Fractionation of the reference inoculum of epizootic rabbit enteropathy in discontinuous sucrose gradient identifies aetiological agents in high density fractions

Epizootic rabbit enteropathy (ERE) is a major cause of economic loss in intensive rabbit production. Since its first recognition in 1997, much work has been done to determine the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease and to identify the aetiological agent(s). Unfortunately, the quest for aetiology has only met with limited success despite the ability to reproduce the syndrome by inoculation of intestinal contents from field cases. These intestinal inocula contain a huge number of microorganisms which could all be involved in the aetiology of ERE. To decrease the number of putative agents, the French reference inoculum TEC3 was fractionated on a discontinuous sucrose gradient so that seven fractions (supernatant, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% and pellet) were obtained. Specific-pathogen-free rabbits were inoculated with three out of these seven fractions (supernatant, 30%, and pellet). The objectives were: (1) to characterise the seven fractions by bacteriological examination; (2) to verify whether the aetiological agent was present in the fractions by inoculation of rabbits; (3) to assign the aetiological agent of ERE to a morphological group of pathogens; (4) to identify a fraction which could replace the reference inoculum TEC3 in applications such as cell cultures or egg inoculation. The results strongly suggest that ERE is a bacterial disease and does not have a viral or parasitic aetiology.     

伐地那非增加EGCG-β-乳球蛋白纳米粒对肝癌细胞的抑制作用

较高浓度的EGCG才能抑制癌细胞的增殖,通过纳米化和EGCG与其他药物的联合使用是提高EGCG生物活性的重要策略。本研究将EGCG和伐地那非（VD）同时包埋于β-乳球蛋白（β-Lg）纳米载体中,制备出EGCG-VD-β-Lg纳米粒（EVβ-NPs）,体外试验证实,EVβ-NPs能提高人肝癌细胞（HepG2细胞）中Caspase-3活性,使HepG2细胞在S期产生明显的阻滞,诱发细胞核分裂,从而导致HepG2细胞凋亡。研究结果表明,将EGCG与微量的VD联合使用,并通过纳米化包埋可以显著提高EGCG的抗癌活性。这一方法在EGCG抗癌制品的开发方面具有潜在的价值。     

新型鸭呼肠孤病毒在DF-1细胞系中的增殖特性

为了研究新型鸭呼肠孤病毒(new-type duck reovirus,NDRV)在鸡胚成纤维细胞DF-1中的增殖特性,将NDRV JDM10毒株接种到DF-1细胞,连续传代后,通过观察病毒对细胞的致病变效应,测定半数组织感染量(TCID₅₀)、RT-PCR检测、间接免疫荧光(IFA)及Western-blot免疫学检测,探索NDRV对DF-1细胞的作用效果。结果表明,NDRV JDM10毒株在DF-1细胞中能有效增殖,产生明显的致病变效应;RT-PCR检测成功扩增出1条大小为1 001 bp的条带;病毒蛋白在细胞中获得了良好的表达,并与抗NDRV σC单克隆抗体发生特异性反应;NDRV JDM10毒株在感染DF-1细胞后会经历潜伏期、快速增长期、稳定期3个时期,并在72 h病毒效价达到峰值,TCID₅₀为1×10^-7.90·(0.1mL)^-1。本研究为进一步研究NDRV的致病机理和研制细胞疫苗奠定了基础。     

感染鸡贫血病毒雏鸡接种新城疫疫苗后免疫保护效应及其机理研究

 雏鸡 1日龄人工感染鸡贫血病毒 (CAV) ,于 8日龄接种 L asota疫苗 ,免疫后 2 8d进行新城疫强毒 (v NDV)攻击 ,以同龄未感染 CAV和用 L asota疫苗免疫并经 v NDV攻毒雏鸡为对照 ,检测其免疫保护效应 ,胸腺和脾脏 T细胞数量及 T细胞增殖反应 ,法氏囊和脾脏 Ig G+、Ig M+、Ig A+抗体生成细胞数量 ,血清免疫球蛋白 Ig G、Ig M、Ig A含量 ,血凝抑制抗体 (HI)滴度等。结果表明 ,CAV人工感染并用新城疫 (ND)疫苗免疫雏鸡经 v NDV攻击后的免疫保护率为 6 0 % ,对照组雏鸡 v NDV攻击后免疫保护率为 10 0 % ,胸腺和脾脏 T细胞数量和 T细胞增殖反应、法氏囊和脾脏Ig G+ 、Ig M+ 、Ig A+ 抗体生成细胞数量、血清 Ig G、Ig M、Ig A含量及 HI抗体滴度 ,均较对照组雏鸡显著降低。说明感染鸡贫血病毒雏鸡接种新城疫疫苗后的免疫保护效应及免疫功能明显降低。     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC INTESTINAL HYPERECHOIC MUCOSAL STRIATIONS IN DOGS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LACTEAL DILATION

In this retrospective study, the medical records of 23 dogs with the sonographic feature of small intestinal hyperechoic mucosal striations and an endoscopic or surgical intestinal biopsy were reviewed. Histopathologic lacteal dilation was present in 96% of dogs with mucosal striations. Sonographic findings associated with mucosal striations included: mild jejunal wall thickening (96%), mild duodenal wall thickening (78%), mucosal speckles (70%), and abdominal effusion (87%). The mucosal striations were diffuse (70%) or multifocal (30%) and did not cause loss of wall layering, except in one dog with a severe mural lipogranuloma. Mesenteric lymphadenopathy was identified in 9% of dogs. Thirteen dogs with endoscopic biopsies had mild to moderate villus lacteal dilation and the nine dogs with surgical biopsies had moderate to severe dilation. Inflammatory infiltrates were mild (61%) or moderate (30%) with variable numbers and combinations of cells, including eosinophils (65%), plasma cells (61%), lymphocytes (57%), and neutrophils (30%); one dog had disseminated villus histiocytic sarcoma. The biochemistry changes and clinical signs were consistent with protein-losing enteropathy in 78% of dogs. Hyperechoic mucosal striations in dogs are associated with lacteal dilation and are frequently associated with mucosal inflammation and protein losing enteropathy.     

The persistence of infectivity of Tetracapsulabryosalmonae-infected water for rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is caused by the infection of susceptible salmonid fish with spores of the myxozoan Tetracapsula bryosalmonae , a parasite harboured and released by several species of bryozoans. Under natural conditions, PKD is a water-borne infection of fish, whose outcome and spatio-temporal dissemination depend on the viability of spores present in the water. In order to evaluate the duration of parasite infectivity, juvenile rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss , were exposed for 20 h to T. bryosalmonae -infected water at various times post-water collection or after different filtration procedures. When infected water was held in a temperature range of 14.5–17 °C for up to 14 days, PKD was transmitted to the fish only between 0 and 12 h post-water collection and its infectivity vanished between 12 and 24 h. Similarly, the infectivity of water passed through 25 μm but not through 1 μm mesh filters, and was lost in the material eluted from the 1 μm filtration membrane although the parasite's DNA was amplified from this material. The parasitic infectivity in water appears to be fragile and this may offer opportunities to decrease the impact of PKD in trout farms by the implementation of management procedures aimed at reducing the number of the bryozoan-holding surfaces located in the river, immediately upstream from these farms.     

Patterns of Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae infection of three salmonid species in large,deep Norwegian lakes

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD), caused by the myxozoan endoparasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, is of serious ecological and economical concern to wild and farmed salmonids. Wild salmonid populations have declined due to PKD, primarily in rivers, in Europe and North America. Deep lakes are also important habitats for salmonids, and this work aimed to investigate parasite presence in five deep Norwegian lakes. Kidney samples from three salmonid species from deep lakes were collected and tested using real-time PCR to detect PKD parasite presence. We present the first detection of T. bryosalmonae in European whitefish in Norway for the first time, as well as the first published documentation of the parasite in kidneys of Arctic charr, brown trout and whitefish in four lakes. The observed prevalence of the parasite was higher in populations of brown trout than of Arctic charr and whitefish. The parasite was detected in farmed, but not in wild, charr in one lake. This suggests a possible link with a depth of fish habitat and fewer T. bryosalmonae-infected and PKD-affected fish. Towards a warmer climate, cold hypolimnion in deep lakes may act as a refuge for wild salmonids, while cold deep water may be used to control PKD in farmed salmonids.