Approaches to increase recovery of bacterial and fungal abortion agents in domestic ruminants

Abortions in domestic ruminants cause significant economic losses to farmers. Determining the cause of an abortion is important for control efforts, but it can be challenging. All available diagnostic methods in the bacteriology laboratory should be employed in every case due to the many limiting factors (autolysis, lack of history, range of samples) that complicate the investigation process. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the recovery of diagnostically significant isolates from domestic ruminant abortion cases could be increased through the use of a combination of the existing aerobic culture and Brucella selective method with methods that are commonly recommended in the literature reporting abortion investigations. These methods are examination of wet preparations and impression smears stained by the modified Ziehl–Neelsen method, anaerobic, microaerophilic, Leptospira, Mycoplasma and fungal culture. Samples of placenta and aborted foetuses from 135 routine clinical abortion cases of cattle (n = 88), sheep (n = 25) and goats (n = 22) were analysed by the new combination of methods. In 46 cases, bacteria were identified as aetiological agents and in one case a fungus. Isolation of Brucella species increased to 7.4% over two years compared with the previous 10 years (7.3%), as well as Campylobacter jejuni (n = 2) and Rhizopus species (n = 1). Salmonella species (5.9%) and Trueperella pyogenes (4.4%) were also isolated more often. In conclusion, the approach was effective in removing test selection bias in the bacteriology laboratory. The importance of performing an in-depth study on the products of abortion by means of an extensive, combination of conventional culture methods was emphasised by increased isolation of Brucella abortus and isolation of C. jejuni. The combination of methods that yielded the most clinically relevant isolates was aerobic, microaerophilic, Brucella and fungal cultures.     

布氏杆菌L7/L12和OMP31基因克隆及融合表达

本研究根据已经发表的布氏杆菌基因序列,选择种间序列极为保守的保护性抗原L7/L12、OMP31基因,依此进行PCR扩增,利用引物上设计好的限制性内切酶酶切位点进行基因重组,构建了PME290-SDLOmp高效表达载体,并转化绿脓杆菌(PAK/2pfs),通过培养得到了表达产物,对表达产物进行SDS-PAGE和Western Blot鉴定,结果符合预期。本项研究为进一步开展布氏杆菌亚单位疫苗的研制奠定了基础。     

Effects of vaccination against brucellosis and clostridia on the intake,performance, feeding behavior,blood parameters,and immune responses of dairy heifers calves

The aim of this study was to identify possible effects of different vaccination strategies (concomitantly or not) against brucellosis and clostridia on intake, performance, feeding behavior, blood parameters, and immune responses of dairy heifers calves. Fifty heifers calves were enrolled [38 Gyr (Zebu, Bos taurus indicus) and 12 5/8 Holstein Gyr]. At 120 d of age, animals were randomly distributed among 3 groups: B (n = 18), vaccinated against brucellosis; C (n = 14), vaccinated against clostridia and CB (n = 18), vaccinated concomitantly for both. Rectal and thermographic temperatures were evaluated on days 1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7,10, 14, and 28 relatives to the vaccination day. Feed and water intake, body weight (BW), and feeding behavior were monitored daily by an electronic feeding system. Blood was sampled on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28, relative to the vaccination day for determination of glucose and -hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations. Blood sampled on day 0 (prevaccination) and on days 28 and 42 were used to evaluate the immune response against Brucella abortus and clostridia. There was an increase in rectal temperature between the first and the third day postvaccination in the 3 groups. The thermography revealed an increase of local temperature for 7 d on groups B and CB. Group C had increased local temperature for a longer period, lasting for up to 14 d. Dry mater intake was reduced for groups B and CB, but no alteration was observed for group C. No alterations regarding initial BW, final BW, average daily weight gain, and feed efficiency were observed. No differences were observed for the 3 vaccination groups for blood parameters throughout the evaluation period. The concomitant vaccination against brucellosis and clostridia led to lower neutralizing antibody titers against epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens and botulinum toxin type C of C. botulinum (C > CB > B). When cellular proliferation assay and serological tests to B. abortus were evaluated, no differences were observed between groups B and CB. The present results indicate that the concomitant vaccination against brucellosis and clostridia has no relevant impact on the intake, performance, and feeding behavior of dairy calves. However, the concomitant vaccination of vaccines against these 2 pathogens impacts animal immunity against clostridial infections.     

The Fluorescent Characterization and Analysis of Two Brucella Attenuated Vaccine Infecting Mouse Macrophagocyte

The experiment was conducted to discuss the difference of binding time of green fluorescent protein B.melitensis M5 (GFP-M5) and B.abortus S19 (GFP-S19) infecting the mouse macrophagocyte (RAW264.7),lysosome,endoplasmic reticulum and golgi body in the initial stage and compare the binding rate of GFP-M5,GFP-S19 with organelle in different timeline,respectively,by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and flow cytometry.The result showed that GFP-M5 and GFP-S19 were successfully constructed.The intracellular survival ability of Brucella M5,Brucella S19,GFP-M5 and GFP-S19 were not obvisouly affected after infecting RAW264.7.GFP-M5 and GFP-S19 could enter the macrophagocyte in 30 mins,and in 2 h the Brucella could reach lysosome,endoplasmic reticulum and golgi body.In addition,the binding time for two attenuated vaccine did not show differences in 1,2,3 and 4 h.The content of GFP⁺ cell produced by RAW264.7 infected by GFP-M5 and GFP-S19 did not show significant differences (P>0.05).Therefore,the two strains did not have significant differences in the invasion ability in the initial stage of infecting host cell.     

布鲁菌赤藓醇代谢研究概况

布鲁菌感染动物后可以逃避宿主免疫系统清除而长期存在,并严重侵害动物生殖系统。赤藓醇是布鲁菌的一种优势碳源,对布鲁菌的生长具有明显促进作用。在布鲁菌基因组中已经鉴定出6个与赤藓醇代谢相关的基因,布鲁菌的赤藓醇代谢途径也基本研究清楚。缺失布鲁菌赤藓醇代谢相关基因会造成布鲁菌在多种感染模型中的生存能力不同程度的改变。论文从布鲁菌对赤藓醇的亲嗜性、赤藓醇代谢通路及转运、赤藓醇代谢的基因调控、赤藓醇对布鲁菌毒力影响等方面进行了综述。     

NO/ADMA在布鲁菌侵染小鼠机体过程中的响应特征

本试验旨在研究布鲁菌侵染小鼠过程中一氧化氮(NO)的作用,以及NO和非对称性二甲基精氨酸(ADMA)在此过程的相互作用关系。以布鲁菌标准疫苗株M5侵染小鼠,首先用小鼠的血清进行虎红平板凝集(RBPT)和试管凝集试验(SAT),再用Griess试剂法和ELISA法测定对照组和侵染组不同组织和血清中的NO和ADMA含量,对小鼠肝脏和脾脏的各个侵染时间段进行CFU计数观察。结果显示,用布鲁菌M5侵染小鼠后,RBPT和SAT在14d时检测到有阳性反应。侵染组和空白对照组NO总含量上变化不大,但侵染组血清中的NO含量随时间出现下降,而肝脾中NO含量随时间出现上升,其他各组织NO含量波动不明显。而ADMA的总趋势与NO相反。CFU计数结果显示,小鼠肝脾内布鲁菌的数量在14d时一直处于增长状态,28d时布鲁菌的数量下降,表明布鲁菌的分裂繁殖和机体NO的含量存在一定的关系。     

布鲁菌外膜蛋白及毒力因子研究进展

布鲁菌细胞膜的基本结构包括脂多糖和外膜蛋白,与细菌的毒力及免疫原性相关。文章描述了布鲁菌外膜蛋白分子结构的最新进展。该菌的外膜蛋白由第一组、第二组和第三组外膜蛋白构成。第一组外膜蛋白对维持布鲁菌外膜蛋白的结构起重要作用;第二组包括36 ku~38 ku外膜蛋白,为膜孔蛋白,由Omp2a和Omp2b基因编码,其中38 ku蛋白基因可能是一个与毒力相关的基因;第三组外膜蛋白包括31 ku和25 ku两个相关的蛋白,具有重要的免疫功能。31 ku蛋白属膜孔蛋白,25 ku蛋白还与毒力有关。文章也介绍了布鲁菌毒力因子研究的最新进展。     

布鲁菌介导细胞自噬的研究进展

布鲁菌是布鲁菌病的病原体,在世界范围内给养殖业带来巨大损失.自噬是细胞的一种代谢方式,细胞在自噬相关基因的调控下清除细胞内病原微生物和吞噬降解受损、衰老细胞器及大分子物质,以维持机体内环境平衡.布鲁菌入侵细胞后,能够诱发细胞自噬,而这一复杂的过程需要很多细胞因子的参与,探究布鲁菌引发的细胞自噬已成为揭示布鲁菌致病机制的...     

猪布鲁菌S2omp10基因缺失株的构建及特性

现有的布鲁菌减毒活疫苗存在一定毒力,且野强毒株和减毒活疫苗株间缺少可供鉴别的抗原,导致在血清学检测上自然感染与疫苗接种很难区分,限制了现有的减毒活疫苗的广泛应用.本文拟对布鲁菌的减毒活疫苗株S2进行遗传改造,克服上述缺陷.本研究利用同源重组的方法,得到了布鲁菌S2株omp10基因缺失株.分别用基因缺失株和疫苗株感染小鼠,比较基因缺失株小鼠体内的存活能力.结果成功构建了布鲁菌S2株omp10基因缺失株,动物试验结果表明,基因缺失株仍能在小鼠体内存活,具备作为减毒活疫苗的特性.与原始S2株比较,基因缺失株的感染力进一步减弱.表明omp10基因在布鲁菌的毒力及体内生存方面发挥了作用,为基因标记疫苗的研制奠定了基础.