Diagnosis of bacterial kidney disease by detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum by real-time PCR

Bacterial kidney disease (BKD), caused by Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs), is a serious threat to salmon in aquaculture as well as to wild populations. We have developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Rs in kidney samples. The PCR is based on detection of unique parts of the 16S rRNA gene of Rs and DNA equivalent to 1-10 Rs genomes was detected per reaction. No cross-reactivity with other fish pathogenic or related bacteria could be demonstrated. Analysis of individual kidney samples collected from BKD classified populations identified 39.9% of the fish as positive by real-time PCR compared with 28.0% by polyclonal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The real-time PCR assay was found to be well suited for complementary use with ELISA for diagnosis of BKD, with the ability to detect clinical as well as covert Rs infections. The infection level determined by the polyclonal ELISA and by real-time PCR was significantly correlated.     

Atypical growth of Renibacterium salmoninarum in subclinical infections

Two growth types of Renibacterium salmoninarum were isolated from subclinically infected rainbow trout, one producing the smooth colonies typical of R. salmoninarum and the other forming a thin film on the surface of the agar with no separate colonies. The atypical growth was present on kidney disease medium agar in primary cultures of the kidney but not on selective kidney disease medium (SKDM). Fluorescent antibody staining of the fresh isolate and polymerase chain reaction amplification were the most reliable techniques to identify the atypical growth of R. salmoninarum. The condition was reversible, with growth reverting from atypical to the smooth colony form in experimentally infected rainbow trout and under laboratory conditions. There was no mortality, or any clinical signs of bacterial kidney disease (BKD) in the fish challenged with the atypical growth, although small numbers of smooth colonies of R. salmoninarum were isolated from 8% of these fish. The atypical growth reported here may explain some of the failures of culture, when SKDM agar alone is used for the detection of BKD in subclinically infected fish.     

Epizootiology of Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causal agent of bacterial kidney disease in salmonid fish

Abstract. By use of a selective medium, Renibacterium salmoninarum was recovered from rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson. With asymptomatic animals, small numbers of Renibacterium colonies were recovered only from the anterior part of the kidney; whereas in clinically diseased fish, dense pure culture growth was obtained from kidney, spleen, heart, blood, ascitic fluid and faeces. There was no evidence for the presence of R. salmoninarum in the water or sediment of 56 freshwater fish farms in England and Wales. Nevertheless, laboratory–based experiments showed that the pathogen was excreted in the faeces of clinically diseased fish. Moreover, there was survival of the bacterial cells for up to 21 days in sediment/faecal material.     

Characterization of susceptibility and carrier status of burbot,Lota lota (L.), to IHNV,IPNV, Flavobacterium psychrophilum,Aeromonas salmonicida and Renibacterium salmoninarum

In this study, susceptibility and potential carrier status of burbot, Lota lota, were assessed for five important fish pathogens. Burbot demonstrated susceptibility and elevated mortality following challenge with infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) by immersion and to Aeromonas salmonicida by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. IHNV persisted in fish for at least 28 days, whereas A. salmonicida was not re-isolated beyond 17 days post-challenge. In contrast, burbot appeared refractory to Flavobacterium psychrophilum following intramuscular (i.m.) injection and to infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) by immersion. However, i.p injection of IPNV resulted in re-isolation of virus from fish for the duration of the 28 day challenge. Renibacterium salmoninarum appeared to induce an asymptomatic carrier state in burbot following i.p. injection, but overt manifestation of disease was not apparent. Viable bacteria persisted in fish for at least 41 days, and bacterial DNA isolated by diagnostic polymerase chain reaction was detected from burbot kidney tissue 90 days after initial exposure. This study is the first to investigate susceptibility of burbot to selected fish pathogens, and this information will aid in efforts to culture and manage this species.     

Pathology of experimental infections of the sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria (Pallas), with Renibacterium salmoninarum, the agent of bacterial kidney disease in salmonids

Abstract. The susceptibility of sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria (Pallas), a potential candidate for commercial mariculture, to the devastating salmonid pathogen Renibacterium salmoninarum (Rs) and the pathology of the infection were investigated. Sablefish became moribund or died of apparently uncomplicated infections of Rs within 50-71 days following intrapcritoncal inoculation of the pathogen and pure cultures of Rs were re-isolated from some affected individuals. At least one sablefish carried the pathogen up to 165 days post-inoculation when the experiment was terminated. The pathology of the Rs infection in this strictly marine fish is described and the implication of the findings to the operation of salmon marinefarms is discussed.     

The immune response of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., to the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease, Renibacterium salmoninarum

Abstract. Both under-yearling and post-yearling Atlantic salmon parr produced high agglutinating antibody titres in response to a single intraperitoneal injection of killed bacterial kidney disease (BKD) cells emulsified in. Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), Low or no response was observed in animals injected with BKD cells in saline or in animals vaccinated by hyperosmotic immersion. Immunological duration was insufficient in fish vaccinated as under-yearling parr to provide protective immunity 2 years later when the fish had become smolts. Atlantic salmon post-yearling parr injected with BKD cells in FCA demonstrated a reduced prevalence of BKD lesions compared to control animals when both were observed as smolts 1 year after vaccination.     

奥尔森帕金虫环介导等温扩增(LAMP)检测方法的建立及应用

奥尔森帕金虫是重要的贝类病原性寄生虫之一,为建立快速、灵敏、准确和使用简便的检测方法,实验根据奥尔森帕金虫5.8S rDNA中的内转录间隔区(internal transcribedspacer,ITS)序列,建立了环介导等温扩增(loop-mediated isothermal amplification,LAMP)检测方法,并对反应温度、反应体系中Mg2+浓度和反应时间进行了优化。该方法的检测灵敏度约为30拷贝质粒DNA,并且特异性较强,与海水帕金虫、包纳米虫、波豆虫及急性病毒性坏死病毒(acute viral necrosis virus,AVNV)等病原均无交叉反应。使用LAMP法对两批菲律宾蛤仔样品进行检测,结果表明,LAMP检测与传统PCR检测相比,灵敏度更高,检测结果更准确。实验所建立的奥尔森帕金虫LAMP检测方法简单、快速、灵敏且特异性强,可以在沿海贝类养殖厂及条件简陋的实验室使用。     

An investigation into the prevalence of Renibacterium salmoninarum in farmed rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), and wild fish populations in selected river catchments in England and Wales between 1998 and 2000

A cross-sectional survey of Renibacterium salmoninarum infection in farmed rainbow trout (RBT) and wild fish populations was carried out in 10 farms and six river catchments, respectively, in England and Wales. The majority of the wild fish were sampled in 1998 and the farmed fish in 2000. Grayling, Thymallus thymallus, and brown trout, Salmo trutta, were the main wild species sampled. Two fish, one grayling and one salmon, Salmo salar, were R. salmoninarum culture-positive, compared with 40 confirmed polymerase chain reaction-positive wild fish. The highest prevalence of R. salmoninarum infection was found in grayling in rivers with RBT farms with a history of R. salmoninarum infection. One hundred and fifty fish were sampled from each RBT farm, but none of the fish was found to be R. salmoninarum-positive. Evidence was found, for the first time, for the presence of R. salmoninarum in an eel, Anguilla anguilla.     

Non-lethal loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay as a point-of-care diagnostics tool for Neoparamoeba perurans,the causative agent of amoebic gill disease

Neoparamoeba perurans is the causative agent of amoebic gill disease (AGD). Two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays targeting the parasite 18S rRNA and the Atlantic salmon EF1α, used as internal control, were designed. The N. perurans LAMP assay did not amplify close relatives N. pemaquidensis and N. branchiphila, or the host DNA. This assay detected 10⁶ copies of the parasite 18S rRNA gene under 13 min and 10³ copies under 35 min. Five “fast-and-dirty” DNA extraction methods were compared with a reference method and further validated by TaqMan™ qPCR. Of those, the QuickExtract buffer was selected for field tests. Seventy-one non-lethal gill swabs were analysed from AGD-clinically infected Atlantic salmon. The pathogen was detected under 23 min in fish of gill score >2 and under 39 min for lower gill scores. About 1.6% of the tests were invalid (no amplification of the internal control). 100% of positives were obtained from swabs taken from fish showing gill score ˃3, but only ~50% of positives for lower gill scores. The present LAMP assay could be implemented as a point-of-care test for the on-site identification of N. perurans; however, further work is required to improve its performance for lower scores.     

Detection of koi herpesvirus in common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., by loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel method that amplifies DNA with high specificity and rapidity under isothermal conditions. In this study, using the LAMP method, a protocol for koi herpes virus (KHV) detection in common carp was designed. A set of four primers, two inner and two outer, were designed based on the sequence of the thymidine kinase (tk) gene of KHV. Time and temperature conditions for detection of KHV were optimized for 60 min at 65 degrees C. The detection limit using LAMP was found to be similar to that by polymerase chain reaction. In this study, we have developed a highly sensitive and rapid diagnostic procedure for detection of KHV infection in common carp.     

草鱼呼肠孤病毒逆转录环介导等温扩增(RT-LAMP)检测方法的建立

根据草鱼呼肠孤病毒(grass carp reovirus,GCRV)衣壳蛋白VP6编码基因的序列设计特异性引物,以病毒全基因组RNA为模板,通过对反应条件进行优化,建立了GCRV的逆转录环介导等温扩增(RT-LAMP)检测方法。检测结果表明,本方法可在63℃下1 h内实现靶片段的大量扩增,扩增产物经凝胶电泳呈现梯型条带,反应体系中添加SYBR Green I荧光染料后,绿色阳性结果明显区别于橙色阴性结果。该检测体系针对草鱼呼肠孤病毒的检测灵敏度高,其最低检测限为33 pg,与常规RT-PCR方法相比较,灵敏度高10倍,且与斑点叉尾鮰呼肠孤病毒(CCRV)、鲤春病毒血症病毒(SVCV)、锦鲤疱疹病毒(KHV)、大鲵虹彩病毒(GSIV)等无交叉反应。该方法灵敏度及特异性高,且不需昂贵仪器设备,为快速检测草鱼呼肠孤病毒与诊断草鱼出血病提供了简捷快速的技术手段。     

白斑综合征病毒环介导等温扩增快速检测方法的建立

根据对虾白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)囊膜蛋白VP28基因保守序列,利用Primer Explorerv 4.0软件设计了4条引物,建立了白斑综合征病毒环介导等温扩增快速检测方法,对反应温度和反应时间等参数进行了优化,同时将建立的LAMP检测方法与巢式PCR进行了比较分析。结果表明,LAMP最适反应在64℃恒温条件60min内完成,凝胶电泳呈现梯型条带;反应体系中添加SYBR Green I荧光染料后,绿色的阳性结果明显区别于橙色阴性结果。LAMP方法的最低检出限为100拷贝/μL,灵敏度较巢式PCR高100倍,而且LAMP方法在1h内即可完成检测,操作简单,无需复杂仪器,肉眼可直接观察检测结果。用建立的LAMP方法对临床发病南美白对虾样品进行了检测,结果表明,LAMP方法适合对虾白斑综合征病毒的现场快速检测。     

草鱼呼肠孤病毒逆转录环介导等温扩增(RT-LAMP)检测方法的建立

根据草鱼呼肠孤病毒 (grass carp reovirus, GCRV)衣壳蛋白VP6编码基因的序列设计特异性引物, 以病毒全基因组RNA为模板, 通过对反应条件进行优化, 建立了GCRV的逆转录环介导等温扩增(RT-LAMP)检测方法。检测结果表明, 本方法可在63℃下1 h内实现靶片段的大量扩增, 扩增产物经凝胶电泳呈现梯型条带, 反应体系中添加SYBR Green I 荧光染料后, 绿色阳性结果明显区别于橙色阴性结果。该检测体系针对草鱼呼肠孤病毒的检测灵敏度高, 其最低检测限为33 pg, 与常规RT-PCR方法相比较, 灵敏度高10倍, 且与斑点叉尾鮰呼肠孤病毒(CCRV)、鲤春病毒血症病毒(SVCV)、锦鲤疱疹病毒(KHV)、大鲵虹彩病毒(GSIV)等无交叉反应。该方法灵敏度及特异性高, 且不需昂贵仪器设备, 为快速检测草鱼呼肠孤病毒与诊断草鱼出血病提供了简捷快速的技术手段。

     

Development of a rapid assay for the diagnosis of Myxobolus cerebralis in fish and oligochaetes using loop-mediated isothermal amplification

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay was developed for the rapid detection of Myxobolus cerebralis in both fish and oligochaete hosts. The assay was optimized to amplify parasitic DNA by incubation with Bst DNA polymerase and a set of six specially constructed primers at 65 degrees C for 60 min. The amplification products were detected visually using SYBR Green I dye which gave identical results to gel electrophoresis analysis. Parasite DNA was detected from infected oligochaetes, and from the anal fin, caudal fin, dorsal fin and operculum of clinically infected fish. This 'Myxo-LAMP' assay has a detection limit similar to that of a polymerase chain reaction assay (10(-6)), but is more rapid and only requires a water bath for amplification and is therefore practical for simple and rapid diagnosis of infected tissue.