scholarly journals Bats are a potential reservoir of pathogenic Leptospira species in Colombia

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (04) ◽  
pp. 278-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Mateus ◽  
Natalia Gómez ◽  
María Teresa Herrera-Sepúlveda ◽  
Marylin Hidalgo ◽  
Jairo Pérez-Torres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Glossophaga Soricina ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Potential Reservoir ◽  
Causative Agents ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Leptospira Species

Introduction: Bats have become an epidemiologically significant source of pathogenic microorganisms, such as leptospires, the causative agents of leptospirosis. However, little information exists about bats and their potential role as a reservoir of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in Colombia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in the kidneys of bats from the Caribbean region of Colombia deposited in the collection of mammals of the Museo Javeriano de Historia Natural (MPUJ-MAMM). Methodology: DNA was extracted from twenty-six kidney samples from a total of 13 species of bats captured in Colombia. First, 16S ribosomal RNA conventional PCR was performed to detect the presence of Leptospira spp. Then, in samples that tested positive, LipL32 PCR was performed to detect pathogenic Leptospira spp. by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results: The presence of Leptospira spp. was observed in 7/26 (26.9%) bats from the following 6 species: Carollia perspicillata, Glossophaga soricina, Dermanura phaeotis, Uroderma bilobatum, Desmodus rotundus, and Lophostoma silvicolum, and pathogenic Leptospira spp. were detected in 4/26 samples (15.4%). Conclusions: This study suggests that bats present in the Caribbean region of Colombia could be potential reservoirs of pathogenic Leptospira spp.

scholarly journals In Silico Analysis of Genetic VapC Profiles from the Toxin-Antitoxin Type II VapBC Modules among Pathogenic, Intermediate, and Non-Pathogenic Leptospira

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Alexandre Lopes ◽  
Bruna Azevedo ◽  
Rebeca Emídio ◽  
Deborah Damiano ◽  
Ana Nascimento ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
In Silico Analysis ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Protein Alignment ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Unique Species ◽  
Silico Analysis ◽  
Leptospira Species ◽  
Complex Manner

Pathogenic Leptospira spp. is the etiological agent of leptospirosis. The high diversity among Leptospira species provides an array to look for important mediators involved in pathogenesis. Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems represent an important survival mechanism on stress conditions. vapBC modules have been found in nearly one thousand genomes corresponding to about 40% of known TAs. In the present study, we investigated TA profiles of some strains of Leptospira using a TA database and compared them through protein alignment of VapC toxin sequences among Leptospira spp. genomes. Our analysis identified significant differences in the number of putative vapBC modules distributed in pathogenic, saprophytic, and intermediate strains: four in L. interrogans, three in L. borgpetersenii, eight in L. biflexa, and 15 in L. licerasiae. The VapC toxins show low identity among amino acid sequences within the species. Some VapC toxins appear to be exclusively conserved in unique species, others appear to be conserved among pathogenic or saprophytic strains, and some appear to be distributed randomly. The data shown here indicate that these modules evolved in a very complex manner, which highlights the strong need to identify and characterize new TAs as well as to understand their regulation networks and the possible roles of TA systems in pathogenic bacteria.

scholarly journals Detection and genotyping of Leptospira spp. from the kidneys of a seemingly healthy pig slaughtered for human consumption

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (05) ◽  
pp. 530-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashutosh Verma ◽  
Esteban Soto ◽  
Oscar Illanes ◽  
Souvik Ghosh ◽  
Carmen Fuentealba
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Pcr ◽  
Multilocus Sequence Typing ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Caribbean Island ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Zoonotic Pathogen ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Swine Population ◽  
The Caribbean

Introduction: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp.  Leptospirosis is maintained in an environment due to chronic kidney infection of a wide variety of domestic, peridomestic and wild reservoir mammals. In this study the role of pigs in maintenance of leptospires on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts was investigated. Methodology: The condemned kidneys of 60 pigs slaughtered at a St. Kitts abattoir were screened by a quantitative-PCR for the presence of Leptospira spp. Positive samples were genotyped using a six-gene based multilocus sequence typing scheme. Results: Leptospiral DNA was detected in the kidneys of one of the 60 pigs. Multilocus sequence typing identified the infecting species to be L. interrogans. Conclusions: Detection of this zoonotic pathogen in the kidneys of a seemingly healthy pig raises concerns regarding the subclinical carriers of the disease among the island’s swine population.

scholarly journals Capacidad de infección de hongos asociados a la pudrición seca de los tubérculos de ñame

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-158
Author(s):  
Diana Beatriz Sánchez-López ◽  
◽  
Lily Lorena Luna-Castellanos ◽  
Manuel Ramón Espinosa-Carvajal ◽  
Dairo Javier Pérez-Polo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aerial Part ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Dioscorea Rotundata ◽  
Dry Rot ◽  
Fusarium Equiseti ◽  
Causative Agents ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Production Losses

Dry rot of tubers is one of the most devastating diseases in yam production (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) in the Caribbean region of Colombia. The disease attacks tubers, causing production losses during cultivation. In previous experiments, 11 fungal morphotypes were isolated and associated with this disease in yam crops in the Caribbean region of Colombia. The present investigation was carried out under greenhouse conditions to determine the infection capacity of these 11 possible causative agents, in 150-day-old plants of two yam genetic materials (0307-49SB y 0307-50CB). The results indicated that morphotypes DH2 (Lasiodiplodia theobromae), DH11 (Curvularia aeria), DH20 (Aspergillus niger), and DH17 (Fusarium equiseti), showed the highest infection capacity to yam tubers, regardless of the genetic material. Therefore, they were considered as the main causal agents of the disease in the Caribbean region of Colombia. The remaining seven (7) morphotypes, despite having been inoculated in the roots of the plants, showed minor effects on tubers and affected other organs of the plant, especially stems and aerial part of yam plant. This study allows concentrating the research on these four morphotypes to develop crop management strategies that might allow reducing the incidence of this disease in the Caribbean region of Colombia.

scholarly journals High Diversity of Leptospira Species Infecting Bats Captured in the Uraba Region (Antioquia-Colombia)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando P Monroy ◽  
Sergio Solari ◽  
Juan Alvaro Lopez ◽  
Piedad Agudelo-Florez ◽  
Ronald Guillermo Pelaez-Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Zoonotic Disease ◽  
Feeding Strategies ◽  
Endemic Region ◽  
Glossophaga Soricina ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Leptospira Borgpetersenii ◽  
Molossus Molossus ◽  
Reservoir Hosts ◽  
Leptospira Species

Leptospirosis is a globally distributed zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. This zoonotic disease affects humans, domestic, or wild animals. Colombia is considered an endemic country for leptospirosis; and Antioquia is the second department in Colombia with the highest number of reported leptospirosis cases. Currently, many studies report bats as reservoirs of Leptospira spp. but its prevalence in these mammals is unknown. In the present study we aimed to better understand the role of bats as reservoir hosts of Leptospira species and to evaluate the genetic diversity of circulating Leptospira species in Antioquia-Colombia. We captured 206 bats in the municipalities of Chigorodó (43 bats), Carepa (43 bats), Apartadó (39 bats), Turbo (40 bats), and Necoclí (41 bats) in the Urabá region (Antioquia-Colombia). Twenty bats were positive for Leptospira spp. infection (20/206 - 9,70%) and the species of infected bats were Carollia perspicillata, Dermatura rava, Glossophaga soricina, Molossus molossus, Artibeus planirostris, and Uroderma convexum. These species have different feeding strategies such as frugivorous, insectivores, and nectarivores. The infecting Leptospira species identified were Leptospira borgpetersenii (3/20 – 15%), Leptospira alexanderi (2/20 – 10%), Leptospira noguchii (6/20 – 30%), Leptospira interrogans (3/2 – 15%), and Leptospira kirschneri (6/20 – 30%). The results of this research show the importance of bats in the epidemiology, ecology and evolution of Leptospira in this host-pathogen association. This is the first step in deciphering the role played by bats in the epidemiology of human leptospirosis in the endemic region of Uraba (Antioquia-Colombia).

scholarly journals High Diversity of Leptospira Species Infecting Bats Captured in the Urabá Region (Antioquia-Colombia)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1897
Author(s):  
Fernando P. Monroy ◽  
Sergio Solari ◽  
Juan Álvaro Lopez ◽  
Piedad Agudelo-Flórez ◽  
Ronald Guillermo Peláez Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Zoonotic Disease ◽  
Feeding Strategies ◽  
Endemic Region ◽  
Glossophaga Soricina ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Leptospira Borgpetersenii ◽  
Molossus Molossus ◽  
Reservoir Hosts ◽  
Leptospira Species

Leptospirosis is a globally distributed zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. This zoonotic disease affects humans, domestic animals and wild animals. Colombia is considered an endemic country for leptospirosis; Antioquia is the second department in Colombia, with the highest number of reported leptospirosis cases. Currently, many studies report bats as reservoirs of Leptospira spp. but the prevalence in these mammals is unknown. The goal of this study was to better understand the role of bats as reservoir hosts of Leptospira species and to evaluate the genetic diversity of circulating Leptospira species in Antioquia-Colombia. We captured 206 bats in the municipalities of Chigorodó (43 bats), Carepa (43 bats), Apartadó (39 bats), Turbo (40 bats), and Necoclí (41 bats) in the Urabá region (Antioquia-Colombia). Twenty bats tested positive for Leptospira spp. infection (20/206—9.70%) and the species of infected bats were Carollia perspicillata, Dermanura rava, Glossophaga soricina, Molossus molossus, Artibeus planirostris, and Uroderma convexum. These species have different feeding strategies such as frugivorous, insectivores, and nectarivores. The infecting Leptospira species identified were Leptospira borgpetersenii (3/20–15%), Leptospira alexanderi (2/20–10%), Leptospira noguchii (6/20–30%), Leptospira interrogans (3/20–15%), and Leptospira kirschneri (6/20–30%). Our results showed the importance of bats in the epidemiology, ecology, and evolution of Leptospira in this host-pathogen association. This is the first step in deciphering the role played by bats in the epidemiology of human leptospirosis in the endemic region of Urabá (Antioquia-Colombia).

scholarly journals Morphological and molecular studies on Resinicium s. str.

2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 420-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen K. Nakasone
Keyword(s):  
Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Internal Transcribed Spacer ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Small Subunit ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Sequence Analyses ◽  
Internal Transcribed Spacer Region ◽  
Resinicium Bicolor ◽  
Molecular Studies ◽  
The Caribbean

Resinicium Parmasto is typified by Resinicium bicolor (Alb. & Schwein.: Fr.) Parm., (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota), a readily recognized and widely distributed corticioid, lignicolous species in the northern hemisphere. Five new species of Resinicium closely allied to R. bicolor from the Caribbean region are described and illustrated: Resinicium confertum Nakasone, sp. nov., Resinicium monticola Nakasone, sp. nov., Resinicium mutabile Nakasone, sp. nov., Resinicium rimulosum Nakasone, sp. nov., and Resinicium tenue Nakasone, sp. nov. In addition, R. bicolor and Resinicium friabile Hjortstam & Melo are redescribed and illustrated. Sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region support the recognition of the new taxa. Further, nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA sequence data support the recognition of two groups of Resinicium species: the Resinicium s. str. group, including R. bicolor, and the Resinicium s.l. group that includes Resinicium furfuraceum (Bres.) Parm. The genus Resinicium is redefined and a key to the Resinicium s. str. species is provided.

scholarly journals Simultaneous Detection and Differentiation of Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic Leptospira spp. by Multiplex Real-Time PCR (TaqMan) Assay

2010 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
ORHAN BEDIR ◽  
ABDULLAH KILIC ◽  
ERDINC ATABEK ◽  
AHMET MERT KUSKUCU ◽  
VEDAT TURHAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
16S Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Taqman Assay ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Ribosomal Rna Gene ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
23S Ribosomal Rna

Leptospirosis, caused by pathogenic Leptospira, is one of the most important zoonoses in the world. Several molecular techniques have been developed for detection and differentiation between pathogenic and saprophytic Leptospira spp. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and simple assay for specific detection and differentiation of pathogenic Leptospira spp. by multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay using primers and probes targeting Leptospira genus specific 16S ribosomal RNA gene, the pathogen specific lig A/B genes and nonpathogen Leptospira biflexa specific 23S ribosomal RNA gene. Sixteen reference strains of Leptospira spp. including pathogenic and nonpathogenic and ten other negative control bacterial strains were used in the study. While the 16S primers amplified target from both pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospires, the ligA/B and the 23S primers amplified target DNA from pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospires, respectively. The multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay detection limit, that is, the sensitivity was found approximately 1 x 10(2) cells/ml for ligA/B gene and 23S ribosomal RNA gene, and 10 cells/ml 16S ribosomal RNA. The reaction efficiencies were 83-105% with decision coefficients of more than 0.99 in all multiplex assays. The multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay yielded negative results with the ten other control bacteria. In conclusion, the developed multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay is highly useful for early diagnosis and differentiation between pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospires in a reaction tube as having high sensitivity and specificity.

scholarly journals Molecular and Serological Prevalence of Leptospira spp. in Feral Pigs (Sus scrofa) and their Habitats in Alabama, USA

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anil Poudel ◽  
Md Monirul Hoque ◽  
Steven Madere ◽  
Sara Bolds ◽  
Stuart Price ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Domestic Animal ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
East Central ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Potential Pathogen ◽  
Leptospira Species

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis and has been recognized as a re-emerging infectious disease in humans and a variety of wild and domestic animal species. In order to understand the prevalence and diversity of Leptospira spp. in feral pig populations of Alabama, we trapped 315 feral pigs in Bullock County east-central Alabama, and collected 97 environmental samples from riparian areas in Bullock County and Macon County east-central Alabama. Two previously published PCRs followed by DNA sequencing and BLASTn were performed to identify pathogenic Leptospira species in the kidney of feral pigs (3.2%, 10/315) as well as environmental samples collected from the habitats of feral pigs (2.1%, 2/97), but not in the whole blood samples (n = 276) or spleen (n = 51). An ELISA determined that 44.2% of serum samples (122/276) were antibody-positive for Leptospira. The identification of two pathogenic Leptospira species from environmental samples and the high sero-positivity in feral pigs suggests potential pathogen shedding from feral pigs to environments, and to humans and domestic animals. In order to better understand the risk to human health associated with feral swine presence, further studies are warranted to explore the interrelationship between Leptospira spp. shedding in the urine of feral pigs and bacterial culture to explore pathogenicity. Multi-locus sequencing typing (MLST) and microscopic agglutination tests (MAT) should be performed in future studies to make a definite determination of pathogenic Leptospira in feral pigs in Alabama.

African Caribbean Residents of Edinburgh in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Williams
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
British Empire ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
African Caribbean ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries

Scotland is gradually coming to terms with its involvement in slavery and colonialism as part of the British Empire. This article places the spotlight on the lives of African Caribbean people who were residents of Edinburgh during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. I discuss their varied experiences and contributions: from runaways and men fighting for their freedom in the Scottish courts to women working as servants in city households or marrying into Edinburgh high society. The nineteenth century saw activism among political radicals from abolitionists to anticolonialists; some of these figures studied and taught at Edinburgh University. Their stories reflect the Scottish capital’s many direct connections with the Caribbean region.

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