A community approach for pathogens and their arthropod vectors (ticks and fleas) in cats of sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Arthropod-borne pathogens and their vectors are present throughout Africa. They have been well studied in livestock of sub-Saharan Africa, but poorly studied in companion animals. Given their socioeconomic importance, the African Small Companion Animal Network (AFSCAN), as part of the WSAVA Foundation, initiated a standardized multi-country surveillance study.

Heterologous expression and characterisation of a keratinase produced by Chryseobacterium carnipullorum.

Chryseobacterium carnipullorum 9_R23581, isolated from raw chicken meat, was evaluated for its potential to degrade keratin found in feathers. The focus of this study was to heterologously express and characterise a keratinolytic enzyme produced by C. carnipullorum.

Regulation of outer-membrane proteins (OMPs) A and F, during -induced outer-membrane vesicle (OMV) biosynthesis.

Background: Gram-negative bacteria actively secrete outer membrane vesicles into the surrounding environment and these vesicles have been shown to play various physiological and protective roles such as carrying antibiotic-degrading enzymes and acting as decoys against host defences, therefore promoting the pathogenesis of the bacterium. It has been shown that avian pathogenic species can increase vesicle biosynthesis through the acquisition of the gene but the effect this has on the cell by scavenging outer-membrane associated proteins (OmpA, OmpF) into the vesicles during vesicle release have not yet been investigated.

Results: Relative quantitative real-time PCR data obtained from expressing and non-expressing cells showed that during induction, showed a nearly 2-fold down regulation relative to the non-expressing cells during the entire 24 hours, while was expressed at the same level as the non-expressing cells during the first 8 hours of expression.

Bacteriophages as potential treatment option for antibiotic resistant bacteria.

The world is facing an ever-increasing problem with antibiotic resistant bacteria and we are rapidly heading for a post-antibiotic era. There is an urgent need to investigate alterative treatment options while there are still a few antibiotics left. Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically target bacteria.

Bacterial resistance to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QAC) disinfectants.

Control of bacterial diseases has, for many years, been dependent on the use of antibiotics. Due to the high levels of efficacy of antibiotics in the past other disease control options have, to a large extent, been neglected. Mankind is now facing an increasing problem with antibiotic resistance.