Pet Virginia Opossums and Skunks

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) are often kept as pets, although they are both wild animals. The opossum and striped skunk are usually docile and sociable when raised from infancy. Many states and municipalities restrict ownership, and veterinarians should familiarize themselves with local laws and regulations pertaining to these animals. The biology, husbandry, diet, and general disease information is available for both species. Vaccination recommendations are included for skunks.     

Evaluation of 6 ONRAB Ultralite bait flavor matrices delivered to coyotes (Canis latrans): Implications for oral rabies vaccination

The spread of rabies in terrestrial wildlife throughout the United States is primarily controlled through oral rabies vaccination. Relatively low bait acceptance and seroconversion rates by some target species have prompted investigation into an alternative to the RABORAL V-RG bait currently used. In Canada, ONRAB Ultralite baits are used to vaccinate raccoons (Procyon lotor) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis). Comparative studies between RABORAL V-RG and ONRAB found higher seroconversion rates among raccoons that ingested ONRAB, suggesting that it may be a suitable alternative. However, ONRAB has not been evaluated in many rabies reservoir species, including coyotes (Canis latrans). Vaccination of coyotes is a critical element in preventing reemergence of canine strain of rabies in the United States. We evaluated flavor preference of ONRAB Ultralite oral rabies vaccine baits by coyotes. Preferences among bait types differed (Friedman χ² = 13.28; df = 5; P = 0.02). Of the 6 bait flavors evaluated, cheese ranked the highest, followed by fish, chicken, sugar-vanilla, egg, and bacon flavors. Pairwise trials among the top 3 flavors (cheese, fish, and chicken) showed no difference (Friedman χ² = 3.00; df = 2; P = 0.22). Our research suggests that among the bait flavors we evaluated, cheese, fish, or chicken-flavored baits may be an appropriate flavor for delivery of ONRAB Ultralite baits to coyotes.     

Human Exposure to Rabid Free‐Ranging Cats: A Continuing Public Health Concern in Pennsylvania

Rabid free‐ranging cats have been a public health concern in Pennsylvania since raccoon variant rabies first was recognized in the state in the early 1980s. Over the last decade, between 1.5 and 2.5% of cats submitted to Pennsylvania's state laboratories for rabies testing have been positive. In this report, we describe the extent of rabies in free‐ranging cats in Pennsylvania. We also present two examples of human exposure to rabid free‐ranging cats that occurred in Pennsylvania during 2010–2011 and the public health actions taken to address rabies exposure in the humans and animals. We then describe the concerns surrounding the unvaccinated and free‐ranging cat population in Pennsylvania and possible options in managing this public and animal health problem.     

Efficacy of furunculosis vaccines in turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.): evaluation of immersion, oral and injection delivery

The commercial furunculosis vaccine Aquavac Furovac 5 and an autogenous vaccine, based on the challenge strain, induced immune protection in turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.), as shown in challenge tests 120 days post-immunization by injection (relative percentage of survival, RPS = 72-99%). This protective effect lasted for at least 6 months post-immunization at appreciable levels (RPS = 50-52%). Neither the autogenous vaccine nor the commercial vaccine was able to induce significant levels of protection against Aeromonas salmonicida in turbot when administered by immersion. Antibody levels were high or moderate in fish vaccinated by injection with the different vaccines and very low in fish vaccinated by immersion. The field results show that delivering an oral boost after the primary vaccination by injection did not enhance protection of turbot against furunculosis and that water-based (autogenous vaccine) and oil adjuvanted (Alpha Ject 1200) vaccines administered by injection conferred similar levels of protection (RPS > 80%) in turbot.     

鸡眼区相关淋巴组织对ND疫苗点眼免疫应答Ⅱ.眼区局部T淋巴细胞亚群的变化

本研究采用流式细胞仪技术对鸡眼区相关淋巴组织(HALT)在鸡新城疫疫苗点眼免疫后的局部T淋巴细胞亚群的变化进行了研究。研究发现,LaSota 系ND疫苗点眼免疫后眼区相关淋巴组织对ND疫苗可产生良好的细胞免疫应答。免疫组结膜相关淋巴组织(CALT)和哈氏腺(HG)中CD4 T及CD8 T淋巴细胞数量于首免后迅速升高。免疫期间其百分比含量明显高于非免疫组,到40 日龄时,有恢复到正常值的趋势。     

检测狂犬病病毒抗原的夹心间接Dot—ELISA的建立和应用研究

本研究建立了检测狂犬病病毒抗原的夹心间接斑点酶联免疫吸附试验(SI-Dot-ELISA).本法检出狂犬病病毒抗原的最低浓度为:0.01IU/mL的标准抗原,1:100000 (相当于20 LD_(50))的狂犬病病毒CVS株和鹿8202株的鼠脑悬液,1:400(相当于7906TCID_(50)/mL)的狂犬病病毒SAG株的细胞培养物.对多种健康动物的组织、健康细胞培养物以及犬瘟热病毒、犬腺病毒等检测均为阴性.用SI—Dot—ELISA、夹心间接ELISA(SI—ELISA)和小鼠脑内接种3种方法,检测了388份材料,检出的阳性份数分别为173、171和179,经统计学处理,3种方法在狂犬病病毒抗原的检测上,可以相互代替.甲醛灭活病毒不影响本方法的检测,而加入氢氧化铝胶后的病毒悬液则不能用本法检测.本法适用于狂犬病的诊断、流行病学调查、疫苗效价的测定和实验研究中病毒抗原的测定.     

Vaccination of cows with rough Escherichia coli mutants fails to protect against experimental intramammary bacterial challenge

Vaccination of cows with rough Escherichia coli mutants fails to protect against experimental intramammary bacterial challenge. Vaccine A, a heat-killed Re mutant of strain K12, (UB 1574), was administered as a single parenteral and local dose to 5 cows with 3 control animals and Vaccine B, a heat-killed mutant of O111:B4 (J5) was administered as three parenteral doses into 5 cows with 5 control animals. Following intramammary challenge with a smooth wild-type strain (P4), an acute, severe clinical mastitis developed in all 14 quarters (9 vaccine A and 5 vaccine B) of the vaccinated animals which was indistinguishable from that in the 11 quarters of the control animals. Following vaccine B there was an elevation in serum IgG1 and IgG2 antibody to the common core antigen of endotoxin which, in contrast to the control animals, showed a further increase after intramammary infection.     

狂犬病病毒不同毒株蚀斑特性的动态学研究

应用已建立的狂犬病病毒的蚀斑方法,对狂犬病病毒的强毒株鹿8202株、弱每株Flury及无毒变异株SRV_9的蚀斑特性做了比较研究,发现不同的狂犬病病毒株其蚀斑特性存在一定的差异。     

鸡传染性支气管炎病毒肾致病株的致弱及免疫研究

用已鉴定的广西鸡传染性支气管炎病毒(IBV)分离株G,C,Z和Q分别通过鸡胚传代进行致弱,在一定代次时分别接种敏感鸡作毒力测定试验.然后用已致弱的毒株在实验室进行攻击保护试验,最后取已致弱而且抗原性良好的毒株在广西各地鸡场进行田间应用试验。结果表明,C株在传至40代时,G,Z和Q株分别传至20代时对鸡的毒性均已大大降低;免疫鸡用标准强毒株(M_(41))攻击,然后用病毒回收的技术来衡量其免疫力,结果各株经免疫两次后均有很好的保护率(60％～100％),均显著优于对照组(P<0.01);致弱株分别在南宁、柳州、容县、岑溪和博自5县市的11个鸡场进行田间试验,试验的鸡有30群共103761羽,试验时分别对疫苗免疫对鸡生产性能的影响、安全性和育成率进行观察和测算,结果表明,作者培育的IBV弱毒苗对鸡是安全的,使用C_(60)或C_(80)和G_(20)株先后两次免疫鸡,对IB有较好预防效果,这些弱毒株有希望成为供生产使用的疫苗。     

猪瘟DNA疫苗的临床免疫实验

在前期研究工作筛选出2种DNA疫苗质粒的基础上,采用3种免疫策略(DNA疫苗单独免疫法、DNA疫苗初免蛋白免疫加强的prime-boost方法以及沙门氏菌(Salmonella)载体介导法),于某规模化猪场对猪瘟病毒(CSFV)的DNA免疫效果进行了临床应用研究。随机选择未经猪瘟疫苗免疫的断奶仔猪60头,分6组进行免疫接种,检测免疫猪抗体产生情况并对各组免疫猪进行攻毒试验。免疫猪血清抗体ELISA检测结果表明,pcDSW组、pIRE2IL2组、pcDSW E2protein组和pIRE2IL2 E2protein组均产生了较高的抗体水平,而沙门氏菌介导的2种DNA疫苗质粒诱导的抗体水平不显著。攻毒试验结果表明,pcDSW和pIRE2IL2单独免疫组或prime-boost组能够抵抗致死剂量的CSFV石门强毒攻击,保护率87.50%￣90.00%。其中pcDSW效果好于pIRE2IL2。而沙门氏菌介导的DNA疫苗组不能产生有效保护。不同接种途径的免疫效果比较结果表明,颈部肌肉注射免疫后产生的抗体水平较后肢胫前肌注射免疫产生的抗体水平高。