MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THEILERIA SPP. IN GOATS FROM SHAANXI PROVINCE, NORTHWESTERN CHINA.

Theileriosis is an important tick-borne pathogen of livestock globally, causing severe reduction of livestock productivity and economic loss. To systematically investigate the prevalence and species of Theileria spp. in goats from Shaanxi province, a total of 509 blood samples were collected from dairy, cashmere and meat goats from 7 counties, and examined by using the microscopic examination and the nested PCR targeting the SSU rRNA gene. Of them, 268 (52.7%, 268/509) were positive for Theileria infection. The prevalence was closely associated with ages and production categories. The highest infection was found in meat goats of 7 to 12-months, and lowest was detected in cashmere goats of 3 to 6 months. Sequence analysis indicated the presence of 2 Theileria species, with Theileria luwenshuni as the prevalent species and the first report of Theileria sp. OT3 in goats in China. These findings indicated the wide distribution of Theileria spp. in goats of Shaanxi province, and would shed new light on the distribution of this parasite in China.

The association between interleukin-19 concentration and diabetic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-19 (IL-19) is a newly discovered cytokine belonging to the Interleukin-10(IL-10) family. IL-19 have indispensable functions in many inflammatory processes and also can induce the angiogenic potential of endothelial cells. The purpose of present study was to investigate the relation of serum interleukin-19 (IL-19) levels with diabetic nephropathy (DN). METHODS: Two hundred study groups of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (109 males and 91 females) were recruited, included normoalbuminuria(n = 102), microalbuminuria(n = 72) and macroalbuminuria(n = 26) . The 50 healthy blood donors were enrolled for the control group. All subjects were assessed for: IL-19, High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), Cystatin C, urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE) and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c). RESULTS: The serum IL-19 levels in DN patients were found to be significantly higher compared to controls. IL-19 levels were significantly positively correlated with Hs-CRP, Cystatin C, UAE and HbA1c(r = 0.623, 0.611,0.591 and 0.526 respectively, P < 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed IL-19 levels (P = 0.01) were found to be independently associated with patients with DN. CONCLUSIONS: IL-19 is significantly positive correlated with UAE and Cystatin C. IL-19 may play an important role that contributes to the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Infection rate of Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in cashmere, dairy and meat goats in China.

Cryptosporidiosis, microsporidiosis, and giardiasis contribute significantly to the high burden of zoonotic diarrhea worldwide. Goats constitute an important species in animal agriculture by providing cashmere wool, meat, and dairy products for human consumption. However, zoonotic pathogens with the potential to cause morbidity and to degrade production have been reported frequently in goats recently. The present study examined 629 fecal specimens from goats, including 315 cashmere goats, 170 dairy goats and 144 meat goats, in multiple cities of Shaanxi and Henan provinces, northwestern and central China, to investigate the infection rate and species/assemblages/genotypes of Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi. Of these samples, 274 (43.6%) were positive for three zoonotic pathogens, including 80 (12.7%), 104 (16.5%) and 179 (28.5%) for G. duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi, respectively. Infections with G. duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi existed in meat, dairy and cashmere goats, with the highest infection rate of each pathogen being observed in meat goats. DNA sequencing of the SSU rRNA gene from 104 Cryptosporidium-positive specimens revealed existence of Cryptosporidium xiaoi, and the zoonotic parasites Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum. Genotyping of G. duodenalis based on the triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) gene identified parasites from zoonotic assemblage A in four cashmere goats and the animal-adapted assemblage E in a group of 76 goats that included cashmere, dairy and meat animals. Polymorphisms in the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer characterized E. bieneusi genotype CHG1 and a novel genotype named as SX1 in both dairy and cashmere goats, genotypes CHS7 and COSI in meat goats, the genotype CHG2 in dairy goats, and the human-pathogenic genotype BEB6 in dairy and meat goats. This is the first detailed study to compare infection rate of the zoonotic protozoan pathogens in cashmere, dairy and meat goats in China. Our research discovered Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi infections, each with zoonotic potential in meat goats, and G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in cashmere goats raising a significant public health concern.

Serum angiopoietin-2 is associated with angiopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of serum levels of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) with angiopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: The group studied comprised of 120 patients with T2DM (68 males and 52 females), included macroangiopathy complications, microvascular disease and diabetic without vascular disease. The control group consisted of 50 healthy blood donors. Ang-1, Ang-2, fasting plasma glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) and HbA1c were assessed. RESULTS: The serum Ang-2 levels of T2DM patients with angiopathy were found to be significantly higher compared to patients without angiopathy. Ang-2 levels were significantly positively correlated with homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (r=0.577 and 0.504, respectively, P<0.01). In contrast, there was no significant correlation between Ang-1 levels and HOMA-IR (P>0.05). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, Ang-2 levels (P=0.02) were found to be independently associated with patients with T2DM angiopathy. CONCLUSIONS: An association between the Ang-2 and T2DM with vascular complications was found.