Antibody responses in arthritic and uncomplicatedYersinia enterocolitica infections

Concentrations of antiyersinia antibody isotypes IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA and IgM were measured in 33 patients with yersiniosis using a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Sixteen patients had a complicating reactive arthritis. Throughout the observation period IgG1 and IgM antibodies both constituted approximately one-third of the total antibodies, while IgA accounted for 10%, IgG3 accounted for 1%, and IgG4 antibodies could not be detected. IgG1, IgM, and IgA antibodies (and the total titer) had reached their peak at the beginning of the observation period (ca. day 20 after the onset of symptoms). The levels then gradually decreased; the total titers averaged 40 times the background at the beginning of the observation period and 4 times the background on day 350. IgM antibodies could be detected as late as a year after the infection. The concentration of IgG2 antibodies varied greatly from patient to patient. In most patients it increased until a plateau was reached approximately 2 months after the onset of symptoms. A decline was observed later. Five arthritic but no nonarthritic patients had a pronounced IgG2 response (more than half of the IgG antibodies were IgG2 in one or several samples).     

Prevalence of yersinia antibodies in blood donors

Agglutinins titers against Y. enterocolitica 0:3, 0:5, 0:9 and Y. pseudotuberculosis I were determined by the microagglutination method in 777 blood donor sera.Titers of <- 1/10 were observed in 93.5% of the subjects for Y. enterocolitica 0:3, in 87.8% for Y. enterocolitica 0:9 and in 95.1% for Y. enterocolitica 0:5 and for Y. pseudotuberculosis I. Low level titers (1/10 – 1/20) were found in 11.4% to 23.1%. Titers of 1/40 were observed in 1.7% for Y. enterocolitica 0:3, in 1.4% for Y. enterocolitica 0:5, in 5.1% for Y. enterocolitica 0:9 and in 1.2% for Y. pseudotuberculosis I. Titers of 1/80 were seen in 0.2% for Y. enterocolitica 0:3, in 0.1% for Y. enterocolitica 0:5 and in 1.3% for Y. enterocolitica 0:9. Only in one donor's serum was a titer of 1/160 against Y. enterocolitica 0:9 found.The upper limit of normal titer at 15% cutoff level against Yersinia antigens, found in blood donor sera by the microagglutination test, was 1/10.     

Surgical aspects of an outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitis

Eleven patients with Yersinia enterocolitica infections were identified in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont during October and November of 1995. Three children presented with an appendicitis-like picture. Two underwent appendectomy, one of whom was the outbreak's index case. Both appendectomy patients presented with lower abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and a right lower quadrant mass associated with leukocytosis. Both had terminal ileitis, and in both, cultures of peritoneal fluid and a mesenteric lymph node grew Y. enterocolitica. Even during an outbreak there is no consistently reliable nonoperative way to separate a sporadic case of appendicitis from one whose appendicitis-like symptoms are due to Yersinia. In addition, a small percentage of Yersinia patients will present with true appendicitis as a complication of their disease. Accepted: 20 January 1997     

实时荧光PCR快速检测鼠疫耶尔森菌方法的建立

目的建立一种能快速检测鼠疫耶尔森菌的实时荧光PCR方法。方法以鼠疫耶尔森菌pla毒力基因的保守区为靶区域设计特异引物和TaqMan荧光探针,探针的5’端标记荧光报告基团FAM,3’端标记荧光淬灭基团TAMRA;建立一种能快速检测样本中鼠疫耶尔森菌的实时荧光PCR方法,并对方法的特异性和灵敏度进行评价。结果该实时荧光PCR方法只对鼠疫耶尔森菌进行特异扩增,同种属的小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌以及伤寒杆菌、肺炎衣原体、嗜肺军团杆菌其他症状相似病原体均无扩增;该方法在65 min内即可完成检测,操作方便快速,对菌悬液最低可检测至10个菌体。结论本研究建立的实时荧光PCR检测鼠疫耶尔森菌方法不仅能实现对鼠疫杆菌的快速检测,还可为鼠疫耶尔森菌引发疫情的监控和溯源提供参考。     

2011～2012年赤峰市松山区动物中检出41株小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌

目的了解赤峰市松山区境内鼠类,家畜家禽携带小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌情况,为疾病预防控制工作提供科学依据。方法采集鼠类、家畜家禽的粪便、脏器等样品,进行小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌的分离、培养、鉴定和生物血清分型,并用PCR方法进行毒力因子检测。结果 2011～2012年共检验各类样品412份,检出小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌41株,皆来自猪咽拭子。2011年总检出率为16.02%,猪咽拭子的检出率高达28.28%。41株小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌中,携带了ail,ystA,yadA,virF,rfbc基因的3/O：3生物血清型菌株占95.12%;4/O：4生物血清型菌株占2.32%;其他占2.32%。结论赤峰市松山区境内的猪咽部携带小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌,猪是致病性小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌的重要携带者。     

tPA信号肽和鼠疫杆菌保护性抗原V融合基因的构建及免疫效果鉴定

获得含有鼠疫杆菌V抗原编码基因以及tPA信号肽编码序列的重组质粒,并测定其诱导特异性免疫应答的能力。采用PCR扩增鼠疫菌杆菌V基因构建到pVAX1质粒中产生pVAX1/V重组质粒,PCR扩增tPA信号肽编码序列片段并将其插入到pVAX1/V中V基因的上游,构建tPA-pVAX1/V重组质粒;转染COS-7细胞,免疫细胞化学方法鉴定V蛋白的表达;二重组质粒分别加mGM-CSF质粒免疫BALB/c小鼠,观察免疫应答反应;以400个LD50强毒鼠疫杆菌皮下攻击免疫小鼠观察保护效率。结果显示,tPA-pVAX1/V在COS-7细胞中表达了V蛋白;免疫小鼠血清产生了特异性抗体和细胞免疫应答;攻毒保护率达80%。成功构建了分泌型V蛋白的真核表达质粒载体,具有诱导特异性细胞免疫和体液免疫应答的能力,对强毒鼠疫杆菌攻毒有一定的保护效力,为鼠疫杆菌新型疫苗研制奠定了基础。     

Quinto Tiberio Angelerio and New Measures for Controlling Plague in 16th-Century Alghero,Sardinia

Plague, a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, has been responsible for at least 3 pandemics. During 1582–1583, a plague outbreak devastated the seaport of Alghero in Sardinia. By analyzing contemporary medical texts and local documentation, we uncovered the pivotal role played by the Protomedicus of Alghero, Quinto Tiberio Angelerio (1532–1617), in controlling the epidemic. Angelerio imposed rules and antiepidemic measures new to the 16th-century sanitary system of Sardinia. Those measures undoubtedly spared the surrounding districts from the spread of the contagion. Angelerio seems to have been an extremely successful public health officer in the history of plague epidemics in Sardinia.     

Transfusion transmitted Yersinia enterocolitica infection in New Zealand

Abstract Aims: To update and summarise cases of transfusion-transmitted Yersinia enterocolitica infection in New Zealand and to evaluate critically suggested methods to reduce this rare but frequently fatal complication of blood transfusion.
Methods: Case reports of four recent transfusion-transmitted Y enterocolitica infections in New Zealand are given and previous reports reviewed. Literature review and evaluation of proposed methods to decrease the incidence of transfusing yersinia contaminated blood.
Results: There have been eight cases of transfusion-transmitted Y enterocolitica infection in New Zealand in the past five years. Four of the five deaths have been directly caused by the transfusion. This gives a transfusion incidence rate of one:65,000 and a fatality rate of one: 104,000 units transfused. This fatality rate is more than 80 times higher than that reported in the United States.
Conclusions: Why the incidence of transfusion-transmitted yersinia is so high is not clear, since we do not store blood as long as many other countries, particularly the United States. In Auckland, however, the cases came at a time when the number of yersinia isolates from the community is reported to be rising.
Many suggestions for the prevention of this problem have been put forward reflecting the fact that there is as yet no perfect solution. Those which are easy to implement and cheap to perform are largely already in place and investigation is continuing into the other alternatives.