Transcription profiles of skin and head kidney from goldfish suffering hemorrhagic septicemia with an emphasis on the TLR signaling pathway.

Hemorrhagic septicemia is an acute, highly fatal disease that affects goldfish (Carassius auratus). To gain a better understanding of related immune genes, the transcriptomes of the skin and head kidney of goldfish suffering hemorrhagic septicemia were sequenced, assembled, and characterized. Based on functional annotation, an extensive and diverse catalog of expressed genes were identified in both the skin and head kidney. As two different organs, pair-wise comparison identified 122/77 unigenes up/down-regulated (two-fold change with P<0.05) in the skin and head kidney. Most genes of the immune pathways were expressed and isolated in both skin and head kidney, including interferon (IFN) transcription factors 1-10 and Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a key IFN transcription factor, was up-regulated at the transcriptional level by polyriboinosinic: polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C) challenge and regulated the IFN response by increasing the activity of IFN-ß and IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE)-containing promoter. This study will benefit the identification and understanding of novel genes that play important roles in the immunological reactions of fish suffering from hemorrhagic septicemia.

Pathological changes in the respiratory tract of goats infected by Pasteurella multocida B:2.

Clinical and pathological changes are described in groups of five goats pretreated with dexamethasone and then infected with a large dose of Pasteurella multocida B:2 (the cause of haemorrhagic septicaemia) by the intratracheal, subcutaneous or intranasal route (groups A, B and C, respectively). In group A, two goats died (on day 1 and 4 post-inoculation); in group B three died (days 2, 5 and 14); and in group C one died (day 20). The infecting organism was recovered from the four goats that died within < or =5 days. The major pulmonary lesions included acute pneumonia, congestion, oedema and hydrothorax. Subcutaneous oedema of the lower jaw and brisket, typically seen in cattle and buffalo, was absent in goats.

Comparative immunogenecity of foot and mouth disease virus antigens in FMD-haemorrhagic septicaemia combined vaccine and FMD vaccine alone in buffalo calves.

Humoral immune response was evaluated by monitoring the serum antibody titres and virus specific IgM titres against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) virus antigens in serum samples obtained from different groups of calves inoculated with combined vaccine or FMD vaccine alone, on 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42 and 56 days post-vaccination (DPV). The cellular immune response was monitored by MTT based lymphoproliferation in peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures. Higher liquid phase blocking (LPB) ELISA antibody titres were observed in calves receiving combined vaccine as compared to calves immunized with FMD vaccine alone with the peak titres in both the groups obtained on 21 days post-vaccination. However, the virus specific IgM titres were significantly higher in group of calves inoculated with combined vaccine than FMD vaccine alone. The lymphoproliferative responses against FMDV types O, A22 and Asia 1 in the groups receiving combined vaccine and FMD vaccine alone started increasing gradually after day 14 and reached peak levels on 28 DPV followed by a gradual decline subsequently. The group receiving combined vaccine showed higher proliferative responses on in vitro stimulation with FMD virus type O, whereas, with FMD virus type Asia 1, the responses were significantly higher on 14 and 21 DPV as compared to the group immunized with FMD vaccine alone. However, in the group receiving combined vaccine, the responses on in vitro stimulation with FMD virus type A22 were significantly higher than FMD vaccine alone group on all DPV except on 42 DPV.

Cytochemical determination of intracellular polymorphonuclear leukocyte elastase content in patients with severe bacterial infection and septicaemia correlated with coagulation parameters.

Haemorrhagic disorders are known to occur during septicaemia. We studied the role of elastase-like protease (ELP) of human granulocytes in the activation and consumption of clotting factors and their specific inhibitors. Patients with septicaemia and severe bacterial infection were examined for ELP content in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PNL), as well as plasma levels of ELP complexed to alpha-1 protease inhibitor, total alpha-1 protease inhibitor (alpha-1 PI), clotting factor VII and partial thromboplastin time (PTT). In all patients, a decrease in ELP content of PNL was accompanied by an increase in plasma ELP complexes. The degree to which ELP content of PNL was lowered was related both to the clinical diagnosis and the course of illness. The ELP content of PNL showed a significant positive correlation with plasma factor VII and significant negative correlations with PTT and alpha-1 PI. These data suggest that ELP release is accompanied by stimulation of the production of alpha-1 PI, and may contribute in vivo to the consumption of coagulation factors. The correlation with PTT might point to an activation of Hageman factor, which may activate both intrinsic coagulation and ELP release. The estimation of ELP content in PNL in patients with septicaemia is likely to represent intravascular ELP release during the inflammatory process. It appears to be useful in combination with the assay of ELP complex in plasma the level of which is influenced by the capacity of the reticuloendothelial system for clearance.