African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 10 (1), pp. 001-004, January, 2023. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A new Rhabdo virus Infection in Maize Plantations in Turkey

Filiz Ertunc

Ankara University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, 06110 Ankara,Turkey. Email:[email protected]

Accepted 05 October, 2022

Abstract

Maize mosaicrhabdo virus (MMV) is devastating virus infection, causes serious crop losses, on the family Poaceae is especially on maize and transmitedby leaf hopper, Peregrinusmaidis. Samples were collected from leaves and stems of maize plants, from Bartın, Düzce, Sakarya and Zonguldak provinces of Turkey, in 2012-2013. They were tested against MMV antiserum by DAS-ELISA and also RT-PCR assay with a primers specific to glycoprotein gene of the virus, designed in our laboratory. 15 of the collected maize samples were found to be infected with MMV. Positive samples were mechanically inoculated to maize plant lets for propagation and maintain. MMV inoculated maize plants, show light mosaic symptoms were tested by ELISA and RT-PCR again, obtained bands were 470bp long. In electron microscopic observations, rhabdovirus-like particules were detected.So far to our knowledge, it is the first report of Maize mosaic rhabdovirus presence in Turkey.

Keywords: Maize, MMV, Rhabdovirus, RT-PCR, electromicrocopy

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 8 (8), pp. 001-004, August, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Key words: Lawsonia inermis, burnt wounds, henna.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 8 (6), pp. 001-005, June, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Detection of three honeybee viruses simultaneously by a single Multiplex Reverse Transcriptase PCR

Elize Topley, Sean Davison*, Neil Leat and Mongi Benjeddou

Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa.

Accepted 1 June, 2022

Abstract

A single multiplex reverse transcriptase (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of three honeybee viruses: acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), sacbrood virus (SBV) and black queen cell virus (BQCV). Unique PCR primers were designed from the complete genome sequence to amplify fragments of 900 bp from ABPV, 434 bp from SBV and 316 bp from BQCV. Individual bee pupae homogenates or total RNA extracted from these crude extracts were used in the RT-PCR amplification. Sequence analysis of the fragments amplified revealed nucleotide sequence identities between 97 and 98% for each virus against its reference strain. In a blind test, samples containing various combinations of ABPV, SBV and BQCV were successfully identified. Furthermore, field samples of honeybee pupae were screened for viral infections, and evidence of virus inapparent infection as well as virus co-infection were found.

Key words: Multiplex, RT-PCR, virus, honeybee, varroa.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 9 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Evidence for an association in corn between stress tolerance and resistance to Aspergillus flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination

Zhi-Yuan Chen¹, Robert L. Brown²*, and Thomas E. Cleveland²

¹Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803; ²Southern Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA 70179.

Accepted December, 2021

Abstract

Aflatoxins are carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus during infection of susceptible crops, such as corn. A. flavus infection and subsequent aflatoxin contamination is a serious issue in the southern US, especially during a drought. Field studies demonstrate that reduction of drought stress by irrigation reduces aflatoxin contamination in corn and peanut. Drought tolerant corn varieties were also found to produce significantly less aflatoxins in the field under drought conditions compared to aflatoxin-resistant controls. Genetic studies to identify QTLs for low levels of aflatoxin accumulation observed significant environmental effects on the location and number of QTLs between studies conducted at different locations and during different years. Proteomic comparisons of kernel proteins between corn genotypes resistant or susceptible to A. flavus infection have identified stress-related proteins along with antifungal proteins as associated with kernel resistance. Gene expression studies of plants in response to biotic or abiotic stress also found that disease resistance-related genes could be upregulated by abiotic stresses and vise versa. Further examination of host plant and pathogen interactions revealed that plant responses to abiotic stresses and pathogen infections were mediated through several common regulatory genes or factors. The presence of “cross-talk” between responses to abiotic stress and biotic stress provides new approaches for enhancing host resistance to biotic stresses through the upregulation of key signal transduction factors.

Key words: Plant hormone, fungal infection, gene regulation, transcription factor.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 8 (12), pp. 001-006, December, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Laboratory evaluation of the improved tube test detection limits for β-lactam residues in Kenyan milk

Anakalo Shitandi¹* and Gathoni Kihumbu²

¹Antibiotic research laboratory, Dept. of Food Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7051, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.

²Microbiology laboratory, Guildford Dairy Institute, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536, Njoro, Kenya.

Accepted 2 December, 2021

Abstract

In Kenya there is currently no screening of antimicrobial drug residues in milk. This study evaluated the improved tube test as a possible screening method using seven representatives of the β-lactam antibiotics. The group comprises antimicrobials most frequently used to treat bacterial infections in dairy cows. Each antimicrobial was tested at five concentrations based on established codex alimentarius maximum residue limits (MRLs). Test parameters studied were practicability and limits of detection (LODs) compared to MRLs and repeatability. The LODs established using a logistic regression model were: penicillin G (2 µg /kg), ampicillin (2 µg /kg), amoxicillin (2 µg /kg), oxacillin (30 µg /kg), cefalexin(100 µg /kg), cephapirin(60 µg /kg) and ceftiofur(100 µg /kg) all within codex alimentarius MRLs. The cost per ten samples using the improved tube test was less than 1 USD compared with 5 USD for the Delvo test. The improved tube test is concluded to be an affordable method, which could be used for qualitative identification of residues in low-income countries dairies.

Key words: Improved tube test, β-lactams, Kenyan milk, maximum residue limits.

African Journal of Infectious Diseases Research ISSN 2756-3340 Vol. 8 (11), pp. 001-005, November, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Characterization of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense stocks isolated from humans by RAPD fingerprinting in Côte d’Ivoire: another evidence for multiple infections

Bruno Oury¹, Vincent Jamonneau², Michel Tibayrenc¹, Philippe Truc^3*

¹Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Research Unit 165 "Génétique et Evolution des Maladies Infectieuses" UMR CNRS/IRD 2724, BP 64501 34394 Montpellier cedex 5, France.

²Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Research Unit 35 Trypanosomoses Africaines, Institut Pierre Richet, BP 1500, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire.

³Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, IRD, Research Unit 35 BP 1857, Organisation de Coordination pour lalutte contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC), Department of Research and Control of Human African Trypanosomiasis, BP 288, Yaounde, Cameroon.

Accepted 3 October, 2021

Abstract

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense was isolated twice from each of 23 patients in Côte d’Ivoire. Genetic characterization using RAPD (Random Primed Amplified Polymorphic DNA) showed additional variability within a given isoenzyme profile (zymodeme), confirming that this fingerprinting method has a higher discriminative power (faster molecular clock) than isoenzymes. RAPD confirmed also the evidence of multiple infections by different genotypes in the same patient despite a low genetic variability among Trypanosoma brucei gambiense stocks. The involvement of this phenomenon in treatment failure is discussed.

Key words: Human African Trypanosomiasis, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, RAPD, multiple infections.