Porcine Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis Virus Infection In Vivo and Ex Vivo.

Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) is a betacoronavirus that causes vomiting and wasting disease and/or encephalomyelitis in suckling pigs. This study characterized PHEV infection, pathogenesis, and immune response in cesarean-derived, colostrum-deprived (CDCD) neonatal pigs. Infected animals developed mild respiratory, enteric, and neurological clinical signs between 2 to 13 days postoronasal inoculation (dpi). PHEV did not produce viremia, but virus shedding was detected in nasal secretions (1 to 10 dpi) and feces (2 to 7 dpi) by reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Viral RNA was detected in all tissues except liver, but the detection rate and RT-qPCR threshold cycle (CT ) values decreased over time. The highest concentration of virus was detected in inoculated piglets necropsied at 5 dpi in turbinate and trachea, followed by tonsils, lungs, tracheobronchial lymph nodes, and stomach. The most representative microscopic lesions were gastritis lymphoplasmacytic, moderate, multifocal, with perivasculitis, and neuritis with ganglia degeneration. A moderate inflammatory response, characterized by increased levels of interferon alpha (IFN-α) in plasma (5 dpi) and infiltration of T lymphocytes and macrophages were also observed. Increased plasma levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) were detected at 10 and 15 dpi, coinciding with the progressive resolution of the infection. Moreover, a robust antibody response was detected by 10 dpi. An ex vivo air-liquid CDCD-derived porcine respiratory cells culture (ALI-PRECs) system showed virus replication in ALI-PRECs and cytopathic changes and disruption of ciliated columnar epithelia, thereby confirming the tracheal epithelia as a primary site of infection for PHEV.IMPORTANCE Among the ∼46 virus species in the family Coronaviridae, many of which are important pathogens of humans and 6 of which are commonly found in pigs, porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis remains one of the least researched. The present study provided a comprehensive characterization of the PHEV infection process and immune responses using CDCD neonatal pigs. Moreover, we used an ex vivo ALI-PRECs system resembling the epithelial lining of the tracheobronchial region of the porcine respiratory tract to demonstrate that the upper respiratory tract is a primary site of PHEV infection. This study provides a platform for further multidisciplinary studies of coronavirus infections.

The first reported case of pelvic inflammatory disease caused by Actinobaculum massiliense.

We report the first case of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) caused by Actinobaculum massiliense. A 53-year-old woman attended the emergency department with symptoms compatible with a PID episode, finally resolved by intramuscular antibiotic treatment. Actinobaculum sp. was isolated by culture, and A. massiliense was confirmed by matrix assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Only a few cases of A. massiliense infections have been reported, and the pathogenesis of infections by these bacteria is poorly understood. The introduction of new diagnostic methods into hospital routines will improve the detection of new and little-studied pathogens.

Susceptibility of clinical isolates of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli to colistin.

Campylobacter spp. are one of the most frequent causes of bacterial diarrhea worldwide. Although severe diarrhea is not highly prevalent, the risk of a fatal outcome is increased when infection is caused by strains resistant to macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and/or tetracyclines. It is therefore necessary to test the susceptibility of these bacteria to other antibiotics such as colistin, which may serve as an alternative therapeutic option in these situations. The E-test was used to investigate the activity of erythromycin and colistin against 30 clinical isolates of Campylobacter spp. The MIC values obtained (range: 0.38-8 mg/liter) were sufficiently low, given the elevated concentrations that colistin sulfate can reach in the intestinal lumen, for this antibiotic to be considered useful to treat severe diarrhea caused by Campylobacter spp. resistant to first-line antibiotics.

Reactivity of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Structural Proteins to Antibodies against Porcine Enteric Coronaviruses: Diagnostic Implications.

The development of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) antibody-based assays is important for detecting infected animals, confirming previous virus exposure, and monitoring sow herd immunity. However, the potential cross-reactivity among porcine coronaviruses is a major concern for the development of pathogen-specific assays. In this study, we used serum samples (n = 792) from pigs of precisely known infection status and a multiplex fluorescent microbead-based immunoassay and/or enzyme-linked immunoassay platform to characterize the antibody response to PEDV whole-virus (WV) particles and recombinant polypeptides derived from the four PEDV structural proteins, i.e., spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), membrane (M), and envelope (E). Antibody assay cutoff values were selected to provide 100% diagnostic specificity for each target. The earliest IgG antibody response, mainly directed against S1 polypeptides, was observed at days 7 to 10 postinfection. With the exception of nonreactive protein E, we observed similar antibody ontogenies and patterns of seroconversion for S1, N, M, and WV antigens. Recombinant S1 provided the best diagnostic sensitivity, regardless of the PEDV strain, with no cross-reactivity detected against transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV), or porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) pig antisera. The WV particles showed some cross-reactivity to TGEV Miller and TGEV Purdue antisera, while N protein presented some cross-reactivity to TGEV Miller. The M protein was highly cross-reactive to TGEV and PRCV antisera. Differences in the antibody responses to specific PEDV structural proteins have important implications in the development and performance of antibody assays for the diagnosis of PEDV enteric disease.

Identification of cell culture contamination by an unusual species of Mycoplasma related to the M. mycoides cluster.

Mycoplasma contamination is a significant problem in cell culture replication and maintenance. From more than 200 known species, a limited number of Mycoplasma species have been detected in cell cultures, representing new species or variants that can escape detection systems. A qPCR commercial kit was used for Mycoplasma detection in cell cultures. Furthermore, an amplified Mycoplasma species was sequenced and summited for sequence assembly, clustering, and evolutionary analysis study. Our work has identified a new and unusual variant or species of Mycoplasma that possesses a high degree of homology with species related with M. mycoides cluster. This variant is usually associated with cattle but has been detected contaminating a cell culture. Mycoplasma testing (even for unusual species) in cell cultures is essential to ensure the validity and reproducibility of research that uses cell cultures and to ensure the quality of cell line deposits in biobanks. For this reason, it is necessary to perform continuous checks for the absence of Mycoplasma in cell cultures and engage in the continuous adaptation of relevant detection systems.

The N-terminal Subunit of the Porcine Deltacoronavirus Spike Recombinant Protein (S1) Does Not Serologically Cross-react with Other Porcine Coronaviruses.

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), belonging to family Coronaviridae and genus Deltacoronavirus, is a major enteric pathogen in swine. Accurate PDCoV diagnosis relying on laboratory testing and antibody detection is an important approach. This study evaluated the potential of the receptor-binding subunit of the PDCoV spike protein (S1), generated using a mammalian expression system, for specific antibody detection via indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum samples were collected at day post-inoculation (DPI) -7 to 42, from pigs (n = 83) experimentally inoculated with different porcine coronaviruses (PorCoV). The diagnostic sensitivity of the PDCoV S1-based ELISA was evaluated using serum samples (n = 72) from PDCoV-inoculated animals. The diagnostic specificity and potential cross-reactivity of the assay was evaluated on PorCoV-negative samples (n = 345) and samples collected from pigs experimentally inoculated with other PorCoVs (n = 472). The overall diagnostic performance, time of detection, and detection rate over time varied across different S/P cut-offs, estimated by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The higher detection rate in the PDCoV group was observed after DPI 21. An S/P cut-off of 0.25 provided 100% specificity with no serological cross-reactivity against other PorCoV. These results support the use of S1 protein-based ELISA for accurate detection of PDCoV infections, transference of maternal antibodies, or active surveillance.

Infection and immune response to porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus in grower pigs.

Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) is the cause of acute outbreaks of vomiting and wasting disease and/or encephalomyelitis in neonatal pigs, with naïve herds particularly vulnerable to clinical episodes. PHEV infections in older pigs are generally considered to be subclinical, but are poorly characterized in the refereed literature. In this study, twelve 7-week-old pigs were oronasally inoculated with 0.5 mL (1:128 HA titer) PHEV (Mengeling strain) and then followed through 42 days post inoculation (dpi). Fecal and oral fluid specimens were collected daily to evaluate viral shedding. Serum samples were tested for viremia, isotype-specific antibody responses, cytokine, and chemokine responses. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated to evaluate phenotype changes in immune cell subpopulations. No clinical signs were observed in PHEV inoculated pigs, but virus was detected in oral fluid (1-28 dpi) and feces (1-10 dpi). No viremia was detected, but a significant IFN-α response was observed in serum at 3 dpi, followed by the detection of IgM (dpi 7), and IgA/IgG (dpi 10). Flow cytometry revealed a one-off increase in cytotoxic T cells at 21 dpi. This study demonstrated that exposure of grower pigs to PHEV results in subclinical infection characterized by active viral replication and shedding followed by an active humoral and cell-mediated immune response that attenuates the course of the infection and results in viral clearance.

Impact of different stabilization methods on RT-qPCR results using human lung tissue samples.

Aiming to increase the reproducibility of biomedical research results, biobanks obtain human tissues of the highest quality and carry out different storage methods adapted to the needs of analytical technique to be performed by the biomedical researchers. However, there is much controversy and little data concerning the real impact of different stabilization methods on tissue quality, integrity and functionality of derived biomolecules. The influence of four stabilization methods [RNAlater (RNL), snap freezing (SF), snap freezing using Optimal Cutting Tissue compound (SF-OCT) and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE)] on RNA quality and integrity was evaluated in paired samples of lung tissue. RNA integrity was evaluated through PCR-endpoint assays amplifying six fragments of different length of the HPRT1 gene and RNA Integrity Number (RIN). To evaluate the difference of tissue functionality among the stabilization methods tested, RT-qPCRs were performed focusing on the differential expression of the HPRT1, SNRPD3 and Jun genes. RNA from the samples preserved with the RNL or SF-OCT method showed better integrity compared to SF and FFPE, measured by PCR-endpoint and RT-qPCR assays. However, only statistically significant differences were observed between the RNA from FFPE and other stabilization methods when gene expression of HPRT1, SNRPD3 and Jun housekeeping genes were determined by RT-qPCR. For the three mentioned genes, Cq and RIN values were highly correlated. The present work describes the fragility of SF samples, being critical the moment just before RNA extraction, although further experiments of tissue RNA are needed. Standardization pre-analytic workflow can lead to improved reproducibility between biomedical research studies. The present study demonstrated clear evidences about the impact of the stabilization method on RNA derived from lung human tissue samples.

Detecting and Monitoring Porcine Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis Virus, an Underresearched Betacoronavirus.

Members of family Coronaviridae cause a variety of diseases in birds and mammals. Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV), a lesser-researched coronavirus, can infect naive pigs of any age, but clinical disease is observed in pigs ≤4 weeks of age. No commercial PHEV vaccines are available, and neonatal protection from PHEV-associated disease is presumably dependent on lactogenic immunity. Although subclinical PHEV infections are thought to be common, PHEV ecology in commercial swine herds is unknown. To begin to address this gap in knowledge, a serum IgG antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the S1 protein was developed and evaluated on known-status samples and then used to estimate PHEV seroprevalence in U.S. sow herds. Assessment of the diagnostic performance of the PHEV S1 ELISA using serum samples (n = 924) collected from 7-week-old pigs (n = 84; 12 pigs per group) inoculated with PHEV, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, transmissible gastroenteritis virus, porcine respiratory coronavirus, or porcine deltacoronavirus showed that a sample-to-positive cutoff value of ≥0.6 was both sensitive and specific, i.e., all PHEV-inoculated pigs were seropositive from days postinoculation 10 to 42, and no cross-reactivity was observed in samples from other groups. The PHEV S1 ELISA was then used to estimate PHEV seroprevalence in U.S. sow herds (19 states) using 2,756 serum samples from breeding females (>28 weeks old) on commercial farms (n = 104) with no history of PHEV-associated disease. The overall seroprevalence was 53.35% (confidence interval [CI], ±1.86%) and herd seroprevalence was 96.15% (CI, ±3.70%).IMPORTANCE There is a paucity of information concerning the ecology of porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) in commercial swine herds. This study provided evidence that PHEV infection is endemic and highly prevalent in U.S. swine herds. These results raised questions for future studies regarding the impact of endemic PHEV on swine health and the mechanisms by which this virus circulates in endemically infected populations. Regardless, the availability of the validated PHEV S1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) provides the means for swine producers to detect and monitor PHEV infections, confirm prior exposure to the virus, and to evaluate the immune status of breeding herds.

Agrodiag PorCoV: A multiplex immunoassay for the differential diagnosis of porcine enteric coronaviruses.

Three different porcine enteric coronaviruses (PECs), i.e., porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) are currently circulating in U.S. commercial swine herds. Differential diagnosis of PECs relies on laboratory methods. This study describes the development of an ELISA-like multiplex planar immunoassay based on virus-specific recombinant S1 proteins printed in an array of spots at the bottom of a 96-well microplate for simultaneous detection differential serodiagnosis of PEDV, TGEV, PDCoV in a single sample. The technology overall format and working principle is similar to the solid-phase standard ELISA. After the three typical incubation steps, the reaction was visualized as blue spots which intensity correlated with antibody levels to specific viral antigen target in the array. The diagnostic performance of the assay was evaluated on known status serum samples (n = 480) collected over time (day post-inoculation -7, 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42) from pigs inoculated with PEDV, TGEV Purdue, TGEV Miller, PDCoV (USA/IL/2014), or mock inoculated with culture media under experimental conditions. Antigen-specific cut-offs were selected to ensure 100% diagnostic and analytical specificity for each given antigen target. The overall diagnostic sensitivity was 92% (44/48 positives, 95% confidence interval (CI) 98,100) for PEDV S1, 100% (95/95 positives, 95% CI 98, 100) for TGEV S1, and 98% (47/48 positives, 95% CI 97, 100) for PDCoV S1. The results of this study demonstrate that the AgroDiag PEC multiplex immunoassay is an efficient and reliable test for differential detection and serodiagnosis of PEDV, TGEV and PDCoV.

Prevalence and genetic diversity of Trichomonas vaginalis in the general population of Granada and co-infections with Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida species.

PURPOSE: Purulent or exudative genitourinary infections are a frequent cause of consultation in primary and specialized healthcare. The objectives of this study were: to determine the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis and co-infections with Candida spp. and Gardnerella vaginalis in vaginal secretion; and to use multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to analyse the genetic diversity of T. vaginalis strains. METHODOLOGY: The samples were submitted for analysis (n=5230) to a third-level hospital in Granada (Southern Spain) between 2011 and 2014; eight T. vaginalis strains isolated during 2015 were randomly selected for MLST analysis. Culture and nucleic acid hybridization techniques were used to detect microorganisms in the samples. RESULTS: The prevalence of T. vaginalis was 2.4 % between 2011 and 2014, being higher during the first few months of both 2011 and 2012. Among samples positive for T. vaginalis, co-infection with G. vaginalis was detected in 29 samples and co-infection with Candida spp. in 6, while co-infection with all three pathogens was observed in 3 samples. The only statistically significant between-year difference in co-infection rates was observed for T. vaginalis with G. vaginalis due to an elevated rate in 2011. MLST analysis results demonstrated a high genetic variability among strains circulating in our setting. CONCLUSION: These findings emphasize the need for the routine application of diagnostic procedures to avoid the spread of this sexually transmitted infection.

DNA Source Selection for Downstream Applications Based on DNA Quality Indicators Analysis.

High-quality human DNA samples and associated information of individuals are necessary for biomedical research. Biobanks act as a support infrastructure for the scientific community by providing a large number of high-quality biological samples for specific downstream applications. For this purpose, biobank methods for sample preparation must ensure the usefulness and long-term functionality of the products obtained. Quality indicators are the tool to measure these parameters, the purity and integrity determination being those specifically used for DNA. This study analyzes the quality indicators in DNA samples derived from 118 frozen human tissues in optimal cutting temperature (OCT) reactive, 68 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, 119 frozen blood samples, and 26 saliva samples. The results obtained for DNA quality are discussed in association with the usefulness for downstream applications and availability of the DNA source in the target study. In brief, if any material is valid, blood is the most approachable option of prospective collection of samples providing high-quality DNA. However, if diseased tissue is a requisite or samples are available, the recommended source of DNA would be frozen tissue. These conclusions will determine the best source of DNA, according to the planned downstream application. Furthermore our results support the conclusion that a complete procedure of DNA quantification and qualification is necessary to guarantee the appropriate management of the samples, avoiding low confidence results, high costs, and a waste of samples.

Different presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae, herpes simplex virus type 1, human herpes virus 6, and Toxoplasma gondii in schizophrenia: meta-analysis and analytical study.

In the present study we have performed both a meta-analysis and an analytical study exploring the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae, herpes simplex virus type 1, human herpes virus 6, and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in a sample of 143 schizophrenic patients and 143 control subjects. The meta-analysis was performed on papers published up to April 2014. The presence of serum immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. The detection of microbial DNA in total peripheral blood was performed by nested polymerase chain reaction. The meta-analysis showed that: 1) C. pneumoniae DNA in blood and brain are more common in schizophrenic patients; 2) there is association with parasitism by T. gondii, despite the existence of publication bias; and 3) herpes viruses were not more common in schizophrenic patients. In our sample only anti-Toxoplasma immunoglobulin G was more prevalent and may be a risk factor related to schizophrenia, with potential value for prevention.

Multilocus Sequence Typing analysis of human Campylobacter coli in Granada (Spain) / Tipificación mediante secuencias multilocus de cepas humanas de Campylobacter coli en Granada (España)

Introduction. Different subtypes of Campylobacter spp. have been associated with diarrhoea and a Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) method has been performed for subtyping. In the present work, MLST was used to analyse the genetic diversity of eight strains of Campylobacter coli. Material and methods. Nineteen genetic markers were amplified for MLST analysis: AnsB, DmsA, ggt, Cj1585c, CJJ81176-1367/1371, Tlp7, cj1321-cj1326, fucP, cj0178, cj0755/cfrA, ceuE, pldA, cstII, cstIII. After comparing the obtained sequences with the Campylobacter MLST database, the allele numbers, sequence types (STs) and clonal complexes (CCs) were assigned. Results. The 8 C. coli isolates yielded 4 different STs belonging to 2 CCs. Seven isolates belong to ST-828 clonal complex and only one isolate belong to ST-21. Two samples came from the same patient, but were isolated in two different periods of time. Conclusions. MLST can be useful for taxonomic characterization of C. coli isolates (AU)

Introducción. Diferentes subtipos de Campylobacter spp. se han asociado con diarrea y la técnica de tipado mediante análisis de secuencias de múltiples locus (MLST) se ha empleado para la tipificación genética. En el presente trabajo, la técnica MLST se utilizó para analizar la diversidad genética de ocho cepas de Campylobacter coli. Material y métodos. 19 marcadores genéticos fueron amplificados mediante el análisis MLST: AnsB, DmsA, ggt, Cj1585c, CJJ81176-1367/1371, Tlp7, cj1321-cj1326, fucP, cj0178, cj0755/cfrA, ceuE, pldA, cstII, cstIII. Después de comparar las secuencias obtenidas con la base de datos MLST para Campylobacter, se asignaron el número de los alelos, los secuenciotipos (STs) y los complejos clonales (CCs). Resultados. Las 8 cepas de C. coli aisladas mostraron 4 STs diferentes pertenecientes a 2 CCs. Siete aislamientos pertenecieron al complejo clonal ST-828 y sólo un aislado perteneció al ST-21. Dos aislados pertenecieron al mismo paciente, pero fueron obtenidos en diferentes periodos de tiempo. Conclusiones. La técnica MLST puede ser útil para la caracterización taxonómica de aislados de C. coli (AU)