Death of a neonatal lamb due to Clostridium perfringens type B in New Zealand

ABSTRACT

Case history and clinical findings: A flock of 20 sheep was kept within three paddocks on a single property. None of the animals in the flock had been vaccinated against any disease for at least three years. Abdominal bloating and haemorrhagic diarrhoea were observed in Lamb 1 at 24 hours-of-age. The lamb subsequently died within an hour of the onset of clinical signs. Lamb 2 was 3-days-old when observed to be recumbent with opisthotonus. The lamb was treated with dextrose, vitamins B1 and B12, and penicillin G, but died 4 hours later.

Pathological findings: Examination of Lamb 1 revealed markedly increased gas within the peritoneum and within dilated loops of intestine. The intestines were dark red and contained large quantities of haemorrhagic fluid. Histology of the intestines revealed peracute mucosal necrosis with minimal accompanying inflammation. The intestinal lumen contained cell debris, haemorrhage, and myriad large Gram-positive bacilli. The intestines of Lamb 2 did not appear bloated or reddened. However, multiple fibrin clots were visible within the pericardial sac. Histopathological examination revealed small foci of necrosis within the mucosa of the distal intestine. The necrotic foci were often associated with large numbers of large Gram-positive bacilli.

Immunohistochemsitry and molecular biology: Intestinal samples from Lamb 1 were processed for Clostridium perfringens immunohistochemistry, which revealed large numbers of intralesional, positively immunostained rods. Fragments corresponding to the expected sizes for genes encoding alpha, beta, and epsilon C. perfringens typing toxins were amplified by PCR from DNA extracted from formalin-fixed sections of intestine.

Diagnosis: Lamb dysentery due to C. perfringens type B.

Clinical relevance: C. perfringens bacteria have a worldwide distribution, but disease due to C. perfringens type B has only been diagnosed in a small number of countries and has never been reported in New Zealand or Australia. C. perfringens type B produce both beta toxin and epsilon toxins, therefore both haemorrhagic enteritis and systemic vascular damage can develop. As many animals are exposed to C. perfringens without developing disease, there must be additional unknown factors that resulted in disease in these particular sheep. Vaccines that specifically protect against C. perfringens type B are available and may be recommended for use in smaller non-commercial flocks, as in the present case.     

国有苗圃所有制结构调整之我见

所有制结构的调整是国有苗圃发展壮大的出路所在.笔者从必要性,战略方向,基本途径等三个方面阐述了看法.     

3种阔叶树育苗技术及苗木生长规律研究初探

通过对闽楠，蓝果树，东京野茉莉的育苗试验，研究苗木生长规律，掌握生理生物学特性。     

The Irish sea trout enhancement programme: a review of the broodstock and ova production programmes

The Irish sea trout, Salmo trutta L., broodstock programme was instigated in response to the collapse of sea trout stocks in the west coast of Ireland in 1989 and 1990. Wild sea trout kelts and post-smolts were successfully reconditioned and used as broodstock to produce eyed ova for distribution to affected fisheries. From 1991 to 1999, a total of 8.2 million green ova from four separate stocks were produced. The number of females stripped increased from 34 in 1991 to a peak of 1435 in 1997. Green ova survival to the eyed ova stage ranged from 65 to 96%. The eyed ova produced were distributed to 23 affected fisheries along the west coast. The average cost per eyed ova decreased from €2.02 at the start of the programme to €0.04 at the end. The growth rates recorded for broodstock held in captivity were comparable with those recorded for wild sea trout. Relationships between fish size, egg size and number of eggs produced were examined for each stock and for each stock in each year. Significant positive relationships were found between fish size and egg number and fish size and egg size, with the exception of the first year in which fish were stripped, when a negative correlation between fish size and egg size was found.     

Analysis of embedded gas detection system based on nano-porphyrin arrays

In view of the necessity of gas detection in environment, an embedded gas detection system is designed based on the basic principles of chromatography change of chemical reaction between nano-porphyrin arrays and micro-gas, which takes ARM9 S3C2440A as the core and nano-porphyrin array as the sensors. The overall program, the circuit organization and control software of the main function module such as spectrum signal acquisition, processing and monitoring are presented. With energy conservation differential equation, the control model of temperature and flow rate in the sample chamber is established, which can precisely control the detection conditions of chemical sensors. Some typical trace gases such as ammonia, enanthaldehyde, cyclohexane and hexanal are tested by the system, and the results show that the system can achieve rapid and accurate detection of trace volatile gas.     

阔叶红松林山杨伐根分解过程中真菌动态研究

山杨是长白山阔叶红松林中的常见阔叶树种,择伐后的伐根很多.山杨伐根在多种真菌的作用下逐渐分解,不断地向周围释放养分,构成保证森林生态系统稳定循环的一个重要环节.随分解的不断进行,山杨伐根上的真菌的种类和数量都呈现出一定的变化趋势.真菌数量高峰出现在伐后的第5年,而种类高峰则出现在伐后的第7年.这一时间上的交错现象是由真菌的不同分解能力引起的.分解能力强的主要分解菌将难于分解的木质素、纤维素等分解为易于利用的小分子物质,为其他真菌提供了营养来源,便于其他真菌的定殖.另外,伐根上的真菌数量还与伐根桩径呈正相关关系.     

'No-mucus skin disease' of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum): a case report

Abstract A skin disease of intensively reared salmonids in Ontario hatcheries, known to the farmers as'no-mucus skin disease', is reported for the first time. It was characterized by erosive and ulcerative lesions found mainly on the flanks of fingerlings, which resulted in exposure of the tips of the scales. Associated with these lesions were colonies of bacteria seen in the SEM to be clustered round the mucous cell pores and under-running the margins of epithelial cells. The cause of this condition is unknown, although the response of fish to formalin treatment, and the presence of bacilli seen in skin scrapings and in the SEM, suggest that bacteria are responsible.