Immunization of pigs against Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infection using a live avirulent strain.

Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 is still an important cause of economic losses in the swine industry. At the present time, vaccination of pigs against this infection is generally carried out with autogenous bacterins and results are equivocal. In this study, the protective effect of a live avirulent S. suis type 2 strain (#1330) which had induced a good protection in mice, was evaluated in swine. The experiment was performed in triplicate using 4 week-old piglets. A total of 15 piglets were vaccinated 3 times, 15 others were vaccinated 2 times, and 15 piglets were injected 3 times with sterile Todd-Hewitt broth. Using an indirect ELISA, an increase in the IgG response to S. suis antigens was noted in 27 of the 30 vaccinated piglets. On day 21 post-vaccination, all animals were challenged intravenously with a virulent S. suis type 2 strain (#999). In the 2 vaccinated groups, 26 animals were fully protected. Only 1 out of the 15 piglets vaccinated 3 times developed mild clinical signs. In the group vaccinated twice, 3 piglets showed clinical signs and 1 of them died after the challenge. In the control group, 7 animals died out of the 11 with clinical signs of infection. In conclusion, a protective immunity was observed in swine when using strain 1330. However, more studies are needed to assess the use of a live S. suis strain in a vaccine for pigs.     

Colonization of suckling pigs by Streptococcus suis with particular reference to pathogenic serotype 2 strains.

Three swine commercial farms with high mortality rates in nursery pigs due to Streptococcus suis serotype 2 were studied. Brain samples from diseased animals were collected for a period of 6 to 10 mo and used to isolate the strain that was responsible for the mortality (virulent strain) in each farm. Tonsil swabs from piglets at 5, 10 and 15 d were taken to assess both total colonization and colonization by the virulent strain. The effect of sow vaccination against S. suis on colonization was evaluated in 1 of the farms. All suspect tonsil isolates were identified biochemically and then tested against serotype 2. The genomic patterns of serotype 2 isolates were compared to that of the virulent strain using Rep-PCR. Results showed that total colonization by S. suis occurred very early in the pigs' life, with most animals being colonized by weaning age. Prevalence of colonization by serotype 2 strains was much lower than total colonization. After comparing serotype 2 isolates with the virulent strains, only 1 tonsillar isolate had the same genomic pattern as the virulent strain and it belonged to a 4-week-old weaned pig. The genomic pattern of the virulent strain was not found in any tonsillar isolate from 15-day-old or younger pigs. Although limited by sample size, sow vaccination against S. suis increased total colonization at the same time significantly decreasing colonization by serotype 2 strains. Even though most pigs are colonized early in age by S. suis, colonization by the virulent strain is of low prevalence and delayed in time. This could constitute a risk factor for developing the disease later in time, because animals would be colonized when maternal immunity is no longer present, allowing the organism to become systemic.     

Immunization of mice against Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infections using a live avirulent strain.

In this study, the IgG response of mice injected with two virulent strains and one avirulent Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 strain was compared by Western blotting. The serum from mice immunized against the avirulent strain could recognize most proteins of the various strains tested and similar results were obtained with serum from mice injected with virulent strains. The live avirulent strain was injected twice (days 0 and 10) to groups of five mice, and four virulent strains from different geographical origins were used to challenge the animals. All mice, except one in one group, survived the challenge. These results suggest that a live avirulent strain could be used for immunization of swine, the natural host.     

Rapid detection of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in weaned pigs

A survey to detect Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in 1,716 weaned pigs was done in Quebec. Forty-nine sow herds were included in this survey: in 26 herds, S suis serotype 2 had been isolated during the preceding 12 months and in 23 herds (control), the organism had not been detected during a previous study. Swab specimens of the nasal cavity and tonsils of pigs were obtained for bacteriologic culture, and S suis serotype 2 was easily detected by the use of brain-heart infusion agar containing a Streptococcus-selective supplement and 5% goat antiserum raised against S suis serotype 2. After measurement of the diameter of the precipitation zone of 539 isolates, a slide agglutination test was performed to identify the S suis serotype 2 isolates. The mean precipitation zone diameter obtained for group S suis serotype 2 was larger (P less than 0.001) than that for the group designated as "others". With slide agglutination test results as reference and on the basis of discriminant analysis to stimulate detection of S suis serotype 2, 93.1% of all isolates were correctly classified, using the precipitation zone diameter as unique classification criterion. Relative specificity was 94.5% and relative sensitivity was 88.7%. Use of the precipitation zone diameter on a quantitative basis led to the proposal of a simple and reliable technique to screen swine herds for S suis serotype 2 in weaned pigs. Nasal and tonsillar swab specimens were obtained and analyzed concurrently for S suis serotype 2. The organism was found in both sites in only 20.4% of 103 carrier pigs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

猪链球菌2型对家兔的试验感染及其病理学观察

利用猪链球菌2型四川分离强毒菌株458#,通过腹腔注射接种日本大耳白家兔,观察其临床症状和病理学变化。结果表明,猪链球菌2型强毒株458#可引起家兔发病或死亡,并能从发病家兔的组织样品中分离到所接种毒株。感染家兔的特征性组织病理学变化表现为典型的弥漫性血管内凝血和微血栓形成。猪链球菌2型感染家兔动物模型的建立,对于评价猪链球菌2型的毒力,探索其发病机制具有重要的意义。     

Passive immunization of pigs against experimental infection with Streptococcus suis serotype 2

The safety and protective efficacy of a horse antiserum raised against inactivated whole cell preparations of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 was investigated in pigs by experimental challenge. The antiserum was evaluated in two similar experiments each comprising 12 4-week-old pigs treated with 6 ml of antiserum the day before challenge and four pigs used as challenge controls. Pigs were infected by subcutaneous injection with approximately 10(11) colony forming units of S. suis serotype 2. Clinical disease in the pigs that could be attributed to infection with S. suis was reduced from 88 to 35% (P = 0.015). The percentage of pigs with lesions that could be associated with S. suis was reduced from 88 to 22% (P = 0.002) and isolation of S. suis serotype 2 was reduced from five (63%) out of eight pigs in the combined challenge control groups to 3 (13%) out of 23 pigs in the combined treatment groups. These results indicate that passive immunization of pigs may be a way to reduce or control S. suis serotype 2 infections in pigs.     

Experimental infections of mice and pigs with Streptococcus suis type 2.

Five inbred strains of mice were tested for their susceptibility to Streptococcus suis type 2 including the type strain, two isolates from meningitis in pigs and two isolates from tonsils of clinically healthy pigs. C57BL/6, ICR and ddY strain mice showed lower susceptibility to all strains of S. suis type 2 than BALB/c and SS strain mice. The type strain and the isolates from diseased pigs produced septicaemia and meningitis in BALB/c and SS mice inoculated with 10(8) colony forming unit of the bacteria and 60 to 100% of these infected mice died. On the other hand, mice inoculated with the isolates from healthy pigs showed mild clinical signs but none of them died. In BALB/c mice which died or developed nervous signs, the purulent meningo-encephalitis, myocarditis, ophthalmitis, labyrinthitis and otitis media were observed. S. suis type 2 antigen was demonstrated in these lesions by immunoperoxidase staining using rabbit S. suis type 2 antiserum. These results were similar to those in the experimentally infected pigs with these virulent and avirulent strains against mice. These results indicate that BALB/c and SS strains of mice are useful as an experimental model of S. suis type 2 infections in pigs, and that there are virulent and avirulent strains against mice and pigs among the strains of S. suis type 2.     

Experimental airborne transmission of Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 in pigs.

Experimental airborne transmission of Streptococcus suis type 2 was studied in specific pathogen free piglets. Forty piglets were allotted to five groups of eight 7-week-old animals and housed in three separated units. Negative control pigs (group 1) were housed in unit A and infected batches were housed in units B (group 2) and C (groups 4). In units B and C, non-inoculated groups (groups 3 and 5, respectively), 40 cm distant from the respective inoculated group and without any physical contact between them, also took place. Six animals of groups 2 and 4 were inoculated intravenously with 2 x 10(8) colony forming units (cfu) of a mild and a high virulent S. suis strains, respectively. The remaining animals in these groups and pigs from groups 1, 3, 5 received broth medium in the same way. Differences among virulence of S. suis capsular type 2 were observed in inoculated pigs of groups 2 and 4. Pigs from group 2 became carriers, showing only mild symptoms. By contrast, animals from group 4 presented an acute form of the disease. All the indirect contact pigs in groups 3 and 5 had S. suis in palatine tonsils from day 6 after the infection and they presented clinical manifestations similar to those observed in experimentally infected pigs. Two direct contact animals were also contaminated in the upper respiratory tract but surprisingly they did not show any symptoms. Airborne transmission of S. suis in experimentally pigs was demonstrated in the present study. Indirect infections, as described in this study, are a more realistic way to infect pigs than other experimental procedures and may be used to further study the pathogenesis of the infection caused by this important pathogen.     

猪链球菌1型临床分离株的鉴定和基因组学分析

从罹患肺炎型猪链球菌病的仔猪气管中分离出1株猪链球菌强毒株,命名为SS2011GZ,经PCR鉴定为血清1型.斑马鱼攻毒试验测得该菌株的半数致死量(LD50)为4.09×104CFU/mL,有较强毒力;全基因组测序分析显示,毒力基因型为mrp+gdh+epf+sly+fbps-sao-,存在19个基因岛,24种耐药基因,...     

猪链球菌2型05ZYH33菌株具有N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶活性蛋白的鉴定及功能研究

为了研究猪链球菌2型(SS2)05ZYH33菌株是否具有N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)及同工酶,本研究通过同源蛋白比对,发现05ZYH33菌株表面蛋白SSU050630 C端Ss GH20结构域与肺炎链球菌(S.pneumoniae)的NAG Str H的GH20-1结构域具有60%的同源性;经基因克隆、蛋白表达及纯化后的酶活性分析表明Ss GH20具有NAG活性,且其活力为371 U/mg蛋白;其最适反应温度为50℃、最适p H为5.5;其Km值为0.69。通过构建SS2 ssu050630基因缺失株及全菌酶活性测定,显示SS2 05ZYH33菌株具有NAG活性,而ssu050630基因缺失后的菌株则失去了NAG活性,表明SSU050630是SS2 05ZYH33菌株唯一具有NAG活性的蛋白。本研究为进一步探究Ss GH20在SS2致病中的作用及SS2逃避宿主免疫反应的机制奠定了基础。     

猪链球菌2型05ZYH33菌株启动子的筛选和鉴定

为了筛选和鉴定用于猪链球菌(S.suis)致病因子和致病机制研究的启动子,本研究通过质谱鉴定了来自S.suis2型05ZYH33菌株的5个高丰度蛋白质,并通过其驱动GFP蛋白和甘露糖苷酶SSU05_1921的表达水平,评估了这5个蛋白相应的基因启动子的强弱。结果显示,这5种蛋白质分别为SSU05_0177、SSU05_0530、SSU05_1503、SSU05_1815和SSU05_1868,相应的5个启动子P0177、P0530、P1503、P1815和P1868均能够有效驱动GFP在E.coli和S.suis中的高水平表达,但是P1815、P0177和P1868不能驱动SSU05_1921在S.suis中的表达。P0530和P1503能够驱动SSU05_1921在S.suis中的表达,并且P1503启动子驱动GFP和SSU05_1921的表达水平均比P0530启动子驱动的高两倍以上。因此,P0530和P1503是S.suis的强启动子,并且P1503更强于P0530。这在高水平表达GFP用于标记菌体,以及构建无启动子基因的回复突变菌株中发挥关键作用,在S.suis遗传操作中具有很好的应用前景。     

抑制性消减杂交技术分析猪链球菌2型毒力相关基因

以猪链球菌2型四川分离强毒株458#为检测子,国际参考无毒菌株1330#为驱动子,用抑制性消减杂交方法寻找其基因组水平的差异.采用3种不同的限制性内切酶分别酶切458#与1330#基因组获得3套酶切片段,经消减杂交后构建猪链球菌2型强毒株458#特异DNA的差异文库,并对差异序列进行比较分析.结果表明,试验获得了3套差异文库共计42个特异性差异片段,所有差异片段均与已发表的猪链球菌2型05ZYH33株全基因组序列高度同源.构建了具有代表性的猪链球菌2型强毒株与国际无毒参考菌株基因组差异DNA文库,差异片段通过Blast比对,部分差异片段与已知功能基因如转座子,耐药基因、1型限制酶修饰系统、表面蛋白和毒力相关蛋白等有同源性,尚有许多差异片段属于未知功能蛋白或假定蛋白,其中可能包括与猪链球菌2型毒力相关的基因,为进一步分析猪链球菌2型可能的毒力相关基因奠定了基础.     

Bacterial colonization and invasion in pigs experimentally exposed to Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in aerosol

A recently developed porcine model for aerogenous infection with Streptococcus suis serotype 2 was applied in a study of the phases of bacterial colonization and initial invasion. Eighteen pigs were exposed to aerosolized S. suis serotype 2 after pre-exposure to mild acetic acid in aerosol. The animals were killed consecutively within the first six days after challenge. After death, all animals were necropsied and examined by bacteriology, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. Systemic infection was established in four out of 18 animals exposed to S. suis serotype 2. All systemically infected animals developed clinical signs and lesions typical of the infection. In four additional animals, subclinical infection was demonstrated by re-isolation of S. suis from the palatine tonsil. However, in all 18 challenged animals, immunohistochemistry demonstrated S. suis serotype 2 antigen in the palatine and/or nasopharyngeal tonsils. In all four systemically infected animals, S. suis serotype 2 antigen was also found in the mandibular lymph node. These observations point towards the tonsils as possible portals of entry for S. suis serotype 2 with subsequent lymphogenous spread. Thus, the present findings parallel the proposed pathogenesis for S. suis serotype 1 infection in pigs.     

四川地区一株猪链球菌16型菌株的分离与鉴定

猪链球菌16型是一种人畜共患病原,猪和人感染的病例国内外鲜有报道。菌株ZY16分离自四川资阳某猪场1头表观健康仔猪。通过对谷氨酸脱氢酶基因(gdh)和16S rRNA基因的PCR扩增分析,确定该分离株为猪链球菌。经玻片凝集试验和PCR扩增cps16K基因,鉴定血清型为16型。药敏试验结果显示ZY16对青霉素、氨苄西林、头孢曲松、卡那霉素、环丙沙星、氯霉素敏感,对四环素、庆大霉素耐药。本研究为四川地区首次报道分离到猪链球菌16型,具有重要的公共卫生意义。     

猪链球菌2型新毒力相关基因lin缺失菌株的构建

利用温度敏感型穿梭自杀质粒pSET4s,定点敲除猪链球菌2型野生型强毒株ZY458的lin基因,构建基因缺失突变菌株458△lin,利用家兔感染模型对ZY458及其突变菌株的生物学特性进行比较研究.家兔感染试验表明,接种ZY458菌株的家兔体质量下降,出现明显的临床症状,5只家兔4 d内全部死亡;而458△lin感染组家兔生长正常,未出现任何明显临床症状.结果表明,lin基因是猪链球菌2型新发现的一种毒力相关基因,在猪链球菌2型的致病过程中具有重要作用.     

Protection of pigs against challenge with virulent Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strains by a muramidase-released protein and extracellular factor vaccine

The efficacy of a muramidase-released protein (MRP) and extracellular factor (EF) vaccine in preventing infection and disease in pigs challenged either with a homologous or a heterologous Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strain (MRP+EF+) was compared with the efficacy of a vaccine containing formalin-killed bacterin of S. suis serotype 2 (MRP+EF+). The enhancement of the immune response by different adjuvants (a water-in-oil emulsion [WO] and an aluminium hydroxide-based adjuvant [AH]) and their side effects were also studied. The MRP and EF were purified by affinity chromatography. Pigs were vaccinated twice at three weeks and six weeks of age and challenged intravenously with virulent S. suis serotype 2 strains (MRP+EF+) at eight weeks of age. At challenge, the pigs vaccinated with MRP+EF/WO had high anti-MRP and anti-EF titres and were protected as effectively as pigs vaccinated with WO-formulated vaccines with bacterin. Eight of the nine pigs survived the challenge and almost no clinical signs of disease were observed. The titres obtained with the MRP+EF/AH vaccine were low and only two of the five pigs were protected. Pigs vaccinated with either MRP or EF were less well protected; three of the four pigs died after challenge but the clinical signs of disease were significantly less severe than those observed in the placebo-vaccinated pigs. The protective capacity of the bacterin/AH vaccine was very low, and the mortality among these pigs was as high as in the placebo-vaccinated pigs (80 per cent). Postmortem histological examination revealed meningitis, polyserositis and arthritis in the clinically affected pigs. The results demonstrate that a subunit vaccine containing both MRP and EF, formulated with the WO adjuvant, protected pigs against challenge with virulent S. suis type 2 strains.     

Cultivation, LD(50) determination and experimental model of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strain HA9801

The effects of nutritional components and submerged culture conditions on colony-forming unit (CFU) counts by Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strain HA9801 in flask culture was investigated, and the optimal medium and cultivation conditions was confirmed by using a 50 l bioreactor. The LD₅₀ values of HA9801 in pigs before and after fermentation were 1.8 × 10⁷ CFU, which indicated that the virulence of HA9801 was very stable in the fermentation process. In addition, an experimental model that closely mimics naturally occurring disease in conventional pigs was established.     

猪链球菌2型表面蛋白sp融合基因的构建与高效表达

利用PCR方法从猪链球菌2型四川资阳分离株449-1扩增出sp基因,克隆到pMD18-T载体中,构建出克隆载体pMD18T-sp。以SalⅠ和BamHⅠ从pMD18T-sp中切下目的sp基因片段并克隆到质粒pMAL-p2X中,构建重组表达质粒pMALp2X-sp,转化宿主菌TB1中进行诱导表达。分析表明sp基因序列比GenBank报道序列AY864331少了270 bp;SDS-PAGE电泳检测结果表明,重组菌株表达出了136 Ku左右的目的蛋白MBP-Sao,目的蛋白为可溶表达,约占菌体蛋白总量的12.3%。表达的蛋白可用Amylose树脂纯化。将纯化的融合蛋白MBP-Sao免疫家兔,所得抗血清经ELISA检测,结果显示融合蛋白MBP-Sao包板抗体效价达1:16 000,且与猪链球菌2型和9型呈阳性反应,而与沙门氏杆菌及巴氏杆菌呈阴性反应。本试验对猪链球菌2型表面蛋白Sao的高效表达及其免疫原性进行了初步研究,为进一步研究猪链球菌2型表面蛋白Sao的结构和功能奠定了基础。