To construct a recombinant Bacillus subtilis strain expressing SpaA and CbpB of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae for oral administration, we constructed the recombinant plasmid pDG1730-CBJA by fusion PCR and seamless cloning. The plasmid was introduced into B. subtilis KC strain by natural transformation, and the recombinant strain KC-spaA-cbpB was screened out on the plate containing spectinomycin (spe^r) and confirmed by PCR and starch degradation test. The SpaA and CbpB expressed by KC-spaA-cbpB were detected by Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence assay, and the genetic stability of the recombinant strain in mice was determined. The plasmid pMAD-∆spe^r with knockout of spe^r was constructed and transformed into KC-spaA-cbpB. The spe^r-deleted mutant strain KC-spaA-cbpB: : ∆spe^r was screened and identified, and its immunogenicity in a mouse model was evaluated by oral immunization. The results showed that the recombinant strain KC-spaA-cbpB was stable in mice, expressing SpaA on the cell surface and CbpB on the spore surface. KC-spaA-cbpB: : ∆spe^r expressed SpaA and CbpB. The mice vaccinated with the spores of KC-spaA-cbpB: : ∆spe^r had higher levels of SpaA and CbpB-specific IgG in the serum that those vaccinated with the wild-type spores 42 days after vaccination by gavage (P < 0.01). The protective rate of mice immunized with the recombinant spores was 67.5%. The results indicated that a recombinant B. subtilis strain expressing SpaA and CbpB of E. rhusiopathiae was successfully constructed, and the recombinant strain laid a foundation for the development of oral live vector vaccines for swine erysipelas.
Animals ; Bacillus subtilis/immunology* ; Mice ; Erysipelothrix/immunology* ; Bacterial Proteins/immunology* ; Bacterial Vaccines/genetics* ; Erysipelothrix Infections/prevention & control* ; Immunization ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plasmids/genetics* ; Immunogenicity, Vaccine ; Administration, Oral ; Antigens, Bacterial

Porcine parvovirus, Erysipelothrix (E.) rhusiopathiae, and Leptospira (L.) interrogans are considered major etiologic agents of reproductive failure in pigs, causing economic loss in the swine industry. In this study, the safety and immunogenicity of a new octavalent inactivated vaccine were evaluated. The vaccine contained inactivated porcine parvovirus, E. rhusiopathiae, and six L. interrogans serovars (Bratislava, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Hardjo, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Pomona). Safety test results showed no notable side effects or clinical signs after vaccination in mice, guinea pigs, and sows. In addition, we assessed immunogenicity of the vaccine in 25 sows under field conditions. The vaccinated group (n = 20) had a significantly higher antibody level than the non-vaccinated group (n = 5). Moreover, the stillbirth rate decreased in piglets born from vaccinated sows, resulting in an increased fertility rate. The results of this study demonstrate that the new octavalent inactivated vaccine can be applied safely and effectively to improve reproductive performance in sows.
Animals ; Birth Rate ; Erysipelas* ; Erysipelothrix ; Guinea Pigs ; Leptospira* ; Leptospirosis ; Mice ; Parvovirus, Porcine* ; Serogroup ; Stillbirth ; Swine ; Vaccination

Uterine sterilization is important for improving fertility in cattle. This study compared bacterial flora in the uterus between healthy and repeat breeder cows (RBCs). The uterine flushing of six heifers, 13 healthy HanWoo cows and eight RBCs (HanWoo) were sampled, and 15 frozen semen samples were selected. Overall, 35 bacteria were identified from in HanWoo uterine flushing and semen. The bacterial genera identified from HanWoo uterine flushing were Alloiococcus, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Erysipelothrix, Gardnerella, Granulicatella, Kocuria, Pantoea, Pasteurella, Rothia, Serratia, Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus, Stenotrophomonas and Streptococcus. The bacterial genera identified from HanWoo semen were Bacillus, Escherichia, Kocuria, Oligella, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus, Stenotrophomonas and Streptococcus. The prevalence and presence of the identified bacteria between healthy cows and RBCs differed significantly. Further studies are needed to determine the role of these bacteria in the uterus of HanWoo cattle with reproductive disorder.
Animals ; Bacillus ; Bacteria ; Cattle* ; Enterobacter ; Enterococcus ; Erysipelothrix ; Escherichia ; Fertility ; Flushing ; Gardnerella ; Pantoea ; Pasteurella ; Prevalence ; Pseudomonas ; Semen ; Semen Preservation ; Serratia ; Sphingomonas ; Staphylococcus ; Stenotrophomonas ; Sterilization ; Streptococcus ; Uterus*

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a Gram-positive bacillus that causes infections primarily in animals. In humans, the bacteria usually cause localized or generalized cutaneous infections. A 75-year-old man with chronic alcoholism presented with abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography and laboratory findings suggested an intra-abdominal abscess in the periaortic soft tissue. While no definitive infectious source was identified, E. rhusiopathiae was identified by 16S rRNA-based gene sequencing from culture-negative, periaortic necrotic tissue, subsequent to empiric antibiotic treatment. It is suggested that E. rhusiopathiae has the potential to cause intra-abdominal abscesses. This case report highlights the usefulness of DNA sequencing to identify pathogens in patients pretreated with antibiotics.
Abdominal Abscess* ; Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Aged ; Alcoholism ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacillus ; Bacteria ; Erysipelothrix* ; Humans ; Sequence Analysis, DNA*

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is known as a pathogen of occupational diseases or a zoonosis. We report a case of E. rhusiopathiae peritonitis in a 50-yr-old male undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). He was suffered from mild abdominal pain with a distinctive erysipeloid skin lesion. E. rhusiopathiae was considered to be introduced through a lacerated wound on his hand when he was exposed to contaminated materials. He was treated successfully with a first generation cephalosporin. To our knowledge, CAPD peritonitis due to E. rhusiopathiae is very rare, and this is a report of the first case in Asia.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Cefazolin/therapeutic use ; *Erysipelothrix/isolation & purification ; Erysipelothrix Infections/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Peritonitis/*diagnosis/drug therapy

Two trials of external quality assessment for clinical microbiology laboratories were performed in 2008. A total of 16 specimens were distributed. Eight specimens were distributed to 330 laboratories with 319 (96.7%) returns in Trial I, and 8 specimens to 335 laboratories with 319 returns (95.2%) in Trial II. Two slide specimens for mycobacterium stain (AFB) were distributed in Trial I and II. The acceptable percentages of Gram stain were relatively good for both stainability and morphology except for Acinetobacter baumannii. The acceptable percentages of bacterial identification (correct answers to species level) on Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria meningitidis, Serratia marcescens, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and Candida albicans (Trial I) were 97.4%, 99.2%, 55.6%, 97.0%, 79.2%, and 92.0%, respectively. The acceptable percentages of bacterial identification on A. baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (Trial II) were 92.0%, 90.8%, 4.5%, 53.1%, 74.8% and 94.3%, respectively. The acceptable percentages for antimicrobial susceptibility tests on K. pneumoniae and S. aureus (Trial I), and A. baumannii and E. faecalis, (Trial II) were relatively good compared to data of the last year. The acceptable percentages for AFB stain in Trial I and II were relatively high. In summary, the acceptable percentages of bacterial stain and identification were relatively good except some cases with poor specimen quality. However, it is still necessary that the quality assurance of the individual laboratories should be improved for antimicrobial susceptibility tests, and the selection of the most appropriate antimicrobial agents to test should be also considered.
Acinetobacter baumannii ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Candida albicans ; Enterococcus faecalis ; Erysipelothrix ; Haemophilus parainfluenzae ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Korea ; Mycobacterium ; Neisseria meningitidis ; Pneumonia ; Serratia marcescens ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Streptococcus pyogenes ; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Aged, 80 and over ; Cellulitis ; microbiology ; Erysipelothrix Infections ; complications ; diagnosis ; Female ; Foot Diseases ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Humans ; Hypotension ; etiology ; Sepsis ; microbiology ; Shock, Septic ; microbiology

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is an uncommon pathogen in humans, and it is caused by zoonotic infection. It usually induces localized skin infection (erysipeloid) in most cases of human infection. Endocarditis due to E. rhusiopathie is very rare, but it causes various cardiac valve complications including valve replacement. We reported here on a case of E. rhusiopathiae endocarditis in a 71 years old man who had liver cirrhosis and no underlying cardiac disease. This case was treated with intravenous penicillin G for 30 days and he improved without any surgical intervention.
Aged ; Endocarditis* ; Erysipelothrix* ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Penicillin G ; Skin ; Zoonoses

Two trials of external quality assessment for clinical microbiology laboratory were performed in 2004. A total of 12 specimens were distributed. Six specimens were distributed to 293 laboratories with 277 returns in Trial I and six specimens to 293 laboratories with 274 returns in Trial II. The acceptable percentages of Gram-stain on Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis were 96.0%, 98.5%, 97.4% and 98.2%, respectively. The acceptable percentages of bacterial identification on Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Shigella flexneri, Gemella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis (Trial II), Streptococcus agalactiae, Listeria monocytogenes, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, and Eikenella corrodens were 97.5% (including 33.7% of no growth), 99.6%, 93.2%, 82.3%, 95.4%, 50.7%, 98.4%, 92.3%, 87.0%, 78.9%, 92.5% (including 53.4% of no growth), respectively. The acceptable percentages for antimicrobial susceptibility tests on Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were relatively high, but those on Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis were not high. In conclusion, the acceptable percentages of bacterial stain and identification were relatively good. However, it is necessary that the quality assurance of the individual laboratories should be improved for antimicrobial susceptibility tests on Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis, and the selection of the most appropriate antimicrobial agents to test should be also considered.
Anti-Infective Agents ; Eikenella corrodens ; Enterococcus faecalis ; Erysipelothrix ; Escherichia coli ; Gemella ; Korea* ; Listeria monocytogenes ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Shigella flexneri ; Staphylococcus saprophyticus ; Streptococcus agalactiae ; Streptococcus pneumoniae

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is an uncommon pathogen in human, which causes zoonotic infection. The most common type of human disease with E. rhusiopathiae is a localized skin infection (erysipeloed). E. rhusiopathiae endocarditis is very rare, which usually develops in normal heart valves and causes a variety of complications leading to valve replacement. We described a case of E. rhusiopathiae endocarditis which developed in a 56-year-old man without a predisposing valvular heart disease. In this case, aortic valve and mitral valve were involved and emergency valve replacement was required, which improved patient's condition markedly. Intravenous therapy with penicillin G and subsequent ceftriaxone were given for 8 weeks after surgery and he was recovered without relapse.
Aortic Valve ; Ceftriaxone ; Emergencies ; Endocarditis* ; Erysipelothrix* ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve ; Penicillin G ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Zoonoses