Molecular epidemiology of novel bovine-associated pVAPN in Rhodococcus equi and genetic analysis of the plasmid

• Project/Area Number: 18H02351
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 42020:Veterinary medical science-related
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: Takai Shinji 北里大学, 獣医学部, 教授 (80137900)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 角田 勤 北里大学, 獣医学部, 准教授 (80317057)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥7,280,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,680,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥600,000)
• Keywords: ロドコッカス・エクイ / 病原性プラスミド / 毒力関連抗原 / 病原性遺伝子 / 反芻獣 / 山羊 / 牛 / 分子疫学調査 / VapN / 病原性 / 馬 / 羊 / 病原遺伝子 / プラスミド脱落株

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Rhodococcus equi isolates from the infected Boa goat in Okinawa reported in 2015 were reexamined by the PCR for VapN gene. The VapN gene was detected in all the 32 isolates from the lesions of the goat, and they possessed a 120-kb linear virulence plasmid. Ten (34.5%) of 29 environmental isolates from soil in the goat farm were VapN-positive. Serological surveillance in goats at the farm was done using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with recombinant glutathione S-transferase-tagged VapN as an immobilized antigen, and revealed that the VapN antibody titer was elevated in 12 of 42 goats. Subsequently, we attempted to isolate R. equi from the feces of goats and soil on Farm A. vapN-positive R. equi was isolated from the feces of Goat No. 27 and one soil sample near the shed. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns of five vapN-harboring R. equi strains show two PFGE patterns. Further study on the epidemiology of VapN-positive R. equi in ruminants in Japan is needed.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ロドコッカス・エクイはウマの化膿性肺炎の起因菌であるが、近年、牛・山羊など反芻動物に対して新規毒力関連抗原VapNをコードする線状プラスミドを保有し、肉芽腫性疾患を引き起こすことが明らかとなった。本研究は、我が国における山羊や牛における本菌の疫学調査が殆ど調査されていない。本研究では簡便にスクリーニングできるELISA法を確立し、疫学調査が容易となったことは学術的意義が高い。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Re-examination of Virulence of <i>Rhodococcus equi</i> Isolates from an Infected Goat and Its Environmental Soil in Okinawa Reported in 2015 (2020)
  • Author(s): Nakano, S. , Ishizuka, S, Kawashima, G., Nakagawa, R., Sasaki, Y., Kakuda, T., Suzuki, Y., and S. Takai
  • Journal Title: Journal of the Japan Veterinary Medical Association Volume: 73 Issue: 10 Pages: 582-584
  • DOI: 10.12935/jvma.73.582
  • NAID: 130007941454
  • ISSN: 0446-6454, 2186-0211
  • Year and Date: 2020-10-20
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Molecular characterization of three Sarcocystis spp. from wild sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Hokkaido, Japan. (2020)
  • Author(s): Irie T, Ichii O, Nakamura T, Ikeda T, Ito T, Yamazaki A, Takai S, Yagi K.
  • Journal Title: Vet. Parsitol.: Regional Studies and Reports Volume: 18 Pages: 1-6
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2019.100327
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Prevalence of Yersinia among wild sika deer (Cervus nippon) and boars (Sus scrofa) in Japan (2020)
  • Author(s): Takahashi T, Kabeya H, Sato S, Yamazaki A, Kamata Y, Taira K, Asakura H, Sugiyama H, Takai S, Maruyama S
  • Journal Title: J Wildlife Dis Volume: 56 Issue: 2 Pages: 270-277
  • DOI: 10.7589/2019-04-094
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] First report of Sarcocystis pilosa sporocysts in feces from red fox, Vulpes vulpes schrencki, in Hokkaido, Japan (2020)
  • Author(s): Irie T., Uraguchi K., Ito T., Yamazaki A., Takai S., Yagi K.
  • Journal Title: Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. Volume: 11 Pages: 29-31
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.12.001
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] A novel staphylococcal enterotoxin SE02 involved in a staphylococcal food poisoning outbreak that occurred in Tokyo in 2004 (2020)
  • Author(s): Suzuki Yasunori、Ono Hisaya K.、Shimojima Yukako、Kubota Hiroaki、Kato Rei、Kakuda Tsutomu、Hirose Shouhei、Hu Dong-Liang、Nakane Akio、Takai Shinji、Sadamasu Kenji
  • Journal Title: Food Microbiology Volume: 92 Pages: 103588-103588
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2020.103588
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Serological epidemiological surveillance for vapN-harboring Rhodococcus equi infection in goats in Okinawa, Japan (2020)
  • Author(s): Suzuki Y, K. Takahashi, F. Takase, N. Sawada, S. Nakao, A. Toda, Y. Sasaki, T. Kakuda and S. Takai
  • Journal Title: CIMID Volume: 73 Pages: 1-7
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2020.101540
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Reinvestigation of the virulence of Rhodococcus equi isolates from patients with and without AIDS. (2020)
  • Author(s): Takai, S., N. Sawada, Y. Nakayama, S. Ishizuka, R. Nakagawa, G. Kawashima, N. Sangkanjanavanich, Y. Sasaki, T. Kakuda, and Y. Suzuki
  • Journal Title: Lett Appl Microbiol. Volume: 71 Issue: 6 Pages: 679-683
  • DOI: 10.1111/lam.13386
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Microplate Agglutination Test for Serological Diagnosis of Equine Paratyphoid (2019)
  • Author(s): Niwa, H., Kihara, H., Nagai, H., Akiba, M., Kokuho, T., Kato, K., Anzai, T., and Takai, S.
  • Journal Title: Journal of the Japan Veterinary Medical Association Volume: 72 Issue: 4 Pages: 210-214
  • DOI: 10.12935/jvma.72.210
  • NAID: 130007651495
  • ISSN: 0446-6454, 2186-0211
  • Year and Date: 2019-04-20
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Rhodococcus equi pVAPN type causing pneumonia in a dog coinfected with canine morbillivirus (distemper virus) and Toxoplasma gondii. (2019)
  • Author(s): Portilho FVR, Paes AC, Megid J, Hataka A, Neto RT, Headley SA, Oliveira TES, Colhado BS, de Paula CL, Guerra ST, Mota AR, Listoni FJP, Takai S, Ribeiro MG.
  • Journal Title: Microb Pathog. Volume: 129 Pages: 112-117
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.01.048
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Game Meat Consumption and Foodborne Illness in Japan: A Web-Based Questionnaire Survey (2019)
  • Author(s): Kadohira M, Phiri BJ, Hill G, Yoshizaki R, Takai S.
  • Journal Title: J Food Prot. Volume: 24 Issue: 7 Pages: 1224-1232
  • DOI: 10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-18-502
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] First Microbiological and Molecular Identification of Rhodococcus equi in Feces of Nondiarrheic Cats. (2019)
  • Author(s): Lechinski de Paula C, Silveira Silva RO, Tavanelli Hernandes R, de Nardi J. G, Babboni SD, Trevizan Guerra S, Paganini Listoni FJ, Giuffrida R, Takai S, Sasaki Y, Garcia Ribeiro M.
  • Journal Title: Biomed Res Int. Volume: 2019 Pages: 1-9
  • DOI: 10.1155/2019/4278598
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Novel bovine-associated pVAPN plasmid type in Rhodococcus equi identified from lymph nodes of slaughtered cattle and lungs of people living with HIV/AIDS. (2018)
  • Author(s): Ribeiro, M. G., G. H. B. Lara, P. da Silva, M. M. J. Franco, A. L. de Mattos-Guaraldi, A. P. C. de Vargas, R.I.Sakate,F. R. Pavan, B. S. Colhado, F. V. R. Portilho, R. G. Motta, T. Kakuda, S. Takai.
  • Journal Title: Transboundary and Emerging Diseases Volume: 65 Issue: 2 Pages: 321-326
  • DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12785
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Identification of Mycobacterium species and Rhodococcus equi in peccary lymph nodes. (2018)
  • Author(s): de Morais ABC, Bolanos CAD, Alves AC, Ikuta CY, Lara GHB, Heinemann MB, Giuffrida R, Listoni FP, de Souza Ribeiro Mioni M, Motta RG, Takai S, Ribeiro MG
  • Journal Title: Trop Anim Health Prod. Volume: 50 Issue: 6 Pages: 1319-1326
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11250-018-1562-2
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] A case report on disseminated <i>Rhodococcus equi</i> infection in a Japanese black heifer (2018)
  • Author(s): Nakagawa R, Moki H, Hayashi K, Ooniwa K, Tokuyama K, Kakuda T, Yoshioka K, Takai S.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Volume: 80 Issue: 5 Pages: 819-822
  • DOI: 10.1292/jvms.18-0064
  • NAID: 130006742128
  • ISSN: 0916-7250, 1347-7439
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access