N. Fiţ

New records for Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in small mammal species

BackgroundTick-borne diseases pose a major threat in public health. The epidemiological dynamics of these diseases depends on the tick vector species and their hosts, as well as the geographical distribution and ecology of both. Among many possible hosts for ticks, small mammals have a major role in the development of immature stages of several tick species. Small mammals are also important reservoir hosts for several pathogenic agents and possible reservoirs for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. In this context, the aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in small mammal species in Romania.ResultsA total of 791 small mammals of 31 species were tested by PCR, targeting the rrs gene for detection of A. phagocytophilum DNA. Positive results were obtained in 20 small mammals: five Apodemus flavicollis (6.49%), three Sorex araneus (9.09%), three A. uralensis (4.84%), two A. sylvaticus (3.92%), and one of each Spermophilus cittelus (7.14%), Microtus agrestis (3.85%), Sorex minutus (3.85%), Muscardinus avellanarius (3.13%), Crocidura suaveolens (2.44%), Mus spicilegus (2%) and M. arvalis (1.75%).ConclusionsEleven small mammal species were found to be carriers of A. phagocytophilum, suggesting a possible involvement of these species in its epidemiology. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. phagocytophilum in S. minutus, C. suaveolens, M. spicilegus, M. avellanarius and S. citellus.

Preliminary Data on the In Vitro Effect of Copper-Based Compounds on Aerobic Bacterial Microflora Isolated from Sheep Footrot

Contagious sheep footrot is an infectious disease with chronic evolution, usually enzootic, characterized by necrotic or necrotic-purulent inflammation of the soft tissues of the hoof, which causes partial or total detachment of the horn. Cu-based products represented by (I) 1-hydroxyquinoline + Cu on 5% hydroxyapatite, (II) 2 Hydroxyquinoline + Cu + NO3 on 5% Hydroxyapatite and (III) 3 Nitrohydroxyquinoline + Cu on 5% Hydroxyapatite were conditioned in aqueous suspension in a volume of 100 ml, pH 6,0 – 6,4. The products were placed into wells, 20 μL/well, along with 0.5 % copper sulphate solution (Cu control) and Enroxil and Oxitetracycline (control for antibiotics). The results demonstrated that 7 of the samples (58.33 %) are sensitive to the product I, 6 samples (50%) to the product III, 4 samples (33.33 %) to the product 2 and the 0.5% Copper sulphate solution only has a bacteriostatic effect. In comparison to the two antibiotics, 9 samples (75 %) are sensitive to enrofloxacin and only 5 samples (41.66 %) to oxytetracycline. Regarding the associations of microorganisms in the samples with resistance, we have found that these are represented by the most common germs of genus Bacillus, Corynebacterium and Gram negative bacteria, and rarer associations with Micrococcus and Staphylococcus.

Comparative identification of Candida species isolated from animals using phenotypic and PCR-RFLP methods

Abstract The aim of this study was to identify 58 Candida sp. strains isolated from animals using the Chromatic Candida test, the API 20 C AUX system, and polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The Chromatic Candida test was able to identify only C. albicans and C. krusei. The API 20 C AUX system and PCR-RFLP had similar specificity for the identification of Candida strains. In case of both methods, Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species - 22 (37.93%) strains, followed by Candida krusei - 17 (29.31%) strains, Candida famata - 10 (17.24%) strains, Candida parapsilosis - five (8.62%) strains, and Candida kefyr - four (6.89%) strains. PCR-RFLP represents a reliable, quick and relatively inexpensive genotyping method, recommended for rapid identification of Candida spp.