First report of Helleborus net necrosis virus isolated from hellebores with black death syndrome in Japan

Helleborus net necrosis virus (HeNNV) in hellebores (Helleborus spp.) has been detected for the first time in Japan. Infected plants had black streaks on fresh leaves and black spots on sepals, which resembled the symptoms of black death disease. The morphology of the virus particles isolated from infected plants was comparable to that of carlaviruses. RT-PCR analysis showed that the entire HeNNV genomic sequence isolated in Japan shared 99% identity with that of HeNNV previously reported in the United States.     

Cutaneous lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with systemic metastasis in a cat

A lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma was diagnosed in a 12- year-old domestic cat that had a primary cutaneous mass involving the stomach, liver, kidneys, heart, abdominal wall, diaphragm, bone marrow and several lymph nodes. Histopathologically, the most characteristic feature of this tumor was the heterogeneity of cell components, such as small lymphocytes, well-differentiated plasma cells and plasmacytoid transformed lymphocytes. Amyloid was deposited in the skin, stomach, and several lymph nodes. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic small lymphocytes were positive for CD20, and well-differentiated plasma cells and plasmacytoid transformed lymphocytes were positive for λ-Ig light chains and MUM1/IRF-4. These results emphasize the importance of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma as a differential diagnosis of extramedullary cutaneous plasmacytoma in cats.     

Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in an Indian flap-shelled turtle (Lissemys punctata punctata)

We report an atypical mycobacterial infection in an Indian flap-shelled turtle, Lissemys punctata punctata, that died in an aquarium in Japan. At necropsy, the turtle showed multiple white nodules on the capsular surface and parenchyma of various organs such as the liver, spleen, intestine, and lung. Histologically, granulomatous inflammation surrounding a central zone of necrosis was observed. Sections stained by the Ziehl-Neelsen method revealed numerous acid-fast bacilli in the cytoplasm of macrophages and in the central area of necrosis. The organisms were identified as a mycobacterial species by PCR and nucleotide sequence analysis and revealed 98-100% homology to M. ulcerans. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of mycobacteriosis due to M. ulcerans in a turtle.     

A national surveillance of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in food-producing animals in Japan

To assess the public health risk, the prevalence and anti-microbial resistance of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) among food-producing animals were studied throughout Japan. Faecal samples were collected from healthy animals of 272 cattle, 179 pigs, and 158 broilers on 596 farms in all 47 Japanese prefectures. STEC were isolated from 62 (23%) cattle and 32 (14%) pig samples but from no chicken samples. Of the bovine isolates, 19 belonged to serotypes frequently implicated in human disease (O157:H7/non-motile (NM)/H not typeable, O26:NM/H11/H21/H not typeable, O113:H21, and O145:NM). The eae genes were observed in 37% of bovine isolates; among them one O145:NM and all four O157 isolates possessed eae-gamma1, and one O145:NM, one O103:H11, and all five O26 isolates possessed eae-beta1 gene. Among the swine isolates, stx2e were dominant, and serotypes frequently implicated in human diseases or eae-positive isolates were not observed. Bovine isolates showed less anti-microbial resistance, but six isolates of 26:NM/H11 and O145:NM were multi-resistant and may need careful monitoring. Swine isolates showed various resistance patterns; chloramphenicol resistance patterns were more common than in bovine isolates. This first national study of STEC in the Japanese veterinary field should aid our understanding of Japan's STEC status.     

Expression of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in the dog intestine

In this study, the expression and distribution of monocarboxyolate transporter 1 (MCT1) along the intestines (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, colon and rectum) of dogs were investigated at both the mRNA and protein levels. The expression of MCT1 protein and its distribution were confirmed by Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining using the antibody for MCT1. We identified mRNA coding for MCT1 and a 43-kDa band of MCT1 protein in all regions from the duodenum to the rectum. Immunoreactive staining for MCT1 was also observed in epithelial cells throughout the intestines. MCT1 immunoreactivity was greater in the large intestine than in the small intestine. MCT1 protein was predominantly expressed on the basolateral membranes along intestinal epithelial cells, suggesting that MCT1 may play an important role in lactate efflux and transport of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) to the bloodstream across the basolateral membranes of the dog intestine.     

Biochemical and molecular characterization of minor serogroups of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolated from humans in Osaka prefecture

We have investigated 37 minor serogroup Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains other than O157, O26, and O111 isolated from human specimens in Osaka prefecture to determine their serological and biochemical characteristics, virulence-associated genes, and clinical signs in patients. The same serotype strains were genotyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The O antigen of 33 strains were typed into 10 serogroups; O28, O63, O65, O91, O103, O119, O121, O126, O165, and O177, and other 4 strains were not agglutinated with any serum. Four different Shiga toxin (Stx) types (1, 2, 2c, and 2f) were distributed in these isolates. The intimin gene was present in 83.8% of the strains and subtyped into intimin alpha, beta, epsilon, and zeta. STEC O165, O177, and OUT isolated from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) patients revealed atypical biochemical characters; negative reaction for lysine decarboxylase and gas production from glucose. Eleven strains including the isolates from HUS patients generated no colonies on cefixime-tellurite (CT)-sorbitol-MacConkey agar plates, since they showed high sensitivity (MIC 相似文献   

Difference in diffusion coefficients of 14NO3 −-N and 15NO3 −-N affects the apparent fractionation factor associated with denitrification in soil

Abstract

We previously analyzed the effect of nitrate dispersion on the apparent nitrogen isotope fractionation factor associated with denitrification in soil (Kawanishi et al. 1993), and found that the dispersion effect was significant when the water flow was slow. In the previous report, we assumed that the dispersion coefficients of ¹⁴NO₃ ^? and ¹⁵NO₃ ^? were similar. However, when the water flow is slow, molecular diffusion will dominate mechanical dispersion and the above assumption may not be valid.     

Black band of Jew’s marrow caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lasiodiplodia theobromae</Emphasis>

Stem rot and wilt of Jew’s marrow (nalta jute, Corchorus olitorius) were found on Is. Okinawa, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, in March 2000. An anamorphic fungus, Lasiodiplodia theobromae was isolated repeatedly from the diseased plants and demonstrated to cause the disease. We coined the Japanese name “kurogare-byô” of Jew’s marrow for the present disease because it was new to Japan, although it had already been reported in India and Bangladesh as black band of the plant.     

A new selective medium for Burkholderia caryophylli, the causal agent of carnation bacterial wilt

A new selective medium (APCA medium) was developed for the isolation of Burkholderia caryophylli , the causal agent of carnation bacterial wilt, from both plants and soil. The optimal concentration and combination of antibiotics was investigated to determine the most selective condition for growing B .  caryophylli . The resultant composition of the medium per litre was: 0·79 g (NH₄)₂SO₄, 1·0 g KH₂PO₄, 0·5 g MgSO₄ · 7H₂O, 0·2 g KCl, 2·0 g D-arabinose, 5 mg crystal violet, 50 mg cycloheximide, 50 mg polymyxin B sulphate, 50 mg ampicillin sodium, 10 mg chloramphenicol, 25 mg blue tetrazolium, and 15 g agar. Plating efficiency ranged from 119 to 174% with an average of 141% compared to that of nutrient agar. The bacterium was successfully isolated from contaminated soil and plant tissues with this medium. Moreover, the medium almost completely inhibited the growth of other plant pathogenic bacteria and soil saprophytes. This selectivity was high enough to detect B . caryophylli in contaminated soil.     

First report of rust disease on ohia and the causal fungus, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Puccinia psidii</Emphasis>, in Japan

In 2007, a rust disease of ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) was found in Japan. We identified this pathogen as Puccinia psidii based on its morphological characters and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence of the ribosomal DNA. This pathogen was pathogenic on Eucalyptus amplifolia and E. rudis in addition to previously reported host species. This is the first report in Japan of a rust disease on ohia and the occurrence of its causal fungus, P. psidii.