► We genetically characterize 598 Ixodes ricinus ticks from diverse host species. ► We test for genetic structure among host types and individuals within populations. ► Host-associated races are ...evident, but structure varies among populations. ► The presence of local vector races has notable implications for disease epidemiology.
Ixodes ricinus is a European tick that transmits numerous pathogenic agents, including the bacteria that cause Lyme disease (some genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex). This tick has been considered as a classic example of an extreme generalist vector. However, host-associations in such vector species are difficult to determine from field observations alone and recent work suggests that host specificity may be more frequent in ticks than previously thought. The presence of host-associated vector groups can significantly alter the circulation and evolutionary pathway of associated pathogens. In this paper, we explicitly test for host-associated genetic structure in I. ricinus. We analyzed genetic variability at 11 microsatellite markers in a large sample of ticks collected directly from trapped wild animals (birds, rodents, lizards, wild boar and roe deer) at five sites in Western and Central Europe. We found significant levels of genetic structure both among host individuals and among host types within local populations, suggesting that host use is not random in I. ricinus. These results help explain previous patterns of structure found in off-host tick samples, along with epidemiological observations of Lyme disease.
Escherichia coli, one of the main causative agents of bovine mastitis, is responsible for significant losses on dairy farms. In order to better understand the pathogenicity of E. coli mastitis, an ...accurate characterization of E. coli strains isolated from mastitis cases is required. By using phylogenetic analyses and whole genome comparison of 5 currently available mastitis E. coli genome sequences, we searched for genotypic traits specific for mastitis isolates. Our data confirm that there is a bias in the distribution of mastitis isolates in the different phylogenetic groups of the E. coli species, with the majority of strains belonging to phylogenetic groups A and B1. An interesting feature is that clustering of strains based on their accessory genome is very similar to that obtained using the core genome. This finding illustrates the fact that phenotypic properties of strains from different phylogroups are likely to be different. As a consequence, it is possible that different strategies could be used by mastitis isolates of different phylogroups to trigger mastitis. Our results indicate that mastitis E. coli isolates analyzed in this study carry very few of the virulence genes described in other pathogenic E. coli strains. A more detailed analysis of the presence/absence of genes involved in LPS synthesis, iron acquisition and type 6 secretion systems did not uncover specific properties of mastitis isolates. Altogether, these results indicate that mastitis E. coli isolates are rather characterized by a lack of bona fide currently described virulence genes.
Intramammary infusion of the antigen used to sensitize cows by the systemic route induces a local inflammation associated with neutrophil recruitment. We hypothesize that this form of delayed type ...hypersensitivity, which may occur naturally during infections or could be induced intentionally by vaccination, can impact the outcome of mammary gland infections. We immunized cows with ovalbumin to identify immunological correlates of antigen-specific mammary inflammation. Intraluminal injection of ovalbumin induced a mastitis characterized by a prompt tissue reaction (increase in teat wall thickness) and an intense influx of leukocytes into milk of 10 responder cows out of 14 immunized animals. The magnitude of the local inflammatory reaction, assessed through milk leukocytosis, correlated with antibody titers, skin thickness test, and production of IL-17A and IFN- gamma in a whole-blood antigen stimulation assay (WBA). The production of these two cytokines significantly correlated with the magnitude of the milk leukocytosis following the ovalbumin intramammary challenge. The IL-17A and IFN- gamma production in the WBA was dependent on the presence of CD4+ cells in blood samples. In vitro stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes with ovalbumin followed by stimulation with PMA/ionomycin allowed the identification by flow cytometry of CD4+ T cells producing either IL-17A, IFN- gamma , or both cytokines. The results indicate that the antigen-specific WBA, and specifically IL-17A and IFN- gamma production by circulating CD4+ cells, can be used as a predictor of mammary hypersensitivity to protein antigens. This prompts further studies aiming at determining how Th17 and/or Th1 lymphocytes modulate the immune response of the mammary gland to infection.
Escherichia coli is one of the main pathogenic agents causing inflammatory infections in the bovine udder. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of two strains isolated from different cases of ...clinical mastitis.
Escherichia coli is one of the main pathogenic agents causing inflammatory infections in the bovine udder. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of two strains isolated from different cases of ...clinical mastitis.
Salmonellosis is one of the most important zoonosis worldwide resulting in a significant loss to agrifood industry as well as a substantial burden on the healthcare system. Depending of the hosts and ...the serotypes, Salmonella induce a wide spectrum of diseases among which typhoid fevers, asymptomatic infections and gastroenteritis. Poultry, which are the main source of human contamination, are mainly asymptomatic carriers. This asymptomatic Salmonella carrier state is thus a major issue for the European authority of food safety (EFSA) and the European center of prevention and control of the diseases (ECDC). Numerous strategies have been developed to fight Salmonella infections leading to a decrease or at least a stabilisation of the human cases. To go further, novel approaches must be developed in particular in response to the increase and spread of antimicrobial resistance. This article describes the current and future strategies used to fight Salmonella infection especially those related to the chicken gut microbiota. We finally address the new avenues opened by studies on host-microbiota-pathogen relationships.
La salmonellose est l’une des zoonoses dont le fardeau économique et sanitaire est le plus élevé dans le monde. En fonction de l’hôte et du sérotype, Salmonella peut induire un large spectre de maladies qui vont des fièvres typhoïdes aux infections asymptomatiques en passant par les gastroentérites. Les volailles, qui sont majoritairement porteuses asymptomatiques, sont les principales sources de contamination de l’homme et l’un des enjeux majeurs pour l’autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments (EFSA) et le centre européen de prévention et de contrôle des maladies (ECDC). De nombreuses stratégies de lutte au niveau de l’élevage ont été mises en place pour combattre les infections à Salmonella, ce qui a permis de réduire ou au moins stabiliser le nombre d’infections humaines. Pour aller plus loin, de nouvelles stratégies doivent être mises en place, en particulier face à la diminution de l’utilisation des antibiotiques en élevage. Cet article décrit les différentes stratégies de lutte, actuelles et à venir, et en particulier celles liées aux travaux sur le microbiote intestinal du poulet. Il aborde également les conséquences que peuvent avoir les recherches sur les interactions microbiote-hôte-pathogène
Intramammary infusion of the antigen used to sensitize cows by the systemic route induces a local inflammation associated with neutrophil recruitment. We hypothesize that this form of delayed type ...hypersensitivity, which may occur naturally during infections or could be induced intentionally by vaccination, can impact the outcome of mammary gland infections. We immunized cows with ovalbumin to identify immunological correlates of antigen-specific mammary inflammation. Intraluminal injection of ovalbumin induced a mastitis characterized by a prompt tissue reaction (increase in teat wall thickness) and an intense influx of leukocytes into milk of 10 responder cows out of 14 immunized animals. The magnitude of the local inflammatory reaction, assessed through milk leukocytosis, correlated with antibody titers, skin thickness test, and production of IL-17A and IFN-γ in a whole-blood antigen stimulation assay (WBA). The production of these two cytokines significantly correlated with the magnitude of the milk leukocytosis following the ovalbumin intramammary challenge. The IL-17A and IFN-γ production in the WBA was dependent on the presence of CD4+ cells in blood samples. In vitro stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes with ovalbumin followed by stimulation with PMA/ionomycin allowed the identification by flow cytometry of CD4+ T cells producing either IL-17A, IFN-γ, or both cytokines. The results indicate that the antigen-specific WBA, and specifically IL-17A and IFN-γ production by circulating CD4+ cells, can be used as a predictor of mammary hypersensitivity to protein antigens. This prompts further studies aiming at determining how Th17 and/or Th1 lymphocytes modulate the immune response of the mammary gland to infection.
Intramammary infusion of the antigen used to sensitize cows by the systemic route induces a local inflammation associated with neutrophil recruitment. We hypothesize that this form of delayed type ...hypersensitivity, which may occur naturally during infections or could be induced intentionally by vaccination, can impact the outcome of mammary gland infections. We immunized cows with ovalbumin to identify immunological correlates of antigen-specific mammary inflammation. Intraluminal injection of ovalbumin induced a mastitis characterized by a prompt tissue reaction (increase in teat wall thickness) and an intense influx of leukocytes into milk of 10 responder cows out of 14 immunized animals. The magnitude of the local inflammatory reaction, assessed through milk leukocytosis, correlated with antibody titers, skin thickness test, and production of IL-17A and IFN-γ in a whole-blood antigen stimulation assay (WBA). The production of these two cytokines significantly correlated with the magnitude of the milk leukocytosis following the ovalbumin intramammary challenge. The IL-17A and IFN-γ production in the WBA was dependent on the presence of CD4+ cells in blood samples. In vitro stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes with ovalbumin followed by stimulation with PMA/ionomycin allowed the identification by flow cytometry of CD4+ T cells producing either IL-17A, IFN-γ, or both cytokines. The results indicate that the antigen-specific WBA, and specifically IL-17A and IFN-γ production by circulating CD4+ cells, can be used as a predictor of mammary hypersensitivity to protein antigens. This prompts further studies aiming at determining how Th17 and/or Th1 lymphocytes modulate the immune response of the mammary gland to infection.
Aims
A new multiplex qPCR, targeting Mycoplasma (M.) hyopneumoniae, M. hyorhinis and M. flocculare, was developed and the relationship between detection of those mycoplasma species and the extent of ...gross pneumonia‐like lesions in slaughtered pigs lungs were investigated.
Methods and Results
The multiplex qPCR method targets the p102, p37 and fruA genes and has detection limits of 14, 146 and 16 genome equivalents μl−1 for M. hyopneumoniae, M. hyorhinis and M. flocculare, respectively. In all, 671 lungs were collected and analysed, among them 666 were scored for macroscopic pneumonia and categorized according to the extent of the lesions (no or minor lesions, moderate lesions and extensive lesions). According to results of multiplex qPCR, 59·5% were positive for M. hyopneumoniae, 3·4% for M. hyorhinis and 34·7% for M. flocculare, with on average, 3·1 × 107, 9·7 × 106 and 5·7 × 106 genome equivalents of mycoplasma ml−1, respectively. More results showed that no or minor lesions were associated with multiplex qPCR‐negative results or qPCR‐positive results for M. flocculare. Moderate to extensive lesions were positively correlated with qPCR‐positive results for M. hyopneumoniae. Extensive lesions were associated with qPCR‐positive results for at least two mycoplasma species (M. hyopneumoniae and M. hyorhinis).
Conclusion
The findings also indicated that M. hyopneumoniae and M. hyorhinis significantly increased the odds for a lung to have macroscopic pneumonia. No relationship was found between the extent of lesions and the mycoplasma genome load.
Significance and Impact of the study
This new multiplex qPCR appears to be specific, sufficiently sensitive and repeatable. The validation of this method with field samples guarantees its use for field epidemiological investigations, particularly to gain more insight into the aetiology of the porcine respiratory disease complex.
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