Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H W Moon.
Loss of K99 and STaP genes from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli 431 during infection occurred by either plasmid curing or plasmid deletion. These mutants expressed the F41 adhesion and colonized neonatal pigs, but only those mutants that retained STaP caused diarrhea with significant weight loss.
Cryptosporidium parvum is a coccidian parasite that causes diarrheal disease in many vertebrate species, including young (less than or equal to 1 month old) calves. Older calves and adult cattle are resistant to infection. In this study, newborn calves were raised in isolation from C. parvum for 1 week to 3 months before experimental challenge with the parasite. Calves orally challenged with C. parvum at 1 week of age shed oocysts in their feces and had diarrhea after challenge exposure. When these calves were rechallenged at 1 and 3 months of age, they neither shed oocysts nor had diarrhea. There was no significant increase in the mean anticryptosporidium enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay serum antibody titer in these calves following any of the challenge exposures. Calves orally inoculated with C. parvum for the first time at 1 month of age shed oocysts, had diarrhea after challenge exposure, and were resistant to rechallenge at 3 months of age. These calves had a twofold increase in serum antibody titer after the first challenge and no increase after the second challenge. Calves orally inoculated with C. parvum for the first time at 3 months of age shed oocysts, and two of seven animals had diarrhea. These calves had a 10-fold increase in serum antibody to C. parvum after exposure. This study demonstrates that calves raised in isolation from C. parvum remain susceptible to challenge until at least 3 months of age. Furthermore, within this time period, initial exposure and recovery renders calves resistant to further challenge with the parasite. The data also suggest that exposure of young calves to C. parvum may inhibit the development of a serum antibody response to the parasite.
A total of 205 Escherichia coli isolates from 88 diarrheal weanling (4- to 10-week-old) pigs from 59 farms were tested by slide agglutination for K88, K99, F41, and 987P antigens. K88 antigen was detected in 61% of the isolates representing 60% of the pigs and 56% of the farms. K88 antigen was associated with serogroup O149 and 91% of the K88+ isolates. K99, F41, and 987P were not detected. Of the K88- isolates, 70 were additionally tested by colony hybridization with DNA probes for adherence factors K88, K99, 987P, and F41 and for enterotoxin genes STaP, STaH, STb, and LT and by Vero cell assay for verotoxins (VT). The 70 K88- isolates could be divided into three categories: LT-, VT-, STaP+, and/or STb+ (34 isolates); LT-, STaP+, STb+, and/or VT+ (17 isolates); and nontoxigenic (19 isolates). Only one of the K88- isolates carried a known adherence factor (987P) detectable with DNA probes. Most of the STaP+ and STb+ isolates belonged to O groups O141, O147, and O157. All but 1 of the 17 VT+ isolates belonged to O groups O138, O139, O141, and O149. Only three of the VT+ strains were isolated from pigs with edema disease. We concluded that 73% of the K88- isolates had the capability to produce enterotoxins or VT that could have contributed to weanling pig diarrhea.
Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of restricted feeding of a starter diet to suckling pigs (creep feeding) in a model of postweaning colibacillosis. The hypothesis that restricted creep feeding primes an intestinal allergic reaction to starter diet ingested after weaning was tested. Twenty-eight suckling pigs were fed a starter diet for 3 h/d on days 7, 8, and 9 after birth (creep-fed). Twenty-six suckling pigs were not fed the diet until 3 weeks of age (not creep-fed), when all pigs were weaned and given the starter diet. One day after weaning, 24 creep-fed and 22 not creep-fed pigs were inoculated with K88+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, and 4 pigs in each group were kept as noninoculated controls. Among inoculated pigs (principals), 10 creep-fed and 12 not creep-fed pigs were found to be genetically resistant to K88+ E coli and remained healthy during the 6-day postinoculation period, as did the noninoculated controls. Eighteen (10 creep-fed and 8 not creep-fed) of the 24 genetically susceptible principals developed diarrhea after inoculation. There were no significant differences in the incidence and severity of diarrhea, amount of body weight loss, and mortality between creep-fed and not creep-fed susceptible principal pigs. Histologic examination of intestine from control pigs and principals that survived for 6 days after infection did not reveal any substantial morphologic difference between creep-fed and not creep-fed groups. In conclusion, creep feeding was not required for the production of diarrhea in this model. Creep feeding did not induce morphologic changes characteristic of an allergic reaction in the small intestine.
Escherichia coli adhesion assays were conducted using isolated porcine peripheral blood lymphocytes, Peyer's patch lymphocytes, rectal epithelial cells or brush borders, buccal epithelial cells and brush borders from small intestinal epithelial cells. The cells and brush borders were tested for their ability to bind K88-piliated enterotoxigenic E. coli Strain M1823B (K88ac) and E. coli Strain 1476 (K-12, K88ac). Comparison of adhesive phenotypes of 37 weaned pigs as determined by the adhesion assay with small intestinal brush borders and the adherence of K88ac+ enterotoxigenic E. coli to peripheral blood lymphocytes, Peyer's patch lymphocytes and rectal epithelial cells or brush borders, revealed no correlation. In vitro adhesion of K88ac-bearing E. coli was always negative with buccal epithelial cells. K88ac strains varied in their ability to adhere to lymphocytes and rectal epithelial cells or brush borders, indicating that the mechanism of adherence is unrelated to K88-mediated adhesion observed in animals that had the receptors on small-intestinal epithelial-cell brush borders. The non-piliated control E. coli Strain 123 adhered to fresh peripheral blood lymphocytes, and less intensively to frozen-thawed peripheral blood lymphocytes or Peyer's patch lymphocytes. It was concluded that none of the cell types or brush borders, except small-intestinal epithelial-cell brush borders, could be used as targets for phenotyping pigs for the presence of the K88 receptors that have been associated with adhesion and colonization of K88+ enterotoxigenic E. coli in the porcine small intestine.
Neonatal (less than 1-day-old), 3- and 7-day old, and older (3-week-old postweaning) pigs were challenged by intragastric inoculation with 987P-piliated (987P+) enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) 987. Neonatal pigs were colonized (i.e., there were greater than or equal to 10(8) CFU of test strain per 10-cm ileal segment) and developed diarrhea. Intestinal colonization and the incidence and severity of diarrhea were lower in 3- and 7-day old pigs than in neonates. Older pigs were not colonized and did not develop diarrhea following oral inoculation with five strains of 987P+ ETEC. Strain 987 (987P+) adhered in vitro to intestinal epithelial cell brush borders isolated from both neonatal (sensitive) and older (resistant) pigs. The in vivo growth and expression of 987P pilus by strain 987 in ligated ileal loops created in neonatal and older pigs were similar. The in vivo adherence of 987P+ ETEC to intestinal epithelium in ligated ileal loops in neonatal and older pigs was compared. In neonatal pigs, most of the bacteria were in layers associated with the villous epithelium. In older pigs, most of the bacteria were associated with mucus-like material in the intestinal lumen. We concluded that swine develop an innate resistance to 987P+ ETEC by 3 weeks of age. This resistance does not appear to be due to an absence of 987P-specific receptors in the intestines of the older pig or to an inability of 987P+ bacteria to grow and express pili in the older pig. We hypothesized that the resistance of older pigs to 987P-mediated disease is due to release of 987P-specific receptors into the intestinal lumen, where these receptors facilitate bacterial clearance rather than bacterial adherence to intestinal epithelium and colonization.
Effects of colostral antibody on susceptibility of calves to Cryptosporidium parvum infection were examined. Six calves were fed pooled colostrum that contained C parvum antibody, 6 times daily (at 4-hour intervals) for 7 days and then milk replacer for 7 days. Colostrum was obtained from healthy cows or cows inoculated parenterally with C parvum oocysts before parturition. Antibody content was determined in serum and colostrum whey, using an ELISA for anticryptosporidia immunoglobulin. Six calves were fed colostrum from healthy cows 1 time, and then milk replacer 6 times daily for 14 days. On day 1, all calves were challenge exposed with C parvum, PO, and were monitored daily for diarrhea and oocyst shedding. Bovine colostrum containing specific antibody to C parvum, at ELISA titers up to 10,240, was not effective in protecting calves against challenge exposure to C parvum.
Localization patterns of lymphocytes taken from mammary, ileal mesenteric, or prefemoral lymph nodes of pubescent or lactating swine were examined. Lymphocyte suspensions were prepared from surgically excised lymph nodes, labeled with 51chromium, and infused back into the donors. Eighteen hours later, pigs were killed, and lymph nodes from six different regions examined for radiolabel. The greatest concentrations of labeled cells were consistently recovered from mesenteric and bronchial lymph nodes, with lesser concentrations recovered from mammary and peripheral nodes. This occurred regardless of origin of the infused cells, and in both pubescent and lactating pigs. Although localization patterns were similar, the total recovery of infused mammary node cells in the six nodes examined was consistently higher in lactating than in pubescent pigs. In contrast, recovery of infused mesenteric node cells was lower in lactating than in pubescent pigs.
The susceptibilities of passively immunized principal and nonimmunized control suckling mice to orogastric challenge with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were compared. Principals were suckled by dams that had recovered from C. parvum infection. Controls were suckled by dams reared free of C. parvum infection. Principals and controls were equally susceptible to challenge. Principals were susceptible even when their dams were hyperimmunized by oral and parenteral booster inoculations with C. parvum oocysts. Immune dams produced serum antibody against C. parvum, while nonimmune dams did not. Anti-cryptosporidia immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA were demonstrated in whey extracted from the stomachs of principals that had suckled immune dams but not in whey extracted from the stomachs of controls. It was concluded that passive lacteal immunity is not an efficient means of protection against cryptosporidiosis in mice. As in other coccidian infections, protective immunity against cryptosporidiosis may depend more on immune cells than on antibody.
Adult mice are more resistant than neonatal mice to intestinal colonization with the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum. Development of a mature intestinal flora may play a role in this resistance. We compared susceptibilities to colonization with C. parvum in adult conventional mice, adult germfree mice, and adult conventional mice treated with oral antibiotics to deplete the intestinal flora. Germfree mice of both CD1 and BALB/c strains were colonized at day 7 following inoculation with C. parvum oocysts isolated from the feces of an infected, diarrheic calf. Age-matched conventional mice of the same strains were comparatively resistant to colonization. Conventional mice treated with antibiotics remained resistant to colonization. These results suggest that the microflora in the intestine was not the sole determinant of resistance or susceptibility to colonization. The germfree adult mouse as an experimental model of cryptosporidiosis is discussed.
Primigravid swine were vaccinated orally with a live enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strain that produces pilus antigen K99. The titers of K99 antibody in colostrum and milk of vaccinates remained higher than those of nonvaccinated controls through the first lactation after vaccination (4 weeks). Some control swine had low titers of K99 antibody in colostrum or developed low titers of K99 antibody in milk during lactation. Lacteal K99 antibody titers of vaccinates dropped to control levels during the second lactation, 6 months after vaccination. Pigs suckling vaccinates and controls were equally susceptible to challenge exposure to K99+ ETEC during the second lactation. Orally vaccinated swine given a parenteral booster vaccination (with killed K99+ ETEC) during their second gestation had K99 antibody in milk through their second lactation. During the second lactation, these orally vaccinated parenterally revaccinated swine had higher titers of K99 antibody in postcolostral milk than did nonvaccinated controls, controls given only the parenteral booster injection, or controls vaccinated parenterally during both gestations.
A reproducible model of postweaning colibacillosis was obtained by controlling management and environmental variables to simulate conditions often seen at weaning. Suckling pigs were exposed briefly to starter diet at 1 week of age, weaned at 3 weeks of age, held at an ambient temperature of 20 +/- 2 C, and again given the starter diet. One day after weaning, each pig was given 10(10) colony-forming units of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain M1823B (O157:K88ac:H43-LT+ STb+) in broth containing 1.2% sodium bicarbonate via stomach tube. In vitro adhesion by strain M1823B to isolated intestinal branch borders was used to test pigs for susceptibility to K88. In this model, 3 syndromes were induced in susceptible pigs: (1) peracute fatal diarrhea; (2) moderate diarrhea, weight loss, and fecal shedding of the inoculum strain; and (3) no diarrhea, weight loss, and fecal shedding of the inoculum strain. Rotavirus particles were not found in fecal specimens of pigs with diarrhea. The K88-susceptible, noninoculated control pigs remained clinically normal. It was concluded that susceptibility to adhesion by K88+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was a requirement for the production of disease in this model; inoculation with rotavirus was not necessary.
Investigators have found that oxytetracycline decreases the adhesion of K88+ Escherichia coli to intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. This occurs with oxytetracycline-sensitive E coli at drug concentrations less than those required to prevent growth and with E coli that are resistant to the drug. We conducted experiments to determine whether oxytetracycline alters the disease caused by an oxytetracycline-resistant K88+ enterotoxigenic strain of E coli. Oxytetracycline-treated pigs (inoculated with K88+ E coli) did not differ from nontreated pigs in the incidence or severity of diarrhea, nor in the shedding of K88+ E coli. However, during recovery, weight gain by treated pigs was slower than that of nontreated pigs. The control pigs were not inoculated with E coli, and they remained clinically normal. Oxytetracycline-treated controls gained weight faster than nontreated controls. Some controls were genetically resistant to K88+ E coli, others were susceptible. The K88-resistant oxytetracycline-treated controls gained weight faster than the K88-susceptible oxytetracycline-treated and non-treated controls.
We attempted to determine whether weaning is required for induction of diarrhea in pigs with postweaning enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection. Three-week-old newly weaned pigs and their suckling littermates were inoculated with the K88+ enterotoxigenic E coli strain M1823B. Fourteen of 21 weaned and 12 of 20 suckling pigs were genetically resistant to intestinal adhesion by the K88+ strain of E coli; they remained healthy, and gained weight at similar rates. Both groups of K88-resistant pigs gained weight faster, and shed fewer bacteria of strain M1823B in their feces, than did their K88-susceptible counterparts. Diarrhea developed in K88-susceptible pigs in the weaned (6 of 7 pigs) and suckling (4 of 8 pigs) groups, and 1 of the 4 affected suckling pigs died from complications resulting from diarrhea. The incidences of diarrhea, weight gain rates, and the numbers of strain M1823B shed in feces of susceptible weaned and suckling pigs were not significantly (P greater than 0.05) different. Diarrhea scores of susceptible weaned pigs were significantly (P less than 0.02) higher than those of susceptible suckling pigs on the second day after inoculation. In this experimental model, it was concluded that weaning is not required for induction of diarrhea, but may modestly increase its severity.
Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in the feces of 16 of 20 (80%) 17-day-old and 38 of 100 (38%) 24-day-old turkeys in a healthy commercial flock in central Iowa. Mean dimensions of 50 oocysts were 4.5 x 5.3 micron. In experimentally inoculated turkeys and chickens, the parasites frequently infected the ceca, colon, and cloaca, but rarely infected the small intestine or bursa of Fabricius. These data differ from published descriptions of Cryptosporidium baileyi in chickens and turkeys. The results indicate that the cryptosporidia of poultry are not a homogeneous group and demonstrate that Cryptosporidium infections can occur in apparently healthy poultry flocks.
In contrast to cholera enterotoxin and other Escherichia coli enterotoxins, a pig-specific, heat-stable E. coli enterotoxin (STb) causes morphologic lesions (loss of villous epithelial cells and partial villous atrophy). These lesions reflect a loss of absorptive cells and thus suggest that STb causes impaired absorption as well as inducing net secretion. The present studies assess functional significance of morphologic changes induced by STb. Net fluid movement, mucosal surface area, sucrase activity and the electrical response induced by alanine were measured in swine jejunal loops exposed to E. coli culture filtrates with and without STb. Net fluid secretion (-11.1 +/- 1.1 ml) occurred in some STb loops (secretors) and net absorption (2.7 +/- 0.3 ml) in others (nonsecretors), but net absorption occurred in all control loops (4.9 +/- 0.2 ml). The mucosal surface area of STb loops was about 20% less than that of controls (P less than 0.01). Sucrase activity was also lower (about 15%) in STb loops than in control loops (P less than 0.01). The electrical response induced by alanine in mucosa from nonsecreting STb loops did not differ from that induced in mucosa from control loops. However, the response to alanine in mucosa from secreting STb loops was reduced about 70% from that in mucosa from nonsecreting STb loops or from control loops (P less than 0.05). It is concluded that reduced sucrase activity is a functional correlate to villous atrophy induced by STb, that STb impairs alanine absorption in some loops (secretors), and that the impaired alanine absorption is independent of the decreased surface area caused by STb. Because the impaired alanine absorption occurred independent of the decreases in surface area, it is suggested that the secretory response to STb is associated with an impairment of active absorption of alanine.
It is generally accepted that lymphocytes associated with the mammary mucosal immune system of non-ruminants may be largely derived from gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). The relationship between the mammary immune system and the GALT of ruminants has not been clearly defined. To address this question, we examined patterns of lymphocyte localization in sheep by 51Cr-labeled lymphocytes following infusion back into donor ewes. We found that lymphocytes taken from mammary lymph nodes of pubescent ewes returned preferentially to mammary nodes, while in prepartum and postpartum ewes, mammary node cells localized equally well in mammary and mesenteric lymph nodes. In contrast, ileal mesenteric lymph node cells from pubescent ewes localized equally well in mammary and mesenteric nodes, but in prepartum and postpartum ewes, localization in mammary nodes was markedly reduced. Comparison of the homing patterns of mammary, mesenteric, and peripheral lymph node cells indicated that mammary node cells behaved similarly to peripheral, rather than mesenteric node cells. This information may be relevant to the extent of communication between the gut and mammary gland in ruminants.
In vitro motility and morphology of Cryptosporidium sporozoites were examined in the presence of various solutions. Crude preparations of the bile salt, taurocholic acid, maintained both motility and morphology in a dose-dependent manner. These effects appeared to be due to the taurocholic acid itself, and not simply due to pH variations, osmotic factors, or contaminants. Lysis of sporozoites was also observed and was found to be dependent on pH, with acidic conditions (pH less than 6.2) triggering the lysis.