What is new in the Wolbachia/Dirofilaria interaction?

Presence of transovarially-transmitted endosymbiontic Wolbachia bacteria in Dirofilaria immitis, and in other filariae of man and animals, presents a new paradigm for our understanding of pathogenesis, treatment and diagnosis of filarial infections. Many of the basic biological characteristics of Wolbachia have yet to be elucidated, but the results obtained to date suggest that canine or the feline hosts can be exposed to D. immitis Wolbachia when larvae, or adult worms, are killed; when Wolbachia are expulsed, with the deposition of microfilariae, from the uterus of the females; and possibly through the excretory system of both male and female worms. The two organs that have the greatest potential of being affected by the Wolbachial metabolic products/antigens released from the adult worms are the lungs and the kidneys. Population of Wolbachia in D. immitis is polymorphic. The life cycle of Wolbachia is complex and may consist of two reproductive modes: multiplication of the bacillary forms by binary fission and by a more complex mode which resembles the Chlamydia-like cycle that consists of three morphological stages: a small, dense body, an intermediate stage with a dense inclusion, and a bacillary form which represents the final product of development and maturation of the small, dense body. The Chlamydia-like cycle offers a potential survival strategy for the Wolbachia by producing more progeny than multiplication by binary fission, and appears to be more active during growth and development of embryos and of the larvae. The small, dense bodies may be the infectious forms responsible for the spread of Wolbachia through the canalicular system, within the lateral chords of filariae. An amorphous membrane that lines the perienteric surface of the body wall may represent a physical barrier that limits the spread and movement of Wolbachia to the perienteric surface of the lateral chords. Wolbachia in D. immitis may also offer therapeutic and diagnostic possibilities. Elimination of Wolbachia by chemotherapy, and the suppressive effect of aposymbiosis on embryonic development of D. immitis, may have potential application for control (sterilization of female worms) and treatment of dirofilariasis. However, the three stages in the life cycle of Wolbachia may be antigenically different and each stage may have a different susceptibility to therapeutic agents. Persistence of dormant small, dense bodies after treatment would allow the Wolbachia to re-establish once the conditions for development would become favorable. Detection of Wolbachial antigens provides an attractive diagnostic possibility to identify D. immitis early in the infection. Further studies on Wolbachia of filariae, including those of D. immitis, will undoubtedly reveal additional information that can be applied towards treatment, diagnosis, and control of filarial infections.     

Beyond conidiobolomycosis – the other ‘zygomycoses’

Disease resulting from infection by Zygomycetes fungi (including two groups of coenocytic fungal pathogens: the Mucormycota and the Entomophthoramycota) has been collectively referred to as zygomycosis. Clinical disease associated with both the Mucormycota and the Entomophthoramycota is rarely encountered in horses. Potentially life-threatening, mucormycosis is an angioinvasive disease that principally affects immunocompromised individuals. The order of Entomophthorales include two genera: Conidiobolus and Basidiobolus. The most common of these, Conidiobolus coronatus, typically causes chronic necrohaemorrhagic tumefactions in the nostrils, nasal passages and nasopharyngeal walls of immunocompetent equine hosts, most commonly seen in the south-eastern USA and parts of Australia. Infection by Basidiobolus ranarum is reported less frequently and usually causes solitary ulcerative skin lesions with pruritus. This short commentary intends to complement the accompanying review of conidiobolomycosis by summarising reported cases of mucormycosis and basidiobolomycosis in horses. Moreover, some new information regarding taxonomic challenges to traditional ‘Zygomycosis’ classification is presented.     

Evaluation of newly developed ‘six recombinant secretary proteins based ‘cocktail ELISA’ and ‘whole cell lysate’ based ‘indigenous ELISA’ and tissue microscopy’ with ‘Gold standard’ histo-pathology for the diagnosis of Johne’s disease in slaughtered goats and buffaloes

Three screening tests {(newly developed, six recombinant secretory proteins based 'cocktail ELISA', in-house robust 'indigenous ELISA' based on semi-purified protoplasmic antigens and tissue microscopy were evaluated with 'Gold standard', histo-pathology for the diagnosis of Johne's disease in goats and buffaloes. Serum and tissues {mesenteric lymph nodes and intestines) were driven from farmer's goats (n = 77) and buffaloes (n = 40) slaughtered for harvesting meat and farm goats (n = 77), died and necropsied. Twenty seven (35%) goats and 23 (57.5%) buffaloes were positive in all the four tests. Of 134 tissues screened by histo-pathology, 79.8% MLN and 76.8%, intestines, were positive for MAP infection. In tissue microscopy, 55.2 and 52.3%, goats and buffaloes were positive, respectively. Of 117 sera screened by i_ELISA, 58.4 and 70.0%, goats and buffaloes were positive, respectively. Whereas, c_ELISA detected 55.8 and 62.5%, goats and buffaloes, positives, respectively. Twelve tissues (70.5%) of goats necropsied were positive, both in tissue microscopy and histo-pathology. Most significant gross findings were serous atrophy of the fat and mild to moderate, diffuse thickening of terminal ileum, especially at ileo-caecal junction with or without transverse / longitudinal corrugations. In histo-pathology grade III and IV lesions were significantly low as compared to grade I and II. Of the four tests used for screening 268 samples, histo-pathology was most sensitive (78.3%), followed by i_ELISA (62.3%), c_ELISA (58.9%) and tissue microscopy (58.9%). Between two ELISA tests, c_ELISA using six recombinants secretory proteins, had higher specificity as compared to i_ELISA.     

First Report on the Occurrence of ‘Helicobacter heilmannii’ in the Stomach of Rabbits

Gastric Helicobacter spp. have been described in a wide range of animal species, including dogs, cats, primates, swine, cattle and rodents. However, in lagomorphs--more specifically rabbits--gastric Helicobacter infections have never been reported. Biopsy specimens were collected from different stomach regions of 23 rabbits, including 10 pet rabbits, 10 industrial animals and 3 research animals. These were subjected to a PCR assay for the detection of Helicobacter DNA. Identification up to the species level was based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis and a recently developed multiplex PCR. Seven rabbits (four pet, one research animal and two industrial animals) tested positive in the Helicobacter genus-specific PCR in the stomach, with the corpus being predominantly positive. H. felis and H. salomonis, hitherto presumed to be naturally hosted by cats and dogs, were detected in three animals and one animal, respectively. One of these animals had been completely devoid of any form of contact with cats or dogs. A H. pullorum/H. rappini-like organism (96% 16S rDNA sequence similarity) was found in an industrially held rabbit. The helicobacters of the two remaining rabbits could not be identified up to the species level. To conclude, this is the first report on the occurrence of Helicobacter spp. in the stomach of rabbits. In view of the fact that H. felis and H. salomonis are put forward as having zoonotic potential, further research is necessary to investigate the implications of these findings not only for the rabbit but also for human health.     

‘三月李’授粉对‘芙蓉李’果实品质的影响

为研究‘三月李’授粉对‘芙蓉李’果实品质的影响,采用‘三月李’花粉对‘芙蓉李’进行授粉,以自然授粉作为对照,分析二者果实大小、可溶性固形物含量和花色苷含量的差异。结果表明： ‘三月李’授粉可显著提高 ‘芙蓉李’果实大小,单果重提高60%以上。‘三月李’授粉对可溶性固形物和花色苷含量的影响较小。授粉品种果实大小与母本果实单果重之间无正相关关系。     

‘穿’越动物

‘穿’越动物@韦廷湖!黑龙江     

Studies on the Respiratory Disease ‘Sonbobe’ in Camels in the Eastern Lowlands of Ethiopia

New epidemics of respiratory disease have caused 29.6 morbidity and 6.4% mortality in camels in the Somalia region of Ethiopia. The major clinical signs observed were fever of 40–41.5°C, depression, cough, loss of appetite and a watery nasal discharge that became mucopurulent at a later stage. Finally, the camel became recumbent and extended its neck straight along the ground. Some of the animals died within 8–9 days. The major post-mortem lesions were hydrothorax, adhesion of the lung to the thorax, red and grey hepatization, emphysema, hydropericardium and fibrinous pericarditis. A treatment trial indicated that oxytetracycline was more effective than a combination of penicillin and streptomycin, the results showing a significant difference (p>0.05) between the treated and control groups. The bacteria isolated from lung, thoracic fluid and whole blood were Pasteurella haemolytica. Further studies on the epidemiology of this disease, the identification of the serotypes involved, and the demonstration of any primary viral initiating agent are recommended to allow the development of preventive methods.     

地被菊‘紫妍’和‘纽9722’的再生体系建立

本研究以地被菊(Chrysanthemum morifolium)两个品种‘紫妍’和‘纽9722’带腋芽的无菌茎段为外植体,在基本培养基中添加不同浓度的6-BA和NAA诱导叶片分化、茎段增殖以及继代生根,进行两个品种的再生体系建立。结果表明,利用2%NaClO对‘紫妍’和‘纽9722’适宜消毒时间分别为6、8min;诱导‘紫妍’叶片不定芽再生的最适培养基是MS+6-BA 2.0mg·L-1+NAA 1.0mg·L-1,愈伤组织诱导率为100%,分化率为92.22%,出芽数为7.60;‘纽9722’叶片不定芽再生的最适培养基是MS+6-BA 2.0mg·L-1+NAA 0.5mg·L-1,愈伤组织诱导率为100%,但分化率仅为45.59%;‘纽9722’茎段增殖的最适培养基是MS+6-BA 2.0 mg·L-1+NAA 0.5mg·L-1,增殖系数高达10.05;‘紫妍’生根的最适培养基是1/2 MS+NAA 0.2 mg·L-1,生根率为100%,生根系数为15.50;‘纽9722’生根的最适培养基为1/2 MS+NAA 0.3mg·L-1,生根率为100%,生根系数为14.87,移栽成活率均为100%。     

‘六五’、‘七五’期间国家扶持地方发展瘦肉猪计划

‘六五’期间,我国在各大城市远近郊区县建立七十五个商品猪基地县。‘七五’期间,国家本着‘服务城市,活跃市场,富裕农民,出口创汇’的方针,在一些条件成熟的地区,拟继续建立一百五十个商品瘦肉猪基地县,规模为年     

‘银龙’、‘白玉龙’火龙果在福建引种初报

以红皮红肉的‘银龙’和红皮白肉的‘白玉龙’等品种为试材,对其植物学性状、开花结果习性、果实经济性状、丰产性与经济效益及栽培技术进行观察总结。结果表明两个品种的综合性状表现良好,较耐盐碱,经济效益显著,具有很好的推广价值。