Detection and characterization of Leptospira spp. in dogs diagnosed with kidney and/or liver disease in Selangor, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
pp. 104063872110245
Author(s):  
Sabri A. Rahman ◽  
Kuan H. Khor ◽  
Siti Khairani-Bejo ◽  
Seng F. Lau ◽  
Mazlina Mazlan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Bacterial Disease ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Rrna Sequencing ◽  
The Common

Leptospirosis is a serious bacterial disease that affects both humans and animals. A wide range of symptoms have been described in humans; the disease in dogs is commonly associated with kidney and/or liver disease. In Malaysia, information about the common serovars infecting dogs is limited. Therefore, we investigated the occurrences of leptospirosis in 124 pet dogs diagnosed with kidney and/or liver disease. Blood, urine, abdominal effusion, and/or kidney and liver were collected from the dogs. Based on microscopic agglutination testing, 53 of 124 (42.7%) dogs were seropositive for leptospiral exposure. Sera were frequently positive to serovars Bataviae ( n = 12), Javanica ( n = 10), and Icterohaemorrhagiae ( n = 10). Direct detection using PCR showed that 42 of 124 (33.9%) of the whole blood and 36 of 113 (31.9%) urine samples were positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. By PCR, 2 of 23 (9.1%) kidney and 2 of 23 (9.1%) liver were positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. Abdominal effusion from 4 dogs were PCR-positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. The species detected were L. interrogans, L. borgpetersenii, L. kirschneri, and L. kmetyi by partial 16S rRNA sequencing. We further identified and characterized 11 Leptospira spp. isolates from 8 dogs as serovars Bataviae, Javanica, and Australis. The mortality rate of the Leptospira-infected dogs was high (18 of 53; 34%).

scholarly journals Detection and characterisation of Leptospira spp. in dogs diagnosed with kidney and/or liver disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Sabri Abdul Rahman ◽  
Kuan Hua Khor ◽  
Siti Khairani Bejo ◽  
Seng Fong Lau ◽  
Mazlina Mazlan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Agglutination Test ◽  
Bacterial Disease ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Rrna Sequencing ◽  
The Common ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Abstract Background Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease that affects both humans and animals. In humans, a wide range of symptoms had been described but in dogs, it is commonly associated with kidney and/or liver disease. In Malaysia, information with regards to the common serovars causing leptospiral infection in dogs remains limited. Therefore, this study investigated the occurrences of leptospiral infection in 124 pet dogs diagnosed with kidney and/or liver disease in Malaysia. Results Based on microscopic agglutination test, 42.7% (53/124) of the dogs were seropositive for leptospiral infection. The predominant serovars detected were Bataviae (n = 12), Javanica (n = 10) and Icterohaemorrhagiae (n = 10). The direct detection using polymerase chain reaction showed that 33.9% (42/124) of the whole blood and 31.9% (36/113) of the urine samples were positive to pathogenic Leptospira spp. For tissue samples, 9.1% (2/23) of the kidney and 9.1% (2/23) of liver were positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. Addition samples of abdominal effusion from four dogs were positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. The species detected were L. interrogans, L. borgpetersenii, L. kirshneri and L. kmetyi by partial 16S rRNA sequencing. In this study, 11 Leptospira spp. isolated successfully from the eight dogs were further identified and characterised as Bataviae, Javanica and Australis. Unfortunately, the mortality rate of the infected dogs was high at 34.0% (18/53). Conclusions This study allowed for greater understanding of canine leptospirosis through the provision of crucial diagnostic confirmation.

Protein typing of major outer membrane lipoproteins from Chinese pathogenic Leptospira spp. and characterization of their immunogenicity

Vaccine ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongjiao Luo ◽  
Feng Xue ◽  
David M. Ojcius ◽  
Jinfang Zhao ◽  
Yafei Mao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Membrane Lipoproteins

Genetic characterization of Rhizobium sp. strain TAL1145 that nodulates tree legumes

1994 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 208-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. C. George ◽  
J. P. W. Young ◽  
D. Borthakur
Keyword(s):  
Rhizobium Leguminosarum ◽  
Genetic Characterization ◽  
Rhizobium Meliloti ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Tree Legumes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Common ◽  
Rrna Sequences ◽  
Rhizobium Sp

Rhizobium sp. strain TALI 145 nodulates Leucaena ieucocephaia and Phaseolus vulgaris, in addition to a wide range of tropical tree legumes. Six overlapping clones that complemented nodulation defects in leucaena and bean rhizobia were isolated and a 40-kb map of the symbiosis region was constructed. The common nod and nifA genes were situated approximately 17 kb apart, with the nodlJ genes in between. These clones enabled a derivative of TAL1145 carrying a partially deleted pSym to form ineffective nodules on both leucaena and bean, and a similar derivative of Rhizobium etli TAL182 to form ineffective nodules on bean. When two representative clones, pUHR9 and pUHR114, were each transferred to wild-type rhizobial strains, they allowed ineffective nodulation by Rhizobium meliloti on both leucaena and bean and by Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae on bean. Transconjugants of R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii formed effective nodules on leucaena and ineffective nodules on bean. Tn5 mutagenesis of the symbiosis region resulted in a variety of nodulation and fixation phenotypes on leucaena and bean. On the basis of 16S rRNA sequences, TAL1145 was found to be distinct from both R. tropici and NGR234, the two groups of leucaena symbionts that were previously described.Key words: Rhizobium, Leucaena leucocephala, nodulation, nitrogen fixation.

scholarly journals Herbal Products: Benefits, Limits, and Applications in Chronic Liver Disease

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Del Prete ◽  
Antonella Scalera ◽  
Maddalena Diana Iadevaia ◽  
Agnese Miranda ◽  
Claudio Zulli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Chronic Liver Disease ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Chronic Liver ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Common ◽  
Proof Of Efficacy ◽  
Natural Way

Complementary and alternative medicine soughts and encompasses a wide range of approaches; its use begun in ancient China at the time of Xia dynasty and in India during the Vedic period, but thanks to its long-lasting curative effect, easy availability, natural way of healing, and poor side-effects it is gaining importance throughout the world in clinical practice. We conducted a review describing the effects and the limits of using herbal products in chronic liver disease, focusing our attention on those most known, such as quercetin or curcumin. We tried to describe their pharmacokinetics, biological properties, and their beneficial effects (as antioxidant role) in metabolic, alcoholic, and viral hepatitis (considering that oxidative stress is the common pathway of chronic liver diseases of different etiology). The main limit of applicability of CAM comes from the lacking of randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials giving a real proof of efficacy of those products, so that anecdotal success and personal experience are frequently the driving force for acceptance of CAM in the population.

S-adenosylmethionine and proliferation: new pathways, new targets

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 848-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Martínez-López ◽  
Marta Varela-Rey ◽  
Usue Ariz ◽  
Nieves Embade ◽  
Mercedes Vazquez-Chantada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Liver Injury ◽  
Underlying Liver Disease ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Common ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Hepatocyte Growth ◽  
Growth Abnormalities

SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) is the main methyl donor group in the cell. MAT (methionine adenosyltransferase) is the unique enzyme responsible for the synthesis of SAMe from methionine and ATP, and SAMe is the common point between the three principal metabolic pathways: polyamines, transmethylation and transsulfuration that converge into the methionine cycle. SAMe is now also considered a key regulator of metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and cell death. Recent results show a new signalling pathway implicated in the proliferation of the hepatocyte, where AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and HuR, modulated by SAMe, take place in HGF (hepatocyte growth factor)-mediated cell growth. Abnormalities in methionine metabolism occur in several animal models of alcoholic liver injury, and it is also altered in patients with liver disease. Both high and low levels of SAMe predispose to liver injury. In this regard, knockout mouse models have been developed for the enzymes responsible for SAMe synthesis and catabolism, MAT1A and GNMT (glycine N-methyltransferase) respectively. These knockout mice develop steatosis and HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma), and both models closely replicate the pathologies of human disease, which makes them extremely useful to elucidate the mechanism underlying liver disease. These new findings open a wide range of possibilities to discover novel targets for clinical applications.

scholarly journals Characterization of the Role of a Non-GPCR Membrane-Bound CFEM Protein in the Pathogenicity and Germination of Botrytis cinerea

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 1043
Author(s):  
Gulab Chand Arya ◽  
Dhruv Aditya Srivastava ◽  
Eswari P. J. Pandaranayaka ◽  
Ekaterina Manasherova ◽  
Dov Bernard Prusky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Botrytis Cinerea ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Phytopathogenic Fungi ◽  
Fungal Virulence ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
The Common ◽  
G Protein Coupled

The necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea, is considered a major cause of postharvest losses in a wide range of crops. The common fungal extracellular membrane protein (CFEM), containing a conserved eight-cysteine pattern, was found exclusively in fungi. Previous studies in phytopathogenic fungi have demonstrated the role of membrane-bound and secreted CFEM-containing proteins in different aspects of fungal virulence. However, non-G protein-coupled receptor (non-GPCR) membrane CFEM proteins have not been studied yet in phytopathogenic fungi. In the present study, we have identified a non-GPCR membrane-bound CFEM-containing protein, Bcin07g03260, in the B. cinerea genome, and generated deletion mutants, ΔCFEM-Bcin07g03260, to study its potential role in physiology and virulence. Three independent ΔCFEM-Bcin07g03260 mutants showed significantly reduced progression of a necrotic lesion on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves. Further analysis of the mutants revealed significant reduction (approximately 20–30%) in conidial germination and consequent germ tube elongation compared with the WT. Our data complements a previous study of secreted ΔCFEM1 mutants of B. cinerea that showed reduced progression of necrotic lesions on leaves, without effect on germination. Considering various functions identified for CFEM proteins in fungal virulence, our work illustrates a potential new role for a non-GPCR membrane CFEM in pathogenic fungi to control virulence in the fungus B. cinerea.

scholarly journals First Reported Human Cases of Leptospirosis in the United States Virgin Islands in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, September–November 2017

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Atanaska Marinova-Petkova ◽  
Irene Guendel ◽  
Jonathan P Strysko ◽  
Lisa LaPlace Ekpo ◽  
Renee Galloway ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Virgin Islands ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Bacterial Disease ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Us Virgin Islands ◽  
First Case ◽  
The Us ◽  
Leptospira Spp

Abstract Objective Following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the first case of human leptospirosis ever identified in the US Virgin Islands (USVI) was reported to the Virgin Islands Department of Health. Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal bacterial disease caused by Leptospira species found in animal urine and urine-contaminated water and soil. Outbreaks can occur following extreme weather events. Method Additional cases of leptospirosis were identified in the 2.5 months post-hurricanes by reviewing emergency department (ED) records from territorial hospitals for patients demonstrating leptospirosis-consistent symptoms, testing symptomatic patients previously enrolled in the USVI arbovirus surveillance system (VIASS), and adding leptospirosis testing prospectively to VIASS. Available patient sera underwent local rapid diagnostic testing for anti-Leptospira IgM followed by confirmatory microscopic agglutination testing at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Water was collected from cisterns with epidemiologic links to confirmed cases and tested by real-time PCR (qPCR) for pathogenic Leptospira spp. Results Sixteen retrospectively identified symptomatic patients were enrolled in VIASS; 15 with available samples tested negative. Based on review of 5226 ED charts, 6 patients were further investigated; of these, 5 were tested of which 1 was positive. Prospective leptospirosis surveillance tested 57 additional patients; of these, 1 was positive. Water from 1 of 5 tested cisterns was found positive by qPCR. Conclusions This investigation documents the first 3 cases of leptospirosis reported in the USVI and demonstrates how VIASS successfully was adapted to establish leptospirosis surveillance. Contaminated cistern water was identified as a potential source for Leptospira spp. transmission, highlighting the need for additional post-hurricane remediation and disinfection guidance.

scholarly journals Structure and mechanical properties of Octopus vulgaris suckers

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (91) ◽  
pp. 20130816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Tramacere ◽  
Alexander Kovalev ◽  
Thomas Kleinteich ◽  
Stanislav N. Gorb ◽  
Barbara Mazzolai
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Octopus Vulgaris ◽  
Viscoelastic Parameters ◽  
Artificial Materials ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Common ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Attachment Process

In this study, we investigate the morphology and mechanical features of Octopus vulgaris suckers, which may serve as a model for the creation of a new generation of attachment devices. Octopus suckers attach to a wide range of substrates in wet conditions, including rough surfaces. This amazing feature is made possible by the sucker's tissues, which are pliable to the substrate profile. Previous studies have described a peculiar internal structure that plays a fundamental role in the attachment and detachment processes of the sucker. In this work, we present a mechanical characterization of the tissues involved in the attachment process, which was performed using microindentation tests. We evaluated the elasticity modulus and viscoelastic parameters of the natural tissues ( E ∼ 10 kPa) and measured the mechanical properties of some artificial materials that have previously been used in soft robotics. Such a comparison of biological prototypes and artificial material that mimics octopus-sucker tissue is crucial for the design of innovative artificial suction cups for use in wet environments. We conclude that the properties of the common elastomers that are generally used in soft robotics are quite dissimilar to the properties of biological suckers.

scholarly journals Purification and characterization of thermo-alkaline stable lipase from Bacillus coagulans and its compatibility with commercially available detergents

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 2994-3001
Author(s):  
ABDULLAH A. AL-GHANAYEM ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Bacillus Coagulans ◽  
Iodoacetic Acid ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Lipase Production ◽  
Maximum Activity ◽  
Purification And Characterization ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Rrna Sequencing

Thermo-alkaline stable lipase producing B. coagulans was isolated and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. The lipase production was optimized using different growth parameters. The enzyme was purified and characterized in terms of pH, temperature, solvents, heavy metal ions and inhibitors. Compatibility with commercially available detergents was also studied. The isolate showed maximum lipase production at 37 ⁰C; pH of 9 within 48 h. Addition of magnesium chloride increased lipase production. Sephadex G-100 chromatography was used to purify lipase. The enzyme showed maximum activity at pH 8 of 30 ⁰C. Lipase form B. coagulans was active at a wide range of temperature between 30-70 ⁰C. It was stable in most of the solvents at a concentration 5 and 10%, except dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methanol. Iodoacetic acid (IAA) and p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (pCMB) had an inhibitory effect on lipase. The lipase was compatible with commercially available detergents that increased the brightness and whiteness of the tested cotton fabrics. Lipase from B. coagulans with alkaline stability at a wide range of temperature has potential application in the detergent industry.

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