Estimating the Sensitivity and Specificity of Real‐Time Quantitative PCR of Fecal Samples for Diagnosis of Rhodococcus equi Pneumonia in Foals

Background

Real‐time, quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods for detecting Rhodococcus equi in feces have been developed as a noninvasive, rapid diagnostic test for R. equi pneumonia, but have not been evaluated in a large population of foals.

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of fecal PCR as a diagnostic test for R. equi pneumonia in foals using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methods.

Animals

186 foals born in 2011 at an R. equi‐endemic ranch in Texas.

Methods

Fecal samples were collected at the time of onset of clinical signs for pneumonic foals (n = 31). Foals with pneumonia were matched by age and birth date to healthy (n = 31) and subclinical (n = 124) control foals; fecal samples were collected from these controls. DNA was extracted from feces using commercial kits and concentration of virulent R. equi in feces was determined by qPCR.

Results

Concentration of R. equi in feces differed significantly (P < .05) among groups. The area under the ROC curve for fecal qPCR for diagnosis of R. equi pneumonia was 89% (95% CI, 83–99), with a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 72%.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

qPCR of feces can be useful as an alternative to tracheobronchial aspiration for the diagnosis of R. equi in foals with clinical signs of pneumonia. Caution should be used in extrapolating results of this study to other populations because fecal concentration of R. equi might vary by geographic location or management practices.     

乙草胺降解菌株Rhodococcus sp.AC-1的分离及降解特性研究

为解决乙草胺残留问题,采用连续传代富集培养的方法,从长期生产乙草胺的农药厂污染土壤中分离筛选到1株乙草胺降解菌株AC-1。经过形态学特征、生理生化特征和16S rRNA基因序列系统发育分析,菌株AC-1被鉴定为红球菌属(Rhodococcus)。菌株AC-1在48h内能将0.2 m M的乙草胺完全降解,但不能矿化乙草胺。借助LC-MS,确定乙草胺降解终产物为2-氯-N-(2-乙基-6-甲基苯基)乙酰胺(CMEPA)。菌株AC-1降解乙草胺的最适温度为30℃,最适p H值为7.5。0.1 m M的Cu2+和Hg2+对菌株AC-1降解乙草胺具有很强的抑制作用,而0.1 m M的Fe2+则对菌株AC-1降解乙草胺具有微弱的促进作用。菌株AC-1对乙草胺的降解效果与起始接种量呈正相关。菌株AC-1对甲草胺和丁草胺表现出良好的降解效果,但对异丙甲草胺的降解能力非常微弱。土壤降解试验表明,投加菌株AC-1可以明显促进土壤中乙草胺的降解。本研究为乙草胺的有效降解提供了数据和技术支持。     

Occurrence of Mycobacterium spp. and other pathogens in lymph nodes of slaughtered swine and wild boars (Sus scrofa)

Mycobacterium spp. and other pathogens were investigated in 258 swine lymph nodes (129 with and 129 without apparent lesions), and 120 lymph nodes (60 with and 60 without lesions) from wild boars (Sus scrofa). A total of lymph nodes from swine and wild boars were collected of different animals. Submaxillar and mesenteric lymph nodes were submitted to microbiological examination and colonies suggestive of Mycobacterium spp. (alcohol-acid bacilli) were submitted to PCR Restriction Assay (PRA). In swine with lymphadenitis, Mycobacterium spp. (24.1%) and Rhodococcus equi (13.2%) were the most prevalent microorganisms, while in lymph nodes without lesions were identified a complex of microorganisms, including of environmental mycobacteria. In wild boars with lymphadenitis, ß-haemolytic Streptococcus (10.0%), Mycobacterium spp (8.4%) and R. equi (6.6%) were the most frequent. Among mycobacterias were identified predominantly Mycobacterium avium subspecies type 1 (48.3%) and M. avium subspecies type 2 (16.1%), followed by Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium szulgai,Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium gordonae, Mycobacterium simiae, Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum and Mycobacterium intracellulare type 2.     

几种药剂防治吐伦球坚蚧若虫的药效研究

在介壳虫若虫孵化涌散期用蚧虫毒乳油、吡虫.噻嗪酮悬浮剂、4.5%高效氯氰菊酯微乳剂、顺式氯氰菊酯乳油和甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐乳油混剂4种药剂进行防治,施药后第16天防效均达94%以上;在介壳虫二龄若虫越夏期用滴一滴、蚧虫毒乳油、吡虫.噻嗪酮悬浮剂、4.5%高效氯氰菊酯微乳剂、绿颖矿物油和甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐乳油6种药剂进行防治,施药后第9天,滴一滴、蚧虫毒乳油防效可达98%,施药后第21天吡虫.噻嗪酮悬浮剂、绿颖矿物油的防效分别可达93.13%,76.55%。     

Virulence genes and plasmid profiles in Rhodococcus equi isolates from domestic pigs and wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Brazil

The virulence genes and plasmid profiles of 23 Rhodococcus equi isolates from 258 lymph nodes from domestic pigs (129 nodes with lesions and 129 without lesions) and 120 lymph nodes from slaughtered wild boars (60 nodes with lesions and 60 without) were characterized. R. equi was obtained from 19 lymph nodes of domestic pigs, 17 with, and two without lesions, and from four lymph nodes with lesions, from wild boars. The 23 isolates were tested for the presence of vapA and vapB genes, responsible for the 15–17 and 20 kDa virulence-associated proteins, respectively, by PCR in order to characterize as virulent (VapA), intermediately virulent (VapB) and avirulent. Plasmid DNAs were isolated and analyzed by digestion with restriction endonucleases to estimate size and compare their polymorphisms. Of the 19 domestic pigs strains, seven (36.8%) were avirulent and 12 (63.2%) were intermediately virulent, with the intermediately virulent isolates being plasmid types 8 (8 isolates), 10 (2 isolates), 1 (1 isolate) and 29 (1 isolate). The plasmid type of four strains isolated from wild boars was also intermediately virulent type 8. None of the domestic pigs and wild boar isolates showed the vapA gene. These findings demonstrate a high occurrence of plasmid type 8 in isolates from pigs and wild boars, and the similarity of plasmid types in the domestic pigs, wild boars and human isolates in Brazil.     

Resistance studies of erythromycin and rifampin for Rhodococcus equi over a 10-year period

This study sought to determine whether an increase in resistance of Rhodococcus equi to the antibiotics rifampin and erythromycin occurred over a 10-year period. This was carried out by the use of E test strips for rifampin and erythromycin to determine the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) values of Rhodococcus equi to this combination of antibiotics.The findings of this study indicated that there was an increase in resistance of Rhodococcus equi to rifampin and erythromycin over the 10-year period. The MIC for rifampin increased from 0.081 μg/ml in 1996 to 0.187 μg/ml in 2006 and from 0.258 μg/ml for erythromycin during the years prior to 2000 to 0.583 μg/ml in 2006.This finding suggests that there may be a problem in the treatment of Rhodococcus equi infections in foals in the future, particularly as the number of drugs available for treatment of Rhodococcus equi infection is limited because of the intracellular capabilities of this bacterium. Antibiotics used in its treatment have to be able to penetrate the polysaccharide cell wall of Rhodococcus equi as well as the alveolar macrophages in which the bacterium is capable of surviving.     

Rhodococcus equi infection of cats

Six cases of Rhodococcus equi infection in cats are described. One cat had pneumonia and died. The remaining five cats had cutaneous lesions affecting the feet in four of the cats and the metacarpus in one cat, and all these cats recovered with the aid of antibiotics. All the Rhodococcus equi isolates were sensitive to amoxycillin/clavulanic acid and, where used, at least 14–16 days of treatment was needed to help eliminate the infection. Histologically and cytologically the reaction was pyogranulomatous and many macrophages in the lesions contained large numbers of Gram-positive bacteria.     

嗜吡啶红球菌Rp3生长及降解粪臭素特性研究

为获得适宜嗜吡啶红球菌（Rhodococcus pyridinivorans）Rp3生长的碳氮源并明确不同因素对Rp3菌株降解粪臭素的影响,采用单因素和正交试验优化Rp3菌株的发酵培养基,并采用高效液相色谱法测定培养液中粪臭素含量,分析最适碳氮源、金属离子、温度和传代对Rp3菌株生长和降解粪臭素效率的影响。结果表明,Rp3菌株能够以粪臭素为唯一碳源生长。碳氮源对Rp3菌株生长的影响排序依次为酵母浸粉>牛肉膏>蔗糖,适宜碳氮源用量为蔗糖16 g·L^-1、牛肉膏14 g·L^-1、酵母浸粉6 g·L^-1。培养液中不添加Mg²⁺时,粪臭素不能被降解,Mg²⁺被Fe²⁺、Mn²⁺、Zn²⁺替代后,Rp3菌株对粪臭素的降解率显著下降。Rp3菌株对粪臭素的降解率随温度的升高而增加,28~40 ℃,培养24 h,降解效果可达到82.9%~95.5%。碳氮源和传代不影响Rp3菌株对粪臭素的降解。研究结果表明,嗜吡啶红球菌Rp3是易培养、不易退化的粪臭素高效降解菌株,具有一定的开发潜力。     

病原真菌降解两种蚧虫体壁过程中胞外酶作用

【目的】探究病原真菌降解蚧虫体壁过程中胞外酶的作用及其毒力效应,为应用病原菌对蚧虫进行生物防治提供依据。【方法】选用4株昆虫病原真菌—蜡蚧霉(Lecanicillium lecanii)菌株V3.4505、V3.4504、噬菌蚧霉(L.fungicola)菌株HEB02和镰刀菌Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti菌株HEB01,以日本龟蜡蚧(Ceroplastes japonicus Green)和沙里院褐球蚧(Rhodococcus sariuoni Borchsenius)为靶标害虫,以这两种蚧虫的表皮作为病原菌培养基的唯一碳源,测定培养过程中各菌株4种胞外酶的活性变化,包括脂肪酶、类枯草杆菌蛋白酶(Pr1酶)、几丁质酶和N-乙酰-氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG酶),并据此分析真菌入侵蚧虫体壁过程中胞外酶的作用。同时,测定两种蚧虫被4株病原真菌感染8 d后的死亡率,用于评价菌株和胞外酶的毒力效应。【结果】4株病原菌在降解两种蚧虫的体壁过程中,4种胞外酶的活性都发生了明显的变化,呈现先升高后降低趋势。脂肪酶的活性高峰出现得最早,在培养2 d后就达到最大值,且在日本龟蜡蚧上各菌株脂肪酶的活性明显高于沙里院褐球蚧。菌株的Pr1酶活性高峰出现在3—4 d,而几丁质酶和NAG酶的活性高峰分别出现在6 d和4—5 d。4个菌株相比较,V3.4505菌株对日本龟蜡蚧和沙里院褐球蚧的致死率均为最高,分别是73%和81%,且与HEB02菌株和HEB01菌株有差异显著。4个株菌的Pr1酶活性平均值与它们对日本龟蜡蚧和沙里院褐球蚧感染8 d后累计死亡率的线性相关性显著,线性方程分别为:y=0.082x+5.822(R2=0.823)和y=0.119x+14.75(R2=0.764);4个株菌的几丁质酶活性平均值与两种蚧虫累计死亡率的线性相关也较显著,线性方程分别为:y=-0.148x+15.89(R2=0.645)和y=0.095x+10.46(R2=0.762)。【结论】在对两种蚧虫的感染过程中,病原真菌的4种胞外酶均参与了对蚧虫蜡质和体壁的降解。脂肪酶降解虫体表面的蜡质,酶活性高峰出现最早,在蜡壳厚的日本龟蜡蚧上其酶活性表现得更高。在其余3种酶中,先由Pr1酶作用,降解蚧虫原表皮中的蛋白质,再由几丁质酶和NAG酶作用,降解几丁质。酶作用高峰时间与酶活性大小与其底物在蚧虫体壁中的排列层次与含量相吻合。菌株的酶活性和蚧虫致死率相关性分析说明,Pr1酶和几丁质酶可作为菌株的毒力指示因子。4个菌株相比较,蜡蚧霉V3.4505菌株表现出较好的致病特性,说明其对蚧虫的毒力较高,可考虑作为蚧虫生物防治应用的病原菌种。     

Screening of a high bioflocculant‐producing bacterial strain from an intensive fish pond and comparison of the bioflocculation effects with Rhodococcus erythropolis

A high bioflocculant‐producing bacterial strain BX‐13 isolated from an intensive fish pond by multiple subcultures and measured through primary screening and rescreening using kaolin. The strain BX‐13 was identified to belong to the same branch as Bacillus subtilis by morphological, physiological and biochemical, 16S rDNA gene sequencing, Blast homology search and multiple sequence alignments. The bioflocculation potential of BX‐13 and Rhodococcus erythropolis was compared, using water from the intensive pond where BX‐13 was isolated. The results showed the number of colonies in the BX‐13 treatment was higher than that of the R. erythropolis treatment from day 10 to the end of the experiment (p < 0.05). The numbers of both BX‐13 and R. erythropolis in the water body peaked on day 15, with 2.23 × 10⁷ cfu/L and 9.90 × 10⁶ cfu/L respectively. The bioflocculation volume (BFV) in water increased and then stabilized in both BX‐13 and R. erythropolis treatments. The BFV in BX‐13 peaked on day 25 (52.13 ml/L) and R. erythropolis peaked on day 30 (22.63 ml/L). At the end of the experiment, the BFV of the BX‐13 treatment was higher than the R. erythropolis treatment (p < 0.05). In conclusion, B. subtilis BX‐13 has a very strong flocculation effect, and merits further research into its application for water quality regulation in aquaculture systems.