The occurrence of the filarial nematode Dirofilaria repens in canine hosts from Maio Island, Cape Verde

2016 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Marcos ◽  
C. Pereira ◽  
J.P. Maia ◽  
M. Santos ◽  
C. Luzzago ◽  
...  

AbstractThe prevalence of canine Dirofilaria infection in Maio Island (Cape Verde) was analysed by serology, morphological and molecular identification of the parasite species. Blood and sera were collected from 150 dogs and 80 cats aged over 6 months from various localities of the island. DNA was extracted from blood and samples were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using microfilaria-specific primers. No Dirofilaria immitis was found in dogs while D. repens microfilariae were found in 5.3% of dogs and 6% were positive by PCR. The species identity was confirmed by sequencing of PCR products, which showed almost 100% homology with D. repens European sequences published in GenBank. No difference in Dirofilaria infection was observed between males and females or in dogs with different weights. However, older dogs and those from the western part of Maio Island were more frequently infected. No Dirofilaria was found in cats. This study represents the first evidence of D. repens in Cape Verde (West Africa) and highlights the need for implementing control measures and for a better surveillance of dirofilariosis in Africa.

Plant Disease ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Xing ◽  
Yulin Jia ◽  
James C. Correll ◽  
Fleet N. Lee ◽  
Richard Cartwright ◽  
...  

The Pi-ta gene deployed in southern U.S. rice germplasm is effective in preventing the infection by strains of Magnaporthe oryzae isolates that carry the avirulence (AVR) gene AVR-Pita1. In the present study, 169 isolates from rice (Oryza sativa) cultivars, with and without Pi-ta, were analyzed for their genetic identity using an international differential system, repetitive element-based polymerase chain reaction (Rep-PCR), and sequence analysis of PCR products of AVR-Pita1. These isolates belong to the races IA1, IB1, IB17, IC1, and IC17 of M. oryzae. These isolates were further classified into 15 distinct groups by Rep-PCR. There was a predominant group within each race. Pathogenicity assays on ‘Katy’ (Pi-ta) and ‘M202’ (pi-ta) rice determined that IC1 was virulent to Katy and M202; IB17, IC17, and most of IA1 and IB1 were avirulent to Katy and virulent to M202, suggesting that the Pi-ta gene in Katy is responsible for preventing infection by these isolates. Consistently, AVR-Pita1 was not amplified from 28 virulent isolates. One AVR-Pita1 allele was amplified by AVR-Pita1-specific primers in 78 avirulent isolates. Interestingly, different AVR-Pita1 alleles were found in each of the 12 avirulent isolates, as determined by DNA sequencing. Sequence analysis of 90 PCR products revealed 10 AVR-Pita1 haplotypes, 4 of which were new. In total, 12 amino acid changes were identified in the new variants when compared with the first described AVR-Pita sequence (AF207841). The finding of isolates with altered AVR-Pita1 from rice cultivars with and without Pi-ta suggests that these virulent isolates were adapted to the field environments in the southern United States. Further research will be needed to verify this prediction.


2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Zakir Hussain ◽  
MA Rahman ◽  
Mohammad Nurul Islam ◽  
MA Latif ◽  
MA Bashar

Wilt of guava plants (Psidium guajava L.) is a serious disease in Bangladesh. Sixteen isolates of Fusarium oxysporum Sch. were collected from the root and stem fragments of guava plants growing in six districts of Bangladesh. Species identity was based on the colony character, nature of conidiogenous cell, morphology of microconidia, macroconidia and chlamydospores. Eleven isolates were confirmed as F. oxysporum through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using species specific primers designed from the conserved regions of 18S rRNA gene. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjb.v41i1.11082 Bangladesh J. Bot. 41(1): 49-54, 2012 (June)


2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 1047-1053
Author(s):  
G.M.L. Holanda ◽  
J.C. Oliveira ◽  
D.M.F. Silva ◽  
S.S.N. Rocha ◽  
V. Pandolfi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Polymorphisms in the BMP-15 gene related to Galway (FecXG) and Inverdale (FecXI) and in the BMPR-1B gene known as Booroola (FecB) mutations were investigated using the Polymerase Chain Reaction - Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method, on sheep from the breeds Santa Inês (n= 574) and Morada Nova (n=282). DNA was extracted and amplified through PCR with specific primers that introduced a restriction site in association with the mutation. The PCR products were submitted to endonucleases. The experiment found no FecXG and FecXI mutations. Six samples of animals with multiple offspring/birth history presented polymorphism for FecB similar to control samples, but this pattern was not confirmed by nucleotide sequencing. Although the absence of these mutations in the studied breeds, other factors related to prolificacy should be investigated to explain the inherent prolificity mechanisms.


2010 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 634-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Licitra ◽  
Eric W. Chambers ◽  
Rosmarie Kelly ◽  
Thomas R. Burkot

Abstract Potential mosquito vectors of Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy) (Nematoda: Filarioidea), the causative agent of dog heartworm in the southeastern region of the United States, were collected with CDC light traps and gravid traps in seven counties in the state of Georgia, USA. The presence of D. immitis in these mosquitoes was detected by polymerase chain reaction using species-specific primers for the D. immitis surface or cuticular antigen. Overall, 1,574 mosquitoes of 13 species in seven genera were collected; 92% of the specimens were Aedes albopictus (Skuse), Aedes vexans (Meigen), or Anopheles punctipennis (Say). Ae. albopictus, An. punctipennis, and Anopheles crucians Wiedemann were positive for D. immitis DNA. Ae. albopictus had the highest maximum likelihood rate of infection (2.30%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15–4.00%) followed by An. crucians (1.38%: 95% CI = 0.04–6.93%), and An. punctipennis (0.85%: 95% CI 0.03–4.29%). The detection of D. immitis DNA in the heads and thoraxes of Ae. albopictus (0.40%; 95% CI = 0.12–2.02%) indicates that these mosquitoes can support the development of D. immitis to the infective stage 3 larvae.


2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952110110
Author(s):  
Salma Abbas ◽  
Aun Raza ◽  
Ayesha Iftikhar ◽  
Aamir Khan ◽  
Shahzaib Khan ◽  
...  

Health care personnel (HCP) are at high risk for coronavirus disease-2019 acquisition. Serum antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) indicate past infection. Our institution offered SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing to HCP. We surveyed HCP with positive test results to explore past exposure to SARS-CoV-2, details of symptoms during the preceding 6 months, and a history of SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction testing. A total of 2162 HCP underwent antibody testing. Eight hundred fifty-seven (39.6%) employees tested positive and, of these, 820 (95.7%) participated in the survey. When adjusted for age, males had higher odds of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies compared with females (OR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.37-2.05; P = .00) and clinical staff had higher odds of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity compared with nonclinical staff (OR = 1.273; 95% CI = 1.06-1.53; P = .01). Implementation of effective infection control measures is essential to protect HCP from coronavirus disease-2019.


Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Oleg S. Alexandrov ◽  
Olga V. Razumova ◽  
Gennady I. Karlov

5S rDNA is organized as a cluster of tandemly repeated monomers that consist of the conservative 120 bp coding part and non-transcribed spacers (NTSs) with different lengths and sequences among different species. The polymorphism in the 5S rDNA NTSs of closely related species is interesting for phylogenetic and evolutional investigations, as well as for the development of molecular markers. In this study, the 5S rDNA NTSs were amplified with universal 5S1/5S2 primers in some species of the Elaeagnaceae Adans. family. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of five Elaeagnus species had similar lengths near 310 bp and were different from Shepherdia canadensis (L.) Nutt. and Sh. argentea (Pusch.) Nutt. samples (260 bp and 215 bp, respectively). The PCR products were cloned and sequenced. An analysis of the sequences revealed that intraspecific levels of NTS identity are high (approximately 95–96%) and similar in the Elaeagnus L. species. In Sh. argentea, this level was slightly lower due to the differences in the poly-T region. Moreover, the intergeneric and intervarietal NTS identity levels were studied and compared. Significant differences between species (except E. multiflora Thunb. and E. umbellata Thunb.) and genera were found. Herein, a range of the NTS features is discussed. This study is another step in the investigation of the molecular evolution of Elaeagnaceae and may be useful for the development of species-specific DNA markers in this family.


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