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Poultry Science Jun 2024Riemerella anatipestifer, belonging to Weeksellaceae family Riemerella, is a bacterium that can infect ducks, geese, and turkeys, causing diseases known as duck...
Riemerella anatipestifer, belonging to Weeksellaceae family Riemerella, is a bacterium that can infect ducks, geese, and turkeys, causing diseases known as duck infectious serositis, new duck disease, and duck septicemia. We collected diseased materials from ducks on a duck farm in China and then isolated and purified a strain of serotype 1 R. anatipestifer named SX-1. Animal experiments showed that SX-1 is a highly virulent strain with an LD value of 10 CFU/mL. The complete genome sequence was obtained. The complete genome sequence of R. anatipestifer SX-1 was 2,112,539 bp; 847 genes were involved in catalytic activity, and 445 genes were related to the cell membrane. The total length of the repetitive sequences was 8746 bp. Four CRISPR loci were predicted in R. anatipestifer strain SX-1, and 4 genomic islands were predicted. Concentration and ultra-high-speed centrifugation were used to extract the outer membrane vesicles of R. anatipestifer SX-1. The OMVs were extracted successfully. Particle size analysis revealed the size and abundance of particles: 147.4 nm, 94.9%; 293.6 nm, 1.1%; 327.2 nm, 1.1%; 397.2 nm, 0.3%; and 371.8 nm, 1.1%. The average size was 173.5 nm. Label-free proteomic technology was used to identify proteins in the outer membrane vesicles. ATCC 11845 served as the reference genome sequence, and 148 proteins were identified using proteomic analysis, which were classified into 5 categories based on their sources. Among them, 24 originated from cytoplasmic proteins, 4 from extracellular secreted proteins, 27 from outer membrane proteins, 10 from periplasmic proteins, and 83 from unknown sources. This study conducted a proteomic analysis of OMVs to provide a theoretical basis for the development of R. anatipestifer OMVs vaccines and adjuvants and lays the foundation for further research on the relationship between the pathogenicity of R. anatipestifer and OMVs.
Topics: Riemerella; Poultry Diseases; Ducks; Animals; Proteomics; Flavobacteriaceae Infections; Proteome; Bacterial Outer Membrane
PubMed: 38547673
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103639 -
Viruses Mar 2024Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a multisystemic, generally lethal immuno-inflammatory disease of domestic cats caused by an infection with a genetic variant of...
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a multisystemic, generally lethal immuno-inflammatory disease of domestic cats caused by an infection with a genetic variant of feline coronavirus, referred to as the FIP virus (FIPV). We leveraged data from four different antiviral clinical trials performed at the University of California, Davis. Collectively, a total of 60 client-owned domestic cats, each with a confirmed diagnosis of naturally occurring FIP, were treated with a variety of antiviral compounds. The tested therapies included the antiviral compounds GS-441524, remdesivir, molnupiravir and allogeneic feline mesenchymal stem/stroma cell transfusions. Four client-owned cats with FIP did not meet the inclusion criteria for the trials and were not treated with antiviral therapies; these cats were included in the data set as untreated FIP control cats. ELISA and Western blot assays were performed using feline serum/plasma or ascites effusions obtained from a subset of the FIP cats. Normalized tissue/effusion viral loads were determined in 34 cats by a quantitative RT-PCR of nucleic acids isolated from either effusions or abdominal lymph node tissue. Twenty-one cats were PCR "serotyped" (genotyped) and had the S1/S2 region of the coronaviral gene amplified, cloned and sequenced from effusions or abdominal lymph node tissue. In total, 3 untreated control cats and 14 (23.3%) of the 60 antiviral-treated cats died or were euthanized during (13) or after the completion of (1) antiviral treatment. Of these 17 cats, 13 had complete necropsies performed (10 cats treated with antivirals and 3 untreated control cats). We found that anticoronaviral serologic responses were persistent and robust throughout the treatment period, primarily the IgG isotype, and focused on the viral structural Nucleocapsid and Membrane proteins. Coronavirus serologic patterns were similar for the effusions and serum/plasma of cats with FIP and in cats entering remission or that died. Viral RNA was readily detectable in the majority of the cats in either abdominal lymph node tissue or ascites effusions, and all of the viral isolates were determined to be serotype I FIPV. Viral nucleic acids in cats treated with antiviral compounds became undetectable in ascites or abdominal lymph node tissue by 11 days post-treatment using a sensitive quantitative RT-PCR assay. The most common pathologic lesions identified in the necropsied cats were hepatitis, abdominal effusion (ascites), serositis, pancreatitis, lymphadenitis, icterus and perivasculitis. In cats treated with antiviral compounds, gross and histological lesions characteristic of FIP persisted for several weeks, while the viral antigen became progressively less detectable.
Topics: Humans; Cats; Animals; Feline Infectious Peritonitis; Ascites; Coronavirus Infections; Coronavirus, Feline; RNA, Viral; Antiviral Agents
PubMed: 38543827
DOI: 10.3390/v16030462 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2024Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is characterized by recurrent episodes of fever and serositis. Blood-based biomarkers determined in FMF patients during attack-free...
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is characterized by recurrent episodes of fever and serositis. Blood-based biomarkers determined in FMF patients during attack-free periods could be used to predict the risk of amyloidosis and the severity of the disease. The recently defined pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) comprises four distinct subsets of blood cells and serves as an easily accessible and cost-effective marker. The objective of this study was to assess the role of PIV in predicting amyloidosis and moderate-to-severe disease. Clinical characteristics and laboratory values during the attack-free period were retrospectively analyzed in 321 patients over 18 years of age diagnosed with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). In our tertiary adult rheumatology outpatient clinic, disease severity and laboratory markers were evaluated during the first attack-free interval. At baseline, patients with amyloidosis were excluded. Patients were categorized based on the presence of amyloidosis and the severity of the disease. When focusing on amyloidosis in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, optimal cut-off values for pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were determined as ≥518.1, ≥2.3, and ≥127.2, respectively. In multivariate analysis, PIV, C-reactive protein (CRP), and the presence of the M694V homozygous mutation emerged as independent risk factors for both amyloidosis and moderate-to-severe disease. Additionally, NLR was identified as an independent risk factor for amyloidosis, while red blood cell distribution width was associated with moderate-to-severe disease. In patients with FMF, especially in the presence of the M694V homozygous mutation, CRP and PIV may be useful in predicting both amyloidosis and moderate-to-severe disease.
PubMed: 38535054
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14060634 -
Cureus Feb 2024This case report depicts the diagnosis and management of the largest documented appendicolith found in the medical literature so far, measuring 4.5 cm. A 44-year-old...
This case report depicts the diagnosis and management of the largest documented appendicolith found in the medical literature so far, measuring 4.5 cm. A 44-year-old male patient presented with a distended abdomen, right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain, constipation, and the inability to consume solid food. Laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Abdominal X-rays showed a densely calcified structure in the right lower quadrant, and further imaging confirmed the diagnosis of appendicolithiasis. The surgical indication for appendectomy was determined, and an open surgical procedure was performed due to the severity of inflammation, minimal perforation, and extensive adhesions. The surgically removed appendix with the appendicolith was analyzed histologically, confirming appendicolithiasis, periappendicitis, perforation, and serositis. The patient was discharged in stable condition after postoperative management. Giant appendicoliths are rare and associated with an increased risk of complications. Diagnosis is typically clinical but can be enhanced by imaging modalities.
PubMed: 38500926
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54353 -
Poultry Science Apr 2024Riemerella anatipestifer (R. anatipestifer) can cause serositis in multiple poultry species, resulting in significant losses. Although R. anatipestifer-caused infections...
Riemerella anatipestifer (R. anatipestifer) can cause serositis in multiple poultry species, resulting in significant losses. Although R. anatipestifer-caused infections in ducks have been well established, the literature about this disease in geese is rare. Here, we isolated and identified 56 strains of R. anatipestifer from the eastern regions of Hebei Province, China, and further determined their serotypes, antibiotic resistance, and pathogenicity. A total of 75 strains of causative bacteria were isolated from 70 sick geese with serositis. After Gram staining microscopy, PCR, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, 56 isolates were identified as members of R. anatipestifer and 19 as Escherichia coli (E. coli). The results of serotyping showed that there were 4 serotypes prevalent in the isolate, including serotype 1 (37/56), serotype 2 (9/56), serotype 11 (8/56), and serotype 13 (2/56). The results of antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that all 56 R. anatipestifer isolates showed varying degrees of multidrug resistance (MDR). A total of 10 antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) were determined in these isolates. Four isolates of different serotypes were selected for pathogenicity examination, and all were able to reproduce serositis-like symptoms in 15-day-old goslings, with neurological symptoms and a 100% mortality rate. Hemorrhagic congestion of the brain tissue, steatosis of the hepatocytes, and disorganization of some cardiac myofibers were observed in R. anatipestifer-infected geese. All these findings will contribute to our insights into the prevalence characteristics, antibiotic resistance profile, and pathogenicity of R. anatipestifer infection in geese in eastern Hebei Province and provide scientific guidance for the treatment and control of this disease.
Topics: Animals; Geese; Virulence; Escherichia coli; Serositis; Chickens; Riemerella; Ducks; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Poultry Diseases; Flavobacteriaceae Infections
PubMed: 38350391
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103517 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024To assess the impact conferred by variants on the clinical spectrum of patients with systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAIDs) in Greece. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact conferred by variants on the clinical spectrum of patients with systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAIDs) in Greece.
METHODS
Consecutive patients (n=167) with confirmed SAIDs who underwent screening by next generation sequencing (NGS) targeting 26 SAID-associated genes, and carried at least one gene variant, were retrospectively studied. The demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded.
RESULTS
In total, 24 rare variants in 23/167 patients (14%) were detected. Notably, 18 patients had at least one co-existing variant in 13 genes other than . Nine patients had juvenile- and 14 adult-onset disease. All patients presented with symptoms potentially induced by the variants. In particular, the candidate clinical diagnosis was Yao syndrome (YAOS) in 12 patients (7% of the whole SAID cohort). The clinical spectrum of patients with YAOS (mean episode duration 8 days) was fever (n=12/12), articular symptoms (n=8), gastrointestinal symptoms (n=7; abdominal pain/bloating in 7; diarrhea in 4; oral ulcers in 3), serositis (n=7), and rash (n=5), while the inflammatory markers were elevated in all but one patient. Most of these patients showed a poor response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (n=7/9), colchicine (n=6/8) and/or anti-TNF treatment (n=3/4), while a complete response was observed in 6/10 patients receiving steroids and 3/5 on anti-IL1 treatment. Another 8 patients were diagnosed with either FMF (n=6) or PFAPA syndrome (n=2) presenting with prominent diarrhea (n=7), oral ulcers (n=2), periorbital swelling and sicca-like symptoms (n=1), or maculopapular rash (n=1). One patient had a clinically undefined SAID, albeit characterized by oral ulcers and diarrhea. Finally, one patient presented with chronic relapsing urticaria with periorbital edema and inflammatory markers, and another one had a Crohn-like syndrome with good response to anti-IL-1 but refractory to anti-TNF treatment.
CONCLUSION
variants were detected in 1 out of 7 SAID patients and seem to have an impact on disease phenotype and treatment response. Further studies should validate combined molecular and clinical data to better understand these distinct nosological entities.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Humans; Hereditary Autoinflammatory Diseases; Retrospective Studies; Oral Ulcer; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors; Diarrhea; Exanthema; Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein
PubMed: 38348033
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1342668 -
Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology Dec 2023The aim of the study was to determine the clinical features & autoantibody profile of patients having late onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and to compare with...
OBJECTIVES
The aim of the study was to determine the clinical features & autoantibody profile of patients having late onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and to compare with young onset SLE due to its scarce data from India.
METHODS
All patients who fulfilled the 1997 ACR criteria for SLE were included. Late onset patients were >50 years of age and young onset were <50 years >18 years at the time of first SLE-related symptom. Clinical, laboratory, and autoantibody (ENA 25 & APLA) profiles were compared between the two groups using descriptive statistics and chi square test.
RESULTS
Of the 305 patients, 69 had late onset (75.4% females). Mean age was 59.42±6.7 years (Late onset lupus) and 33.13±8.44 years (young onset lupus). The most common symptom was arthritis (60%) followed by oral ulceration (50%), fever (43%), and serositis (37.68%). Most common antibody was SSA/Ro60 (50%) and anti-SSA/Ro52 (46%). Interstitial lung disease (ILD) (14.5%), pancytopenia (13%) and diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (4.3%) were more frequent in late onset group. Statistically significant differences were found between two groups in terms of photosensitivity (p=0.009), malar rash (p=0.005), excessive hair loss (p=0.0006), Raynaud's phenomenon (p=0.001), lymphadenopathy (p=0.01), nephritis (p=0.0007), ILD (p=0.01), anti-dsDNA (p=0.005), anti-nucleosome (p=0.01), anti-Sm (p=0.007), Ribosomes P0 (p=0.0004).
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that late onset SLE has distinct clinical and serological manifestations when compared with young onset SLE patients.
PubMed: 38282933
DOI: 10.31138/mjr.290723.los -
Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal Jan 2024Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) is a form of childhood arthritis with clinical features such as fever, lymphadenopathy, arthritis, rash, and serositis. It...
BACKGROUND
Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) is a form of childhood arthritis with clinical features such as fever, lymphadenopathy, arthritis, rash, and serositis. It seriously affects the growth and development of children and has a high rate of disability and mortality. SJIA may result from genetic, infectious, or autoimmune factors since the precise source of the disease is unknown. Our study aims to develop a genetic-based diagnostic model to explore the identification of SJIA at the genetic level.
METHODS
The gene expression dataset of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from SJIA was collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then, three GEO datasets (GSE11907-GPL96, GSE8650-GPL96 and GSE13501) were merged and used as a training dataset, which included 125 SJIA samples and 92 health samples. GSE7753 was used as a validation dataset. The limma method was used to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Feature selection was performed using Lasso, random forest (RF)-recursive feature elimination (RFE) and RF classifier.
RESULTS
We finally identified 4 key genes (ALDH1A1, CEACAM1, YBX3 and SLC6A8) that were essential to distinguish SJIA from healthy samples. And we combined the 4 key genes and performed a grid search as well as 10-fold cross-validation with 5 repetitions to finally identify the RF model with optimal mtry. The mean area under the curve (AUC) value for 5-fold cross-validation was greater than 0.95. The model's performance was then assessed once more using the validation dataset, and an AUC value of 0.990 was obtained. All of the above AUC values demonstrated the strong robustness of the SJIA diagnostic model.
CONCLUSIONS
We successfully developed a new SJIA diagnostic model that can be used for a novel aid in the identification of SJIA. In addition, the identification of 4 key genes that may serve as potential biomarkers for SJIA provides new insights to further understand the mechanisms of SJIA.
Topics: Child; Humans; Arthritis, Juvenile; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Biomarkers; Fever; Machine Learning
PubMed: 38243323
DOI: 10.1186/s12969-023-00949-x -
RMD Open Jan 2024Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) significantly affects the lungs and heart, and pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe manifestation that leads to considerable...
BACKGROUND
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) significantly affects the lungs and heart, and pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe manifestation that leads to considerable morbidity and mortality.
OBJECTIVES
We aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of probable SLE-PH, assess the main echocardiographic predictors and develop a potential screening strategy.
METHODS
A prospective single-centre study was conducted on 201 patients with SLE who underwent transthoracic echocardiography. Patients meeting PH criteria were referred for right heart catheterisation (RHC).
RESULTS
Among patients, 88.56% were women, 85.57% were of Spanish origin and 43.78% had structural heart disease. Out of these, 16 (7.96%) had intermediate or high probability criteria for PH according to European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2022. Six RHCs confirmed PH with a prevalence of 2.99% for SLE-PH and 1.99% for SLE-pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
KEY RISK FACTORS
Key risk factors included age, cardiorespiratory symptoms, serositis, anti-Ro, cardiac biomarkers and altered pulmonary function tests (PFTs). PH was linked to a higher Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI) (mean SDI 4.75 vs 2.05, p<0.001) and increased mortality risk in a 2-year follow-up (12.50% vs 1.08%, p=0.002).
CONCLUSION
In our cohort, 7.96% of patients with SLE had an intermediate or high PH probability. By RHC, six patients (2.99%) met the ESC/European Respiratory Society criteria for PH and four (1.99%) for PAH. The main risk factors were older age, cardiorespiratory symptoms, serositis, anti-Ro, cardiac biomarkers and altered PFTs. PH was a severe SLE complication, suggesting the need for earlier diagnosis through data-driven screening to reduce associated morbidity and mortality.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Serositis; Echocardiography; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Biomarkers
PubMed: 38191213
DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003674 -
Cureus Dec 2023Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a hereditary, autosomal recessive auto-inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of fever and serositis. While...
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a hereditary, autosomal recessive auto-inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of fever and serositis. While arthritis, pleuritis, peritonitis, and pericarditis are common in FMF, large pericardial effusions with cardiac tamponade as a sequelae of FMF are considered rare. We report a case of an 83-year-old female with a history of FMF who presented with chest pain. She was found to have acute pericarditis complicated by hemodynamically significant pericardial tamponade that was subsequently treated with an urgent pericardiocentesis followed by colchicine.
PubMed: 38186433
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50137