scholarly journals First report on the molecular detection, phylogeny, virological and pathological investigations of Avibacterium paragallinarum in chickens in Turkey

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (03) ◽  
pp. 6378-2020
Author(s):  
SAJID UMAR ◽  
HASAN ONGOR ◽  
ERHAN BAYRAKTAR ◽  
HAZAL OZTURK GURGEN ◽  
BELGI DIREN SIGIRCI ◽  
...  

Avibacterium paragallinarum is an important pathogen affecting the respiratory tract of chickens. There is a paucity of information on the molecular characteristics and pathology of A. paragallinarum in Turkish poultry flocks. In the present study, broiler and layer flocks (n = 2) suspected of viral infections with serious respiratory signs and significant mortality were visited. Chickens showed various disease signs and necropsy lesions, including purulent nasal discharge, respiratory distress, facial edema, sticky eyes, mucoid tracheitis, hemorrhagic inflammation of the infraorbital sinuses along with fibrinous mass and conjunctivitis. Histopathological lesions included loss of cilia along with necrosis and exfoliation of the superficial mucosal epithelium of the trachea, facial cellulitis, dermatitis, fibrinous plasmatic edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells, especially heterophils. A. paragallinarum was detected in tissue samples by species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the core region of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene revealed that Turkish strains detected here belonged to serotype A (serovar A1). They were related to strains reported from India (VRDC), the United States (0083), and Japan (0221), which are representatives of serovar A1. A homology of 88-90% was found between Indian strains and the Turkish strains detected in this study. Surprisingly, only vaccine strains of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were detected as a co-infecting agent in all samples positive for A. paragallinarum. Our findings suggest that A. paragallinarum may be an emerging pathogen in Turkish poultry flocks, and direct PCR may facilitate rapid diagnosis of infectious coryza. These results will also help to develop control strategies for A. paragallinarum.

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 816
Author(s):  
Pia Untalan Olafson ◽  
Christopher A. Saski

Horn flies are one of the most significant economic pests of cattle in the United States and worldwide. Chemical control methods have been routinely utilized to reduce populations of this pest, but the steady development of insecticide resistance has prompted evaluation of alternative control strategies. Behavior modifying compounds from natural products have shown some success in impacting horn fly populations, and a more thorough understanding of the horn fly chemosensory system would enable improvements in the development of species-specific compounds. Using an RNA-seq approach, we assembled a transcriptome representing genes expressed in adult female and male horn fly head appendages (antennae, maxillary palps, and proboscides) and adult fly bodies from which heads were removed. Differential gene expression analysis identified chemosensory gene family members that were enriched in head appendage tissues compared with headless bodies. Candidate members included 43 odorant binding proteins (OBP) and 5 chemosensory binding proteins (CSP), as well as 44 odorant receptors (OR), 27 gustatory receptors (GR), and 34 ionotropic receptors (IR). Sex-biased expression of these genes was not observed. These findings provide a resource to enable future studies targeting horn fly chemosensation as part of an integrated strategy to control this blood-feeding pest.


Author(s):  
Arwa Kurabi ◽  
Kwang Pak ◽  
Adam S. DeConde ◽  
Allen F. Ryan ◽  
Carol H. Yan

AbstractViral infections have already been implicated with otitis media and sudden sensorineural hearing loss. However, the pathophysiology of COVID-19 as it relates to otologic disorders is not well-defined. With the spread of SARS-CoV-2, it is important to evaluate its colonization of middle ear mucosa. Middle ear and nasal tissue samples for quantitative RT-PCR and histologic evaluations were obtained from post-mortem COVID-19 patients and non-diseased control patients. Here we present evidence that SARS-CoV-2 colonizes the middle ear epithelium and co-localizes with the primary viral receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Both middle ear and nasal epithelial cells show relatively high expression of ACE2, required for SARS-CoV-2 entry. The epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) was use as a biomarker of epithelia. Furthermore, we found that the viral load in the middle ear is lower than that present in the nasal cavity.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1489
Author(s):  
Tammy Stackhouse ◽  
Sumyya Waliullah ◽  
Alfredo D. Martinez-Espinoza ◽  
Bochra Bahri ◽  
Emran Ali

Dollar spot is one of the most destructive diseases in turfgrass. The causal agents belong to the genus Clarireedia, which are known for causing necrotic, sunken spots in turfgrass that coalesce into large damaged areas. In low tolerance settings like turfgrass, it is of vital importance to rapidly detect and identify the pathogens. There are a few methods available to identify the genus Clarireedia, but none of those are rapid enough and characterize down to the species level. This study produced a co-dominant cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) test that differentiates between C. jacksonii and C. monteithiana, the two species that cause dollar spot disease within the United States. The calmodulin gene (CaM) was targeted to generate Clarireedia spp. specific PCR primers. The CAPS assay was optimized and tested for specificity and sensitivity using DNA extracted from pure cultures of two Clarireedia spp. and other closely related fungal species. The results showed that the newly developed primer set could amplify both species and was highly sensitive as it detected DNA concentrations as low as 0.005 ng/µL. The assay was further validated using direct PCR to speed up the diagnosis process. This drastically reduces the time needed to identify the dollar spot pathogens. The resulting assay could be used throughout turfgrass settings for a rapid and precise identification method in the US.


Parasitology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-Y. CHUNG ◽  
W.-G. KHO ◽  
S.-Y. HWANG ◽  
E.-Y. JE ◽  
Y.-T. CHUNG ◽  
...  

Acephalic cysticercus (Ac), a rarely developed multilobulated and nonencysted form of larval Taenia, causes hydrocephalus or adhesive arachnoiditis in the ventricles and subarachnoidal space that often lead to fatal outcome in affected patients. Ac has been proposed to originate from T. solium on the basis of morphological features, while no molecular data supporting the presumption have been available. In the present study, we investigated the immunological properties as well as molecular characteristics of Ac that was obtained surgically from 6 patients. Immunoblotting of the cyst fluid from Ac samples demonstrated the constitutive expression of a T. solium metacestode (TsM) 10 kDa protein. Specific antibodies against the truncated 10 kDa protein, which appears to be species specific for TsM cysticercosis, were detected in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples of Ac patients. Nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) genes of Ac were almost identical to those of T. solium but differed substantially from those of the other Taenia species. In phylogenetic analysis, Ac clustered with T. solium in a well-supported clade. Our results strongly suggest that Ac may have originated from T. solium.


2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 1839-1850
Author(s):  
A. Sica ◽  
M. P. Colombo ◽  
A. Trama ◽  
L. Horn ◽  
M. C. Garassino ◽  
...  

Cancer patients appear to be more likely to be diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This is supported by the understanding of immunometabolic pathways that intersect patients with infection and cancer. However, data derived by case series and retrospective studies do not offer a coherent interpretation, since data from China suggest an increased risk of COVID-19, while data from the United States and Italy show a prevalence of COVID-19 in cancer patients comparable with the general population. Noteworthy, cancer and COVID-19 exploit distinct patterns of macrophage activation that promote disease progression in the most severe forms. In particular, the alternative activation of M2-polarized macrophages plays a crucial role in cancer progression. In contrast, the macrophage-activation syndrome appears as the source of M1-related cytokine storm in severe COVID-19 disease, thus indicating macrophages as a source of distinct inflammatory states in the two diseases, nonetheless as a common therapeutic target. New evidence indicates that NAMPT/NAD metabolism can direct both innate immune cell effector functions and the homeostatic robustness, in both cancer and infection. Moreover, a bidirectional relationship exists between the metabolism of NAD and the protective role that angiotensin converting enzyme 2, the COVID-19 receptor, can play against hyperinflammation. Within this immunometabolic framework, the review considers possible interference mechanisms that viral infections and tumors elicit on therapies and provides an overview for the management of patients with cancer affected by COVID-19, particularly for the balance of risk and benefit when planning normally routine cancer treatments and follow-up appointments.


Plant Disease ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 726-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengpei Guo ◽  
Yinbing Bian ◽  
Jinjie Wang ◽  
Gangzheng Wang ◽  
Xiaolong Ma ◽  
...  

A new partitivirus named Lentinula edodes partitivirus 1 (LePV1) was isolated from a diseased L. edodes strain with severe degeneration of the mycelium and imperfect browning in bag cultures. The nucleotide sequences of LePV1 dsRNA-1 and dsRNA-2 were determined; they were 2,382 bp and 2,245 bp in length, and each contained a single ORF encoding RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and coat protein (CP), respectively. The purified virus preparation contained isometric particles 34 nm in diameter encapsidating these dsRNAs. Phylogenetic analyses showed LePV1 to be a new member of Betapartitivirus, with the RdRp sequence most closely related to Grapevine partitivirus. RT-PCR analysis showed that 27 of the 56 Chinese L. edodes core collection strains carry LePV1, with the virus being more common in wild strains than cultivated strains. In addition, qPCR analysis suggested that coinfection with L. edodes mycovirus HKB (LeV-HKB) could increase replication of the RdRp gene of LePV1. This study may be essential for the development of more accurate disease diagnostics and the formulation of control strategies for viral diseases in L. edodes.


Plant Disease ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvana Soto-Alvear ◽  
Mauricio Lolas ◽  
Inés M. Rosales ◽  
Eduardo R. Chávez ◽  
Bernardo A. Latorre

Apple fruit in Chile are primarily produced for export to Asia, Europe, and the United States, which typically requires 15 to 40 days of maritime transportation. Therefore, Chilean apple production must fulfill the sanitization requirements imposed by the receiving countries. Under these circumstances, it was important to clarify the etiology of bull's eye rot that can severely affect ‘Cripps Pink’ apple and other late-harvest cultivars in Chile. Based on morphological characteristics and the partial sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer sequences and β-tubulin genes, Neofabraea alba was identified as the causal agent of the bull's eye rot of Chilean apple. These results were further corroborated using species-specific primers. The incidence of bull's eye rot varied considerably; for instance, in 2009, 0.0 to 58.7% in 38 Cripps Pink orchards surveyed in the relatively arid and humid apple-growing areas of Chile, respectively. There was no evidence for the presence of N. malicorticis or N. perennans, which are commonly identified as causal agents of bull's eye rot in other apple-producing countries. Altogether, these data suggest that N. alba might represent the predominant and possibly the only cause of bull's-eye rot of Chilean apple.


2015 ◽  
Vol 309 (10) ◽  
pp. G791-G800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Owen ◽  
Philip N. Newsome

End-stage liver disease is responsible for 30,000 deaths per year in the United States alone, and it is continuing to increase every year. With liver transplantation the only curative treatment currently available, new therapies are in great demand. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) offer an opportunity to both treat liver inflammatory damage, as well as reverse some of the changes that occur following chronic liver injury. With the ability to regulate both the innate and adaptive immune system, as well as both inhibit and promote apoptosis of effector inflammatory cells, there are numerous therapeutic opportunities for MSC in acute and chronic liver disease. This article critically appraises the potential therapeutic roles of MSC in liver disease, as well as the barriers to their adoption into clinical practice.


Hypertension ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 78 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ginette Bordcoch ◽  
Ivan Tavera Busso ◽  
Juan Masjoan Juncos ◽  
Luis I Juncos

Hypertension has been linked to a progressive increased in oxidative stress and inflammation. The high prevalence of hypertension poses a great risk to public health as 108 million adults in the United States have the condition. For that reason, a better understanding of the link between a high Na+ intake and the development of hypertension is of crucial importance. We hypothesize that a single ingestion of a high Na+ solution leads to increased oxidative stress and triggers an inflammatory response. Wistar 200-250 g male rats had gastric infusions through the esophagus. Groups were infused with 8 mL liquid Vaseline (Control), 8 mL of NaCl 0.684 M (4% m/v), and 8 mL of NaCl 1.368 M (8% m/v). After infusion, blood was collected at different time points during the first hour. Tissue samples were obtained from the aorta, heart, and kidney. Electron Microscopy (EM) was performed on all tissues, which were also analyzed for molecular markers of oxidative stress: Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Malondialdehyde (MDA), and an inflammation marker: Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK). At 2 and a half minutes, serum Na+ concentration was unchanged in the control group compared to an increase observed in animals receiving 4% and 8% Na+ with concentrations of 135±1.4 mEq/L, 141±2.0 mEq/L, and 140±1.2 mEq/L respectively. At the 1-hour time point after infusion, the difference was further increased in the 8% group with serum concentrations of 135±1.8 mEq/L, 140±1.5 mEq/L, and 152±1mEq/L respectively (p<0.05). There was an increase in oxidative stress in the aorta from values of 36.22±4.64 mU/mg SOD and 0.131±0.013 pg/mL MDA in the control group, to 47.11±4.89 mU/mg SOD and 0.291±0.022 pg/mL MDA in the 8% group (p<0.05 in both cases). The same was observed in the heart, where values were: 174.6125.26 mU/mg SOD, 0.026±0.007 pg/mL MDA in controls, and 259.22±21.98 mU/mg SOD, 0.215±0.073 pg/mL MDA in 8% group (p<0.05 both cases). Increased ERK in aortic tissue, values of 0.29±0.03 pg/mL in controls, 2.68±0.18 pg/mL in 4% group and 3.97±0.68pg/mL in 8% group (p<0.05) suggest increased inflammation. We conclude that the elevation in serum Na+ concentration that follows Na+ ingestion leads to increased oxidative stress and inflammation.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 404-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  

Localized outbreaks of meningococcal disease in the United States and Canada continue to cause serious alarm within communities as a result of the fulminating pattern of the disease, high mortality rate, and high incidence among adolescents. The increasing number of outbreaks since 1991 has raised questions about the management and prevention of further cases during an outbreak. The purpose of this statement is to guide primary-care physicians in their role in infection control and prevention of both sporadic cases and outbreaks of invasive meningococcal disease. This statement provides information on the epidemiology of meningococcal disease, including definitions of sporadic, secondary, and coprimary cases, clusters of cases, and outbreaks. Data are presented on identification of cases, disease risk of contacts, and agents for chemoprophylaxis, and recommendations are given for: (1) risk assessment of contacts, (2) administration of chemoprophylaxis, (3) appropriate use of meningococcal vaccine, (4) appropriate use of the microbiology laboratory, (5) the necessity for timely and appropriate reporting of invasive meningococcal disease to local public health authorities, and (6) information on counseling and public education that may be helpful during an outbreak to minimize public anxiety. An additional section, "Information for Sharing," which uses a question-and-answer format and which may be helpful to parents and community and health care workers during an outbreak, is also provided.


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