An immunofluorescence diagnostic test for feline viral rhinotracheitis.

Hyperimmune serum against feline viral rhinotracheitis was produced in a goat and conjugated with a fluorescent dye. Cell cultures infected with rhinotracheitis virus had positive immunofluorescence. Cell cultures infected with other feline viruses and herpesviruses of other species did not fluoresce. In cats experimentally infected with rhinotracheitis virus, the virus was isolated from nasal and conjunctival swabs 1 to 9 days after inoculation. Nasal smears stained with the conjugated antiserum fluoresced 1 to 9 days after inoculation when clinical disease was most apparent. Conjunctival smears had positive immunofluorescence 1 to 6 days, but not 9 days, after inoculation. On postinoculation day 23, rhinotracheitis virus was not isolated from nasal or conjunctival swabs and nasal and conjunctival smears did not fluoresce. Rhinotracheitis virus or feline calicivirus was isolated from naturally infected cats with upper respiratory tract disease. Nasal and conjunctival smears from rhinotracheitis virus-infected cats had positive immunofluorescence in all cast showing clinical illness. Smears from 1 clinically normal cat from which rhinotracheitis virus was isolated did not fluoresce. Nasal and conjunctival smears from calicivirus-infected cats did not fluoresce.     

Platelet function, antithrombin-III activity, and fibrinogen concentration in heartworm-infected and heartworm-negative dogs treated with thiacetarsamide.

Platelet aggregation and release, platelet number, mean platelet volume, antithrombin-III activity, and fibrinogen concentration were evaluated in heartworm-negative and heartworm-infected dogs at baseline and on days 3, 10, and 21 after treatment with thiacetarsamide. Platelet reactivity was enhanced in a group of dogs naturally infected with Dirofilaria immitis, compared with 2 groups of heartworm-negative dogs, but platelet reactivity was not further enhanced after treatment with thiacetarsamide. A significant decrease in antithrombin-III activity was detected 21 days after treatment. The platelets from a group of laboratory Beagles implanted with 50 adult D immitis displayed enhanced reactivity 6 months after implantation, but by 18 months, platelet reactivity had returned to near, or less than, baseline. Platelet reactivity was enhanced after thiacetarsamide treatment in this group. Thiacetarsamide-associated changes were not observed in platelet number or size; antithrombin-III activity decreased, but the change was not significant. Fibrinogen concentration was increased significantly (P less than 0.05) on day 10. Enhanced adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation was observed on days 3, 10, and 21 after treatment in heartworm-negative dogs. This change was not observed in 6 control Beagles not treated with thiacetarsamide. Although antithrombin-III activity was decreased on day 3 and fibrinogen concentration was increased on day 10, paralleling changes observed in the heartworm-infected dogs, the changes were not statistically significant. In this study, thiacetarsamide was procagulatory in heartworm-negative dogs and may be an important contributing factor to the thromboembolism observed with adulticidal therapy.     

Biological effects of sonicated suspension and phenol-water extract of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides in goats.

Strain Y3343 isolated from a goat with septicemia and polyarthritis was studied. The strain was virulent and induced septicemia, polyarthritis and coagulopathy in two goats. Limulus amebocyte lysate active material was present in plasma, but not in higher titre in inoculated goats. Sonicated mycoplasma material induced a dramatic somatic cell response in the mammary gland of cows and goats and marked clotting of the cows' milk, but it did not clot limulus amebocyte lysate or kill chick embryos. Phenol-water extract clotted limulus amebocyte lysate and induced somatic cell response in cows but not in goats. The phenol-water extract did not kill chick embryos, was not pyrogenic in rabbits or goats, and did not induce generalized Shwartzman reaction or change the leukocyte kinetics in rabbits. It therfore appears that the virulence mechanisms of strain Y3343 can not be explained on the basis of factors with strong endotoxin activity.     

Effect of Food Availability on the Physiological Responses to Water Deprivation in Ponies

Six ponies were deprived of drinking water and food and compared over 24 hours with nondeprived ponies, ponies deprived of water but with food available, and ponies deprived of food but with water available. When food was eaten during water deprivation, plasma osmolality rose 4% from 284 mOsm/kg to 295 mOsm/kg. During water and food deprivation, plasma osmolality failed to rise, even over 24 hours, and usually fell. Packed cell volume was higher when food but not water was available. Food and/or water deprivation had no significant effect on plasma protein concentration. When food was available, the ponies drank three times more water (13.1 ± 2.1 kg) than when water but not food was available (3.5 ± 1.4 kg). Blood volume changes were calculated from packed cell volume and plasma protein data, and it was found that blood volume did not change significantly with deprivation. Urine volume did not vary with deprivation, but free water clearance changed significantly, falling when food but not water was available. Under these conditions, blood volume is maintained, but the mechanisms are not clear. When deprived of both drinking water and food, ponies failed to develop the hyperosmolality expected under these conditions. Water deprivation while food is available is a more powerful challenge to water and electrolyte homeostasis than deprivation of both food and water.     

Spontaneous gastroduodenal perforation in 16 dogs and seven cats (1982-1999)

The records of 23 dogs and cats diagnosed with spontaneous gastroduodenal perforation (GDP) were retrospectively reviewed. Survival was 63% in dogs and 14% in cats. Rottweilers <5 years of age were overrepresented. Clinical evidence of gastrointestinal bleeding was common in dogs but not in cats. Shock was an uncommon presenting condition in dogs and was not closely linked to outcome. In fact, progression of an ulcerating lesion to GDP was not associated with marked changes in symptoms exhibited by many patients in this study. Most GDPs were associated with histopathological evidence of subacute or chronic peritoneal reaction at the time of diagnosis. This suggests that diagnostic methods employed lacked sensitivity in identifying early perforating lesions, and that dramatic signs of acute abdomen following gastroduodenal perforation may not be as common as was previously thought.     

Phagocytic function of equine neutrophils exposed to Mycoplasma felis in vitro and in vivo

Neutrophils were isolated from the peripheral blood of adult equids (group 1) and were purified on a density gradient of polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silica gel. A bactericidal assay was developed, using an equine skin isolate of Staphylococcus epidermidis as target bacterium in medium containing pooled fresh equine serum for opsonization. Significant (P less than 0.05) killing was observed after 60 or 120 minutes' incubation. Reduction in bactericidal function of blood neutrophils was not found after incubation with a virulent strain of Mycoplasma felis for 30 or 60 minutes. Similarly, the function of blood and pleural neutrophils of ponies with M felis-induced pleuritis (group 2) was not different from the function of similar neutrophils from sham-inoculated control ponies (group 3). The number of viable M felis organisms was markedly reduced in the presence of fresh equine serum and equine-specific antibodies, but not when the serum was heat inactivated. Equine neutrophils did not phagocytize M felis. Seemingly, M felis did not impair bactericidal activity of equine neutrophils. Therefore, this mechanism does not predispose equids to bacterial pleuritis.     

Characteristics of the Conglutinating Substance of Sheep Serum

The conglutinating factor in sheep serum was characterized utilizing its ability to react with sensitized erythrocytes which had been alexinated with horse complement. The conglutinating substance in sheep serum was inactivated by the action of 2-mercaptoethanol, did not require calcium ions for its activity, was not inhibited by N-acetyl-D-glucosamine or L-fucose sugars and did not react directly with zymosan. All these activities distinguish this serum factor from bovine conglutinin. These data show that the conglutinating factor in sheep serum is an immunoconglutinin. Reactivity of sheep immunoconglutinin with both heterologous and autologous complement was demonstrated.     

Non-specific agglutination of Corynebacterium ovis by precolostral and young lamb sera.

An agglutination reaction, relatively coarse compared to that obtained with immune sera, was observed when Corynebacterium ovis cells were incubated with lamb sera collected before and after ingesting colostrum. The reaction did not appear to involve immunoglobulin since it was not affected by treatment of precolostral lamb serum with rivanol, mercaptoethanol or rabbit antisheep serum. IgM was detected in only three of 10 precolostral samples with agglutinating activity and immunofluorescence studies showed that it was not specific for C ovis. In view of the non-specific clumping factor, tests which detect antitoxin would be preferable for immune surveys in young lambs.     

Systemic salmonellosis in mature beef cows

Systemic infection of mature beef cows with Salmonella typhimurium resulted in death of cows, abortions, and premature births. Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from the kidney, liver, and spleen of cows but not from an aborted fetus. Diarrhea was not a prominent clinical feature of the epizootic. The source of the salmonella was not determined.     

The effect of the TLR9 ligand CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide on the protective immune response to alcelaphine herpesvirus-1-mediated malignant catarrhal fever in cattle

We wished to determine the effect of of CpG ODN adjuvant on the magnitude and duration of protective immunity against alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AlHV-1) malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), a fatal lymphoproliferative disease of cattle. Immunity was associated with a mucosal barrier of virus-neutralising antibody. The results showed that CpG ODN included either with emulsigen adjuvant and attenuated AlHV-1 (atAlHV-1) or alone with atAlHV-1 did not affect the overall protection from clinical disease or duration of immunity achieved using emulsigen and atAlHV-1. This is in contrast to other similar studies in cattle with BoHV-1 or cattle and pigs with various other immunogens. In addition to this, several other novel observations were made, not reported previously. Firstly, we were able to statistically verify that vaccine protection against MCF was associated with virus-neutralising antibodies (nAbs) in nasal secretions but was not associated with antibodies in blood plasma, nor with total virus-specific antibody (tAb) titres in either nasal secretions or blood plasma. Furthermore, CpG ODN alone as adjuvant did not support the generation of virus-neutralising antibodies. Secondly, there was a significant boost in tAb in animals with MCF comparing titres before and after challenge. This was not seen with protected animals. Finally, there was a strong IFN-γ response in animals with emulsigen and atAlHV-1 immunisation, as measured by IFN-γ secreting PBMC in culture (and a lack of IL-4) that was not affected by the inclusion of CpG ODN. This suggests that nAbs at the oro-nasal-pharyngeal region are important in protection against AlHV-1 MCF.     

Genetics of resistance to coccidiosis: response of inbred chicken lines to infection by Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima

1. Experiments have been carried out to compare weight gain, mortality and oocyst production in 7 inbred and partially inbred lines of chickens after challenge with the coccidial parasites Eimeria tenella and E. maxima. 2. There were large differences between lines in the effects of challenge on weight gain and mortality for both species of parasite. However, the lines suffering the greatest mortality were not those showing the greatest effects on weight gain, indicating that mortality alone is not an adequate criterion in selection for resistance. 3. Although oocyst production differed between lines there was no correlation with mortality or with weight loss, implying that the variation observed in these traits was not due to a restriction of the parasite but to an accommodation of its effects. 4. Mortality and weight loss resulting from challenge with E. tenella in the different lines did not correlate with that caused by E. maxima. 5. There was evidence of an association of genes of the major histocompatibility complex genes with mortality, but not with weight loss or oocyst production: there was no indication of association of resistance to coccidiosis with resistance to Marek's disease.     

不同秋眠类型苜蓿品种生产性能与持久性分析

通过对58份不同秋眠类型苜蓿品种再生性、持久性和产草量在呼和浩特的测定分析,结果表明:1)在全部参试材料与秋眠类型组中,苜蓿秋眠级和再生性正相关并达到极显著、显著水平;而在半秋眠类型组、非秋眠类型组中,苜蓿的再生性和秋眠级相关性很小。2)在全部参试材料、半秋眠类型组、非秋眠类型组中,首蓿的持久性与秋眠级负相关,但是在秋眠类型组中,首蓿秋眠级和持久性相关性很小。3)在全部参试材料、半秋眠类型组、非秋眠类型组中,苜蓿的产草量和秋眠级负相关;在秋眠类型组中,苜蓿的产草量和秋眠级正相关但不显著。     

Use of posaconazole in the management of invasive orbital aspergillosis in a cat

Orbital infection with Aspergillus fumigatus was diagnosed in a Persian cat that was presented with chronic third eyelid protrusion and exophthalmos. Evidence of nasal, sinus, or disseminated aspergillosis was not detected in this cat. Complete surgical excision of diseased tissues was not possible during orbital exenteration, and infection subsequently extended into the tissues of the oral cavity. Oral therapy with itraconazole and parenteral therapy with amphotericin B were ineffective in resolving the infection. Oral therapy with a novel triazole, posaconazole, was curative.     

Relationships between clinical signs, pathological changes and tissue distribution of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in 21 cows from herds affected by Johne's disease

Twenty-one cows from eight herds affected by Johne's disease were assigned to four groups: seven were not thriving and had persistent diarrhoea, six were not thriving and had intermittent diarrhoea, four were not thriving but did not have diarrhoea, and four were clinically normal. Postmortem, macroscopic lesions consistent with Johne's disease were identified in 17 of the cows and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was isolated from all of them. However, except for the fact that diarrhoea was correlated with the presence of lesions in the large intestine there was little correlation between the presence or absence of clinical signs and the lesions associated with Johne's disease. The tissue distribution of MAP was also poorly correlated with either the clinical signs or the lesions. The organism was widely distributed in 17 of the 21 cows, including three of the clinically normal animals, and was present in the mammary tissues of seven cows including two of the clinically normal animals. Three distinct histopathological patterns were observed in the affected intestines: infiltration of the lamina propria with giant cells, tuberculoid lesions, and lepromatous lesions; the lepromatous lesions were associated with extensive pathological changes.     

Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein inhibits phorbol ester-induced but not Fc-receptor-induced generation of reactive oxygen species in bovine peripheral blood neutrophils

Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) is an acute-phase protein with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties. AGP is described as a potent inhibitor of the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human neutrophils. However, published reports about the mechanism of inhibition are conflicting. The influence of bovine AGP on the production of ROS by bovine peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) was studied using a highly sensitive method approaching its inhibitory mechanism. ROS production in PMN was induced with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or opsonized Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. ROS generation was quantified and evaluated by flow cytometry. AGP efficiently suppressed PMA, but did not opsonize bacteria-induced ROS generation in vitro. The suppressive effect was concentration-dependent and adversely proportional to PMA concentration. The selective inhibitory potential of AGP in comparison with ovalbumin (OVA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) showed that ROS inhibition was not a mere protein effect. ROS production was suppressed only if AGP and PMA were simultaneously present with PMN. Pre-incubation of PMN with AGP did not alter the PMN response to PMA. Moreover, AGP could not suppress ROS production after pre-stimulation of PMN with PMA. Human and bovine AGP did not differ in their inhibitory potential to the PMA-induced ROS production in bovine, human and equine PMN. The results show that AGP does not modulate bovine neutrophil functions directly, but acts as a scavenger of PMA.     

Epiglottic Augmentation in the Horse

Epiglottic augmentation with injectable bovine collagen or an autogenous or allogenous auricular cartilage graft was performed in 12 horses with endoscopically and radiographically normal epiglottises. The grafting procedures were easy to perform and did not cause apparent discomfort. Cartilage graft extrusion or resorption may have occurred, but was not seen by endoscopy and lateral laryngeal radiography. Only collagen implants remained evident endoscopically, as smooth round submucosal bulges ventral to the epiglottic cartilage. Two horses with collagen implants, and all horses with cartilage autografts and allografts, were euthanatized at week 16. One horse with a collagen implant was euthanatized at week 4 and one at week 6. The epiglottis appeared thickened in three horses with collagen implants, two horses with autogenous grafts, and three horses with allogenous grafts. Pharyngeal lymphoid tissue was hyperplastic in two horses with autografts and three horses with allografts, but not in horses with collagen implants. Collagen grafts persisted as one or two smooth bulges 8 mm in diameter. Collagen incited a brisk foreign body reaction that was surrounded by a fibrous connective tissue capsule. Epiglottises of the horses with collagen implants were significantly thicker 20 mm from the tip than those of normal horses and horses with allografts. Cartilage graft incorporation was not evident grossly and was seen on microscopic examination in only one autograft. Thickening was caused by submucosal fibrosis.     

Incomplete surgery, local immunostimulation, and recurrence of some tumour types in dogs and cats

Histologically confirmed inadequate treatment resulted in a lower than expected recurrence percentage in dogs with haemangiopericytoma (38%) and mastocytoma (30%). Clinical suspicion of inadequate tumour treatment did not always correlate with the histologically assessed inadequacy, nor with the appearance of local recurrence. Local recurrence did not seem to be correlated with histological grade of malignancy and tumour size. Local injection of C. parvum vaccine did not result in a lower percentage of local recurrence or longer recurrence-free intervals in any of the three tumour groups (canine haemangiopericytoma, canine mastocytoma, feline mammary carcinoma). Nor was palliative local adjuvant injection of Cp successful in dogs and cats with soft tissue sarcomas or in dogs with gingival melanoma. Re-operation of locally recurrent tumour was successful in some dogs with haemangiopericytoma, in a few with mastocytoma, but not in cats with mammary carcinoma. A trend toward histological progression of recurrences and metastases, when compared with the primary tumours, was not evident. The possible reasons for the relatively low recurrence rate of some tumour types and for the failure of Cp-treatment are discussed.     

Endotoxin absorption in hay-fed and lactic acidotic sheep.

Absorption of endotoxin from the gastrointestinal tract was evaluated in hay-fed and lactic acidotic sheep duodenally infused with 10 mg of Escherichia coli endotoxin, and in lactic acidotic sheep not infused. The effect of abomasal fluid on biological activity of endotoxin was also evaluated. Leukopenia was the criterion used for detecting endotoxemia. Absorption of endotoxin from the gastrointestinal tract was not detected in either hay-fed or lactic acidotic sheep. Endotoxin appeared to maintain its activity after incubation with abomasal fluid, and the presence of endogenous endotoxin in abomasal contents was indicated. The results indicate that endotoxin of alimentary origin may not be involved in the lactic acidosis syndrome in ruminants.     

Vaccination of swine with thymidine kinase-deficient mutants of pseudorabies virus

A mutant of pseudorabies virus (PRV) deficient in thymidine kinase (TK-) activity was isolated and characterized. The mutant grew well in cell culture and did not revert to the thymidine kinase-positive phenotype. The PRV-TK- was not virulent when inoculated intranasally into 3-to 4-week-old pigs and could not be reactivated from the ganglia of these pigs by explantation and cocultivation with susceptible cells several weeks after virus inoculation. Pigs that had been exposed to PRV-TK- were immune to challenge exposure with a virulent strain of PRV. Furthermore, the challenge virus was not recovered from the ganglia of most of these pigs, indicating that colonization of the ganglia by a super-infecting virulent PRV strain was considerably reduced by vaccination.     

Histologic classification as an indication of therapeutic response in malignant lymphoma of dogs

In retrospective evaluation of treatment of canine malignant lymphoma, 12 of 13 dogs that had received doxorubicin alone or in combination with dacarbazine attained complete remission. Doxorubicin had been given alone, with combination chemotherapy being used only when complete remission could not be achieved and maintained with doxorubicin. The response to single or combined chemotherapy was correlated with histologic cell type of the malignant lymphoma. Histiocytic cell types did not respond to doxorubicin alone, but lymphoblastic types did respond. Combination chemotherapy was effective against histiocytic types. A mixed-cell type, which was initially responsive to doxorubicin alone, but not responsive after relapse, was observed to be histiocytic on rebiopsy.