Ausschuss für Hygiene

History:

Host species:

• wild and laboratory rats (van Zwieten et al. 1980), laboratory mice, African white-tailed rat (Mystromys albicaudatus), rabbits, cattle, goats and swine (MacKenzie et al. 1981; Matsushita, 1986; Waggie et al. 1987; Shoji et al. 1988; Kurisu et al. 1990; Shoji-Darkye et al. 1991; Brogden et al. 1993; Hastie et al. 1993; Nietfeld et al., 1995; Fernández et al. 1996; Caniatti et al. 1998).

Properties:

• the organism withstands freezing and thawing, and has been stored at -70ºC and 23ºC for short periods (Ganaway et al. 1985)

Susceptibility:

• mice seem to be most sensitive, followed by hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs. (Shoji-Darkye et al. 1991)

Organotropism:

• respiratory tract

Clinical disease and pathology:

• Dyspnoea (Cundiff et al. 1992); respiratory signs such as wheezing, decreased activity and ruffled fur (Matsushita and Joshima, 1989), chronic respiratory disease (Ganaway et al. 1985, Matsushita 1986)
• Bronchocentric lesions including lymphoid hyperplasia, ectasia of the major airways, mucopurulent exsudation (van Zwieten et al. 1980)
• Suppurative bronchopneumonia and necrotizing interstitial pneumonia and leukocytic infiltration in the lamina propria (Griffith et al. 1988; France 1994; Medina et al. 1994)
• Laryngeal, tracheal and bronchial epithelia are normally slightly hypertrophic and hyperplastic, with areas of loss of cilia (Kurisu et al. 1990; Matsushita 1991)
• Squamoid changes in the bronchi, atelectasis, emphysema and bronchiectasis; seldom death (Ganaway et al. 1985; Shoji et al. 1988)
• filamentous bacteria adhered to the respiratory epithelium (Griffith et al. 1988)
• Lesions associated with CAR bacillus may appear as mild peribronchiolar lymphoid infiltrate, later air ways may become dilated and mucosal hyperplasia could be found and may progress to metaplasia. (Kendall et al. 1999)

Notice:

• CAR bacillus does not grow on cell-free media. Cultivation in cell lines and embryonated eggs is possible (Ganaway et al. 1985)
• Diagnosis is based on identification of the filamentous organism among the cilia of the respiratiory tract by electron microscopy (MacKenzie et al. 1981), or by using stains such as Warthin-Statrry, Grocott methenamine silver ( Itoh et al. 1987; Griffith et al. 1988). Serological tests are available and include ELISA (Ganaway et al. 1985; Lukas et al. 1987; Shoji et al. 1988) and IFA test (Matsushita et al. 1987).

Morbidity and mortality:

• usually inapparent and asymptomatic infections ; low mortality (Ganaway et al. 1985; Shoji et al. 1988; Shoji-Darkye et al. 1991)
• chronic disease
• susceptibility to infection seems to depend on host species (Shoji-Darkye et al. 1991)

Zoonotic potential:

• unknown

Interference with research:

• Effects on research are not documented. Infected rodents have abnormal tracheobronchial cellular morphology and an increased lung lymphocytic population, raising concerns about their suitability in respiratory, immunology, carcinogenicity and physiology studies. If ciliary function is altered through ciliastasis or loss of cilia, host respiratory response to pharmacologic or infectious agents might be impaired (Cundiff et al. 1992)
• An infection causes an elevation of gamma interferon (IFN_) and interleukins (IL 4 and IL10). Interleukins are predominat in CAR bacillus induced histologic lesions in mice, while gamma interferon may have a role in resistance to disease (Kendall et al., 1999)

References:

Brogden, K. A., R. C. Cutlip, and H. D. Lehmkuhl. 1993. Cilia-assiciated repiratory bacillus in wild rats in central Iowa. J Wildlife Dis. 29:123-126.

Caniatti, M., L. Crippa, A. M. Giusti, S. Mattiello, G. Grilli, R. Orsenigo, and E. Scanziani. 1998. Cilia-associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus infection in conventionally reared rabbits. J. Vet. Med. B. 45:363-371.

Cundiff, D. C., C. Besch-Williford, and L. K. Riley. 1992. A review of the cilia-associated respiratory Bacillus. 1992. http://www.criver.com/techdocs/car.html : 1-8

Fernández, A. J., J. Orós, J. L. Rodriguez, J. King, and J. B. Poveda. 1996. Morphological evidence of a filamentous cilia-associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus in goats. Vet. Pathol. 33:445-447.

France, M. P. 1994. Cilia-assiciated respiratory bacillus infection in laboratory rats with chronic respiratory disease. Aust. Vet. J. 71:350-351.

Ganaway J. R., T. H. Spencer, T. D. Moore, and A. M. Allen. 1985. Isolation, propagation, and characterization of a newly recognized pathogen, cilia-associated respiratory bacillus of rats, an etiological agent of chronic respiratory diesease. Infect. Immun. 47:472-479.

Griffith J. W., W. J. White, P. J. Danneman, and C. M. Lang. 1988. Cilia-associated respiratoy (CAR) bacillus infection of obese mice. Vet. Pathol. 25:72-76.

Hastie A. T., L. P. Evans, and A. M. Allen. 1993. Two types of bacteria adherent to bovine respiratory tract ciliated epithelium. Vet. Pathol. 30: 12-19

Itoh T., K. Kohyama, A. Takakura, T. Takenouchi, and N. Kagiyama. 1987. Naturally occurring CAR Bacillus infection in a laboratory rat colony and epizootical observations. Exp. Anim. 36:387-393.

Kendall L. V., R. R. Hook Jr., C.L. Besch-Williford, and C. L. Franklin. 1999. Predominant Interleukin 10 mRNA Expression in Lungs of CAR bacillus Infected BALB/c and C57BL/6 Mice with Histologic Disease. Comtemporary Topics 4:65-66.

Kurisu, K., S. Kyo, Y. Shimoto, and S. Matsushita. 1990. Cila-associated respiratory bacillus infection in rabbits. Lab. Anim. Sci. 40:413-415.

Lukas V. S., W. W. Ruehl, and T. E. Hamm Jr. 1987. An enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay to detect serum IgG in rabbits naturally exposed to cilia-associated respiratory bacillus. Lab. Anim. Sci. 37:533.

MacKenzie W. F., L. S. Magill, and M. Hulse. 1981. A filamentous bacterium associated with respiratory disease in wild rats. Vet. Pathol. 18:836-839.

Matsushita S. 1986. Spontaneous respiratory disease associated with cila-associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus in a rat. Jap. J. Vet. Sci. 48:437-444.

Matsushita S. 1991. Ultrastructure of respiratory tract epithelium of rats experimentally infected with the CAR bacillus: J. Vet. Med. Sci. 53:361-363.

Matsushita S., M. Kashima, and H. Joshima. 1987. Serodiagnosis of cilia-associated respiratory bacillus infection by the indirect immunofluorecence assay technique. Lab. Anim. 21:356-359

Matsushita S. and H. Joshima. 1989. Pathology of rats intranasally inoculated with the cilia-associated respiratory bacillus. Lab. Anim. 23:89-95.

Medina L. V., J. D. Fortman, R. M. Bunte, and B. T. Bennet. 1994. Respiratory disease in a rat colony: identification of CAR bacillus without other respiratory pathogens by standard diagnostic screening methods. Lab. Anim. Sci.. 44:521-525.

Nietfeld J. C., C. L. Franklin, L. K. Riley, D. H. Zeman, and B. T. Groff.1995. Colonization of the tracheal epithelium of pigs by filamentous bacteria resembling cilia-associated respiratory bacillus. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 7: 338-342.

Shoji Y., T. Itoh, and N. Kagiyama. 1988. Pathogenesis of two CAR bacillus strains in mice and rats. Exp. Anim. 37: 447-453

Shoji Y., T. Itoh, and N. Kagiyama. 1988. Enzme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of serum antibody to CAR bacillus. Exp. Anim. 37: 69-72

Shoji Y.-Darkye, T. Itoh, and N. Kagiyama. 1991. Pathogenesis of CAR bacillus in rabbits, guinea pigs, Syrian hamsters, and mice. Lab. Anim. Sci. 41:567-571

van Zwieten M. J., H. A. Solleveld, J. R. Lindsey, F. G. de Groot, C. Zurcher, and C. F. Hollander.1980. Respiratory disease in rats associated with a filamentous bacterium: a preliminary report. Lab. Anim. Sci. 30: 215-221.

Waggie K. S., T. H. Spencer, and A. M. Allen. 1987. Cilia associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus infection in New Zealand White rabbits. Lab. Anim. Sci. 37: 533