Characterization of pig tonsils as niches for the generation of Streptococcus suis diversity.

Streptococcus suis is a gram-positive bacterium that causes meningitis, septicemia, endocarditis, and other disorders in pigs and humans. We obtained 42 and 50 S. suis isolates from lesions of porcine endocarditis and palatine tonsils, respectively, of clinically healthy pigs in Japan; we then determined their sequence types (STs) by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), cps genotypes, serotypes, and presence of classical major virulence-associated marker genes (mrp, epf, and sly).

Short review: Geographical distribution of equine-associated pVAPA plasmids in Rhodococcus equi in the world.

Virulent Rhodococcus equi strains expressing virulence-associated 15-17 kDa protein (VapA) and having a large virulence plasmid (pVAPA) of 85-90 kb containing vapA gene are pathogenic for horses. In the last two decades, following pVAPA, two host-associated virulence plasmid types of R. equi have been discovered: a circular plasmid, pVAPB, associated with porcine isolates in 1995, and a recently detected linear plasmid, pVAPN, related to bovine and caprine isolates.

Neuromedin B receptor as a potential therapeutic target for corticotroph adenomas.

Purpose: Cushing's disease (CD) results from autonomous adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion by corticotroph adenomas, leading to excessive cortisol production, ultimately affecting morbidity and mortality. Pasireotide is the only FDA approved tumor directed treatment for CD, but it is effective in only about 25% of patients, and is associated with a high rate of hyperglycemia. Neuromedin B (NMB), a member of the bombesin-like peptide family, regulates endocrine secretion and cell proliferation.

Complete Genome Sequences of Three Streptococcus ruminantium Strains Obtained from Endocarditis Lesions of Cattle in Japan.

Streptococcus ruminantium is a close relative of Streptococcus suis, an important zoonotic pathogen that causes various diseases in pigs and humans. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of three S. ruminantium strains isolated from bovine endocarditis in Japan.

Complete Genome Sequences of Four Streptococcus parasuis Strains Obtained from Saliva of Domestic Pigs in Japan.

Streptococcus parasuis is a close relative of Streptococcus suis, an important zoonotic pathogen that causes various diseases in pigs and humans. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of four strains, including the type strain of , isolated from the saliva of healthy pigs in Japan.

Acromegaly Cases Exhibiting Increased Growth Hormone Levels during Oral Glucose Loading with Preadministration of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor.

Objective Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is speculated to worsen growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion in acromegaly and to be a cause of paradoxical increases in GH (PI-GH) during 75-g oral glucose tolerance testing (75-g OGTT). Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4is), which increase the circulating concentration of active GIP, are frequently administered to diabetic patients, including those with acromegaly. We aimed to determine whether or not the administration of a DPP4i increases GH concentration, especially in patients demonstrating PI-GH during a DPP4i-OGTT, in which a DPP4i was administered immediately before 75-g OGTT.

Basis of the persistence of capsule-negative Streptococcus suis in porcine endocarditis inferred from comparative genomics.

The capsule (cap) of Streptococcus suis is an anti-phagocytic element and is one of the major virulence factors. However, we have found cap-positive and cap-negative isolates in porcine endocarditis. Here, we compared genome sequences of multiple cap-negative isolates with those of a cap-positive isolate from a single endocarditis.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor might exacerbate Graves' disease: A multicenter observational case-control study.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4), namely CD26, is expressed on the surface of immune cells, suggesting that inhibition of DPP-4 might affect the immune system. The current multicenter observational case-control study was carried out to investigate the effects of DPP-4 inhibitor (DPP-4i) administration on Graves' disease (GD) activity. This study comprised patients with GD and type 2 diabetes, who were administered an oral hypoglycemic agent including DPP-4i.

Transition of microbiota in chicken cecal droppings from commercial broiler farms.

Background: Chickens are major sources of human nutrition worldwide, but the chicken intestinal microbiota can be a source of bacterial infection. The microbiota has potential to regulate the colonization of pathogens by competitive exclusion, production of antimicrobial compounds, and stimulation of the mucosal immune system. But information on the microbiota in commercial broiler chickens is limited because of the difficulty of conducting studies at commercial farms.

Complete Genome Sequences of Two Streptococcus suis Strains Isolated from Asymptomatic Pigs.

is an important zoonotic pathogen that causes major economic problems in the pig industry worldwide and serious infections in humans, including meningitis and septicemia. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of two strains isolated from asymptomatic pigs.

16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Sequence Data from Feces of Five Species of Wild Animals in Japan.

We report 16S rRNA amplicon sequence data from feces from 58 wild boars, 60 feral raccoons, 9 wild Japanese badgers, 21 wild masked palm civets, and 8 wild raccoon dogs in Japan. The predominant bacterial taxa in the fecal microbiota were similar in part but varied among the animal species.

16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Sequence Data from Feces of Wild Deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan.

We report 16S rRNA amplicon sequence data from feces of 109 wild deer in Japan. The dominant bacterial taxa in fecal microbiota of wild deer hunted between village and mountainous areas and those living on Miyajima Island and in Nara Park were similar but differed in abundance.

16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Sequence Data from Chicken Cecal Feces from Vietnam and Thailand.

Here, we report 16S rRNA amplicon sequence data from chicken cecal feces from Vietnam and Thailand. , , and were dominant in cecal feces microbiota.

Nivolumab-induced hypophysitis causing secondary adrenal insufficiency after transient ACTH elevation.

A 62-year-old man was referred to our department for elevation of plasma ACTH and cortisol levels during nivolumab administration for renal cell carcinoma. Although his ACTH and cortisol levels had been maintained within their reference ranges, they were elevated to 232.7 pg/mL and 21.

Characterization of pig saliva as the major natural habitat of Streptococcus suis by analyzing oral, fecal, vaginal, and environmental microbiota.

It is generally difficult to specify the sources of infection by which domestic animals may acquire pathogens. Through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we compared the composition of microbiota in the saliva, vaginal mucus, and feces of pigs, and in swabs of feeder troughs and water dispensers collected from pig farms in Vietnam. The composition of the microbiota differed between samples in each sample group.

Functional dysbiosis within dental plaque microbiota in cleft lip and palate patients.

Background: Dental caries is a polymicrobial disease and prevalent among cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients, although their oral hygiene is well maintained. Dysbiosis, the state of imbalance within the dental plaque microbiota, may cause caries prevalence among these patients. However, little is known about how dysbiosis occurs and affects cariogenicity.

High rate misidentification of biochemically determined Streptococcus isolates from swine clinical specimens.

In this study, 22 bacterial isolates from swine necropsy specimens, which were biochemically identified as Streptococcus suis and other Streptococcus species, were re-examined using species-specific PCR for authentic S. suis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing for the verification of the former judge. Identification of S.

Assessment of pig saliva as a Streptococcus suis reservoir and potential source of infection on farms by use of a novel quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate colonization of Streptococcus suis and Streptococcus parasuis on pig farms in Japan and to identify sources of infections. SAMPLE Saliva, feces, and vaginal swab samples from 84 healthy pigs of several growth stages on 4 farms and swab samples of feed troughs and water dispensers at those farms. PROCEDURES Samples were collected from August 2015 to June 2016.

Development of PCR for identifying Streptococcus parasuis, a close relative of Streptococcus suis.

Streptococcus parasuis has recently been removed taxonomically from Streptococcus suis, a zoonotic pathogen. S. parasuis has been detected in healthy pigs and in diseased pigs, which suggests that S.

Two Cases of Transiently Elevated Serum CEA Levels in Severe Hypothyroidism without Goiter.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), the level of which is known to increase in both patients with gastrointestinal cancers and those with non-neoplastic conditions, is one of the most widely-used tumor markers. Hypothyroidism is a common endocrinological disorder in which CEA levels can rise, and is sometimes overlooked as a diagnosis in the absence of typical symptoms or thyroid enlargement. We report the cases of two patients with non-goiterous severe hypothyroidism with markedly elevated CEA levels that effectively decreased with levothyroxine replacement therapy alone.

Complete Genome Sequence of Streptococcus ruminantium sp. nov. GUT-187T (=DSM 104980T =JCM 31869T), the Type Strain of S. ruminantium, and Comparison with Genome Sequences of Streptococcus suis Strains.

Streptococcus ruminantium sp. nov. of type strain GUT-187T, previously classified as Streptococcus suis serotype 33, is a recently described novel streptococcal species.

Defining the taxonomic status of Streptococcus suis serotype 33: the proposal for Streptococcus ruminantium sp. nov.

To clarify the taxonomic classification of Streptococcus suis serotype 33, we performed biochemical and molecular genetic analyses using isolates (GUT-183, GUT-184, GUT-185, GUT-186, GUT-187T, GUT-188, GUT-189, GUT-190, GUT-191, GUT-192 and GUT-193) from bovine endocarditis. A comparative sequence analysis showed 99.2-100 % sequence similarity among the reference strain of S.

Investigation of potential targets of Porphyromonas CRISPRs among the genomes of Porphyromonas species.

The oral bacterial species Porphyromonas gingivalis, a periodontal pathogen, has plastic genomes that may be driven by homologous recombination with exogenous deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that is incorporated by natural transformation and conjugation. However, bacteriophages and plasmids, both of which are main resources of exogenous DNA, do not exist in the known P. gingivalis genomes.