型。从其抗原特性看，大部分SIV分离株表现为亲和相，对AIV参考毒株DKUK63和SIV参考毒株SWTN77表现出较高的HI滴度；部分分离株经鸡胚传代后，出现了相别的变异。     

Detection and characterization of Salmonella strains from laughing gulls (Larus ridibundus)]

25 and 17 Salmonella strains could be isolated from 429 and 423 blackheaded gulls (Larus ridibundus), respectively, during two years of examination. S. typhimurium was the most frequent serovar. All strains of S. typhimurium belonged to the biochemovar c (inosite and rhamnose negative), nearly a third of isolates caused a mannose-sensitive hemagglutination of guinea pig erythrocytes. This result is in contradiction to the literature. Furthermore the phagovars, the plasmid profiles and the resistance against chemotherapeutics were tested. The Salmonella carriage by gulls presumably reflects the contamination of the environment.     

Occurrence of the temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin among avian Escherichia coli

In this study, we determined the occurrence of the tsh gene among 305 Escherichia coli isolates from chickens by means of the polymerase chain reaction and agglutination of chicken erythrocytes; 200 of those isolates were obtained from chickens with colisepticemia, 52 isolates were from lesions of cellulitis, and 53 were from feces of normal chickens. The tsh gene was found in 79 (39.5%) isolates from colisepticemia, in 10 (19%) cellulitis-derived E. coli isolates, and in two (3.8%) fecal isolates. Among the tsh+ strains, 68 (86%) isolates from colisepticemia and nine (90%) from cellulitis agglutinated chicken erythrocytes in the presence of mannose, after growing the strains on colonization factor antigen agar plates at 26 C, which confirms a correlation between mannose-resistant hemagglutination and expression of hemagglutinin Tsh. These results show, for the first time, the presence of the gene tsh in cellulitis-derived E. coli isolates; the high frequency of this gene among avian pathogenic E. coli isolates in Brazil indicates that its putative role as a virulence factor should be studied more thoroughly.     

江西省宜春地区鸡新城疫流行情况调查

为了解江西省宜春地区鸡新城疫（ND）流行情况,在2016年3月—2017年3月对宜春地区樟树、丰城、高安、宜春、万载5个重点养鸡县（市）的31个鸡场的疑似患有ND的鸡群进行现场问询、跟踪调查。结果发现,鸡新城疫在宜春地区一年四季均有流行,其中冬季发生该病的频率相对高些,其次为春季,夏、秋季发生该病的频率相对低些;发病鸡只的日龄无差异性,各阶段的鸡只均可发生;整体发病率为20.1%-30.8%,死亡率为9.0%-25.4%,产蛋下降率为15.3%-38.8%。同时,利用SPF鸡胚对来自宜春地区5个县（市）的31个鸡场的214份病料进行新城疫病毒（NDV）分离,共分离到27株具有血凝性的病毒,经过血凝试验（HA）、血凝抑制试验（HI）及血清中和试验,最终确定23株为NDV。其中,除了2株毒力不能确定之外,其余21株均为NDV强毒株。将21株病毒用30日龄非免疫鸡进行攻毒试验,发病率为80%~100%,死亡率为60%~100%,发病鸡只均出现鸡新城疫感染的典型症状及病变。     

土鸡屠宰过程中大肠杆菌毒力基因检测及耐药性分析

为了解土鸡屠宰过程中大肠杆菌污染、毒力基因携带及耐药情况，2018年9月-2019年1月在重庆万州、开州、巫溪、奉节4个区县的12个土鸡屠宰地点采集了319份样品，通过菌落形态及显微镜观察、生化鉴定、PCR、药敏试验等方法鉴定分离的大肠杆菌，检测其毒力基因携带和耐药性情况。结果表明：大肠杆菌分离率为22.57%（72/319），其中餐馆、活禽宰杀铺和定点屠宰点分离率依次为29.73%（22/74）、25.00%（24/96）和17.45%（26/149），污水、地面、羽毛、用具和胴体分离率依次为75.00%（18/24）、21.62%（8/37）、20.54%（23/112）、17.65%（6/34）和15.18%（17/112）；11种毒力基因中除estA、estB、elt外均被检出，检出率为58.33%（42/72），共检出14种组合型，有4株分离株4种毒力基因同时存在；分离株对阿米卡星、头孢噻肟最敏感，多重耐药比为90.28%（65/72），以7~10重耐药居多。土鸡屠宰过程中致病性大肠杆菌污染风险高，多重耐药现象严重，应重视养殖合理用药及屠宰卫生环境。     

Isolation and characteristics of an equine reovirus type 3 and an antibody prevalence survey to reoviruses in horses located in New York State

Reoviruses have been isolated from a number of species including human, bovine, feline, canine and equine. In most species they seem to produce mild to inapparent disease. We have isolated a reovirus type 3 from a foal with diarrhea. The virus designated the Ralph strain has been propagated in both the MA-104 and A-72 cell lines. The strain produced cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in these cell cultures. Tissue-cultured virus fixed complement in the presence of reovirus antibodies, but failed to do so in the presence of rotavirus antiserum. By electron microscopy the viral particle measured +/- 65 nm. The virus hemagglutinated pig erythrocytes, but not human O, human A, calf, cow, chicken or guinea pig erythrocytes. In the hemagglutination test there was complete reciprocal crossing between the Ralph strain and the NIH reovirus type 3, but there was no crossing with the NIH reovirus types 1 and 2. A limited serological survey was completed on serum samples from New York State horses collected in 1976-1977 and 1981 using the hemagglutination-inhibition test. The percentage with antibodies to reovirus types 1, 2 and 3 for 1976-1977 was 24.5, 42.2 and 3.9% and in 1981, 8.8, 9.8 and 3.9%, respectively.     

Hemagglutination, hydrophobicity, enterotoxigenicity, and drug-resistance characteristics of avian Escherichia coli

A total of 35 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from necropsy materials of hens with septicemia in the Konya region of Turkey were examined for hemagglutination (HA), cell-surface hydrophobicity, enterotoxigenicity, and drug resistance. HA tests were performed on live cultures with human (group A), bovine, avian (chicken), and guinea pig erythrocytes with and without mannose. Nine HA patterns were observed. Of the 35 isolates, 62.8% exhibited mannose sensitive hemagglutination (MSHA), 8.6% exhibited mannose resistant hemagglutination (MRHA), and 28.6% did not hemagglutinate. Of the isolates, 85.7% were hydrophobic by a salt aggregation test (SAT). Only three isolates were enterotoxigenic by a suckling mouse assay. The majority of the isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, erythromycin, and trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole but were highly sensitive to gentamicin and nalidixic acid.