Association of genes encoding beta2 toxin and a collagen binding protein in Clostridium perfringens isolates of porcine origin

Clostridium perfringens is a cause of economically significant enteritis in livestock. Beta2 toxin, encoded by one of two cpb2 alleles, is implicated as a virulence factor in this disease. Previous studies determined that the consensus cpb2 allele is preferentially associated with C. perfringens isolated from pigs. In C. perfringens strain 13, the consensus cpb2 allele is found on the plasmid pCP13, which also carries cna, encoding a putative collagen binding protein, CpCna. This protein was shown to be a bona fide collagen adhesin, as recombinant, HIS-tagged CpCna bound collagen type I as determined by Far Western blotting. Genomic DNA from C. perfringens isolated from a variety of host species were subjected to PCR to determine the prevalence of cna in these strains and correlate its carriage with the presence and type of cpb2 allele. The cna gene was found in 55.8% of isolates from all host species (n=208) and 68.1% of porcine isolates (n=119). In cpb2+ isolates, cna was present in 69.9% of isolates from all hosts (n=153), but was found in 98.7% of porcine isolates (n=75). Furthermore in porcine isolates, the consensus cpb2 allele and cna were absolutely correlated with the presence of pcp12, a pCP13-encoded gene, and pcp12 was never found in any isolate that lacks either cpb2 allele. The finding that CpCna binds collagen and that the cna gene is associated with the consensus cpb2 allele implicates CpCna as a potential virulence factor in porcine enteritis caused by C. perfringens.     

Pemphigus foliaceus in 91 dogs

A retrospective study of 91 dogs with pemphigus foliaceus was performed. Clinical signs of the disease included crusts (n=79), pustules (n=36), and alopecia (n=33). Lesions were most common on the trunk (n=53), inner pinnae (n=46), face (n=37), and foot pads (n=32). Cytological evaluation revealed acantholytic keratinocytes in 37 of 48 dogs. Results of combination treatment with prednisolone and azathioprine were comparable to results with prednisolone therapy alone. More than half of the dogs achieved remission with appropriate therapy, and another 25% significantly improved.     

Polar constituents from the aerial parts of Origanum vulgare L. Ssp. hirtum growing wild in Greece

From the polar extracts of Origanum vulgare L. ssp. hirtum 19 compounds have been isolated. The structures and relative stereochemistry have been elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and determined as apigenin, luteolin, chrysoeriol, diosmetin, quercetin, eriodictyol, cosmoside, vicenin-2, caffeic acid, p-menth-3-ene-1,2-diol 1-O-beta-glucopyranoside, thymoquinol 2-O-beta-glucopyranoside, thymoquinol 5-O-beta-glucopyranoside, thymoquinol 2,5-O-beta-diglucopyranoside, 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid, 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid 12-O-beta-glucopyranoside, lithospermic acid B, rosmarinic acid, 10-epi-lithospermic acid, and epi-lithospermic acid B. The three latter products display unusual stereochemistry of the 3,4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid unit(s), which to the authors' best knowledge has never been reported before in similar compounds. Moreover, lithospermic acid B (and its stereoisomers), p-menth-3-ene-1,2-diol 1-O-beta-glucopyranoside, 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid, and 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid 12-O-beta-glucopyranoside were isolated for the first time from Origanum species.     

Compatibility between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calpurnia aurea</Emphasis> leaf extract,attraction aggregation,and attachment pheromone and entomopathogenic fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metarhizium anisopliae</Emphasis> on viability,growth, and virulence of the pathogen

Metarhizium anisopliae sensu stricto (ss) (Metsch.) Sorok. isolate ICIPE 07 is being developed as biopesticide for the control of ticks. In addition, leaf extracts of Calpurnia aurea Benth, and the attraction aggregation and attachment pheromone (AAAP) are being used as ticks’ attractant. The three agents are being considered for use in combination in an autodissemination approach, whereby ticks that are attracted to semiochemicals are infected with the inoculum. Experiments were therefore conducted to evaluate in vitro the compatibility between C. aurea, AAAP, and the M. anisopliae on vegetative growth, conidial production, and spore viability. Calpurnia aurea leaf extract was compatible with the fungus at all the concentrations tested, whereas AAAP inhibited all the fungal growth parameters. The virulence of M. anisopliae formulated in emulsifiable extracts of C. aurea was also tested against different developmental stages of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus in laboratory bioassays. No significant differences in virulence were observed between M. anisopliae applied alone and M. anisopliae formulated in different concentrations of C. aurea leaf extracts. These results suggest that C. aurea leaf extracts is compatible with M. anisopliae and could be mixed together for “spot-spray” treatments as low-cost and environmental-friendly technology to control ticks in grazing field, while AAAP should be used separately.     

Prednisolone is associated with an increase in serum insulin but not serum fructosamine concentrations in dogs with atopic dermatitis

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a standard therapeutic protocol of prednisolone (Pred) on glucose homeostasis in atopic dogs and compare it with previously published data for ciclosporin A (CsA). The central aim of the study was to assess and compare the effects of standard therapeutic protocols of prednisolone (Pred) and ciclosporin A (CsA) on glucose homeostasis in dogs with atopic dermatitis (CAD). Both treatments significantly reduced the physical signs of CAD, as determined by the canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index version 3 (CADESI-03) and the Edinburgh Pruritus Scale (EPS). Post-treatment plasma glucose concentrations were not significantly different in the two groups, but serum insulin concentrations were significantly higher following Pred therapy (P<0.05). Serum fructosamine concentrations were not significantly different pre- and post-treatment with Pred, although previous studies had shown that CsA treatment increased fructosamine concentrations (P<0.005). The two treatment groups were recruited in a similar timeframe, were numerically matched and there were no differences in CADESI-03 and EPS scores between the CsA and Pred groups either before or after treatment. Thus, both CsA and Pred treatment were associated with mild disturbances in glucose metabolism, but only CsA therapy resulted in a significant increase in fructosamine concentrations. This information may be relevant to clinicians when considering therapeutic options for dogs with atopic dermatitis which already have impaired glucose homeostasis.     

A novel IS element, ISMpa1, in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

A novel insertion element belonging to the IS110 family was identified in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. The IS element, ISMpa1, is 1500 bp and has one ORF encoding a putative transposase. Three copies of ISMpa1 were identified in the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis genome. The element had inserted into the 3' end of the highly conserved mycobacterial genes prrB and a homologue of M. tuberculosis Rv1593c, and between a putative cytochrome p450 oxygenase and a putative hydrolase. The IS element was present in all (n = 11) M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains but not detected in most other mycobacterial species examined, including 10 M. avium subsp. avium isolates of human, avian and porcine origin. However two porcine isolates of M. avium subsp. avium and the reference strain IWGMT49 did harbour ISMpa1. These three strains belong to a previously described subgroup of M. avium subsp. avium based on IS1245 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern and serovars. All of the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains examined had an identical RFLP pattern when probed with sequences corresponding to the 5' end of ISMpa1, whereas a different pattern was seen in the positive M. avium subsp. avium strains. This novel IS element might be a useful tool in strain classification of M. avium subsp. avium and also for the identification of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis when used in combination with IS900.