Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in non-carnivorous wildlife from Spain

Serum samples from 1034 non-carnivorous wildlife from Spain were tested for antibodies to Neospora caninum by competitive screening enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). High agreement was observed between results in both techniques (kappa value higher than 0.9). Prevalences of N. caninum antibodies positive by both techniques were 11.8% of 237 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 7.7% of 13 barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), 6.1% of 33 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 0.3% of 298 wild boar (Sus scrofa). In one of 53 hares (Lepus granatensis), antibodies were found in the ELISA but could not be confirmed by IFAT due to lack of sample. Antibodies to N. caninum were not found in any of 251 wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), 79 fallow deer (Dama dama), 27 mouflon (Ovis ammon), 40 chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and three Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica). Statistically significant differences were observed between N. caninum seroprevalence in red deer and management of hunting estates (open versus fenced) with higher prevalence in fenced estates, and among sampling sites. Seroprevalence was particularly high in some areas (MO estate in South-Central Spain or some estates of Catalonia, North-East Spain), while no contact with N. caninum was observed in others. Results indicate that in certain areas of Spain, N. caninum is present in wildlife, especially in red deer. These results have important implications in both sylvatic cycles and may influence the prevalence of infection in cattle farms in those areas. To our knowledge, this is the first report of antibodies to N. caninum in wildlife from Spain and the first report of N. caninum antibodies in barbary sheep and wild boar.     

Salmonella enterica infections in Spanish swine fattening units

The present study is the first conducted in Spain to estimate the bacteriological herd prevalence of Salmonella enterica in fattening units and to describe the Salmonella serovar diversity on these farms using a sample representative of the entire swine population. For this purpose, 10 faecal samples were collected from 10 different pens containing pigs close to market weight in a total of 232 fattening units. Total sample size was proportionally distributed according to the fattener census in each of the regions of the country and all the samples were examined by culture of 25 g of faecal material. One hundred (43.1%) farms had at least one Salmonella-positive sample (95% CI: 37-49.1%). Salmonella enterica was detected in 290 (12.5%) pooled faecal floor samples (95% CI: 11.2-13.8%). The apparent herd prevalence of salmonellosis was similar among multi-site, finishing and farrow to finish farms. Overall, 24 different serovars were identified, with S. Typhimurium, S. Rissen and S. Derby being the most common both at herd and sample level. Results of phage typing were available for the 91 isolates of S. Typhimurium. A total number of 10 different phage types were identified, with DT 193 being the most frequent. Phage types DT 104, DT 104b and DT U302, which have been associated with several multi-resistant patterns, accounted for 23% and 29% of the Typhimurium total isolates or Typhimurium infected farms respectively.     

Heritability estimates and progeny testing of phenotypic selections for soluble solids content in dehydrator onion

Soluble solids comprise most of onion bulb dry mass, and dehydrator onion cultivars are developed from breeding populations that have high dry mass content. Realized and narrow-sense heritability estimates were obtained for the soluble solids content (SSC) trait in two open-pollinated dehydrator onion breeding populations (BP) using response to selection and half-sib family analysis. Parental populations, designated as BP9335-U and BP9243-U, were derived from two-way crosses of lines advanced as open- pollinated (OP) populations to the F7 or F_6 generation, respectively. BP9335-U had one previous selection cycle for increased SSC and BP9243-U had three SSC selection cycles. In these experiments, parental populations were screened again for high SSC, and selected bulbs were intermated to form half-sib progeny groups, designated as BP9335-S and BP9243-S. Mean SSC was increased by 6.6% and a realized heritability estimate of 0.64 was obtained for BP9335-S. Mean SSC was increased by 6.3% and a realized heritability estimate of 0.36 was obtained for BP9243-S. Narrow-sense heritability estimates of 0.58 ±0.05 and 0.30 ±0.03 were obtained for parental populations BP9335-U and BP9243-U, respectively. Narrow-sense heritability estimates of 0.40 ± 0.03 and 0.63 ± 0.23 were obtained for progeny populations derived from selected high-SSC bulbs of these lines (BP9335-S and BP9243-S), respectively, indicating that there is significant additive genetic control of the SSC trait in these populations. Significant differences in half-sib family performance in the advanced groups BP9335-S and BP9243-S demonstrate that progeny testing was effective for evaluating phenotypic selections. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Variation in sugar levels and invertase activity in mature fruit representing a broad spectrum of Cucumis melo genotypes

Sugar accumulation is a very important physiological process that determines dessert-melon fruit quality. Considerable variation in the sugar content and composition in the mature flesh of Cucumis melo L. fruits was observed among 56 genotypes which represent the wide range of morphological and horticultural types found in this species. Sucrose accumulation was observed not only among 'dessert melons' of the inodorus and cantalupensis types, but also in representatives of other subgroups of C. melo, including some of the accessions from agrestis and conomon groups. Among the genotypes that accumulate sucrose, the levels of this sugar, and not of the hexoses, were correlated with the total sugar concentration. Hexose levels were correlated with total sugar levels only among low-sugar genotypes that did not accumulate sucrose. Activities of the sucrose hydrolyzing enzymes acid invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) and alkaline invertase (EC 3.2.1.27) were measured in the mature fruit flesh and the results of this survey support the hypothesis that low acid invertase activity is a prerequisite for sucrose accumulation. The sucrose accumulating, high sugar genotypes had less-acidic flesh pH values (pH> 6) than the low-sugar genotypes. The latter were characterized by a broader range of pH values, including acidic (pH< 5.5) fruit flesh.     

Shallow Hydrothermal Vent Bacteria and Their Secondary Metabolites with a Particular Focus on Bacillus

Extreme environments are hostile for most organisms, but such habitats represent suitable settings to be inhabited by specialized microorganisms. A marine shallow-water hydrothermal vent field is located offshore in northeast Taiwan, near the shallow shore of the southeast of Kueishantao Island (121°55′ E, 24°50′ N). Research on extremophilic microorganisms makes use of the biotechnological potential associated with such microorganisms and their cellular products. With the notion that extremophiles are capable of surviving in extreme environments, it is assumed that their metabolites are adapted to function optimally under such conditions. As extremophiles, they need specific culture conditions, and only a fraction of species from the original samples are recovered in culture. We used different non-selective and selective media to isolate bacterial species associated with the hydrothermal vent crab Xenograpsus testudinatus and the sediments of its habitat. The highest number of colonies was obtained from Zobell marine agar plates with an overall number of 29 genetically distinct isolates. 16S RNA gene sequencing using the Sanger sequencing method revealed that most of the bacterial species belonged to the phylum Firmicutes and the class Bacilli. The present study indicates that hydrothermal vent bacteria and their secondary metabolites may play an important role for the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of the phylum Procaryota.     

Epidemiology and microscopic diagnosis of tuberculosis in pigs and small ruminants slaughtered at Bobo-Dioulasso abattoir,Burkina Faso

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic, infectious, chronic and contagious disease, caused by Mycobacterium bovis that mainly affects cattle. This pathology has a negative impact on animals and animal products trade. Unfortunately, in Burkina Faso where agriculture and livestock sectors represent around 80% of the socio-economic activities, the real situation of the disease is not well known especially in small ruminants and swine. Thus, our study focused on both the epidemiology and the microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in small ruminants and pigs slaughtered at Bobo-Dioulasso abattoir. A prospective study was conducted between August 2017 and December 2017. Epidemiological data collection was performed during routine meat inspection; moreover, samples were taken and transported to the Bacteriology laboratory of Centre Muraz for microbiological analyses. This diagnosis consisted in search of Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) using the hot Ziehl–Neelsen staining. Out of a total of 14 648 small ruminants and 2430 pigs slaughtered during the study period, 156 and 17 had lesions suggestive of bTB with prevalence of 1.07% and 0.7%, respectively. Females and those between 2 and 4 years old were mainly infected. The most affected organs were: lungs, liver, spleen and lymph nodes. Finally, microscopy revealed 43.35% (75/173) of positive cases for AFB. These results confirm the presence of bTB in small ruminants and pigs in Burkina Faso. Efforts must still be made in the fight against this zoonosis in order to limit its economic and public health impacts.