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Doszpoly A, Subramaniam K, Kerr K, Davison AJ, Waltzek TB. Complete genome sequence of white sturgeon herpesvirus 2 isolated from farmed white sturgeon ( Acipenser transmontanus). Microbiol Resour Announc 2024:e0042024. [PMID: 39345184 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00420-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The complete genome sequence of white sturgeon herpesvirus 2 (strain UC Davis) was determined. Comparative genomic analyses confirmed the classification of this virus in the species Ictavirus acipenseridallo2 in the family Alloherpesviridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andor Doszpoly
- HUN-REN Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kuttichantran Subramaniam
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Karen Kerr
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J Davison
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas B Waltzek
- Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, Washington, USA
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Kirmaier A, Blackshear L, Lee MSL, Kirby JE. Cellulitis and bacteremia caused by the fish pathogen,Streptococcus iniae, in an immunocompromised patient: Case report and mini-review of zoonotic disease, lab identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 108:116189. [PMID: 38278004 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Streptococcus iniae is a fish pathogen that can also infect mammals including dolphins and humans. Its prevalence in farmed fish, particularly tilapia, provides potential for zoonotic infections, as documented by multiple case reports. Systematic clinical data beyond cellulitis for S. iniae infection in humans, including antimicrobial susceptibility data, are unfortunately rare. Here, we present a case of cellulitis progressing to bacteremia caused by Streptococcus iniae in a functionally immunocompromised patient based on CDK4/CDK6 inhibitor and endocrine therapy, and we discuss risk factors, identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility of this rare pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Kirmaier
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leslie Blackshear
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew Shou Lun Lee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James E Kirby
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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McDonald S, Yazdi Z, Camus A, Soto E. Evaluation of three inactive vaccines against Veronaea botryosa infection in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 145:109368. [PMID: 38211704 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Veronaea botryosa is the etiological agent of a systemic phaeohyphomycosis known as "fluid belly" in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). Fluid belly is a critical disease affecting sturgeon aquaculture and the caviar industry for which there are no commercially available vaccines or approved antifungal treatments to manage outbreaks. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a V. botryosa [conidia], a V. botryosa [mold], and a Saccharomyces cerevisiae [yeast] formalin-killed vaccine on sturgeon immune responses to fungal challenge. Immunization consisted of an initial intracoelomic injection with one of the three treatment preparations, followed by a vaccine booster four weeks later by the same route and dose. Experimental challenge by intramuscular injection with a virulent V. botryosa conidia suspension followed after another four weeks. Non-challenged control fish received injections of PBS. The inactivated vaccines proved safe for white sturgeon fingerlings. Sturgeon immunized with either V. botryosa [mold] or S. cerevisiae [yeast] exhibited a significantly different pro-inflammatory response upon challenge with V. botryosa compared to non-immunized fish. Challenged fish developed clinical signs similar to those reported during natural outbreaks of fluid belly. Positive control treatments (those not immunized but challenged with V. botryosa) experienced the highest mortality; however, survival curves were similar amongst all treatments (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the S. cerevisiae [yeast] vaccine resulted in comparatively lower fungal persistence and fewer lesions following histological analysis. Further efforts evaluating the potential of Saccharomyces spp. as a vaccine candidate against fluid belly are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sienna McDonald
- University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Zeinab Yazdi
- University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Alvin Camus
- University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Esteban Soto
- University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Quijano Cardé EM, Anenson K, Waldbieser G, Brown CT, Griffin M, Henderson E, Yun S, Soto E. Acipenserid herpesvirus 2 genome and partial validation of a qPCR for its detection in white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2024; 157:45-59. [PMID: 38299849 DOI: 10.3354/dao03768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
White sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus is the primary species used for caviar and sturgeon meat production in the USA. An important pathogen of white sturgeon is acipenserid herpesvirus 2 (AciHV-2). In this study, 4 archived isolates from temporally discrete natural outbreaks spanning the past 30 yr were sequenced via Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technologies platforms. Assemblies of approximately 134 kb were obtained for each isolate, and the putative ATPase subunit of the terminase gene was selected as a potential quantitative PCR (qPCR) target based on sequence conservation among AciHV-2 isolates and low sequence homology with other important viral pathogens. The qPCR was repeatable and reproducible, with a linear dynamic range covering 5 orders of magnitude, an efficiency of approximately 96%, an R2 of 0.9872, and an analytical sensitivity of 103 copies per reaction after 35 cycles. There was no cross-reaction with other known viruses or closely related sturgeon species, and no inhibition by sturgeon DNA. Clinical accuracy was assessed from white sturgeon juveniles exposed to AciHV-2 by immersion. Viral culture (gold standard) and qPCR were in complete agreement for both cell culture negative and cell culture positive samples, indicating that this assay has 100% relative accuracy compared to cell culture during an active outbreak. The availability of a whole-genome sequence for AciHV-2 and a highly specific and sensitive qPCR assay for detection of AciHV-2 in white sturgeon lays a foundation for further studies on host-pathogen interactions while providing a specific and rapid test for AciHV-2 in captive and wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelsey Anenson
- University of California-Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Geoffrey Waldbieser
- United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776, USA
| | - C Titus Brown
- University of California-Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Matt Griffin
- Mississippi State University, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776, USA
| | | | - Susan Yun
- University of California-Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Esteban Soto
- University of California-Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA
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Kurobe T, Kurita J, Haenen O, Voorbergen-Laarman M, Ito T. Mass mortality events associated with cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) infection in wild Prussian carp Carassius gibelio in the Netherlands, and molecular biology of virus strains. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2024; 47:e13868. [PMID: 37795684 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
In 2011 and 2015, four mass mortalities of Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) were observed in a recreational freshwater lake and open freshwater in the western part of the Netherlands. Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) infection was suspected in these cases, based on presumptive gross diagnosis. To elucidate the cause of the mass mortalities diagnostic PCR assays were performed for CyHV-2, based on the helicase gene. Furthermore, the viral isolates were genotyped by sequencing the enlarged marker A and marker B sequences. Diagnostic PCR revealed that three of four samples were positive for CyHV-2, indicating these three mass mortalities were associated with CyHV-2 infection. The marker A sequence from one of the isolates found in this study was identical to those from different locations such as Asia and Middle East, suggesting a link among the isolates. This is the first detailed report on mass mortalities of Prussian carp associated with CyHV-2 infection in natural aquatic environments in the Netherlands. Since 2015, additionally, in total three CyHV-2 associated outbreaks of Dutch Prussian carp were seen in 2016 and 2020. These outbreaks in Prussian carp from lakes and open water suggest that the virus has been spreading in natural freshwaters in the Netherlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomofumi Kurobe
- Pathology Division, Nansei Field Station, Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Minami-Ise, Mie, Japan
| | - Jun Kurita
- Pathology Division, Tamaki Field Station, Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Tamaki, Mie, Japan
| | - Olga Haenen
- National Reference Laboratory for Fish Diseases, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Michal Voorbergen-Laarman
- National Reference Laboratory for Fish Diseases, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Takafumi Ito
- Pathology Division, Nansei Field Station, Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Minami-Ise, Mie, Japan
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Nguyen DT, Marancik D, Soto E. B-glucan immunostilulation against columnaris in a white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) model. FISH AND SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 3:100067. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsirep.2022.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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First Isolation of a Herpesvirus (Family Alloherpesviridae) from Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12233230. [PMID: 36496751 PMCID: PMC9740441 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens; LST) is the only native sturgeon species in the Great Lakes (GL), but due to multiple factors, their current populations are estimated to be <1% of historical abundances. Little is known about infectious diseases affecting GL-LST in hatchery and wild settings. Therefore, a two-year disease surveillance study was undertaken, resulting in the detection and first in vitro isolation of a herpesvirus from grossly apparent cutaneous lesions in wild adult LST inhabiting two GL watersheds (Erie and Huron). Histological and ultrastructural examination of lesions revealed proliferative epidermitis associated with herpesvirus-like virions. A virus with identical ultrastructural characteristics was recovered from cells inoculated with lesion tissues. Partial DNA polymerase gene sequencing placed the virus within the Family Alloherpesviridae, with high similarity to a lake sturgeon herpesvirus (LSHV) from Wisconsin, USA. Genomic comparisons revealed ~84% Average Nucleotide Identity between the two isolates, leading to the proposed classification of LSHV-1 (Wisconsin) and LSHV-2 (Michigan) for the two viruses. When naïve juvenile LST were immersion-exposed to LSHV-2, severe disease and ~33% mortality occurred, with virus re-isolated from representative skin lesions, fulfilling Rivers’ postulates. Results collectively show LSHV-2 is associated with epithelial changes in wild adult LST, disease and mortality in juvenile LST, and is a potential threat to GL-LST conservation.
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Walker L, Subramaniam K, Viadanna PHO, Vann JA, Marcquenski S, Godard D, Kieran E, Frasca S, Popov VL, Kerr K, Davison AJ, Waltzek TB. Characterization of an alloherpesvirus from wild lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens in Wisconsin (USA). DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2022; 149:83-96. [PMID: 35686452 DOI: 10.3354/dao03661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In the spring of 2017, 2 adult lake sturgeon (LS) Acipenser fulvescens captured from the Wolf River, Wisconsin (USA), presented with multiple cutaneous plaques that, upon microscopic examination, indicated proliferative epidermitis. Ultrastructural examination of affected keratinocytes revealed particles in the nucleus having a morphology typical of herpesviruses. A degenerate PCR assay targeting the DNA polymerase catalytic subunit (pol) gene of large double-stranded DNA viruses generated amplicons of the anticipated size from skin samples, and sequences of amplicons confirmed the presence of a novel alloherpesvirus (lake sturgeon herpesvirus, LSHV) related to acipenserid herpesvirus 1 (AciHV1). The complete genome (202660 bp) of this virus was sequenced using a MiSeq System, and phylogenetic analyses substantiated the close relationship to AciHV1. A PCR assay targeting the LSHV DNA packaging terminase subunit 1 (ter1) gene demonstrated the presence of the virus in 39/42 skin lesion samples collected from wild LS captured in 2017-2019 and 2021 in 4/4 rivers in Wisconsin. Future efforts to isolate LSHV in cell culture would facilitate challenge studies to determine the disease potential of the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Walker
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Mugetti D, Colussi S, Pastorino P, Varello K, Tomasoni M, Menconi V, Pedron C, Bozzetta E, Acutis PL, Prearo M. Episode of mortality associated with isolation of Streptococcus iniae in Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii Bonaparte, 1836) reared in Northern Italy. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2022; 45:939-942. [PMID: 35263448 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Mugetti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Silvia Colussi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Paolo Pastorino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Katia Varello
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Mattia Tomasoni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Vasco Menconi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Elena Bozzetta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Pier Luigi Acutis
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Marino Prearo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
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Standish I, McCann R, Puzach C, Leis E, Bailey J, Dziki S, Katona R, Lark E, Edwards C, Keesler B, Reichley S, King S, Knupp C, Harrison C, Loch T, Phillips K. Development of duplex qPCR targeting Carnobacterium maltaromaticum and Vagococcus salmoninarum. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2022; 45:667-677. [PMID: 35195301 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In November 2018, Vagococcus salmoninarum was identified as the causative agent of a chronic coldwater streptococcosis epizootic in broodstock brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) at the Iron River National Fish Hatchery in Wisconsin, USA. By February 2019, the epizootic spread to adjacent raceways containing broodstock lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), whereby fish were found to be coinfected with Carnobacterium maltaromaticum and V. salmoninarum. To differentiate these two pathogens and determine the primary cause of the lake trout morbidity, a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was developed targeting the C. maltaromaticum phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase alpha subunit (pheS) gene. The qPCR was combined with a V. salmoninarum qPCR, creating a duplex qPCR assay that simultaneously quantitates C. maltaromaticum and V. salmoninarum concentrations in individual lake trout tissues, and screens presumptive isolates from hatchery inspections and wild fish from national fish hatchery source waters throughout the Great Lakes basin. Vagococcus salmoninarum and C. maltaromaticum were co-detected in broodstock brook trout from two tribal hatcheries and C. maltaromaticum was present in wild fish in source waters of several national fish hatcheries. This study provides a powerful new tool to differentiate and diagnose two emerging Gram-positive bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Standish
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Rebekah McCann
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Corey Puzach
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Eric Leis
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jennifer Bailey
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Sara Dziki
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ryan Katona
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ellen Lark
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Carey Edwards
- Iron River National Fish Hatchery, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Iron River, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Brandon Keesler
- Iron River National Fish Hatchery, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Iron River, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Stephen Reichley
- Clear Springs Foods, Buhl, Idaho, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Global Center for Aquatic Food Security, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA
| | | | - Christopher Knupp
- College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Courtney Harrison
- College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Thomas Loch
- College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Kenneth Phillips
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
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Colussi S, Pastorino P, Mugetti D, Antuofermo E, Sciuto S, Esposito G, Polinas M, Tomasoni M, Burrai GP, Fernández-Garayzábal JF, Acutis PL, Pedron C, Prearo M. Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Streptococcus iniae Virulence Factors in Adriatic Sturgeon ( Acipenser naccarii). Microorganisms 2022; 10:883. [PMID: 35630328 PMCID: PMC9144172 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The first case of infection of Streptococcus iniae in Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) was recently reported in a raceway system located in Northern Italy. A second episode of infection in sturgeons with absence of mortality and evident clinical signs, was registered in November 2020 in the same farm and is reported in this study. Histopathological changes observed in infected organs are described. The strains isolated in the two episodes were compared using molecular analysis based on PCR, phylogeny and virulence factors analysis. Not all the major virulence factors were detected for the two strains; in particular the strains 78697, isolated in November, lacks cpsD, compared to the strains 64844, isolated in September. Moreover, genetic variations were reported for lctO and pmg genes. These findings let us hypothesize a different virulence of the strains in accordance with clinical findings related to the sturgeons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Colussi
- The Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (S.C.); (S.S.); (G.E.); (M.T.); (P.L.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Paolo Pastorino
- The Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (S.C.); (S.S.); (G.E.); (M.T.); (P.L.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Davide Mugetti
- The Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (S.C.); (S.S.); (G.E.); (M.T.); (P.L.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Elisabetta Antuofermo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.A.); (M.P.); (G.P.B.)
| | - Simona Sciuto
- The Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (S.C.); (S.S.); (G.E.); (M.T.); (P.L.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Giuseppe Esposito
- The Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (S.C.); (S.S.); (G.E.); (M.T.); (P.L.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Marta Polinas
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.A.); (M.P.); (G.P.B.)
| | - Mattia Tomasoni
- The Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (S.C.); (S.S.); (G.E.); (M.T.); (P.L.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Giovanni Pietro Burrai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.A.); (M.P.); (G.P.B.)
| | | | - Pier Luigi Acutis
- The Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (S.C.); (S.S.); (G.E.); (M.T.); (P.L.A.); (M.P.)
| | | | - Marino Prearo
- The Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; (S.C.); (S.S.); (G.E.); (M.T.); (P.L.A.); (M.P.)
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THREE CASES OF ACUTE BACTERIAL SEPSIS IN PYGMY HIPPOPOTAMUS ( CHOEROPSIS LIBERIENSIS) CALVE SIBLINGS. J Zoo Wildl Med 2021; 52:755-762. [PMID: 34130423 DOI: 10.1638/2020-0097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A multiparous pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) dam produced three consecutive calves that died acutely at 13-15 wk of age from bacterial sepsis, for which diagnostic and therapeutic intervention was not possible. Streptococcus iniae (Cases 1 and 3), Escherichia coli (Case 2), and an unidentified member of the family Pasteurellaceae (Case 1) were identified in postmortem tissues through bacterial culture followed by standard and molecular identification methods. After the loss of two calves, a series of vaccinations were administered to the dam during the third pregnancy to enhance transplacental and colostral transfer of antibodies to the calf. The third calf did not survive, and the source of the bacterial infection in these three calves was undetermined. Prior to and after the birth of the fourth calf, nutritional and nutraceutical supplements were provided to the dam and calf. Additionally, pest control around the barn was enhanced. The fourth calf survived. Pygmy hippopotamus calves at the age of 13-15 wk may have increased susceptibility to bacterial infection, possibly due to waning maternally derived immunity. The findings in these cases, combined with a previous association of S. iniae in pygmy hippopotamus deaths, suggest that this bacterium is an especially important pathogen of the endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
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Yazdi Z, Griffin MJ, Pierezan F, Eetemadi A, Shahin K, Soto E. Quantitative PCR for detection and quantification of Veronaea botryosa in fish and environmental samples. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2021; 144:175-185. [PMID: 33955855 DOI: 10.3354/dao03582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Systemic phaeohyphomycosis, aka 'fluid belly', is one of the most important emergent diseases in sturgeon Acipenser spp. aquaculture. The etiologic agent is the saprobic, dematiaceous fungus Veronaea botryosa. Effective vaccines and chemotherapeutic treatments are currently unavailable. Additionally, the fungus is a slow-growing organism, taking from 10-15 d for colonies to be observed in agar media. To this end, a specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting the V. botryosa β-tubulin gene was developed and validated. The specificity of the assay to V. botryosa was initially confirmed in silico and in vivo against common fungal fish pathogens, including closely related members of the order Chaetothyriales (Exophiala spp.) and other black pigmented fungi (Alternaria spp. and Cladosporium spp.), as well as tissues from uninfected sturgeon. The assay possessed high clinical specificity (100%) and clinical sensitivity (74%) in detecting V. botryosa DNA in splenic tissues from laboratory-infected sturgeon. Using V. botryosa genomic DNA as a template, the limit of detection was equivalent to 10 conidia, and the method was found suitable for the detection of fungal DNA in fresh and formalin-fixed tissues. In addition, the presence of non-target DNA from white sturgeon did not influence assay sensitivity. The developed qPCR assay is a sensitive, specific, and rapid diagnostic method for the detection and quantification of V. botryosa DNA from white sturgeon tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Yazdi
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616-5270, USA
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14
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Multifactorial Causes of Chronic Mortality in Juvenile Sturgeon ( Huso huso). Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10101866. [PMID: 33066257 PMCID: PMC7602020 DOI: 10.3390/ani10101866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This investigation focused on an episode of chronic mortality observed in juvenile Huso huso sturgeons. The examined subjects underwent pathological, microbiological, molecular, and chemical investigations. Grossly severe body shape deformities, epaxial muscle softening, and multifocal ulcerative dermatitis were the main observed findings. The more constant histopathologic findings were moderate to severe rarefaction and disorganization of the lymphohematopoietic lymphoid tissues, myofiber degeneration, atrophy and interstitial edema of skeletal epaxial muscles, and degeneration and atrophy of the gangliar neurons close to the myofibers. Chemical investigations showed a lower selenium concentration in affected animals, suggesting nutritional myopathy. Other manifestations were nephrocalcinosis and splenic vessel wall hyalinosis. Septicemia due to bacteria such as Aeromonas veronii, Shewanella putrefaciens, Citrobacter freundii, Chryseobacterium sp., and pigmented hyphae were found. No major sturgeon viral pathogens were detected by classical methods. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis confirmed the absence of viral pathogens, with the exception of herpesvirus, at the order level; also, the presence of Aeromonas veronii and Shewanella putrefaciens was confirmed at the family level by the metagenomic classification of NGS data. In the absence of a primary yet undetected biological cause, it is supposed that environmental stressors, including nutritional imbalances, may have led to immune system impairment, facilitating the entry of opportunistic bacteria and mycotic hyphae.
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15
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Heckman TI, Griffin MJ, Camus AC, LaFrentz BR, Morick D, Smirnov R, Ofek T, Soto E. Multilocus sequence analysis of diverse Streptococcus iniae isolates indicates an underlying genetic basis for phenotypic heterogeneity. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2020; 141:53-69. [PMID: 32940251 DOI: 10.3354/dao03521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus iniae is a Gram-positive, opportunistically zoonotic bacterium infective to a wide variety of farmed and wild fish species worldwide. Outbreaks in wild fish can have detrimental environmental and cultural impacts, and mortality events in aquaculture can result in significant economic losses. As an emerging or re-emerging pathogen of global significance, understanding the coalescing factors contributing to piscine streptococcosis is crucial for developing strategies to control infections. Intraspecific antigenic and genetic variability of S. iniae has made development of autogenous vaccines a challenge, particularly where the diversity of locally endemic S. iniae strains is unknown. This study genetically and phenotypically characterized 11 S. iniae isolates from diseased wild and farmed fish from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. A multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) scheme was developed to phylogenetically compare these isolates to 84 other strains of Streptococcus spp. relevant to aquaculture. MLSA generated phylogenies comparable to established genotyping methods, and isolates formed distinct clades related to phenotype and host species. The endothelial Oreochromis mossambicus bulbus arteriosus cell line and whole blood from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, and white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus were used to investigate the persistence and virulence of the 11 isolates using in vitro assays. In vivo challenges using an O. niloticus model were used to evaluate virulence by the intragastric route of infection. Isolates showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in virulence and persistence, with some correlation to genogroup, establishing a basis for further work uncovering genetic factors leading to increased pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor I Heckman
- Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory, Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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16
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Chen D, Peng S, Chen D, Yang F, Liu J, Wang J, Liu Q, Huang X, Ouyang P, Wang K, Li Z, Geng Y. Low lethal doses of Streptococcus iniae caused enteritis in Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 104:654-662. [PMID: 32561456 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2020.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In aquaculture, the incidence of enteritis due to Streptococcus iniae infection in Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) has increased in recent years. The pathogenesis of S. iniae is largely unknown due to the paucity of experimental studies on fish intestinal inflammation. In this study, S. iniae infection of A. baerii juveniles was induced by anal intubation of 0.15 mL at a low lethal dose (2 × 107 CFU/mL). Intestinal pathology and gene expression studies were conducted within 10 days of the experiment. Histopathological examination showed severe intestinal lesions, inflammatory cell infiltration, intestinal submucosa edema, epithelial cell shedding and necrosis. Predominant symptoms of exudative inflammation, metamorphic inflammation and proliferative inflammation on days 1-3, 4-6, and 7-10 post infection were shown, respectively. Ultrastructural observations also revealed fractured microvilli and shedding on days 4-6. Intestinal villi gradually repaired during the subsequent 7-10 days post infection. Expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 1β were up-regulated on days 1-3 followed by a significant decrease on day 5, ultimately reaching control levels on day 10 post infection. A similar pattern was shown in mucus cells, involving mucin secretion and expression of the mucin encoding gene, Mucin-2. These results showed the cellular response to S. iniae infection associated with inflammatory genes expression in the Siberian sturgeon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Defang Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Shuang Peng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Daiyu Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Fei Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Jiaxi Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Fishes Conservation and Utilization in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Qiwei Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Ping Ouyang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Kaiyu Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Zhiqiong Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Yi Geng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China.
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17
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Nguyen DT, Marancik D, Soto E. Intracoelomic- and Intramuscular-Injection Challenge Model of Piscine Streptococcosis in White Sturgeon Fingerlings. JOURNAL OF AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH 2020; 32:133-138. [PMID: 32845532 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus iniae is a zoonotic pathogen and one of the major aetiologic agents of streptococcosis. In White Sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus, S. iniae infection typically presents as a necrotizing and heterophilic myositis, causing 30-50% mortality in infected fish. To gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of streptococcosis in White Sturgeon, and to identify the experimental route of infection that most closely mimics the natural disease, fingerlings were challenged with a single dose of 1.3 × 108 cells/fish of S. iniae that was administered via intracoelomic/intraperitoneal (IC) or intramuscular (IM) routes. Acute mortalities were present only in the IM-challenged fish, with first mortality occurring 4 d postchallenge and the mortality rate reaching 18.3% after 9 d. The challenged fish presented erratic swimming, ulcerative skin lesions, and hemorrhages in the liver and swim bladder. Streptococcus iniae was recovered from the kidney and brain tissues of moribund and dead fish. Histopathologic analysis of fish that died acutely revealed massive proliferation of bacteria in the muscle at the injection site and within vascular organs such as the heart and spleen, with variable amounts of tissue necrosis including a necrotizing myositis. Fish that died closer to 9 d postchallenge demonstrated more pronounced multifocal to locally extensive granulomatous inflammation of skeletal muscle at the injection site, liver, kidney, and spleen. No mortality, clinical signs, or gross changes were observed in the control or IC-challenged fish. Postmortem evaluation of 10 survivors in each treatment was performed to determine carrier status in the brain and posterior kidney tissues. The prevalence of S. iniae in survivors was 10% and 0% in the IM- and IC-challenged groups, respectively. The results from this study suggest that IM-injection challenge methods are suitable for inducing streptococcosis in White Sturgeon, and they may be the preferred method for studying the pathogenesis of the naturally occurring disease in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diem Thu Nguyen
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, 95616, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, St. George's University School of Veterinary Medicine, Grenada
| | - David Marancik
- Department of Pathobiology, St. George's University School of Veterinary Medicine, Grenada
| | - Esteban Soto
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, 95616, USA
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18
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Pierezan F, Shahin K, Heckman TI, Ang J, Byrne BA, Soto E. Outbreaks of severe myositis in cultured white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus L.) associated with Streptococcus iniae. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2020; 43:485-490. [PMID: 32100309 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Outbreaks of an infectious disease affecting cultured white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) were investigated. Clinical signs included erratic swimming, arching of the back and mortality. Necropsy findings included poorly demarcated yellow to dark-red and friable lesions in the epaxial muscle, ulcerative skin lesions and haemorrhages in the swim bladder and coelomic wall. Histological evaluation revealed areas of necrotizing and heterophilic myositis with aggregates of bacterial cocci. The lumen of blood vessels in the dermis, under ulcerated areas, and in the posterior kidney, was occluded by fibrin thrombi. Aggregates of Gram-positive cocci were observed in the muscle lesions and within the fibrin thrombi in the dermis and kidney. Genetically homogeneous Streptococcus iniae strains were recovered from affected fish from different outbreaks. The isolates shared high degree of similarity at gene locus (gyrB) with previously characterized S. iniae from cultured fish in California, confirming the emergence of this particular strain of S. iniae in US aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Pierezan
- Department of Veterinary Clinics and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Khalid Shahin
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Taylor I Heckman
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - June Ang
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Barbara A Byrne
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Esteban Soto
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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19
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Mugetti D, Pastorino P, Menconi V, Messina M, Masoero L, Ceresa L, Pedron C, Prearo M. Two New Sturgeon Species are Susceptible to Acipenser Iridovirus European (AcIV-E) Infection. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9030156. [PMID: 32106550 PMCID: PMC7157826 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9030156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the first case of Acipenser iridovirus European (AcIV-E) infection in starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) and in sterlet (A. ruthenus) reared in Northern Italy. During 2018, mortality began in A. stellatus and A. ruthenus specimens reared in co-habitation with Russian sturgeon positive for AcIV-E. Molecular analyses were done on the gills to amplify a fragment of the major capsid protein (MCP) gene using real-time PCR against AcIV-E. DNA of the positive samples was further sequenced and phylogenetic analyses were performed. The MCP gene sequences were highly similar to a virus previously identified in Italy (nucleotide identities between 99.38% and 99.69%). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed our hypothesis of passage of the virus from the infected Russian sturgeon. The detection of AcIV-E in new species of the Acipenseridae family may impact on sturgeon production, with relevant economic losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Mugetti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (V.M.); (M.M.); (L.M.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (P.P.); Tel.: +39-0112686251 (P.P.)
| | - Paolo Pastorino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (V.M.); (M.M.); (L.M.); (M.P.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (P.P.); Tel.: +39-0112686251 (P.P.)
| | - Vasco Menconi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (V.M.); (M.M.); (L.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Margherita Messina
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (V.M.); (M.M.); (L.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Loretta Masoero
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (V.M.); (M.M.); (L.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Luisa Ceresa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Torino, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy;
| | | | - Marino Prearo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (V.M.); (M.M.); (L.M.); (M.P.)
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20
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Mugetti D, Pastorino P, Menconi V, Pedron C, Prearo M. The Old and the New on Viral Diseases in Sturgeon. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9020146. [PMID: 32098100 PMCID: PMC7168591 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although sturgeon production by aquaculture has increased worldwide, a major factor limiting its expansion are infectious diseases, although few data about viral diseases are available however. This review provides a rapid overview of viral agents detected and described to date. Following a general introduction on viral diseases are four sections arranged by virus classification: sturgeon nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses, herpesviruses, white sturgeon adenovirus 1, and other viruses. Molecular diagnosis is currently the best tool to detect viral diseases, since cell culture isolation is not yet applicable for the detection of most sturgeon viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Mugetti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (P.P.); (V.M.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0112686251
| | - Paolo Pastorino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (P.P.); (V.M.); (M.P.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Vasco Menconi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (P.P.); (V.M.); (M.P.)
| | | | - Marino Prearo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (P.P.); (V.M.); (M.P.)
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21
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Soto E, Shahin K, Talhami JJ, Griffin MJ, Adams A, Ramírez-Paredes JG. Characterization of Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis isolated from Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus farmed in Lake Yojoa, Honduras. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 133:141-145. [PMID: 31019138 DOI: 10.3354/dao03333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis (Fno) is a Gram-negative, pleomorphic, facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen affecting a variety of cultured and wild fish species. Outbreaks of piscine francisellosis in warmwater fish have been documented worldwide; however, reports of Fno from Central America have been limited to a single documented outbreak in cultured tilapia in Costa Rica in 2007. From 2015 to 2017, Fno was consistently recovered from disease outbreaks in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus cultivated in floating cages in Lake Yojoa, Honduras. Mortality rates during these outbreaks ranged from 50 to 85%. Fno was isolated by aerobic culture on selective media and identity confirmed by Fno-specific PCR. Repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR analysis revealed that the case isolates were genetically homogeneous with archived strains recovered from epizootics in cultured tilapia from Costa Rica and Mexico, suggesting the same strain of Fno was responsible for these otherwise unrelated fish kills. The current study provides only the second report of Fno in Central America and characterizes the first Fno outbreak in cultured fish in Honduras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Soto
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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22
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Berzak R, Scheinin A, Davidovich N, Regev Y, Diga R, Tchernov D, Morick D. Prevalence of nervous necrosis virus (NNV) and Streptococcus species in wild marine fish and crustaceans from the Levantine Basin, Mediterranean Sea. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 133:7-17. [PMID: 30997880 DOI: 10.3354/dao03339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases in marine animals have ecological, socio-economic and environmental impacts. Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) and Streptococcus iniae have become major threats to marine aquaculture and have been detected in morbid marine organisms worldwide. However, despite their importance, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the prevalence of these pathogens in wild fish species. Here we sampled indigenous and Lessepsian species from different trophic levels and different biological niches in the eastern Mediterranean. A total of 174 fish and 32 crustaceans were tested for S. iniae and a total of 195 fish and 33 crustaceans were tested for NNV. We found an overall prevalence of 9.71% Streptococcus spp. and 21.49% NNV in selected marine fish and crustaceans by PCR and qPCR. In fish, the zoonotic agent S. iniae was detected at a higher prevalence in kidney compared to liver tissue. Co-infection by both pathogens was detected only in 5 specimens. We also examined gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata from an Israeli offshore marine farm during the grow-out period, in order to assess the possibility of horizontal pathogen transmission from wild to maricultured fish. Three out of 15 (20%) fish were found to be NNV positive after 120 d in the sea, suggesting spontaneous transmission from wild to farmed fish. Our findings suggest that more surveys should be conducted, especially in areas were mariculture farms are planned to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Berzak
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Israel
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