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.     

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。     

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.     

Outbreaks of severe myositis in cultured white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus L.) associated with Streptococcus iniae

Outbreaks of an infectious disease affecting cultured white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) were investigated. Clinical signs included erratic swimming, arching of the back and mortality. Necropsy findings included poorly demarcated yellow to dark-red and friable lesions in the epaxial muscle, ulcerative skin lesions and haemorrhages in the swim bladder and coelomic wall. Histological evaluation revealed areas of necrotizing and heterophilic myositis with aggregates of bacterial cocci. The lumen of blood vessels in the dermis, under ulcerated areas, and in the posterior kidney, was occluded by fibrin thrombi. Aggregates of Gram-positive cocci were observed in the muscle lesions and within the fibrin thrombi in the dermis and kidney. Genetically homogeneous Streptococcus iniae strains were recovered from affected fish from different outbreaks. The isolates shared high degree of similarity at gene locus (gyrB) with previously characterized S. iniae from cultured fish in California, confirming the emergence of this particular strain of S. iniae in US aquaculture.     

三黄连散预防罗非鱼链球菌病临床应用研究

在开展三黄连散对人工感染罗非鱼无乳链球菌病预防效果研究的基础上,进一步验证以每千克饲料中添加13.2 g的三黄连散为推荐剂量,在生产中大面积应用的临床效果及安全性。设立三黄连散试验组、中药对照组和空白对照组3个组,每组300尾罗非鱼,连续用药7 d后,每组随机取30尾,测定增重率、器官指数、血液生理生化指标和肝脏抗氧化指标。用药后第8天,采用同居感染的方法感染鱼群,于感染后第14天计算保护率。结果表明,给药7 d后,与空白对照组相比,三黄连散试验组罗非鱼的增重率明显提高,器官指数和多项肝脏抗氧化指标均明显升高,血液生理生化指标总体无明显异常,预防无乳链球菌感染的保护率为43.67%。综上提示,三黄连散能够提高罗非鱼机体抵抗力,降低无乳链球菌感染罗非鱼的死亡率。     

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Streptococcus spp. isolated from tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) cultured in river-based cage and earthen ponds in Northern Thailand

Streptococcus spp. are major pathogenic bacteria associated with massive mortality in tilapia. This study investigated the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) and Streptococcus iniae (S. iniae) isolated from tilapia in river-based floating cage and earthen pond farms in northern Thailand. Isolates were identified by biochemical and molecular analyses. Capsular typing, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction and multilocus sequence typing were performed to investigate the genetic relatedness. Six and one isolates were confirmed as GBS and S. iniae, respectively. All Streptococcus spp. isolates were obtained from 4 river-based cage farms (4/33), while samples collected from earthen pond farms (N = 28) were negative for streptococcosis. All GBS with serotype Ⅲ and sequence type (ST) 283 was observed. The β-haemolytic GBS isolates were resistant to five antimicrobials, while the S. iniae was susceptible to all antimicrobials. This study indicates both GBS and S. iniae are the major bacterial pathogens responsible for streptococcosis infection in farmed tilapia of northern Thailand with GBS as dominant species. This survey highlights that the river-based cage farms seriously impact on the healthy development of the tilapia industry.     

一例猪繁殖与呼吸综合征高致病性毒株与链球菌混合感染的实验室诊断

某规模化自繁自养猪场产房母猪出现流产,保育猪关节肿胀、倒地不起、大量死亡,为研究发病原因,采集流产胎儿、死亡仔猪的肺脏、脾脏、淋巴结和关节液,进行分子生物学检测,病毒和细菌分离鉴定,并检测不同胎龄母猪猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒抗体,结果显示猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒检测为阳性,使用PAM分离到一株猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒,经序列鉴定为高致病性毒株;抗体结果表明四胎及以上母猪猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒抗体阳性率异常升高;病料分离的细菌经鉴定为猪链球菌,经实验室诊断确定猪场发病的原因为猪繁殖与呼吸综合征高致病性毒株与猪链球菌混合感染。