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Published on: May 24, 2011
Subclinical infection and transmission of Tyzzer's disease in rats
1Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211.
Abstract:
Two isolates of Bacillus piliformis originally obtained from rats from Japan and Indiana were compared by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. Protein and antigen profiles revealed heterogeneity between the two isolates, demonstrating that more than one isolate of B. piliformis is capable of infecting rats. Results of parallel infection and transmission studies with the two isolates were almost identical. Orally inoculated rats remained asymptomatic; however, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results revealed a significant increase in serum antibodies to B. piliformis. Formalin-killed B. piliformis elicited no serum antibody response among rats inoculated orally, indicating that viable organisms, capable of replicating within the host, are needed to induce a systemic humoral response. Naive rats and weanling gerbils were housed on soiled bedding from the experimentally infected, asymptomatic, seropositive rats. Although gerbils showed no clinical signs or histopathologic evidence of Tyzzer's disease, rats housed on bedding collected 1 or 2 weeks postinoculation seroconverted and remained seropositive but asymptomatic throughout the study. These results demonstrate that subclinically infected rats are capable of transmitting B. piliformis to naive rats and suggest that the histopathologic evaluation of sentinel gerbils may not be an effective method for detecting all strains of B. piliformis.
Insights
Two Bacillus piliformis isolates from Japan and Indiana showed differences but caused similar infections in rats. Subclinically infected rats transmitted the bacteria to naive rats, highlighting transmission risks.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
Background:
- Bacillus piliformis causes Tyzzer's disease, a significant enteric disease in various animal species.
- Understanding the genetic diversity and transmission dynamics of B. piliformis is crucial for disease control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare two distinct isolates of Bacillus piliformis from different geographic origins.
- To investigate the infection and transmission capabilities of these isolates in rodent models.
- To evaluate the efficacy of sentinel animals in Tyzzer's disease detection.
Main Methods:
- Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting were used to analyze protein and antigen profiles.
- Infection studies involved oral inoculation of rats and transmission studies using soiled bedding.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect serum antibodies.
Main Results:
- Protein and antigen profiles indicated heterogeneity between the Japanese and Indiana B. piliformis isolates.
- Both isolates induced asymptomatic infections in orally inoculated rats, evidenced by increased serum antibodies.
- Subclinically infected rats effectively transmitted B. piliformis to naive rats via soiled bedding.
- Sentinel gerbils housed on infected bedding did not develop clinical signs or histopathologic evidence of disease.
Conclusions:
- Distinct isolates of B. piliformis can infect rats, with heterogeneity observed in protein profiles.
- Viable, replicating Bacillus piliformis organisms are necessary to elicit a systemic humoral immune response.
- Subclinical infections in rats pose a transmission risk to susceptible populations.
- Histopathologic evaluation of sentinel gerbils may be insufficient for detecting all B. piliformis strains.
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