scholarly journals Controlled Infection Experiment With Aphanomyces astaci Provides Additional Evidence for Latent Infections and Resistance in Freshwater Crayfish

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Francesconi ◽  
Jenny Makkonen ◽  
Anne Schrimpf ◽  
Japo Jussila ◽  
Harri Kokko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virulent Strain ◽  
Freshwater Crayfish ◽  
Infection Experiment ◽  
Aphanomyces Astaci ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Noble Crayfish ◽  
Disease Agent ◽  
Marbled Crayfish ◽  
Mass Mortalities ◽  
Highly Virulent

For 150 years the crayfish plague disease agent Aphanomyces astaci has been the cause of mass mortalities among native European crayfish populations. However, recently several studies have highlighted the great variability of A. astaci virulence and crayfish resistance toward the disease. The main aim of this study was to compare the response of two crayfish species, the European native noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) and the invasive alien marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis), to an A. astaci challenge with a highly virulent strain from haplogroup B and a lowly virulent strain from haplogroup A. In a controlled infection experiment we showed a high resistance of marbled crayfish against an A. astaci infection, with zoospores from the highly virulent haplogroup B strain being able to infect the crayfish, but unable to cause signs of disease. Furthermore, we demonstrated a reduced virulence in the A. astaci strain belonging to haplogroup A, as shown by the light symptoms and the lack of mortality in the generally susceptible noble crayfish. Interestingly, in both marbled crayfish and noble crayfish challenged with this strain, we observed a significant decrease of the detected amount of pathogen’s DNA during the experiment, suggesting that this A. astaci haplogroup A strain has a decreased ability of penetrating into the cuticle of the crayfish. Our results provide additional evidence of how drastically strains belonging to A. astaci haplogroup B and haplogroup A differ in their virulence. This study confirmed the adaptation of one specific A. astaci haplogroup A strain to their novel European hosts, supposedly due to reduced virulence. This feature might be the consequence of A. astaci’s reduced ability to penetrate into the crayfish. Finally, we experimentally showed that marbled crayfish are remarkably resistant against the crayfish plague disease and could potentially be latently infected, acting as carriers of highly virulent A. astaci strains.

scholarly journals Comparative transcriptome analysis of noble crayfish and marbled crayfish immune response to Aphanomyces astaci challenges

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljudevit Luka Boštjančić ◽  
Caterina Francesconi ◽  
Christelle Rutz ◽  
Lucien Hoffbeck ◽  
Laetitia Poidevin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Disease ◽  
Freshwater Crayfish ◽  
Post Challenge ◽  
Aphanomyces Astaci ◽  
Resistant Species ◽  
High Virulence ◽  
Noble Crayfish ◽  
Immune Related Genes ◽  
Marbled Crayfish ◽  
Crayfish Species

Introduction of invasive North American crayfish species and their pathogen Aphanomyces astaci has significantly contributed to the decline of European freshwater crayfish populations. In this study, noble crayfish, a susceptible native European species, and marbled crayfish, an invasive disease-resistant species, were challenged with haplogroup A (low virulence) and haplogroup B (high virulence) strain of A. astaci. Hepatopancreatic tissue was isolated 3 and 21 days post-challenge. Our results revealed strong up-regulation in expression levels of the prophenoloxidase cascade immune-related genes in the haplogroup B challenged noble crayfish 3 days post-challenge. In the marbled crayfish, we observed an up-regulation of immune system relevant genes (DSCAM, AP, ALFs, CTLs and hemocyanin) 3 days post-challenge. This response highlights the marbled crayfish capability of building the immune tolerance. Furthermore, we successfully characterised several novel immune related gene groups in both crayfish species, contributing to our current understanding of crayfish immune related genes landscape.

Relaxed attitude towards spreading of alien crayfish species affects protection of native crayfish species: case studies and lessons learnt from a Fennoscandian viewpoint

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
Japo Jussila ◽  
Lennart Edsman
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Pacifastacus Leniusculus ◽  
Astacus Astacus ◽  
Signal Crayfish ◽  
Aphanomyces Astaci ◽  
Noble Crayfish ◽  
Native Crayfish ◽  
Chronic Carrier ◽  
Highly Virulent ◽  
Crayfish Species

Abstract The spreading of the alien signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) is posing an ongoing threat to native European crayfish species in Fennoscandia, like the native noble crayfish (Astacus astacus). The signal crayfish is commonly a chronic carrier of the crayfish plague (Aphanomyces astaci), thus, in addition to being more competitive than noble crayfish, it also has a competitive advantage in this disease over the noble crayfish. The challenges rising from the introduction of the alien signal crayfish to Sweden, Finland and finally also Norway, are similar in nature. The licensed and unlicensed spreading of this species also has a similar history in these countries. In this paper we describe some of the patters of the spread of alien signal crayfish and highlight the detrimental nature of an alien crayfish, accompanied by a highly virulent disease, to native Fennoscandian crayfish and also to native Fennoscandian ecosystems. A halt to the further spreading of alien signal crayfish in Fennoscandia is the only means to ensure successful conservation outcomes for the noble crayfish.

scholarly journals Noble Crayfish Are More Sensitive to Terbuthylazine than Parthenogenetic Marbled Crayfish

2020 ◽  
Vol 231 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Laurenz ◽  
Lena Lietz ◽  
Heinz Brendelberger ◽  
Kai Lehmann ◽  
Arne Georg
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rate ◽  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Hatching Rate ◽  
Freshwater Crayfish ◽  
Toxicological Studies ◽  
Noble Crayfish ◽  
Marbled Crayfish ◽  
Median Effective Concentration

AbstractWe investigated the sensitivity of two freshwater crayfish species (Astacus astacus and Procambarus virginalis) during embryonic development to chronic exposure to the herbicide terbuthylazine under laboratory conditions. The assessed parameters included time of embryonic development, survival rate, hatching weight and histopathology of hepatopancreas. LC50 (median lethal concentration) and ED50 (median effective concentration) were estimated. We were able to determine effects of terbuthylazine for every investigated parameter. For noble crayfish, the LC50 value after 45 days was 0.11 mg/L, and the histology of the hepatopancreas showed effects starting from 0.025 mg/L. Other parameters revealed effects starting at concentrations of 1.6 mg/L for weight and 6.4 mg /L for embryonic development time and hatching rate. Marbled crayfish only showed effects concerning the hatching rate and survival rate at concentrations without a clear dose-effects curve. As a conclusion, our data shows the risk of terbuthylazine in existing concentrations in freshwater ecosystems to non-target organisms and also the need of toxicological studies on directly affected species in addition to the use of model organisms.

scholarly journals Tracing the origin of the crayfish plague pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci, to the Southeastern United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Martín-Torrijos ◽  
María Martínez-Ríos ◽  
Gloria Casabella-Herrero ◽  
Susan B. Adams ◽  
Colin R. Jackson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Haplotype Diversity ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Freshwater Crayfish ◽  
Geographical Patterns ◽  
Aphanomyces Astaci ◽  
Southeastern Us ◽  
Infectious Pathogen ◽  
Mass Mortalities ◽  
Crayfish Species

AbstractThe oomycete Aphanomyces astaci is an emerging infectious pathogen affecting freshwater crayfish worldwide and is responsible for one of the most severe wildlife pandemics ever reported. The pathogen has caused mass mortalities of freshwater crayfish species in Europe and Asia, and threatens other susceptible species in Madagascar, Oceania and South America. The pathogen naturally coexists with some North American crayfish species that are its chronic carriers. Presumptions that A. astaci originated in North America are based on disease outbreaks that followed translocations of North American crayfish and on the identification of the pathogen mainly in Europe. We studied A. astaci in the southeastern US, a center of freshwater crayfish diversity. In order to decipher the origin of the pathogen, we investigated (1) the distribution and haplotype diversity of A. astaci, and (2) whether there are crayfish species-specificities and/or geographical restrictions for A. astaci haplotypes. A total of 132 individuals, corresponding to 19 crayfish species and one shrimp species from 23 locations, tested positive for A. astaci. Mitochondrial rnnS and rnnL sequences indicated that A. astaci from the southeastern US exhibited the highest genetic diversity so far described for the pathogen (eight haplotypes, six of which we newly describe). Our findings that A. astaci is widely distributed and genetically diverse in the region supports the hypothesis that the pathogen originated in the southeastern US. In contrast to previous assumptions, however, the pathogen exhibited no clear species-specificity or geographical patterns.

scholarly journals Money Kills Native Ecosystems: European Crayfish as an Example

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Japo Jussila ◽  
Lennart Edsman ◽  
Ivana Maguire ◽  
Javier Diéguez-Uribeondo ◽  
Kathrin Theissinger
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Aquatic Ecosystems ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Freshwater Crayfish ◽  
Aphanomyces Astaci ◽  
Commercial Activities ◽  
Disease Agent ◽  
Native Crayfish ◽  
Crayfish Species

Native European crayfish conservation was triggered by invasion of crayfish plague disease agent, Aphanomyces astaci, starting 1860s in Northern Italy. Resulting crayfish plague epidemics quickly spread over Continental Europe, then to Finland, Sweden and finally, after running amok around Europe, A. astaci was discovered also in Iberian Peninsula, Norway, Ireland, and United Kingdom in 1970s and 1980s. By that time significant proportion of native crayfish stocks had been lost, and while crayfish plague epidemics were still recorded, also industrialization and waterways construction were causing damage to remaining native crayfish stocks. While alien crayfish introductions, at least Faxonius limosus, already gave rise to first wave of crayfish plague epidemics in late 19th century, later in 1960s it was decided that introductions of alien Pacifastacus leniusculus should be initiated to replace native European crayfish populations. Decisions were based on presumed advantages for fishery, suitable habitat requirements and supposed immunity against A. astaci. Furthermore, conservation of native European crayfish species was sidelined and focus shifted toward alien crayfish stocking routine and consumption. Alien crayfish species introductions resulted in repeated waves of crayfish plague epidemics among remaining native crayfish stocks. It was soon discovered that alien crayfish of North American origin were, as suspected, permanent reservoirs for A. astaci, that some of those alien species were losing their resistance against selected strains of A. astaci and struggled in European aquatic ecosystems. In this article, we introduce numerous motives behind grand mistake of introducing alien crayfish species to Europe and then promoting their stocks instead of focusing on conservation of native crayfish species. We outline how false economical, biological and ecologic assumptions were used to justify a hasty introduction of alien crayfish, which has further devastated native crayfish and also permanently changed European aquatic ecosystems, both with disastrous consequences. Lesson to be learnt is that science-based warnings about alien species damage to native ecosystems and native crayfish must be taken with utmost caution. Protection of native European crayfish should be core issue, not commercial activities. Finally, we summarize main threats and actions needed to protect remaining native freshwater crayfish fauna in Europe.

Protective effect of Trypanosoma rangeli against infections with a highly virulent strain of Trypanosoma cruzi

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 482-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Zuniga ◽  
Teresa Palau ◽  
Pilar Penin ◽  
Carlos Gamallo ◽  
Jose Antonio de Diego
Keyword(s):  
Trypanosoma Cruzi ◽  
Protective Effect ◽  
Virulent Strain ◽  
Trypanosoma Rangeli ◽  
Highly Virulent

scholarly journals Efficacy of a Vaccine Based on Protective Antigen and Killed Spores against Experimental Inhalational Anthrax

2008 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 1197-1207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves P. Gauthier ◽  
Jean-Nicolas Tournier ◽  
Jean-Charles Paucod ◽  
Jean-Philippe Corre ◽  
Michèle Mock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Protective Immunity ◽  
Protective Antigen ◽  
Virulent Strain ◽  
Neutralizing Antibody ◽  
Cutaneous Anthrax ◽  
Anthrax Vaccines ◽  
Mucosal Secretions ◽  
Highly Virulent ◽  
Lethal Doses

ABSTRACTProtective antigen (PA)-based anthrax vaccines acting on toxins are less effective than live attenuated vaccines, suggesting that additional antigens may contribute to protective immunity. Several reports indicate that capsule or spore-associated antigens may enhance the protection afforded by PA. Addition of formaldehyde-inactivated spores (FIS) to PA (PA-FIS) elicits total protection against cutaneous anthrax. Nevertheless, vaccines that are effective against cutaneous anthrax may not be so against inhalational anthrax. The aim of this work was to optimize immunization with PA-FIS and to assess vaccine efficacy against inhalational anthrax. We assessed the immune response to recombinant anthrax PA fromBacillus anthracis(rPA)-FIS administered by various immunization protocols and the protection provided to mice and guinea pigs infected through the respiratory route with spores of a virulent strain ofB. anthracis. Combined subcutaneous plus intranasal immunization of mice yielded a mucosal immunoglobulin G response to rPA that was more than 20 times higher than that in lung mucosal secretions after subcutaneous vaccination. The titers of toxin-neutralizing antibody and antispore antibody were also significantly higher: nine and eight times higher, respectively. The optimized immunization elicited total protection of mice intranasally infected with the virulentB. anthracisstrain 17JB. Guinea pigs were fully protected, both against an intranasal challenge with 100 50% lethal doses (LD50) and against an aerosol with 75 LD50of spores of the highly virulent strain 9602. Conversely, immunization with PA alone did not elicit protection. These results demonstrate that the association of PA and spores is very much more effective than PA alone against experimental inhalational anthrax.

scholarly journals Cytokine expression in the liver of mice infected with a highly virulent strain ofFrancisella tularensis

1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Golovliov ◽  
Kerstin Kuoppa ◽  
Anders Sjöstedt ◽  
Arne Tärnvik ◽  
Gunnar Sandström
Keyword(s):  
Virulent Strain ◽  
Cytokine Expression ◽  
Highly Virulent

scholarly journals Analysis of Virus Population Profiles within Pigs Infected with Virulent Classical Swine Fever Viruses: Evidence for Bottlenecks in Transmission but Absence of Tissue-Specific Virus Variants

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Camille Melissa Johnston ◽  
Ulrik Fahnøe ◽  
Louise Lohse ◽  
Jens Bukh ◽  
Graham J. Belsham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Classical Swine Fever Virus ◽  
Population Change ◽  
Virulent Strain ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Classical Swine Fever ◽  
Fever Virus ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Virus Population ◽  
Highly Virulent

ABSTRACT Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) contains a specific motif within the E2 glycoprotein that differs between strains of different virulence. In the highly virulent CSFV strain Koslov, this motif comprises residues S763/L764 in the polyprotein. However, L763/P764 represent the predominant alleles in published CSFV genomes. In this study, changes were introduced into the CSFV strain Koslov (here called vKos_SL) to generate modified CSFVs with substitutions at residues 763 and/or 764 (vKos_LL, vKos_SP, and vKos_LP). The properties of these mutant viruses, in comparison to those of vKos_SL, were determined in pigs. Each of the viruses was virulent and induced typical clinical signs of CSF, but the vKos_LP strain produced them significantly earlier. Full-length CSFV cDNA amplicons (12.3 kb) derived from sera of infected pigs were deep sequenced and cloned to reveal the individual haplotypes that contributed to the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profiles observed in the virus population. The SNP profiles for vKos_SL and vKos_LL displayed low-level heterogeneity across the entire genome, whereas vKos_SP and vKos_LP displayed limited diversity with a few high-frequency SNPs. This indicated that vKos_SL and vKos_LL exhibited a higher level of fitness in the host and more stability at the consensus level, whereas several consensus changes were observed in the vKos_SP and vKos_LP sequences, pointing to adaptation. For each virus, only a subset of the variants present within the virus inoculums were maintained in the infected pigs. No clear tissue-dependent quasispecies differentiation occurred within inoculated pigs; however, clear evidence for transmission bottlenecks to contact animals was observed, with subsequent loss of sequence diversity. IMPORTANCE The surface-exposed E2 protein of classical swine fever virus is required for its interaction with host cells. A short motif within this protein varies between strains of different virulence. The importance of two particular amino acid residues in determining the properties of a highly virulent strain of the virus has been analyzed. Each of the different viruses tested proved highly virulent, but one of them produced earlier, but not more severe, disease. By analyzing the virus genomes present within infected pigs, it was found that the viruses which replicated within inoculated animals were only a subset of those within the virus inoculum. Furthermore, following contact transmission, it was shown that a very restricted set of viruses had transferred between animals. There were no significant differences in the virus populations present in various tissues of the infected animals. These results indicate mechanisms of virus population change during transmission between animals.

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