Immortalized sheep microglial cells are permissive to a diverse range of ruminant viruses.

BACKGROUND: Ruminants, including sheep and goats (small ruminants), are key agricultural animals in many parts of the world. Infectious diseases, including many viral diseases, are significant problems to efficient production of ruminants. Unfortunately, reagents tailored to viruses of ruminants, and especially small ruminants, are lacking compared to other animals more typically used for biomedical research. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the permissibility of a stably immortalized, sheep microglial cell line to viruses that are reported to infect ruminants: bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV), and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV). METHODS: Sublines A and H of previously isolated, immortalized, and characterized (CD14-positive) ovine microglial cells were used. Bovine turbinate cells and goat synovial membrane cells were used for comparison. Cytopathic changes were used to confirm infection of individual wells, which were then counted and used to calculate the 50% tissue culture infectious dose. Uninoculated cells served as negative controls and confirmed that the cells were not previously infected with these viruses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Inoculation of the two microglial cell sublines with laboratory and field isolates of BVDV, BoHV-1, and BRSV resulted in viral infection in a manner similar to bovine turbinate cells. Immortalized microglia cells are also permissive to SRLV, similar to goat synovial membrane cells. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These immortalized sheep microglial cells provide a new tool for the study of ruminant viruses in ruminant microglial cell line.

Role of uvrA in the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes under UV radiation and acid and bile stress.

Listeria monocytogenes encounters numerous stresses both in the food environment and during infection of the host. The ability to survive and tolerate bile and low pH conditions, which are two major stresses, is of particular importance for survival within the host. The uvrA gene in other bacteria is involved in the repair of acid-induced DNA damage and in adaptation to low pH. Thus, a uvrA in-frame deletion mutant was constructed to identify the role of uvrA in the growth and survival of L. monocytogenes under various environmental conditions. The uvrA mutant was highly sensitive to UV radiation. Growth under normal laboratory conditions was impaired during the exponential phase, and the time to reach the exponential phase of growth, TV(max), was significantly delayed (P < 0.05). Growth of the uvrA mutant in acidic medium (pH 5) was slightly impaired, and the TV(max) was significantly delayed (P < 0.05). Growth and the TV(max) of the mutant in the presence of 0.3% bile salts also were significantly impaired (P < 0.05). These results suggest that uvrA is needed for optimal growth and survival of L. monocytogenes under various stressful environmental conditions.

Evaluacion de las condiciones en las cuales se provee y se administra sangre a los hospitales de Ibuelo, Ivirgarzama y Villa Tunari / Evaluation of conditions on which blood is provided in the Hospitals of Ibuelo, Ivirgarzama and Villa Tunari

El presente estudio concluye que las condiciones en las que se provee y se administra sangre, no son las adecuadas ya que no cuentan con la infraestructura apropiada, recursos materiales y humanos para transfundir sangre de calidad

Evaluacion de las condiciones en las cuales se provee y se administra sangre a los hospitales de Ibuelo, Ivirgarzama y Villa Tunari / Evaluation of conditions on which blood is provided in the Hospitals of Ibuelo, Ivirgarzama and Villa Tunari

El presente estudio concluye que las condiciones en las que se provee y se administra sangre, no son las adecuadas ya que no cuentan con la infraestructura apropiada, recursos materiales y humanos para transfundir sangre de calidad