A possible role for Clostridium difficile in the etiology of calf enteritis.

Clostridium difficile was investigated as a possible cause of enteritis in calves. The organism and its toxins (TcdA and TcdB), respectively, were found in 25.3% and 22.9% of stool samples from diarrheic calves. Culture positive samples were more likely than culture negative samples to be toxin positive. However, toxin positive stools were more common among nondiarrheic calves, but diarrheic calves were nearly twice as likely to be culture positive. Ribotype 078 was dominant among isolates. Salmonella sp. was isolated from both diarrheic and nondiarrheic calves, but large numbers of E. coli were found more commonly in diarrheic calves than in nondiarrheic animals. Prevalence rates for coronavirus and Cryptosporidium sp. were substantially higher in nondiarrheic calves than in diarrheic, but rates of detection of rotavirus and Giardia sp. were more nearly equal between groups. Lesions in naturally infected calves included superficial mucosal erosion with associated fibrinous exudates. Neutrophils and eosinophils infiltrated lamina propria. Large Gram-positive rods morphologically compatible with C. difficile were abundant in the colonic lumen and the organism was isolated by bacteriologic culture. Toxins were found throughout the colon. Purified toxins A and B (individually and conjointly) caused comparable lesions, as well as fluid accumulation, in ligated intestinal loops. Our findings are in substantial agreement with those of others [Rodriguez-Palacios, A., Stampfli, H.R., Duffield, T., Peregrine, A.S., Trotz-Williams, L.A., Arroyo, L.G., Brazier, J.S., Weese, J.S., 2006. Clostridium difficile PCR ribotypes in calves, Canada. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 12, 1730-1736; Porter, M.C., Reggiardo, C., Bueschel, D.M., Keel, M.K., Songer, J.G., 2002. Association of Clostridium difficile with bovine neonatal diarrhea. Proc. 45th Ann. Mtg. Amer. Assoc. Vet. Lab. Diagn., St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.] and add strength to a working hypothesis that C. difficile infection and the accompanying intoxication can manifest as diarrhea in calves. It seems clear that calves serve as multiplying hosts for this organism.

Human serum contains detectable levels of the Hsp70 cochaperone HspBP1 and antibodies bound to HspBP1.

The identification of the proteins that comprise the serum proteome is a current major research goal that will provide useful information for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. It is well established that Hsp70 and Hsp70 antibodies are present in human serum. This study reports on the development of an ELISA assay for the Hsp70 co-chaperone, HspBP1. HspBP1 is present in human serum at concentrations ranging between 0.74 to 3.98 ng/mL. No gender or age differences in the HspBP1 levels were identified. It was also found that human serum contained antibodies to HspBP1, and there were no gender or age differences in these levels. In addition, there was no correlation between the level of HspBP1 in a sample and the antibody titer. Finally, we found that HspBP1 in serum is complexed to anti-HspBP1 antibodies. This report provides initial baseline data on HspBP1 in human serum and provides the methods for future studies to determine if these levels are altered in response to disease.