Pyrococcus furiosus argonaute combined with loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid, ultrasensitive, and visual detection of fowl adenovirus serotype 4.

Since 2015, an outbreak of an infectious disease in broilers caused by fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4) has occurred in China, resulting in substantial economic losses. Rapid, accurate, and specific detection are significant in the prevention and control of FAdV-4. In this study, an FAdV-4 detection method combining loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and Pyrococcus furiosus Argonaute (PfAgo) was established. Specific primers, guide DNAs (gDNAs), and molecular beacons were designed to target a conserved region of the FAdV-4 hexon gene. After optimizing the reaction conditions, the minimum detection of this assay could reach 5 copies. It only amplified FAdV-4, and there was no cross-reactivity with other pathogens. The assay took about only 50 min, and the results could be visualized with the naked eye under ultraviolet or blue light, getting rid of specialized instruments. This novel LAMP-PfAgo assay was validated by using 20 clinical samples and the results were identical to gold-standard real-time polymerase chain reaction method. In summary, the LAMP-PfAgo assay established in the paper provides a rapid, reliable, convenient, ultra-sensitive and highly specific tool for the on-site detection and clinical diagnosis of FAdV-4.

Metagenome-Based Analysis of the Microbial Community Structure and Drug-Resistance Characteristics of Livestock Feces in Anhui Province, China.

We analyzed metagenome data of feces from sows at different physiological periods reared on large-scale farms in Anhui Province, China, to provide a better understanding of the microbial diversity of the sow intestinal microbiome and the structure of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence genes it carries. Species annotation of the metagenome showed that in the porcine intestinal microbiome, bacteria were dominant, representing >97% of the microorganisms at each physiological period. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria dominated the bacterial community. In the porcine gut microbiome, the viral component accounted for an average of 0.65%, and the species annotation results indicated that most viruses were phages. In addition, we analyzed the microbiome for ARGs and virulence genes. Multidrug-like, MLS-like, and tetracycline-like ARGs were most abundant in all samples. Evaluation of the resistance mechanisms indicated that antibiotic inactivation was the main mechanism of action in the samples. It is noteworthy that there was a significant positive correlation between ARGs and the total microbiome. Moreover, comparative analysis with the Virulence Factor Database showed that adhesion virulence factors were most abundant.

LAMP assay coupled with a CRISPR/Cas12a system for the rapid and ultrasensitive detection of porcine circovirus-like virus in the field.

A recent outbreak of porcine circovirus-like virus (PCLV), a virus that may be associated with porcine diarrhea, has been reported in swine herds in China. The virus is spreading rapidly, causing huge economic losses to the swine farming industry. To achieve the rapid, inexpensive, and sensitive detection of PCLV, we combined loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and the CRISPR/Cas12a system, whose fluorescence intensity readout can detect PCLV ORF4 gene levels as low as 10 copies. To overcome the need for sophisticated equipment, lateral flow strip reading technology was introduced for the first time in a LAMP-Cas12a-based system to detect PCLV. The lateral flow strip (LFS) results were readout by the naked eye, and the method was highly sensitive with a detection limit of 10 copies, with a detection time of about 60 min. In addition, the method is highly specific and has no cross-reactivity with other related viruses. In conclusion, LAMP-CRISPR/Cas12a-based assays have the advantages of rapidity, accuracy, portability, low cost, and visualization of the results. They therefore have great potential, especially for areas where specialized equipment is lacking, and can expect to be an ideal method for early diagnosis and on-site detection of PCLV.

Gut Microbiome Analysis and Screening of Lactic Acid Bacteria with Probiotic Potential in Anhui Swine.

With the widespread promotion of the green feeding concept of "substitution and resistance", there is a pressing need for alternative products in feed and breeding industries. Employing lactic acid bacteria represents one of the most promising antimicrobial strategies to combat infections caused by pathogenic bacteria. As such, we analyzed the intestinal tract of Anhui local pig breeds, including LiuBai Pig, YueHei Pig, and HuoShou Pig, to determine the composition and diversity of intestinal microbiota using 16S rRNA. Further, the functionality of the pigs' intestinal microbiota was studied through metagenomic sequencing. This study revealed that lactic acid bacteria were the primary contributors to the functional composition, as determined through a species functional contribution analysis. More specifically, the functional contribution of lactic acid bacteria in the HuoShou Pig group was higher than that of the LiuBai Pig and YueHei Pig. Subsequently, the intestinal contents of the HuoShou Pig group were selected for the screening of the dominant lactic acid bacteria strains. Out of eight strains of lactic acid bacteria, the acid-production capacity, growth curve, and tolerance to a simulated intestinal environment were assessed. Additional assessments included surface hydrophobicity, the self-aggregation capability, co-agglutination of lactic acid bacteria with pathogenic bacteria, and an in vitro bacteriostatic activity assay. Lactobacillus johnsonii L5 and Lactobacillus reuteri L8 were identified as having a strong overall performance. These findings serve as a theoretical basis for the further development of pig-derived probiotics, thereby promoting the application of lactic acid bacteria to livestock production.

Immunogenicity of an inactivated novel goose parvovirus vaccine for short beak and dwarfism syndrome in Cherry Valley ducks.

Duck short beak and dwarfism syndrome (SBDS) is a viral infectious disease caused by novel goose parvovirus (NGPV), which has been responsible for serious economic losses to the Chinese duck industry in recent years. Currently, there is no effective vaccine against this disease. In this study, we developed an inactivated virus vaccine candidate for SBDS based on NGPV strain DS15 isolated from a duck in China. Immune efficacy was evaluated in 112 ducks, which were randomly divided into vaccination, challenge-control, vaccination-challenge, and blank control groups (28 per group). Clinical characteristics, antibodies, virus excretion, viremia, and pathological changes were monitored. No morbidity or death was observed in the immunized ducks, which showed normal weight and a good mental state. High levels of serum antibodies (optical density at 450 nm of ~ 0.63) were detected in ducks immunized with the inactivated vaccine at 7 days post-vaccination (dpv), and the titer of virus-neutralizing antibodies increased from 1:23 to 1:28.5 from 7 to 42 dpv. Measurement of the viral load in anal swab, serum, and tissue samples showed that vaccination significantly inhibited the replication of NGPV in immunized ducks. Moreover, NGPV could not be isolated from the spleens of immunized or vaccinated and challenged ducks. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the newly developed inactivated NGPV vaccine, administered in an oil emulsion adjuvant, possesses good immunogenicity and represents a potentially powerful tool for SBDS prevention and control.

Recombinant adenovirus expressing vesicular stomatitis virus G proteins induce both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in mice and goats.

BACKGROUND: Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is an acute, highly contagious and economically important zoonotic disease caused by the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). There is a need for effective and safe stable recombinant vaccine for the control of the disease. The human type 5 replication-defective adenovirus expression vector is a good way to construct recombinant vaccines. RESULTS: Three recombinant adenoviruses (rAd) were successfully constructed that expressed the VSV Indiana serotype glycoprotein (VSV-IN-G), VSV New Jersey serotype glycoprotein (VSV-NJ-G), and the G fusion protein (both serotypes of G [VSV-IN-G-NJ-G]) with potentiality to induce protective immunity. G proteins were successfully expressed with good immunogenicity. The rAds could induce the production of VSV antibodies in mice, and VSV neutralizing antibodies in goats, respectively. The neutralizing antibody titers could reach 1:32 in mice and 1:64 in goats. The rAds induced strong lymphocyte proliferation in mice and goats, which was significantly higher compared to the negative control groups. CONCLUSIONS: The three rAds constructed in the study expressed VSV-G proteins and induced both humoral and cellular immune responses in mice and goats. These results lay the foundation for further studies on the use of rAds in vaccines expressing VSV-G.

Genomic and phylogenetic characteristics of a novel goose astrovirus in Anhui Province, Central-Eastern China.

Goose astrovirus (GAstV) causes a novel disease characterized by urate deposition in the viscera and joints in goslings in many provinces of China, leading to huge economic losses in the goose industry. To better understand the genetic diversity of GAstV in the Anhui Province, Central-Eastern China, 48 kidney samples from goslings with gout were subjected to reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis for detecting GAstV, and phylogenetic analysis of whole genomes and ORFs was performed. Thirty-five samples were GAstV-positive, indicating that the virus is a frequent cause of gout. The whole genomes of 5 GAstV strains were successfully sequenced and named AHAU1-5. The sequenced genomes and those of reference GAstV strains in GenBank displayed 97.4-99.8% similarity. The isolates had high nucleotide sequence similarity with the GAstV reference strain SDPY. A phylogenetic analysis showed that AHAU1 and AHAU4 were closely related to the reference strain SDPY; AHAU2, AHAU3, and AHAU5 formed separate branches. Furthermore, recombination analysis revealed putative recombination sites in the Jiangsu strains that originated from strains in the Anhui and Shandong Provinces, accompanied by the recombination of different strains in the Anhui Province. This study is the first to carry out systematic phylogenetic analysis of GAstV isolated in the Anhui Province, Central-Eastern China. By improving our understanding of the diversity of GAstV in the Anhui Province, these results provide a basis for the prevention and control of its spread.

Development of a recombinase-aided amplification assay for rapid and sensitive detection of porcine circovirus 3.

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is a novel member of the genus Circovirus, first detected in the United States in 2016, with subsequent reports in many countries. PCV3 infections have caused serious economic losses in the pig industry. Alternative rapid and sensitive assays for PCV3 detection are needed for clinical diagnosis, especially in laboratories not equipped with more sophisticated equipment. Here, a real-time recombinase-aided amplification assay (RAA) was developed for PCV3 detection. Specific primers and probes targeting the conserved region of the capsid gene of PCV3 were designed. The assay was performed at 39 °C for 30 min using specialized equipment. Furthermore, 36 clinical samples were used to evaluate the RAA. The analytical sensitivity of the RAA for PCV3 was 38 copies per reaction at 95% probability level, using a probit regression model. There was no cross-reactivity with other DNA viruses belonging to the Circoviridae and Parvoviridae families. The detection rate agreed with that obtained by an established real-time PCR assay with a kappa value of 1.0. Our results demonstrated that this new RAA could be used for the rapid, accurate, and sensitive detection of PCV3.

Development of a recombinase-aided amplification assay for detection of orf virus.

Orf, caused by orf virus (ORFV), is an important zoonotic disease that infects goat and sheep, leading to huge economic losses. ORFV can also cause cutaneous lesions in people who come in close contact with the diseased animals. Although accurate diagnostic methods for ORFV infection exist, there is a need for a rapid, specific, and sensitive method for easy clinical application. Here, we successfully established a recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assay for rapid detection of ORFV. The analytical sensitivity of the assay for ORFV detection is 1 × 101 copies per reaction. Moreover, no cross-reaction was observed with other common DNA viruses. A total of 45 archived suspected ORFV infected nasal scab skin samples were examined by RAA and SYBR Green-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Compared with the real-time PCR assay, the kappa values of the RAA assay for ORFV detection was 0.845 (p <0.001), indicating that both assay results were fully in agreement. In conclusion, this detection assay provides a rapid, sensitive, and specific method for ORFV detection and is suitable for ORFV clinical testing.

A simple and rapid diagnostic method to detect new goose astrovirus using reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

In this study, we develop a reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for rapid and easy detection of goose astroviruses (GAstVs) in clinical samples. The specific LAMP primer sets were designed targeting the ORF2 gene of GAstV. The conditions of LAMP amplification were optimized in terms of reaction time and temperature. The optimal conditions are 60 min in a 60 °C water bath. No cross-reactivity was noted with fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4), duck tembusu virus (DTMUV), goose parvovirus (GPV), avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), or chicken anemia virus (CAV). The proposed RT-LAMP method was compared with conventional RT polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and with nested RT-PCR. The results showed that the sensitivity of the proposed method was comparable to that of nested RT-PCR and tenfold higher than that of the conventional RT-PCR. Clinical samples (N = 129) of the liver and kidney from sick geese collected from six commercial goose farms were tested. The positive rate was 39.5% (51/129), 38.8% (50/129), and 34.9% (45/129) using RT-LAMP, nested RT-PCR and conventional RT-PCR, respectively. The developed RT-LAMP diagnostic method is not only simple, rapid, and highly specific, but also portable for use on the field. It may be used in epidemiological investigation to detect GAstVs.