Occurrence of fatal canine Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in Italy

A total of 469 fecal samples were collected from American minks (Mustela vison) on a farm in Hebei Province in China and examined for Cryptosporidium by Sheather's sugar flotation technique and 8 Cryptosporidim isolates were obtained. The partial 18S rRNA, 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70), Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP) and actin genes of six isolates were sequenced. Sequence data were analyzed together with known Cryptosporidium spp. and genotypes. Results of this multi-locus genetic characterization indicated that the six Cryptosporidium isolates in this study shared the same sequences of the genes studied and were different from known Cryptosporidium species and genotypes. The closest relative was Cryptosporidium ferret genotype with 7, 22, 2 and 2 nucleotide differences in the 18S rRNA, HSP70, COWP and actin genes, respectively. The homology to ferret genotype at the 18S rRNA locus was 99.1%, which is comparable to that between C. parvum and C. hominis (99.2%), or between C. muris and C. andersoni (99.4%). Therefore, the Cryptosporidium in minks in this study is considered a new genotype, the Cryptosporidium mink genotype.     

安氏隐孢子虫卵囊壁蛋白的原核表达及其免疫原性研究

[目的]验证安氏隐孢子虫卵囊壁蛋白(COWP)的免疫原性,为建立安氏隐孢子虫病免疫学诊断方法奠定基础.[方法]根据GenBank已公布的安氏隐孢子虫COWP同源基因序列(DQ060431)设计引物,克隆COWP基因并构建原核表达载体,经IPTG诱导表达后,采用蛋白印迹法检测其免疫原性.[结果]扩增获得的COWP基因片段为549bp,其序列与GenBank已公布CO WP同源基因序列(DQ060431)的同源性达100％,将其插入pET-32a载体可构建pET-32a-COWP表达载体.重组菌在30℃下经0.5 mmol/L IPTG诱导5h后,其表达形式以可溶性表达为主;NTA-Ni亲和层析柱层析时用200 mmol/L咪唑洗脱液洗脱,即能得到纯化的重组蛋白,重组蛋白分子量约40 kDa.以抗His标签鼠单克隆抗体或鼠抗安氏隐孢子虫高免血清为一抗进行Western blotting检测,均能获得预期的目的条带.[结论]重组COWP蛋白具有良好的免疫原性,可作为安氏隐孢子虫病免疫学诊断的候选抗原.     

Cryptosporidiumparvum oocysts in seawater clams (Chameleagallina) in Italy

Bivalves filter large volumes of water and can concentrate organisms which are pathogenic for humans and animals. Our aim was to evaluate the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in clams from the Adriatic coast (Abruzzo region) and genetically characterize the oocysts isolated from the clams. From March to July 2003, 960 specimens of clams (Chamelea gallina) present in nature were collected at 500 m from the Tordino, Tronto, Vibrata and Vomano river mouths on the Adriatic sea. The haemolymph and tissues were extracted from the specimens (240 per river mouth) after the specimens had been identified, measured and weighed (live weight). Immunofluorescence tests (IFA) were performed on pools (n = 32) of samples and oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 23 pools of C. gallina. To identify the Cryptosporidium species, all the pools IFA-positive were tested by a PCR assay specific for the Cryptosporidium outer wall protein (COWP) gene. Positive amplicons then were sequenced and analysed. Two pools of clams were positive for Cryptosporidium parvum Genotype 2 (the “bovine” i.e. zoonotic genotype). This is the first time that C. parvum was found in clams from the Adriatic sea in Italy and the case might be of public health importance.