Brucella abortus detection by PCR assay in blood, milk and lymph tissue of serologically positive cows

Brucellosis is a highly infectious disease which is diagnosed using serological and microbiological methods. The objective of this study was to assess the viability of using conventional and real-time PCR assays as potential diagnostic tools for the detection of Brucella abortus in naturally infected cows. PCR assays that amplify various regions of the Brucella genome, IS711 genetic element, 31kDa outer membrane protein and 16S rRNA, were optimised using nine known Brucella strains. Real-time PCR was used to examine the detection efficiency of the IS711 assay which was estimated at 10 gene copies. Milk, blood and lymph tissue samples were collected from naturally infected animals. B. abortus was not detected in blood samples collected from naturally infected cows by conventional or real-time PCR, but was detected in a proportion of the culture-positive milk (44%) and lymph tissue (66% - retropharyngeal, 75% - supramammary) samples by the same methods. There was no difference between PCR and bacteriological detection methods. It is unlikely that conventional or real-time PCR will supersede current diagnostic methods for detection of B. abortus in clinical samples.     

Major outer membrane proteins of Brucella spp.: past,present and future

The major outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of Brucella spp. were initially identified in the early 1980s and characterised as potential immunogenic and protective antigens. They were classified according to their apparent molecular mass as 36–38 kDa OMPs or group 2 porin proteins and 31–34 and 25–27 kDa OMPs which belong to the group 3 proteins. The genes encoding the group 2 porin proteins were identified in the late 1980s and consist of two genes, omp2a and omp2b, which are closely linked in the Brucella genome, and which share a great degree of identity (>85%). In the 1990s, two genes were identified coding for the group 3 proteins and were named omp25 and omp31. The predicted amino acid sequences of omp25 and omp31 share 34% identity. The recent release of the genome sequence of B. melitensis 16 M has revealed the presence of five additional gene products homologous to Omp25 and Omp31. The use of recombinant protein technology and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) has shown that the major OMPs appear to be of little relevance as antigens in smooth (S) B. abortus or B. melitensis infections i.e. low or no protective activity in the mouse model of infection and low or no immunogenicity during host infection. However, group 3 proteins, in particular Omp31, appear as immunodominant antigen in the course of rough (R) B. ovis infection in rams and as important protective antigen in the B. ovis mouse model of infection. The major OMP genes display diversity and specific markers have been identified for Brucella species, biovars, and strains, including the recent marine mammal Brucella isolates for which new species names have been proposed. Recently, Omp25 has been shown to be involved in virulence of B. melitensis, B. abortus and B. ovis. Mutants lacking Omp25 are indeed attenuated in animal models of infection, and moreover provide levels of protection similar or better than currently used attenuated vaccine strain B. melitensis Rev.1. Therefore, these mutant strains appear interesting vaccine candidates for the future. The other group 3 proteins identified in the genome merit also further investigation related to the development of new vaccines.     

Brucella intracellular life: from invasion to intracellular replication

Brucella organisms are pathogens that ultimate goal is to propagate in their preferred niche, the cell. Upon cell contact the bacteria is internalized via receptor molecules by activating small GTPases of the Rho subfamily and by a moderate recruitment of actin filaments. Once inside cells, Brucella localizes in early phagosomes, where it avoids fusion with late endosomes and lysosomes. These early events require the control of Rab small GTPases, and cytokines such as the G-CSF. Then, the bacterium redirects its trafficking to autophagosomes and finally reaches the endoplasmic reticulum, where it extensively replicates. Some of the bacterial molecular determinants involved in the internalization and early events after ingestion are controlled by the BvrS/BvrR two component regulatory system, whereas the intracellular trafficking beyond this early compartments are controlled by the VirB type IV secretion system. Once inside the endoplasmic reticulum, Brucella extensively replicates without restricting basic cellular functions or inducing obvious damage to cells. The integrity of Brucella LPS on the bacterial surface is one of the required factors for Brucella intracellular survival, and therefore for virulence.     

Fundamentals of host immune response against Brucella abortus: what the mouse model has revealed about control of infection

The studies reviewed here evaluated the role cellular immune system components play in control of brucellosis by conducting comparative studies with brucella-resistant C57BL/10 or C57BL/6 mice and susceptible BALB/c mice. We have shown by both in vitro and in vivo studies that activation of macrophages with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is an important factor for control of infection with B. abortus in the mouse model and that the mechanism of anti-brucella activity largely involved reactive oxygen intermediates. Differences in control of the organism by resistant and susceptible mice was not related to inherent differences in the ability of their macrophages to control infection either with or without IFN-γ activation nor was it attributable to NK cells since we found no role for them in control of brucellosis in either mouse strain. However, relative resistance to brucellosis did correlate with increased production of IFN-γ by CD4 T cells during the first weeks after infection while IL-10 contributed to susceptibility in BALB/c mice. Moreover, by 3 weeks post-infection splenocytes from the susceptible BALB/c mice failed to produce IFN-γ and relied on TNF- as well as CD8 T cells to control infection until the end of the plateau phase around 6 weeks post-infection when IFN-γ production resumed and clearance began. In contrast, IFN-γ was crucial for control throughout the infection in the more resistant C57BL/6 mice and the mice died in its absence by 6 weeks post-infection compared to 12 weeks for the more susceptible mice that relied on additional mechanisms of control. In contrast to the IFN-γ knock-out mice, both β2 microglobulin knock-out C57BL/6 mice, which do not express conventional MHC class I molecules and thus cannot present antigen to CD8 T cells, or perforin knock-out C57BL/6 mice, which have no T cell cytotoxic activity, controlled and cleared the infection as well as normal C57BL/6 mice. The hiatus of IFN-γ production in BALB/c mice correlated with very high levels of total IL-12 and it was postulated that the lack of IFN-γ was a consequence of p40 homodimer blocking activity. However, reduction of p40 IL-12 in vivo through administration of indomethacin reduced the infection without a concomitant measurable increase in IFN-γ. Current studies are aimed at elucidating the mechanism of the IFN-γ hiatus.     

Epidemiological Observations in a Corriedale Flock affected by Brucella ovis

Brucellosis in sheep, caused by Brucella ovis, is primarily a chronic infectious disease of rams with epididymitis as its most characteristic lesion. Six hundred rams from an infected farm were clinically and serologically examined once a year, over a 3-year period. An increase from 2.1% to 6.3% in the prevalence of animals serologically positive to B. ovis occurred over the 3 years. However, the prevalence of rams with lesions in the reproductive tract declined from 14.2% to 6.5% in the third year following one year of strict culling of clinically affected and rams that were serologically positive for B. ovis. Clinical lesions found in the 179 affected rams fell into two main categories: rams with epididymitis and rams with affected lymph nodes. These results suggest that the prevalence of the disease relates mainly to the sexual activity of the animal and not to age in itself. A single cull based on the results of clinical examination and serological test results was unable to decrease the prevalence of B. ovis in an extensive Corriedale sheep flock.     

羊种布鲁氏菌M5-90疫苗株铁应答调控因子irr和rirA基因缺失株的构建与鉴定

为研究铁调控因子irr和rirA在羊种布鲁氏菌（Brucella melitensis）感染过程中的作用,本研究通过卡那替换的方法构建两个缺失株M5-90Δirr和M5-90ΔrirA,分别将亲本株和缺失株在相同营养条件下培养36 h,观察其振荡培养时的生长变化趋势。分别将1×10⁸ CFU M5-90Δirr、M5-90ΔrirA和M5-90接种到含1.5 mol/L NaCl、pH 2.5、pH 11.5、10 mmol/L H₂O₂的1 mL布鲁氏菌液体培养基,比较缺失株和亲本株在不同条件下的生长特性;分别以1×10⁶ CFU M5-90Δirr、M5-90ΔrirA和M5-90感染小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7检测缺失株的黏附、侵袭和胞内生存能力。结果显示,在相同体外培养条件下缺失株M5-90Δirr和M5-90ΔrirA生长速度明显低于亲本株;M5-90Δirr、M5-90ΔrirA在高盐、强酸和强碱环境下生存率均显著或极显著低于亲本株（P<0.05;P<0.01）,在H₂O₂条件下这两个缺失株的生存率却显著高于亲本株（P<0.05）。与亲本株相比,缺失株在小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7内的侵袭和黏附能力均减弱,在感染后45 min缺失株M5-90Δirr和M5-90ΔrirA的黏附和侵袭能力均极显著低于亲本株（P<0.01）,但在感染后24 h,这两个缺失株在细胞内繁殖能力与亲本株相比有所增强。本研究报道了irr和rirA基因不仅调控了羊种布鲁氏菌的生长,同时对细菌黏附和侵袭能力也产生一定的影响,M5-90Δirr和M5-90ΔrirA是两株具有潜力的布鲁氏菌候选疫苗株。     

布鲁氏菌分泌蛋白BspJ多克隆抗体的制备

为获得一定纯度及浓度的布鲁氏菌分泌蛋白BspJ并制备多克隆抗体,本研究通过常规PCR方法扩增BspJ基因,连接至pMD19-T克隆载体并筛选阳性克隆;使用限制性内切酶切下目的片段后连接至pET28a(+)载体,双酶切、菌液PCR验证阳性克隆菌并送测序;表达载体pET28a-BspJ转入大肠杆菌DE3后经IPTG诱导表达,收集表达菌进行SDS-PAGE分析;使用His标签蛋白纯化柱纯化目的蛋白rBspJ;将rBspJ蛋白混入弗氏佐剂分4次免疫实验兔,收集兔血清,Western blot鉴定多克隆抗体,饱和硫酸铵法纯化多克隆抗体.结果显示:PCR方法扩增出大小534 bp的目的片段,测序结果正确,表明成功构建出pMD19-T-BspJ克隆载体及pET28a-BspJ表达载体;表达菌表达出大小约24 kDa的rBspJ,纯化后的rBspJ条带明显,基本无杂带,表明成功纯化出rBspJ;真核表达的rBspJ与制备的多克隆抗体反应,表明成功制备多克隆抗体.本研究结果为BspJ蛋白的亚细胞定位分析、功能研究及布鲁氏菌致病机制的研究积累实验数据和奠定基础.     

布鲁菌Cycling探针荧光定量PCR检测方法的建立

根据布鲁菌BCSP31基因序列设计布鲁菌通用检测引物和探针,建立了布鲁菌Cycling探针荧光定量PCR检测方法。以构建的含BCSP31基因的质粒标准品10倍递进稀释为模板检测其敏感性,结果显示,本方法能检测约10个拷贝的阳性质粒,且标准曲线的线性关系良好。用本方法检测5株不同种的布鲁菌以及猪大肠杆菌K99、巴氏杆菌C48-1、猪链球菌ST171、绿脓杆菌等4株对照菌。结果显示,5株不同种的布鲁菌均出现典型的"S"型扩增曲线,4株对照菌40个循环内均无CT值出现。用本方法和B4/B5-PCR方法对来自布鲁菌病流行地区3个不同牛场的40份血样、奶样和血清样进行平行检测。结果显示,本方法和B4/B5-PCR方法的结果符合率为80.0%。B4/B5-PCR检测为阳性的27份样品经本方法检测均为阳性;B4/B5-PCR检测为阴性的13份样本,经本方法检测,其中8份呈阳性,5份为阴性。本方法的敏感性明显高于B4/B5-PCR方法。试验表明,所建立的Cycling探针荧光定量PCR方法具有敏感、特异、稳定等特点,可用于布鲁菌感染的快速检测。     

A study of periodontal disease in sheep over a twelve month period

Sheep affected by broken mouth periodontal disease (P.D.) were examined over a twelve month period for different clinical parameters. It is suggested that P.D. in sheep is an episodic phenomenon similar to human P.D., and that only a few animals with signs of P.D. may undergo clinically significant destruction over a yearly period. No single parameter could reliably predict future deterioration in other parameters.     

Analysis of a survey of metabolic disorders

Extract

This survey was instigated in an endeavour to determine the overall incidence of metabolic disorders in dairying herds in the area covered by the Huntly District Veterinary Club. Response to treatment and mortality figures are also included.