Candida albicans peritonitis in a dog

Objective – To describe the clinical management of a case of Candida albicans peritonitis in a dog and discuss the pathogenicity of Candida peritonitis along with treatment using the fungistatic agent, fluconazole.
Case Summary – A 15-week-old Papillon developed peritonitis secondary to enterectomy site dehiscence. A pure growth of Candida albicans was obtained from the abdominal fluid. Surgical repair of the dehiscence was performed and antifungal therapy instituted with fluconazole postoperatively. A marked exudative process was noted postoperatively with production of large volumes of fluid from the abdominal drain. Fresh frozen plasma and pentastarch were provided for oncotic support. Recovery was complicated by megaesophagus, however, the patient gradually improved and was discharged 11 days after surgery.
New or Unique Information Provided – To our knowledge, this is the first case report of successful treatment of Candida albicans peritonitis in a dog. A marked exudative process was noted during therapy requiring significant oncotic support. Resolution of the disease process was achieved with surgical intervention and antifungal therapy.     

Effects of transportation during the hot season,breed and electrical stimulation on histochemical and meat quality characteristics of goat longissimus muscle

The effects of transportation and electrical stimulation (90 V) on physiological, histochemical and meat quality characteristics of two breeds of Omani goats were assessed. Twenty 1‐year‐old male goats from each breed (Batina and Dhofari) were divided into two groups: 3 h transported during the hot season (42°C day time temperature) and non‐transported. Animals were blood‐sampled before loading and prior to slaughter. Electrical stimulation was applied 20 min postmortem to 50% randomly selected carcasses of both breeds. Temperature and pH decline of the Longissimus was monitored. Ultimate pH, shear force, sarcomere length, myofibrillar fragmentation index, expressed juice, cooking loss and colour were measured from samples of Longissimus dorsi muscles. Electrical stimulation and transportation had a significant effect on most biochemical and meat quality characteristics of Longissimus dorsi. The transported goats had higher plasma cortisol (P < 0.01), adrenaline, nor‐adrenaline and dopamine concentrations (P < 0.05) than non‐transported goats. Electrical stimulation resulted in a significantly (P < 0.05) more rapid muscle pH fall during the first 12 h after slaughter. Muscles from electrically‐stimulated carcasses had significantly (P < 0.05) longer sarcomeres, lower shear force value, a lighter colour (higher L* value), higher expressed juice and myofibrillar fragmentation index than those from non‐stimulated ones. Meat from transported goats had significantly higher pH, expressed juice and shear force, but contained significantly lower sarcomere length and L* values than non‐transported goats. The proportion of the myosin ATPase staining did not change as a function of stimulation, transportation or breed. These results indicated that subjecting goats to transportation for 3 h under high ambient temperatures can generate major physiological and muscle metabolism responses. Electrical stimulation improved quality characteristics of meat from both groups. This indicates that electrical stimulation may reduce detrimental effects of transportation on meat quality of Omani goats.     

肉鸡肿头综合征的病理形态学变化

对黑龙江省某鸡场发生肿头综合征（ Ｓ Ｈ Ｓ） 的４ 例肉鸡进行了病理学观察。肉眼所见为病鸡的眼周围、肉髯、肉冠的肿胀,包括肉髯、肉冠在内的头部皮下的蜂织炎,头盖骨气室内的干酪样物贮留。病理组织学所见主要为头部皮下组织、头盖骨气室及鼻粘膜下的纤维素性、化脓性肉芽肿性炎,并见有间质性心肌炎及支气管粘膜上皮组织纤毛脱落等变化。从上述病例的头部病灶中分离到了大肠杆菌。     

The effect of guaiphenesin on romifidine/ketamine anaesthesia in ponies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a single dose (50 mg/kg) of guaiphenesin on recumbency time, surgical conditions and the ‘quality’ of anaesthesia in ponies anaesthetised for castration. Sixteen ponies were sedated with romifidine 100 μg/kg and anaesthetised with ketamine (2.2 mg/kg). Ponies allocated to Group A received no treatment and those in Group B were given 50 mg/kg of a 15% guaiphenesin solution. Guaiphenesin was given as a rapid iv injection immediately after induction of anaesthesia. All ponies were subsequently castrated. The mean (± se) time of recumbency in Group A was 20.9 ± 1.37 min and in Group B 27.2 ± 2.1 min to (P<0.05). Subjective assessment scores for the quality of surgical conditions and anaesthesia itself were significantly greater (indicating better conditions) in ponies receiving guaiphenesin, although there was no difference between groups in the quality of recovery.     

Effectiveness of small workshops for improving farmers knowledge about ovine footrot

OBJECTIVE: To determine sheep farmers' attitudes to and beliefs about ovine footrot, and to improve their knowledge about the diagnosis, control and eradication of this disease. METHOD: Eighteen workshops, involving 291 farmers, were conducted across Victoria in the spring of 1996. The workshops were designed as small-group discussions with a maximum attendance of 20 farmers to encourage active participation. All participants completed questionnaires before each workshop and 12 to 40 weeks after the last workshop. RESULTS: Before the workshops the farmers had a poor understanding of the principles of diagnosis, control and eradication of footrot. For example, only 50% knew the footrot organism survived in soil for less than 7 days, over two-thirds did not know the reason for paring sheep's feet during an eradication program, and only 31% realised cattle were a potential source of footrot infection for sheep. After the workshops, understanding about footrot was significantly improved; 87% said Dichelobacter nodosus survived in soil less than 7 days, 71% knew the reason for paring sheep's feet and 64% realised that cattle were a potential source of footrot infection. As well as improved knowledge, change of attitude among farmers is fundamentally important if virulent footrot is to be successfully controlled and eradicated. The workshops successfully initiated this process; 40% of farmers thought the workshops changed their attitudes to footrot, while 37% said they gained an increased understanding of other people's opinions about the disease. CONCLUSION: Farmers' poor understanding of ovine footrot is a constraint to the programs aimed at controlling this disease. Small group workshops may be an effective way to influence farmers' attitudes and beliefs, and could facilitate the effectiveness of regulatory disease control programs.     

Epidemic of blindness in kangaroos - evidence of a viral aetiology

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cause of an epidemic of blindness in kangaroos. DESIGN AND PROCEDURES: Laboratory examinations were made of eyes and brains of a large number of kangaroos using serological, virological, histopathological, electron microscopical, immunohistochemical methods, and PCR with cDNA sequencing. In addition, potential insect viral vectors identified during the disease outbreak were examined for specific viral genomic sequences. SAMPLE POPULATION: For histopathological analysis, 55 apparently blind and 18 apparently normal wild kangaroos and wallabies were obtained from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. A total of 437 wild kangaroos and wallabies (including 23 animals with apparent blindness) were examined serologically. RESULTS: Orbiviruses of the Wallal and Warrego serogroups were isolated from kangaroos affected with blindness in a major epidemic in south-eastern Australia in 1994 and 1995 and extending to Western Australia in 1995/96. Histopathological examinations showed severe degeneration and inflammation in the eyes, and mild inflammation in the brains. In affected retinas, Wallal virus antigen was detected by immunohistochemical analysis and orbiviruses were seen in electron microscopy. There was serological variation in the newly isolated Wallal virus from archival Wallal virus that had been isolated in northern Australia. There were also variations of up to 20% in genotype sequence from the reference archival virus. Polymerase chain reactions showed that Wallal virus was present during the epidemic in three species of midges, Culicoides austropalpalis, C dycei and C marksi. Wallal virus nucleic acid was also detected by PCR in a paraffin-embedded retina taken from a blind kangaroo in 1975. CONCLUSION: Wallal virus and perhaps also Warrego virus are the cause of the outbreak of blindness in kangaroos. Other viruses may also be involved, but the evidence in this paper indicates a variant of Wallal virus, an orbivirus transmitted by midges, has the strongest aetiological association, and immunohistochemical analysis implicates it as the most damaging factor in the affected eyes.     

温室集约化生产系统对土壤质量的影响

Composite top- and subsoil samples were collected from the greenhouses in the Al-Balawneh area,Jordan,where intensive greenhouse production system（IGPS） has been practiced since 1998,to study the impact of IGPS on soil quality as measured by the chemical and biological properties to develop a sustainable production system.The study showed that IGPS led to higher electrical conductivity in top- and subsoils compared to an uncultivated soil（control）.Quality and amount of irrigation water,lack of efficient drainage,and quantity and types of applied fertilizers were major factors resulting in salt buildup.IGPS resulted in lower total N（TN） and NO₃-N in the soil compared to the control.The lower TN was due to crop uptake,microbial immobilization,volatilization,and irregular application of composted animal manure or poultry manure.In contrast,higher residual Olsen-P content was detected in both soil layers of greenhouses than in the control.Residual P was classified as very high in the topsoil layers and sufficient to high in the subsoil layers.Residual available K in the soils of greenhouses was relatively lower than that in the control and it was,however,classified as high to very high.A large increase of Cl and a considerable decrease in the bacterial count were observed in both soil layers of IGPS compared to the control treatment.Economically sustainable soil management practices need to be adopted by farmers to achieve a sustainable and profitable production.This can be accomplished through education,targeted towards the farming community in the central Jordan Valley.     

粤西地区三种不同土壤上的热带绿肥牧草引种试验

我国热带地区具有高温多雨、雨量分布不均匀且多暴雨的特点,容易引起水土流失,土壤有机质分解快,养分淋溶流失强烈,因此热带地区的红壤和砖红壤的有机质和速效养分含量都很低。热带经济林木和果园间种绿肥覆盖作物可以保持水土,增进地力,促使主作物速生高产^[1,2],而建立牧草基地以发展畜牧业和种植绿肥是增加优质有机肥料来源的有效途径。这样才有可能增施大量有机肥料,不断提高土壤肥力,保证农林作物稳产高产。