Goats are susceptible to Bubaline alphaherpesvirus 1 infection: Results of an experimental study

Herpesvirus infections are generally subjected to strong host species restriction, although virological and serological investigations have revealed the possibility of cross-species infections in closely related animal species. In this study we evaluated susceptibility of goats to infection by Bubaline alphaherpesvirus 1 (BuHV-1). Four goats were inoculated intra-nasally with BuHV-1 and monitored clinically, virologically and serologically for 42 days. None of the goats displayed clinical signs although all the animals variably shed the virus by the nasal route during the first 12 days after infection. BuHV-1 was also detected in the white blood cells of two animals in the first week post infection. The results suggest that goats are susceptible to BuHV-1 infection and that they could play an epidemiological role in the circulation/transmission of the virus among domestic and wild ruminants and impact to some extent on the control plans for herpesviruses in cattle.     

Removal of flowers or inflorescences affects ‘Barnea’ olive fruitlet post-anthesis abscission

A typical olive (Olea europaea L.) inflorescence consists of about 20 flowers. However, in many cultivars, only one fruit develops. This is due to massive abscission of flowers and fruitlets, which occurs during the first month after anthesis. In this study, we used the olive cultivar 'Barnea' to characterize the abscission mechanism and to try to increase fruit set by increasing the number of developed fruit per inflorescence. Removing the lateral flowers 3 weeks before anthesis increased fruit set by more than 50%. Removing all inflorescences but one from a branch increased the number of developed fruits from 0.93 to 2.8 during 2017 and from 0.91 to 3.34 fruits per inflorescence in 2018. Sugar quantification in the pistil revealed that starch level is high on the day of anthesis and low 25 days later in abscised as well as in developed fruit. Soluble carbohydrates are low on the day of anthesis, low in abscised flowers/fruitlets 25 days after anthesis and high in developed fruit. Screening the natural variation found in the Israeli germplasm collection revealed that in most cultivars less than one fruit per inflorescence has developed. However, there are unique cultivars with a higher fruit set.     

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs from public shelters in Serbia

Data on endoparasitic infections in dogs from dog shelters in Southeastern Europe are limited; thus, this study aimed to add to the existing knowledge on this topic by reporting on the prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs from public dog shelters in the Republic of Serbia. In 2017 and 2018, individual and pooled fecal samples, were collected from 1267 dogs from six shelters. All samples were qualitatively examined for parasites using flotation tests. Seven taxa of intestinal parasites were identified: Cystoisospora spp., ascarids: Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina, hookworms, Trichuris vulpis, taeniids and Dipylidium caninum. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 58. 3 % (78. 1 % in young dogs and 53.1 % in adult dogs). The parasites detected in both young (<1 year old) and adult dogs (>1 year old) were Cystoisospora spp. (20 % and 4.9 %), T. canis (33.5 % and 14.7 %), T. leonina (7.7 % and 2.3 %), and hookworms (16.9 % and 15 %), respectively. However, T. vulpis (9.6 %), taeniids (1.3 %), and D. caninum (5.4 %) were detected only in adult dogs. In the Belgrade shelter, young dogs had a higher prevalence of endoparasitic infections (18.9 %, 49/260) than adult dogs (14.8 %, 149/1007). In the Subotica, Jagodina and Niš shelters, young dogs had significantly higher (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively) prevalence of endoparasitic infections (10 %, 12.3 % and 14.6 %) than adult dogs (5.3 %, 8 % and 7.2 %). These results will be useful for establishing health care programs in dog shelters and implementing effective strategies for the control of intestinal parasites.     

中国南海周边犬类贾第虫感染情况调查与基因序列分型

贾第虫是一种人兽共患肠道寄生原虫,在全世界范围内传播,其感染率与地区和环境有非常大的关系。为了解中国南海周边国家和地区犬类贾第虫感染情况,判断海洋隔离是否是影响贾第虫传播的重要因素,自2018年6月至2019年7月,从中国广州、越南胡志明市、马来西亚吉隆坡、新加坡和菲律宾马尼拉分别采集犬类粪便样本616份。提取每个地区犬类粪便样本的DNA,以贾第虫磷酸丙糖异构酶(triose phosphate isomerase)基因TPI和BG(genotyping at the beta giardin)基因制作巢式PCR引物。提取的犬粪基因组DNA为模板进行巢式PCR扩增,确定其阳性感染率,PCR阳性产物经测序并将结果与GenBank中的贾第虫序列比对,判断其分型。结果发现,616份样品中,有48份样品检验结果为贾第虫感染阳性,阳性率为7.79%(48/616)。不同地区感染率分别是:中国广州4.81%、越南胡志明市6.90%、马来西亚吉隆坡9.09%、新加坡2.86%和菲律宾马尼拉11.52%。其中48份样品在TPI和BG位点分别检测到条带,阳性率分别为7.63%和5.19%。阳性样品再经过对于BG及TPI基因位点的测序比对,得知BG位点有集聚体B型(3.33%)、集聚体C型(86.67%)、集聚体D型(10%),TPI位点有集聚体B型(2.12%)、集聚体C型(85.1%)和集聚体D型(12.76%)。综上,中国南海周边地区存在贾第虫感染,公共卫生相对较好地区感染率较低,犬源贾第虫基因分型分布未明显受到海洋地域隔离影响。     

烟草Hsc70-2的克隆及对马铃薯Y病毒侵染烟草的促进作用

【目的】马铃薯Y病毒（Potato virus Y,PVY）是危害烟草、马铃薯、番茄、辣椒等主要农作物的重要病毒,给农业生产带来巨大损失。论文旨在克隆Hsc70-2蛋白在本氏烟（Nicotiana benthamiana）中的基因序列并分析其生物学信息,研究NbHsc70-2蛋白对PVY侵染烟草的影响,为进一步解析PVY的侵染机制提供理论依据。【方法】以本氏烟为材料,克隆NbHsc70-2蛋白的基因编码序列（coding sequence,CDS）,利用MEGA 6.0 进行多序列比对并构建系统进化树;利用实时荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）分析NbHsc70-2在本氏烟各组织中的表达水平;采用在线软件BaCeILo和SignalP 4.0对NbHsc70-2进行生物信息学分析;构建NbHsc70-2-RFP融合蛋白确定该蛋白的亚细胞定位;研究PVY处理对本氏烟叶片中NbHsc70-2的影响;利用激光共聚焦观察PVY-GFP处理对NbHsc70-2-RFP定位的影响;构建NbHsc70-2 VIGS沉默体系及瞬时表达载体,采用qRT-PCR比较NbHsc70-2在沉默/过表达后对PVY表达的影响。【结果】NbHsc70-2编码649个氨基酸,系统进化树分析表明,NbHsc70-2与普通烟NaHsc70-2序列相似性最高,亲缘关系最近,属于热激蛋白家族,C端具有热激蛋白家族的高度保守基序结构;qRT-PCR分析表明,NbHsc70-2在叶中表达量最高,在根和茎中的表达量较低;BaCeILo预测及激光共聚焦显微镜观察均显示NbHsc70-2定位在细胞质中,并且PVY-GFP侵染本氏烟后NbHsc70-2-RFP部分转移至细胞核,与PVY-GFP共定位在细胞质及细胞核中;将NbHsc70-2基因沉默载体pTRV::NbHsc70-2导入本氏烟中7 d后相比于对照组,沉默组出现心叶皱缩及矮化现象;接种PVY-GFP 7 d后通过手持紫外灯观察到沉默组中无明显绿色荧光出现,而对照组中PVY-GFP系统侵染使得非接种叶片呈现荧光现象,沉默组荧光点数约为对照组28%;接种PVY后,利用qRT-PCR检测沉默NbHsc70-2后1、3、5 d的PVY CP基因积累量,结果表明沉默NbHsc70-2后PVY CP基因积累量下降,其中3 d和5 d与对照相比差异显著,基因表达水平分别为对照的14%和0.004%;将NbHsc70-2过表达载体pEarleyGate100::GWC::NbHsc70-2与PVY同时导入本氏烟后,结果表明相比于对照组,过表达组48 h和72 h 其PVY CP基因积累量显著上升,基因表达水平分别为对照组的2.31、2.56倍。【结论】PVY侵染会引起NbHsc70-2表达量上升;NbHsc70-2是PVY侵染本氏烟重要的组成成分,沉默该基因显著抑制PVY的表达,过表达NbHsc70-2则显著提高PVY的表达,即NbHsc70-2的表达水平与PVY复制呈正相关,NbHsc70-2蛋白促进PVY对烟草的侵染。     

Identification and pathogenicity study of emerging fish pathogens Acinetobacter junii and Acinetobacter pittii recovered from a disease outbreak in Labeo catla (Hamilton, 1822) and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes, 1844) of freshwater wetland in West Bengal,India

The disease outbreaks in aquaculture system of wetlands are the major cause of fish mortality. Among various bacterial septicaemic diseases, fish mortality caused by Acinetobacter spp. is recently reported in different fish species. Fish disease outbreak was investigated in a wetland of West Bengal, India to identify the aetiological factors involved. The moribund fish were examined and subjected to bacterial isolation. Two bacterial causative agents were identified as Acinetobacter junii and Acinetobacter pittii by biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA gene amplification. Both the isolates were oxidase‐negative, nitrate‐negative, catalase‐positive and indole‐negative. The molecular identification using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic tree analysis further confirmed the two Acinetobacter spp. with 97%–99% similarity. The antibiotic resistance patterns of these two bacteria revealed that both of them were resistant to β‐lactam, cefalexin, cephalothin, amoxyclav, cefuroxime, cefadroxil, clindamycin, vancomycin and penicillin. In addition, A. pittii was also resistant to other antibiotics of cephams group such as ceftazidime and cefotaxime. In the challenge experiment, both A. junii and A. pittii were found to be pathogenic with LD₅₀ of 1.24 × 10⁵ and 1.88 × 10⁷ cfu/fish respectively. Histopathological examination of gill, liver and kidney revealed prominent changes supporting bacterial septicaemia. The investigation reports for the first time on concurrent infection by A. junii and multidrug‐resistant (MDR)‐A. pittii as emerging fish pathogens to cause severe mortality in Labeo catla and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in a freshwater wetland.     

Detection of Leishmania infantum DNA by real-time PCR in saliva of dogs

This study developed a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to detect L. infantum kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) in canine saliva. The qPCR showed an efficiency of 93.8%, a coefficient of correlation of 0.996 and a detection limit of 0.5 fg/reaction (0.005 parasites), although it detected until 0.25 fg/reaction (0.0025 parasites). When samples from 12 dogs experimentally infected with L. infantum were collected, L. infantum kDNA was detected at 16-weeks post-infection (wpi) in 41.7% and 91.7% of saliva and bone marrow samples, respectively, and at 47-wpi in 75% of both samples. L. infantum kDNA can be detected by qPCR in canine saliva, with lower sensitivity in the early stages of infection and a lower parasite load estimation compared to bone marrow. However, saliva had similar sensitivities to bone marrow in the later stages of the infection and could be used to detect L. infantum kDNA being aware of its limitations.     

合成氨基酸对肉鸡肠道功能的改善作用

鸡球虫病、坏死性肠炎等肠道感染可能对消化道内源性氨基酸损失产生较大影响。虽然对这一课题的了解不多，但相关文献报道了这些疾病对氨基酸表观回肠消化率的影响。在确定肠内氨基酸流动时必须考虑多种因素，包括肉鸡的年龄、是否有病原体、肠内氨基酸代谢等。胃肠道和肝脏共同承担向外周血释放氨基酸的任务，这些氨基酸是支持蛋白质合成所必需的。一般来说，肠道是氨基酸代谢反应的一个非常活跃的器官系统，它首先会满足自身对氨基酸的需求，然后才会将氨基酸输送到机体其他部分。因此，本综述旨在讨论影响肠内氨基酸流动的因素及日粮氨基酸和肠道感染对氨基酸利用和代谢的影响。     

昆虫病原线虫生物防控草地贪夜蛾的室内及田间效果和影响因素

联合国粮食及农业组织2018年向全球发布草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda是重要的预警害虫。据报道,2019年我国已有26个省（区、市）的作物受到草地贪夜蛾为害。目前已经发现草地贪夜蛾幼虫对某些化学农药产生抗性的现象,为缓解其抗药性产生,具有主动寻找寄主害虫的昆虫病原线虫为草地贪夜蛾的生物防治提供了应用潜能。该文从昆虫病原线虫高效侵染种（品系）及其浓度、共生菌、草地贪夜蛾幼虫易感龄期、田间致死力及影响防控效果的因素等方面进行综述,以期为田间有效利用昆虫病原线虫防治草地贪夜蛾提供参考。     

中华卵索线虫人工室内培养技术

为室内大量繁殖中华卵索线虫Ovomermis sinensis,采用个体由大到小的斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura、棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera和黏虫Mythimna separata作为宿主,测定被中华卵索线虫寄生后3种宿主的体长和体重,研究宿主种类对中华卵索线虫有效率、雌雄比和体长的影响以及寄生强度对线虫雌雄比的影响。结果显示,被中华卵索线虫寄生后,斜纹夜蛾、棉铃虫和黏虫生长减缓。在相同感染比例下（除宿主与线虫比为1∶15外）,3种宿主的线虫有效率之间差异不显著。当寄生强度为5时,3种宿主体内脱出的中华卵索线虫均为雌线虫;当寄生强度从10增到40时,斜纹夜蛾、棉铃虫和黏虫所脱出的雌性比分别由100.0%、90.0%、83.9%降为0;相同寄生强度下,从斜纹夜蛾体内脱出的雌性比显著高于从棉铃虫与黏虫体内脱出的雌性比。斜纹夜蛾、棉铃虫和黏虫体内脱出雌线虫和雄线虫平均体长分别为14.8、13.8、12.8 cm和8.0、7.5和7.5 cm。当中华卵索线虫与宿主按照比例20∶1～25∶1侵染斜纹夜蛾、按照15∶1侵染棉铃虫和黏虫时,能获得线虫最适雌雄比（1∶1...