Demonstration of Tritrichomonas foetus in the external genitalia and of specific antibodies in preputial secretions of naturally infected bulls.
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Portions of penis and prepuce were collected from 24 bulls with current or recent Tritrichomonas foetus infection. Epididymides were collected from seven of the bulls, and seminal vesicles and prostate were collected from four. Following immunohistochemical staining with two monoclonal antibodies (34.7C4.4 and TF1.15) prepared against T. foetus surface antigens, trichomonads were identified in sections from 15 of the bulls. Organisms were most often located in penile crypts in the midshaft and caudal regions and less often in preputial crypts. Trichomonads were not observed in sections from other genitalia or in subepithelial tissue. T. foetus antigen, however, was present in the cytoplasm of some epithelial cells and the cytoplasm of some mononuclear cells in subepithelial lymphoid aggregates and follicles. Preputial smegma was collected from 16 T. foetus-infected bulls and from 16 control bulls with negative T. foetus cultures. Preputial antibody levels to TF1.17, a surface antigen of T. foetus, were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Preputial secretions from infected bulls contained specific antibody of each isotype and subisotype tested. IgG1 responses were the greatest, IgM and IgA responses were approximately equal, and IgG2 responses were low. Each isotype and subisotype response in infected bulls was significantly greater than that in the controls. These results confirm previous speculation concerning anatomical sites of infection and suggest that parasite antigen can be taken up and processed locally, resulting in deposition of specific IgG1, IgG2, IgA, and IgM antibodies in the preputial cavity. (+info)
A study of carcinoma of uterine cervix with special reference to its causation and prevention.
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In a study of 50 patients with carcinoma of the cervix matched with 50 healthy controls, the frequency of sexual intercourse was found to be significantly higher in patients as compared with controls. There were no differences in the observance of personal cleanliness by the husbands of patients as compared with controls. Since an alkaline milieu surrounding mucus-bearing epithelial cells renders the mucus fluid which in this state escapes from the cell, and since this is known to cause hyperplasia, metaplasia and an increase in mitotic activity, changes in the pH of semen were studied as a result of daily, weekly and fortnightly ejaculations. As the frequency of ejaculation increased the semen became more alkaline. The view is presented that it is not the smegma but the alkaline reaction, if the sex act is frequent, which may bear a causal responsibility for carcinoma of cervix. Sheath contraception would, therefore, appear to be an important measure in the prevention of carcinoma of cervix. (+info)
Detection of bovine trichomoniasis with a specific DNA probe and PCR amplification system.
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Trichomoniasis is a widespread, economically important venereal disease of cattle which causes infertility and abortion. Effective control of trichomoniasis has been impeded by the insensitivity of traditional diagnostic procedures, which require the isolation and cultivation of the parasite, Tritrichomonas foetus, from infected cattle. We developed a 0.85-kb T. foetus DNA probe by identifying conserved sequences in DNAs from T. foetus that were isolated from cattle in California, Idaho, Nevada, and Costa Rica. The probe hybridized specifically to DNAs of T. foetus isolates from different geographic areas but not to DNA preparations of Trichomonas vaginalis, bovine cells, or a variety of bacteria from cattle. The probe detected DNA from a minimum of 10(5) T. foetus organisms. To improve sensitivity, a partial sequence of the probe was used to identify oligonucleotide primers (TF1 and TF2) which could be used to amplify a 162-bp product from T. foetus DNAs by PCR. A chemiluminescent internal T. foetus sequence probe was hybridized to Southern blots of the amplification product. This system detected as few as one T. foetus organism in culture media or 10 parasites in samples containing bovine preputial smegma. Analysis of 52 clinical samples showed that 47 (90.4%) of the 52 samples were correctly identified, with no false-positive reactions. In comparison, the traditional cultivation method detected 44 (84.6%) of the 52 samples from T. foetus-infected and uninfected bulls. These results indicate that the PCR-based amplification system could be a useful alternative method for the diagnosis of bovine trichomoniasis. (+info)
Mycoplasma lagogenitalium sp. nov., from the preputial smegma of Afghan pikas (Ochotona rufescens rufescens).
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Organisms with characteristics typical of mycoplasmas were isolated from the preputial smegma of Afghan picas (Ochotona rufescens rufescens). The results of growth inhibition tests, metabolic inhibition tests, and immunobinding assays showed that the isolated strains were identical and that they were distinct from previously described Mycoplasma, Entomoplasma, Mesoplasma, and Acholeplasma species. These organisms represent a new species, for which the name Mycoplasma lagogenitalium is proposed. M. lagogenitalium ferments glucose, does not hydrolyze arginine or urea, reduces tetrazolium chloride, possesses phosphatase activity, does not digest gelatin or casein, and does not produce films or spots. It lyses sheep erythrocytes and does not adsorb sheep, rabbit, or horse erythrocytes. Cholesterol or serum is required for growth. The growth temperature is 37 degrees C. The guanine-plus-cytosine content of the DNA is 23.0 +/- 1.0 mol%. The type strain is M. lagogenitalium 12MS (= ATCC 700289T). (+info)