Abstract-A polychlorinated-phenol degrading bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. strain P5, was grown in nutristat culture (i.e., a continuous culture at a controlled substrate concentration) with pentachlorophenol (PCP) as the sole carbon and energy source. During steady state conditions, the effect of the medium pH on the growth of strain P5 on PCP was established. At lower pH values PCP exhibited a stronger toxicity than at higher pH values. Inhibition of the growth of strain P5 by PCP was correlated to the concentration of the undissociated phenol in the system, rather than to the dissociated or total PCP concentration. The results indicate that acidification of natural environments may enhance the toxicity of chlorophenols and suggest that treatments to increase environmental pH may reduce risk of chlorophenol toxicity at acidified sites.

Vaccination is an effective tool to limit equine influenza virus (EIV H3N8) infection, a contagious respiratory disease with potentially huge economic impact. The study assessed the effects of antigenic change on vaccine efficacy and the need for strain update. Horses were vaccinated (V1 and V2) with an ISCOMatrix-adjuvanted, whole inactivated virus vaccine (Equilis Prequenza, group 2, FC1 and European strains) or a carbomer-adjuvanted, modified vector vaccine (ProteqFlu, group 3, FC1 and FC2 HA genes). Serology (SRH, HI, VN), clinical signs and viral shedding were assessed in comparison to unvaccinated control horses. The hypothesis was that group 2 (no FC2 vaccine strain) would be less well protected than group 3 following experimental infection with a recent FC2 field strain (A/equi-2/Wexford/14) 4.5 months after vaccination. All vaccinated horses had antibody titres to FC1 and FC2. After challenge, serology increased more markedly in group 3 than in group 2. Vaccinated horses had significantly lower total clinical scores and viral shedding. Unexpectedly, viral RNA shedding was significantly lower in group 2 than in group 3. Vaccination induced protective antibody titres to FC1 and FC2 and reduced clinical signs and viral shedding. The two tested vaccines provided equivalent protection against a recent FC2 EIV field strain.

Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a major cause of respiratory disease in horses. Vaccination is an effective tool for infection control. Although various EIV vaccines are widely available, major outbreaks occurred in Europe in 2018 involving a new EIV H3N8 FC1 strain. In France, it was reported that both unvaccinated and vaccinated horses were affected despite >80% vaccination coverage and most horses being vaccinated with a vaccine expressing FC1 antigen. This study assessed whether vaccine type, next to antigenic difference between vaccine and field strain, plays a role. Horses were vaccinated with an ISCOMatrix-adjuvanted, whole inactivated virus vaccine (Equilis Prequenza) and experimentally infected with the new FC1 outbreak strain. Serology (HI), clinical signs, and virus shedding were evaluated in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated horses. Results showed a significant reduction in clinical signs and a lack of virus shedding in vaccinated horses compared to unvaccinated controls. From these results, it can be concluded that Equilis Prequenza provides a high level of protection to challenge with the new FC1 outbreak strain. This suggests that, apart from antigenic differences between vaccine and field strain, other aspects of the vaccine may also play an important role in determining field efficacy.

A polychlorinated‐phenol degrading bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. strain P5, was grown in nutristat culture (i.e., a continuous culture at a controlled substrate concentration) with pentachlorophenol (PCP) as the sole carbon and energy source. During steady state conditions, the effect of the medium pH on the growth of strain P5 on PCP was established. At lower pH values PCP exhibited a stronger toxicity than at higher pH values. Inhibition of the growth of strain P5 by PCP was correlated to the concentration of the undissociated phenol in the system, rather than to the dissociated or total PCP concentration. The results indicate that acidification of natural environments may enhance the toxicity of chlorophenols and suggest that treatments to increase environmental pH may reduce risk of chlorophenol toxicity at acidified sites.