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Idland L, Granquist EG, Aspholm M, Lindbäck T. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in Norwegian dairy cattle farms; a comparison between free stall and tie stall housing systems. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 132:3959-3972. [PMID: 35244319 PMCID: PMC9315008 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Aims This study explored how dairy farm operating systems with free‐stall or tie‐stall housing and cow hygiene score influence the occurrence of zoonotic bacteria in raw milk. Methods and Results Samples from bulk tank milk (BTM), milk filters, faeces, feed, teats and teat milk were collected from 11 farms with loose housing and seven farms with tie‐stall housing every second month over a period of 11 months and analysed for the presence of STEC by culturing combined with polymerase chain reaction and for Campylobacter spp. and L. monocytogenes by culturing only. Campylobacter spp., L. monocytogenes and STEC were present in samples from the farm environment and were also detected in 4%, 13% and 7% of the milk filters, respectively, and in 3%, 0% and 1% of BTM samples. Four STEC isolates carried the eae gene, which is linked to the capacity to cause severe human disease. L. monocytogenes were detected more frequently in loose housing herds compared with tie‐stalled herds in faeces (p = 0.02) and feed (p = 0.03), and Campylobacter spp. were detected more frequently in loose housing herds in faeces (p < 0.01) and teat swabs (p = 0.03). An association between cow hygiene score and detection of Campylobacter spp. in teat milk was observed (p = 0.03). Conclusion Since some samples collected from loose housing systems revealed a significantly higher (p < 0.05) content of L. monocytogenes and Campylobacter spp. than samples collected from tie‐stalled herds, the current study suggests that the type of housing system may influence the food safety of raw milk. Significance and Impact of the Study This study highlights that zoonotic bacteria can be present in raw milk independent of hygienic conditions at the farm and what housing system is used. Altogether, this study provides important knowledge for evaluating the risk of drinking unpasteurized milk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lene Idland
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Erik G Granquist
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Marina Aspholm
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Toril Lindbäck
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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Paulsen KM, das Neves CG, Granquist EG, Madslien K, Stuen S, Pedersen BN, Vikse R, Rocchi M, Laming E, Stiasny K, Andreassen ÅK. Cervids as sentinel-species for tick-borne encephalitis virus in Norway - A serological study. Zoonoses Public Health 2019; 67:342-351. [PMID: 31855321 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). TBEV is one of the most important neurological pathogens transmitted by tick bites in Europe. The objectives of this study were to investigate the seroprevalence of TBE antibodies in cervids in Norway and the possible emergence of new foci, and furthermore to evaluate if cervids can function as sentinel animals for the distribution of TBEV in the country. Serum samples from 286 moose, 148 roe deer, 140 red deer and 83 reindeer from all over Norway were collected and screened for TBE immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies with a modified commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by TBEV serum neutralisation test (SNT). The overall seroprevalence against the TBEV complex in the cervid specimens from Norway was 4.6%. The highest number of seropositive cervids was found in south-eastern Norway, but seropositive cervids were also detected in southern- and central Norway. Antibodies against TBEV detected by SNT were present in 9.4% of the moose samples, 1.4% in red deer, 0.7% in roe deer, and nil in reindeer. The majority of the positive samples in our study originated from areas where human cases of TBE have been reported in Norway. The study is the first comprehensive screening of cervid species in Norway for antibodies to TBEV, and shows that cervids are useful sentinel animals to indicate TBEV occurrence, as supplement to studies in ticks. Furthermore, the results indicate that TBEV might be spreading northwards in Norway. This information may be of relevance for public health considerations and supports previous findings of TBEV in ticks in Norway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine M Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Erik G Granquist
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Benedikte N Pedersen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Rose Vikse
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mara Rocchi
- Virus Surveillance Unit, Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, Scotland, UK
| | - Ellie Laming
- Virus Surveillance Unit, Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, Scotland, UK
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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3
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Paulsen KM, Granquist EG, Okstad W, Vikse R, Stiasny K, Andreassen ÅK, Stuen S. Experimental infection of lambs with tick-borne encephalitis virus and co-infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226836. [PMID: 31856227 PMCID: PMC6922421 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a zoonotic pathogen which may cause tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in humans and animals. More than 10,000 cases of TBE are reported annually in Europe and Asia. However, the knowledge on TBE in animals is limited. Co-infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum and louping ill virus (LIV), a close relative to TBEV, in sheep has been found to cause more severe disease than single LIV or A. phagocytophilum infection. The aim of this study was to investigate TBEV infection and co-infection of TBEV and A. phagocytophilum in lambs. A total of 30 lambs, aged five to six months, were used. The experiment was divided into two. In part one, pre- and post-infection of TBEV and A. phagocytophilum was investigated (group 1 to 4), while in part two, co-infection of TBEV and A. phagocytophilum was investigated (group 5 and 6). Blood samples were drawn, and rectal temperature was measured daily. Lambs inoculated with TBEV displayed no clinical symptoms, but had a short or non-detectable viremia by reverse transcription real-time PCR. All lambs inoculated with TBEV developed neutralizing TBEV antibodies. Our study is in accordance with previous studies, and indicates that TBEV rarely causes symptomatic disease in ruminants. All lambs inoculated with A. phagocytophilum developed fever and clinical symptoms of tick-borne fever, and A. phagocytophilum was present in the blood samples of all infected lambs, shown by qPCR. Significantly higher mean TBEV titer was detected in the group co-infected with TBEV and A. phagocytophilum, compared to the groups pre- or post-infected with A. phagocytophilum. These results indicate that co-infection with TBEV and A. phagocytophilum in sheep stimulates an increased TBEV antibody response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine M. Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Erik G. Granquist
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Wenche Okstad
- Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Rose Vikse
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Åshild K. Andreassen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
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Eskeland S, Stuen S, Crosby FL, Lybeck K, Barbet AF, Lindgren PE, Tollefsen S, Wilhelmsson P, Tollersrud TS, Makvandi-Nejad S, Granquist EG. Assessing the clinical and bacteriological outcomes of vaccination with recombinant Asp14 and OmpA against A. phagocytophilum in sheep. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2019; 218:109936. [PMID: 31590072 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2019.109936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick borne bacterium, causing disease in sheep and other mammals, including humans. The bacterium has great economic and animal welfare implications for sheep husbandry in Northern Europe. With the prospect of a warmer and more humid climate, the vector availability will likely increase, resulting in a higher prevalence of A. phagocytophilum. The current preventive measures, as pyrethroids acting on ticks or long acting antibiotics controlling bacterial infection, are suboptimal for prevention of the disease in sheep. Recently, the increased awareness on antibiotic- and pyrethorid resistance, is driving the search for a new prophylactic approach in sheep against A. phagocytophilum. Previous studies have used an attenuated vaccine, which gave insufficient protection from challenge with live bacteria. Other studies have focused on bacterial membrane surface proteins like Asp14 and OmpA. An animal study using homologous proteins to Asp14 and OmpA of A. marginale, showed no protective effect in heifers. In the current study, recombinant proteins of Asp14 (rAsp14) and OmpA (rOmpA) of A. phagocytophilum were produced and prepared as a vaccine for sheep. Ten lambs were vaccinated twice with an adjuvant emulsified with rAsp14 or rOmpA, three weeks apart and challenged with a live strain of A. phagocytophilum (GenBank acc.nr M73220) on day 42. The control group consisted of five lambs injected twice with PBS and adjuvant. Hematology, real time qPCR, immunodiagnostics and flow cytometric analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were performed. Vaccinated lambs responded with clinical signs of A.phagocytophilum infection after challenge and bacterial load in the vaccinated group was not reduced compared to the control group. rAsp14 vaccinated lambs generated an antibody response against the vaccine, but a clear specificity for rAsp14 could not be established. rOmpA-vaccinated lambs developed a strong specific antibody response on days 28 after vaccination and 14 days post-challenge. Immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear monocytes revealed no difference between the three groups, but the percentage of CD4+, CD8+, γδ TcR+, λ-Light chain+, CD11b+, CD14+ and MHC II+ cells, within the groups changed during the study, most likely due to the adjuvant or challenge with the bacterium. Although an antigen specific antibody response could be detected against rOmpA and possibly rAsp14, the vaccines seemed to be ineffective in reducing clinical signs and bacterial load caused by A. phagocytophilum. This is the first animal study with recombinant Asp14 and OmpA aimed at obtaining clinical protection against A. phagocytophilum in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sveinung Eskeland
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Kyrkjevegen 332/334, 4325, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Francy L Crosby
- University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 SW 16thAve., Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA
| | - Kari Lybeck
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, 0454, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anthony F Barbet
- University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 SW 16thAve., Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA
| | - Per-Eric Lindgren
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 53, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Medical Microbiology, Laboratory Medicin, County Hospital Ryhov, 551 85, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Stig Tollefsen
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, 0454, Oslo, Norway
| | - Peter Wilhelmsson
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 53, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Medical Microbiology, Laboratory Medicin, County Hospital Ryhov, 551 85, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Tore S Tollersrud
- Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Center, Lørenveien 38, 0585, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Erik G Granquist
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454, Oslo, Norway
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Paulsen KM, Stuen S, das Neves CG, Suhel F, Gurung D, Soleng A, Stiasny K, Vikse R, Andreassen ÅK, Granquist EG. Tick-borne encephalitis virus in cows and unpasteurized cow milk from Norway. Zoonoses Public Health 2018; 66:216-222. [PMID: 30593734 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is recognized as the most important zoonotic tick-transmitted virus in Europe. TBEV is mainly transmitted to humans through bites from TBEV-infected ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus). However, alimentary infection after consumption of unpasteurized milk and cheese from domestic ruminants has been reported. There is little information about TBEV in ruminants in Norway. The objectives of this study were to analyse unpasteurized cow milk for TBEV RNA and to study the presence of IgG antibodies to TBEV in the same animals. A total of 112 milk and blood samples were collected from cows from five different farms spread from southern to northern Norway. The milk samples were analysed by an in-house reverse transcription (RT) real-time polymerase chain reaction and confirmed by pyrosequencing. Serum samples were screened by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and verified by a TBEV-specific serum neutralization test. We found TBEV RNA in unpasteurized milk collected from farms in the municipalities of Mandal, Skedsmo and Brønnøy in 5.4% of the tested animals. Specific antibodies to TBEV were only detected in Arendal, where 88.2% of the tested animals were positive. Further studies on milk containing TBEV RNA should be performed to conclude if TBEV found in unpasteurized milk in Norway is infectious, which could be of great importance in a One Health perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine M Paulsen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | | | | | - Deepa Gurung
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rose Vikse
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Erik G Granquist
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
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6
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Kittelsen KE, David B, Moe RO, Poulsen HD, Young JF, Granquist EG. Associations among gait score, production data, abattoir registrations, and postmortem tibia measurements in broiler chickens. Poult Sci 2018; 96:1033-1040. [PMID: 27965410 DOI: 10.3382/ps/pew433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Lameness and impaired walking ability in rapidly growing meat-type broiler chickens are major welfare issues that cause economic losses. This study analyzed the prevalence of impaired walking and its associations with production data, abattoir registrations, and postmortem tibia measurements in Norwegian broiler chickens. Gait score (GS) was used to assess walking ability in 59 different commercial broiler flocks (Ross 308) close to the slaughter d, 5,900 broilers in total, in 3 different geographical regions. In each flock, 100 arbitrary broilers were gait scored and 10 random broilers were culled to harvest tibias. Abattoir registrations on flock level were collected after slaughter. A total of 24.6% of the broilers had moderate to severe gait impairment. The broilers were sampled in 2 stages, first slaughterhouse/region, and then owner/flock. The final models showed that impaired gait is associated with first-week mortality (P < 0.05), region (P < 0.001), height of tibias mid-shaft (P < 0.05), and calcium content in the tibia ash (P < 0.05), and negatively associated with DOA (P < 0.05). The prevalence of impaired gait indicates that this is a common problem in the broiler industry in Norway, although the mean slaughter age is only 31 d and the maximum allowed animal density is relatively low. Impaired walking ability could not be predicted by the welfare indicators footpad lesion score, total on-farm mortality, and decreasing DOA prevalence. Further studies are needed to explore the relationship between first-week mortality and gait score.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Kittelsen
- Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, NO-0513 Oslo, Norway
| | - B David
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Public Health Section, NO-0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - R O Moe
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - H D Poulsen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Aarhus, Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
| | - J F Young
- Department of Food Science, University of Aarhus, Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
| | - E G Granquist
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway
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Kittelsen KE, Granquist EG, Kolbjørnsen Ø, Nafstad O, Moe RO. A comparison of post-mortem findings in broilers dead-on-farm and broilers dead-on-arrival at the abattoir. Poult Sci 2016; 94:2622-9. [PMID: 26500266 DOI: 10.3382/ps/pev294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Broiler mortality during transport to abattoirs (dead-on-arrival/DOA) evokes concern due to compromised animal welfare and associated economic losses. The general aim of this study was to characterize pathological lesions associated with mortality in broilers close to slaughter. The specific aim was to investigate whether disease at the end of the growth period may be a predisposing factor for DOA by describing and comparing the pathological findings in broilers dead-on-farm (DOF) in the final days of the production cycle and in broilers DOA from the same flocks. Gross post-mortem examinations were performed on 607 broilers from 32 flocks, either DOF (371) or DOA (236). In DOF broilers, the most common pathological lesions were lung congestion (37.7%), endocarditis (29.4%), and ascites (24.0%), whereas the most common findings in broilers DOA were lung congestion (57.2%) and trauma (24.6%). Lung congestion was more prevalent among DOA broilers compared to DOF broilers (P-value of > 0.001). A possible cause behind the pathological finding lung congestion is sudden death syndrome (SDS). The study indicates that steps in the transportation process per se cause the majority of pathological lesions such as lung congestion and trauma that may have led to the mortalities registered. Pre-existing diseases such as ascites and osteomyelitis may also predispose for DOA. Thus, factors relating to on-farm health, catching, and transportation are all areas of future investigation in order to reduce transport mortalities and to enhance welfare in broilers.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Kittelsen
- Animalia- Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, NO-0513 Oslo, Norway
| | - E G Granquist
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Ø Kolbjørnsen
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Department of Pathology, NO-0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - O Nafstad
- Animalia- Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, NO-0513 Oslo, Norway
| | - R O Moe
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway
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Kittelsen KE, Granquist EG, Vasdal G, Tolo E, Moe RO. Effects of catching and transportation versus pre-slaughter handling at the abattoir on the prevalence of wing fractures in broilers. Anim Welf 2015. [DOI: 10.7120/09627286.24.4.387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Abstract
Background Anaplasma phagocytophilum (formerly Ehrlichia phagocytophila) is an obligate intracellular bacterium causing the disease tick-borne fever (TBF) in domestic ruminants. An effective vaccine against the infection has been demanded for livestock by sheep farmers and veterinary practitioners for years. Findings In the present study, we immunized lambs with an inactivated suspension of 1 × 108 killed A. phagocytophilum organisms mixed with adjuvant (Montanide ISA 61VG; Seppic). Twelve 9-months-old lambs of the Norwegian White Sheep breed were used. A full two-dose series of immunization was given subcutaneously to six lambs with a 4 week interval between injections. One month after the last immunization, all lambs were challenged with the homologous viable variant of A. phagocytophilum. After challenge, all lambs showed clinical responses for several days, although the immunized lambs reacted with an anamnestic response, i.e. significant reduction in infection rate and a significantly higher antibody titer. Conclusion Immunization with inactivated A. phagocytophilum did not protect lambs TBF.
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Granquist EG, Kristiansson M, Lindgren PE, Matussek A, Nødtvedt A, Okstad W, Stuen S. Evaluation of microbial communities and symbionts in Ixodes ricinus and ungulate hosts (Cervus elaphus and Ovis aries) from shared habitats on the west coast of Norway. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:780-4. [PMID: 25132534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent reports suggest a potential for transmission of a newly discovered rickettsial endosymbiont, Midichloria mitochondrii, to animals and humans from feeding ticks (Ixodes ricinus). Using molecular methods; I. ricinus, sheep and red deer in Anaplasma phagocytophilum-endemic areas of Norway, were examined to see if they were infected by M. mitochondrii or related organisms like Wolbachia pipientis and Rickettsia spp. A total of 532 ticks collected from pastures, 76 blood samples from grazing lambs and 12 organ samples from hunted deer, were analyzed during the study. All larval pools, 60.4% pooled nymphs and 35.1% of adult ticks were positive for M. mitochondrii. There was a significant difference between geographical areas in the prevalence of M. mitochondrii infection among nymphs. A total of 2.2% pooled nymphs and 5.3% adult ticks were positive for A. phagocytophilum. Eleven percent of pooled nymphs were positive for Borrelia spp, 2.2% of pooled nymphs and 3.5% of adult ticks were positive for Rickettsia spp. and none of the ticks were positive for W. pipientis. The prevalence of A. phagocytophilum infection was 54% and 75% in grazing lambs and deer, respectively. No animals were positive for Borrelia spp., M. mitochondrii, Rickettsia spp. or W. pipientis. The reported findings suggest that M. mitochondrii is widespread in tick populations at different geographical sites, and may appear in co-infection with A. phagocytophilum, Borrelia spp. and Rickettsia spp. in ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik G Granquist
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Malin Kristiansson
- Department of Laboratory Services, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Per-Eric Lindgren
- Department of Laboratory Services, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden; Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - Andreas Matussek
- Department of Laboratory Services, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Ane Nødtvedt
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Wenche Okstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
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12
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Kjelstrup CK, Arnesen LPS, Granquist EG, L’Abée-Lund TM. Characterization of Escherichia coli O78 from an outbreak of septicemia in lambs in Norway. Vet Microbiol 2013; 166:276-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Stuen S, Granquist EG, Silaghi C. Anaplasma phagocytophilum--a widespread multi-host pathogen with highly adaptive strategies. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013; 3:31. [PMID: 23885337 PMCID: PMC3717505 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 354] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum has for decades been known to cause the disease tick-borne fever (TBF) in domestic ruminants in Ixodes ricinus-infested areas in northern Europe. In recent years, the bacterium has been found associated with Ixodes-tick species more or less worldwide on the northern hemisphere. A. phagocytophilum has a broad host range and may cause severe disease in several mammalian species, including humans. However, the clinical symptoms vary from subclinical to fatal conditions, and considerable underreporting of clinical incidents is suspected in both human and veterinary medicine. Several variants of A. phagocytophilum have been genetically characterized. Identification and stratification into phylogenetic subfamilies has been based on cell culturing, experimental infections, PCR, and sequencing techniques. However, few genome sequences have been completed so far, thus observations on biological, ecological, and pathological differences between genotypes of the bacterium, have yet to be elucidated by molecular and experimental infection studies. The natural transmission cycles of various A. phagocytophilum variants, the involvement of their respective hosts and vectors involved, in particular the zoonotic potential, have to be unraveled. A. phagocytophilum is able to persist between seasons of tick activity in several mammalian species and movement of hosts and infected ticks on migrating animals or birds may spread the bacterium. In the present review, we focus on the ecology and epidemiology of A. phagocytophilum, especially the role of wildlife in contribution to the spread and sustainability of the infection in domestic livestock and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science Sandnes, Norway.
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Al-Khedery B, Lundgren AM, Stuen S, Granquist EG, Munderloh UG, Nelson CM, Alleman AR, Mahan SM, Barbet AF. Structure of the type IV secretion system in different strains of Anaplasma phagocytophilum. BMC Genomics 2012. [PMID: 23190684 PMCID: PMC3556328 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an intracellular organism in the Order Rickettsiales that infects diverse animal species and is causing an emerging disease in humans, dogs and horses. Different strains have very different cell tropisms and virulence. For example, in the U.S., strains have been described that infect ruminants but not dogs or rodents. An intriguing question is how the strains of A. phagocytophilum differ and what different genome loci are involved in cell tropisms and/or virulence. Type IV secretion systems (T4SS) are responsible for translocation of substrates across the cell membrane by mechanisms that require contact with the recipient cell. They are especially important in organisms such as the Rickettsiales which require T4SS to aid colonization and survival within both mammalian and tick vector cells. We determined the structure of the T4SS in 7 strains from the U.S. and Europe and revised the sequence of the repetitive virB6 locus of the human HZ strain. RESULTS Although in all strains the T4SS conforms to the previously described split loci for vir genes, there is great diversity within these loci among strains. This is particularly evident in the virB2 and virB6 which are postulated to encode the secretion channel and proteins exposed on the bacterial surface. VirB6-4 has an unusual highly repetitive structure and can have a molecular weight greater than 500,000. For many of the virs, phylogenetic trees position A. phagocytophilum strains infecting ruminants in the U.S. and Europe distant from strains infecting humans and dogs in the U.S. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals evidence of gene duplication and considerable diversity of T4SS components in strains infecting different animals. The diversity in virB2 is in both the total number of copies, which varied from 8 to 15 in the herein characterized strains, and in the sequence of each copy. The diversity in virB6 is in the sequence of each of the 4 copies in the single locus and the presence of varying numbers of repetitive units in virB6-3 and virB6-4. These data suggest that the T4SS should be investigated further for a potential role in strain virulence of A. phagocytophilum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basima Al-Khedery
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Stuen S, Grøva L, Granquist EG, Sandstedt K, Olesen I, Steinshamn H. A comparative study of clinical manifestations, haematological and serological responses after experimental infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in two Norwegian sheep breeds. Acta Vet Scand 2011; 53:8. [PMID: 21314927 PMCID: PMC3042963 DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-53-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2010] [Accepted: 02/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It has been questioned if the old native Norwegian sheep breed, Old Norse Sheep (also called Norwegian Feral Sheep), normally distributed on coastal areas where ticks are abundant, is more protected against tick-borne infections than other Norwegian breeds due to a continuously high selection pressure on pasture. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis in an experimental infection study. Methods Five-months-old lambs of two Norwegian sheep breeds, Norwegian White (NW) sheep and Old Norse (ON) sheep, were experimentally infected with a 16S rRNA genetic variant of Anaplasma phagocytophilum (similar to GenBank accession number M73220). The experiment was repeated for two subsequent years, 2008 and 2009, with the use of 16 lambs of each breed annually. Ten lambs of each breed were inoculated intravenously each year with 0.4 ml A. phagocytophilum-infected blood containing approximately 0.5 × 106 infected neutrophils/ml. Six lambs of each breed were used as uninfected controls. Half of the primary inoculated lambs in each breed were re-challenged with the same infectious dose at nine (2008) and twelve (2009) weeks after the first challenge. The clinical, haematological and serological responses to A. phagocytophilum infection were compared in the two sheep breeds. Results The present study indicates a difference in fever response and infection rate between breeds of Norwegian sheep after experimental infection with A. phagocytophilum. Conclusion Although clinical response seems to be less in ON-lambs compared to NW-lambs, further studies including more animals are needed to evaluate if the ON-breed is more protected against tick-borne infections than other Norwegian breeds.
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Granquist EG, Aleksandersen M, Bergström K, Dumler SJ, Torsteinbø WO, Stuen S. A morphological and molecular study of Anaplasma phagocytophilum transmission events at the time of Ixodes ricinus tick bite. Acta Vet Scand 2010; 52:43. [PMID: 20565721 PMCID: PMC2904780 DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-52-43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2010] [Accepted: 06/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) in humans and tick-borne fever (TBF) in ruminants. The bacterium invades and replicates in phagocytes, especially in polymorphonuclear granulocytes. METHODS In the present study, skin biopsies and ticks (Ixodes ricinus) were collected from tick feeding lesions on 38 grazing lambs between two and three weeks after access to pastures. The histopathological changes associated with tick bites and A. phagocytophilum infection, were described. In addition the skin biopsies were examined by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, samples from blood, skin biopsies and ticks were examined by serology, PCR amplification of msp2 (p44), genotyping of rrs (16S rRNA) variants, and compared with the results obtained from histological and immunohistochemical investigations. RESULTS Tick bites were associated with chronic and hyperplastic inflammatory skin lesions in this study. A. phagocytophilum present in skin lesions were mainly associated with neutrophils and macrophages. Bacteria were occasionally observed in the Tunica media and Tunica adventitia of small vessels, but were rarely found in association with endothelial cells. PCR and genotyping of organisms present in blood, ticks and skin biopsies suggested a haematogenous and a local spread of organisms at the tick attachment sites. CONCLUSIONS The present study describes different aspects of A. phagocytophilum infection at the site of tick bite, and indicates that A. phagocytophilum rarely associates with endothelium during the early pathogenesis of infection.
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Granquist EG, Bårdsen K, Bergström K, Stuen S. Variant -and individual dependent nature of persistent Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection. Acta Vet Scand 2010; 52:25. [PMID: 20398321 PMCID: PMC2859769 DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-52-25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2009] [Accepted: 04/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of tick-borne fever in ruminants and human granulocytotropic anaplasmosis (HGA). The bacterium is able to survive for several months in immune-competent sheep by modifying important cellular and humoral defence mechanisms. Little is known about how different strains of A. phagocytophilum propagate in their natural hosts during persistent infection. METHODS Two groups of five lambs were infected with each of two 16S rRNA gene variants of A. phagocytophilum, i.e. 16S variant 1 which is identical to GenBank no M73220 and 16S variant 2 which is identical to GenBank no AF336220, respectively. The lambs were infected intravenously and followed by blood sampling for six months. A. phagocytophilum infection in the peripheral blood was detected by absolute quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS Both 16S rRNA gene variants of A. phagocytophilum established persistent infection for at least six months and showed cyclic bacteraemias, but variant 1 introduced more frequent periods of bacteraemia and higher number of organisms than 16S rRNA gene variant 2 in the peripheral blood. CONCLUSION Organisms were available from blood more or less constantly during the persistent infection and there were individual differences in cyclic activity of A. phagocytophilum in the infected animals. Two 16S rRNA gene variants of A. phagocytophilum show differences in cyclic activity during persistent infection in lambs.
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Granquist EG, Stuen S, Crosby L, Lundgren AM, Alleman AR, Barbet AF. Variant-specific and diminishing immune responses towards the highly variable MSP2(P44) outer membrane protein of Anaplasma phagocytophilum during persistent infection in lambs. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2009; 133:117-24. [PMID: 19695712 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2009.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2009] [Revised: 06/24/2009] [Accepted: 07/09/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of tick-borne fever in small ruminants and has been identified as the zoonotic agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis. The Norwegian strains of the rickettsia are naturally persistent in lambs and represent a suitable experimental system for analyzing the mechanisms of persistence. Variation of the outer membrane protein MSP2(P44) by recombination of variable pseudogene segments into an expression site is believed to play a key role in persistence of the organism. The goal of the present study was to analyze the dynamics of the immune response towards A. phagocytophilum and MSP2(P44) during persistent infection of lambs. Responses to the hypervariable region of MSP2(P44) were detected shortly after appearance of the respective variants in cyclic rickettsemic peaks, consistent with a process of antigenic variation. In addition, there was a diminishing antibody response to MSP2(P44) and to other A. phagocytophilum antigens overall with time of infection, that was not associated with clearance of the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik G Granquist
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Kyrkjevegen 332/334, Sandnes N-4325, Norway.
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