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Escherichia albertii is an emerging zoonotic foodborne enteropathogen leading to human gastroenteritis outbreaks. Although E. albertii has been isolated from birds which have been considered as the potential reservoirs of this bacterium, its prevalence in migratory birds has rarely been described. In this study, E. albertii in migratory birds from Poyang Lake was investigated and characterized using whole genome sequencing. Eighty-one fecal samples from nine species of migratory birds were collected and 24/81 (29.6%) tested PCR-positive for E. albertii-specific genes. A total of 47 isolates was recovered from 18 out of 24 PCR-positive samples. All isolates carried eae and cdtB genes. These isolates were classified into eight E. albertii O-genotypes (EAOgs) (including three novel EAOgs) and three E. albertii H-genotypes (EAHgs). Whole genome phylogeny separated migratory bird-derived isolates into different lineages, some isolates in this study were phylogenetically closely grouped with poultry-derived or patient-derived strains. Our findings showed that migratory birds may serve as an important reservoir for heterogeneous E. albertii, thereby acting as potential transmission vehicles of E. albertii to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the first human infection with the influenza A (H10N8) virus in Nanchang, China in December 2013, we identified two additional patients on January 19 and February 9, 2014. The epidemiologic, clinical, and virological data from the patients and the environmental specimen collected from 23 local live poultry markets (LPMs) were analyzed. The three H10N8 cases had a history of poultry exposure and presented with high fever (>38°C), rapidly progressive pneumonia and lymphopenia. Substantial high levels of cytokines and chemokines were observed. The sequences from an isolate (A/Environment/Jiangxi/03489/2013 [H10N8]) in an epidemiologically linked LPM showed highly identity with human H10N8 virus, evidencing LPM as the source of human infection. The HA and NA of human and environmental H10N8 isolates showed high identity (99.1-99.9%) while six genotypes with internal genes derived from H9N2, H7N3 and H7N9 subtype viruses were detected in environmental H10N8 isolates. The genotype of the virus causing human infection, Jiangxi/346, possessed a whole internal gene set of the A/Environment/Jiangxi/10618/2014(H9N2)-like virus. Thus, our findings support the notion that LPMs can act as both a gene pool for the generation of novel reassortants and a source for human infection, and intensive surveillance and management should therefore be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to understand the changes in the detection rates of H5, H7, and H9 subtypes of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in the live poultry markets (LPMs) in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19. From 2019 to 2020, we monitored the LPM and collected specimens, using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technology to detect the nucleic acid of type A AIV in the samples. The H5, H7, and H9 subtypes of influenza viruses were further classified for positive results. We analyzed 1,959 samples before and after the outbreak and found that the positive rates of avian influenza A virus (39.69%) and H9 subtype (30.66%) after the outbreak were significantly higher than before the outbreak (26.84% and 20.90%, respectively; P < 0.001). In various LPMs, the positive rate of H9 subtypes has increased significantly (P ≤ 0.001). Positive rates of the H9 subtype in duck, fecal, daub, and sewage samples, but not chicken samples, have increased to varying degrees. This study shows that additional measures are needed to strengthen the control of AIVs now that LPMs have reopened after the relaxing of COVID-19-related restrictions.

Objective: To investigate the impact of NU7026 and Wortmannin, inhibitors of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), in HL60 cells apoptosis induced by 1, 4-benzoquinone (1, 4-BQ)., Methods: HL60 cells were divided into three groups according to the exposures: the poisoned groups which were treated with 0, 5, 10, 25 and 50 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ for 24 h, respectively, the NU7026 groups which were preincubated with 10 µmol/L NU7026 for 1h prior to the 24h treatment of 0, 5, 10, 25 and 50 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ and the Wortmannin groups which were preincubated with 25 µmol/L Wortmannin for 1h prior to the 24 h treatment of 0, 5, 10, 25 and 50 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ. Then we detected the apoptosis via flowcytometry Annexin V-FITC/PI and the DNA Ladder, respectively. We also tested the expressions of Bax mRNA with Real-Time PCR in HL60 cells which were exposed to 10 µmol/L NU7026 for 24 h, 25 µmol/L Wortmannin 24 h, 10 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ 24 h, 10 µmol/L NU7026 1h+10 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ 24 h and 25 µmol/L Wortmannin 1 h+10 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ 24 h, as well as null (control). We also examed the expressions of p53 in HL60 cells with Western blot., Results: Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis tests suggested that apoptosis rates of NU7026+10 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ group and Wortmannin +10 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ were 17.6±1.19% and 15.2±1.22%, respectively. Both of results were higher than that of 10 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ group (6.3±1.04%); Apoptosis of NU7026+25 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ group was 46.2±3.55%, and Wortmannin +25 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ group 26.9±2.62%. Both of results were also higher than that of 25 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ group (14.1±1.54%); Apoptosis of NU7026+50 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ group (61.8±1.78%) was higher than that of 50 µmol/L 1, 4-BQ group (35.9±4.51%). The above results were all statistically significant (P < 0.05)., Results: of DNA-Ladder were basically consistent with those of Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis tests. In addition, both NU7026 and Wortmannin pretreatment elicited the higher expression of Bax mRNA in HL60 treated by 1, 4-benzoquinone with statistically significance (P < 0.05). However, p53 protein was not detected in HL60 cells as the western blot indicated., Conclusion: Inhibitors of DNA-PK, NU7026 and Wortmannin, promote p53-independent apoptosis induced by 1, 4-benzoquinone in HL60 cells.