Serological survey and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii in domestic ducks and geese in Lower Saxony, Germany.

To obtain estimates for the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in ducks and geese in Germany, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were established based on affinity-purified T. gondii tachyzoite surface antigen 1 (TgSAG1) and used to examine duck and goose sera for T. gondii-specific antibodies. The results of 186 sera from 60 non-infected ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and 101 sera from 36 non-infected geese (Anser anser) as well as 72 sera from 11 ducks and 89 sera from 12 geese inoculated experimentally with T. gondii tachyzoites (intravenously) or oocysts (orally) and positive in a T. gondii immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) were used to select a cut-off value for the TgSAG1-ELISA. Sera obtained by serial bleeding of experimentally inoculated ducks and geese were tested to analyze the time course of anti-TgSAG1 antibodies after inoculation and to assess the sensitivity of the assays in comparison with IFAT. In ducks, IFAT titres and ELISA indices peaked 2 and 5 weeks p.i with tachyzoites, respectively. Only three of six geese inoculated with tachyzoites at the same time as the ducks elicited a low and non-permanent antibody response as detected by the IFAT. In the TgSAG1-ELISA, only a slight increase of the ELISA indices was observed in four of six tachyzoite-inoculated geese. By contrast, inoculation of ducks and geese with oocysts led to an increase in anti-TgSAG1 antibodies within 1 or 2 weeks, which were still detectable at the end of the observation period, i.e. 11 weeks p.i. Inoculation of three ducks and three geese with oocysts of Hammondia hammondi, a protozoon closely related to T. gondii, resulted in a transient seroconversion in ducks and geese as measured by IFAT or TgSAG1-ELISA. Using the newly established TgSAG1-ELISA, sera from naturally exposed ducks and geese sampled in the course of a monitoring program for avian influenza were examined for antibodies to T. gondii; 145/2534 (5.7%) of the ducks and 94/373 (25.2%) of the geese had antibodies against TgSAG1. Seropositive animals were detected on 20 of 61 duck and in 11 of 13 goose farms; the seroprevalences within positive submissions of single farms ranged from 2.2% to 78.6%. Farms keeping ducks or geese exclusively indoors had a significantly lower risk (odds ratio 0.05, 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.3) of harboring serologically positive animals as compared with farms where the animals had access to an enclosure outside the barn.

Case report: the significance of genotyping for the epidemiological tracing of classical swine fever (CSF).

In Germany, eleven outbreaks of CSF in domestic pig holdings were reported in 2002. They occurred exclusively in regions where CSF virus circulated in the wild boar population. In ten cases the phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolates from domestic pigs and wild boar had identical sequences in the 5' non-translated region (5'NTR). However, in one case a subtype was isolated which was slightly different from the virus subtype found in the wild boar population of that region. This case is decribed in detail. The epidemiological significance of different diagnostic methods is discussed, in particular the genetic typing of CSF virus isolates.

[In vitro adherence of Pasteurella haemolytica to tracheal mucins and a tracheal epithelial cell preparation from cattle]. / In vitro Adhärenz von Pasteurella haemolytica an Trachealmucin und einer Trachealepithelzellpräparation vom Rind.

Outer membrane protein preparations (OMP) of 11 Pasteurella haemolytica field isolates of the serovars A1, A2, A11 and non-typable strains from cattle were extracted by N-lauryl-sarcosine sodium salt. Capsular extracts were prepared by heat treatment. Both preparations and whole cell suspensions bound to a preparation of an epithelial cell wall fraction of trachea and to tracheal mucus of cattle. Binding was demonstrated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Distinct high binding values were shown by the OMP and the capsular extracts of the serovar A1-strains.

In vitro binding of Pasteurella multocida cell wall preparations to tracheal mucus of cattle and swine and to a tracheal epithel cell wall preparation of cattle.

Outer membrane preparations of various Pasteurella isolates (Pasteurella multocida and some other Pasteurella species) from cattle and swine were extracted by N-lauryl-sarcosine sodium salt. Capsular extracts were prepared by heat treatment. Both preparations bound to epithel cell wall preparations (ECW) of trachea from cattle and to tracheal mucus of cattle and swine. Binding was demonstrated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Distinct high adherence values were shown by the greater part of membrane preparations of mucoid Pasteurella strains, especially when originating from cattle.

[Electron microscopic studies of mucosal extirpates of rabbits after after in vitro contact with Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida strains]. / Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen an Schleimhautexstirpaten von Kaninchen nach in vitro-Kontakt mit Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida-Stämmen.

In vitro experiments of adhesion and colonisation of mucosal surface fragments (nose, trachea) from freshly killed rabbits with four strains of Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida with different types of capsule antigen (A, D, without capsule) showed the following results: Above all the capsule serovar A strain, producing a capsule of hyaluronic acid and fimbria, were able to adhere and to form microcolonies on the mucosal surface. Microvilli of epithelial cells and mucus producing cells were recognized as the place of adhesion. The formation of microcolonies occurred with a destruction of the kinocilia, which was caused by a bacteria free culture filtrate as well.