Protection of tilapia (Oreochromis mosambicus) from edwardsiellosis by vaccination with Edwardsiella tarda ghosts

Generation of Vibrio anguillarum ghost by coexpression of PhiX 174 lysis E gene and staphylococcal nuclease A gene

Vibrio anguillarum ghosts (VAG) were generated, for the first time, using a conjugation vector containing a ghost bacteria inducing cassette, pRK-lambdaP(R)-cI-Elysis, in which the expression of PhiX174 lysis gene E was controlled by the P ( R )/cI regulatory system of lambda phage. By scanning electron microscopy, holes ranging 80-200 nm in diameter were observed in the VAG. To avoid the presence of bacterial genomic DNA and an antibiotic resistance gene in the final VAG product, we constructed a new dual vector, pRK-lambdaP(R)-cI-E-SNA, containing the E-mediated lysis cassette and the staphylococcal nuclease A (SNA)-mediated DNA degradation cassette, and generated safety-enhanced VAG for use as a fish vaccine.

Edwardsiellosis in fish: a brief review

Edwardsiellosis is one of the most important bacterial diseases in fish. Scientific work on this disease started more than forty years ago and numerous workers around the world are continually adding to the knowledge of the disease. In spite of this, not a single article that reviews the enormous scientific data thus generated is available in the English language. This article briefly discusses some of the recent research on edwardsiellosis, describing the pathogen's interaction with the host and environment, its pathogenesis and pathology as well as diagnostic, preventive and control measures.

The immune response and protective efficacy of vaccination with oral microparticle Aeromonas sobria vaccine in mice

The effect of an oral alginate microparticle Aeromonas sobria vaccine on immune response and protection of mice was investigated. The formalin-killed cultures (FKC) of A. sobria strain Z-1 treated with three methods were incorporated into alginate microparticles, and the encapsulated vaccines were orally used for immunizing mice. Four weeks after immunization, the serum agglutinating antibody titers, bactericidal activity of leucocytes and relative percent survival (RPS) of mice immunized orally with three microparticle vaccines were significantly higher than those of control mice. Among the immune efficacy of 3 microparticle vaccines, vaccine prepared directly from FKC (MVC) was the most, vaccine from FKC treated with freeze-melt method (MVCF) secondly, and vaccine from FKC treated with ultrasonic wave (MVCU) the worst. The serum agglutinating antibody titers and phagocytic activity of the blood monocytes in mice immunized orally with MVC reached a level equivalent to those of injection with FKC, and were significantly higher than those of control group. Moreover, from the 7th to 12th weeks, the serum agglutinating antibody titers in the MVC-immunized mice was significantly higher than those of injection with FKC. The RPS of mice immunized orally with MVC was 87.5%, while 100% of mice immunized orally with FKC and also the control mice died. These results demonstrated that oral alginate microparticle of A. sobria strain Z-1 was immunogenic and conferred protective immunity in mice, and could be used as a candidate vector system of oral vaccine of Aeromonas.

Construction and characterization of a live, attenuated esrB mutant of Edwardsiella tarda and its potential as a vaccine against the haemorrhagic septicaemia in turbot, Scophthamus maximus (L.)

The esrB gene of Edwardsiella tarda, which encodes a regulator protein of the type III secretion system, was mutated by the unmarked deletion method and reintroduced by allelic exchange into the chromosome of E. tarda LSE40 by means of the suicide vector pRE112. The LSE40 esrB mutant was highly attenuated when inoculated intraperitoneally into turbot Scophthamus maximus L., showing a 50% lethal dose of 10(8.1)cfu/fish. The esrB mutants were not recoverable from the internal organs at 14 days post-inoculation. Vaccination with a single dose of 10(5)-10(7) cfu/fish of the esrB mutant elicited significant protection against the wild-type strain of E. tarda LSE40 (relative percentage survival>50%). The protection correlated well with the antibody titres in the serum of vaccinated fish.

The immune response and protective efficacy of oral alginate microparticle Aeromonas sobria vaccine in soft-shelled turtles (Trionyx sinensis)

Aeromonas sobria is an important bacterial pathogen of soft-shelled turtles (Trionyx sinensis). The effect of an oral alginate microparticle A. sobria vaccine (MAV) on immune response and protection efficacy of soft-shelled turtles was investigated. The formalin-killed cultures of A. sobria strain Z-1 (FKC) were incorporated into alginate microparticles, and the encapsulated vaccine was orally used for immunizing turtles. The serum agglutinating antibody titers, bactericidal activity of blood leucocytes and relative percent survival (RPS) post-challenge with virulent live bacteria of control and immunized turtles were detected. The serum agglutinating antibody titers and bactericidal activity of the leucocytes in the turtles orally immunized with MAV reached a level equivalent to those of the turtles injected with FKC and were significantly higher than those of control group. The RPS of turtles immunized orally with the MAV and intraperitoneally with FKC was 89.5 and 94.7%, respectively, while 95% of the control turtles had died. These results demonstrated that oral alginate microparticle A. sobria vaccine was immunogenic, and could confer protective immunity in soft-shelled turtles.