IHHN Virus as an Etiological Factor in Runt-Deformity Syndrome (RDS) of Juvenile Penaeus vannamei Cultured in Hawaii

Runtdeformity syndrome (RDS) is an economically significant, frequent disease problem of cultured Penaeus vannamei . RDS is characterized by variable, often greatly reduced, growth rate of up to 30% of a cultured population and many shrimp with cuticle deformities of the rostrum, anterior appendages or other parts. The cause of RDS is undetermined.
Nursery trials comparing histologically IHHN-positive and histologically IHHN-negative Penaeus vannamei cultured under identical conditions were conducted at The Oceanic Institute. The IHHN-positive populations developed RDS symptoms including increased individual size variation, reduced population growth, and high prevalance of rostrum, antennae or cuticle deformity, while the IHHN-negative groups displayed none of these symptoms. No other diseases or parasites were identified in the IHHN-positive populations that would account for the RDS symptoms.
A single commercialele nursery was stocked with histologidly IHHN-positive P. vannamei and a high prevalence of RDS was observed. Shrimp growth was bimodal with a subpopulation growing normally and a subpopulation growing slowly. Significant relationships between shrimp harvest size and IHHN prevalance, selected individual organ IHHN severity grades and IHHN severity index (six organs evaluated) were found. Large, apparently normal shrimp were less severely infected with virus and did not display any cuticle deformities.
In sum, these data provide epidemiological and histopathological evidence for the hypothesis that infection by IHHN virus is the cause of RDS in cultured P. vannamei .     

Induced Ovarian Maturation of Penaeus vannamei by Implantation of Lobster Ganglion

Induction of ovarian maturation in Penaeus vannamei , by implantation of ganglion prepared from female lobster, Homarus americanus , with developing ovaries was investigated under tank culture conditions. Four of six females with thoracic ganglion implants were maturing while only two of thirteen females of the control groups with abdominal ganglion or no implant matured. Two ripe stage V were found 18 days after implantation of lobster's thoracic ganglion. This indicates that ovarian maturation of P. vannumei in tanks can be induced and accelerated by implantation of thoracic ganglion prepared from maturing females of another species. Ovarian maturation may be induced by a gonad-stimulating hormone, secreted by the thoracic ganglion of maturing females. This gonnd-stimdating hormone is not species specific in activity in the shrimp and lobster.     

Antimicrobial activity of gallium nitrate against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in neonatal calves

Background: Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), the agent of Johne's disease in cattle, is a facultative intracellular bacterium that is dependent on ferric iron for its survival and replication. Gallium (Ga), a trivalent semimetal that shares many similarities with ferric iron and functions as an iron mimic has been shown to have in vitro antimicrobial activity against several microorganisms, including MAP. Objectives: (1) To investigate the antimicrobial activity of Ga in calves experimentally infected with MAP; and (2) to monitor for potential adverse effects of Ga on calf health. Animals: Twelve Holstein calves. Methods: Randomized blind controlled experiment. Beginning at 10 days of age (study day 1), the experimental calves (n = 6) were treated with 20 mg/kg gallium nitrate daily for 45 days. On study days 4 and 5, all calves were challenged with a PO dose of a live field strain MAP. Treated calves were monitored daily for adverse effects. Calves were euthanized on study day 100, and 29 tissue samples and 1 fecal sample were collected from each calf. Samples were cultured for MAP by MGIT liquid culture system, Herrold's Egg Yolk Medium culture, or both. Results: No adverse effects were observed in the treated calves. Treatment was associated with a significant reduction in MAP tissue burden when compared with control calves (P = .017). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Chemoprophylactic treatment of calves with Ga before and during the period of high susceptibility decreased MAP tissue colonization in experimentally infected neonatal calves.     

Upper respiratory tract obstruction caused by a pharyngeal abscess in a filly

A 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly had a pharyngeal abscess causing obstruction of the upper respiratory tract. Diagnosis was made by a combination of endoscopy, biopsy, cytology, and radiography. Treatment with antimicrobials and analgesics resulted in successful resolution of the abscess.     

Cytologic and bacteriologic evaluation of tracheobronchial aspirates from clinically normal foals

Thirty-eight tracheobronchial aspirates (TBA) were collected from twenty 1 to 6-month-old foals, which were free of clinical signs of respiratory tract or other infectious disease. We collected TBA from 9 of the foals 3 times when they were approximately 8, 16, and 24 weeks old. Aspirates were examined cytologically after staining with modified Wright-Giemsa, Gram, toluidine blue, and prussian blue stains. Aerobic bacterial culturing was performed on all aspirates. Of the 20 initial TBA, 4 (20%) were normal cytologically on the basis of previously defined criteria for TBA from clinically normal horses, 6 (30%) had a high percentage of eosinophils (greater than 5%), 8 (40%) were classified as indicative of subacute inflammation, and 2 (10%) were classified as indicative of acute inflammation. Nine (45%) were positive for mast cells and none were positive for hemosiderin-laden macrophages (hemosiderophages). Of the 9 foals from which samples were collected at 16 and 24 weeks of age, results were similar, except for an increase in the number of TBA classified as indicative of chronic inflammation (33% and 22% respectively) and the number positive for hemosiderophages (33% and 88%, respectively). One TBA was considered nondiagnostic because of pharyngeal contamination. Culturing of 12 of the 37 aspirates (32%) yielded a potential microbial pathogen. Only 2 were positive cultures from the same foal. The following organisms were isolated: beta-hemolytic Streptococci spp (4), Actinobacillus/Pasteurella spp (4), Rhodococcus equi (2), unidentified nonenteric Gram-negative rod (1), and Escherichia coli (1). Thirty-four of the 37 aspirates (92%) yielded light growth of various organisms considered to be nonpathogenic and normal inhabitants of the upper respiratory tract.     

Transfusion practices and costs in dogs.

A geographically stratified sample of 25 small-animal practices administering at least six transfusions to dogs over the last 12 months was surveyed to determine how veterinarians obtain blood for transfusions, the direct costs of administering transfusions, and the impact of available blood on the management of critically ill dogs. The primary source of donor blood for each practice was a borrowed dog (12 practices) or in-house dogs kept on the premises (12 practices). Only one practice obtained blood from a nearby veterinary school. There was a wide variation in practices regarding testing for diseases and screening of donors. Thirty-six percent of practices surveyed did not screen dogs for infectious diseases or evaluate hematologic variables prior to blood donation. Twenty-four percent of the respondents evaluated the donors solely for the purposes of detecting microfilaria. The remaining 40% of the practices performed one or more of the tests generally recommended as part of a screening program for potential blood donors. The blood type of donors was determined in eight of the practices, whereas blood typing of recipients was not routinely performed. Ten of 25 practices performed blood crossmatches, but only one practice performed crossmatches in all cases. The distribution of direct costs per whole blood transfusion (500-ml unit) ranged from 25 to more than $300, with three fourths of the practices having costs less than $100. The higher-cost practices were those that maintained donors on the premises specifically for blood donation purposes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Penetration Resistance,Root Growth,and Water Content in a Subsoiled Claypan1

Penetration resistance, root length density, and water content of soil with maize (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), or a mixture of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) were measured during two summers, one of which was dry. Plants grew on a silt loam (Mollic Albaqualfs; fine, mixed, thermic), 0.25 m deep overlying a claypan, 1.75 m thick. Half of the plots were subsoiled before planting in the first year of the study and the other half were not subsoiled. During both years, subsoiling had no measurable effect in lowering the penetration resistance in the claypan. Root length density was greater in the claypan than in the topsoil. Subsoiling did not increase root length density in either year. Water content in plots that had been subsoiled was usually similar to that in plots that had not been subsoiled. In the dry year, roots of maize proliferated more in the claypan than did roots of soybean or alfalfa + fescue.     

Epidemiology of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis in North America Based on Histologically Confirmed Cases

Following a workshop on equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) convened at the Veterinary Medical Forum of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 1988, this survey of EPM in North America was developed. It is based upon 364 histologically confirmed case records from California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, and Texas up to 1988. The highest rate of infection was found in young Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and quarter horses. Differences in geographic location, sex, and month (season) of infection were not discernible. This report, the first comprehensive survey of EPM in North America, is intended to serve as a basis for evaluating future changes in prevalence and spread of EPM.