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SASSA-O’BRIEN Y, OHYA K, YASUDA-KOGA S, CHAHOTA R, SUGANUMA S, INOUE-MURAYAMA M, FUKUSHI H, KAYANG B, OWUSU EH, TAKASHIMA Y. Chlamydial species among wild birds and livestock in the foothills of Mt. Afadjato, Ghana. J Vet Med Sci 2022; 84:817-823. [PMID: 35491091 PMCID: PMC9246696 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.21-0600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The members of family Chlamydiaceae have a broad host range and cause
many kinds of diseases in humans and animals. Several cases of
Chlamydiaceae being detected in atypical hosts have been reported
recently. Consequently, cross-species monitoring of Chlamydia in wildlife
and livestock is pertinent for public health, animal hygiene and wildlife conservation. In
this study, we conducted molecular surveillance of Chlamydia in wild
birds and livestock around a small village in the foothills of Mt. Afadjato, Ghana where
direct contact between wildlife and livestock occurs. Among 29 captured wild birds and 63
livestock, 5 sheep, 30 goats and 28 chickens, the positive ratios of
Chlamydia were 24.1%, 40.0%, 43.3% and 26.9%, respectively.
Chlamydia pecorum was detected in wild birds, goats, sheep and
chickens. On the basis of the variable domain 2 region of ompA, several
samples from different hosts showed identical sequences and were phylogenetically located
to the same clusters. In addition, using ompA, C.
psittaci, C. abortus and C. gallinacea were
also detected in this small habitat. Further genetic and pathogenic analyses of the
chlamydial distribution in this area, which represents the interface of wild and domestic
animal interactions, may improve our knowledge of their transmission among different
hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko SASSA-O’BRIEN
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Disease, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
| | - Kenji OHYA
- Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University
| | | | - Rajesh CHAHOTA
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yasuhiro TAKASHIMA
- Department of Applied Veterinary Science, United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University
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Characteristics of Chlamydia suis Ocular Infection in Pigs. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10091103. [PMID: 34578134 PMCID: PMC8470092 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10091103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia (C.) suis can often be isolated from conjunctival swab specimens from pigs with conjunctivitis or keratoconjunctivitis. In the field, it is assumed to be a multifactorial disease triggered by immunosuppressing factors. This is the first experimental study to provoke clinical signs of conjunctivitis in pigs after C. suis primary mono-infection. Five six-week-old male piglets, free of ocular chlamydia shedding and seronegative for Chlamydia, were conjunctivally infected with the C. suis-type strain S45 (1 × 109 inclusion forming units), while four piglets served as negative controls. The infection group developed clinical signs of conjunctivitis with a peak in the first week post-infection. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed the presence of Chlamydia not only in the conjunctival epithelium, but also in the enlarged lacrimal glands, lungs, and intestine. No circulating antibodies could be detected during the whole study period of three weeks, although three different test systems were applied as follows: the complement fixation test, MOMP-based Chlamydiaceae ELISA, and PmpC-based C. suis ELISA. Meanwhile, high numbers of IFN-γ-producing lymphocytes within PBMC were seen after C. suis re-stimulation 14 days post-infection. Hence, these data suggest that entry via the eye may not elicit immunological responses comparable to other routes of chlamydial infections.
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Aumayer H, Leonard CA, Pesch T, Prähauser B, Wunderlin S, Guscetti F, Borel N. Chlamydia suis is associated with intestinal NF-κB activation in experimentally infected gnotobiotic piglets. Pathog Dis 2021; 78:5893292. [PMID: 32804203 PMCID: PMC8140907 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftaa040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia suis intestinal infection of single-animal experimental groups of gnotobiotic newborn piglets was previously reported to cause severe, temporary small intestinal epithelium damage. We investigated archived intestinal samples for pro-inflammatory nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation, Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 production and immune cell influx. Samples were collected 2, 4 and 7 days post-inoculation with C. suis strain S45/6 or mock inoculum (control). Increased nuclear localization of epithelial NF-κB, representative of activation, in the jejunum and ileum of C. suis-infected animals, compared to uninfected controls, began by 2 days post-infection (dpi) and persisted through 7 dpi. Infected animals showed increased production of IL-8, peaking at 2 dpi, compared to controls. Infection-mediated CD45-positive immune cell influx into the jejunal lamina propria peaked at 7 dpi, when epithelial damage was largely resolved. Activation of NF-κB appears to be a key early event in the innate response of the unprimed porcine immune system challenged with C. suis. This results in an acute phase, coinciding with the most severe clinical symptoms, diarrhea and weight loss. Immune cells recruited shortly after infection remain present in the lamina propria during the recovery phase, which is characterized by reduced chlamydial shedding and restored intestinal epithelium integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Aumayer
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cory Ann Leonard
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Theresa Pesch
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Prähauser
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sabina Wunderlin
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Franco Guscetti
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Borel
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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De Puysseleyr L, De Puysseleyr K, Rybarczyk J, Vander Donck P, De Vos WH, Vanrompay D. Transferrins Reduce Replication of Chlamydia suis in McCoy Cells. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10070858. [PMID: 34358007 PMCID: PMC8308531 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia suis (C. suis) resides in the intestines of pigs and tetracycline-resistant strains are emerging worldwide. Intestinal infections are often subclinical. However, the gut is regarded as a C. suis reservoir and clinical infections have been associated with enteritis, conjunctivitis, pneumonia and reproductive failure. C. suis was found in boar semen and venereal transmission occurred. We studied the anti-Chlamydia suis activity of ovotransferrin (ovoTF) and bovine lactoferrin (bLF). Pre-incubation of C. suis with bLF or ovoTF had no significant effect on overall chlamydia replication (mean fluorescence area) in McCoy cells. The addition of ovoTF to the culture medium had no effect on bacterial replication, but the addition of 0.5 or 5 mg/mL of bLF significantly reduced the inclusion size by 17% and 15% respectively. Egg components are used for cryopreservation of boar semen. When inoculating an ovoTF-containing and Chlamydia suis-spiked semen sample in McCoy cells, a significant reduction in inclusion number (by 7%) and overall replication (by 11%) was observed. Thus, we showed that transferrins possess anti-chlamydial activity. Moreover, ovoTF addition to semen extenders might reduce C. suis venereal transmission. Further research is needed to unravel the mechanisms behind the observations and to enhance the effect of transferrins on C. suis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leentje De Puysseleyr
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (L.D.P.); (K.D.P.); (J.R.); (P.V.D.)
| | - Kristien De Puysseleyr
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (L.D.P.); (K.D.P.); (J.R.); (P.V.D.)
| | - Joanna Rybarczyk
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (L.D.P.); (K.D.P.); (J.R.); (P.V.D.)
| | - Paulien Vander Donck
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (L.D.P.); (K.D.P.); (J.R.); (P.V.D.)
| | - Winnok H. De Vos
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium;
| | - Daisy Vanrompay
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (L.D.P.); (K.D.P.); (J.R.); (P.V.D.)
- Correspondence:
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Marti H, Bommana S, Read TD, Pesch T, Prähauser B, Dean D, Borel N. Generation of Tetracycline and Rifamycin Resistant Chlamydia Suis Recombinants. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:630293. [PMID: 34276577 PMCID: PMC8278220 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.630293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chlamydiaceae are a family of obligate intracellular, gram-negative bacteria known to readily exchange DNA by homologous recombination upon co-culture in vitro, allowing the transfer of antibiotic resistance residing on the chlamydial chromosome. Among all the obligate intracellular bacteria, only Chlamydia (C.) suis naturally integrated a tetracycline resistance gene into its chromosome. Therefore, in order to further investigate the readiness of Chlamydia to exchange DNA and especially antibiotic resistance, C. suis is an excellent model to advance existing co-culture protocols allowing the identification of factors crucial to promote homologous recombination in vitro. With this strategy, we co-cultured tetracycline-resistant with rifamycin group-resistant C. suis, which resulted in an allover recombination efficiency of 28%. We found that simultaneous selection is crucial to increase the number of recombinants, that sub-inhibitory concentrations of tetracycline inhibit rather than promote the selection of double-resistant recombinants, and identified a recombination-deficient C. suis field isolate, strain SWA-110 (1-28b). While tetracycline resistance was detected in field isolates, rifampicin/rifamycin resistance (RifR) had to be induced in vitro. Here, we describe the protocol with which RifR C. suis strains were generated and confirmed. Subsequent whole-genome sequencing then revealed that G530E and D461A mutations in rpoB, a gene encoding for the β-subunit of the bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP), was likely responsible for rifampicin and rifamycin resistance, respectively. Finally, whole-genome sequencing of recombinants obtained by co-culture revealed that recombinants picked from the same plate may be sibling clones and confirmed C. suis genome plasticity by revealing variable, apparently non-specific areas of recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Marti
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sankhya Bommana
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Timothy D Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Theresa Pesch
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Prähauser
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Deborah Dean
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Joint Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Joint Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Nicole Borel
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Sheng CY, Gong QL, Ma BY, Liu Y, Ge GY, Li DL, Luan MH, Diao NC, Li JM, Shi K, Leng X, Du R. Prevalence of Chlamydia in Pigs in China from 1985 to 2020: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:517-533. [PMID: 33887161 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia is a small gram-negative (G-) microorganism that can be dangerous to human and animals. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of Chlamydia infection in swine in China. From PubMed, ScienceDirect, Chinese Web of knowledge (CNKI), VIP Chinese journal database, and Wanfang database, we collected a total of 72 publications reported in 1985-2020. The prevalence of Chlamydia was 22.48% in China. In the sampling year subgroup, the prevalence after 2011 was the highest (26.14%). In southern China, the prevalence was 30.97%. By contrast, the prevalence in northern China was only 10.79%. Also the difference was significant (p < 0.05). In the provincial level, Hubei had the highest rate of 36.23%. Boars had a higher prevalence (29.47%). The prevalence of Chlamydia detection in pigs with reproductive disorders (21.86%) was higher than that without reproductive disorders. Among the three age groups, finishing pigs (21.43%) had the highest prevalence. The prevalence in large-scale farmed pigs (28.58%) was the highest in the subgroup of feeding methods. The prevalence in farms was 24.29%, which was the highest in the survey areas. The prevalence in spring was the highest with 40.51%. Other methods had the highest prevalence (39.61%) than enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect hemagglutination assay. The prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci 18.41% was lower than the prevalence of Chlamydia abortus (41.35%). We also analyzed the impact of different climate factor subgroups (rainfall, temperature, and humidity) on the probability of pigs suffering from the disease. The results showed that Chlamydia was widespread in pigs in China. We suggest that we should strengthen the detection of Chlamydia in the semen of breeding pigs and pigs with reproductive disorders, and reasonably control the environment of large-scale pig farms, so as to reduce further infection of Chlamydia in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Yan Sheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China
| | - Qing-Long Gong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China
| | - Bao-Yi Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China
| | - Yi Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China
| | - Gui-Yang Ge
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China
| | - Dong-Li Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China
| | - Mei-Hui Luan
- College of Chinese Medicine Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun P.R. China
| | - Nai-Chao Diao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China
| | - Jian-Ming Li
- College of Chinese Medicine Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun P.R. China
| | - Kun Shi
- College of Chinese Medicine Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun P.R. China
| | - Xue Leng
- College of Chinese Medicine Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun P.R. China
| | - Rui Du
- Laboratory of Production and Product Application of Sika Deer of Jilin Province, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Production, Product Quality and Security, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, P.R. China
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7
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Hoque MM, Adekanmbi F, Barua S, Rahman KS, Aida V, Anderson B, Poudel A, Kalalah A, Bolds S, Madere S, Kitchens S, Price S, Brown V, Lockaby BG, Kyriakis CS, Kaltenboeck B, Wang C. Peptide ELISA and FRET-qPCR Identified a Significantly Higher Prevalence of Chlamydia suis in Domestic Pigs Than in Feral Swine from the State of Alabama, USA. Pathogens 2020; 10:pathogens10010011. [PMID: 33375583 PMCID: PMC7823902 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia suis is an important, highly prevalent, and diverse obligate intracellular pathogen infecting pigs. In order to investigate the prevalence and diversity of C. suis in the U.S., 276 whole blood samples from feral swine were collected as well as 109 fecal swabs and 60 whole blood samples from domestic pigs. C. suis-specific peptide ELISA identified anti-C. suis antibodies in 13.0% of the blood of feral swine (26/276) and 80.0% of the domestic pigs (48/60). FRET-qPCR and DNA sequencing found C. suis DNA in 99.1% of the fecal swabs (108/109) and 21.7% of the whole blood (13/60) of the domestic pigs, but not in any of the assayed blood samples (0/267) in feral swine. Phylogenetic comparison of partial C. suis ompA gene sequences and C. suis-specific multilocus sequencing typing (MLST) revealed significant genetic diversity of the C. suis identified in this study. Highly genetically diverse C. suis strains are prevalent in domestic pigs in the USA. As crowding strongly enhances the frequency and intensity of highly prevalent Chlamydia infections in animals, less population density in feral swine than in domestic pigs may explain the significantly lower C. suis prevalence in feral swine. A future study is warranted to obtain C. suis DNA from feral swine to perform genetic diversity of C. suis between commercial and feral pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Monirul Hoque
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Folasade Adekanmbi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Subarna Barua
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Kh. Shamsur Rahman
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Virginia Aida
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Brian Anderson
- Swine Research and Education Center, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36830, USA;
| | - Anil Poudel
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Anwar Kalalah
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Sara Bolds
- School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (S.B.); (S.M.); (B.G.L.)
| | - Steven Madere
- School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (S.B.); (S.M.); (B.G.L.)
| | - Steven Kitchens
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Stuart Price
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Vienna Brown
- National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA;
| | - B. Graeme Lockaby
- School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (S.B.); (S.M.); (B.G.L.)
| | - Constantinos S. Kyriakis
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Bernhard Kaltenboeck
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
| | - Chengming Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (M.M.H.); (F.A.); (S.B.); (K.S.R.); (V.A.); (A.P.); (A.K.); (S.K.); (S.P.); (C.S.K.); (B.K.)
- Correspondence:
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8
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Dimond ZE, Hefty PS. Comprehensive genome analysis and comparisons of the swine pathogen, Chlamydia suis reveals unique ORFs and candidate host-specificity factors. Pathog Dis 2020; 79:5868767. [PMID: 32639528 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftaa035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia suis, a ubiquitous swine pathogen, has the potential for zoonotic transmission to humans and often encodes for resistance to the primary treatment antibiotic, tetracycline. Because of this emerging threat, comparative genomics for swine isolate R19 with inter- and intra-species genomes was performed. A 1.094 Mb genome was determined through de novo assembly of Illumina high throughput sequencing reads. Annotation and subsystem analyses were conducted, revealing 986 putative genes (Chls_###) that are predominantly orthologs to other known Chlamydia genes. Subsequent comparative genomics revealed a high level of genomic synteny and overall sequence identity with other Chlamydia while 92 unique C. suis open reading frames were annotated. Direct comparison of Chlamydia-specific gene families that included the plasticity zone, inclusion membrane proteins, polymorphic membrane proteins and the major outer membrane protein, demonstrated high gene content identity with C. trachomatis and C. muridarum. These comparisons also identified diverse components that potentially could contribute to host-specificity. This study constitutes the first genome-wide comparative analysis for C. suis, generating a fully annotated reference genome. These studies will enable focused efforts on factors that provide key species specificity and adaptation to cognate hosts that are attributed to chlamydial infections, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe E Dimond
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Ave. Lawrence KS 66044
| | - P Scott Hefty
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Ave. Lawrence KS 66044
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9
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Isolation of Tetracycline-Resistant Chlamydia suis from a Pig Herd Affected by Reproductive Disorders and Conjunctivitis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9040187. [PMID: 32316412 PMCID: PMC7235844 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9040187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to various challenges in diagnosing chlamydiosis in pigs, antibiotic treatment is usually performed before any molecular or antibiotic susceptibility testing. This could increase the occurrence of tetracycline-resistant Chlamydia (C.) suis isolates in the affected pig population and potentiate the reoccurrence of clinical signs. Here, we present a case of an Austrian pig farm, where tetracycline resistant and sensitive C. suis isolates were isolated from four finishers with conjunctivitis. On herd-level, 10% of the finishers suffered from severe conjunctivitis and sows showed a high percentage of irregular return to estrus. Subsequent treatment of whole-herd using oxytetracycline led to a significant reduction of clinical signs. Retrospective antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed tetracycline resistance and decreased susceptibility to doxycycline in half of the ocular C. suis isolates, and all isolates were able to partially recover following a single-dose tetracycline treatment in vitro. These findings were later confirmed in vivo, when all former clinical signs recurred three months later. This case report raises awareness of tetracycline resistance in C. suis and emphasizes the importance of preventative selection of tetracycline resistant C. suis isolates.
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Chlamydiaceae: Diseases in Primary Hosts and Zoonosis. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7050146. [PMID: 31137741 PMCID: PMC6560403 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7050146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria of the Chlamydiaceae family are a type of Gram-negative microorganism typified by their obligate intracellular lifestyle. The majority of the members in the Chlamydiaceae family are known pathogenic organisms that primarily infect the host mucosal surfaces in both humans and animals. For instance, Chlamydia trachomatis is a well-known etiological agent for ocular and genital sexually transmitted diseases, while C. pneumoniae has been implicated in community-acquired pneumonia in humans. Other chlamydial species such as C. abortus, C. caviae, C. felis, C. muridarum, C. pecorum, and C. psittaci are important pathogens that are associated with high morbidities in animals. Importantly, some of these animal pathogens have been recognized as zoonotic agents that pose a significant infectious threat to human health through cross-over transmission. The current review provides a succinct recapitulation of the characteristics as well as transmission for the previously established members of the Chlamydiaceae family and a number of other recently described chlamydial organisms.
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Kieckens E, Van den Broeck L, Van Gils M, Morré S, Vanrompay D. Co-Occurrence of Chlamydia suis DNA and Chlamydia suis-Specific Antibodies in the Human Eye. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 18:677-682. [PMID: 30251925 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2017.2256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia suis is a swine pathogen that causes economic losses due to reproductive failure. Recently, C. suis has been detected in human eyes. However, knowledge of the zoonotic potential is still limited. C. suis infections in swine could present a risk for public health because (1) tetracycline-resistant C. suis strains are emerging in the pork industry, (2) tetracycline resistance gene transfers in vitro from C. suis to the human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis and as previously demonstrated, (3) C. suis and C. trachomatis can be both present in the human eye. Pig farmers were sampled during a seminar in West-Flanders. Conjunctival swabs for detection of C. suis and C. trachomatis and for the detection of mucosal antibodies against C. suis and C. trachomatis were collected. The farmers completed a questionnaire designed to assess information on the following: (1) the health status of their pigs, (2) administration of veterinary drugs, (3) their professional and nonprofessional activities, (4) general health status, (5) smoking habits, (6) use of medication, (7) allergies, and (8) clinical signs/history. Thirty-three on 40 (82.5%) farmers participated. None of the conjunctival swabs contained C. trachomatis DNA and mucosal antibodies against C. trachomatis were not detected. Six of 33 (18.2%) farmers had C. suis DNA in their eyes and 22 of 33 (67%) swabs contained C. suis-specific mucosal antibodies. The older the farmer, higher the chance of finding C. suis antibodies in the eye. There was a significant correlation between the presence of conjunctivitis in the pigs and the occurrence of C. suis DNA in the eye of their owner. This study shows that C. suis may transfer from pigs to the human eye as specific mucosal antibodies were detected in conjunctivae of pig farmers. Veterinarians, general practitioners, and occupational physicians should be aware of the zoonotic potential of C. suis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Kieckens
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laura Van den Broeck
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mathias Van Gils
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Servaas Morré
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute for Public Health Genomics, Research School GROW (School for Oncology and Developmental Biology), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Daisy Vanrompay
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Li M, Jelocnik M, Yang F, Gong J, Kaltenboeck B, Polkinghorne A, Feng Z, Pannekoek Y, Borel N, Song C, Jiang P, Li J, Zhang J, Wang Y, Wang J, Zhou X, Wang C. Asymptomatic infections with highly polymorphic Chlamydia suis are ubiquitous in pigs. BMC Vet Res 2017; 13:370. [PMID: 29191191 PMCID: PMC5710075 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-1295-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Chlamydia suis is an important, globally distributed, highly prevalent and diverse obligate intracellular pathogen infecting pigs. To investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of C. suis in China, 2,137 nasal, conjunctival, and rectal swabs as well as whole blood and lung samples of pigs were collected in 19 regions from ten provinces of China in this study. Results We report an overall positivity of 62.4% (1,334/2,137) of C. suis following screening by Chlamydia spp. 23S rRNA-based FRET-PCR and high-resolution melting curve analysis and confirmatory sequencing. For C. suis-positive samples, 33.3 % of whole blood and 62.5% of rectal swabs were found to be positive for the C. suis tetR(C) gene, while 13.3% of whole blood and 87.0% of rectal swabs were positive for the C. suis tet(C) gene. Phylogenetic comparison of partial C. suis ompA gene sequences revealed significant genetic diversity in the C. suis strains. This genetic diversity was confirmed by C. suis-specific multilocus sequence typing (MLST), which identified 26 novel sequence types among 27 examined strains. Tanglegrams based on MLST and ompA sequences provided evidence of C. suis recombination amongst the strains analyzed. Conclusions Genetically highly diverse C. suis strains are exceedingly prevalent in pigs. As it stands, the potential pathogenic effect of C. suis on pig health and production of C. suis remains unclear and will be the subject of further investigations. Further study is also required to address the transmission of C. suis between pigs and the risk of 'spill-over' and 'spill-back' of infections to wild animals and humans. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-017-1295-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Martina Jelocnik
- Centre for Animal Health Innovation, Faculty of Science, Health, Education & Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, Maroochydore, Australia
| | - Feng Yang
- Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianseng Gong
- Poultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | | | - Adam Polkinghorne
- Centre for Animal Health Innovation, Faculty of Science, Health, Education & Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, Maroochydore, Australia
| | - Zhixin Feng
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-Products, Nanjing, China
| | - Yvonne Pannekoek
- Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole Borel
- Institute for Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chunlian Song
- Yunnan Agricultural University College of Animal Science & Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ping Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases Diagnostic and Immunology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Li
- Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jilei Zhang
- Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaoyao Wang
- Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawei Wang
- Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengming Wang
- Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. .,College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
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