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- Cassi, Xavier Fernandez, et al.
(author)
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Microbial communities and Food safety aspects of crickets (Acheta domestica) reared under controlled conditions
- 2020
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In: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 6, s. 429-440
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In an approach combining microbiological culture methods with high-throughput sequencing, this study investigated the microbial communities (bacteria, moulds and yeasts) in Swedish-produced edible crickets (Acheta domesticus) reared in a controlled environment. The effects of different feeds on microbial loads and populations in crickets were also studied. The crickets used were third-generation offspring from wild-caught individuals from Sweden, which are adapted to grow in a laboratory environment. The efficiency of rinsing to decrease microbial load was evaluated not obtaining a significant decrease of plating counts for total aerobic counts (TAC) and Enterobacteriaceae. Crickets were divided into three batches and fed different diets (control feed, early-cut red clover hay (ECH), late-cut fresh red clover (LCF)) for 62 days. Bacterial numbers (TAC and Enterobacteriaceae) on whole raw crickets ranged between 7 and 8 log cfu/g. Pre-rinsing in water did not reduce these levels (P=0.19). All batches tested negative for the food-borne bacteria Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens. The mean mould count for crickets fed control feed was 2.8 log cfu/g, while the values for crickets fed ECH and LCF were 4.2 and 4.5 log cfu/g, respectively. The dominant bacterial communities were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, with Firmicutes and Proteobacteria dominating in crickets fed control feed, Firmicutes dominating in crickets fed LCF and Proteobacteria dominating in crickets fed ECH. Aspergillus flavus, a fungus that is capable of producing mycotoxins, was detected in control feed and ECH reared crickets. More work is needed to identify specific food-borne pathogens in edible crickets and establish possible bacterial quality reference values, as an important step in developing microbial quality and safety parameters to ensure consumer safety.
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| 5. |
- Wierup, Martin, et al.
(author)
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Biosafety considerations and risk reduction strategy for a new veterinary faculty building and teaching hospital in Sweden
- 2020
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In: Infection Ecology & Epidemiology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2000-8686. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: This paper describes a hazard- and risk-based strategy and recommendations on relevant biosafety levels in facility design of a new veterinary faculty building including a veterinary medical teaching hospital. Both animal and human health were considered.Materials and methods: Agents listed in the regulatory frameworks on animal and human health were identified as the main potential hazards. Suggestions on biosafety level and facility design were based on the official risk grouping of those agents, the associated risk management procedures, and biosafety experiences from previous faculty buildings.Results and Discussion: It was suggested that VHC should not be designed for work with agents requiring facilities at biosafety levels 3 and 4, and that actions in cases of accidental exposure to notifiable infections should follow the regulatory requirements. Facilities requiring biosafety level 2 were identified from risk scenarios and transmission routes. Experiences from the first five years of operation revealed good prevention of spread of infection from patients in isolation facilities and successful elimination of Salmonella and MRSA from the large animal clinic.Conclusion: In order to avoid costly construction mistakes, an overall biosafety strategy should be formulated and used as guidance for architects and other relevant stakeholders designing facilities for the animal health sector. Regulatory requirements on infectious diseases must be complied with.
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| 6. |
- Wille, Michelle, et al.
(author)
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Evolutionary genetics of canine respiratory coronavirus and recent introduction into Swedish dogs
- 2020
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In: Infection, Genetics and Evolution. - : Elsevier BV. - 1567-1348 .- 1567-7257. ; 82
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) has been identified as a causative agent of canine infectious respiratory disease, an upper respiratory infection affecting dogs. The epidemiology is currently opaque, with an unclear understanding of global prevalence, pathology, and genetic characteristics. In this study, Swedish privately-owned dogs with characteristic signs of canine infectious respiratory disease (n = 88) were screened for CRCoV and 13 positive samples (14.7%, 8.4-23.7% [95% confidence interval (CI)]) were further sequenced. Sequenced Swedish CRCoV isolates were highly similar despite being detected in dogs living in geographically distant locations and sampled across 3 years (2013-2015). This is due to a single introduction into Swedish dogs in approximately 2010, as inferred by time structured phylogeny. Unlike other CRCoVs, there was no evidence of recombination in Swedish CRCoV viruses, further supporting a single introduction. Finally, there were low levels of polymorphisms, in the spike genes. Overall, we demonstrate that there is little diversity of CRCoV which is endemic in Swedish dogs.
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| 7. |
- Baruah, Kartik
(author)
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Structure-Functional Activity Relationship of beta-Glucans From the Perspective of Immunomodulation: A Mini-Review
- 2020
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In: Frontiers in Immunology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-3224. ; 11
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- beta-Glucans are a heterogeneous group of glucose polymers with a common structure comprising a main chain of beta-(1,3) and/or beta-(1,4)-glucopyranosyl units, along with side chains with various branches and lengths. beta-Glucans initiate immune responses via immune cells, which become activated by the binding of the polymer to specific receptors. However, beta-glucans from different sources also differ in their structure, conformation, physical properties, binding affinity to receptors, and thus biological functions. The mechanisms behind this are not fully understood. This mini-review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date commentary on the relationship between beta-glucans' structure and function in relation to their use for immunomodulation.
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| 8. |
- Berg, Mikael
(author)
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Extinction and emergence of genomic haplotypes during the evolution of Avian coronavirus in chicken embryos
- 2020
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In: Genetics and Molecular Biology. - 1415-4757. ; 43
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Avian coronavirus (AvCoV) is ubiquitously present on poultry as a multitude of virus lineages. Studies on AvCoV phenotypic traits are dependent on the isolation of field strains in chicken embryonated eggs, but the mutant spectrum on each isolate is not considered. This manuscript reports the previously unknown HTS (high throughput sequencing)-based complete genome haplotyping of AvCoV isolates after passages of two field strains in chicken embryonated eggs. For the first and third passages of strain 23/2013, virus loads were 6.699 log copies/mu L and 6 log copies/mu L and, for 38/2013, 5.699 log copies/mu L and 2.699 log copies/mu L of reaction, respectively. The first passage of strain 23/2013 contained no variant haplotype, while, for the third passage, five putative variant haplotypes were found, with > 99.9% full genome identity with each other and with the dominant genome. Regarding strain 38/2013, five variant haplotypes were found for the first passage, with > 99.9% full genome identity with each other and with the dominant genome, and a single variant haplotype was found. Extinction and emergence of haplotypes with polymorphisms in genes involved in receptor binding and regulation of RNA synthesis were observed, suggesting that phenotypic traits of AvCoV isolates are a result of their mutant spectrum.
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- Bergmann, René, et al.
(author)
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Prominent Binding of Human and Equine Fibrinogen to Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Is Mediated by Specific SzM Types and Is a Distinct Phenotype of Zoonotic Isolates
- 2020
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In: Infection and Immunity. - 1098-5522. ; 88:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is an important pathogen in horses that causes severe diseases such as pneumonia and abortion. Furthermore, it is a zoonotic agent, and contact with horses is a known risk factor. In this study, we investigated the working hypothesis that the zoonotic potential varies among S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus strains in association with differences in M-like protein-mediated binding of host plasma proteins. We demonstrate via in-frame deletion mutagenesis of two different S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus strains that the M-like protein SzM is crucial for the binding of fibrinogen to the bacterial surface and for survival in equine and human blood. S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates of equine and human origins were compared with regard to SzM sequences and binding of equine and human fibrinogens. The N-terminal 216 amino acids of the mature SzM were found to exhibit a high degree of diversity, but the majority of human isolates grouped in three distinct SzM clusters. Plasma protein absorption assays and flow cytometry analysis revealed that pronounced binding of human fibrinogen is a common phenotype of human S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates but much less so in equine S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates. Furthermore, binding of human fibrinogen is associated with specific SzM types. These results suggest that SzM-mediated binding of human fibrinogen is an important virulence mechanism of zoonotic S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates.
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- Blockhuys, Stephanie, 1983, et al.
(author)
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Evaluation of copper chaperone ATOX1 as prognostic biomarker in breast cancer
- 2020
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In: Breast Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1880-4233 .- 1340-6868. ; 27:3, s. 505-509
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Copper is involved in different hallmarks of cancer, including metastasis, but responsible copper-binding proteins and pathways are not clear. The copper chaperone ATOX1 was recently shown to play a role in breast cancer cell migration, which is a key step in metastasis. Since most cancer-related deaths are due to metastasis, we hypothesized that ATOX1 mRNA expression may be associated with breast cancer disease progression and thus, a prognostic biomarker in breast cancer. We therefore studied the association of ATOX1 expression levels with clinicopathological parameters and survival for 1904 breast cancer patients using the METABRIC data set. Our results indicate ATOX1 expression levels as a potential prognostic biomarker for ER-positive subtypes and early stages of breast cancer. Pre-clinical studies and clinical trials are desired to identify the molecular roles of ATOX1 in these conditions.
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