A Serological Survey for Brucella canis in Dogs in the Province of Quebec

A serological survey for canine brucellosis has been conducted on 341 dogs from different regions of the province of Quebec. A significant titer was found in six sera (1.6%) with the 2-mercaptoethanol tube agglutination test. Only two dogs presented titers >/= 1:200 which is considered as indicative of active infection.     

Brucella canis Isolates from Canadian Dogs

Eleven Brucella canis isolates from Canadian dogs were characterized by dye and antibiotic sensitivity, phage susceptibility, urease and H₂S production, CO₂ requirement, and reaction with monospecific A,M, and R anti-Brucella antiserum. The isolates could be separated into two distinct groups. One group had a sensitivity pattern similar to that seen with the American type strain RM666, while the other group had a pattern identical to that of a Mexican strain, Mex 51. Epidemiological studies supported contraction of infections in the United States and Mexico respectively. The characteristics of all isolates were stable after repeated subculture indicating that strain differences could serve as useful epidemiological markers and supporting division of the species into two biovars.     

Evidence for Unapparent Brucella canis Infections among Adults with Occupational Exposure to Dogs

Human serological assays designed to detect brucellosis will miss infections caused by Brucella canis, and low levels of periodic bacteremia limit diagnosis by blood culture. Recent B. canis outbreaks in dogs and concomitant illnesses in caretakers suggest that unapparent human infections may be occurring. With more than a quarter of a million persons in occupations involving dogs, and nearly 80 million dog owners in the United States, this pathogen is an under‐recognized human health threat. To investigate occupational exposure to B. canis, we adapted a commercial canine serological assay and present the first controlled seroepidemiological study of human B. canis infections in recent years. 306 adults with occupational exposure to dogs and 101 non‐matched, non‐canine‐exposed subjects were enrolled. Antibodies were detected using the canine D‐Tec^® CB rapid slide agglutination test (RSAT) kit with a secondary 2‐mercaptoethanol (ME)‐RSAT. Results were validated on a blinded subset of sera with an additional RSAT and indirect enzyme‐linked immunoassay at the National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS) in Argentina. Seroprevalence ranged from 10.8% (RSAT) to 3.6% (ME‐RSAT) among canine‐exposed subjects. Kennel employees were more likely to test RSAT seropositive compared with other canine exposures (OR = 2.7; 95% CI, 1.3–5.8); however, low seroprevalence limited meaningful occupational risk factor analyses. Two seropositive participants reported experiencing symptoms consistent with brucellosis and having exposure to B. canis‐infected dogs; however, temporality of symptom onset with reported exposure could not be determined. D‐Tec^® CB results had substantial agreement with ANLIS assays (Cohen's kappa = 0.60–0.68). These data add to a growing body of literature suggesting that people occupationally exposed to dogs may be at risk of unapparent B. canis infection. It seems prudent to consider B. canis as an occupational public health concern and encourage the development of serological assays to detect human B. canis infections.     

Serological and bacteriological detection of Brucella canis infection of stray dogs in Moreno, Argentina

A focus of B. canis infection was identified in Moreno, Argentina, among the stray dog population by serologic methods and confirmed in a second survey which included cultural isolations. A counterimmunoelectrophoresis technique using a specific rough Brucella surface antigen was applied to the serodiagnosis of canine brucellosis. This method was found to be as effective as the mercaptoethanol tube agglutination test and the gel diffusion test in detecting B. canis antibodies in natural and experimentally infected animals. The results are discussed in terms of the diagnostic significance of the three tests employed.     

Brucella canis in a HIV-infected patient

The true incidence of Brucella canis in humans is unknown, but immunocompromised patients in direct contact with dogs are thought to be at a higher risk for infection. In this case report, we present a human case of B. canis in a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus.     

玉树地区流浪犬传染性肝炎血清学调查

采用血凝/血凝抑制试验对青海玉树地区的30份流浪犬血清样品进行了犬传染性肝炎病毒抗体检测,结果检出阳性犬2只,阳性率为6.67%。表明玉树地区流浪犬存在传染性肝炎病毒的感染,应引起相关部门的重视,加大该地区犬传染性肝炎防控力度,控制该病的发生和流行。     

犬布鲁氏菌菌壳疫苗的制备简

菌壳技术是一种新型的灭活疫苗制备方法,通过非变性的灭活方式保存细菌表面多个抗原表位,所制备的菌壳可作为预防细菌病的理想疫苗。本试验从噬菌体PhiX174 DNA钓取裂解E基因,连接至温控原核表达载体pBV220,通过PCR在所构建的pBV220+E上扩增出蛋白裂解部件（protein lysis component,PLC）,该部件包含阻遏蛋白cI857、溶菌E基因及终止序列rrnbT1T2,然后将其克隆至广宿主表达载体pBBR1MCS-2中,最终将构建的广宿主裂解质粒pBBR+PLC电转入犬布鲁氏菌RM6/66中。试验结果表明,经42 ℃诱导后,广宿主裂解质粒对犬布鲁氏菌RM6/66的裂解率达100%,成功制备了犬布鲁氏菌RM6/66菌壳疫苗。本试验通过菌壳技术制备的犬布鲁氏菌疫苗对预防宠物犬布鲁氏菌病起到重要作用,同时也对人兽布鲁氏菌疫苗的研制提供新策略。     

Use of phage for the identification of Brucella canis and Brucella ovis cultures

The brucella phage strains R, R/O and R/C standardised at routine test dilution on their propagating strains were effective in identifying cultures of Brucella ovis and B canis and in differentiating these from other non-smooth brucella isolates.     

Prevalence of Brucella abortus and Brucella canis antibodies in dogs in Nigeria

Serum samples collected from dogs brought for routine physical examination, vaccination and other complaints at the Small Animal Clinic of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria were tested for Brucella abortus and Brucella canis antibodies. Ninety-five (38-2 per cent) of 249 dogs studied were positive for B. abortus agglutinins by the Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) but none was sero-positive by the standard agglutination test (SAT). The antibody prevalence for B. canis by the SAT was 28-6 per cent for 224 dogs tested. Exotic breeds of dogs had a prevalence of 34-9 per cent for B. canis agglutinins while 28-1 per cent of local dogs were sero-positive. Twenty-two per cent of dogs older than 2 years were sero-positive compared to a prevalence of 33-3 per cent found amongst dogs younger than 1 year. A similar B. canis infection rate was observed amongst male (29-6 per cent) and female (26-7 per cent) dogs.     

Evaluation of immunochromatographic assay for serodiagnosis of Brucella canis

Canine brucellosis is a contagious disease with venereal and oral modes of transmission that produces late abortion in females, epididymides and prostates in males. Diagnosis is difficult because of unstable serum antibody titers that vary from individual to individual as well as between different methods used for their detection. The objective of this work was to evaluate the clinical utility of the immunochromatographic assay (ICA) for serodiagnosis of dogs suspected of having brucellosis, and results were compared with those obtained for hemoculture (HC) and the rapid screening agglutination with 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME RSAT). The all experimentally infected dogs were positive in ICA, HC and 2-ME RSAT from 5 weeks, 7 weeks, and 3 weeks after infection, respectively. Also, among dogs selected from 10 different breed kennels occurred brucellosis, 24.8%, 39.5% and 39.1% of dogs tested were detected as positive with HC, 2-ME RSAT and ICA, respectively. The kappa value between 2-ME RSAT and ICA was 0.89. The results of this study showed that sensitivity and specificity of the ICA are comparable with those obtained using conventional serological and bacteriological test for brucellosis. In conclusion, the ICA kit provides a handy and accurate tool for the rapid serodiagnosis of canine brucellosis.     

Serological Survey in Dogs and Cats for Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in Germany

A serological survey for the detection of antibodies to influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was carried out in a population of dogs and cats in Germany. A total of 1150 sera collected in 2010 and 2011 were screened using an ELISA targeting anti‐nucleoprotein NP antibodies. Those initially screened positive samples were subsequently tested for antibodies to N1 neuraminidase followed by a virus neutralization test using A/Bayern/74/2009 strain. A prevalence of A(H1N1)pdm09‐specific antibodies of 0.13% and 1.93% was estimated among dogs and cats, respectively. Evidence of exposure to other influenza A virus subtypes was also observed.     

Use of Brucella canis antigen for detection of ovine serum antibodies against Brucella ovis

Brucella ovis causes a genital disease of sheep manifested by epididymitis in rams and placentitis in ewes producing reduced fertility in the flock. Clinical diagnosis is not sensitive enough and bacteriological testing is not feasible for detection of the disease in large numbers of animals. Indirect methods of serological testing are preferred for routine diagnosis, of which agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), complement fixation (CF) and ELISA tests are recommended as the most efficient. Since B. ovis shares antigenic components with Brucella canis, it would seem that either strain could be used as antigen with the same results; however, the advantage of the B. canis (M-) strain variant is that it can be used to develop a satisfactory antigen for agglutination tests. We present data on AGID and IELISA tests using B. ovis antigen and rapid screening agglutination test (RSAT), 2-mercapto-ethanol RSAT (2ME-RSAT) and IELISA using B. canis antigen. We tested 225 animals. The cut-off values were adjusted by ROC analysis using 51 negative and 32 positive sera; the IELISA-B. canis cut-off value was 39 (%P) and IELISA-B. ovis, 51 (%P), with 100% sensitivity and specificity. Of the 32 positive sera from the infected flock RSAT detected 32 (100%), 2ME-RSAT 29 (91%) and AGID 31 (97%). Of the 142 sera from suspicious flocks, 46 were negative and 56 positive in all the tests; 16 were positive by RSAT, IELISA-B. canis and IELISA-B. ovis, 20 positive only with RSAT and 2 positive only by both IELISAs. RSAT is a very sensitive screening test that, because of its simplicity and easy interpretation, following a study in larger sample, could replace AGID as a screening test for diagnosis of ovine brucellosis caused by B. ovis. The IELISA-B. canis or IELISA-B. ovis could be used as confirmatory tests, since they show equal specificity and sensitivity.     

A Serological Survey for Brucellosis in Canadian Swine

The results of a survey which included the testing of 21,275 blood samples collected at various slaughter houses are described.

Sixty-three herds had a single reactor with a titre of 1:100 or higher to a tube or plate agglutination test. Investigations in forty-five of these herds failed to detect the presence of brucellosis in the remaining mature swine.

The prompt slaughter of the reactors may have eliminated possible sources of infection.