This study sought to understand the pathogenesis of hemorrhagic abomasitis in calves by characterizing a type A Clostridium perfringens isolate. The complete genome sequence of an isolate from an outbreak of hemorrhagic abomasitis was compared to the three complete C. perfringens genomes currently available in GenBank. Unique findings included the presence of an integrated plasmid sequence and a frameshift mutation in the virS gene, which encodes the main sensor kinase that controls virulence gene regulation. An ~ 55 kb plasmid similar to pCW3 was found, in addition to two smaller plasmids with no significant similarity to available C. perfringens plasmid sequences. A number of plasmid-related fragments were also identified. Neither genomic nor proteomic approaches identified novel toxins, but an alternate and unexpected picture of virulence has emerged suggesting that anomalous virulence gene regulation might contribute to pathogenicity in this isolate. / Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the Animal Health Strategic Initiative of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Recently, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV IVb) was associated with several walleye (Sander vitreus) mortality events in the Great Lakes. To examine the effects of route, strain-variation and temperature, walleye were experimentally infected with VHSV IVb using intraperitoneal (i.p.)-injection (102-108 pfu/fish) and immersion (w.; 1.4 x 107 virions mL-1). Walleye were relatively resistant to experimental infection with VHSV IVb, regardless of route or water temperature. High cumulative mortality (64-100%) and severe gross lesions associated with VHSV-IVb infection were only evident in fish i.p.-injected with 108 pfu at 12°C, which had mild to moderate, multifocal necrosis of several tissues including the gill and heart. There were significant differences in mortality between four walleye strains following i.p.-infection. Viral antigen was found in both i.p. and w.-exposed walleye using immunohistochemistry, mostly within the gill and skin epithelium of w.-exposed fish. VHSV IVb was detected in walleye tissues from 6-21 d post-infection using RT-qPCR. / Great Lakes Fisheries Commission and NSERC

Walleye (Sander vitreus M.) are valuable in commercial and recreational fisheries and are affected by bacterial, fungal and viral disease. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are germline-encoded and constitutively expressed and bind non-self or altered-self for immune recognition. Walleye were hypothesised to have circulating PRRs that were capable of binding diverse pathogens. These PRRs were hypothesised to increase with infection, be distributed in immunologically relevant tissues and to be strain and age specific. PRR binding was measured by affinity chromatography, plasma binding assays,SDS-PAGE, Western blots, ELISA, PCR, and immunohistochemistry. ELISA and affinity chromatography assays were developed in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with known PRRs. Trout ladderlectin was confirmed as a PRR binding viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV). These techniques were adapted to walleye using Flavobacterium columnare, chitin, VHSV and Sepharose resin. A 22 kDa protein bound to F. columnare, a 17 kDa protein bound to chitin and a 34 kDa protein bound to VHSV were identified as similar to bass apolipoprotein, carp C3 and rainbow trout intelectin, respectively. PCR and 3'-RACE-PCR were used to generate nucleotide sequence to confirm identity of walleye apolipoprotein and mannose-binding lectin (MBL)-like protein from the intelectin-like sequence. Two rabbit polyclonal antibodies were raised to 34 and 67 kDa MBL amino acid sequences and used to verify MBL-like protein as a PRR for VHSV. Healthy walleye MBL-like protein plasma concentration was 7.5 ng/ml. Significant differences were found between geographically distant strains of walleye. An ELISA demonstrated that MBL-like protein had significant differences in binding affinity between multiple strains of VHSV and different viruses found in Ontario. MBL-like protein plasma levels increased with initial infection of naïve fish with waterborne and IP VHSV (107 pfu) but did not change with IP reinfection. Previous infection with VHSV significantly decreased walleye mortality. IHC of walleye shows MBL-like protein is distributed in epithelial surfaces, primarily skin, oropharynx, gill, gastrointestinal system, renal nephrons, connective tissue of gonads and plasma. There was no qualitative difference in MBL-like protein tissue distribution in healthy and VHSV-infected walleye. This is the first evidence for fish lectins binding viruses.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Tez (Tıpta Uzmanlık) - Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Genel Cerrahi Anabilim Dalı, 2003. / Kaynakça var.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008. / Prepared for: Dept. of Computer Science. Title from thesis description page. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Clinical Science) -- University of Colorado Denver, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-146). Free to UCD Anschutz Medical Campus. Online version available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations;

Thesis (M.P.H.M. (Primary Health Care Management))--Mahidol University, 2005.

Thesis (M.P.H.M. (Primary Health Care Management))--Mahidol University, 2007. / LICL has E-Thesis 0024 ; please contact computer services.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin, 1954. / Typescript (carbon copy). eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-85).