The Corynebacterium pyogenes infection in cattle. 1. Incidence of the pathogen]

Reported are the incidence of Corynebacterium pyogenes together with different pathological changes as well as the existence of latent Corynebacterium pyogenes infections and their widespread occurrence. Corynebacterium pyogenes was established from 609 in 2,130 samples of pathological processes, accounting for 28.6%. The pathogen was cultivated from various processes, including enlarged tail lymph nodes (61.1%), tail phlegmons (56.3%), abscesses (49.1%), epiphysiolyses (45.2%), liver abscesses (31.8%), panaritia at beginning of fattening (20.5%), aborted foetuses (14.9%), foetal membranes in cases of incarcerated placenta (12.0%), and panaritia on end of fattening (3.4%). The same pathogenic microorganism was recorded from nine per cent of apparently intact heifer udders, before pasturing. Corynebacterium pyogenes was cultivated also from nasal mucous membrane (8.4%) and retropharyngeal lymph nodes (37.2%). The highest detection rate was 71.6%, obtained from the tonsils.     

The relationship of plasmids from environmental Yersinia isolates and the virulence plasmid of enteropathogenic Yersinia strains

The human pathogenic strains of Yersinia harbour a conserved plasmid carrying the Yop virulon. The virulence plasmid of Yersinia enterocolitica strains belonging to the serogroups O:3 and O:9 were used as probes to detect homologous sequences in plasmids of "avirulent" Yersinia strains. "Avirulent" Yersinia strains (Y. enterocolitica biogroup 1A, Y. intermedia, Y. kristensenii and Y. frederiksenii) lack the virulence plasmid. They are widely distributed in the environment and can frequently be isolated from clinical samples. Hybridisation experiments revealed a number of common genetic elements of the virulence plasmid and the plasmids of "avirulent" Yersinia strains. These elements were identified as genes involved in plasmid replication, as an endonuclease gene and as mobile genetic elements. However, none of the plasmid encoded virulence genes was present in the plasmids of "avirulent" Yersinia strains. The frequent occurrence and the possible etiological relevance of "avirulent" isolates will be discussed.     

Brucella titers in swine caused by Yersinia enterocolitica, serotype 0:9

Antibody to Brucella abortus developed in two thirds of all gilts kept on a pig breeding station. Systematic tests taken for the purpose of detecting clinical symptoms and of isolating Brucella were negative. however, Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, Serotype 0:9, was cultured from rectal swab samples which had been obtained from 31 to 78 gilts. The clinical, bacteriological, and serological tests gave rise to the assumption that the Brucella titres have been caused by Yersinia enterocolitica infection. Such conclusion, however, could be drawn only as a result of a complex investigation. Detection of Yersinia enterocolitica alone is not sufficient a proof by which to rule out the possibility of concomitant Brucella infection. The question is discussed to what extent swine may be considered to be a potential source of infection of man.     

The Corynebacterium pyogenes infection of cattle. 2. Tenacity of Corynebacterium pyogenes]

Some common agents were tested for their effectiveness against Corynebacterium pyogenes. The pathogen proved most susceptable to Wofasteril. All germs were killed within ten minutes by a 0.005% solution. Equally good action was recorded from all the other tested agents as well (lactic acid, Lugol's solution, formalin, cupric sulphate, alcohol, and aethacridine. Other studies were conducted with the view to testing the survival capacity of Corynebacterium pyogenes in different media and storage conditions. The pathogen survived three months in routine media and mastitis secretion at room temperature. Regrowth of 38 in 50 strains took place after nine months of refrigerator storage in slanting blood agar tubes with paraffin plugs. Germs sampled from mastitis secretion and stored in a refrigerator were cultivable even after one year had elapsed. The detectability rate of Corynebacterium pyogenes did not change over months by storage of wound infection material at 12 degrees C below zero. The pathogen remained detectable five days from artificial contamination of cattle skin.     

Reproduction of Brucella titers in swine using experimental infection with Yersinia enterocolitica, serotypes 0:9 and 0:6

Measurable Brucella titres were produced by slow agglutination, slow agglutination at 57 degrees C (heat test), and complement fixation reaction with Brucella antigen in infection experiments with gilts in which Yersinia enterocolitica Serotypes 0:9 and 0:6 were used. Slow agglutination gave brucellosis titres up to 1:1280 and titres against Yersinia enterocolitica, Serotype 0:9, up to 1:20480. The antibody titres stayed persistent throughout the 80 days of the experiment. Yersinia enterocolitica infection was found to be transmissible between the animals. Aspects relating to the development and course of the infection as well as to pathogen detection are discussed.     

Brucella clearance as a sensitive method for the detection of cross reactions of Brucella abortus with Yersinia enterocolitica 03, 06, 09 and Salmonella urbana and Salmonella abony

Determination of the Brucella clearance rate has proved to enable assessment of Brucella immune reaction in rat, even after vaccination with Yersiniae and Salmonellae. Vaccination with Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica O6 and O9 produced 95 per cent of "high responders", whereas 65 per cent of "high responders" and 25 per cent of "non-responders" were recorded in the wake of O3. Salmonella (S.) urbana vaccination gave 50 per cent of "high responders" and 27 per cent of "non-responders", while 100 per cent "non-responders" resulted from S. dublin. Vaccination, using Brucella abortus Buck 19, gave 100 per cent "high responders". The differentiated nature of immune reactions to Y. enterocolitica O3, S. urbana, and S. abony has been attributed to an individual genetic capability of reaction to the cross-reactive antigen.     

Immunostimulating effect of culture filtrates of Yersinia enterocolitica

Application of sterile culturing supernatant of Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica (tested serovars were 03 and 08) caused significantly accelerated transplant rejection in mice of various inbreeding strains. Action correlated with dosage (r = -0.92). C57B16 mice were tested for their pregnancy rates in response to the same filtrate (serovar 03), with 5.5 live births per mating being recorded from 47 control matings but only 4.4 from 45 experimental matings (alpha less than 0.0025). The mean gestation period of experimental animals was extended by five percent over that of simultaneous controls (alpha = 0.25). Particular reference is made in this paper to Vesikari et al. (1987) who found Y. enterocolitica to function as interleukin-1 inductor via lipopolysaccharide. The active substance tested in this context, however, proved to be thermolabile, with 30 minutes of heating to 56 degrees C eliminating the action tested before. Y. enterocolitica infections were frequently found to coincide with rheumatoid arthritis, and evidence has been produced to the unspecific stimulating effect of Y. enterocolitica culture filtrates (testing being applied to serovar 03, biovar 4 and serovar 08, biovar 2). It is against the background of these aspects that chronic and other infections by Y. enterocolitica are considered to be of substantive relevance to the etiopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, above all rheumatoid arthritis.