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Gu C, Lillehoj HS, Sun Z, Lee Y, Zhao H, Xianyu Z, Yan X, Wang Y, Lin S, Liu L, Li C. Characterization of Virulent netB+/tpeL+ Clostridium perfringens Strains from Necrotic Enteritis-Affected Broiler Chicken Farms. Avian Dis 2020; 63:461-467. [PMID: 31967429 DOI: 10.1637/11973-092018-reg.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens (CP) type A and newly created type G strains are the key etiological factors in the induction of necrotic enteritis (NE), an important enteric disease that is responsible for the annual loss of $6 billion in the worldwide poultry industry. Several CP toxin genes were found to be critical in NE pathogenesis in chickens, but limited information is available on the CP lethal toxin tpeL gene. In this study, 19 CP strains isolated from NE-affected chicken farms were characterized microbiologically and molecularly and evaluated for their pathogenicity in commercial broiler chickens. Toxin typing by PCR revealed that all strains tested were positive for the netB toxin gene, but only five strains were positive for the tpeL toxin gene (LLY-TpeL 13, -TpeL 15, -TpeL 17, -TpeL 18, and -TpeL 19, simplified as TpeL 13, TpeL 15, TpeL 17, TpeL 18, and TpeL 19). High levels of TpeL proteins were detected in the concentrated culture supernatant from strains TpeL 13, 15, 17, and 19 by western blotting. Quantitative PCR showed that strains TpeL 13, 15, 17, 18, and 19 harbored a high number of copies of tpeL genes, while TpeL 18 had the highest number of copies of the tpeL gene among all CP strains tested when normalized with copy numbers of 16S rRNA gene as a housekeeping gene marker. The in vivo NE challenge test using multiple oral CP inoculations combined with a high-protein diet showed that TpeL 17 was the most virulent in inducing typical NE lesions, followed by TpeL 19 as the next most virulent, when tested in commercial broiler chickens. Infection with TpeL 17 reduced the growth rate significantly, as shown by reduced relative body weight gain percentage at day 5 postinfection. Availability of the virulent netB+tpeL+ CP strains is essential for the development of a CP-alone NE challenge model that could provide significant tools for understanding CP pathogenesis and for development of alternative to antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changqin Gu
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hyun S Lillehoj
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705
| | - Zhifeng Sun
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705
| | - Youngsub Lee
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705
| | - Hongyan Zhao
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhezi Xianyu
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705
| | - Xianghe Yan
- Environment Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, BARC, ARS, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705
| | - Yunfei Wang
- Biostatistics Center, Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC 27708
| | - Shudai Lin
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705
| | - Liheng Liu
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Charles Li
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD 20705,
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Villegas AM, Stabler L, Moore RJ, Uzal FA, Lacey JA, Hofacre C, Lee M, Ferguson-Noel N, Barber R, Rimet CS, Jerry C, Kim WK, Madison B, França M. Focal duodenal necrosis in chickens: attempts to reproduce the disease experimentally and diagnostic considerations. J Vet Diagn Invest 2020; 32:268-276. [PMID: 31983302 PMCID: PMC7081516 DOI: 10.1177/1040638720901726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal duodenal necrosis (FDN) is an intestinal disease of egg-layer chickens characterized by multifocal necrosis of the duodenal loop and proximal jejunum. Affected flocks usually have decreased egg weights and drops in egg production. Previous studies have associated this condition with Clostridium perfringens infection. We tried to reproduce FDN by experimental infection of egg-laying chickens using different netB-positive and netB-negative C. perfringens strains, and duodenal homogenate obtained from FDN lesions. Chickens challenged with C. perfringens and/or duodenal homogenate developed duodenitis after challenge. Gross lesions included mucosal erosions, hyperemia, mucosal hemorrhages, and watery intestinal content. Microscopic lesions included mild enterocyte degeneration and necrosis, and mild-to-moderate hemorrhage and lymphoplasmacytic and heterophilic infiltration of the lamina propria. Two netB-positive C. perfringens strains closely related to necrotic enteritis pathogenic strains, by genomic composition, were re-isolated from lesions. Necrosis of intestinal crypts was observed in chickens challenged with duodenal homogenate with or without C. perfringens coinfection. Characteristic microscopic FDN lesions with significant necrosis and loss of villus enterocytes were not reproduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Villegas
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Lisa Stabler
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Robert J Moore
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Francisco A Uzal
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Jake A Lacey
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Charles Hofacre
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Margie Lee
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Naola Ferguson-Noel
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Rosetta Barber
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Claire-Sophie Rimet
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Carmen Jerry
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Woo Kyun Kim
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Barquiesha Madison
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
| | - Monique França
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health (Villegas, Stabler, Hofacre, Lee, Ferguson-Noel, Barber, Rimet, Jerry, Madison, Franca) and Department of Poultry Science (Villegas, Kim), University of Georgia, Athens, GA; California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Uzal); School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Bundoora, VIC, Australia (Moore); Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Lee); Doherty Department at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia (Lacey)
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