Are you Xingxiao Zhang?

Claim your profile

Publications (6)14.61 Total impact

  • Article: Source identification of airborne Escherichia coli of swine house surroundings using ERIC-PCR and REP-PCR.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: Evidence is mounting that microorganisms originating from livestock impact the air quality of the animal houses themselves and the public in the surrounding neighborhoods. The aim of this study was to develop efficient bacterial source tracking capabilities to identify sources of Escherichia coli aerosol pollution caused by pigs. Airborne E. coli were isolated from indoor air, upwind air (10 and 50 m away) and downwind air samples (10, 50, 100, 200 and 400 m away) for five swine houses using six-stage Andersen microbial samplers and Reuter-Centrifugal samplers (RCS). E. coli strains from pig fecal samples were also collected simultaneously. The enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerize chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) and the repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP-PCR) approaches were used to study the genetic variability and to determine the strain relationships among E. coli isolated from different sites in each swine house. Results showed that 35.1% (20/57) of the bacterial DNA fingerprints from the fecal isolates matched with the corresponding strains isolated from indoor and downwind air samples (similarity > or = 90%). E. coli strains from the indoor and downwind air samples were closely related to the E. coli strains isolated from feces, while those isolated from upwind air samples (swine house C) had low similarity (61-69%). Our results suggest that some strains isolated from downwind and indoor air originated in the swine feces. Effective hygienic measures should be taken in animal farms to prevent or minimize the downwind spread of microorganism aerosol.
    Environmental Research 05/2009; 109(5):511-7. · 3.40 Impact Factor
  • Article: Degenerate primers based RT-PCR for rapid detection and differentiation of airborne chicken Newcastle disease virus in chicken houses.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: Airborne Newcastle disease (ND) viruses in the air of five chicken houses were detected and differentiated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using degenerate primers. Fifteen air samples were collected with All Glass Impinger-30 (AGI-30) air samplers in each house. Airborne ND viruses were also isolated and virulence identified by in vivo tests. Avirulent viruses were detected both in air samples and swab samples in four houses by degenerate primers based RT-PCR. Virulent viruses were detected only in the air samples by degenerate primers based RT-PCR in two houses. Seven strains viruses were isolated from the RT-PCR positive air samples. Of the seven strains, three strains were virulent viruses and four strains were avirulent viruses identified by in vivo tests. The results showed that it was feasible to detect and differentiate NDV in the air samples using degenerate primers based RT-PCR. This technique could decrease the time it required identify NDV infected flocks while distinguishing between virulent and avirulent viruses. It will help effectively to control Newcastle disease.
    Journal of virological methods 02/2009; 158(1-2):1-5. · 2.13 Impact Factor
  • Article: Occurrence and transmission of Newcastle disease virus aerosol originating from infected chickens under experimental conditions.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: In order to better understand airborne transmission of Newcastle disease, a model system was established and two trials were conducted. Twenty-five principal specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens were inoculated with NDV and were housed in one isolator. 6 days after the chickens were challenged, 15 chickens were placed into another isolator which received its air supply from the first isolator. The NDV aerosol originating from inoculated chickens was collected with All Glass Impinger-30 (AGI-30) to study the occurrence and concentration of NDV aerosol. The antibody response to infection was assessed by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test and viral shedding was detected by RT-PCR and Dot-ELISA. NDV aerosol was initially detectable by RT-PCR and cell culture at day 2 or 3 post-inoculation (dpi). The aerosol concentration peaked at 1.69x10(4)PFU/m(3) air at 13dpi in trial 1, 9.14x10(3)PFU/m(3) air at 11dpi in trial 2 and was consistently detectable up to 40dpi. NDV shedding was detectable from 2 to 40dpi of inoculated chickens and from 6 days post-aerosol exposed infection (dpi) to 33dpi of aerosol exposed chickens. The viral strain induced high antibody level, both in inoculated and in aerosol exposed chickens. Airborne transmission did occur, as shown by NDV shedding and seroconversion to NDV in aerosol exposed chickens. The results indicated that viruses shed from infected chickens readily aerosolized and airborne transmission of NDV was possible.
    Veterinary Microbiology 12/2008; 136(3-4):226-32. · 3.33 Impact Factor
  • Article: An investigation of duck circovirus and co-infection in Cherry Valley ducks in Shandong Province, China.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: The co-infection of duck circovirus (DuCV) with Riemerella anatipestifer (RA) or/and Escherichia coli (E. coli) or/and duck hepatitis virus I (DHV-I) in Cherry Valley ducks in China's Shandong Province was investigated by using polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR)-based methods. For this study, 742 ducks sampled at random from 70 duck farms during 2006-2007 were examined using PCR and dot-blot hybridisation (DBH) tests. Overall the DuCV infection rate was 33.29%. Compared with those at 2 weeks of age, the ducks at 3-4 weeks of age were more susceptible to DuCV infection. Compared with the DuCV-negative ones, the DuCV-positive ducks had a higher rate of infection by DHV-I (25.5% vs. 7.475%), RA (23.48% vs. 8.28%) and E. coli (16.19% vs. 4.85%). This investigation shows that DuCV infection is common in Cherry Valley ducks on some farms in Shandong Province.
    Veterinary Microbiology 08/2008; 133(3):252-6. · 3.33 Impact Factor
  • Article: Transmission identification of Escherichia coli aerosol in chicken houses to their environments using ERIC-PCR.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: In order to study E. coli aerosol spreading from chicken houses to their surrounding air, air samples, including indoor and outdoor air (upwind 10 and 50 m as well as downwind 10, 50, 100, 200 and 400 m away) of 5 chicken houses were collected using six-stage Andersen microbial samplers and Reuter-Centrifugal samplers (RCS). E. coli concentrations (CFU/m(3) air) collected from different sampling sites were calculated. E. coli strains from chicken feces samples were also isolated. Furthermore, the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR method was applied to amplify the isolated E. coli strain DNA samples. Through the genetic similarity analyses of the E. coli obtained from different sampling sites, the spreading of bioaerosol from animal houses to the ambient air was characterized. The results showed that the isolated E. coli concentrations in indoor air (9-63 CFU/m(3)) in 5 chicken houses were higher than those in upwind and downwind air, but there were no significant differences between the indoor and downwind sites 10 m away from all the 5 houses (P>0.05). The phylogenetic tree indicated that a part of the E. coli (34.1%) isolated from indoor air had 100% similarity with those isolated from feces, and that most of E. coli isolated (54.5%) from downwind at 10, 50, 100 or even 200 m had 100% similarity with those isolated from indoor air or feces too. But those isolated from upwind air had a lower similarity (73%-92%) with corresponding strains isolated from indoor air or feces. Our results suggested that some strains isolated from downwind air and indoor air originated in the chicken feces, but most of isolates obtained from upwind air samples did not come from the chicken feces or indoor air. Effective hygienic measures should be taken in animal farms to prevent or minimize downwind spreading of microorganism aerosol.
    Science in China Series C Life Sciences 03/2008; 51(2):164-73. · 1.61 Impact Factor
  • Article: The occurrence and transmission characteristics of airborne H9N2 avian influenza virus.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: To better understand the transmission route of H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV), two duplicate trials were conducted to observe the process of aerosol infection and direct contact in specific pathogen free chickens. Fifteen chickens (G1) were inoculated with H9N2 AIV and housed together with another 15 chickens (G2) in the same positive-negative-pressure isolator (A). Fifteen chickens (G3) were bred in another isolator (B) which was connected with A so that air could flow unidirectionally from A to B. Air, oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs, and blood samples were collected for the detection of aerosolized virus, virus shedding, and seroconversion. AIV aerosols were initially detected at day 2-3 post inoculation (dpi), reaching peak concentrations at 7 dpi. Virus shedding was detected in all chickens of G2, but only in a part in G3 (T1: 87%, T2: 80%). Antibodies were initially detected at 4-5 dpi, peaking at 14-21 dpi. The results showed that H9N2 AIV could be transmitted by both aerosol exposure and direct contact.
    Berliner und Münchener tierärztliche Wochenschrift 124(3-4):136-41. · 0.82 Impact Factor