Dictyocaulus filaria: in lambs: The effect of varying single infections on subsequent larval production

The effects of varying single doses of Dictyocaulus filaria larvae on the course of infection in lambs were studied. Four 6-months-old male lambs received an infection of 100 (Group I), 150 (Group II), 200 (Group III) and 300 (Group IV) infective larvae per kg body weight per lamb. No significant differences were observed in the lenght of prepatent period or in the onset of “useful patency” in animals receiving different quanta of infections. The percentage establishment of worms in lambs decreased as infection levels increased. The mortality and the severity of the disease produced in lambs was directly related to the level of infection given. Infected lambs vioded less quantity of faeces than their uninfected healthy controls. The number of larvae per gram of faeces (LPG) was highest in animals receiving infections of 300 larvae oer kg body weight. Allowing for the greater number of abnormalities associated with higher levels of infection, a dose of 150 larvae per kg was found to be the most suitable for establishment of infection in lambs for vaccine production.     

Dual infection of lambs with Trichostrongylus colubriformis and chlamydiae

Lambs in one group were inoculated with chlamydiae and Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae simultaneously; lambs in a second group were inoculated with chlamydiae after a T. colubriformis infection was established. Results were compared to those from groups inoculated with T. colubriformis only and chlamydiae only. There were no significant differences in fecundity associated with chlamydial inoculation. Packed cell volumes (PCVs) were depressed in groups inoculated with chlamydiae, and chlamydial antibody formation appeared to be inhibited when chlamydiae was superimposed on a T. colubriformis infection. Relatively few T. colubriformis adults were recovered in lambs inoculated with chlamydiae and T. colubriformis simultaneously.     

Experimental infection of lambs with an adenovirus followed by pasteurella haemolytica

Groups of caesarian-derived, colostrum-deprived lambs aged 10 to 11 weeks were inoculated with the adenovirus WV419/75 followed 4, 6 or 8 days later by Pasteurella haemolyttica type Al (P.h.). Other groups of lambs were inoculated with the virus or P.h. alone.The majority of animals inoculated with P.h. 6 or 8 days after the virus developed an acute necrotizing bronchopneumonia and pleurisy, whereas, the bacteria were cleared rapidly from the lungs of the majority of animals inoculated with P.h. alone, and pneumonic lesions only rarely developed. Between groups, the development of bacterial superinfection and thus bronchopneumonia could not be related to virus titres in either the lung or nasal secretions. However, within individual animals that developed pneumonia, the distribution of virus paralleled the distribution of lesions.In animals inoculated with the virus alone (or the virus plus P.h. where bacterial superinfection did not develop) areas of epithelial cell proliferation and consolidation with basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in swollen epithelial cells were present. The consolidation and inclusion bodies had disappeared by 10 days after inoculation, together with the virus, but the proliferation of airway epithelium was still present 20 days after inoculation. On the other hand, when bacterial superinfection was present, areas of acute necrotizing bronchopneumonia were the predominant feature. These lesions were surrounded by a zone of consolidation with a massive neutrophil infiltration or, where bacterial numbers were high (usually ? 10^3.0/g), a band where oat-cells predominated although, in animals killed on day 14, oat-cells were still present but bacterial numbers were lower.     

Ostertagia circumcincta infection in lambs originating from larvae which survived the winter

Four worm-free lambs were grazed from May to October 1972 on a paddock carrying a low residual infection of O. circumcincta larvae whilst another group grazed a similar paddock carrying a substantial residual larval infection. On the first paddock the lambs acquired low worm burdens of mature worms passing large numbers of eggs, but in spite of this, pasture larval infection remained low. On the second paddock the lambs acquired high worm burdens, a large proportion of which were immature. On this paddock a rise in pasture larval count was observed and this reached a peak in July and August. In spite of the differences in worm burden of the two groups there was no significant difference in weight gain. The mechanism by which the differences in worm burdens may have developed as well as their implications in worm control are discussed.     

The protection of lambs from eperythrozoon infection while suckling Eperythrozoon ovis carrier ewes

When lambs born to and suckling Eperythrozoon ovis carrier ewes were inoculated with heparinised blood containing large numbers of E. ovis organisms, the lambs were either sterilised of the infection or patent infection was suppressed till the lambs were weaned. In vitro infection, transplacental transfer of antibodies or soluble antigens could not be demonstrated.     

Effect of bronchodilator and intravascular oxygen releaser on the course of Dictyocaulus filaria infection in lambs

The effect of a bronchodilator (or ciprenaline sulphate) and intravascular oxygen releaser (sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate) on the host in experimental Dictyocaulus filaria infection was studied. Fifteen male lambs of Dorset-Muzaffarnagri breed, aged 4-6 months, were divided into four groups of four (infected bronchodilator), four (infected i.v. O2 releaser), four (infected untreated controls) and three (uninfected controls). The administration of i.v. O2 releaser helped in increasing the length of useful patency, estimated total larval production and survival rate of D. filaria producer lambs. The administration of I.V. O2 releaser and bronchodilator helped in efficiently restoring the altered values of blood pH, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and osmotic fragility of erythrocytes to near normal levels. However, the blood clotting time and level of lactate dehydrogenase activity remained altered and followed a course typical of ovine dictyocauliosis.     

Effect of viral inoculum size on appearance of clinical signs in equine Getah virus infection.

A study was performed to examine the effect of viral inoculum size on the appearance of clinical signs in equine Getah virus (GV) infection by intramuscular inoculation with 10(1.3) to 10(6.3) TCID50 of the MI-110 strain in 6 experimental horses. When inoculated with more than 10(3.3) TCID50 of the virus, every horse developed pyrexia, edema in the hind legs, serous nasal discharge, lymphopenia and viremia in the relatively early stage of disease. On the other hand, enlargement of the submandibular lymph node was observed only in horses inoculated with 10(5.3) and 10(6.3) TCID50 of the virus, while typical eruptions were developed in every horse inoculated with 10(4.3) TCID50 or less. These results demonstrated that the appearance of clinical signs in equine GV infection was dependent on viral inoculum size. Besides, it was assumed to be rare chance that eruptions and enlargement of the submandibular lymph node were developed simultaneously in a horse.     

The effect of phenothiazine treatment on arrested Haemonchus contortus larvae in sheep

An experimental infection of freshly cultured Haemonchus contortus larvae was given to housed, non-pregnant sheep in October. Phenothiazine was administered to all animals shortly after patency, but the egg output remained negative until mid-April indicating that removal of adult worms from the abomasum did not stimulate the resumption of development of arrested larvae. Worm burdens at post mortem suggest that adults were not being expelled to any great degree during the winter from the host, but this information is clouded by the difference in numbers of both adult worms and arrested larvae in sheep of different haemoglobin type. The results suggest that haemoglobin type may also be a factor in arrest of larvae as it is in the resistance of sheep to adult H. contortus.     

The effects on merino lambs of chronic infection with Trichostrongylus rugatus

Four groups of six 5-month-old merino lambs were exposed to infection with 12,000 larvae of Trichostrongylus rugatus per week and one group was killed at each of 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks. Numbers of adult worms increased in an approximately linear manner throughout the experiment; the percentage of larvae developing to adults remained between 35 and 25% throughout the course of the experiment. Sub-total villus atrophy was evident in the anterior small intestine of each group of infected sheep and significant reductions occurred in the plasma concentrations of albumin and phosphate. Serum globulin and calcium concentrations rose in infected animals. No clinical signs were observed in infected sheep, no alteration in bone histology was detected and no decrease in growth rate occurred.     

Oxfendazole treatment of non-parasitized lambs and its effect on the immune system

Ten parasite-free lambs were drenched with oxfendazole on days 0 and 28 and, one day after each drench, were injected with human erythrocytes and ovalbumin. Ten other antigen-injected lambs were not drenched (controls). Lymphocytes collected 3 days after each antigen injection and cultured in RPMI 1640 plus 5% fetal calf serum (FCS) and lymphocytes collected 3 days after the first and 3 and 7 days after the second antigen injection and cultured in 50% autologous serum had decreased blastogenic activity compared with control lymphocytes. After the second drench, decreased blastogenesis was seen with lymphocytes collected on days 3 and 7 and cultured in 5% FCS and concanavalin A (Con A) and on day 3 when cultured in 5% FCS and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Decreased blastogenesis was also seen with lymphocytes collected 7 and 29 days after the second injection of antigen and cultured in 50% autologous serum plus Con A and on days 3, 7 and 29 when cultured in 50% autologous serum and PHA.Significantly depressed antibody responses to both antigens were seen after the second drench. The serum complement level was depressed 3 days after the second injection of antigen. Serum nitric oxide levels were significantly depressed 3 and 21 days after the first and 7 and 21 days after the second injection of antigen. There were no differences in levels of growth-promoting hormones but the drenched lambs gained significantly more weight than the controls.Abbreviations C complement - Con A concanavalin A - cpm counts per minute - EIA enzyme immunoassay - FCS fetal calf serum - IGF insulin-like growth factor - oIGF-1 ovine insulin-like growth factor-1 - PBS phosphate-buffered saline - PHA phytohaemagglutinin     

Infection of specific-pathogen-free lambs with parainfluenza virus type 3, Pasteurella haemolytica and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae

Groups of specific-pathogen-free lambs were inoculated with combinations of parainfluenza virus type 3 (PI₃), Pasteurella haemolytica (P.h.) and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae ( (M.o.). Acute, necrotising bronchopneumonia developed in 8/9 lambs inoculated with PI₃ followed by P.h. whereas only 1/5 lambs inoculated with PI₃ followed by a combination of M.o. and P.h. developed a pneumonic lesion. When M.o. was inoculated 29 days before PI₃ and P.h., pneumonia developed in 3/4 lambs but M.o. was not reisolated from any of the lungs. Pneumonia was observed in 1/5 lambs inoculated with P.h. alone and in 1/5 inoculated with M.o. plus P.h. In addition, one lamb in the latter group died of acute septicaemic pasteurellosis. None of the lambs inoculated with M.o. alone, PI₃ alone or PI₃ followed by M.o. had any gross or microscopic evidence of pneumonia although the virus alone, or in combination, did produce minor pulmonary lesions.These data suggest that M.o. is not an important primary or secondary lung pathogen.     

The effect of subclinical experimental Cowdria ruminantium infection in ewes on the growth and milk consumption of pre-weaning lambs.

An alternative control option for heartwater (Cowdria ruminantium infection) is the establishment and maintenance of endemic stability which would lessen the existing dependence on acaricides. In an endemically stable state, animals become infected by vaccination or natural challenge at an early age, following which the immunity so created is boosted by continuing tick challenge. In this study, growth rates, health and hematological parameters were monitored at regular intervals for lambs born to two matched groups of ewes until weaning at 4 mo of age. One group of ewes was infected multiple times with Cowdria ruminantium; the other group remained uninfected. The overall mean leucocyte count of lambs born to infected ewes was significantly lower than that of lambs born to uninfected ewes (P=0.04). However, there were few other significant differences in the other hematological data between the two groups. The mean birth weight of single lambs born to uninfected ewes (4.6 kg) was significantly higher than the mean birth weight of single lambs born to infected ewes (4.4 kg) (P=0.02). Trends in milk consumption and growth rates were similar for the two groups, with few significant differences detected. Likewise, there were no significant differences in the incidences of health problems or pre-weaning mortalities between the two groups of lambs. The results of this study indicate that there is no detectable effect on productivity of pre-weaning lambs when their dams are carriers of C. ruminantium--a situation likely to occur in an endemically stable state. Hence, maintenance of endemic stability would be a suitable control option for heartwater.     

Evaluation of the persistent activity of moxidectin (10%) long-acting (LA) injectable formulation against Dictyocaulus viviparus, Haemonchus placei, Trichostrongylus axei and Oesophagostomum radiatum infections in cattle

Two controlled studies were conducted to evaluate the persistent efficacy of moxidectin (10%) long-acting (LA) injectable formulation against Dictyocaulus viviparus, Haemonchus placei, Trichostrongylus axei and Oesophagostomum radiatum in cattle. The moxidectin LA injectable formulation was administered as a single subcutaneous injection into the proximal third of the ear at a dose rate of 0.01 ml/kg BW to provide 1.0 mg moxidectin/kg BW. The product had persistent efficacy of >90% against D. viviparus, H. placei and Oe. radiatum for at least 150 days post-treatment and against T. axei for at least 90 days post-treatment.     

The effect of phenothiazine on cobalt-deficient and cobalt-dosed lambs

The mean serum folate concentrations of Large White sows were compared between one group of 13 animals, 43–80 days pregnant and another group of 9 animals at weaning when the litters were 28–30 days old. The mean concentration was higher in sows at weaning (p<0.05) and the lowest levels were found in sows no more than 51 days pregnant (p<0.05).