Tick-borne zoonotic pathogens in ticks feeding on the common nightingale including a novel strain of Rickettsia sp.

We examined 77 Ixodes ricinus ticks found on 33 out of 120 common nightingales (Luscinia megarhynchos) sampled in the Czech Republic in 2008 for the presence of Borrelia spirochetes, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., and Babesia spp. We detected Borrelia garinii (in 4% of ticks), A. phagocytophilum (1%), Rickettsia helvetica (3%), a novel strain of Rickettsia sp. (sister taxon of R. bellii; 1%), and Babesia sp. EU1 (1%). Thus, we conclude that nightingales are unlikely to be important reservoir hosts for tick-borne pathogens.

West-to-east differences of Babesia canis canis prevalence in Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in Slovakia.

Babesia canis canis is the most frequent causative agent of canine babesiosis in Central Europe, frequently causing severe disease. Recently, many new endemic foci of this disease have been reported from European countries. Growing incidence of canine babesiosis was recorded also in Slovakia during the last decade, from first cases in eastern Slovakia ten years ago to recent cases all over the south of the country. We have used nested PCR-RFLP method to study prevalence of B. c. canis in its natural tick vector Dermacentor reticulatus, collected at three geographically isolated lowland areas of southern Slovakia situated in the southeast, southwest, and west of Slovakia, respectively. The highest prevalence of B. c. canis was observed in D. reticulatus from eastern Slovakia (14.7%; n=327), whereas the prevalence in southwest was significantly lower (2.3%; n=1205). Notably, all 874 D. reticulatus ticks collected at Záhorská nízina lowland (W Slovakia) were B. c. canis-negative. Recorded differences in Babesia prevalence concurs well with the shift in incidence of clinical cases of canine babesiosis as observed by vet practitioners. Presented results revealed that eastern Slovakia represents an area of high risk of B. c. canis infection, whereas western areas of the country still remain Babesia canis-free.

Plasmids carrying blaCTX-M-1 and qnr genes in Escherichia coli isolates from an equine clinic and a horseback riding centre.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli at an equine clinic and a horseback riding centre, and to discuss the impact of antimicrobial treatment on resistance selection. METHODS: Faeces from horses, environmental smears and flies were sampled at both the clinic and riding centre. Staff at the equine clinic were also examined. The samples were cultivated on MacConkey agar with cefotaxime (2 mg/L) to isolate ESBL-producing E. coli. The presence of bla and qnr genes was tested by PCR, and transferability was determined by conjugation. Replicon typing and restriction analysis of plasmids harbouring ESBL and qnr genes were performed. RESULTS: E. coli with the blaCTX-M-1 gene were isolated from horses, staff, environmental smears and flies at the two sites. E. coli isolates from the equine clinic harboured an IncHI1 conjugative 235-285 kb plasmid containing blaCTX-M-1, catA1, strA, sul2 and tet(B) genes. Some of these were positive for qnrS1 and/or qnrB19, and were located on 40 or 45 kb IncN or IncX1 conjugative plasmids. The gene blaCTX-M-1 in isolates from the riding centre was carried by IncN (30 kb) and IncI1 (85 kb) conjugative plasmids. Horizontal gene transfer seems to be involved in disseminating E. coli with ESBL and qnr genes at the clinic and riding centre. CONCLUSIONS: The study illustrates that ESBL-producing E. coli, as well as plasmids carrying ESBL genes of clinical interest, can be easily transferred among horses, humans and flies living in close contact.

The effect of cellular environment and p53 status on the mode of action of the platinum derivative LA-12.

In this study, we characterized the effects of LA-12 on tumor cell lines possessing wild type p53 and on p53-deficient/mutant cell lines and the results were compared to those obtained using cisplatin. We have determined changes of p53 levels, of its transcriptional activity, of its posttranscriptional modifications and the effect of the treatment on the cell cycle, on the induction of apoptosis and on gene expression. LA-12 induces weak accumulation of both transcriptionally active p53 tumor suppressor and of p21(WAF1/CIP1) protein. LA-12 and cisplatin also significantly differ in their effects on apoptosis and cell cycle and on gene expression spectra in studied cell lines. LA-12 induces higher apoptosis levels in comparison with those induced by cisplatin, especially in p53-deficient H1299 cells and in MCF-7DD cells with transcriptionally inactive p53. We suggest that LA-12-mediated apoptosis is not fully dependent on p53. This confirms the therapeutic potential of LA-12 as a more potent cytostatic agent for both tumor cells expressing wild type p53 and for p53-deficient or mutant cells.

The novel platinum(IV) complex LA-12 induces p53 and p53/47 responses that differ from the related drug, cisplatin.

The platinum(II)-based complex cisplatin is one of the most frequently used antitumour agents; however, a high incidence of harmful side effects and the frequent emergence of acquired resistance are the major clinical problems. The novel platinum(IV)-based complex LA-12 exhibits a high efficacy against cancer cell lines, including cisplatin-insensitive cells, but the mechanisms by which LA-12 perturbs cell growth are unclear. We tested the effects of LA-12 on the p53 response and demonstrate that LA-12 induces unique changes in the profile of gene expression compared with cisplatin and doxorubicin. Furthermore, the ability of LA-12 to disrupt cellular proliferation is greatly enhanced by the expression of p53 and p53/47 indicating both p53-dependent and p53-independent effects of LA-12. Exposure of the human cancer cell lines H1299, A2780, BT549 and BT474 to LA-12 alters the expression of p53 and p53/47 in both a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner. Treatment of cells with a low concentration of the drug results in accumulation of p53 and p53/47 concomitant with their posttranslational modification, whereas a high dose results in the disappearance of both the forms of p53. The distinct p53 activation profile of LA-12 compared with cisplatin and doxorubicin provides a molecular explanation for the ability of this drug to treat cisplatin-resistant cells and indicates its potential usefulness as an alternative antitumour agent in first-line therapy or as a second-line therapy in patients with acquired cisplatin resistance.

Avipoxvirus in blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla).

From July to September 2005, 1075 wild birds of 37 species were mist-netted at a location in the north-eastern part of the Czech Republic. The birds were examined for the presence of avipoxvirus lesions. This was demonstrated by electron microscopy in skin lesions in nine of 244 blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) examined (4% prevalence). Blackcaps skin bioptates were processed using the ultrathin section method. In skin bioptates, avipoxviruses were demonstrated in intracytoplasmic inclusions where, in addition to mature viruses, lipids and filamentous structures concentrated into large circular formations were found. The so-called additional inclusions were also found. These did not contain any virus components, and they served as the precursor of A-type intracytoplasmic inclusions. Blackcap avipoxvirus was isolated by passage on the chorioallantoic membrane of 9-day-old chicken embryos. The virus was successfully adapted after 11 passages (each passage lasted 5 to 7 days), at which time a marked changes in the form of tiny nodules 2 to 3 mm in diameter were observed on the chorioallantoic membrane. Further identification of field isolates and of the cultured virus was carried out using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. Sequences were compared with consensus sequences of both canarypoxviruses and fowlpoxviruses. Our sequence was found to be 98.8% identical to the canarypox consensus sequence, but only 63% identical to the fowlpox consensus sequence. Our avipoxvirus sequence was proven to be significantly more closely related to canarypoxviruses than to fowlpoxviruses also by phylogenetic analysis.