Although enterotoxemia produced by Clostridium perfringens causes elevated neonatal mortality in the alpaca, scarce information exists on the virulence factors (toxins) which play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The objective of this study was to genotype and subtype C. perfringens isolates from enterotoxemia induced mortalities based on the presence of genes cpa, cpb, etx and iap which encode the toxins α, β, g, and , and the genes cpe and cpb2 which encode the enterotoxin (cpe) and β2-toxins, respectively. A total of 47 C. perfringens isolates were obtained from the small intestine of neonatal alpaca mortalities which presented clinical signs, as well as gross and histological injuries typical of enterotoxemia. The results showed that 46/47 (97.9%) of the isolates were genotype A, 13 of these 46 (28.3%) also had cpb2 (genotype A, subtype cpe-cpb2+), while th...

A pesar de que la enterotoxemia causada por el Clostridium perfringens ocasiona elevadas tasas de mortalidad neonatal en alpacas, muy poco se conoce acerca de las toxinas que participan en la patogénesis de la enfermedad. El presente estudio reporta resultados de análisis moleculares de 47 cepas de C. perfringens aislados de casos mortales de enterotoxemia en alpacas, basados en la amplificación de los genes cpa, cpb, etx y iap codificantes de las toxinas α, β, g, e  (genotipificación), así como la detección de genes secundarios codificantes de la enterotoxina (cpe) y toxina β2 (subtipificación). El ADN bacteriano de las 47 cepas fue sometido a prueba de PCR múltiple evidenciando que 46/47 (97.9%) de los aislamientos correspondieron al genotipo A y de estos, 13/46 (28.3%) contenían adicionalmente el gen β2 (subtipo cpe-vocpb2+vo), mientras que las restantes 33 muestras (7...

Throughout the world, interest toward the search of natural sources of betacarotene has beenincreased due to its wide use as a colorant and antioxidant agent in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. In order to isolate Archaea halophilics betacarotene producers, salt samples from solar saltems located in Huacho were taken and cultured in sea water agar (SWA) supplemented with 20% NaCl and 0.5% yeast extract.. From the 25 microorganisms isolated, 12 which presented difierent reddish cellular pigmentation were chosen. Selected isolates were analyzed to determine their cellular growth and ability to produce betacarotene, being the isolate W2 which obtained the highest cellular pigmentation index. Besides, optimal concentration of NaCl and yeast extract to increase the production of betacarotene was determined. Isolate W2 was identified as Haloferax gibbonsii of the Archaea domain by...

Throughout the world, interest toward the search of natural sources of betacarotene has beenincreased due to its wide use as a colorant and antioxidant agent in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. In order to isolate Archaea halophilics betacarotene producers, salt samples from solar saltems located in Huacho were taken and cultured in sea water agar (SWA) supplemented with 20% NaCl and 0.5% yeast extract.. From the 25 microorganisms isolated, 12 which presented difierent reddish cellular pigmentation were chosen. Selected isolates were analyzed to determine their cellular growth and ability to produce betacarotene, being the isolate W2 which obtained the highest cellular pigmentation index. Besides, optimal concentration of NaCl and yeast extract to increase the production of betacarotene was determined. Isolate W2 was identified as Haloferax gibbonsii of the Archaea domain by...

Neonatal domestic South American Camelid llamas and alpacas suffer from an enteric disease complex characterized by abdominal distention, lethargy, dehydration, and eventual fatal septicemia. Analysis of rectal swabs from neonatal alpacas suffering clinical diarrheas has constantly isolatedEscherichia coli, mainly the EPEC and EHEC pathotypes. The present communication reports the results of molecular analysis of 226E. colistrains from neonatal alpaca rectal swabs. The isolates were initially tested by multiple PCR, to identifyE. colivirulence geneseae,bfp,Lt,Stx1,Stx2,sta,stab, andltgenes and a similar test to detect F4, F5, F6, F17, and F41fimbriae adhesin genes. Forty-two of the 226 (18.5%) isolates tested positive for at least one pathogenic gene, 25 of the 42 were classified as EPEC (3 positives for onlyeaeand 22 for botheaeandbfp) and the remaining 17 were classified as EHEC. Twent...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective capacity of an attenuated strain of Salmonella Typhimurium as a vaccine candidate against an experimental challenge. For this purpose, 51 recently weaned female guinea pigs from a commercial farm were used and distributed into three groups of 17 animals each: one group was inoculated with the attenuated strain and challenged, the second group was challenged only, and the third group served as a control (without attenuated strain and without challenge). The animals, according to their respective groups, were immunized after two weeks of adaptation to the new rearing conditions. Five weeks after immunization they were challenged with a virulent strain of S. Typhimurium. The health status was monitored for five weeks post-challenge and fecal samples were collected to demonstrate the excretion of IgA and S. Typhimurium. Additionally, necro...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative expression of the cytokines involved in the immune response of Th1 (IL-2, IL-12, IFN-γ, TNF-α), Th2 (IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β) and Th17 (IL-17) in 21 guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) experimentally inoculated with a field isolate of Salmonella Typhimurium at a dose of 102 CFU/ml, intraperitoneally, and compared with a control group (inoculated with a thermally treated strain). Blood samples were taken on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15 and 30 post-inoculation (p.i.). Total RNA was extracted from lymphocyte cells and real-time RT-PCR was conducted using specific primers for each of the cytokines. The relative mRNA expressions were determined by the comparative method 2-ΔΔCt with respect to the calibrator (healthy guinea pig) and using GAPDH as a constitutive gene of reference as a normalizer. The expressions of the cytokine genes in the Treatment g...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative expression of the cytokines involved in the immune response of Th1 (IL-2, IL-12, IFN-γ, TNF-α), Th2 (IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β) and Th17 (IL-17) in 21 guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) experimentally inoculated with a field isolate of Salmonella Typhimurium at a dose of 102 CFU/ml, intraperitoneally, and compared with a control group (inoculated with a thermally treated strain). Blood samples were taken on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15 and 30 post-inoculation (p.i.). Total RNA was extracted from lymphocyte cells and real-time RT-PCR was conducted using specific primers for each of the cytokines. The relative mRNA expressions were determined by the comparative method 2-ΔΔCt with respect to the calibrator (healthy guinea pig) and using GAPDH as a constitutive gene of reference as a normalizer. The expressions of the cytokine genes in the Treatment g...