USE OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF A CEREBRAL ABSCESS IN A GOAT

A 7-month-old La Mancha doe was presented with a right head tilt and ventral strabismus while circling to the left. History and physical examination led to a tentative diagnosis of a cerebral abscess. Computed tomography revealed a large, complex mass with ring enhancement in the left cerebral hemisphere, supporting the diagnosis. Postmortem examination confirmed the cerebral abscess. Bacterial cultures yielded heavy growth of Actinomyces pyogenes.     

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of antibody against avian influenza virus

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for detecting antibody to type A avian influenza (AI) virus. The sensitivity and group specificity of the AI-ELISA were compared with those of the agar-gel-precipitin test (AGPT) and the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test under conditions of both controlled and field exposure. During the course of temporal experimental infection (0-76 days) of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens with AI subtype Hav9N2, the AI-ELISA was able to detect specific AI antibody as early as 8 days postinoculation (PI), and it measured rising levels of antibody through 35 days PI, at which time the chickens were re-exposed to AI virus. Conversely, AGP tests were negative through 35 days PI, and HI tests began to detect low levels of AI antibody only at 21 days PI. Following a secondary infection at 35 days PI with the same AI subtype, all tests measured rising levels of AI-specific antibody (35-76 days PI). However, the AGP test was positive at only the 7- and 14-day samplings postsecondary immunization. Under field conditions, the AI-ELISA was able to detect serum AI antibody in flocks from which highly pathogenic AI was isolated, but the AGP tests of these sera were negative.     

Lymphocyte blastogenesis, complement fixation, and fecal culture as diagnostic tests for paratuberculosis in North American wild ruminants and domestic sheep

The efficacy of the lymphocyte blastogenesis and complement-fixation tests and fecal culture for detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infection was assessed in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), white-tailed deer (O virginianus), bighorn X mouflon (O musimon) hybrid sheep, and domestic sheep. Spontaneously infected bighorns were tested at the time of capture; experimentally infected animals were tested monthly for 12 months or periodically for 36 months. Lymphocyte blastogenesis tests were conducted with peripheral blood mononuclear cells and protein antigens of M avium, M bovis, and M paratuberculosis. Best diagnostic results were obtained when M avium purified-protein derivative was used as antigen and 20% bovine fetal serum was incorporated in the culture medium; a positive test was defined as a stimulation index greater than or equal to 3.5. Test sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were 82% and 94% in hybrid sheep and were 72% and 100% in domestic sheep. Sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were 39% and 94% in elk and 53% and 92% in deer. When infection was determined in spontaneously infected bighorns by culture of M paratuberculosis and/or the presence of acid-fast bacilli in characteristic microscopic lesions, sensitivity was 75% and specificity was 87%. Fecal cultures and the complement-fixation tests seldom correctly identified infected animals.     

Antigenic characterization of IBDV field isolates by their reactivity with a panel of monoclonal antibodies

Recently Infectious Bursal Disease Virus isolates have been described in USA displaying an antigenic drift. Many of the new isolates were very virulent for chickens. In several European countries severe outbreaks of Gumboro disease have also been reported from vaccinated and non-vaccinated flocks. Since vaccinated SPF birds were shown to be protected against challenge infection with the new isolates under laboratory conditions, a more detailed investigation of the European isolates is wanted. The similarity between the European and US field situation got us to use a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MCAs) previously applied to characterize US strains for testing European isolates. An antigen capture ELISA has been carried out directly on bursa homogenates of chickens form the field. One European (F52/70) and two US (Var. E and GLS-5) strains have been included as reference viruses. From the results presented here it can be concluded that the European isolates (Netherlands, France, UK, Germany, Jugoslavia and Spain) did not undergo the same antigenic drift as the US strains. A more extensive analysis of the isolates will be done to elucidate their role for disease outbreaks.     

Dirofilaria immitis in cats from inner Sydney

Two hundred feral cats from the inner suburbs of Sydney were examined post mortem for adult Dirofilaria immitis and circulating microfilariae, and 101 of these cats were tested for heartworm antigens by an ELISA. Only 2 cats (1%) had adult heartworms, the blood sample from another cat contained a single microfilaria. The blood of a further three cats contained small amounts of D immitis antigen. Although D immitis occurs in cats in Sydney, the prevalence is not high enough to warrant prophylactic treatment.