Isolation of Streptococcus cuniculi from corneal lesion in laboratory-raised mice

Corneal lesions appearing as white mass beneath intact epithelium, with ocular discharge in one mouse, was observed in a batch of laboratory-raised BALB/c mice (n=9 of 56). The affected mice remained active, well-groomed and had normal appetite. Isolates recovered from swab cultures of the external and internal contents of the eye had partial 16S rRNA gene sequence of 99.1% similarity to Streptococcus cuniculi. No previous report of S. cuniculi infection in laboratory rodents has been presented. The isolate was susceptible to all antibiotics tested. We suggest S. cuniculi is an opportunistic bacteria in laboratory mice but are uncertain of its source. Our findings revealed that S. cuniculi is able to colonize laboratory mice and should be considered when mice present with eye lesion or ocular discharge.     

Roles of water quality and disinfectant application on inactivation of fish pathogenic Streptococcus agalactiae with povidone iodine,quaternary ammonium compounds and glutaraldehyde

Streptococcosis is an important bacterial disease in Nile tilapia causing severe economic losses to tilapia aquaculture worldwide. The effects of water quality (low‐ [LS] and high‐level [HS] soiling, to mimic clean or dirty surface conditions and temperatures) and disinfectant application (diluted concentrations and exposure time) were characterized on the inactivation of Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from diseased tilapia. Five isolates were tested against three commercial disinfectant products with the main ingredients being povidone iodine (Anidine 100?; AD), benzalkonium chloride (Better BKC 80%?; BKC 80), and a mixture of quaternary ammonium compounds and glutaraldehyde (Chloraldehyde?; CR). CR demonstrated highest efficacy to S. agalactiae inactivation, followed by BKC 80 and AD, respectively. Higher‐level soiling, low temperature, diluted concentrations and short exposure time all decreased the disinfectant efficacy. CR and BKC 80 provided more than 5‐log inactivation at 1‐min exposure at 20°C under HS conditions, and also with ten‐fold‐diluted concentrations at 60‐min exposure time at 30°C. However, AD required 10‐min exposure to effectively remove bacteria under LS conditions at 30°C. The results could facilitate aquaculture management planning that leads to operating cost reductions and improvements in biosecurity.     

Epizootics of Streptococcus agalactiae infection in captive rays from Queensland,Australia

The aim of this study was to describe two epizootics of high mortalities from infection with Streptococcus agalactiae, occurring in captive rays held in a marine display aquarium in south‐east Queensland, Australia, in 2009 and 2010. Five different species of rays were affected, including mangrove whiprays (Himantura granulata), estuary rays (Dasyatis fluviorum), eastern shovelnose rays (Aptychotrema rostrata), white‐spotted eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari) and blue‐spotted mask rays (Neotrygon kuhlii). This report describes the history of both epizootics including collection, quarantine and husbandry of rays, the disease epizootics, clinico‐pathological features of the disease, antimicrobial therapy, autogenous vaccine production, and laboratory studies including clinical and histopathology, bacteriology, PCR, molecular serotyping and sequencing of the bacterium S. agalactiae.     

无乳链球菌LIP蛋白的截短表达及免疫保护性研究

为评价罗非鱼源无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)BX2012株脂蛋白(lipoprotein)的免疫原性及其对奥利亚罗非鱼(Oreochromis aureus)和大菱鲆(Scophthalmus maximus)的保护效果,以无乳链球菌脂蛋白基因序列(GenBank序列号:CP000114.1,SAK_0321)的B细胞线性抗原表位区设计特异性引物进行扩增,构建重组表达载体,将截短表达的脂蛋白制备成亚单位疫苗,同时制备灭活疫苗进行免疫比对。结果显示:重组表达载体p ET-32a-LIP342在BL21(DE3)中获得了良好的可溶性表达,分子质量约为30 kDa,纯化使LIP342纯度由41.75%提至87.23%;Western blotting分析显示,LIP342可被兔抗无乳链球菌高免血清特异性识别;LIP342在目前已知不同种属来源或不同血清型的无乳链球菌分离株中同源性为90.35%~100%,在罗非鱼源分离株中同源性为100%;无乳链球菌LIP342蛋白和灭活疫苗均可显著提升奥利亚罗非鱼和大菱鲆血清抗体水平,而LIP342诱导的血清抗体水平均显著高于灭活疫苗;经0.1 mL 1×10~9cfu/mL的无乳链球菌攻毒后,LIP342蛋白和灭活疫苗对供试鱼的累积存活率均显著高于PBS对照组。结果表明,高度保守的LIP342具有较好的免疫原性,可作为无乳链球菌亚单位疫苗候选因子。     

猪链球菌2型灭活疫苗对小鼠的免疫效果评价

在前期筛选出2株毒力强、抗原性好、遗传稳定的猪链球菌2型(SS2)疫苗菌株(HF2、HF3株)并分别制成灭活疫苗(采用ISA 201 VG矿物油佐剂)的基础上,进一步与SS2商品化灭活疫苗(HA9801株,铝胶佐剂)同步免疫小鼠,利用间接ELISA、流式细胞术、免疫攻毒试验、细菌定植试验和病理组织学观察等方法测定小鼠血清中IgG抗体效价,细胞因子含量(IL-4、IL-10、IFN-γ、TNF-β、MCP-1),外周血中CD4⁺/CD3⁺、CD8⁺/CD3⁺ T细胞亚群含量,攻毒保护率,组织荷菌数和病理组织变化等指标。结果显示,二免7 d后,HF2、HF3灭活疫苗组和HA9801商品化灭活疫苗组的血清IgG抗体效价分别为1:25 600、1:12 800、1:25 600;HF2灭活疫苗组的IL-4、IL-10含量显著高于HF3灭活疫苗组和HA9801商品化灭活疫苗组,IFN-γ、TNF-β含量显著高于HF3灭活疫苗组,但MCP-1含量显著低于HF3灭活疫苗组;HF2和HF3灭活疫苗组的CD4⁺/CD3⁺ T细胞比率均显著低于HA9801商品化灭活疫苗组,但CD8⁺/CD3⁺ T细胞比率差异不显著;HF2、HF3灭活疫苗和HA9801商品化灭活疫苗对小鼠的攻毒保护率均为100%;HF2灭活疫苗组小鼠的肺、脾脏组织荷菌数显著低于HF3灭活疫苗组;HF2灭活疫苗组小鼠的肺、肾、脾脏病理变化较HF3灭活疫苗组和HA9801商品化灭活疫苗组轻微。综合结果表明,由SS2(HF2株)制备的ISA 201 VG佐剂灭活疫苗免疫小鼠后不仅可产生较强的免疫应答,还可完全抵抗强毒株的攻击。     

Characterization of bacteriophage HN48 and its protective effects in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus against Streptococcus agalactiae infections

Streptococcus agalactiae is a causative agent responsible for massive mortalities of tilapia that has led to catastrophic losses to tilapia culture globally. Bacteriophages represent a new class of antimicrobials against bacteria. In this study, we characterized the bacteriophage HN48, which formed small and round‐transparent plaques on a double‐layer plate. With a hexagonal head and a long tail, this phage may belong to the Caudovirales according to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. HN48 was found to have a relatively wide and highly specific host range, to be sensitive to high temperature (60–80°C) and low pH (3–5), and to be relatively stable at alkaline pH (8–10). Intraperitoneal injection with HN48 had no adverse effects on tilapia and effectively inactivated the bacteria in the kidney. Fish that received phage therapy had 60% ± 3.3% survival rates and a delayed mean death time of about 3 days when compared to the control group. To the best of knowledge, this is the first study of tilapia streptococcal phage. Overall, the results indicated that phage HN48 could prevent tilapia from experimental S. agalactiae infection, suggesting it has the potential to control this disease.     

广西卵形鲳鲹海豚链球菌基因分型、耐药谱型以及毒力基因检测

为了解近年来广西卵形鲳鲹海豚链球菌流行菌株的基因型信息以及菌株间的差异,对2015—2016年从广西地区7个养殖场的患病卵形鲳鲹体内分离得到的17株海豚链球菌菌株分别进行了基因型分析、耐药谱测定以及毒力基因检测。采用随机扩增多态性DNA标记技术(RAPD)和基因组重复序列PCR(rep-PCR)分析其基因型。结果显示,RAPD和rep-PCR指纹图谱结果一致,17株海豚链球菌可分为2种基因型。对海豚链球菌7种主要的毒力相关基因特异PCR检测,所有菌株均为sim A+scp I+pdi+sag A+cps D+pgm A+cfi+毒力基因型,表明这2种基因型的海豚链球菌似乎均为毒力较强的菌株。采用K-B法进行了20种抗生素敏感实验分析其耐药谱,结果表明归于基因1型的菌株耐药谱为AZT,基因2型菌株则出现3种相似的耐药谱,分别为SIZ/T/S/PEN/AZT/SPE/CAZ/PB、SIZ/T/S/PEN/AZT/SPE/CAZ/CRO和SIZ/T/S/PEN/AZT/SPE/CAZ/PB/RIF,证实基因型相同的菌株耐药谱型也相似,2种基因型的菌株耐药谱型差异显著,因此基因型和耐药谱型存在相关性。此结果为卵形鲳鲹海豚链球菌病流行病学研究、疫苗研制以及疫病监测提供理论依据。     

不同罗非鱼品系感染无乳链球菌后对血液和肝胰腺生化指标的影响

为探究无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)感染后对罗非鱼的血液和肝胰腺生化指标的影响，本研究以吉富罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)抗病选育系F5代、奥尼罗非鱼(Oreochromis aureus × O. niloticus)、吉富罗非鱼“百桂”品系为对象，通过人工腹腔注射感染无乳链球菌，检测感染后不同时期肝胰腺和血液中的酸性磷酸酶(ACP)、碱性磷酸酶(AKP)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)和溶菌酶(LZM)活性的变化。结果显示，奥尼罗非鱼、吉富罗非鱼抗病选育系F5代和吉富罗非鱼“百桂”品系的平均死亡率分别为55.4%、60.5%和78.6%，表明奥尼罗非鱼抗感染能力最强；3个品系感染无乳链球菌后，肝胰腺组织中的ACP、AKP、SOD和T-AOC酶活力均呈先升高后下降的趋势，其中，在感染后24 h，奥尼罗非鱼的AKP和CAT酶活力显著高于吉富罗非鱼抗病选育系F5代和吉富罗非鱼“百桂”品系；而感染后24 h，血清中ACP、AKP、LZM、CAT和T-AOC酶均显著升高，而SOD酶则下降，其中，奥尼罗非鱼的ACP、AKP、CAT和T-AOC酶活性明显高于吉富罗非鱼抗病选育系F5代和吉富罗非鱼”百桂”品系。综合比较6种酶在感染后不同时期的活性变化及3个品系的感染存活率，筛选出AKP和CAT作为评估罗非鱼抗无乳链球菌感染能力强弱的指标。     

Dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis LT3‐1 enhance the growth,immunity and disease resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae infection in genetically improved farmed tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of Bacillus subtilis LT3‐1 in diets on growth, immune parameters, intestinal morphology and disease resistance in genetically improved farmed tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Fish (46.91 ± 0.17 g) were fed with a basal diet supplemented with B. subtilis LT3‐1 at 0 (B0), 3.8 × 10¹⁰ (B1), 7.6 × 10¹⁰ (B2), 1.14 × 10¹¹ (B3) and 1.52 × 10¹¹ (B4) CFU kg^?1 for 6 weeks. The results showed that the weight gain of fish in B1 group was significantly enhanced compared to that in B0 group (p < 0.05). The addition of B. subtilis significantly affected serum biochemical indices (total protein, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase). Besides, the haematocrit, total counts of red and white blood cells, as well as the serum catalase and lysozyme activities, were increased, whereas the serum malondialdehyde, the serum immunoglobulin M and complement three contents were reduced. Parameters for intestinal morphology suggested a healthier intestine for the fish fed B. subtilis‐supplemented diets than fish fed the control diet. The survival rate after Streptococcus agalactiae challenge increased in tilapia fed with B. subtilis. The present study demonstrated B. subtilis can effectively improve growth, immunological status and resistance against S. agalactiae infection in tilapia farming.