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Moore RJ. Necrotic enteritis and antibiotic-free production of broiler chickens: Challenges in testing and using alternative products. ANIMAL NUTRITION (ZHONGGUO XU MU SHOU YI XUE HUI) 2024; 16:288-298. [PMID: 38371475 PMCID: PMC10869589 DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2023.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The global trend towards raising broiler chickens without the use of in-feed antibiotics (IFAs) means that there is an ongoing need to develop alternative treatments capable of delivering the benefits that IFAs previously provided. IFAs supported the productivity performance of chickens and played a key role in maintaining their health. Necrotic enteritis (NE) is an important disease of broilers that affects health, productivity, and welfare, and was previously well controlled by IFAs. However, with the reduction in IFA use, NE is resurgent in some countries. Vaccines and various feed additives, including pre-, pro-, and postbiotics, phytobiotics, fatty acids, and phage therapies have been introduced as alternative methods of NE control. While some of these feed additives have specific activity against the NE pathogen, Clostridium perfringens, most have the more general goal of reinforcing gut health. Extensive reviews of the effects of many of these feed additives on gut health have been published recently. Hence, rather than cover previously well reviewed areas of research this review focuses on the challenges and pitfalls in undertaking experimental assessment of alternative NE treatments and translating laboratory research to real world commercial production settings. The review is based on the author's particular experience, reading, thoughts, and analysis of the available information and inevitably presents a particular understanding that is likely to be at odds with others thinking on these issues. It is put forward to stimulate thinking and discussion on the issues covered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J. Moore
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
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2
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Zalewska-Piątek B. Phage Therapy-Challenges, Opportunities and Future Prospects. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1638. [PMID: 38139765 PMCID: PMC10747886 DOI: 10.3390/ph16121638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing drug resistance of bacteria to commonly used antibiotics creates the need to search for and develop alternative forms of treatment. Phage therapy fits this trend perfectly. Phages that selectively infect and kill bacteria are often the only life-saving therapeutic option. Full legalization of this treatment method could help solve the problem of multidrug-resistant infectious diseases on a global scale. The aim of this review is to present the prospects for the development of phage therapy, the ethical and legal aspects of this form of treatment given the current situation of such therapy, and the benefits of using phage products in persons for whom available therapeutic options have been exhausted or do not exist at all. In addition, the challenges faced by this form of therapy in the fight against bacterial infections are also described. More clinical studies are needed to expand knowledge about phages, their dosage, and a standardized delivery system. These activities are necessary to ensure that phage-based therapy does not take the form of an experiment but is a standard medical treatment. Bacterial viruses will probably not become a miracle cure-a panacea for infections-but they have a chance to find an important place in medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Zalewska-Piątek
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Chemical Faculty, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
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3
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Kiu R, Shaw AG, Sim K, Acuna-Gonzalez A, Price CA, Bedwell H, Dreger SA, Fowler WJ, Cornwell E, Pickard D, Belteki G, Malsom J, Phillips S, Young GR, Schofield Z, Alcon-Giner C, Berrington JE, Stewart CJ, Dougan G, Clarke P, Douce G, Robinson SD, Kroll JS, Hall LJ. Particular genomic and virulence traits associated with preterm infant-derived toxigenic Clostridium perfringens strains. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1160-1175. [PMID: 37231089 PMCID: PMC10234813 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01385-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic toxin-producing bacterium associated with intestinal diseases, particularly in neonatal humans and animals. Infant gut microbiome studies have recently indicated a link between C. perfringens and the preterm infant disease necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), with specific NEC cases associated with overabundant C. perfringens termed C. perfringens-associated NEC (CPA-NEC). In the present study, we carried out whole-genome sequencing of 272 C. perfringens isolates from 70 infants across 5 hospitals in the United Kingdom. In this retrospective analysis, we performed in-depth genomic analyses (virulence profiling, strain tracking and plasmid analysis) and experimentally characterized pathogenic traits of 31 strains, including 4 from CPA-NEC patients. We found that the gene encoding toxin perfringolysin O, pfoA, was largely deficient in a human-derived hypovirulent lineage, as well as certain colonization factors, in contrast to typical pfoA-encoding virulent lineages. We determined that infant-associated pfoA+ strains caused significantly more cellular damage than pfoA- strains in vitro, and further confirmed this virulence trait in vivo using an oral-challenge C57BL/6 murine model. These findings suggest both the importance of pfoA+ C. perfringens as a gut pathogen in preterm infants and areas for further investigation, including potential intervention and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Kiu
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Kathleen Sim
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Harley Bedwell
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Sally A Dreger
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Wesley J Fowler
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Emma Cornwell
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Derek Pickard
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gusztav Belteki
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jennifer Malsom
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Sarah Phillips
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | - Gregory R Young
- Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Zoe Schofield
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Janet E Berrington
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Newcastle Neonatal Services, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Christopher J Stewart
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Newcastle Neonatal Services, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Gordon Dougan
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paul Clarke
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Gillian Douce
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Stephen D Robinson
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - J Simon Kroll
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lindsay J Hall
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK.
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
- Intestinal Microbiome, School of Life Sciences, ZIEL-Institute for Food & Health, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
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4
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Bruggisser J, Iacovache I, Musson SC, Degiacomi MT, Posthaus H, Zuber B. Cryo-EM structure of the octameric pore of Clostridium perfringens β-toxin. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e54856. [PMID: 36215680 PMCID: PMC9724662 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202254856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens is one of the most widely distributed and successful pathogens producing an impressive arsenal of toxins. One of the most potent toxins produced is the C. perfringens β-toxin (CPB). This toxin is the main virulence factor of type C strains. We describe the cryo-electron microscopy (EM) structure of CPB oligomer. We show that CPB forms homo-octameric pores like the hetero-oligomeric pores of the bi-component leukocidins, with important differences in the receptor binding region and the N-terminal latch domain. Intriguingly, the octameric CPB pore complex contains a second 16-stranded β-barrel protrusion atop of the cap domain that is formed by the N-termini of the eight protomers. We propose that CPB, together with the newly identified Epx toxins, is a member a new subclass of the hemolysin-like family. In addition, we show that the β-barrel protrusion domain can be modified without affecting the pore-forming ability, thus making the pore particularly attractive for macromolecule sensing and nanotechnology. The cryo-EM structure of the octameric pore of CPB will facilitate future developments in both nanotechnology and basic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Bruggisser
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse‐FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Ioan Iacovache
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | | | | | - Horst Posthaus
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse‐FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Benoît Zuber
- Institute of Anatomy, Medical FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
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5
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Lu W, Sun H, Xu ZM, Du Z, Si L, Yuan S, Jin J, Jin CH. Diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for Clostridium perfringens infection in postpartum dairy cows: a report of 14 cases. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09712119.2022.2078329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wengeng Lu
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Bovine Diseases, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongliang Sun
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Bovine Diseases, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zheng-Mei Xu
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Bovine Diseases, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhenzhen Du
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Bovine Diseases, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Linqing Si
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Bovine Diseases, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Siqi Yuan
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Bovine Diseases, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jidong Jin
- Cofeed Feedmill (Changchun) Co., Ltd., Changchun, People’s Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Hao Jin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Food Science and Engineering, College of Food Science, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
- National Coarse Cereals Engineering Research Center, Daqing, People’s Republic of China
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6
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Ueda K, Kawahara K, Kimoto N, Yamaguchi Y, Yamada K, Oki H, Yoshida T, Matsuda S, Matsumoto Y, Motooka D, Kawatsu K, Iida T, Nakamura S, Ohkubo T, Yonogi S. Analysis of the complete genome sequences of Clostridium perfringens strains harbouring the binary enterotoxin BEC gene and comparative genomics of pCP13-like family plasmids. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:226. [PMID: 35321661 PMCID: PMC8941779 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08453-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background BEC-producing Clostridium perfringens is a causative agent of foodborne gastroenteritis. It was first reported in 2014, and since then, several isolates have been identified in Japan and the United Kingdom. The novel binary ADP-ribosylating toxin BEC, which consists of two components (BECa and BECb), is encoded on a plasmid that is similar to pCP13 and harbours a conjugation locus, called Pcp, encoding homologous proteins of the type 4 secretion system. Despite the high in vitro conjugation frequency of pCP13, its dissemination and that of related plasmids, including bec-harbouring plasmids, in the natural environment have not been characterised. This lack of knowledge has limited our understanding of the genomic epidemiology of bec-harbouring C. perfringens strains. Results In this study, we determined the complete genome sequences of five bec-harbouring C. perfringens strains isolated from 2009 to 2019. Each isolate contains a ~ 3.36 Mbp chromosome and 1–3 plasmids of either the pCW3-like family, pCP13-like family, or an unknown family, and the bec-encoding region in all five isolates was located on a ~ 54 kbp pCP13-like plasmid. Phylogenetic and SNP analyses of these complete genome sequences and the 211 assembled C. perfringens genomes in GenBank showed that although these bec-harbouring strains were split into two phylogenetic clades, the sequences of the bec-encoding plasmids were nearly identical (>99.81%), with a significantly smaller SNP accumulation rate than that of their chromosomes. Given that the Pcp locus is conserved in these pCP13-like plasmids, we propose a mechanism in which the plasmids were disseminated by horizontal gene transfer. Data mining showed that strains carrying pCP13-like family plasmids were unexpectedly common (58/216 strains) and widely disseminated among the various C. perfringens clades. Although these plasmids possess a conserved Pcp locus, their ‘accessory regions’ can accommodate a wide variety of genes, including virulence-associated genes, such as becA/becB and cbp2. These results suggest that this family of plasmids can integrate various foreign genes and is transmissible among C. perfringens strains. Conclusion This study demonstrates the potential significance of pCP13-like plasmids, including bec-encoding plasmids, for the characterisation and monitoring of the dissemination of pathogenic C. perfringens strains. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08453-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kengo Ueda
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kazuki Kawahara
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Narumi Kimoto
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yusuke Yamaguchi
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Yamada
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, Aichi Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 7-6 Nagare, Tsujicho, Kita-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 462-8576, Japan
| | - Hiroya Oki
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takuya Yoshida
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shigeaki Matsuda
- Department of Bacterial Infection, Research Institute for Microbial Disease (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yuki Matsumoto
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kentaro Kawatsu
- Division of Microbiology, Osaka Institute of Public Health, 1-3-69 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, Osaka, 537-0025, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Iida
- Department of Bacterial Infection, Research Institute for Microbial Disease (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shota Nakamura
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tadayasu Ohkubo
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Shinya Yonogi
- Department of Bacterial Infection, Research Institute for Microbial Disease (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. .,Division of Microbiology, Osaka Institute of Public Health, 1-3-69 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, Osaka, 537-0025, Japan.
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7
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Mehdizadeh Gohari I, A. Navarro M, Li J, Shrestha A, Uzal F, A. McClane B. Pathogenicity and virulence of Clostridium perfringens. Virulence 2021; 12:723-753. [PMID: 33843463 PMCID: PMC8043184 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1886777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens is an extremely versatile pathogen of humans and livestock, causing wound infections like gas gangrene (clostridial myonecrosis), enteritis/enterocolitis (including one of the most common human food-borne illnesses), and enterotoxemia (where toxins produced in the intestine are absorbed and damage distant organs such as the brain). The virulence of this Gram-positive, spore-forming, anaerobe is largely attributable to its copious toxin production; the diverse actions and roles in infection of these toxins are now becoming established. Most C. perfringens toxin genes are encoded on conjugative plasmids, including the pCW3-like and the recently discovered pCP13-like plasmid families. Production of C. perfringens toxins is highly regulated via processes involving two-component regulatory systems, quorum sensing and/or sporulation-related alternative sigma factors. Non-toxin factors, such as degradative enzymes like sialidases, are also now being implicated in the pathogenicity of this bacterium. These factors can promote toxin action in vitro and, perhaps in vivo, and also enhance C. perfringens intestinal colonization, e.g. NanI sialidase increases C. perfringens adherence to intestinal tissue and generates nutrients for its growth, at least in vitro. The possible virulence contributions of many other factors, such as adhesins, the capsule and biofilms, largely await future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Mehdizadeh Gohari
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mauricio A. Navarro
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Jihong Li
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Archana Shrestha
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Francisco Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Bruce A. McClane
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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8
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Abdel-Glil MY, Thomas P, Linde J, Busch A, Wieler LH, Neubauer H, Seyboldt C. Comparative in silico genome analysis of Clostridium perfringens unravels stable phylogroups with different genome characteristics and pathogenic potential. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6756. [PMID: 33762628 PMCID: PMC7991664 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86148-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens causes a plethora of devastating infections, with toxin production being the underlying mechanism of pathogenicity in various hosts. Genomic analyses of 206 public-available C. perfringens strains´ sequence data identified a substantial degree of genomic variability in respect to episome content, chromosome size and mobile elements. However, the position and order of the local collinear blocks on the chromosome showed a considerable degree of preservation. The strains were divided into five stable phylogroups (I–V). Phylogroup I contained human food poisoning strains with chromosomal enterotoxin (cpe) and a Darmbrand strain characterized by a high frequency of mobile elements, a relatively small genome size and a marked loss of chromosomal genes, including loss of genes encoding virulence traits. These features might correspond to the adaptation of these strains to a particular habitat, causing human foodborne illnesses. This contrasts strains that belong to phylogroup II where the genome size points to the acquisition of genetic material. Most strains of phylogroup II have been isolated from enteric lesions in horses and dogs. Phylogroups III, IV and V are heterogeneous groups containing a variety of different strains, with phylogroup III being the most abundant (65.5%). In conclusion, C. perfringens displays five stable phylogroups reflecting different disease involvements, prompting further studies on the evolution of this highly important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Y Abdel-Glil
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Naumburger Str. 96A, 07743, Jena, Germany. .,Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Sharkia Province, Egypt.
| | - Prasad Thomas
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Naumburger Str. 96A, 07743, Jena, Germany.,Division of Bacteriology and Mycology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, India
| | - Jörg Linde
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Naumburger Str. 96A, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Anne Busch
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Naumburger Str. 96A, 07743, Jena, Germany.,Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Lothar H Wieler
- Robert Koch-Institut, Nordufer 20, 13353, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, Building 35, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heinrich Neubauer
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Naumburger Str. 96A, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Seyboldt
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Naumburger Str. 96A, 07743, Jena, Germany.
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9
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Visual Detection of Clostridium perfringens Alpha Toxin by Combining Nanometer Microspheres with Smart Phones. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8121865. [PMID: 33256026 PMCID: PMC7761010 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens α toxin (CPA) is an important virulence factor that causes livestock hemorrhagic enteritis and food poisoning by contaminated meat products. In this study, the nano-silica microspheres combined with smartphone image processing technology was developed to realize real-time CPA detection. First, the N-terminal and C-terminal domain of the CPA toxin (CPAC3 and CPAN) and their anti-sera were prepared. The silica microspheres coupled with the antibody of CPAC3 was prepared to capture the toxin that existed in the detection sample and the fluorescent-labeled antibody of CPAN was incubated. Moreover, the fluorescent pictures of gray value were performed in a cell phone app, corresponding to toxin concentration. The new assay takes 90 min to perform and can detect CPA as little as 32.8 ng/mL. Our results showed a sensitive, stable, and convenient CPA detection system, which provides a novel detection method of native CPA in foods.
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10
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Grau-Roma L, Navarro M, Blatter S, Wenker C, Kittl S, Uzal FA, Posthaus H. Clostridium perfringens-Associated Necrotic Enteritis-Like Disease in Coconut Lorikeets ( Trichoglossus haematodus). Vet Pathol 2020; 58:423-427. [PMID: 33208037 DOI: 10.1177/0300985820971788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Several outbreaks of necrotic enteritis-like disease in lorikeets, from which Clostridium perfringens was consistently isolated, are described. All lorikeets had acute, segmental, or multifocal fibrinonecrotizing inflammatory lesions in the small and/or the large intestine, with intralesional gram-positive rods. The gene encoding C. perfringens alpha toxin was detected by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues in 20 out of 24 affected lorikeets (83%), but it was not amplified from samples of any of 10 control lorikeets (P < .0001). The second most prevalent C. perfringens toxin gene detected was the beta toxin gene, which was found in FFPE from 7 out of 24 affected lorikeets (29%). The other toxin genes were detected inconsistently and in a relatively low number of samples. These cases seem to be associated with C. perfringens, although the specific type involved could not be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Llorenç Grau-Roma
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, 27210University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mauricio Navarro
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, 8789University of California, Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Sohvi Blatter
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, 27210University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Sonja Kittl
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, 27210University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Francisco A Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, 8789University of California, Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Horst Posthaus
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, 27210University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Luong T, Salabarria AC, Edwards RA, Roach DR. Standardized bacteriophage purification for personalized phage therapy. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:2867-2890. [PMID: 32709990 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-0346-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The world is on the cusp of a post-antibiotic era, but researchers and medical doctors have found a way forward-by looking back at how infections were treated before the advent of antibiotics, namely using phage therapy. Although bacteriophages (phages) continue to lack drug approval in Western medicine, an increasing number of patients are being treated on an expanded-access emergency investigational new drug basis. To streamline the production of high-quality and clinically safe phage preparations, we developed a systematic procedure for medicinal phage isolation, liter-scale cultivation, concentration and purification. The 16- to 21-day procedure described in this protocol uses a combination of modified classic techniques, modern membrane filtration processes and no organic solvents to yield on average 23 mL of 1011 plaque-forming units (PFUs) per milliliter for Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and Serratia phages tested. Thus, a single production run can produce up to 64,000 treatment doses at 109 PFUs, which would be sufficient for most expanded-access phage therapy cases and potentially for clinical phase I/II applications. The protocol focuses on removing endotoxins early by conducting multiple low-speed centrifugations, microfiltration, and cross-flow ultrafiltration, which reduced endotoxins by up to 106-fold in phage preparations. Implementation of a standardized phage cultivation and purification across research laboratories participating in phage production for expanded-access phage therapy might be pivotal to reintroduce phage therapy to Western medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Luong
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Robert A Edwards
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.,Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Dwayne R Roach
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA. .,Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
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