Development of a Multiplex PCR Assay for Rapid Molecular Serotyping of Haemophilus parasuis

EspP2 Regulates the Adhesion of Glaesserella parasuis via Rap1 Signaling Pathway

Different levels of EspP2 expression are seen in strains of Glaesserella parasuis with high and low pathogenicity. As a potential virulence factor for G. parasuis, the pathogenic mechanism of EspP2 in infection of host cells is not clear. To begin to elucidate the effect of EspP2 on virulence, we used G. parasuis SC1401 in its wild-type form and SC1401, which was made EspP2-deficient. We demonstrated that EspP2 causes up-regulation of claudin-1 and occludin expression, thereby promoting the adhesion of G. parasuis to host cells; EspP2-deficiency resulted in significantly reduced adhesion of G. parasuis to cells. Transcriptome sequencing analysis of EspP2-treated PK15 cells revealed that the Rap1 signaling pathway is stimulated by EspP2. Blocking this pathway diminished occludin expression and adhesion. These results indicated that EspP2 regulates the adhesion of Glaesserella parasuis via Rap1 signaling pathway.

Characterization of the plasmids harbouring the florfenicol resistance gene floR in Glaesserella parasuis and Actinobacillus indolicus

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to characterize the floR-carrying plasmids originating from Glaesserella parasuis and Actinobacillus indolicus isolated from pigs with respiratory disease in China.

METHODS

A total of 125 G. parasuis and 28 A. indolicus strains collected between 2009 and 2022 were screened for florfenicol resistance. Characterization of floR-positive isolates and plasmids were determined by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, serotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), conjugation and transformation assays, whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and phylogenetic analysis.

RESULTS

One A. indolicus and six G. parasuis were identified as positive for floR. The six G. parasuis were assigned to four different serovars, including serovars 6, 7, 9, and unknown. In addition to strain XP11, six floR genes were located on plasmids. The six floR-bearing plasmids could be transformed into Pasteurella multocida and divided into two different types, including ∼5000 bp and ∼6000 bp plasmids. The ∼5000 bp plasmids consisting of rep, lysR, mobB, and floR genes, exhibited high similarity among Pasteurellaceae bacteria. Furthermore, the ∼6000 bp plasmids, consisting of rep, lysR, mobC, mobA/L, and floR genes, showed high similarity between G. parasuis and Actinobacillus Spp. Notably, WGS results showed that the floR modules of the two types of plasmids could be transferred and integrated into the diverse Pasteurellaceae- origined plasmids.

CONCLUSION

This study firstly reported the characterization of floR-carrying plasmids from A. indolicus and a non-virulent serovar of G. parasuis in pigs in China and elucidated the transmission mechanism of the floR resistance gene among the Pasteurellaceae family.

Serotypes, virulence factors and multilocus sequence typing of Glaesserella parasuis from diseased pigs in Taiwan

Background

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) belongs to the normal microbiota of the upper respiratory tract in the swine, but virulent strains can cause systemic infections commonly known as Glässer's disease that leads to significant economic loss in the swine industry. Fifteen serotypes of G. parasuis have been classified by gel immunodiffusion test while the molecular serotyping based on variation within the capsule loci have further improved the serotype determination of unidentified field strains. Serovar has been commonly used as an indicator of virulence; however, virulence can be significantly differ in the field isolates with the same serotype. To date, investigations of G. parasuis isolated in Taiwan regarding antimicrobial resistance, serotypes, genotypes and virulence factors remain unclear.

Methods

A total of 276 G.parasuis field isolates were collected from 263 diseased pigs at the Animal Disease Diagnostic Center of National Chiayi University in Taiwan from January 2013 to July 2021. Putative virulence factors and serotypes of the isolates were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by microbroth dilution assay. Additionally, the epidemiology of G. parasuis was characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Results

Serotype 4 (33.3%) and 5 (21.4%) were the most prevalent, followed by nontypable isolates (15.9%), serotype 13 (9.4%), 12 (6.5%), 14 (6.2%), 7 (3.3%), 1 (1.8%), 9 (1.1%), 11 (0.7%) and 6 (0.4%). Nine out of 10 putative virulence factors showed high positive rates, including group 1 vtaA (100%), fhuA (80.4%), hhdA (98.6%), hhdB (96.0%), sclB7 (99.6%), sclB11 (94.9%), nhaC (98.2%), HAPS_0254 (85.9%), and cirA (99.3%). According to the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing, ceftiofur and florfenicol were highly susceptible (>90%). Notably, 68.8% isolates showed multidrug resistance. MLST revealed 16 new alleles and 67 new sequence types (STs). STs of these isolated G. parasuis strains were classified into three clonal complexes and 45 singletons by Based Upon Related Sequence Types (BURST) analysis. All the G. parasuis strains in PubMLST database, including strains from the diseased pigs in the study, were defined into two main clusters by Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA). Most isolates in this study and virulent isolates from the database were mainly located in cluster 2, while cluster 1 included a high percentage of nasal isolates from asymptomatic carriers. In conclusion, this study provides current prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of G. parasuis in Taiwan, which can be used in clinical diagnosis and treatment of Glässer's disease.

Molecular characterization of Glaesserella parasuis strains circulating in North American swine production systems

BACKGROUND

Glaesserella parasuis is the causative agent of Glässer's disease in pigs. Serotyping is the most common method used to type G. parasuis isolates. However, the high number of non-typables (NT) and low discriminatory power make serotyping problematic. In this study, 218 field clinical isolates and 15 G. parasuis reference strains were whole-genome sequenced (WGS). Multilocus sequence types (MLST), serotypes, core-genome phylogeny, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, and putative virulence gene information was extracted.

RESULTS

In silico WGS serotyping identified 11 of 15 serotypes. The most frequently detected serotypes were 7, 13, 4, and 2. MLST identified 72 sequence types (STs), of which 66 were novel. The most predominant ST was ST454. Core-genome phylogeny depicted 3 primary lineages (LI, LII, and LIII), with LIIIA sublineage isolates lacking all vtaA genes, based on the structure of the phylogenetic tree and the number of virulence genes. At least one group 1 vtaA virulence genes were observed in most isolates (97.2%), except for serotype 8 (ST299 and ST406), 15 (ST408 and ST552) and NT (ST448). A few group 1 vtaA genes were significantly associated with certain serotypes or STs. The putative virulence gene lsgB, was detected in 8.3% of the isolates which were predominantly of serotype 5/12. While most isolates carried the bcr, ksgA, and bacA genes, the following antimicrobial resistant genes were detected in lower frequency;  blaZ (6.9%), tetM (3.7%), spc (3.7%), tetB (2.8%), bla-ROB-1 (1.8%), ermA (1.8%), strA (1.4%), qnrB (0.5%), and aph3''Ia (0.5%).   CONCLUSION: This study showed the use of WGS to type G. parasuis isolates and can be considered an alternative to the more labor-intensive and traditional serotyping and standard MLST. Core-genome phylogeny provided the best strain discrimination. These findings will lead to a better understanding of the molecular epidemiology and virulence in G. parasuis that can be applied to the future development of diagnostic tools, autogenous vaccines, evaluation of antibiotic use, prevention, and disease control.

Immune responses following neonatal vaccination with conserved F4 fragment of VtaA proteins from virulent Glaesserella parasuis adjuvanted with CAF®01 or CDA

Glaesserella parasuis is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the upper airways of swine, capable of causing a systemic infection called Glässer's disease. This disease is more frequent in young post-weaning piglets. Current treatments against G. parasuis infection are based on the use of antimicrobials or inactivated vaccines, which promote limited cross-protection against different serovars. For this reason, there is an interest in developing novel subunit vaccines with the capacity to confer effective protection against different virulent strains. Herein, we characterize the immunogenicity and the potential benefits of neonatal immunization with two different vaccine formulations based on the F4 polypeptide, a conserved immunogenic protein fragment from the virulence-associated trimeric autotransporters of virulent G. parasuis strains. With this purpose, we immunized two groups of piglets with F4 combined with cationic adjuvant CAF®01 or cyclic dinucleotide CDA. Piglets immunized with a commercial bacterin and non-immunized animals served as control groups. The vaccinated piglets received two doses of vaccine, at 14 days old and 21 days later. The immune response induced against the F4 polypeptide varied depending on the adjuvant used. Piglets vaccinated with the F4+CDA vaccine developed specific anti-F4 IgGs, biased towards the induction of IgG1 responses, whereas no anti-F4 IgGs were de novo induced after immunization with the CAF®01 vaccine. Piglets immunized with both formulations displayed balanced memory T-cell responses, evidenced upon in vitro re-stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with F4. Interestingly, pigs immunized with F4+CAF®01 controlled more efficiently a natural nasal colonization by a virulent serovar 4 G. parasuis that spontaneously occurred during the experimental procedure. According to the results, the immunogenicity and the protection afforded by F4 depend on the adjuvant used. F4 may represent a candidate to consider for a Glässer's disease vaccine and could contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in protection against virulent G. parasuis colonization.

Development of a new multiplex quantitative PCR for the detection of Glaesserella parasuis, Mycoplasma hyorhinis, and Mycoplasma hyosynoviae

Glaesserella parasuis, Mycoplasma hyorhinis, and Mycoplasma hyosynoviae are important porcine pathogens responsible for polyserositis, polyarthritis, meningitis, pneumonia, and septicemia causing significant economic losses in the swine industry. A new multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was designed on one hand for the detection of G. parasuis and the virulence marker vtaA to distinguish between highly virulent and non-virulent strains. On the other hand, fluorescent probes were established for the detection and identification of both M. hyorhinis and M. hyosynoviae targeting 16S ribosomal RNA genes. The development of the qPCR was based on reference strains of 15 known serovars of G. parasuis, as well as on the type strains M. hyorhinis ATCC 17981T and M. hyosynoviae NCTC 10167T . The new qPCR was further evaluated using 21 G. parasuis, 26 M. hyorhinis, and 3 M. hyosynoviae field isolates. Moreover, a pilot study including different clinical specimens of 42 diseased pigs was performed. The specificity of the assay was 100% without cross-reactivity or detection of other bacterial swine pathogens. The sensitivity of the new qPCR was demonstrated to be between 11-180 genome equivalents (GE) of DNA for M. hyosynoviae and M. hyorhinis, and 140-1200 GE for G. parasuis and vtaA. The cut-off threshold cycle was found to be at 35. The developed sensitive and specific qPCR assay has the potential to become a useful molecular tool, which could be implemented in veterinary diagnostic laboratories for the detection and identification of G. parasuis, its virulence marker vtaA, M. hyorhinis, and M. hyosynoviae.

Phylogenetic study and comparison of different TbpB obtained from Glaesserella parasuis present in Spanish clinical isolates

Glaesserella parasuis (Gp) is the etiological agent of Glässer's disease (GD), which causes important economic losses for the pig intensive production worldwide. This organism uses a smart protein-based receptor to acquire specifically iron from the porcine transferrin. This surface receptor consists of transferrin-binding protein A (TbpA) and transferrin-binding protein B (TbpB). TbpB has been considered the most promising antigen to formulate a based-protein vaccine with broad-spectrum of protection against GD. The purpose of our study was to determine the capsular diversity of Gp clinical isolates collected in different Spanish regions between 2018 and 2021. A total of 68 Gp isolates were recovered from porcine respiratory or systemic samples. A species-specific PCR based on tbpA gene, followed by multiplex PCR for typing Gp isolates were performed. Serovars 5, 10, 2, 4 and 1 were the most prevalent and involved almost 84% of isolates. TbpB amino acid sequences from 59 of these isolates were analyzed, and a total of ten clades could be established. All of them showed a wide diversity with respect to capsular type, anatomical isolation site and geographical origin, with minor exceptions. Regardless of the serovars, the in silico analysis of TbpB sequences revealed that a vaccine based on a TbpB recombinant protein could potentially prevent Glässer's disease outbreaks in Spain.

Novel Multiplex PCR Assay and Its Application in Detecting Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Porcine Respiratory Bacterial Pathogens in Guangxi, China

Porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) is a serious disease caused by multiple pathogens which inflicts huge economic losses on the pig industry. Investigating the epidemiology of porcine respiratory bacterial pathogens (PRBPs) in specific geographic areas and exploring the antibiotic susceptibility of local strains will contribute to the prevention and control of PRDC. However, the epidemiology of PRBPs in Guangxi Province remains unclear, and existing diagnostic methods have multiple limitations, such as high costs and the detection of only a single pathogen at a time. In this study, we developed a multiplex PCR assay for Streptococcus suis, Glaesserella parasuis, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida, and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, and investigated the prevalence of PRBPs in pigs with respiratory symptoms in Guangxi Province. The isolates from positive samples were subjected to susceptibility tests to 16 antibiotics. Our results indicated that of the 664 samples from pigs with respiratory symptoms, 433 (65.21%), 320 (48.19%), 282 (42.47%), 23 (3.46%), and 9 (1.36%), respectively, carried each of these 5 pathogens; 533 samples were positive; and 377 (56.78%) carried multiple pathogens simultaneously. The dominant PRBPs in pigs with respiratory symptoms in Guangxi province were S. suis, G. parasuis, and A. pleuropneumoniae, which frequently co-infected swine herds. Most of the isolates (A. pleuropneumoniae, G. parasuis, S. suis, and P. multocida) were sensitive to cefquinome, ceftiofur, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), and tiamulin antibiotics. We developed a rapid specific multiplex PCR assay for PRBPs. Our findings provide new information on the epidemiology of PRBPs in Guangxi Province and offer a reference for developing drug targets against PRDC. IMPORTANCE Pigs are closely associated with humans as the most common food animals and the vectors of numerous pathogens. PRDC, caused by multiple pathogens, is a serious disease that can cause growth retardation in swine and even sudden death. Due to the droplet transmission of PRBP and the similar clinical signs of different pathogen infections, most pig farms struggle to identify and control PRBPs, leading to the abuse of antibiotics. In addition, some PRBPs have the potential to infect humans and threaten human health. Therefore, this study developed a multiplex PCR method targeting PRBPs, investigated the prevalence of these pathogens, and tested their antibiotic susceptibility. Our studies have important implications for public health safety and the development of the pig industry.

Virulence assessment of four Glaesserella parasuis strains isolated in Liaoning province of China

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) is a part of the normal upper respiratory microbiota of healthy swine. In many studies, the serovars 1, 4, 5, and 12 of G. parasuis are considered to be highly virulent and its serovars 3, 6, 7, 9, and 11 are considered to be non-virulent. Until now, researchers have found that non-virulent strains of G. parasuis cause an increasing number of diseases. However, little is known concerning why non-virulent strains cause disease with the virulence changes. In present study, four G. parasuis strains were evaluated for their cytotoxicity property, which aims to compare their virulence. The results showed that highly virulent strains XX0306 and CY1201, as well as, non-virulent strains HLD0115 and YK1603 caused a series of pathological changes, increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and decreased cell activity. In addition, compared to the control group, both highly and non-virulent strains showed similar trends, demonstrating that the method of classifying the virulence of G. parasuis based on its serovar is worth further deliberation. Hence, we investigated the adhesion capacity and invasion rate of G. parasuis, the results indicated that XX0306 and HLD0115 had the strongest adhesion and invasion ability, which contradicts the classification of the virulence of G. parasuis based on its serovar. The apoptosis degree induced by highly virulent strains was more intensive than non-virulent strains, as measured by annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining. Through testing the expression of apoptosis-related genes Bcl-2 and Bax, we found highly virulent strains induced apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of Bcl-2.

Coinfection with porcine circovirus type 2 and Glaesserella parasuis serotype 4 enhances pathogenicity in piglets

Coinfection of Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and Glaesserella parasuis type 4 (GPS4) is widespread clinically, resulting in high morbidity and mortality, however, interactions between the two pathogens during coinfection and the coinfection pathogenesis are poorly understood. In this study, a piglet model coinfected with PCV2 and GPS4 was established; coinfection of the piglets' group showed more obvious symptoms, such as high fever and emaciation, and more severe histological lesions appeared in various organs. Importantly, piglets in the coinfection group produced lower levels of PCV2 and GPS4 antibodies, and showed high levels of inflammatory cytokines, TLR2, and TLR4, while the levels of CD4, CD8, MHC II, costimulatory molecules, and IL-12p40 were decreased. In addition, a model of macrophage 3D4/21 cells coinfection with PCV2 and GPS4 was established, coinfected cells exhibited increased expression of the cytokines IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IL-1β, and the receptors TLR2, TLR4, while decreased MHC II. We further demonstrate that cytokine production is associated with the activation of NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways, and TLR4 is also involved. Altogether, our findings suggest that coinfection with PCV2 and GPS4 exacerbates the inflammatory response, resulting in severe tissue damage, and probably impaired macrophage antigen presentation and T cell activation, resulting in immune dysregulation, aggravating host infection.

Molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Outer membrane protein P2 (OmpP2) of Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis Isolates in Central State of Peninsular Malaysia

Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis, the etiological agent of Glässer's disease, is an economically significant pathogen commonly associated with serofibrinous polyserositis, arthritis, fibrinous bronchopneumonia and/or meningitis. This study is the first attempt to molecularly characterize and provide a detailed overview of the genetic variants of G. parasuis present in Malaysia, in reference to its serotype, virulence-associated trimeric autotransporters (vtaA) gene and outer membrane protein P2 (OmpP2) gene. The G. parasuis isolates (n = 11) from clinically sick field samples collected from two major pig producing states (Selangor and Perak) were selected for analysis. Upon multiplex PCR, the majority of the isolates (eight out of 11) were identified to be serotype 5 or 12, and interestingly, serotypes 3, 8 and 15 were also detected, which had never been reported in Malaysia prior to this. Generally, virulent vtaA was detected for all isolates, except for one, which displayed a nonvirulent vtaA. A phylogenetic analysis of the OmpP2 gene revealed that the majority of Malaysian isolates were clustered into genotype 1, which could be further divided into Ia and Ib, while only one isolate was clustered into genotype 2.

Effect of Vaccination against Glässer's Disease in a Farm Suffering from Polyserositis in Weaned Pigs

Polyserositis mostly affects 4−8 weeks old piglets and is usually caused by Glaesserella parasuis, and/or Streptococcus suis, and/or Mycoplasma hyorhinis. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and etiology of polyserositis in a tricky pig herd. The concurrent effect of vaccination for Glässer’s disease was also assessed. A total of 46 sows and 387 piglets were herein investigated, subdivided into three groups based on their immune status (i.e., vaccination of sows and piglets). All the piglets found spontaneously dead between the 2nd and 16th week of age were recorded and necropsied. Whenever polyserositis was diagnosed, biomolecular investigations were carried out to detect the above-mentioned pathogens. Mycoplasma hyorhinis was detected most frequently (n = 23), often as the only causative agent (n = 15), whereas S. suis was observed in 8 cases (6 as the only pathogen). Moreover, Glaesserella parasuis was demonstrated in 6 piglets, always in combination with Mycoplasma hyorhinis and/or Streptococcus suis. Vaccination did not significantly affect mortality rates. Overall, our data indicate that polyserositis is likely caused by an intricate puzzle of pathogens, even when dealing with a small herd and during a short time span. That makes it challenging to achieve the correct diagnosis and to properly manage this health issue.

Serotyping and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiling of Glaesserella parasuis Isolated from Diseased Swine in Brazil

Glaesserella parasuis is one of the major pathogens in swine intensive production systems. To date, 15 serovars have been described, and the prevalence of these serotypes in different geographical regions has been identified by several methods. G. parasuis outbreaks could be controlled with vaccination if it were not for serovar diversity and limited cross-serovar protection; consequently, antibiotic therapy continues to be necessary for infection control. Here, we present the isolation, identification, serotyping, and antibiotic susceptibility profiling of G. parasuis from diseased swine in Brazil. A total of 105 G. parasuis strains, originating from nine different Brazilian states, were evaluated, and serotypes 4 and 5 were found to be the most prevalent (27.6% and 24.8% respectively). Aminoglycosides, florfenicol, tiamulin, and β-lactams were tested, and they presented lower resistant rates against G. parasuis strains. The highest resistance rates were observed against tylosin (97.1%), sulfadimethoxine (89.5%), danofloxacin (80%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (62.5%), enrofloxacin (54.3%), and clindamycin (50.5%). Multidrug resistance was detected in 89.5% of tested strains, and a total of sixty resistance profiles were identified. The cluster analysis of resistance patterns showed no correlation with the isolation year or G. parasuis serotype.

Investigation and analysis of etiology associated with porcine respiratory disease complex in China from 2017 to 2021

Porcine respiratory diseases complex (PRDC) is a highly serious threat to the pig industry. In the present study, we investigated and analyzed the etiology associated with PRDC and explored the role of viruses in respiratory bacterial infections. From 2017 to 2021, clinical samples were collected from 1,307 pigs with typical respiratory symptoms in 269 farms in China and screened for pathogens related to PRDC by PCR and bacterial isolation. The results indicated that PRRSV (41.16%, 95%CI: 38.49~43.83%), PCV2 (21.58%,95%CI: 19.35~23.81%), S. suis (63.50%, 95%CI: 60.89~66.11%), and G. parasuis (28.54%, 95%CI: 26.09~30.99%) were the most commonly detected pathogens in pigs with PRDC in China. The dominant epidemic serotypes (serogroups) of S. suis, G. parasuis, and P. multocida were serotype 2, serotype 1, and capsular serogroups D, respectively. Pigs of different ages exhibited different susceptibilities to these pathogens, e.g., PRRSV, PCV2, and G. parasuis had the highest detection rates in nursery pigs, whereas fattening pigs had the highest detection rates of P. multocida and A. pleuropneumoniae. Among the 1,307 pigs, the detection rates of S. suis, G. parasuis, P. multocida, and B. bronchiseptica were higher in virus-positive pigs, especially G. parasuis and P. multocida were significantly (p < 0.01) higher than in virus-negative pigs. In addition, a strong positive correlation was found between coinfection by PRRSV and G. parasuis (OR = 2.33, 95%CI: 1.12~2.14), PRRSV and P. multocida (OR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.12~2.14), PCV2 and P. multocida (OR = 2.27, 95%CI: 1.33~3.87), PRRSV-PCV2 and S. suis (OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.29~2.60), PRRSV-PCV2 and G. parasuis (OR = 3.39, 95%CI: 2.42~4.74), and PRRSV-PCV2 and P. multocida (OR = 2.09, 95%CI: 1.46~3.00). In summary, PRRSV, PCV2, S. suis, and G. parasuis were the major pathogens in pigs with PRDC, and coinfections of two or more PRDC-related pathogens with strong positive correlations were common in China, such as PRRSV and G. parasuis, PRRSV and P. multocida, PCV2 and P. multocida, and also PRRSV-PCV2 and G. parasuis and PRRSV-PCV2 and P. multocida.

Characterization of the immune system of Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs - An important large animal model in experimental medicine

Interest in Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs (EGMs) as a model in experimental medicine is continuously growing. The aim of this project is to increase the knowledge of the immune system of EGMs as information is still scarce. Therefore, we studied the postnatal maturation of their immune system from birth until 126 weeks of age. For the first 26 weeks of the study, animals were kept under pathogen-reduced conditions (SPF) and afterwards under conventional housing conditions. The development of the immune system was analyzed by monitoring changes in total numbers of leukocytes and lymphocytes of ten individuals and the composition of leukocyte populations by multi-color flow cytometry (FCM). We followed the presence of monocytes using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CD172a+ and CD163+ and B cells based on the expression of CD79a. NK cells were distinguished as CD3-CD16+CD8α+/dim cells and further subdivided using NKp46 (CD335) expression into NKp46-, NKp46+, and NKp46high NK cells. T-cell receptor (TCR) γδ T cells were defined by the expression of TCR-γδ and different subsets were determined by their CD2 and perforin expression. TCR-αβ T cells were classified by their CD8β+ or CD4 expression. For monitoring their differentiation, expression of CD27 and perforin was investigated for CD8β++ T cells and CD8α together with CD27 for CD4+ T cells. We clearly detected a postnatal development of immune cell composition and identified phenotypes indicative of differentiation within the respective leukocyte subsets. Examination of the development of the antigen-specific immune system after transfer to different distinct housing conditions and after vaccination against common porcine pathogens such as porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) revealed a markedly increased presence of more differentiated CD8+ and CD4+ T cells with central and effector memory T-cell phenotypes. To complement the findings, a PCV2 vaccine-specific antigen was used for in vitro restimulation experiments. We demonstrated antigen-specific proliferation of CD4+CD8α+CD27+ central and CD4+CD8α+CD27- effector memory T cells as well as antigen-specific production of TNF-α and IFN-γ. This study of postnatal immune development defines basic cellular immune parameters of EGMs and represents an important milestone for the use of EGMs for immunological questions in experimental medicine.

The molecular diversity of transcriptional factor TfoX is a determinant in natural transformation in Glaesserella parasuis

Natural transformation is a mechanism by which a particular bacterial species takes up foreign DNA and integrates it into its genome. The swine pathogen Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) is a naturally transformable bacterium. The regulation of competence, however, is not fully understood. In this study, the natural transformability of 99 strains was investigated. Only 44% of the strains were transformable under laboratory conditions. Through a high-resolution melting curve and phylogenetic analysis, we found that genetic differences in the core regulator of natural transformation, the tfoX gene, leads to two distinct natural transformation phenotypes. In the absence of the tfoX gene, the highly transformable strain SC1401 lost its natural transformability. In addition, when the SC1401 tfoX gene was replaced by the tfoX of SH0165, which has no natural transformability, competence was also lost. These results suggest that TfoX is a core regulator of natural transformation in G. parasuis, and that differences in tfoX can be used as a molecular indicator of natural transformability. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of the SC1401 wildtype strain, and a tfoX gene deletion strain showed that differential gene expression and protein synthesis is mainly centered on pathways related to glucose metabolism. The results suggest that tfoX may mediate natural transformation by regulating the metabolism of carbon sources. Our study provides evidence that tfoX plays an important role in the natural transformation of G. parasuis.

Expression Analysis of Outer Membrane Protein HPS_06257 in Different Strains of Glaesserella parasuis and Its Potential Role in Protective Immune Response against HPS_06257-Expressing Strains via Antibody-Dependent Phagocytosis

Simple Summary

Glaesserella parasuis, one of the opportunistic pathogens causing Glässer’s disease in piglets, has become a significant concern for pig farmers. Vaccination has been shown to be effective in preventing Glaesserella parasuis infection by inducing the protective immune response. Notably, a humoral immune response plays an important role in protection of Glaesserella parasuis infection. The mechanism of protection by antibodies has been shown to be associated with antibody-opsonized phagocytosis, which facilitates uptake of Glaesserella parasuis by phagocytes such as macrophages. Outer membrane proteins of Glaesserella parasuis, as the promising candidates, are often chosen to develop subunit vaccines. HPS_06257 is one of the outer membrane proteins that has been shown to confer protection against Glaesserella parasuis infection. However, little is known about the role of HPS_06257 in the protective immune response. We demonstrate that antibody-dependent phagocytosis is involved in the protective effects of HPS_06257. Our findings extend our understanding of how antibody-dependent phagocytosis may contribute to the immune protection afforded by other outer membrane proteins. Thus, our study provides insight into the protective antigens of Glaesserella parasuis and useful information for the development of novel vaccines to prevent Glaesserella parasuis infection.

Abstract

HPS_06257 has been identified as an important protective antigen against Glaesserella parasuis infection. However, little is known about the role of HPS_06257 in the protective immune response. A whole-genome data analysis showed that among 18 isolates of Glaesserella parasuis, 11 were positive for the HPS_06257 gene, suggesting that not every strain contains this gene. We used PCR to investigate the presence of the HPS_06257 gene among 13 reference strains and demonstrated that 5 strains contained the gene. A polyclonal antibody against HPS_06257 was generated with a recombinant protein to study the expression of HPS_06257 in those 13 strains. Consistent with the PCR data, five strains expressed HPS_06257, whereas eight strains were HPS_06257 null. We also compared the protective effects of HPS_06257 against an HPS_06257-expressing strain (HPS5) and an HPS_06257-null strain (HPS11). Immunization with HPS_06257 only protected against HPS5 and not HPS11. Moreover, phagocytosis of antibody-opsonized bacteria demonstrates that the antibody against HPS_06257 increased the phagocytosis of the HPS5 strain by macrophages but not the phagocytosis of the HPS11 strain, suggesting that antibody-dependent phagocytosis is responsible for the protective role exerted by HPS_06257 in the immune response to HPS5. Our data also show that the antibody against HPS_06257 increased the phagocytosis of the other HPS_06257-expressing strains by macrophages but not that of HPS_06257-null strains. In summary, our findings demonstrate that antibody-dependent phagocytosis contributes to the protective immune response induced by immunization with HPS_06257 against HPS_06257-expressing strains.

Identification of Glaesserella parasuis and Differentiation of Its 15 Serovars Using High-Resolution Melting Assays

Glaesserella parasuis is the etiological agent of Glässer’s disease, which is associated with polyserositis and arthritis and has a significant impact on the economy of the pig production industry. For the optimal surveillance of this pathogen, as well as for the investigation of G. parasuis-associated diseases, it is crucial to identify G. parasuis at the serovar level. In this work, we designed and developed new high-resolution melting (HRM) approaches, namely, the species-specific GPS-HRM1 and two serovar-specific HRM assays (GPS-HRM2 and GPS-HRM3), and evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the assays. The HRM assays demonstrated good sensitivity, with 12.5 fg–1.25 pg of input DNA for GPS-HRM1 and 125 fg–12.5 pg for GPS-HRM2 and GPS-HRM3, as well as a specificity of 100% for the identification of all recognized 15 G. parasuis serovars. Eighteen clinical isolates obtained between 2014 and 2022 in Switzerland were tested by applying the developed HRM assays, which revealed a heterogeneous distribution of serovars 2, 7, 4, 13, 1, and 14. The combination with virulence marker vtaA (virulence-associated trimeric autotransporters) allows for the prediction of potentially virulent strains. The assays are simple to execute and enable a reliable low-cost approach, thereby refining currently available diagnostic tools.

Temporal Patterns of Phenotypic Antimicrobial Resistance and Coinfecting Pathogens in Glaesserella parasuis Strains Isolated from Diseased Swine in Germany from 2006 to 2021

Glaesserella parasuis (Gps) causes high economic losses in pig farms worldwide. So far no vaccine provides cross-protection for different serotypes, so antibiotic treatment is widely used to cope with this pathogen. In this study, routine diagnostic data from 2046 pigs with Gps related diseases sent for necropsy to a German laboratory in the time period 2006–2021 were analysed retrospectively. In the time period 2018–2021, the most frequent serotypes (ST) detected were ST4 (30%) and ST13 (22%). A comparison of the reference period 2006–2013 prior to obligatory routine recording of antimicrobial usage in livestock with the period 2014–2021 resulted in a statistically significant decrease of frequencies of resistant Gps isolates for ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, erythromycin, spectinomycin, tiamulin and tilmicosin. While in 2006–2013 all isolates were resistant for tetracyclin and cephalothin, frequencies of resistant isolates decreased in the second time period to 28% and 62%, respectively. Parallel to the reduction of antimicrobial usage, during recent years a reduction in resistant Gps isolates has been observed, so only a low risk of treatment failure exists. Most frequently, pigs positive for Gps were also positive for S.suis (25.4%), PRRSV-EU (25.1%) and influenza virus (23%). The viral pathogens may act as potential trigger factors.

Comparison of the Glaesserella parasuis Virulence in Mice and Piglets

In this study, we compared the virulence of the most common serovars of Glaesserella parasuis in China, serovars 4, 5, 12, and 13 (36 strains in total) in BALB/c mice and piglets. In mice, the median lethal doses (LD₅₀s) of the four serovars were roughly 9.80 × 10⁷–4.60 × 10⁹ CFU, 2.10 × 10⁸–8.85 × 10⁹ CFU, 4.81 × 10⁷–7.01 × 10⁹ CFU, and 1.75 × 10⁸–8.45 × 10⁸ CFU, respectively. Serovar 13 showed the strongest virulence, followed by serovar 4, serovar 12, and serovar 5, but a significant difference in virulence was only observed between serovars 5 and 13. The virulence of strains of the same serovars differed significantly in piglets. Virulent and attenuated strains were present in all serovars, but serovar 5 was the most virulent in piglets, followed by serovars 13, 4, and 12. A significant difference in virulence was observed between serovars 5 and 4 and between serovars 5 and 12. However, the virulence of serovars 5 and 13 did not differ significantly. This comprehensive analysis of G. parasuis virulence in mice and piglets demonstrated that: (1) the order of virulence of the four domestic epidemic serovars (from strongest to weakest) in piglets was serovars 5, 13, 4, and 12; (2) both virulent and attenuated strains were present in all serovars, so virulence did not necessarily correlate with serovar; (3) Although G. parasuis was fatal in BALB/c mice, its virulence is inconsistent with that in piglets, indicating that BALB/c mice are inadequate as an alternative model of G. parasuis infection.

Sow Vaccination with a Protein Fragment against Virulent Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis Modulates Immunity Traits in Their Offspring

Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis, an early colonizer of the nasal cavity in piglets, is a highly heterogeneous species, comprising both commensal and virulent strains. Virulent G. parasuis strains can cause fibrinous polyserositis called Glässer’s disease. Colostrum is a source of passive immunity for young piglets. When vaccinating sows, protective antibodies are transferred to their offspring through the colostrum. Here, sow vaccination was performed with a protein fragment, F4, from the outer membrane trimeric autotransporters VtaAs exclusively found in virulent G. parasuis. Piglets were allowed to suckle for 3 weeks, following which a challenge with two virulent strains of G. parasuis was performed. A group of nonvaccinated sows and their piglets were included as a control. Antibodies against F4 were confirmed using ELISA in the vaccinated sows and their offspring before the G. parasuis challenge. Compared to the control group, F4-vaccination also resulted in an increased level of serum TGF-β both in vaccinated sows and in their offspring at early time points of life. After the challenge, a lower body temperature and a higher weight were observed in the group of piglets from vaccinated sows. One piglet from the non-vaccinated group succumbed to the infection, but no other significant differences in clinical signs were noticed. At necropsy, performed 2 weeks after the virulent challenge, the level of surfactant protein D (SP-D) in bronchoalveolar lavage was higher in the piglets from vaccinated sows. Vaccination did not inhibit the nasal colonization of the piglets by the challenge strains.

Molecular characterization of Glaesserella parasuis strains isolated from North America, Europe and Asia by serotyping PCR and LS-PCR

Glaesserella parasuis strains were characterized by serotyping PCR, vtaA virulence marker Leader Sequence (LS)-PCR, clinical significance, and geographic region. Overall, the serovars 4, 5/12, 7, 1, and 13 were the most commonly detected. Serovars of greatest clinical relevance were systemic isolates that had a higher probability of being serovar 5/12, 13, or 7. In comparison, pulmonary isolates had a higher likelihood of being serovars 2, 4, 7, or 14. Serovars 5/12 and 13 have previously been considered disease-associated, but this study agrees with other recent studies showing that serovar 7 is indeed associated with systemic G. parasuis disease. Serovar 4 strains illustrated how isolates can have varying degrees of virulence and be obtained from pulmonary, systemic, or nasal sites. Serovars 8, 9, 15, and 10 were predominantly obtained from nasal samples, which indicates a limited clinical significance of these serovars. Additionally, most internal G. parasuis isolates were classified as virulent by LS-PCR and were disease-associated isolates, including serovars 1, 2, 4, 5/12, 7, 13, and 14. Isolates from the nasal cavity, including serovars 6, 9, 10, 11, and 15, were classified as non-virulent by LS-PCR. In conclusion, the distribution of G. parasuis serovars remains constant, with few serovars representing most of the strains isolated from affected pigs. Moreover, it was confirmed that the LS-PCR can be used for G. parasuis virulence prediction of field strains worldwide.

Comparative Transcriptomic Analyses of Haemophilus parasuis Reveal Differently Expressed Genes among Strains with Different Virulence Degrees

Haemophilus parasuis is commonly found in the upper respiratory tract of the pigs. Some isolates of H. parasuis can lead to both pneumonia and Glässer's disease of pigs with severe clinical symptoms. The virulence-associated genes for the various degrees of virulence observed in H. parasuis remains poorly understood. In the present study, we identified the differentially expressed genes between YK1603 (non-virulent strain) and XM1602 (moderately virulent strain) or CY1201 (highly virulent strain) of H. parasuis using Illumina sequencing technique. In comparison to YK1603, a total of 195 genes were significantly changed in CY1201, of which 71 genes were up-regulated and 124 genes were down-regulated, whereas 705 genes were significantly changed in XM1602, of which 415 genes were up-regulated and 290 genes were down-regulated. The enriched analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways on the differentially expressed genes showed that both enriched main GO terms and KEGG pathways appear to be different between the two kinds of comparision: CY1201 versus YK1603, and XM1602 versus YK1603. Based on real-time PCR technique, on the whole, it was confirmed that the expression of ten genes: lpxL, tbpB, kdtA, waaQ, oapA, napA, ptsH, mmsA, lpxM, and lpxB were agreement with the findings in Illumina sequencing analysis. These identified genes might participate in the regulation of a wide range of biological process involved in virulence of H. parasuis, such as phosphotransferase system and ABC transporters. Our results from this study provide a new way to gain insight into the virulent mechanisms of H. parasuis.

Importance of strain selection in the generation of heterologous immunity to Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis

Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis is a part of the microbiota of healthy pigs and also causes the systemic condition called Glässer's disease. G. parasuis is categorized by it capsular polysaccharide into 15 serovars. Because of the serovar and strain specific immunity generated by whole cell vaccines and the rapid onset of disease, G. parasuis has been difficult to control in the swine industry. This report investigated the protection afforded by the use of two serovar 5 isolates (Nagasaki and HS069) as whole cell, killed bacterins against homologous challenge and heterologous challenge with the serovar 1 strain 12939 to better understand bacterin generated immunity. Both bacterins induced a high antibody titer to the vaccine strain and the heterologous challenge strain. Protection was seen with both bacterins against homologous challenge; however, after heterologous challenge, the HS069 bacterin provided complete protection and all Nagasaki bacterin vaccinated animals succumbed to disease. The difference in protection appears to be due to differences in antibody specificity and the capacity of induced antibody to fix complement and opsonize G. parasuis, as shown by Western blotting and functional assays. This report shows the importance of strain selection when developing bacterin vaccines, as some strains are better able to generate heterologous protection. The difference in protection seen here can also be utilized to detect proteins of interest for subunit vaccine development.

Ct value-based real time PCR serotyping of Glaesserella parasuis

Glaesserella parasuis is the causative agent of Glässer's disease in swine. Serotyping plays an essential role in prevalence investigations and in the development of vaccination strategies for the prevention of this disease. Molecular serotyping based on variation within the capsule loci of the 15 serovars is more accurate and efficient than traditional serological serotyping. To reduce the running time and facilitate ease of data interpretation, we developed a simple and rapid cycle threshold (Ct) value-based real time PCR (qPCR) method for the identification and serotyping of G. parasuis. The qPCR method distinguished between all 15 serovar reference strains of G. parasuis with efficiency values ranging between 85.5 % and 110.4 % and, R² values > 0.98. The qPCR serotyping was evaluated using 83 clinical isolates with 43 of the isolates having been previously assigned to a serovar by the gel immuno-diffusion (GID) assay and 40 non-typeable isolates. The qPCR results of 41/43 (95.3 %) isolates were concordant with the GID assay except two isolates of serovar 12 were assigned to serovar 5. In addition, the qPCR serotyping assigned a serovar to each of the 40 non-typeable isolates. Of the 83 isolates tested to assign a serovar, a concordance rate of 98.8 % (82/83) was determined between the qPCR and the previously reported multiplex PCR of Howell et al. (2015) (including those that were either serovars 5 or 12). Despite the inability to differentiate between serovars 5 and 12, the Ct value-based qPCR serotyping represents an attractive alternative to current molecular serotyping method for G. parasuis and could be used for both epidemiological monitoring and the guidance of vaccination programs.

Development of a Luminex microbead-based serotyping assay for Glaesserella parasuis

Glaesserella parasuis consists of 15 serovars with some of them highly virulent and some of them avirulent. As killed vaccines do not provide crossprotection across serovars, serotyping is of importance. Serotyping, previously done by gel diffusion, is now done by multiplex PCR followed by electrophoresis. Accurately differentiating 15 serovars by electrophoresis is problematic. To overcome this problem, a Luminex microbead-based multiplex assay was used to differentiate the serovars. The assay consisted of a multiplex PCR assay followed by hybridisation to microbeads which were then analysed on a Luminex machine. The newly developed assay was compared to the multiplex serotyping PCR and the gel diffusion/indirect haemagglutination assay (GD/IHA). The microbead-based assay worked very well for the 15 reference strains but when used on the 74 Australian field strains displayed some problems. The main problems were with the eight out of nine serovar 4 field isolates and the five serovar 7 and three serovar 14 field isolates. While the microbead-based assay could differentiate between the serovar 5 and 12 reference strains, which the serovar multiplex PCR could not, all four field isolates identified by GD/IHA as serovar 12 were identified as serovar 5 by the microbead-based assay. Serovar 4 has been noted to have a high diversity especially among strains from different countries. Our work clearly shows that the diversity of strains at both the national and the international level has to be taken into account when developing diagnostic assays.

Deletion of Polyamine Transport Protein PotD Exacerbates Virulence in Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis in the Form of Non-biofilm-generated Bacteria in a Murine Acute Infection Model

Polyamines are small, polycationic molecules with a hydrocarbon backbone and multiple amino groups required for optimal cell growth. The potD gene, belonging to the ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transport system potABCD, encodes the bacterial substrate-binding subunit of the polyamine transport system, playing a pivotal role in bacterial metabolism and growth. The swine pathogen Glaesserella parasuis possesses an intact pot operon, and the studies presented here mainly examined the involvement of PotD in Glaesserella pathogenesis. A potD-deficient mutant was constructed using a virulent G. parasuis strain SC1401 by natural transformation; immuno-electron microscopy was used to identify the subcellular location of native PotD protein; an electron microscope was adopted to inspect biofilm and bacterial morphology; immunofluorescence technique was employed to study cellular adhesion, the levels of inflammation and apoptosis. The TSA++-pre-cultured mutant strain showed a significantly reduced adhesion capacity to PK-15 and MLE-12 cells. Likewise, we also found attenuation in virulence using murine models focusing on the clinical sign, H&E, and IFA for inflammation and apoptosis. However, when the mutant was grown in TSB++, virulence recovered to normal levels, along with a high level of radical oxygen species formation in the host. The expression of PotD could actively stimulate the production of ROS in Raw 264.7. Our data suggested that PotD from G. parasuis has a high binding potential to polyamine, and is essential for the full bacterial virulence within mouse models. However, the virulence of the potD mutant is highly dependent on its TSA++ culture conditions rather than on biofilm-formation.

Serotyping and pathotyping of Glaesserella parasuis isolated 2012-2019 in Germany comparing different PCR-based methods

Glaesserella parasuis is an important pathogen in swine production. It acts as a primary pathogen in systemic Glässer´s disease and as a secondary pathogen in Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex. In this study, a collection of 308 isolates from carrier animals and individuals with respiratory or Glässer´s disease isolated 2012–2019 in Germany was analysed. Isolates were characterized for serovar implementing two different PCR methods. Additionally, two different PCR methods for pathotyping isolates were applied to the collection and results compared. Serovar 6 (p < 0.0001) and 9 (p = 0.0007) were correlated with carrier isolates and serovar 4 was associated with isolates from animals with respiratory disease (p = 0.015). In systemic isolates, serovar 13 was most frequently detected (18.9%). Various other serovars were isolated from all sites and the ratio of serovar 5 to serovar 12 was approximately 1:2. These two serovars together represented 14.3% of the isolates; only serovar 4 was isolated more frequently (24.7%). The pathotyping method based on the leader sequence (LS = ESPR of vta) was easy to perform and corresponded well to the clinical background information. Of the carrier isolates 72% were identified as non-virulent while 91% of the systemic isolates were classified as virulent (p < 0.0001). Results of the pathotyping PCR based on 10 different marker genes overall were in good agreement with clinical metadata as well as with results of the LS-PCR. However, the pathotyping PCR was more complicated to perform and analyze. In conclusion, a combination of the serotyping multiplex-PCR and the LS-PCR could improve identification of clinically relevant G. parasuis isolates, especially from respiratory samples.

Proof of Concept for Prevention of Natural Colonization by Oral Needle-Free Administration of a Microparticle Vaccine

There has been substantial interest in the development of needle-free vaccine administration that has led to a variety of approaches for delivery through the skin for induction of a systemic immune response. The mucosal administration of vaccines has inherently been needle-free, but the simple application of vaccines on the mucosal surface by itself does not lead to mucosal immunity. Since many important bacterial infections develop after initial colonization of the upper respiratory tract of the host, prevention of colonization could not only prevent infection but also eliminate the reservoir of pathogens that reside exclusively in that ecologic niche. This study was designed to provide proof of concept for a needle-free immunization approach that would reduce or eliminate colonization and prevent infection. In order to accomplish this a microparticle vaccine preparation was delivered just below the oral mucosal epithelial cell layer where it would lead to a robust immune response. A vaccine antigen (mutant transferrin binding protein B) shown to be capable of preventing infection in pigs was incorporated into a polyphosphazene microparticle preparation and delivered by a needle-free device to the oral sub-epithelial space of pigs. This vaccination regimen not only provided complete protection from infection after intranasal challenge by Glaesserella parasuis but also eliminated natural colonization by this bacterium. Notably, the complete prevention of natural colonization was dependent upon delivery of the microparticle preparation below the epithelial layer in the oral mucosa as intradermal or intramuscular delivery was not as effective at preventing natural colonization. This study also demonstrated that a primary immunization in the presence of maternal antibody limited the resulting antibody response but a robust antibody response after the second immunization indicated that maternal antibody did not prevent induction of B-cell memory.

Molecular Characterization of a Novel Integrative Conjugative Element ICEHpa1 in Haemophilus parasuis

ICEHpa1 was identified in the genome of a serovar 8 Haemophilus parasuis ST288 isolate YHP170504 from a case of swine lower respiratory tract infection. The aim of the present study was to characterize the integrative conjugative element ICEHpa1 and its multiresistance region. Susceptibility testing was determined by broth microdilution and the complete ICEHpa1 was identified by WGS analysis. The full sequence of ICEHpa1 was analyzed with bioinformatic tools. The presence of ICEHpa1, its circular intermediate and integration site were confirmed by PCR and sequence analysis. Transfer of ICEHpa1 was confirmed by conjugation. ICEHpa1 has a size of 68,922 bp with 37.42% GC content and harbors 81 genes responsible for replication and stabilization, transfer, integration, and accessory functions, as well as seven different resistance genes [bla _{Rob- 3}, tet(B), aphA1, strA, strB, aac(6)'-Ie-aph(2')-Ia, and sul2]. Conjugation experiments showed that ICEHpa1 could be transferred to H. parasuis V43 with frequencies of 6.1 × 10^-6. This is the first time a multidrug-resistance ICE has been reported in H. parasuis. Seven different resistance genes were located on a novel integrative conjugative element ICEHpa1, which suggests that the ICEHpa1 is capable of acquiring foreign genes and serving as a carrier for various resistance genes.

The epidemiological investigation of co-infection of major respiratory bacteria with pseudorabies virus in intensive pig farms in China

Porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), a respiratory disease caused by a variety of factors, is one of the most common problems in the intensive pig farms. To investigate the mixed infection incidence of wild-type pseudorabies virus (WT PRV) and respiratory bacteria, a total of 1,293 clinical samples were collected from pigs with typical respiratory signs from 14 different provinces of China from September 2016 to February 2018. The WT PRV was detected by ELISA targeting gE antibody while the bacteria were detected by bacterial isolation and serotyping by PCR. The results revealed that the detection rate of A. pleuropneumoniae and B. bronchiseptica infection associated with WT PRV infection were 6.30% and 15.99%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those without WT PRV infection (3.41% and 4.41%) at the farm level (p < .05). There were no significant differences in the detection rate of H. parasuis, S. suis or P. multocida between WT PRV positive and negative farms (p > .05). However, the detection rate of attenuated H. parasuis and S. suis strains were 68.19% and 64.75%, respectively, in WT PRV infected farms, which were significantly higher than those (41.56% and 52.25%) in WT PRV free farms (p < .05). The prevalent serotypes of H. parasuis-5/12 and S. suis-2 were also investigated by multiplex PCR. These results indicated that the presence of WT PRV increased the chance of bacterial infection and the number of pathogenic strains in the respiratory system of pigs. Therefore, the eradication of pseudorabies is an effective approach to prevent and control the bacterial respiratory diseases in the intensive pig farms in China.

Generation and Evaluation of a Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis Capsular Mutant

Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis is a commensal bacterium of the upper respiratory tract in pigs and also the causative agent of Glässer's disease, which causes significant morbidity and mortality in pigs worldwide. Isolates are characterized into 15 serovars by their capsular polysaccharide, which has shown a correlation with isolate pathogenicity. To investigate the role the capsule plays in G. parasuis virulence and host interaction, a capsule mutant of the serovar 5 strain HS069 was generated (HS069Δcap) through allelic exchange following natural transformation. HS069Δcap was unable to cause signs of systemic disease during a pig challenge study and had increased sensitivity to complement killing and phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages. Compared with the parent strain, HS069Δcap produced more robust biofilm and adhered equivalently to 3D4/31 cells; however, it was unable to persistently colonize the nasal cavity of inoculated pigs, with all pigs clearing HS069Δcap by 5 days postchallenge. Our results indicate the importance of the capsular polysaccharide to G. parasuis virulence as well as nasal colonization in pigs.

New Pathological Lesions Developed in Pigs by a "Non-virulent" Strain of Glaesserella parasuis

Glaesserella parasuis is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes Glässer's disease, a common pathology found in young pigs characterized by polyarthritis, polyserositis, and meningitis. The bacterium has 15 known serovars that have been classified by virulence. Serovars 1, 4, 5, and 12 are considered highly virulent and used in most studies. Serovars 3, 6, 7, 9, and 11 are considered avirulent. Recent reports that serovar 7 is an emerging problem in the pig industry indicate that the association of virulence and serovar may not always be reliable. This led us to infect colostrum-deprived piglets with the reference serovar 7 strain (SV7 strain 174) that had been passaged through pigs and characterize the clinical and pathological signs. We observed that SV7 strain 174 caused clinical signs consistent with Glässer's disease in all infected piglets that succumbed to infection for up to day 5 post-infection. Macroscopic and microscopic lesions were consistent with those found in piglets infected with conventional virulent serovars. In addition, we describe novel microscopic lesions associated with Glässer's disease such as endophthalmitis and thymic depletion. Thus, our findings indicate that SV7 strain 174 causes classical signs of Glässer's disease in colostrum-deprived piglets and some caution should be used in employing vaccine strategies based on association between capsular serovar and virulence.

Construction of a pneumolysin deficient mutant in streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1 strain 519/43 and phenotypic characterisation

Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular serotype 1 continues to pose a huge infectious disease burden in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in West Africa. However, studies on this important serotype have been hampered by the inability to genetically modify these strains. In this study we have genetically modified a serotype 1 strain (519/43), the first time that this has been achieved for this serotype, providing the methodology for a deeper understanding of its biology and pathogenicity. As proof of principle we constructed a defined pneumolysin mutant and showed that it lost its ability to lyse red blood cells. We also showed that when mice were infected intranasally with the mutant 519/43Δply there was no significant difference between the load of bacteria in lungs and blood when compared to the wild type 519/43. When mice were infected intraperitoneally there were significantly fewer bacteria recovered from blood for the mutant 519/43Δply strain, although all mice still displayed signs of disease. Our study demonstrates S. pneumoniae serotype 1 strains can be genetically manipulated using our methodology and demonstrate that the ability to cause pneumonia in mice is independent of active pneumolysin for the 519/43 serotype 1 strain.

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Mutagenesis in Serotype 1 S. pneumoniae is possible in strain 519/43.

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519/43 possess pneumolysin D380 N, however it is not more haemolytic than the pneumolysin present in D39.

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519/43 strain is capable of causing disease independently of pneumolysin.

Update on Glässer's disease: How to control the disease under restrictive use of antimicrobials

Antimicrobials have been commonly used to control bacterial diseases in farm animals. The efficacy of these drugs deterred the development of other control measures, such as vaccines, which are currently getting more attention due to the increased concern about antimicrobial resistance. Glässer's disease is caused by Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis and affects pork production around the world. Balance between colonization and immunity seems to be essential in disease control. Reduction in antimicrobial use in veterinary medicine requires the implementation of preventive measures, based on alternative tools such as vaccination and other strategies to guarantee a beneficial microbial colonization of the animals. The present review summarizes and discusses the current knowledge on diagnosis and control of Glässer's disease, including prospects on alternatives to antimicrobials.

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibilities of bacterial pathogens in Chinese pig farms from 2013 to 2017

Bacterial diseases of swine are a kind of multifactorial and uncontrollable diseases that commonly exist in pig farms all over the world and will lead to huge economic losses every year. In this study, a detailed and overall survey was carried out to better understand the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibilities of bacterial diseases from 2013 to 2017 in China. A total of 19673 bacterial strains were isolated from 44175 samples collected from 9661 pig farms that distributed in 16 Chinese major pig breeding provinces. The results showed that the average isolation rates of Streptococcus suis (SS), Haemophilus parasuis (HPS), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Pasteurella multocida (Pm), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), Brodetella bronchiseptica (Bb), Salmonella enteria (SE), Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (E. rhusiopathiae) were 16.9%, 9.7%, 6.3%, 3.4%, 0.3%, 1.5%, 2.3% and 0.9%, respectively. The isolate rates of E. coli, APP and SE showed an increasing trend from 2013 to 2017. The seasonal prevalence characteristics of SS, HPS and Pm were obviously higher from April to August for first two bacteria and higher at February, March, April, and October for Pm. The dominant serotypes for SS, HPS were serotype 2 and serotype 5 (changed from serotype 4), respectively. The SS, HPS, and Pm showed very high antibiotic resistance rates to almost 8 common antibiotics (β-lactam, aminoglycoside, macrolides, lincomycin, tetracycline, quinolone, polymyxin, and sulfonamide) and an obvious increasing trend of antibiotic resistance rates from 2013 to 2017. In conclusion, the study provides detailed information on the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibilities of different bacterial pathogens of swine from 2013 to 2017 in China. These data can provide a foundation for monitoring epidemiological patterns of bacterial diseases in the Chinese swine herds, as well as provide insight into potential antibiotic resistance profiles in these pathogens.

Construction of targeted and integrative promoter-reporter plasmids pDK-K and pDK-G to measure gene expression activity in Haemophilus parasuis

Haemophilus parasuis (H. parasuis) is rather difficult to manipulate genetically due to the diversity of restriction-modification systems and other mechanisms harbored by various isolates. This prevents exogenous plasmids from replicating in this species and hinders research efforts focused on transcriptional regulators in this bacterium. In this study, we generated a convenient promoter reporter system based on gene knock-in method using natural transformation in H. parasuis. Gene knock-in has proven useful as a powerful tool facilitating identification and studying the transcription activities of regulators under a variety of conditions that favor gene transcription or expression from an incorporated promoter. The vectors, pDK-K and pDK-G, carrying promoterless reporter lacZ gene and two homologous sequences flanking a knock-in site, may have some advantages over the extensively used plasmid-bearing reporter system in other bacteria in stability and ease of genetic manipulation in H. parasuis. The knock-in site was positioned at a site occupied by flanking genes that were both hypothetical and had the same transcription orientation, thus the expression of the reversely cloned promoter-lacZ fusion wouldn't be affected by the upstream promoter on the chromosome. The expression activity of lacZ gene under the transcriptional activation of a 300 bp promoter-proximal segment of cyaA, crp or comA genes in H. parasuis was separately validated using X-gal and o-nitrophenyl-β-d-galactoside(ONPG) as substrates. The derivatives harboring promoter-lacZ fusion segments showed significantly higher β-galactosidase activity levels than the promoterlessones both in TSB++ broth and on TSA++ plate as screened either by X-gal method or the standard Miller method. We also used pDK vector to further certify that the cyaA promoter is inducible and whose transcriptional levels were in correlation with the growth kinetics of the bacteria in TSB++. With this system, gene knock-in method based on natural transformation in H. parasuis proved to be useful in identifying transcriptional regulation of a certain promoter.

Molecular serotyping of clinical strains of Haemophilus (Glaesserella) parasuis brings new insights regarding Glässer's disease outbreaks in Brazil

Glässer’s disease (GD) is an important infectious disease of swine caused by Haemophilus (Glaesserella) parasuis. Vaccination with inactivated whole cell vaccines is the major approach for prevention of H. parasuis infection worldwide, but the immunity induced is predominantly against the specific polysaccharide capsule. As a consequence, the available vaccines may not induce adequate protection against the field strains, when the capsules present in the vaccine strains are different from those in strains isolated from the farms. Therefore, it is crucial to map H. parasuis serovars associated with regional outbreaks so that appropriate bacterin vaccines can be developed and distributed for prevention of infection. In this study, 459 H. parasuis field strains isolated from different Glässer’s disease outbreaks that occurred in 10 different Brazilian States were analyzed for serotype using PCR-based approaches. Surprisingly, non-typeable (NT) strains were the second most prevalent group of field strains and along with serovars 4, 5 and 1 comprised more than 70% of the isolates. A PCR-based approach designed to amplify the entire polysaccharide capsule locus revealed 9 different band patterns in the NT strains, and 75% of the NT strains belonged to three clusters, suggesting that a number of new serovars are responsible for a substantial proportion of disease. These results indicate that commercially available vaccines in Brazil do not cover the most prevalent H. parasuis serovars associated with GD.

Genotypic analyses and virulence characterization of Glaesserella parasuis isolates from Taiwan

Background

Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis (G. parasuis) causes severe economic losses in the swine industry. Multiple G. parasuis strains can exist in single animals. Typing techniques are required for identifying G. parasuis isolates. Different strains within a serovar display varying virulence. Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) can assess the heterogeneity. The group 1 virulence-associated trimeric autotransporters (vtaA) gene is an indicator of virulence. The aim of this study was to characterize Taiwanese G. parasuis isolates via molecular serotyping, vtaA PCR and ERIC-PCR.

Methods

One hundred and forty-five strains were collected between November 2013 and March 2017 in Taiwan and further examined by molecular serotyping, vtaA PCR and ERIC-PCR.

Results

The dendrogram revealed heterogeneous genetic diversity within many clusters. Partial correlation between the ERIC-PCR clusters of different strains, serovars and lesion patterns was observed. Twelve herds (8.3%) infected with more than one strain. Group 1 vtaA positive rate reached 98.6%.

Discussion

This study showed the high genetic diversity of G. parasuis in Taiwan by a high discriminatory capability of ERIC-PCR. Group 1 vtaA commonly exists in G. parasuis isolates and may play important roles in the pathogenesis of Taiwanese G. parasuis isolates.

Association between iscR-based phylogeny, serovars and potential virulence markers of Haemophilus parasuis

Haemophilus parasuis is an economically important bacterial pathogen of swine. Extensive genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity among H. parasuis strains have been observed, which hinders the deciphering of the population structure and its association with clinical virulence. In this study, two highly divergent clades were defined according to iron-sulphur cluster regulator (iscR)-based phylogeny analysis of 148 isolates. Clear separation of serovars and potential virulence markers (PVMs) were observed between the two clades, which are indicative of independent evolution of the two lineages. Previously suggested virulence factors showed no correlation with clinical virulence, and were probably clade or serovar specific genes emerged during different stage of evolution. PVMs profiles varied widely among isolates in the same serovar. Higher strain diversity in respect of PVMs was found for isolates from multi-strain infected farms than those from single strain infected ones, which indicates that multi-strain infection in one farm may increase the frequency of gene transfer in H. parasuis. Systemic isolates were more frequently found in serovar 13 and serovar 12, while no correlation between clinical virulence and iscR-based phylogeny was observed. It shows that iscR is a reliable marker for studying population structure of H. parasuis, while other factors should be included to avoid the interference of gene exchange of iscR between isolates. The two lineages of H. parasuis may have undergone independent evolution, but show no difference in clinical virulence. Wide distribution of systemic isolates across the entire population poses new challenge for development of vaccine with better cross-protection. Our study provides new information for better deciphering the population structure of H. parasuis, which helps understanding the extreme diversity within this pathogenic bacterium.

Autophagy Is a Defense Mechanism Inhibiting Invasion and Inflammation During High-Virulent Haemophilus parasuis Infection in PK-15 Cells

Bacterial infections activate autophagy and autophagy restricts pathogens such as Haemophilus parasuis through specific mechanisms. Autophagy is associated with the pathogenesis of H. parasuis. However, the mechanisms have not been clarified. Here, we monitored autophagy processes using confocal microscopy, western blot, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and found that H. parasuis SH0165 (high-virulent strain) but not HN0001 (non-virulent strain) infection enhanced autophagy flux. The AMPK/mTOR autophagy pathway was required for autophagy initiation and ATG5, Beclin-1, ATG7, and ATG16L1 emerged as important components in the generation of the autophagosome during H. parasuis infection. Moreover, autophagy induced by H. parasuis SH0165 turned to fight against invaded bacteria and inhibit inflammation. Then we further demonstrated that autophagy blocked the production of the cytokines IL-8, CCL4, and CCL5 induced by SH0165 infection through the inhibition of NF-κB, p38, and JNK MAPK signaling pathway. Therefore, our findings suggest that autophagy may act as a cellular defense mechanism in response to H. parasuis and provide a new way that autophagy protects the host against H. parasuis infection.

Investigation of Haemophilus parasuis from healthy pigs in China

Haemophilus parasuis is a common colonizer of the upper respiratory tract of swine and frequently causes disease, especially in weaner pigs. To date, limited epidemiological data was available for H. parasuis from healthy pigs, which might be carriers of potential pathogenic strains. In this study, from September 2016 to October 2017, we investigated the prevalence and characteristics of H. parasuis from healthy pigs in China. Totally, we obtained 244 isolates from 1675 nasal samples from 6 provinces. H. parasuis isolation was more successful in weaner pigs (22.6%, 192/849), followed by finisher pigs (9.3%, 43/463), and sows (2.5%, 9/363). The most prevalent serovars were 7 (20.1%, 49/244), followed by 3 (14.8%, 36/244), 2 (14.3%, 35/244), 11 (12.7%, 31/244), 5/12 (5.7%, 14/244) and 4 (2.5%, 6/244). Bimodal or multimodal distributions of MICs were observed for most of the tested drugs, which suggested the presence of non-wild type populations. It was noted that the MIC₉₀ values of tilmicosin (64 μg/ml) was relatively higher than that reported in previous studies. Our results suggest that: 1) potentially pathogenic serovars of H. parasuis are identified in healthy pigs, and 2) elevated MICs and presence of mechanisms of resistance not yet described for clinically important antimicrobial agents would increase the burden of disease caused by H. parasuis.

Characterization of serotypes and virulence genes of Haemophilus parasuis isolates from Central Vietnam

Haemophilus parasuis is a commensal Gram-negative bacterial pathogen in the upper respiratory tract of pigs, which causes Glässer's disease. More than 15 serotypes of H. parasuis have been identified with apparent differences in virulence. In this research, we surveyed the prevalence and distribution of serotypes and known virulence genes of the H. parasuis isolates collected from sick and healthy pigs in Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue provinces in Central Vietnam. By using bacterial isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 56 out of 814 (6.9%) samples were positive for H. parasuis. The most prevalent serotypes were serotype 5 (15/56, 26.8%), followed by serotype 2 (13/56, 23.2%) and serotype 4 (10/56, 17.9%). The vta1 was the most frequently detected virulence gene which was present in 62.5% of the strains, followed by vta3 (42.9%), vta2 (39.3%), HPM-1371 (35.7%), capD (30.4%), HPM-1372 (12.5%), lsgB and HPM-1373 (both shared 8.9%). Strong correlations between some serotypes and known virulence genes were observed, in which virulence genes HPM-1371, HPM-1372, vta3, vta2 and capD were mainly clustered in serotypes 5/12, and vta2 clustered in serotype 2. This study presents the first baseline information on the epidemiological characteristics of H. parasuis isolates from Central Vietnam.

Molecular serotyping of Haemophilus parasuis isolated from diseased pigs and the relationship between serovars and pathological patterns in Taiwan

Background

Haemophilus parasuis is the etiological agent of Glässer’s disease, and causes severe economic losses in the swine industry. Serovar classification is intended as an indicator of virulence and pathotype and is also crucial for vaccination programs and vaccine development. According to a polysaccharide biosynthesis locus analysis, H. parasuis isolates could be classified by a molecular serotyping assay except serovars 5 and 12 detected by the same primer pair. The aim of this study was to identify H. parasuis isolates from diseased pigs in Taiwan by using a molecular serotyping assay and to analyze the relationship between serovars and pathological patterns.

Methods

From August 2013 to February 2017, a total of 133 isolates from 277 lesions on 155 diseased animals from 124 infected herds serotyped by multiplex PCR and analyzed with pathological data.

Results

The dominant serovars of H. parasuis in Taiwan were serovars 5/12 (37.6%), 4 (27.8%) and 13 (15%) followed by molecular serotyping non-typable (MSNT) isolates (13.5%). Nevertheless, the serovar-specific amplicons were not precisely the same sizes as previously indicated in the original publication, and MSNT isolates appeared with unexpected amplicons or lacked serovar-specific amplicons. Most H. parasuis isolates were isolated from nursery pigs infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. The percentage of lung lesions (30.4%) showing H. parasuis infection was significantly higher than that of serosal lesions.

Discussion

Collectively, the distribution of serovars in Taiwan is similar to that found in other countries, but MSNT isolates remain due to genetic variations. Furthermore, pulmonary lesions may be optimum sites for H. parasuis isolation, the diagnosis of Glässer’s disease, and may also serve as points of origin for systemic H. parasuis infections in hosts.

A novel experimental intraperitoneal infection model for Haemophilus parasuis in neutropenic guinea pigs

INTRODUCTION

Haemophilus parasuis, one of the major swine pathogens, has at least fifteen different types, all of which have significant economic effects on the global swine industry. The aim of this study was to establish an experimental intraperitoneal infection model for H. parasuis in neutropenic guinea pigs.

METHODS

Intraperitoneal administration of cyclophosphamide and Haemophilus parasuis was conducted in guinea pigs. Clinical signs, gross pathology, and histopathology were observed in neutropenic guinea pigs infected with H. parasuis.

RESULTS

Intraperitoneal administration of 100 mg/kg cyclophosphamide led to immunosuppression with white blood cells, lymphocytes, and neutrophils all <1000 mm³, while no histological tissue damage was observed. Intraperitoneal administration of 10⁹ colony-forming units (CFU) of H. parasuis led to typical respiratory symptoms, 90% morbidity, and 20% mortality in a 72 h-period. Bacteriological screening revealed that multiple organs, including the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and blood, were infected with H. parasuis. The threshold loads of bacteria in blood and the lungs were (7.04 ± 0.53)log₁₀ CFU/mL and (6.24 ± 0.62)log₁₀ CFU/g, respectively, at 3 d after infection. Gross pathology examination showed celiac effusion, intestinal mucosal hemorrhage, and liver, spleen, or lung swelling, necrosis, and hemorrhage. Congestion, mild interstitial pneumonia, inflammatory exudation, and endothelial cell proliferation were observed in the histological examination.

DISCUSSION

All the results suggest that we have established an experimental intraperitoneal infection model for H. parasuis in neutropenic guinea pigs. It is especially useful as a tool for pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, or a pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) model of antimicrobial agents against respiratory disease.

Comparative genomic and methylome analysis of non-virulent D74 and virulent Nagasaki Haemophilus parasuis isolates

Haemophilus parasuis is a respiratory pathogen of swine and the etiological agent of Glässer's disease. H. parasuis isolates can exhibit different virulence capabilities ranging from lethal systemic disease to subclinical carriage. To identify genomic differences between phenotypically distinct strains, we obtained the closed whole-genome sequence annotation and genome-wide methylation patterns for the highly virulent Nagasaki strain and for the non-virulent D74 strain. Evaluation of the virulence-associated genes contained within the genomes of D74 and Nagasaki led to the discovery of a large number of toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems within both genomes. Five predicted hemolysins were identified as unique to Nagasaki and seven putative contact-dependent growth inhibition toxin proteins were identified only in strain D74. Assessment of all potential vtaA genes revealed thirteen present in the Nagasaki genome and three in the D74 genome. Subsequent evaluation of the predicted protein structure revealed that none of the D74 VtaA proteins contain a collagen triple helix repeat domain. Additionally, the predicted protein sequence for two D74 VtaA proteins is substantially longer than any predicted Nagasaki VtaA proteins. Fifteen methylation sequence motifs were identified in D74 and fourteen methylation sequence motifs were identified in Nagasaki using SMRT sequencing analysis. Only one of the methylation sequence motifs was observed in both strains indicative of the diversity between D74 and Nagasaki. Subsequent analysis also revealed diversity in the restriction-modification systems harbored by D74 and Nagasaki. The collective information reported in this study will aid in the development of vaccines and intervention strategies to decrease the prevalence and disease burden caused by H. parasuis.

The amino acid selected for generating mutant TbpB antigens defective in binding transferrin can compromise the in vivo protective capacity

Haemophilus parasuis is the causative agent of the Glässer's disease (GD), one of the most important bacterial diseases that affect young pigs worldwide. GD prevention based on vaccination is a major concern due to the limited cross-protection conferred by the inactivated whole cell vaccines used currently. In this study, vaccines based on two mutant recombinant proteins derived from transferrin binding protein B of H. parasuis (Y167A-TbpB and W176A-TbpB) were formulated and evaluated in terms of protection against lethal challenge using a serovar 7 (SV7) H. parasuis in a high susceptibility pig model. Our results showed that H. parasuis strain 174 (SV7) is highly virulent in conventional and colostrum-deprived pigs. The Y167A-TbpB and W176A-TbpB antigens were immunogenic in pigs, however, differences in terms of antigenicity and functional immune response were observed. In regard to protection, animals immunized with Y167A-TbpB antigen displayed 80% survival whereas the W176A-TbpB protein was not protective. In conjunction with previous studies, our results demonstrate, (a) the importance of testing engineered antigens in an in vivo pig challenge model, and, (b) that the Y167A-TbpB antigen is a promising antigen for developing a broad-spectrum vaccine against H. parasuis infection.