Serological evidence of exposure to ebolaviruses in domestic pigs from Guinea

The genus Ebolavirus comprises several virus species with zoonotic potential and varying pathogenicity for humans. Ebolaviruses are considered to circulate in wildlife with occasional spillover events into the human population which then often leads to severe disease outbreaks. Several studies indicate a significant role of bats as reservoir hosts in the ebolavirus ecology. However, pigs from the Philippines have been found to be naturally infected with Reston virus (RESTV), an ebolavirus that is thought to only cause asymptomatic infections in humans. The recent report of ebolavirus‐specific antibodies in pigs from Sierra Leone further supports natural infection of pigs with ebolaviruses. However, susceptibility of pigs to highly pathogenic Ebola virus (EBOV) was only shown under experimental settings and evidence for natural infection of pigs with EBOV is currently lacking. Between October and December 2017, we collected 308 serum samples from pigs in Guinea, West Africa, and tested for the presence of ebolavirus‐specific antibodies with different serological assays. Besides reactivity to EBOV nucleoproteins in ELISA and Western blot for 19 (6.2%) and 13 (4.2%) samples, respectively, four sera recognized Sudan virus (SUDV) NP in Western blot. Furthermore, four samples specifically detected EBOV or SUDV glycoprotein (GP) in an indirect immunofluorescence assay under native conditions. Virus neutralization assay based on EBOV (Mayinga isolate) revealed five weakly neutralizing sera. The finding of (cross‐) reactive and weakly neutralizing antibodies suggests the exposure of pigs from Guinea to ebolaviruses or ebola‐like viruses with their pathogenicity as well as their zoonotic potential remaining unknown. Future studies should investigate whether pigs can act as an amplifying host for ebolaviruses and whether there is a risk for spillover events.     

Molecular characterization of African swine fever virus from outbreaks in Namibia in 2018

Five samples were collected from four suspected outbreaks of African swine fever in Namibia in 2018. Sequencing of the C‐terminus of the B646L gene (p72 protein), the central hypervariable region (CVR) of the B602L gene, the E183L gene (p54 protein) and the CD2v (used to determine the serogroup) was performed on DNA isolated from the samples. Phylogenetic analyses of the B646L (p72) revealed that one of the samples belonged to genotype I while the remaining samples could not be assigned to any currently known genotype. In contrast, by using the E183L gene three of the samples were shown to belong to genotype Id and only two were of unknown genotype. Based on the analysis of the partial CD2v amino acid sequences of four of the samples, one of the viruses clustered with serogroup 2 while the other three did not cluster within any of the eight known serogroups. Examination of the CVR identified three variants with 8, 18 and 24 tetrameric tandem repeat sequences. This study indicates that at least three different genetically distinct ASFV are currently present in Namibia.     

川芎嗪对离体豚鼠气道平滑肌的效应及机制研究

目的：探讨川芎嗪( ligustrazine,LIG)对离体豚鼠气道平滑肌( airway smooth muscle,ASM)的效应及机制。方法取正常豚鼠支气管,制作成气管螺旋条,随机分成LIG组、LIG+普萘洛尔组、LIG+阿托品组、LIG+硝苯地平组、LIG+格列苯脲组、对照组。分别观察ASM在静息张力下以及组胺所致的高张力下,各组不同LIG浓度对ASM的效应并比较各组间ASM舒张率。结果(1) LIG对离体豚鼠ASM静息张力以及组胺所致的高张力均具有舒张作用。(2)离体豚鼠ASM在静息张力下,与LIG组比较,LIG+普萘洛尔组在LIG浓度10-7~10-6．5 mol/L时,舒张作用明显受到拮抗( P <0．05)。 LIG +阿托品组、LIG+格列苯脲组在LIG浓度10-7．5~10-3 mol/L时,舒张作用没有明显差别(P>0．05)。 LIG+硝苯地平组在LIG浓度10-6~10-4 mol/L时,舒张作用明显加强( P<0．05)。(3)离体豚鼠ASM在组胺所致的高张力下,与LIG组比较,LIG+普萘洛尔组在LIG浓度10-6.5~10-5 mol/L时,舒张作用明显受到拮抗( P<0．05);LIG+阿托品组、LIG+格列苯脲组在LIG浓度10-8~10-3 mol/L时,舒张作用没有明显差别( P>0．05);LIG+硝苯地平组在LIG浓度10-6.5~10-5 mol/L时,舒张作用明显加强(P<0．05)。结论 LIG可对离体豚鼠ASM静息张力以及组胺所致的高张力产生明显的舒张作用,其效应的产生可能与竞争性激动β2受体以及抑制Ca2+内流有关,这为临床应用川芎嗪治疗支气管哮喘提供了理论依据。     

口腔溃疡豚鼠血清中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶活性的研究

目的：研究口腔溃疡豚鼠血清中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-PX）的活性。方法：用90%苯酚溶液灼烧豚鼠左侧面颊,造成口腔溃疡模型,观察豚鼠口腔溃疡模型的溃疡面积、溃疡程度及溃疡组织病理变化,测定血清中GSH-PX活性。结果：用苯酚溶液造豚鼠口腔溃疡模型成功,d1～d5,模型组与空白组相比,口腔溃疡程度显著,血清中GSH-PX活性显著降低（P<0.01）。口腔溃疡豚鼠随着时间的变化溃疡面积逐渐缩小,血清中GSH-PX活性逐渐增强。结论：血清中GSH-PX对口腔溃疡的自愈有促进作用。     

The effect of acupuncture at “Jng Jiāj” on auditory brainstem response threshold of guinea pigs with sensorineural hearing loss

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of acupuncture at “J

ng Jiāj

” (

) on sudden hearing loss by observing the changes of the threshold of auditory brainstem response (ABR) of deaf guinea pigs.MethodsSixty healthy guinea pigs were selected, with computer randomization, 20 were randomly divided into a normal control group (group A), while the rest were randomly and equally divided into a model group (group B) and an acupuncture group (group C) when turned deaf after gentamycin sulfate and furosemide were administered. No treatment was administered for either the group A or the group B, while acupuncture at “J

ng Jiāj

” was given for the group C for 30 days. The ABR thresholds of each group were observed and recorded separately after the treatment for 15 days and 30 days.ResultsThe ABR threshold in the group C was lower than that in the group B after the treatment of 15 days (P<0.05). After the treatment of 30 days, the ABR threshold in the group C was obviously lower than that in the group B (P<0.01), and was obviously lower than that before acupuncture (P<0.01).ConclusionsAcupuncture at “J

ng Jiāj

” has definite effect on improving the hearing of deaf guinea pigs.     

Site potential for challenge attrition in mice, rats and guinea pigs vaccinated with irradiated cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni

The potential sites of attrition of a challenge population of schistosomes have been investigated in mice, rats and guinea pigs vaccinated with irradiated cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni, by the use of challenge regimens that permit sequential site elimination. Vaccinated mice showed significant immunity to a percutaneous cercarial challenge, but were only marginally resistant to an i.v. challenge with healthy lung stage worms. Vaccinated rats and guinea pigs differed from mice, in that they were able to mediate significant challenge attrition at post-skin sites. Healthy lung worms were subject to immune elimination by rats in the lungs, or perhaps en route to the liver, but not in the liver itself. In contrast, guinea pigs had the capacity to kill challenge lung worms injected into either the lungs or the liver. Interestingly, lung worms harvested by extended incubation were shown to be sub-optimal in terms of viability, since they were eliminated in significant numbers when injected i.v. into vaccinated mice. These data show that different hosts vaccinated in essentially the same manner differ in terms of their site potential for challenge attrition. It is emphasised however, that sites implicated by these experiments as having the capacity to mediate immune elimination are not necessarily the sites at which challenge attrition occurs under normal circumstances.     

The Effect of Zataria multiflora and its Constituent,Carvacrol, on Tracheal Responsiveness and Lung Pathology in Guinea Pig Model of COPD

The effects of Zataria multiflora (Z. multiflora) and its constituent, carvacrol, in guinea pigs model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were examined. Animals were divided into control, COPD, COPD + drinking water containing three concentrations of extract of Z. multiflora (0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 mg/ml), COPD + drinking water containing three concentrations of carvacrol (60, 120 and 240 µg/ml) and COPD + dexamethasone (50 µg/ml). COPD was induced by exposing animals to cigarette smoke for 3 months. Emphysema as a pathological change of the lung and tracheal responsiveness were measured (n = 5 for control and COPD groups and n = 6 for another groups). Tracheal responsiveness (p < 0.05) and emphysema were significantly increased (p < 0.001) in COPD compared to the control group. Tracheal responsiveness in COPD groups treated with two higher concentrations of the Z. multiflora and three concentrations of carvacrol, and emphysema in treated with highest concentration of Z. multiflora and carvacrol were significantly improved compared to COPD group. Studied parameters were also significantly improved in the treated group with dexamethasone compared to COPD animals (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01). The results indicated a preventive effect of Z. multiflora extract and its constituent, carvacrol, on tracheal responsiveness and pathological changes of the lung. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparative Analysis of African Swine Fever Virus Genotypes and Serogroups

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes highly lethal hemorrhagic disease among pigs, and ASFV’s extreme antigenic diversity hinders vaccine development. We show that p72 ASFV phylogenetic analysis does not accurately define ASFV hemadsorption inhibition assay serogroups. Thus, conventional ASFV genotyping cannot discriminate between viruses of different virulence or predict efficacy of a specific ASFV vaccine.     

卡介菌多糖核酸干预豚鼠急性过敏反应的研究

目的:研究卡介菌多糖核酸对豚鼠急性过敏反应的作用及可能的机制,探讨卡介菌多糖核酸的质量控制效力模型的提高方法。方法:建立牛血清白蛋白诱导豚鼠产生急性过敏反应模型。激发后30 min内观察豚鼠全身反应,并根据致敏性症状评分标准分级。取血用ELISA法测致敏前、攻击前及攻击后豚鼠血清总Ig E和组胺水平。结果:攻击后,模型组和卡介菌多糖核酸低剂量组豚鼠出现不同程度的急性过敏反应症状,而卡介菌中、高剂量组豚鼠急性过敏反应症状明显缓解。模型组在攻击前、后采集的血清总Ig E水平分别为1.637 0±0.158 6,1.683 1±0.228 1μg·ml-1,较正常对照组显著升高(P<0.01),而同时给予卡介菌多糖核酸后,卡介菌高剂量和中剂量处理组在攻击前、后采集的血清总Ig E水平与模型组比较均显著降低(P<0.01)。经牛血清蛋白致敏后,在攻击前后,模型组血清中组胺水平分别为1.499 7±0.133 1,1.512 1±0.050 6μg·ml-1,与阴性对照组相比均显著升高(P<0.01),而同时给予卡介菌多糖核酸后,卡介菌高、中、低各剂量处理组在攻击前、后采集的血清中组胺水平与模型组比较有明显降低(P<0.01)。结论:卡介菌多糖核酸可剂量依赖性抑制牛血清蛋白引起的急性过敏反应。其抗急性过敏反应的可能机制与降低血清总Ig E和组胺水平有关。