Enhanced resistance to listeriosis induced in mice by preinoculation treatment with T-2 mycotoxin

The effect of T-2 toxin on cell-mediated resistance to bacterial infection was evaluated in mice challenge exposed with Listeria monocytogenes. Mice were treated orally on days -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, +1, and +3 with 2.0, 1.0, 0.5, or 0 mg of T-2 toxin/kg of body weight and were exposed to 10(6) (LD100) or 10(5) (LD50) L monocytogenes by intraperitoneal injection on day 0. Necrosis and depletion of lymphocytes in the thymus and spleen, decrease in thymus weight, reductions in the number of circulating total leukocytes and lymphocytes, and necrotizing gastroenteritis occurred in the toxin-treated mice. Although the cytotoxic effect of T-2 toxin on lymphoid tissue was marked, enhanced resistance to Listeria infection was revealed by significant (P less than 0.01) decreases in mortality caused by listeriosis in the toxin-treated mice. Mortality decreased from 100% to 64% in the mice exposed to 10(6) Listeria and from 50% to 20% in the mice exposed to 10(5) Listeria. Percentage of mortality after Listeria challenge exposure was dependent on the T-2 toxin dose and was progressively decreased in the mice given 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg of toxin/kg.     

T-2 toxin-enhanced resistance against listeriosis in mice: importance of gastrointestinal lesions

The role of T-2 toxin-induced gastrointestinal lesions in T-2 toxin-enhanced resistance to listeriosis in mice was evaluated. The T-2 toxin-induced lesions did not cause a starvation effect sufficient to enhance resistance to listeriosis. Administration of polymyxin E markedly reduced the gram-negative intestinal microflora and did not eliminate the toxin-induced resistance to listeriosis. The T-2 toxin did not cause an increased expression of Ia surface antigens on peritoneal macrophages. Thus, toxin-induced anorexia and starvation or absorption of gram-negative intestinal bacteria and endotoxins through toxin-induced gastrointestinal lesions did not account for the enhancing effect of T-2 toxin on resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice.     

Differential effect of T-2 toxin on murine host resistance to three facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens: Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, and Mycobacterium bovis

The effect of T-2 toxin, a radiomimetic immunosuppressive agent, on resistance to the facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens Listeria monocytogenes (strain EGD), Mycobacterium bovis (BCG Copenhagen 1331), and Salmonella typhimurium was determined. Female Swiss ICR mice were given a single dose of T-2 toxin (4 mg/kg of body weight) by gastric gavage. On the seventh day after toxin administration, the mice were infected by intraperitoneal inoculation with L monocytogenes, S typhimurium, or M bovis. Mice given the toxin also were exposed to respirable droplet nuclei containing L monocytogenes or M bovis. The effect of the toxin on the course of infection was monitored by observing mortality or by enumeration of bacteria in the spleen or lungs of infected mice. The toxin increased resistance to infection with L monocytogenes initiated by intraperitoneal inoculation, but reduced resistance to M bovis infection initiated by intraperitoneal inoculation. The toxin had no appreciable effect on the course of salmonellosis or on resistance to infection initiated by inhalation of L monocytogenes or M bovis aerosols. Therefore, it was concluded that T-2 toxin does not necessarily reduce resistance to infection in mice. The toxin's effect on the course of in vivo bacterial infections depends on the nature of the infective agent and the route of inoculation.     

Regulation of murine macrophage phagocytosis of sheep erythrocytes by T-2 toxin

The effect of a single oral dose of 4 mg of T-2 toxin/kg of body weight on in vivo phagocytosis of sheep RBC by peritoneal macrophages was evaluated in nonsensitized mice and in mice sensitized with sheep RBC. T-2 toxin treatment had no effect on the viability or phagocytic activity of resident peritoneal macrophages in nonsensitized mice. However, a significant (P less than 0.005) increase in phagocytic activity occurred in cells from mice treated with toxin and subsequently sensitized with sheep RBC. In contrast, phagocytosis of sheep RBC was significantly (P less than 0.05) suppressed in cells from mice treated with toxin after sensitization. Toxin treatment induced necrosis of lymphocytes and significant decreases in thymus and spleen weights. Seemingly, T-2 toxin, administered at a dose that caused marked lymphoid depletion, suppressed or enhanced in vivo macrophage phagocytic activity in antigenically sensitized mice, and enhancement or suppression of phagocytosis was a function of the time of toxin treatment in relation to antigenic stimulation.     

Immunopathological effects of experimental T-2 mycotoxocosis in broiler chicken co-infected with infectious bronchitis virus (IBV)

A total of 128 1-week-old chicks were classified into four groups; T-2 toxin fed (T-2), IBV infected (IBV), T-2 toxin fed and co-infected with IBV (T-2+IBV), and untreated (control) for a period of 6 weeks. Within their respective groups, the birds belonged to T-2 and T-2+IBV were exposed to 2 ppm of T-2 toxin contaminated feed for 6 weeks, and 0.2 ml of 10 EID(50) (10(5.69)/0.2 ml) inoculums of IBV isolate (India/LKW/56/IVRI/08) was used to challenge the chicks belonged to IBV alone and T-2+IBV groups after 3 weeks of the experiment. To study immunopathological effects, parameters such as lymphocyte stimulation indices (SI), haemagglutination inhibition, enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA), peripheral lymphocytes CD(4)(+) and CD(8)(+) analysis, and histopathological examination of lymphoid organs were done. Accordingly, SI values were significantly (P<0.05) lower in all the treatment groups as compared to control, however, the SI values of IBV infected group were significantly higher than the values in toxin fed groups. The mean HI titres to ND vaccine was significantly (P<0.05) lower in the toxin groups at all the intervals, and the antibody titres in IBV infected group were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of T-2 toxin fed and co-infected with IBV group but were significantly (P<0.05) lower than the control at 21 (3) and 28 (10) days of toxin feeding (DTF) (days post infection (DPI)). Similarly, the mean IBV ELISA antibody titres in the toxin fed groups were significantly (P<0.01) reduced as compared with the IBV ELISA antibody titres of IBV infected but not toxin fed group, at all intervals. Peripheral CD(4)(+):CD(8)(+) ratios in T-2+IBV group and number of CD(4)(+) and CD(8)(+) peripheral lymphocytes in all treatment groups were significantly reduced as compared to the values in control birds. However, CD(4)(+):CD(8)(+) ratios of IBV infected group at 42 (21) DTF (DPI) were found significantly (P<0.05) higher than the values in control birds. Histopathologically, lymphoid organs (bursa of Fabricius, spleen, thymus, caecal tonsils and Harderian glands) showed moderate to severe necrosis (lymphocytolysis) and extensive lymphocyte depletion in all the toxin groups (T-2 and T-2+IBV groups) where the severity and extent of the lesions were more in T-2+IBV group. The findings of the present experiment revealed immunosuppressive effects of T-2 toxin and aggravated the pathology and pathogenesis of IBV infection.     

Construction and Partial Biological Characteristics Analysis of Listeriolysin S llsB Gene Deletion Strain

In order to analyze the effect of listeriolysin S (LLS) llsB gene deletion on the biological characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes (LM),this study used homologous recombination to construct the llsB gene deletion strain LM90-ΔllsB,and the biological characteristics of growth characteristics,median lethal dose (LD₅₀) and organ-borne bacteria were studied in healthy Kunming male mice at 8 weeks old and weighing 40 g±5 g.The llsB gene deletion strain was successfully constructed,and the deletion strain had good genetic stability through continuous passage to 20 generations in vitro.Based on its growth curve examination,we found that the growth rate of the mutant strain was slightly higher than that of the parent strain.The results of mice infection test showed that the LD₅₀ of the parent strain and the deletion strain were 10^6.17 and 10^6.50 CFU,respectively.Compared with the parent strain,the amount of bacteria load of the deletion strain in the liver and spleen of the mice was extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01),the results showed that the infection ability of the mutant strain on mice was obviously weakened.No Listeria monocytogenes was detected in the brain.The results suggested that llsB gene might have direct or indirect regulatory effect on some biological characteristics of LM90,and it would provide a theoretical basis for further understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of LLS,prevention and control of listeriosis.     

Outbreak of clinical listeriosis in sheep: evaluation from possible contamination routes from feed to raw produce and humans

We report the results of clinical and microbiological investigations on Listeria monocytogenes infections in a flock of 55 sheep and describe the implications for the safety of the raw milk and raw-milk cheeses produced in the on-farm dairy. The outbreak was caused by feeding grass silage, which was contaminated with 5 log10 CFU L. monocytogenes/g. Clinically, although having been fed from the same batch of silage, abortive (nine ewes), encephalitic (one ewe) and septicaemic (four ewes) forms of listeriosis were observed during the outbreak phase. As the starting point of feeding the contaminated silage was known we could calculate an incubation period of 18+/-2 and 26 days for the abortive and the encephalitic form of listeriosis, respectively. Pathologically, the septicaemic cases suffered from Listeria accumulation at comparable numbers in visceral organs but not in the brain. Only a single ewe developed central nervous symptoms and a rhomb-encephalitis was immunohistologically confirmed. In this case the infection proceeded from the nasal mucosa into the brain, with no infections of the liver, spleen and other visceral organs. Sampling of the cheese production chain, the farm environment and the persons living at the farm revealed the exposure of a farm-worker to an isolate genetically indistinguishable from the outbreak clone, obviously through the consumption of faecally contaminated bovine raw milk. The cheese under processing was free of Listeria because, as a result of intensive consultations, the farmer ensured a proper acidification of the cheese. The epidemiological findings suggest that food safety matters should be assessed in any case where infection of food-producing animals with potential human pathogens is observed.     

Adrenal cortical necrosis caused by T-2 mycotoxicosis in female, but not male, mice

Experimentally, adrenal cortical parenchymal cell necrosis was induced by T-2 mycotoxin in female, but not male, mice. The lesion occurred in the adrenal glands in 11 of 11 female and 0 of 10 male mice given a nose-only aerosol exposure to T-2 mycotoxin. The necrosis, restricted to the zona fasciculata, began at the X zone interface and extended peripherally to involve 15% to 70% of the zone. Both light and transmission electron microscopies were used to determine whether the cellular and subcellular damage involved parenchymal cells of the zona fasciculata. Extensive necrosis of cortical thymocytes and necrosis of lymphoid cells in follicles of the spleen, lymph nodes, and intestine-associated lymphoid tissue were observed in both sexes. This is the first report to describe adrenal gland necrosis associated with exposure to T-2 mycotoxin.     

Subacute toxicity of dietary T-2 toxin in mice: morphological and hematological effects.

Changes in hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues of young Swiss mice fed a balanced semipurified diet containing T-2 toxin (20 ppm) were examined after one, two, three, four or six weeks. During the first three weeks of exposure of T-2 toxin, lymphoid tissues, bone marrow and splenic red pulp became hypoplastic, resulting in anemia, lymphopenia and eosinopenia. Subsequently, during continued exposure to T-2 toxin, hematopoietic cells regenerated in bone marrow and splenic red pulp and became hyperplastic by six weeks. Granulopoiesis and thrombopoiesis resumed in advance of erythropoiesis. All lymphoid tissues remained atrophic throughout the six week trial. Mice exposed to T-2 toxin also developed perioral dermatitis and hyperkeratosis with ulceration of the mucosa of the esophageal region of the stomach. These results indicated that young mice were susceptible to both the irritant and the hematopoietic-suppressive toxic effects of dietary T-2 toxin. However, supression of hematopoiesis was transient and did not lead to hematopoietic failure.     

Comparison of the effect of T-2 toxin with that of dexamethasone or cyclophosphamide on resistance to Babesia microti infection in mice

The effect of T-2 toxin on host resistance to acute and latent Babesia microti infections was evaluated in mice and was compared with the effects of the immunosuppressive drugs dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide. Mice with acute or latent B microti infection were treated with 2 mg of T-2 toxin/kg of body weight, 0.2 mg of dexamethasone/kg, or 30 mg of cyclophosphamide/kg daily for 5 days. Treatment with dexamethasone or cyclophosphamide caused significant (P less than 0.05) increases in Babesia parasitemia during acute infection and significantly (P less than 0.05) prolonged the duration of parasitemia during acute babesiosis. Treatment with T-2 toxin caused a transient significant (P less than 0.05) increase in Babesia parasitemia on day 10 after acute infection and numerical, though statistically nonsignificant, increases in the maximal level and duration of parasitemia during acute babesiosis. Significant (P less than 0.005) recrudescence of parasitemia was observed in the dexamethasone- and cyclophosphamide-treated mice with latent Babesia infection. Treatment with T-2 toxin did not cause recrudescence of parasitemia in mice with latent Babesia infection.     

Acute toxicological experiment of T-2 toxin in rabbits

Rabbits were treated with a single oral dose (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 15 mg/kg body mass) of T-2 fusariotoxin. Doses of 4 mg or higher killed the animals in 24 to 48 h. As opposed to the controls, in the treated rabbits gross pathological and histopathological examinations revealed acute catarrhal gastroenteritis, necrosis of lymphoid cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa, centrolobular dystrophy of the liver, necrosis of cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) in the liver, tubulonephrosis, focal dystrophy of the adrenal cortex, lymphocyte depletion involving both T- and B-cell-dependent zones of the lymphoid organs (spleen, lymph, ampulla ilei), and depletion and necrosis of the myelopoietic cell colonies of the bone marrow. Similar but milder changes were observed in surviving rabbits exsanguinated 48 h after treatment. In addition to the direct damage done to the digestive tract mucosa and liver, the toxin severely damaged the cells participating in humoral and cell-mediated immunity and in the local defence of the intestinal mucosa, and markedly impaired phagocytosis and granulocytopoiesis. In another experiment rabbits were given oral doses of 2 mg/kg body mass T-2 toxin daily for several days. One rabbit was killed by bleeding every day. In rabbits killed beyond day 7 there was subacute catarrhal gastritis, emaciation, and hypertrophy of the adrenal cortex.     

Comparison of effects of dietary T-2 toxin on growth, immunogenic organs, antibody formation, and pathologic changes in turkeys and chickens.

The effect of T-2 toxin (trichothecene mycotoxin) consumption on Broad-Breasted White turkey poults and White Leghorn chicks was studied. Groups of ten 8-day-old poults were fed rations containing T-2 at 10 ppm, 2ppm, or 0 ppm (controls) for a period of 4 weeks; a 4th group (inanition control) was fed control rations equal to the amount consumed by the group fed rations containing T-2 at 10 ppm during the previous 24 hours. A similar experimental design was used to study the effect of the toxin on 1-day-old chicks. The thymus glands of the poults given the feed containing 10 ppm were markedly decreased in size compared with thymus glands from poults in the control group, 0.182 vs 0.331 (percentage of body weight). There was no significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) decrease in thymus gland size in poults given 2 ppm or in the inanition controls. Dietary treatment did not appear to affect the size of the bursa or spleen of the poults. Histopathologic examination of thymus glands from poults given 10 ppm of T-2 revealed a depletion of cortical lymphocytes. Chicks appeared less sensitive to T-2 toxin than did the poults. There was no effect by any dietary treatment on the size of the thymus gland, bursa, or spleen of chicks. Reductions were noticed in feed efficiency and weight gain. There was no effect of T-2 toxin on agglutinating antibody formation to Pasteurella multocida bacterin.     

单核细胞增生性李斯特菌感染ICR小鼠模型的建立

单核细胞增生性李斯特菌(Listeria monocytogenes,LM)是一种人畜共患食源性致病菌,能引起人和动物较为严重的感染症状。现广泛使用具有免疫活性的小鼠模型测定半数致死量(LD₅₀)来评价不同LM菌株的致病性。为建立LM的ICR小鼠模型,本研究采用1/2a血清型的N21 LM菌株,分别以10⁶、10⁷、10⁸、10⁹和10¹⁰ CFU的剂量口腔灌注感染6周龄ICR小鼠,每组10只;另取10只接种PBS作为对照组,测定LM对ICR小鼠的LD₅₀;另取40只小鼠,平均分为2组,公母各半,以测定的LD₅₀剂量接种LM,分别对各组小鼠临床症状、组织病理变化、体重变化及组织中细菌载量进行评价。结果发现,N21 LM菌株对ICR小鼠的LD₅₀为10^9.25 CFU;感染周期为10 d左右,感染小鼠出现被毛粗糙、精神萎靡、阴茎垂出及体重下降等临床症状。组织病理学分析结果显示,肝脏先后出现实质内灶状细菌团块、形成血栓、细胞坏死等;脾脏主要表现为白髓内淋巴细胞减少;肺脏主要表现为纤维素性肺炎。菌落计数和Real-time PCR的检测结果发现肝脏中细菌载量最高,脾脏次之。结果表明,ICR小鼠能作为单核细胞增生性李斯特菌的感染模型。本试验结果为研究LM的致病机制、疫苗研究及抗菌肽转基因小鼠抗LM的评价奠定了基础。     

伊氏李氏杆菌引发奶牛流产的诊断

李氏杆菌是引起家畜流产的主要传染性病因之一,其中单核细胞增生性李氏杆菌和伊氏李氏杆菌是引起奶牛李氏杆菌病的主要致病菌,主要引起动物脑膜脑炎、败血症和孕畜流产、死胎或新生畜感染等症状。本实验室于2010年4月接到北京某牛场流产病例样品3份（包括流产胎儿、胎盘及母牛血样）,经胎儿组织抹片染色、细菌分离培养与鉴定以及鉴别诊断,最终确诊该3例流产病例为伊氏李氏杆菌感染所致。     

Passive immunization with convalescent serum, or oral immunization with formalin-killed organisms, does not protect mice against gastrointestinal challenge with Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen in both humans and animals. In addition, murine listeriosis is a widely used model for studying the molecular pathogenesis of an intracellular pathogen, and the regulation of protective cellular immunity. Little attention has been paid to protective immunity against L. monocytogenes in the gastrointestinal tract, where a secretory immune response might prevent attachment of the bacteria to the intestinal epithelium. In this study we found that neither opsonization of L. monocytogenes with immune serum, nor repeated oral administration of killed L. monocytogenes, protected mice against gastrointestinal challenge with L. monocytogenes.     

Listeria monocytogenes in horses in Iceland

Twenty isolates of Listeria monocytogenes associated with five confirmed and four suspected incidents of listeriosis in horses in Iceland were characterised by serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and ribotyping. Semiquantitative estimates of the numbers of L monocytogenes were made on faeces from horses with clinical signs of listeriosis and on grass silage fed to them. Large numbers of L monocytogenes were often found in the faeces of horses with severe signs of disease. The 20 isolates could be divided into six genotypes, each incident involving only one genotype. One serovar 1/2a genotype was associated with three confirmed incidents of listeriosis in 1991, 1993 and 1997. In one incident, the same genotype was isolated from the organs of a horse with listeriosis and from the spoiled grass silage fed to it.     

Experimental T-2 toxicosis in sheep.

Lambs received T-2 toxin at a rate of 0.6 or 0.3 mg/kg body weight per day in a protein reduced diet for 21 days to study the immunological and pathological effects of T-2 toxin in sheep. Blood was collected before T-2 treatment and on days 7, 14 and 21 of the trial for hematological and biochemical examination and for the separation of peripheral blood lymphocytes for the mitogen assay. Myeloid:erythroid ratios were determined from sternal bone marrow samples taken a day before T-2 treatment began, on day 12 and at death (day 22). Lambs treated with 0.6 mg/kg body weight of T-2 toxin daily were leukopenic on day 7 and lymphopenic on days 7 and 14. Also, on day 7, the mitogenic responses of these lambs to the B-cell mitogen, lipopolysaccharide, were significantly depressed and prothrombin times were prolonged. At necropsy, lymphoid atrophy of mesenteric lymph nodes and spleens was most marked in lambs treated with 0.6 mg/kg body weight of T-2 toxin per day. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of leukopenia, lymphopenia and lymphoid depletion in ruminants fed T-2 toxin.     

Associations among Listeria monocytogenes genotypes and distinct clinical manifestations of listeriosis in cattle

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether specific strains of Listeria monocytogenes, as determined by genetic characteristics and virulence phenotypes, were associated with distinct clinical manifestations of listeriosis in cattle and thus may potentially have tissue specificity. ANIMALS: 32 cattle. PROCEDURE: DNA sequence data for the virulence genes actAand inlAwere used to infer the phylogeny of L. monocytogenes and to test for positive selection. Isolates were screened for the presence or absence of internalin genes and assigned an internalin profile. Plaquing assays were performed to determine the relative cytopathogenicity of each isolate. Categorical data analyses were performed to describe associations among L. monocytogenes genotypes, virulence phenotypes, and clinical manifestations of listeriosis. RESULTS: Results confirmed that L. monocytogenes represents 2 deeply separated evolutionary lineages. Genes actA and inlA contained amino acid sites under positive selection, and specific residues at some sites were associated with lineage and manifestation of listeriosis. Whereas lineage I was clonal and predominantly composed of isolates from cases of encephalitis, lineage II was more genetically diverse and equally represented by isolates from cases of encephalitis versus septicemia and fetal infection. Lineage I isolates also had greater cytopathogenicity in vitro, compared with lineage II isolates. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that L. monocytogenes virulence genes underwent positive selection that is consistent with the diversification of 2 evolutionary lineages: lineage I is clonal and associated with encephalitis, and lineage II is more genetically diverse and equally likely to cause both major forms of listeriosis in cattle.     

Listeriosis in a Holstein cow.

Bovine listeriosis is a sporadie bacterial infection most commonly manifested by encephalitis or meningoencephalitis in adult animals. Cattle fed poorly fermented haylage or corn silage are at increased risk. Mortality is high without early antibiotic and supportive therapy. Listeria monocytogenes can affect many species and is a public health concern.     

A direct plating method for monitoring the contamination of Listeria monocytogenes in silage.

Twenty-two silage samples were analyzed for the presence of L. monocytogenes using five Listeria selective plating media, with and without previous selective enrichment step. L. monocytogenes was recovered from 3 samples by both procedures, but direct plating allowed the quantification of Listeria population. Two of these positive samples were implicated in outbreaks of listeriosis in sheep; the L. monocytogenes population in these samples was about 10(6) cells/g. The L. monocytogenes population in the other positive sample was 10(3) cells/g. Direct isolation of L. monocytogenes was only possible from LPM, PALCAM and LSAMm media. MOX and LSM media were not selective enough to allow direct Listeria isolation. In our hands, LSAMm was the most suitable plating medium for the direct isolation and specific quantification of L. monocytogenes from silage employing a red blood cells overlay technique.