Evaluation of visible implant elastomer tags for pathogenesis research in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Two different colours (red and green) of visible implant elastomer (VIE) were used in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The visibility, location and retention of the VIE tags was investigated and any adverse effects on fish survival and growth determined. The use of VIE tags for monitoring individual fish during a bacterial challenge with either Streptococcus agalactiae or S. iniae was also studied. The results showed that VIE treated fish were lighter but not shorter than the non‐tagged control fish and that tagging caused no mortality. The retention of tags was better at the base of pectoral fin followed by the nasal area, lower abdomen, upper abdomen and branchiostegal rays inside the operculum. During the bacterial challenge experiment individual animals could be easily identified using the VIE tags. In this preliminary study, VIE tagging appears suitable for Nile tilapia research, as with other fish species, and could be a novel method to identify individual animals during microbial pathogenesis studies.     

罗非鱼链球菌病研究进展

链球菌（Streptococcus spp．）是一种广泛分布于自然界的革兰氏阳性菌,是人类的重要病原之一,也是其他多种脊椎动物包括猪、牛、鱼等的重要病原菌。目前已有多个国家报道了鱼类链球菌病的暴发与流行,受感染的鱼类包括多种海水和淡水鱼类,以温水性鱼类最为严重。近年中国罗非鱼链球菌感染的报道也呈现增加趋势,尤其在2009年,广东、海南、福建和广西地区养殖罗非鱼的链球病发病率为20％～50％,死亡率达50％～70％,甚至更高。链球菌病已严重危害着中国罗非鱼养殖业的健康发展。文章对罗非鱼链球菌病的病原、流行及防治方法作一综述,以期为今后开展罗非鱼链球菌病防控研究提供参考。     

吉富罗非鱼家系构建及抗病力检测

文章以吉富罗非鱼（GIFTstrainOreochromisniloticus）为研究对象,按照1雄配1雌原则进行家系配对,待家系鱼生长至50～60g·尾“时人工感染无乳链球菌（Streptococcusagalactiae）（菌株GD001）。通过对GD001菌株半数致死浓度测定及各家系感染死亡率的统计,研究了GD001无乳链球菌感染对各家系吉富罗非鱼抗病力的影响。结果表明,1）配对成功家系67个,经繁殖性能筛选后留种53个,家系留种率为79．1％;2）GD001菌株的半数致死浓度为4×108cfu·mL－1,感染后2～6d为死亡高峰期;3）GD001菌感染53个家系后有11个家系的成活率在90％以上,15个家系的成活率在70％～89％,19个家系的成活率在30％～69％,8个家系的成活率低于30％,表明不同家系对GD001菌株的抗病力存在着显著的差异（P〈0．05）。     

Effect of Rosmarinus officinalis Essential Oil and Nisin on Streptococcus iniae and Lactococcus garvieae in a Food Model System

The effects of concentrations of Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil (EO) and nisin (N) as well as temperature and storage time on growth of Streptococcus iniae and Lactococcus garvieae in Oncorhynchus mykiss were evaluated. According to analysis of the rosemary EO, the 1, 8-cineol and α-pinene were the predominant components. The growth of S. iniae was significantly decrease by EO concentrations at 4 ºC. For L. garvieae, the viable count was significantly inhibited by EO and N singly and in combinations, incubated at bath storage of 0.25 and 0.5 µg/mL proved insufficient to act against S. iniae and L. garvieae. The combinations of the rosemary EO at 0.0015% with N at 0.5 µg/mL showed stronger antimicrobial effect against two bacterial than the rosemary EO at 0% but lower than the combination with N at 0.5 µg/mL and EO at 0.045% which in turn was lower than of the rosemary EO at 0.135%. In its turn, rosemary EO showed lower antimicrobial activity than its combinations with N, which showed a bactericidal effect against the pathogens. The best inhibitory effects of EO in combinations with N for two bacterial were obtained at combinations of EO=0.135% and N=0.5 µg/mL.     

广西罗非鱼链球菌病流行菌株PCR鉴定和PFGE基因型分析

为获知近年广西罗非鱼链球菌病流行菌种及其基因型变化信息,采用特异PCR方法对2006-2012年从广西发病罗非鱼分离获得的77株临床菌株进行鉴定,并通过脉冲电场凝胶电泳(PFGE)对2006-2011年分离获得的37株流行菌株进行基因型分析.结果显示,其中20株鉴定为海豚链球菌其余57株鉴定为无乳链球菌.2006-2007年获得的19株流行菌株中有18株为海豚链球菌(94.7％),仅1株无乳链球菌;2009-2012年分离的58株流行菌株中56株为无乳链球菌(96.6％),仅2株海豚链球菌.PFGE图谱聚类显示,海豚和无乳链球菌分别聚类为两个大分支,20株海豚链球菌共产生4种PFGE带型,带型相似度为83.9％～100％;17株无乳链球菌共产生5种PFGE带型,带型相似度为47.4％～100％.研究表明,广西罗非鱼链球菌病流行菌种已从过去(2008年前)以海豚链球菌为主转变为现在(2009-2012年)以无乳链球菌为主;流行菌株PFGE基因型存在多样性.     

一株能抑制罗非鱼源无乳链球菌的反硝化芽孢杆菌的筛选鉴定

从尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)肠道内容物中分离筛选出具有反硝化能力并拮抗无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)的芽孢杆菌好氧菌株,并对其中拮抗性最强的1株芽孢杆菌进行形态学、生理生化特性、16S rRNA基因序列鉴定,进一步研究其最适生长条件、水解淀粉和蛋白的能力,并进行菌株药物敏感试验及安全性检测。经鉴定,筛选出的菌株(命名为NY 5)为蜡样芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus)。在反硝化性能检测培养基中接种1%的NY5菌液后,对50 mg/L的亚硝酸盐氮12 h去除效率达到100%;对本实验室保存的21株不同来源的无乳链球菌均有拮抗作用,平均抑菌圈直径为(26.67±3.00)mm。NY 5在温度为25~40℃、盐度为0~40、pH为5~9的环境中生长较好。同时NY 5还具有水解酪蛋白和淀粉的功能。NY 5菌株对多数抗生素敏感,对少数检测抗生素(青霉素G、麦迪霉素、头孢唑啉等)耐药。在水体中NY5菌液浓度为2.0×10~7 CFU/mL,以及在注射200μL2.0×10~6 CFU/mL浓度NY 5菌液的条件下,体重为(6.0±1.1)g的罗非鱼均未出现死亡及其他异常现象。综合上述结果,证明筛选出的NY 5菌株为蜡样芽孢杆菌。     

罗非鱼无乳链球菌LrrG-Sip融合蛋白免疫原性研究

为探究无乳链球菌LrrG(Leucine-rich repeat protein from GBS)和表面免疫原性蛋白Sip(surface immunogenic protein)串联表达的LrrG-Sip重组融合蛋白的免疫原性,该研究将原核表达的LrrG-Sip重组融合蛋白分别以0.5μg·g~(-1)(R1组)、1.0μg·g~(-1)(R2组)和1.5μg·g-1(R3组)每尾200μL腹腔注射免疫尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus),同时以Sip蛋白(S组)、LrrG蛋白(L组)以及PBS(P组)作为对照。2周后对所有免疫鱼体进行无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)人工攻毒,攻毒剂量为其半致死浓度(LD_(50):4.0×108CFU·mL~(-1))。结果显示LrrG-Sip重组融合蛋白R1组对尼罗罗非鱼的相对免疫保护率最高,达89.14%;且免疫后第14和第28天,该组鱼体血清抗体OD_(450nm)值分别达0.63和0.64,均显著高于单一蛋白对照组(S和L组)和PBS组(P0.05);R1组鱼体血清过氧化物酶(POD)和碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性在上述2个时间点也显著高于其他组(P0.05);但溶菌酶(LZM)和总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)活性与其他组之间差异不显著(P0.05)。初步表明LrrG-Sip重组融合蛋白具有良好的免疫原性,其免疫原性明显优于单个蛋白,且能有效减少免疫剂量。     

罗非鱼无乳链球菌巢式PCR检测方法的建立

根据无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)cfb基因序列,设计、合成2对引物,优化扩增条件,建立了快速高灵敏度鉴别无乳链球菌的巢式PCR方法。结果显示:使用该方法对罗非鱼(Oreochromis mossambicus)血液样品进行检测,可检测到活菌浓度为8.7×104CFU/m L的无乳链球菌。对采自广西地区受无乳链球菌感染的19份罗非鱼样品进行检测,18份可获得目的片段,扩增到的序列均为无乳链球菌cfb基因序列,检测准确度达到94.7%。     

Isolation and molecular characterization of streptococcal species recovered from clinical infections in farmed Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the Philippines

Streptococcosis cause severe losses for global tilapia farming, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize streptococci recovered from Nile tilapia farmed in the Philippines. Moribund and apparently healthy fish were sampled from grow-out cages, ponds and hatcheries. Clinical signs observed included exophthalmia, eye opacity, ascites, lethargy, erratic swimming and haemorrhages. Results showed that both Streptococcus iniae and Streptococcus agalactiae were associated with disease in these sites. Consistent with global reports, including those from South-East Asia, S. agalactiae was more widespread than S. iniae. Molecular serotyping of the S. agalactiae isolates identified the serotype Ia and serotype Ib. Histopathological findings were meningitis, meningoencephalitis and septicaemia. Identical virulence profiles were found for all strains of S. iniae, while S. agalactiae strains were separated into virulence profile I and profile II. All strains were susceptible to the tested antibiotics and resistant to oxolinic acid. Only S. agalactiae serotype Ib showed resistance to sulphamethoxazole–trimethoprim. This is the first study from the Philippines to characterize the streptococci involved in disease outbreaks in tilapia aquaculture. Outputs from this study will promote the development of efficacious disease control strategies in tilapia farming for the Philippines and South-East Asia.     

Passive immunization of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), with anti-Streptococcus iniae whole sera

Passive immunization of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, was conducted to determine whether anti- Streptococcus iniae whole sera (ASI), heat inactivated anti- S . iniae whole sera (HIASI) and normal whole sera (NWS) were protective when intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected into tilapia. The ASI was produced in tilapia actively immunized (challenged) with virulent S. iniae by i.p. injection. An antibody response against S. iniae was demonstrated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and 18% of the immunized fish died because of the S. iniae infection. The actively immunized tilapia demonstrated a secondary antibody response and immunity to S. iniae after challenge with S. iniae by i.p. injection. Survival was 100% in the actively immunized fish. The NWS was obtained from tilapia free of ASI antibody and susceptible to S. iniae infection (40% mortality). In two separate experiments, significantly higher mortality was noted in tilapia passively immunized with NWS (33 and 53%) and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (30 and 60%), in comparison with mortalities of 0 and 10% or 3.3 and 6.7% in the fish passively immunized with ASI or HIASI 14 days after S . iniae infection by i.p. injection ( P  = 0.0003 and 0.0023). Results suggest that immunity provided by ASI and HIASI was because of antibody against S. iniae . Inactivation of complement in the HIASI treatment further suggests that ASI antibody plays a primary role in immunity against S. iniae infection.     

广东省养殖罗非鱼、海鲈、尖吻鲈海豚链球菌感染调查

利用细菌分离培养方法结合特异PCR技术,对广东省珠三角地区养殖罗非鱼(Oreochromis spp.)、海鲈(Lateolabrax japonicus)及尖吻鲈(Lates calcarifer)的海豚链球菌(Streptococcus iniae)感染情况进行了周年调查。每月固定时间在特定养殖区域采集目标鱼的脑、肝、脾、肾和肌肉等组织,并对其进行海豚链球菌的细菌分离培养鉴定。仅从已经患病的尖吻鲈中分离到3株链球菌,经生理生化鉴定和16S rDNA测序确定为海豚链球菌。利用海豚链球菌特异PCR技术对上述养殖鱼类不同组织进行检测,发现罗非鱼、海鲈、尖吻鲈的海豚链球菌感染率分别为30.21%、23.53%、14.55%,其中罗非鱼脑和肌肉的感染率明显较其他组织高(P<0.05),分别为20.65%和23.75%;海鲈的脑部和肌肉感染率也较其他组织高(P<0.05),分别为12.1%和10%;而尖吻鲈各组织感染率没有较大差异(P>0.05)。另外,研究结果还表明采集样本的海豚链球菌感染率随着其体长的增加而呈现下降趋势。     

尼罗罗非鱼无乳链球菌病的病理学研究

为了解尼罗罗非鱼感染无乳链球菌后各组织的病理变化,运用革兰氏染色和电镜负染技术对一株从自然发病的尼罗罗非鱼上分离的无乳链球菌进行形态观察,采用组织切片和超薄切片电镜技术对患病尼罗罗非鱼的肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、脑、心肌、骨骼肌、肠、鳃等8种组织进行病理学研究,探讨该病的致病机理。结果显示,革兰氏染色呈阳性,负染后透射电镜观察多数细菌呈链状排列;组织病理学变化主要是各内脏器官的广泛充血、水肿、变性和炎性细胞浸润,严重的细胞坏死;超微病理显示,大量球菌侵染脾脏等内脏组织,破坏细胞结构和各种细胞器;细胞界限模糊,细胞核畸形,线粒体肿大,嵴断裂,溶解;粗面内质网肿大、核糖体脱落;细胞质空泡化严重;心肌和骨骼肌纤维断裂、紊乱、肌节长短不一;肠微绒毛排列不整齐、长短不一;眼中有纤维性沉积。研究表明,无乳链球菌能造成尼罗罗非鱼全身性组织器官损害和炎症反应,尤其是肝脏、脾脏、肾脏和脑等重要器官功能障碍和衰竭,最后导致鱼体死亡。     

Efficacy of an experimentally inactivated Streptococcus agalactiae vaccine in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in Brazil

Tilapia aquaculture is one of the fastest‐growing segments of fish production in Brazil. Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is largely cultivated in the state of Parana, where Streptococcus agalactiae is the cause of severe disease outbreaks. The objective of this paper was to evaluate an inactivated S. agalactiae vaccine in tilapia for the control of streptococcal disease outbreaks. Tilapia, weighing approximately 20 g each, were intraperitoneally (i.p.) inoculated with 0.1 mL of the vaccine at a dose of 2.0 × 10⁸ colony‐forming unit (CFU) mL^?1. One group of tilapia (treatment 1) received one vaccine dose, and the other group of tilapia (treatment 2) received two doses, with an interval of 21 days. The control group was i.p. inoculated with 0.1 mL tryptic soy broth fish^?1. Immunized and control tilapia were i.p. challenged with 0.1 mL of 3.0 × 10⁷ CFU mL^?1 at 30 days post vaccination. The fish were monitored daily for disease signs and for mortality for 16 days post challenge. A statistically significant difference (P=0.0045) was found between the mortality of treatments 1 and 2. The value of relative per cent of survival of 83.6% and 96.4%, respectively, indicate that this vaccine was efficient in Nile tilapia.     

吉富罗非鱼感染无乳链球菌后肝脏组织在不同时期蛋白质组的表达差异

为研究罗非鱼感染无乳链球菌前后肝脏组织蛋白质的表达变化。本研究以吉富罗非鱼为材料,采用双向电泳技术分析其在无乳链球菌感染胁迫下24 h、48-144 h、12 d与对照组（未感染）肝脏组织蛋白质组的变化,对差异表达蛋白进行质谱分析鉴定。结果显示：吉富罗非鱼在无乳链球菌胁迫下,3个实验组的蛋白质图谱与对照组相比存在显著差异,共有30个蛋白点发生显著改变,其中13个表达上调,17个下调,2个下调蛋白点在感染12 d组消失。通过MALDI-TOF-MS MS/MS质谱分析和数据库检索对这些蛋白质进行了功能分类,发现它们涉及到能量代谢、细胞防御与应激、消化免疫、抗氧化与排毒等许多方面。推测这些蛋白可能在吉富罗非鱼对无乳链球菌胁迫的抗性反应中发挥了重要作用。研究结果为无乳链球菌疫苗的研制及吉富罗非鱼抗病品种选育奠定了基础。     

Growth response and acquired resistance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) that survived Streptococcus iniae infection

This study determined the growth performance and acquired resistance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) that survived Streptococcus iniae infection. Tilapia were challenged with three doses of S. iniae (8.8 × 10³, 8.8 × 10⁴ and 8.8 × 10⁵ CFU fish^?1 for low, medium and high challenges respectively). Groups of non‐injected and tryptic soy broth‐injected fish were maintained as controls. Significantly (P<0.05) higher mortality (45.0%) occurred in the high challenge treatment than in the low challenge treatment group (29.6%). The medium challenge group had mortality (36.3%) that did not differ significantly from the high or low treatment. Few fish died in the non‐injected and broth‐injected treatments (3.4% and 0.8% respectively). The tilapia that survived S. iniae infection used to assess growth performance were selected from survivors without gross clinical signs of disease. These fish were randomly stocked at a rate of 30 fish into each 57 L aquarium in triplicate and fed to apparent satiation for 8 weeks. No significant differences were detected in weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency ratio or survival between S. iniae‐survived tilapia and the control treatments following the 8‐week growth performance trial. Following the 8‐week feeding study, tilapia were challenged with 1 × 10⁶ CFU fish^?1 of S. iniae to assess acquired immunity. Mean cumulative mortality was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the control treatments (41.7% for the non‐injected and 43.3% for the broth‐injected fish) than in the low, medium and high challenge treatments (7.4%, 3.3% and 8.3% respectively). Serum protein was significantly (P<0.05) elevated in the S. iniae‐survived tilapia that were subsequently challenged when compared with controls challenged for the first time. Agglutinating antibody titre was significantly higher in the fish in the medium and high challenge treatments, compared with the control fish challenged for the first time. The results suggest tilapia that survive S. iniae challenge without showing overt disease signs performed as well as non‐infected tilapia. Further, the S. iniae‐survived tilapia challenged following the 8‐week growth performance trial gained acquired resistance to homologous S. iniae challenge.     

罗非鱼无乳链球菌LrrG-Sip融合基因原核表达载体的构建及表达

LrrG和表面免疫原性蛋白（Sip）是无乳链球菌（Streptococcus agalactiae）的2种表面蛋白,具有良好的免疫原性。为获得罗非鱼无乳链球菌表面蛋白LrrG和Sip蛋白的融合蛋白,该试验采用基因拼接技术中的双酶切法分2步逐个将Sip和LrrG基因插入pColdⅡ载体中,构建原核表达载体pColdⅡ-LrrG-Sip。将成功构建的融合基因原核表达载体转化感受态细胞BL21（DE3）,进行诱导表达条件的优化。结果显示,15℃、IPTG 0.5 mmol·L-1诱导9 h,目的蛋白呈可溶状态的表达量最高。Western Blot检测结果显示LrrG-Sip融合蛋白大小与预测一致（162kDa）,说明成功构建了融合基因,为罗非鱼源无乳链球菌亚单位疫苗的研制奠定了基础。     

中国罗非鱼主养区无乳链球菌的分子流行特征及其传播方式

为分析2007—2015年中国罗非鱼主养区无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)的分子特征和流行情况,分离并收集了248株罗非鱼源无乳链球菌。通过分子血清型、MLST、毒力基因和前噬菌体等分型方法对248株无乳链球菌进行了分子遗传特征分析。结果表明,229株无乳链球菌(92.3%)的分子血清型是Ⅰa型,其余19株均是Ⅰb型(7.7%)。MLST分析结果表明,所有Ⅰa型无乳链球菌都是ST7型,所有Ⅰb型无乳链球菌都是ST261型。毒力基因检测结果发现,229株Ⅰa-ST7型无乳链球菌的毒力基因型相同,即V1型;19株Ⅰb-ST261型无乳链球菌的毒力基因型相同,即V2型。前噬菌体检测结果表明,Ⅰa-ST7型无乳链球菌可分为两种前噬菌体基因型,分别是P1型(36株)和P2型(193株);Ⅰb-ST261型无乳链球菌的10个前噬菌体基因都是阴性,即P3型。根据以上4种分子分型方法可将248株无乳链球菌分为3种基因型,即Ⅰa-ST7-V1-P1型、Ⅰa-ST7-V1-P2型和Ⅰb-ST261-V2-P3型。2010—2011年主要流行菌株由Ⅰa-ST7-V1-P1型转变为Ⅰa-ST7-V1-P2型,其中Ⅰa-ST7-V1-P1型是2011年之前的主要流行菌株,Ⅰa-ST7-V1-P2型在2011年及之后成为主要流行菌株。研究表明,近年来我国罗非鱼源无乳链球菌发生了明显的遗传变异,同时,根据我国罗非鱼主养区无乳链球菌的流行特点,推测我国罗非鱼源无乳链球菌是通过苗种或水体等介质进行传播的,属于输入性传播方式。     

Evaluation of the link between gyrodactylosis and streptococcosis of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

Streptococcus iniae and Gyrodactylus niloticus are two common pathogens of cultured Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. We studied concurrent infection of tilapia by G. niloticus and S. iniae and evaluated whether parasitism in tilapia with Gyrodactylus increased susceptibility and mortality following immersion infection with S. iniae. Results showed that death mainly occurred in fish with G. niloticus and challenged with S. iniae (G-S group). The accumulative mortality (42.2%) was significantly higher in the G-S group than in fish not infected by the parasite (6.7%), but exposed to S. iniae. Bacteriological examination revealed S. iniae from > or =92% of dead or moribund fish challenged with S. iniae. Gyrodactylus not only damaged fish epithelium and provided entry for invasive bacteria but also was found to harbour viable cells of S. iniae for 24 and 72 h. Streptococcus iniae was isolated from 60% and 40% of G. niloticus collected from fish infected by intraperitoneal injection or immersion, respectively, at 24 h post-challenge. The present study confirms that parasitism of tilapia by G. niloticus increased host mortality following exposure to the bacterial pathogen S. iniae.