In vitro infection by Ehrlichia ruminantium of baby hamster kidney (BHK), Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) and Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells

The Welgevonden stock of Ehrlichia ruminantium, aetiological agent of heartwater, was propagated in baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells and Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells. The cultures required supplementation of the medium with cycloheximide for reliable growth of E. ruminantium. Growth of the Welgevonden stock in BHK and CHO-K1 cells could lead to the development of suspension cultures suitable for the mass production of E. ruminantium for an inactivated elementary body vaccine.     

Quantification of Ehrlichia ruminantium by real time PCR

Ehrlichia ruminantium (ER) is the causative agent of Heartwater, one of the most common tick-borne diseases affecting ruminants in African countries and West Indies. Although ER can be used as an inactivated vaccine for wild and domestic animals, there are currently no easy and reliable methods for the quantification of this obligate intracellular bacterium. This report describes the development of a SYBR Green I based real time PCR protocol for the quantification of ER for vaccine production purposes. The method was validated for four ER strains. The external-standard-based PCR protocol developed has a large dynamic quantitative range allowing accurate ER measurement in samples containing from 10(2) to 10(8) gene copies; the method is also reproducible and precise, with intra- and inter-assay coefficients below 5%. The detection limits were validated for samples collected from bovine aortic endothelial cell culture bulks, which are commonly used to produce the ER vaccine. In contrast to the methods based upon protein content, no interference from the host cells in ER quantification was observed. Furthermore, the extended applicability of the new technique was demonstrated by monitoring ER production in cell culture thus rendering it a valuable tool to ensure consistency between vaccine lots and to evaluate optimal vaccine dosage.     

Protective killed Ehrlichia ruminantium vaccine elicits IFN-gamma responses by CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in goats

Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) is considered as a key mediator of protective cell-mediated immunity against intracellular pathogens in general, and against Ehrlichia ruminantium, the causative agent of tick-borne heartwater disease of ruminants, in particular. However, the source of this important cytokine in animals immunized against E. ruminantium remains largely unknown. We have analyzed in goats protected by vaccination with a killed E. ruminantium vaccine, the potential of individual, genuine (i.e., non-cloned), T cell subsets to produce IFN-gamma after antigenic recall in vitro. In all vaccinated but none control animals, E. ruminantium-induced IFN-gamma secretion was observed in 24 h stimulated blood. Flow cytometric analysis of stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected after each vaccine inoculation indicated that immune CD4+ and CD8+ T cells contribute to the same extent to the production of IFN-gamma, while WC1+ T cells are less important. This was confirmed by blocking the secretion of IFN-gamma with anti-classes I and II major histocompatibility complex antibodies. Blocking experiments also suggest that CD8+ need the help of CD4+ T cells in order to produce IFN-gamma. Thus, this work underlines the key role of CD4+ T cells in the production of IFN-gamma by immune goat PBMC. It also describes, for the first time in ruminants, E. ruminantium-specific CD8+ effector T cells. Since CD4+ and CD8+ T cells collectively contribute to the production of IFN-gamma in most vaccinated animals, and since these responses are associated with protection, it may be that a recombinant vaccine will need to incorporate E. ruminantium antigens capable of driving both responses.     

An assessment of the economic impact of heartwater (Cowdria ruminantium infection) and its control in Zimbabwe.

Heartwater, caused by the rickettsial organism Cowdria ruminantium, is a serious constraint to livestock development in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Traditionally, the disease has been controlled by the use of chemical acaricides to control the vector tick. The University of Florida/USAID-supported heartwater research project (based in Zimbabwe) is developing a new inactivated vaccine to control the disease. In order that the vaccine is used effectively, the project has been studying the epidemiology of the disease in different livestock production systems of Zimbabwe, and evaluating the economic impact of the disease and of its future control using a vaccine such as the one under development. Initially, field studies were conducted to characterise the communal and commercial livestock-productions systems at risk from heartwater and to understand the epidemiology of the disease. The data from these studies were then applied to an infection-dynamics model of heartwater, which was used to provide estimates of disease incidence and impact under various scenarios over a period of 10 yr. Two principal outputs of the epidemiological model (cumulative annual heartwater incidence and infection-fatality proportion) were key inputs into an economics model. The estimated total annual national losses amount to Z$ 61.3 million (US$ 5.6 million) in discounted value terms over 10 yr. Annual economic losses per animal in the commercial production system (Z$ 56 discounted values) are 25 times greater than the losses in the communal system (Z$ 2.2). The greatest component of economic loss is acaricide cost (76%), followed by milk loss (18%) and treatment cost (5%). Losses in outputs other than milk (beef, traction and manure) appear to be minimal. A new vaccine has the promise of a benefit: cost ratio of about 2.4:1 in the communal and 7.6:1 in the commercial system. A control strategy based on a new vaccine would yield additional non-financial benefits to farmers and the government resulting from reductions in the use of chemical acaricides.     

Characterization of the pCS20 region of different Ehrlichia ruminantium isolates

Heartwater is a serious tick-borne disease of ruminants caused by the rickettsial organism Ehrlichia (Cowdria) ruminantium. A diagnostic test, targeting the pCS20 genomic region and using PCR amplification and probe hybridization, detects E. ruminantium infection in ticks and animals. However, only the pCS20 sequence of the Crystal Springs E. ruminantium isolate is available and the existence of sequence variation amongst different E. ruminantium isolates has not been determined. Primers were designed from the published pCS20 sequence to obtain sequences of the pCS20 region of various E. ruminantium isolates. These primers were unable to amplify the pCS20 region from genomic Welgevonden DNA and genome walking was used to characterize the pCS20 region. This technique showed that the published pCS20 sequence is from a chimeric clone. Sequences of the pCS20 region of 14 different E. ruminantium isolates were determined after amplification with newly designed primers. Sequencing data indicated that West African E. ruminantium isolates are highly conserved, whereas more variation occurs amongst the southern African isolates. These results facilitated the design of a short pCS20 probe and a large PCR target that improved the sensitivity of the E. ruminantium detection assay.     

Heartwater. The artificial transmission of Cowdria ruminantium in domestic ruminants and mice

The artificial transmission of Cowdria ruminantium with infected blood, organ homogenates, peritoneal macrophages, tick stabilate and tissue culture cells is discussed. Organ homogenates prepared from the myocardium, spleen, kidneys and liver of diseased animals are commonly used to infect mice. The efficacy of organ homogenates as a source of C. ruminantium depends on factors such as the route of inoculation and the heartwater isolate used. Heartwater is artificially transmitted with infected tick stabilate, haemocytes, rectal ampules and hypodermal homogenates. The infectivity of saliva collected from Amblyomma hebraeum female ticks was very low compared to the ground-up suspensions prepared from the same group of ticks.     

Natural transmission of heartwater

Heartwater has been transmitted experimentally by 12 Amblyomma species. Their importance depends on the extent of their distribution, adaptation to domestic stock and their efficacy as vectors. Except for one report of transovarial transmission, transmission is transstadial. Ticks may obtain the infection while feeding on reacting animals, subclinically infected hosts or perhaps on immune animals after reinfection. There is a marked increase in the infectivity of infected ticks during feeding but this decreases before and during moulting. The demonstration of Cowdria ruminantium in salivary glands of ticks suggests that transmission takes place via the saliva and that regurgitation from the gut may not be as important as previously thought. Transmission takes place on the 2nd day from the time infected nymphae were placed on the animals and on the 4th-day in the case of adult ticks.     

Identification of drugs effective against Cowdria ruminantium using a mouse screening system

Heartwater is a tick-transmitted rickettsial infection of ruminants, caused by Cowdria ruminantium. The tetracyclines are the only compounds available for therapy of the disease. A screen, using mice infected with C. ruminantium, was developed and used to identify new compounds with potential for the control of heartwater. A series of di-4-methyl-thiosemicarbazones was shown to be highly active in the mouse model and their efficacy was confirmed in further trials in sheep infected with C. ruminantium. The mouse screen was shown to be simple to operate and reliably predictive of activity against heartwater. Ways in which the screen may be improved are suggested.     

猪丁型冠状病毒在悬浮培养猪肾细胞LLC-PK1上的增殖特性分析

旨在分析猪丁型冠状病毒(porcine deltacoronavirus,PDCoV)在悬浮培养的猪肾细胞LLC-PK1上的增殖特性,为PDCoV灭活疫苗的规模化生产提供细胞材料。采用逐步降血清法优化LLC-PK1细胞悬浮培养工艺;利用有限稀释法筛选PDCoV适应性细胞株;利用间接免疫荧光法鉴定PDCoV对LLC-PK1细胞的感染性;分别对PDCoV接种LLC-PK1悬浮细胞的初始密度、MOI、收毒时间、TPCK胰酶浓度等参数进行优化,确定最佳悬浮培养条件。成功筛选出可高效增殖PDCoV的单克隆悬浮细胞株LLC-PK1Sa,且利用其增殖的PDCoV可特异性的感染LLC-PK1细胞;PDCoV按MOI为10^-3接种于密度为2×10⁶ cells·mL^-1的LLC-PK1Sa细胞,当TPCK胰酶终浓度达到7.5 μg·mL^-1时,接毒后48 h收获的病毒液滴度最高。本研究首次实现了PDCoV在LLC-PK1Sa悬浮细胞中的高效增殖,并对悬浮培养条件进行了初步优化,可为PDCoV灭活疫苗的规模化生产提供理论参考。     

A quantitative real-time PCR assay for Ehrlichia ruminantium using pCS20

Heartwater is a tick borne disease that affects ruminants and wild animals in Africa south of the Sahara. It is caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium and transmitted by the tick Amblyomma hebraeum. The protocols currently used to detect heartwater take several days to complete. Here, we describe the development of a pCS20 quantitative real-time PCR TaqMan probe assay to detect E. ruminantium in livestock blood and ticks from the field. The assay is based on the conserved pCS20 gene region of E. ruminantium that contains two overlapping genes, rnc and ctaG [Collins, N.E., Liebenberg, J., De Villiers, E.P., Brayton, K.A., Louw, E., Pretorius, A., Faber, F.E., Van Heerden, H., Josemans, A., Van Kleef, M., Steyn, H.C., Van Strijp, M.F., Zweygarth, E., Jongejan, F., Maillard, J.C., Berthier, D., Botha, M., Joubert, F., Corton, C.H., Thomson, N.R., Allsopp, M.T., Allsopp, B.A., 2005. The genome of the heartwater agent Ehrlichia ruminantium contains multiple tandem repeats of actively variable copy number. PNAS 102, 838-843]. The pCS20 quantitative real-time PCR TaqMan probe was compared to the currently used pCS20 PCR and PCR/(32)P-probe test with regards to sensitivity, specificity and the ability to detect DNA in field samples and in blood from experimentally infected sheep. This investigation showed that the pCS20 quantitative real-time PCR TaqMan probe was the most sensitive assay detecting seven copies of DNA/mul of cell culture. All three assays, however, cross react with Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia chaffeensis. The pCS20 real-time PCR detected significantly more positive field samples. Both the PCR and pCS20 real-time PCR could only detect E. ruminantium parasites in the blood of experimentally infected sheep during the febrile reaction. The PCR/(32)P-probe assay, however, detected the parasite DNA 1 day before and during the febrile reaction. Thus, because this new quantitative pCS20 real-time PCR TaqMan probe assay was the most sensitive and can be performed within 2h it is an effective assay for epidemiological surveillance and monitoring of infected animals.     

Future prospects and goal setting regarding research on heartwater

This article highlights the most important research goals identified during the workshop on "Heartwater: Past, Present and Future," which was held from 8-11 September 1986 in the Republic of South Africa. An attempt has also been made to identify the most modern technology which is available for this purpose. All 60 papers presented at the workshop, together with other relevant information, are published in this number of the Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research. With regard to the causative organism it is crucial that research should be conducted on pure isolates. Moreover, existing culture methods should be improved in order to obtain better yields of organisms. Research on the hosts and vectors of Cowdria ruminantium should aim to elucidate the ways in which vector ticks become infected in nature. For this purpose especially, it will be necessary to develop rapid tests (e.g. DNA probes) to detect the organism in living animals and ticks. The nature of immunity and young animal resistance are still obscure and call for basic research. Mice and murino-tropic isolates of C. ruminantium should prove useful in this regard. Since cross-reactions with Ehrlichia occur, it is essential to give particular attention to the sero-epidemiology of Ehrlichia in conjunction with similar studies on Cowdria. The development of a tissue culture vaccine offers the greatest chance of immediate success and should be actively pursued. Studies on a recombinant vaccine should, however, be initiated because of the potential long term advantages.     

Identification of Ehrlichia ruminantium proteins that activate cellular immune responses using a reverse vaccinology strategy

Ehrlichia ruminantium is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen which causes heartwater, a serious tick-borne disease of ruminants throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The development of promising recombinant vaccines has been reported previously, but none has been as effective as immunisation with live organisms. In this study we have used reverse vaccinology to identify proteins that elicit an in vitro cellular immune response similar to that induced by intact E. ruminantium. The experimental strategy involved four successive steps: (i) in silico selection of the most likely vaccine candidate genes from the annotated genome; (ii) cloning and expression of the selected genes; (iii) in vitro screening of the expressed proteins for their ability to induce interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production in E. ruminantium-immune lymphocytes; and (iv) further examination of the cytokine response profiles of those lymphocytes which tested positive for IFN-γ induction. Based on their overall cytokine induction profiles the recombinant proteins were divided into four distinct groups. Eleven recombinant proteins induced a cytokine profile that was similar to the recall immune response induced by immune peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with intact E. ruminantium. This response comprised the upregulation of cytokines associated with adaptive cellular immune responses as well as innate immunity. A successful vaccine may therefore need to contain a combination of recombinant proteins which induce both immune pathways to ensure protection against heartwater.     

大肠杆菌菌苗的研制

对苗用菌株的灭活时间和菌苗免疫条件进行筛选的条件下,用甘肃省大肠杆菌的代表血清型和筛选的大肠杆菌原生质体融合菌株研制大肠杆菌菌苗,并进行菌苗安全性试验。正交试验试验结果表明:菌苗的最佳组合是抗原含量是4亿/mL和佐剂含量是10 mg/mL。苗用菌株的灭活试验结果表明:鸡苗的灭活条件是1%甲醛作用96 h;猪苗的灭活条件是2%甲醛作用48 h。     

关中奶山羊乳房炎灭活菌苗的制备及其免疫效果测定

对自制乳房炎疫苗免疫后的抗体效价进行评估.用甲醛37℃过夜灭活大肠埃希菌、葡萄球菌,分别制备蜂胶灭活疫苗、转移因子灭活苗及无佐剂疫苗,接种泌乳期奶山羊后,分别在不同时间采集免疫羊的血清和乳汁,ELISA测定血清大肠埃希菌和葡萄球菌的抗体效价.研究结果显示,大肠埃希菌和葡萄球菌经甲醛灭活彻底;与免疫前相比,血清和乳汁中的...     

Heartwater. An overview of the clinical signs, susceptibility and differential diagnoses of the disease in domestic ruminants

Heartwater is a frequently fatal tick-borne disease of ruminants caused by Cowdria ruminantium. In domestic ruminants the incubation period varies considerably and depends on the route of infection, virulence of the isolate and amount of infective material administered. Adult cattle of all breeds appear to be equally susceptible to heartwater. It is generally accepted that calves up to the age of 3 weeks have a high degree of natural resistance which is not related to the immune status of the dam. Nervous symptoms are frequently seen in animals affected by the peracute and acute forms of heartwater and can easily be confused with similar signs caused by infectious conditions, toxic plants, acaricide and heavy metal poisonings.     

传染性牛鼻气管炎亚单位疫苗免疫原性的研究

用犊牛睾丸细胞培养传染性牛鼻气管炎病毒（IBRV），反复冻融，差速离心提取病毒，用Triton X-100溶解，超声波处理，制成IBRV TritonX-100亚单位抗原，经SDS－PAGE电泳，其分子量在176kD-53kD之间，其中有6条清晰的蛋白带。该抗原与一定比例的白油－司盘佐剂乳化，接种育成年，经间接ELISA检测，可使接种的育成牛产生高效价的血清抗体（OD492mm=1.57)。2种不同剂量（80mg/头，40mg／头）的IBRV亚单位疫苗接种育成牛，体内抗体效价相差不显著，抗体可在体内持续12周，用IBRV TrionX-100亚单位疫苗2次接种育成牛，其体内抗体效价显著高于用灭活疫苗2次接种育成牛体内的效价。试验结果表明：提取的IBRV多肽制作的亚单位疫苗具有良好的免疫原性，且抗体持续时间较长。     

Preparation of Ehrlichia ruminantium challenge material for quantifiable and reproducible challenge in mice and sheep

The causative agent of heartwater, Ehrlichia ruminantium, is a tick-transmitted pathogen that infects bovine endothelial cells. Due to the obligate intracellular nature of this organism obtaining pure material in sufficient quantities for challenge studies is difficult. A murine model is frequently used to study potential vaccine candidates but giving reproducible challenges in this model for heartwater has always been problematic. We have therefore performed a series of experiments to optimize the parameters governing the reproducibility of challenge material. Two cryoprotectants were compared for the preparation of challenge material, buffered lactose peptone (BLP) and sucrose-potassium-glutamate (SPG). In addition two sources of virulent E. ruminantium were used, infected bovine endothelial cultures and infected mouse spleen homogenates. We also examined practical parameters affecting the reproducibility of challenge experiments: the time it takes to deliver the challenge material, the length of time a mouse remains immune to E. ruminantium challenge, and the effect of a given challenge dose. Finally, we performed a pilot study to determine whether mice could be used to titrate challenge material to be used for experiments in sheep. We found that: (a) E. ruminantium-infected mouse spleen homogenate provides more reproducible challenges than tissue culture material; (b) SPG is a better cryoprotectant than BLP; (c) challenge material should be used within 20min of thawing; (d) it is not essential to use syngeneic material for murine challenge experiments; (e) Balb/c mice are more sensitive to E. ruminantium challenge than C57BL/6J mice; (f) mice immunized by infection and treatment for use as positive immune controls should be challenged within 3 months of immunization; and (g) mice should be challenged with a dose not exceeding 10 LD(50)s.     

Role of water chemistry and stabilizers on the Vero-cells-based infectivity of Newcastle disease virus live vaccine

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) live vaccines are supplied in lyophilized form and usually administered through conventional routes (drinking water, spray, or eye drop) following reconstitution in a diluent. Virus inactivation due to physico-chemical properties of the diluent at the time of administration may lead to vaccine failure. The present study aimed to evaluate the survival of NDV live vaccine strain immersed in 5 pH-amended water samples (pH 5.00, pH 6.00, pH 7.00, pH 8.00, and pH 9.00) by sequential determination of virus infectivity on Vero cells for 3 hours. Minimum reduction in virus infectivity was recorded in the water with neutral or slightly alkaline pH, while the virus was relatively less stable at extreme pH conditions. Maximum reduction of infectivity was observed in the water with pH 9.00 in which the virus was completely inactivated within 3 hours. Addition of stabilizers (Cevamune® or skimmed milk) slightly altered the pH and total dissolved solids (TDS) values of the virus-charged water samples. In the stabilizer-added water samples, minimum reduction in infectivity was observed in the water with neutral pH, followed by the ones with a pH of 8.00, 6.00, 5.00, and 9.00. In all types of water samples, T-90 values (time required for 90% reduction in virus infectivity) were highest (485 minutes) at neutral pH (pH 7.00) and lowest (102 to 134 min) at an extreme alkaline condition (pH 9.00). Results of the present study indicate that water with a pH range of 7.00 to 8.00 is suitable for administration of NDV live vaccines. However, the addition of Cevamune® or skimmed milk may have beneficial effects on preserving the infectivity of the virus, even at extreme pH conditions.     

鸭疫里默氏杆菌贵州流行株蜂胶灭活疫苗制备

【目的】制备鸭疫里默氏杆菌(Riemerella anatipestifer,RA)贵州流行株蜂胶灭活疫苗。【方法】选取RA血清2型贵州流行株(RA-SS-8株)为基础菌株,依次利用分光光度法和平板计数法测定细菌生长曲线,再进行灭活条件筛选,以蜂胶为佐剂制备RA贵州流行株蜂胶灭活疫苗,并进行无菌检验、安全性检验及免疫鸭攻毒保护性试验。【结果】分光光度法测定RA-SS-8株菌液D_{600 nm}值随培养时间变化显示,细菌在0~3 h时增殖缓慢,在3~10 h时增殖趋势明显加快,在10 h以后增殖逐渐趋于平缓,随着培养时间的延长,细菌最终进入衰亡期;平板计数法结果显示,RA-SS-8株D_{600 nm}值为0.1~0.8时,该菌处于对数生长期,且D_{600 nm}值与活菌数呈现良好的线性关系;RA-SS-8株最佳灭活条件为0.2%甲醛溶液、37 ℃灭活12 h;蜂胶灭活疫苗含菌量为3.8×10⁹ CFU/mL,蜂胶干物质含量为10 mg/mL;无菌检验巧克力琼脂培养基上未见菌落生长;安全性检验以2倍免疫剂量接种雏鸭在观察期内未表现出不良反应,大体病变观察未见明显病变;免疫鸭攻毒保护性试验显示,蜂胶灭活疫苗免疫组鸭对RA-SS-8株的攻击后保护率为70%,蜂胶灭活疫苗对试验鸭心脏、肝脏组织均具有良好的保护效果。【结论】本研究成功制备了RA贵州流行株蜂胶灭活疫苗,为蜂胶灭活疫苗制备和动物免疫试验奠定基础。     

The pCS20 PCR assay for Ehrlichia ruminantium does not cross-react with the novel deer ehrlichial agent found in white-tailed deer in the United States of America

White-tailed deer are susceptible to heartwater (Ehrlichia [Cowdria] ruminantium infection) and are likely to suffer high mortality if the disease spreads to the United States. It is vital, therefore, to validate a highly specific and sensitive detection method for E. ruminantium infection that can be reliably used in testing white-tailed deer, which are reservoirs of antigenically or genetically related agents such as Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Anaplasma (Ehrlichia) phagocytophilum (HGE agent) and Ehrlichia ewingii. Recently, a novel but as yet unnamed ehrlichial species, the white-tailed deer ehrlichia (WTDE), has been discovered in deer populations in the United States. Although the significance of WTDE as a pathogen is unknown at present, it can be distinguished from other Ehrlichia spp. based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. In this study it was differentiated from E. ruminantium by the use of the pCS20 PCR assay which has high specificity and sensitivity for the detection of E. ruminantium. This assay did not amplify DNA from the WTDE DNA samples isolated from deer resident in Florida, Georgia and Missouri, but amplified the specific 279 bp fragment from E. ruminantium DNA. The specificity of the pCS20 PCR assay for E. ruminantium was confirmed by Southern hybridization. Similarly, the 16S PCR primers (nested) that amplify a specific 405-412 bp fragment from the WTDE DNA samples, did not amplify any product from E. ruminantium DNA. This result demonstrates that it would be possible to differentiate between E. ruminantium and the novel WTDE agent found in white tailed deer by applying the two respective PCR assays followed by Southern hybridizations. Since the pCS20 PCR assay also does not amplify any DNA products from E. chaffeensis or Ehrlichia canis DNA, it is therefore the method of choice for the detection of E. ruminantium in these deer and other animal hosts.