Molecular detection, phylogenetic analysis and genetic diversity of recently isolated foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A African topotype, Genotype IV

Background Surveillance for circulating emerging diseases of economic importance has a major role in the rapid response to major pathogen outbreaks. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is one of the significant endemic viruses in Egypt. FMDV is periodically investigated for monitoring evolution and emergence of new variants. The genetic characterization of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus serotype A responsible for recent outbreaks of FMD in Egypt was determined. Methods Samples were collected from different locations and virus isolation was performed using BHK-21 cells. Viral RNA was extracted and samples were screened for FMDV using real-time RT-PCR. DNA sequence analysis was performed and computational and bioinformatics analyses were used to determine the substitution rates and phylogenetic relationship. Results Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of full-length 1D region of FMDV samples collected from different governorates in 2020 showed close similarity to Egyptian FMDV strains from serotype A-African topotype-G-IV with genetic variation of 6.5%. Recently isolated FMDV strains showed high genetic variations from locally used vaccine strains in the major antigenic sites of VP1 region. Conclusions Although, efforts made by the veterinary authorities to implement an effective mass vaccination plan, the recently detected FMDV strains in this study could not be subtyped using the FMDV primers routinely used for molecular serotyping. These dissimilarities raise the alarm for reconsideration of the FMDV isolates used in vaccine manufacture. Clearly close monitoring of FMD in Egypt is urgently required to define the risks of future outbreaks and to ensure appropriate control measures against FMD major outbreaks.

Risk Factor Assessment, Sero-Prevalence, and Genotyping of the Virus That Causes Foot-and-Mouth Disease on Commercial Farms in Ethiopia from October 2018 to February 2020

A cross-sectional serological, active outbreak search and a questionnaire-based survey were carried out to investigate foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) sero-epidemiology in Ethiopia. The circulating serotype of the FMD virus (FMDV) was identified, and the knowledge regarding FMD and husbandry practices was assessed. Using the questionnaire survey, a total of 237 individuals were interviewed, and the majority responded that there is no practice of reporting disease outbreak, free in and out movement of livestock, or share pastures, and they use traditional case management as a means of controlling the disease. A total of 1938 cattle, 490 domestic small ruminants, and 426 swine were sampled randomly for serological analysis using the 3ABC non-structural protein (NSP) enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. An overall prevalence of 25% in cattle, 5% in domestic small ruminants, and 2% in swine was recorded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that cattle from the Oromia, Tigray, and Amhara regions had the highest probability of being sero-positive as compared with Addis Ababa odds ratio(OR)(OR: 4 (95% confidence interval (CI)(CI [3–6], 3 (95% CI [2,5]), and 2 (95% CI 2 [1,3]), respectively). Older cattle (older than three years) and domestic small ruminants (>18 months) had a higher chance of being seropositive (OR: 2, 95% CI [1.6,3]) and (OR: 6, 95% CI [2,18]), respectively). Female and older swine older than three years of age had a higher chance of being sero-positive (p < 0.05). Local breed cattle had the lowest chance (OR: 0.2. 95% CI [0.1–0.3]) of being sero-positive. A region, age, and breed proved to have a statistically significant association with sero-positivity (p < 0.05) in cattle. Swine from Bishoftu were less likely to test positive than swine from Addis Ababa (OR: 0.04, 95% CI [0.01–0.3]). From 96 herds, 72 pooled outbreak samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), virus isolation, serotyping (antigen enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA)), sequencing, and phylogenetic tree analysis. Six serotype A (G-IV) FMD viruses and three serotype O east African (EA-3 and EA-4) FMDVs were identified. Thus, this study established the lack of disease outbreak reporting, poor husbandry problems, and the prevalence of FMD in three domestic species (cattle, small ruminant, and swine). In addition, continuous circulation of serotype A and O in the study area was confirmed.

Maladies bactériennes invasives dans le Nord du Canada, 1999 à 2018

Contexte : Le programme de surveillance circumpolaire internationale assure la surveillance de cinq maladies bactériennes invasives : les pneumococcies invasives, les infections invasives à streptocoque du groupe A, l’Haemophilus influenzae, les infections invasives à méningocoque et les streptocoques du groupe B. Les maladies bactériennes invasives ont une charge de morbidité plus élevée dans les populations nordiques que dans le reste du Canada. Méthodologies : Afin de décrire l’épidémiologie des maladies bactériennes invasives dans le nord du Canada de 1999 à 2018, les données relatives aux pneumococcies invasives, aux infections invasives à streptocoque du groupe A, à l’Haemophilus influenzae, aux infections invasives à méningocoque et aux streptocoques du groupe B ont été extraites du programme de surveillance circumpolaire internationale et du Système canadien de surveillance des maladies à déclaration obligatoire (SSMDO) et analysées. Résultats : Les taux d’incidence annualisés des pneumococcies invasives, des infections invasives à streptocoque du groupe A, de l’Haemophilus influenzae, des streptocoques du groupe B et des infections invasives à méningocoque étaient respectivement de 23,3, 10,5, 8,9, 1,9 et 1,1 pour 100 000 habitants. L’incidence de la pneumococcie invasive, de l’infection invasive à streptocoque du groupe A et de l’Haemophilus influenzae de type b (Hib) était respectivement 2,8, 3,2 et 8,8 fois plus élevée dans le Nord du Canada que dans le reste du pays. Les taux de maladie ont diminué de manière statistiquement significative pour la pneumococcie invasive (β = -0,02) et ont augmenté de manière statistique pour l’infection invasive à streptocoque du groupe A (β = 0,08) et l’Haemophilus influenzae sérotype a (β = 0,04) pendant la période d’étude. Dans le Nord du Canada, les taux d’incidence annualisés des pneumococcies invasives, des infections invasives à streptocoque du groupe A et de l’Haemophilus influenzae étaient statistiquement plus élevés chez les résidents autochtones que chez les résidents non autochtones. Les taux d’incidence les plus élevés ont été enregistrés dans les groupes d’âge très jeunes et plus âgés. Conclusion : Les maladies bactériennes invasives représentent une charge de morbidité importante pour les populations nordiques du Canada. Les peuples autochtones, les enfants et les personnes âgées sont particulièrement exposés.

Draft Genome Sequence of Pasteurella multocida Serotype A Strain MOR19, Isolated in Morocco

Pasteurella multocida causes pneumonia in large ruminants. In this study, we determined the genome sequence of the capsular serotype A Pasteurella multocida strain MOR19, isolated from a calf that died from acute pneumonia.

Identification of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Virus From Recently Outbreak Crossbred Cattle In Rajbari District of Bangladesh

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a devastating viral disease and endemic in nature in Bangladesh that causes huge economical losses. The present research work was aimed to determine the prevalence of FMD outbreaks and molecular detection of FMDV serotypes by uRT-PCR and gsRT-PCR test, respectively from crossbred cattle in the Rajbari district of Bangladesh during the period from January to June 2018. A total of 16 tongue epithelial samples were collected from clinically FMD suspected 2 to 3 years old crossbred cattle. 14 samples were positive by uRT-PCR. The detection rate of FMDV by uRT-PCR was 87.50%. Then uRT-PCR positive samples were serotype by gsRT-PCR. Serotype based prevalence of FMDV was 42.86%, 100%, 21.43% and 21.43% in O serotype, Asia-1 serotype, A serotype and mixed infection with Asia-1 and A, respectively. Considering the age, the prevalence of confirmed FMD outbreak was 42.86%, 35.71% and 21.43% at the age of 2, 2.5 and 3 years, respectively. Serotype A, O and Asia-1 is circulated in Rajbari district and required trivalent vaccine for prevention and control of FMD in that area. SAARC J. Agric., 19(1): 201-210 (2021)

Characterization of clostridium botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) and fibroblast growth factor receptor interactions using novel receptor dimerization assay

Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) is a potent neurotoxin that serves as an effective therapeutic for several neuromuscular disorders via induction of temporary muscular paralysis. Specific binding and internalization of BoNT/A into neuronal cells is mediated by its binding domain (HC/A), which binds to gangliosides, including GT1b, and protein cell surface receptors, including SV2. Previously, recombinant HC/A was also shown to bind to FGFR3. As FGFR dimerization is an indirect measure of ligand-receptor binding, an FCS & TIRF receptor dimerization assay was developed to measure rHC/A-induced dimerization of fluorescently tagged FGFR subtypes (FGFR1-3) in cells. rHC/A dimerized FGFR subtypes in the rank order FGFR3c (EC50 ≈ 27 nM) > FGFR2b (EC50 ≈ 70 nM) > FGFR1c (EC50 ≈ 163 nM); rHC/A dimerized FGFR3c with similar potency as the native FGFR3c ligand, FGF9 (EC50 ≈ 18 nM). Mutating the ganglioside binding site in HC/A, or removal of GT1b from the media, resulted in decreased dimerization. Interestingly, reduced dimerization was also observed with an SV2 mutant variant of HC/A. Overall, the results suggest that the FCS & TIRF receptor dimerization assay can assess FGFR dimerization with known and novel ligands and support a model wherein HC/A, either directly or indirectly, interacts with FGFRs and induces receptor dimerization.