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Prevalence of hydatid in buffaloes in India and report of a severe liver infection.

Of 3200 buffaloes examined at Bareilly abattoir 915 (28.6%) were positive for hydatidosis. The hydatid infected organs were lungs (60%), liver (32%), spleen (4%), kidneys (2%), heart (0.9%) and brain (0.1%). The number of hydatid cysts encountered in lungs of an individual buffalo was 1-9 and 1-7 in liver. One buffalo liver showed severe hepatomegaly, cirrhosis and had an exceptionally high number of hydatid cysts. Infectivity studies in pups showed 16-29 per cent worm establishment with the presence of shelled eggs within the uterus of the parasite on day 45 post-infection.

Animals↗

Centrocestus formosanus: surface morphology of metacercaria, adult and egg

The surface morphology of metacercariae isolated from Puntius spp., adult worms from infected hamsters and eggs of Centrocestus formosanus (Digenea: Heterophyidae) were studied using scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the surfaces of the metacercariae and adult worms were closely similar in appearance. The oral sucker was surrounded by a circumoral expansion with two rows of 32 spines (16 spines each). The ventral sucker, with six large nonciliated papillae on the lip, and the genital opening were located mid-ventrally. The excretory pore was terminal. The body surface was covered with pectinate scale-like spines of varying sizes. The scales in the middle area were larger than those in the anterior and posterior parts of the body. Sensory papillae, mostly uniciliated, were present in greater abundance at the anterior region of both stages. However, morphological variations were observed among the adults depending on the age of the worms. At 4 weeks, the oral sucker and circumoral expansion were cobblestone-like in structure and the grooves of spines split compared with their smooth surfaces at 10 days. In addition, the ventral sucker became depressed and its large papillae on the lip disappeared at 10 weeks post infection. Multiciliated papillae were also present in 10-week old worms. Each egg of this parasite possessed a prominent operculum and a latticed design on the egg shell.

Journal Article↗

A female-specific cDNA sequence of Schistosoma mansoni encoding a mucin-like protein that is expressed in the epithelial cells of the reproductive duct.

Seven cDNA clones of Schistosoma mansoni containing the C-terminal part of the deduced sequence of a mucin-like protein have been identified. The protein contains 28% threonines, 20% serines, and has a pI of 3.4. On Northern blots of RNA of adult worms, the cDNA clones detect 2 transcripts of 1.65 and 4.2 kb which are expressed only in female worms. The tissue of gene expression, as revealed by in situ hybridization, is the epithelium surrounding the female reproduction duct proximal to its entrance into the ootype. Accumulation of N-glycosylation sites suggests that the protein, like other mucins, might form a protective layer, coating the lining of the duct. Regarding its acidic pI, we hypothesize a role in preventing premature egg-shell formation. This is the first female-specifically transcribed sequence, hitherto known in S. mansoni that is not expressed in the vitellaria.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

ATP diphosphohydrolase from Schistosoma mansoni egg: characterization and immunocytochemical localization of a new antigen.

The fact that the Schistosoma mansoni egg has two ATP diphosphohydrolase (EC 3.6.1.5) isoforms with different net charges and an identical molecular weight of 63,000, identified by non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunological cross-reactivity with potato apyrase antibodies, is shown. In soluble egg antigen (SEA), only the isoform with the lower net negative charge was detected and seemed to be the predominant species in this preparation. By confocal fluorescence microscopy, using anti-potato apyrase antibodies, the S. mansoni egg ATP diphosphohydrolase was detected on the external surface of miracidium and in von Lichtenberg's envelope. Intense fluorescence was also seen in the outer side of the egg-shell, entrapped by the surface microspines, suggesting that a soluble isoform is secreted. ATP diphosphohydrolase antigenicity was tested using the vegetable protein as antigen. The purified potato apyrase was recognized in Western blots by antibodies present in sera from experimentally S. mansoni-infected mice. In addition, high levels of IgG anti-ATP diphosphohydrolase antibodies were detected by ELISA in the same sera. This work represents the first demonstration of antigenic properties of S. mansoni ATP diphosphohydrolase and immunological cross-reactivity between potato apyrase and sera from infected individuals.

Animals↗

Comparative development of Echinococcus multilocularis in its definitive hosts.

The comparative development of Echinococcus multilocularis was studied in its definitive hosts, the fox, dog, cat and raccoon dog, beyond the pre-patent period to 90 days post-infection. All host species, apart from cats were susceptible to infection and capable of supporting substantial worm burdens. Although worms in cats matured and produced thick-shelled eggs, their overall development was retarded compared to that in other species in which the parasite matured rapidly producing large populations of gravid worms. E. multilocularis matured rapidly in foxes and raccoon dogs and this was sustained in raccoon dogs but not in foxes in which maturation of worms declined during the later stages of infection, in contrast to that in both raccoon dogs and dogs. These populations were sustained for longer in raccoon dogs and dogs compared to foxes. Cats would appear to have only a minor role in the maintenance of E. multilocularis in endemic areas, and infections in cats may be of minimal public health significance. In contrast, foxes, dogs and the recently recognized definitive host the raccoon dog, are all capable of playing significant roles in the epidemiology of alveolar echinococcosis. This study also demonstrated that the developmental processes of growth, segmentation, proglottization and maturation in adult Echinococcus are independent and can be influenced by environmental factors thus confirming earlier in vitro observations.

Animals↗

Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 from the contents of intact eggs: a study involving naturally infected hens.

Two small flocks of egg-laying hens, naturally infected with Salmonella enteritidis, were housed in individual cages so that their eggs could be identified. During a longitudinal study where the contents of 1,119 eggs were examined, 11 were positive for S. enteritidis. One isolate was phage type (PT) 33 the others were PT4. The production of infected eggs was clustered though intermittent. The positive eggs, which were produced by 10 of the 35 hens, were all found to contain fewer than 10 salmonellas. Some birds were also apparently carrying S. hadar PT14 as this organism was isolated from the contents of six cracked eggs.

Animals↗

Persistence of contamination of hens' egg albumen in vitro with Salmonella serotypes.

A study was made of the persistence of different Salmonella serotypes in hens' egg albumin in vitro at 4, 20 and 30 degrees C. The majority of serotypes remained viable but did not increase in numbers at 20 and 30 degrees C for 42 days. At 4 degrees C many of the serotypes died out. The addition of ferric ammonium citrate on the 42nd day of incubation induced multiplication of organisms incubated at 20 and 30 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C. The pH and glucose concentration of the albumen diminished only when heavy growth occurred. Salmonella enteritidis remained viable on the air cell membrane in vitro for 17 days at 4, 20 and 30 degrees C. Thirty percent of the organisms also remained motile in albumen for 42 days at 25 degrees C and up to 5% of the cells remained motile for up to 20 days at 4 degrees C.

Animals↗

A hospital outbreak of salmonella food poisoning due to inadequate deep-fat frying.

In an outbreak of plasmid-free Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 (PT4) food poisoning at a hospital for mentally handicapped people in July 1990, 101 residents and 8 staff were affected and a cohort study implicated beef rissoles cooked by deep-fat frying as the vehicle of infection (relative risk 2.92, 95% confidence interval 1.73-4.93, P << 0.001). Replication of the cooking process demonstrated that the rissoles achieved core temperatures of only 48-60 degrees C despite external temperatures of 91-95 degrees C and an oil temperature of 142-154 degrees C. No residual food was available for microbiological testing but plasmid-containing S. enteritidis PT 4 was isolated in shell eggs from the hospital kitchen.

Adult↗

Interrelationships between strains of Salmonella enteritidis.

In contrast to S. typhimurium [19], S. enteritidis is a serotype which has its primary food-animal reservoir in poultry. To date, phage typing has been of paramount importance in studying the epidemiology of this serotype and in particular, has demonstrated the involvement of both poultry meat and whole shell eggs in the transmission of S. enteritidis PT4 to humans. The findings discussed above describe various aspects of the serotype, particularly in relation to the involvement of both LPS and plasmids in its virulence and phage type identity (Fig. 2). These findings have led to an increased understanding of the biology of this serotype, which is of major importance in human food-poisoning in England and Wales at the present time.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗

Dose-response effects in an outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis.

The effects of ingested Salmonella enteritidis (SE) dose on incubation period and on the severity and duration of illness were estimated in a cohort of 169 persons who developed gastroenteritis after eating hollandaise sauce made from grade-A shell eggs. The cohort was divided into three groups based on self-reported dose of sauce ingested. As dose increased, median incubation period decreased (37 h in the low exposure group v. 21 h in the medium exposure group v. 17.5 h in the high exposure group, P = 0.006) and greater proportions reported body aches (71 v. 85 v. 94%, P = 0.0009) and vomiting (21 v. 56 v. 57%, P = 0.002). Among 118 case-persons who completed a follow-up questionnaire, increased dose was associated with increases in median weight loss in kilograms (3.2 v. 4.5 v. 5.0, P = 0.0001), maximum daily number of stools (12.5 v. 15.0 v. 20.0, P = 0.02), subjective rating of illness severity (P = 0.0007), and the number of days of confinement to bed (3.0 v. 6.5 v. 6.5, P = 0.04). In this outbreak, ingested dose was an important determinant of the incubation period, symptoms and severity of acute salmonellosis.

Adult↗

Chaos under canvas: a Salmonella enteritidis PT 6B outbreak.

An outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis PT 6B food poisoning, the first reported of this recently described phage type, resulted in illness among 46 of 49 members of a camping group in North Wales, 33 of whom were hospitalized. Epidemiological evidence (P < 0.0001) indicated that a lemon meringue pie was the vehicle of infection. Fresh shell eggs, stored after purchase at ambient temperature, appear to be the most likely source of infection, with multiplication during preparation and subsequent storage of the pie a significant contributory factor. Campers may be at greater risk than others and should consider the use of cold boxes for the transport and storage of eggs, and avoid the preparation of lightly cooked egg products under these basic conditions.

Abdominal Pain↗

A one-year intensified study of outbreaks of gastroenteritis in The Netherlands.

In 2002, in The Netherlands a national study of gastroenteritis outbreaks was performed. Epidemiological information was collected by the Public Health Services (PHS) and the Food Inspection Services (FIS) using standardized questionnaires. Stool samples were collected for diagnostic testing. For foodborne outbreaks, food samples were taken. In total, 281 gastroenteritis outbreaks were included, mainly from nursing homes and homes for the elderly (57%), restaurants (11%), hospitals (9%) and day-care centres (7%). Direct person-to-person spread was the predominant transmission route in all settings (overall 78%), except for restaurant outbreaks where food was suspected in almost 90% (overall in 21% of outbreaks). The most common pathogen was norovirus (54%), followed by Salmonella spp. (4%), rotavirus group A (2%), Campylobacter spp. (1%) and only incidentally others. In conclusion, most outbreaks were reported from health and residential institutions, with norovirus as the dominant agent. Control should aim at reducing person-to-person spread. In foodborne outbreaks norovirus was common, due to contamination of food by food handlers. Salmonella, as the second foodborne pathogen, was mainly associated with raw shell eggs. These results stress the continuous need for food safety education, complementary to governmental regulation.

Caliciviridae Infections↗

Effect of cholecalciferol-enriched hen feed on egg quality.

Eggs are one of the most important sources of vitamin D in the human diet, and their vitamin D content can be further increased by adding more vitamin D to hen feed. To investigate this issue more closely, we performed two feeding experiments. In both, zero egg samples were collected while the hens were fed regular feeds with a vitamin D content of 1720 or 4280 IU/kg. In experiment 1, egg samples were collected 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 23, and 30 days after beginning the high-cholecalciferol (11 200 IU/kg) feeding period. In experiment 2, samples were collected 2, 4, 6, 8, 13, 28, 56, 84, 112, 140, and 168 days after beginning the high-cholecalciferol (12 000 IU/kg) diet. The egg samples were then assayed for their cholecalciferol content, and some samples, also for the presence of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol by an HPLC method. Further, the vitamin D-fortified eggs were compared with the controls by a sensory evaluation, by conducting fatty acid and functional analyses (emulsion capacity, gel forming capacity, foaming properties) and by measuring eggshell strength. Because vitamin D can be toxic in high doses, we also performed histopathological tests on the hens at the end of experiment 2. The top cholecalciferol contents in egg yolk (ca. 30 microg/100 g) were reached 8-13 days from starting the high-cholecalciferol diet. After 112 days feeding the cholecalciferol content gradually decreased to ca. 22 microg/100 g. When added to eggs as described above, vitamin D did not affect their sensory or functional properties or their fatty acid composition. Moreover, the cholecalciferol levels used in this study appeared not to affect eggshell strength or to be harmful for hens.

Animal Feed↗

A complete culture system for the chick embryo.

The embryonic lifespan of the chick is 22 days. Development in the first day takes place in the oviduct, and in the remaining 21 days in the shelled egg. There have been few attempts to culture oviductal embryos, though methods covering the first few days of development in ovo are well established and a method for the final 18 days of development through hatching has recently been devised. I have now succeeded in culturing the fertilized ovum of the chick (Gallus domesticus) for the total embryonic period by growing it in a series of separate culture systems. This is the first report of a complete in vitro method for a homoiothermic animal. The technique opens the way to the investigation of developmental events in birds that require access to the embryo at the single-cell stage, and in particular to the genetic manipulation of the fertilized ovum.

Animals↗

Vascular leakage in chick embryos after expression of a secreted binding protein for fibroblast growth factors.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) have been implicated in a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes from embryonic development to tumor growth and angiogenesis. FGFs are immobilized in the extracellular matrix of different tissues and require release from this storage site to trigger a response. Secreted FGF-binding proteins (FGF-BPs) can release immobilized FGFs, enhance the activity of locally stored FGFs and can thus serve as an angiogenic switch molecule in cancer. Here, we report on the effect of human FGF-BP transgene expression in chicken embryos. To establish the transgenic model, plasmid-based reporter vectors expressing luciferase, beta-galactosidase or green fluorescent protein were introduced through different routes into 4- to 5-day-old embryos grown outside their egg shell on top of the yolk sac. This allows for easy manipulation and continuous observation of phenotypic effects. Expression of human FGF-BP induced dose-dependent vascular permeability, hemorrhage and embryonic lethality. Light and electron microscopic studies indicate that this hemorrhage results from compromised microvascular structure. An FGF-1 expression vector with an added secretory signal mimicked this vascular leakiness phenotype whereas wild-type FGF-1 required coexpression of a threshold amount of FGF-BP. This model is a powerful tool for real-time monitoring of the effects of transient transgene expression during embryogenesis.

Animals↗

Wildlife biomaterial banking in Africa for now and the future.

The Wildlife Biological Resource Centre (wBRC) together with its partners in BioBank SA, have created a Biological Resource Bank (BRB) that is dedicated to the acquisition, processing, banking, using and provision of biomaterials to the scientific and conservation industry that are viable, diverse and representative of southern Africa's wildlife populations. Banked biomaterials include tissue such as muscle, kidney, fat, liver, embryos, fibroblast cultures, blood, sperm, hair, egg shells and other tissue, fluids and cells. Biomaterials are made available for research, biodiversity conservation and biotechnology development. Biomaterials are used in many disciplines, including genetics, reproduction, nutrition, and disease studies. Biomaterials from selected species are also useful for the detection and monitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants and other potentially harmful substances found in the environment. Biomaterials are made available to third parties with prior consent from the biomaterials "owner" and only after the signing of a customised Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) or Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The training of staff from National and Provincial Game Reserves, Zoological Gardens, Animal Breeders and laboratories is carried out on a regular basis with the aim of securing good quality biomaterials. Sampling kits are made available to persons tasked with the collection of wildlife biomaterials. The Biobank SA consortium acts as an integrated resource centre linking partner collections. The consortium's operational arm, namely wBRC, is active in the development of relevant policy, regulations and legislation pertaining to biomaterials, including Access and Benefit Sharing systems. The main sponsor of the project is the Department of Science and Technology, National Government of South Africa.

Africa↗