鹌鹑源火鸡隐孢子虫生物学特性研究

利用鹌鹑源火鸡隐孢子虫（Cryptosporidium meleagridis）分别感染雏鸡、雏鸭、雏鸵鸟和小白鼠研究其致病性.结果能成功感染雏鸡、雏鸭和小白鼠,但不能感染雏鸵鸟.2个感染组雏鸡主要在感染后第3天引起雏鸡强烈的腹泻症状,但非免疫抑制组比免疫抑制组症状稍轻,此外,免疫抑制组的鸡出现了多个排卵囊高峰;感染相同剂量的2个试验组雏鸭的排卵囊显露期均较雏鸡短,非免疫抑制组雏鸭的排卵囊规律呈一过性,2组雏鸭均未出现明显的临床症状;免疫抑制组小白鼠出现多个排卵囊高峰,显露期持续24 d,正常组小白鼠的排卵囊规律呈一过性.根据肠黏膜涂片,抗酸染色观察发现主要虫体寄生于雏鸭的回肠;通过病理组织学切片和电镜观察发现虫体主要寄生于雏鸡的回肠和小白鼠的十二指肠,但均主要引起肠绒毛的大量脱落,黏膜上皮细胞肿胀,炎性细胞浸润.试验证明鸭为鹌鹑源C.meleagridis的新宿主,但敏感性较低;鹌鹑源C.meleagridis不感染非洲雏鸵鸟.发现鹌鹑源C.meleagridis在鹌鹑、鸡和鸭体内寄生部位与小鼠体内寄生部位有明显差异.     

2株贝氏隐孢子虫鸡源分离株对雏鸡的致病性比较

为了解不同地区鸡源贝氏隐孢子虫的致病特点,对收集到的郑州、林州两地区鸡源贝氏隐孢子虫卵囊经雏鸡传代扩增纯化后,分别以1×106个卵囊量接种3日龄罗曼公雏鸡,从其排卵囊情况、临床症状和病理学变化比较了2个分离株的致病情况。结果表明:2个隐孢子虫分离株均主要引起雏鸡呼吸道症状和法氏囊炎病变;接种雏鸡均于感染后第4天开始排卵囊,林州株和郑州株排卵囊持续期分别为23 d和13 d;排卵囊高峰期均为感染后第8~12天。雏鸡感染2个地区鸡源贝氏隐孢子虫分离株后,排卵囊量及排卵囊规律存在差异。     

水貂隐孢子虫病流行病学调查及虫种的初步鉴定

为初步了解水貂隐孢子虫病的流行情况,作者于2005年11月份用饱和蔗糖溶液漂浮法检查了河北省肃宁县某水貂养殖场的469份粪便样品。结果,8份粪便样品为隐孢子虫阳性,总感染率为1.71%(8/469)。其中,白貂感染率为2.15%(5/233)、灰貂感染率为2.08%(1/48)、黑貂感染率为1.06%(2/188)。所查的8份隐孢子虫阳性样品均来自5~6月龄的水貂,表明幼龄水貂容易感染隐孢子虫病而老龄水貂不易感染。另外,8份阳性样品多数来自雄性水貂,显示水貂的隐孢子虫感染可能存在性别的差异性。根据卵囊形态和大小将水貂隐孢子虫初步鉴定为小球隐孢子虫(Cryptosporidium parvum)。同时,利用所收集的隐孢子虫卵囊进行了小白鼠感染试验,结果表明水貂源隐孢子虫不感染免疫抑制状态下的昆明系小白鼠。     

奶牛源微小隐孢子虫的分子鉴定及动物感染试验

采用饱和蔗糖溶液漂浮法检查商丘市某奶牛场牛新鲜粪便样本的隐孢子虫卵囊,用18SrRNA基因对隐孢子虫进行PCR扩增和限制性片段长度多态性分析;基于GP60基因位点对微小隐孢子虫进行基因亚型鉴定。结果显示:103份样本中有50份为隐孢子虫阳性,42份经形态学鉴定为安氏隐孢子虫,8份形态学未能鉴定到种。经限制性片段长度多态性分析,7个分离株为微小隐孢子虫,1个分离株为牛隐孢子虫;序列比对分析,7个微小隐孢子虫均为人兽共患基因亚型IIdA19G1。接种1头3日龄犊牛1×106个卵囊,潜隐期为3d,显露期为14d,于感染后第7天和第10天出现2个排卵囊高峰期,收集到大量纯卵囊。     

硝唑尼特抗免疫抑制小鼠隐孢子虫活性试验

研究硝唑尼特抗隐孢子虫的活性,采用地塞米松抑制昆明鼠免疫功能,经口接种感染微小隐孢子虫孢子化卵囊,成功制备出微小隐孢子虫感染的动物模型。将感染微小隐孢子虫的小鼠随机分为感染对照组以及高、中、低剂量3个药物剂量组,连续经口灌服硝唑尼特治疗1周,观察每只小鼠每天排出微小隐孢子虫卵囊的数量,以感染抑制率来评价硝唑尼特抗微小隐孢子虫的活性。结果表明,200 mg/(kg.d)剂量组能显著减少小鼠排出隐孢子虫卵囊的数量,对治疗微小隐孢子虫感染具有较好的疗效。     

固始鸡源隐孢子虫人工感染试验

为了解来源于地方鸡品种的隐孢子虫分离株致病特点,对收集到的河南固始鸡源隐孢子虫经鹌鹑传代纯化后,进行动物感染。结果:固始鸡源隐孢子虫分离株无论在正常还是免疫抑制情况下均不能感染小鼠,但能成功感染海兰雏鸡,出现明显的呼吸道症状及法氏囊病变。剖检发现虫体主要寄生在法氏囊、气管和泄殖腔等部位。根据卵囊形态学及寄生部位等特点,本试验分离的隐孢子虫种类鉴定为贝氏隐孢子虫(Crypto-sporidium baileyi)。增大感染剂量,可使雏鸡排卵囊高峰期提前,排卵囊量增大,持续期延长;免疫抑制剂的使用也可使高峰期提前,持续期延长,但会造成试验动物死亡率增高。雏鸡临床症状、剖检病变和增重减少均与感染剂量呈正相关,免疫抑制剂的使用会加重此影响。     

水牛隐孢子虫病的调查及实验感染的研究

以硫酸锌漂浮——耐酸滤过漏斗法,对181头1～7月龄水牛犊作卵囊纯化涂片镜检。结果发现自然感染的隐孢子虫2种:微小隐孢子虫(Cryptosporidium　parvum)和鼠隐孢子虫(Cryptosporidi-um muris),皆为本省首次报道。水牛犊感染率结果:以3月龄牛犊感染率为最高(18.3％),2月龄次之(15.1％),7月龄最低(2.3％),以后随月龄增长而呈下降趋势。小白鼠人工感染成功,第10d粪检均查找到2种隐孢子虫卵囊,但受试动物均未出现腹泻、厌食和消瘦等症状。     

哺乳类和鸟类动物隐孢子虫交叉感染试验研究

为了明确哺乳类和鸟类宿主隐孢子虫能否交叉感染，分别从鸡、兔、小白鼠、鸭、鹌鹑分离到隐孢子虫进行交叉感染。结果，从鸡分离的隐孢子虫卵囊能感染鸭、鹌鹑、麻雀，而不能感染鸽、大白鼠、小白鼠、兔，从鸭分离的卵囊能感染鸡，从兔、小白鼠分离的卵囊不能感染鸡、鹌鹑，从鹌鹑分离的卵囊不能感染兔、大白鼠、小白鼠和鸡。提示隐孢子虫在宿主纲水平上有宿主特异性。     

牦牛的住肉孢子虫两新种宿主范围的研究

对牦牛的两新种住肉孢子虫进行了宿主范围的研究,其结果是:耗牛住肉孢子虫(S.Poephagi sp nov.),用20只无卵囊的健康幼犬,10只无卵囊的健康幼猫,分别口服感染其包囊4000条/只,感染后每天连续进行粪便检查,幼犬未见有印囊或孢子囊排出,幼猫感染后第7～10天开始排出孢子囊,排出持续期为8～12天,平均每克粪便内有43.6(11～71)个,孢子囊呈圆形或卵圆形,无色透明,大小为13.68×9.39(9～15.8×7～13.2)μm,牦牛住肉孢子虫是猫源性虫体,犬不能作为终未宿主。牦牛犬住肉孢子虫(S.Poephagicanis sp.nov.),用20只无卵囊的健康幼犬和10只幼猫,分别人工感染其包囊4000条/只,感染后连续检查粪便,幼犬在感染后第7～20天开始排出孢子囊,大多数是在第7～9天排出,持续期为13～26天,每克粪便内平均排出孢子囊203(15～286)个,孢子囊呈椭圆形,两端较钝,大小为14.63×10.63(10.5～18.5×7～14.25)μm,有两层囊壁,外膜光滑,该种为犬源性虫体,猫不能作为终末宿主。大白鼠、小白鼠、豚鼠、家兔和小鸡分别口服感染两种住肉孢子虫包囊,感染后经粪便检查,均未发现有孢子囊,上述实验动物各口服从幼猫粪便获取的牦牛住肉孢子虫孢子囊,或从幼犬粪便获取的牦牛犬住肉孢子虫孢子囊,90天后剖检,肌肉内均无包囊存在,证明这些动物均不能作其宿主动物。     

隐孢子虫病两种诊断方法的应用比较

目的对目前常用的两种检测隐孢子虫感染方法进行估价。方法取上海某牧场随机采集的20头奶牛粪便用改良抗酸染色法和巢式PCR(Nested PCR)法检测。结果两种方法均能检测出粪便中的隐孢子虫卵囊,改良抗酸染色法阳性检测率55%,Nested PCR法阳性检测率70%。结论:两种方法均能从感染隐孢子虫的奶牛粪便中捡出隐孢子虫卵囊,可根据需要选择。     

Phase I evaluation of CCNU (lomustine) in tumor-bearing cats

1-(2-Chloroethyl)3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) is an alkylating agent in the nitrosourea subclass. A prospective evaluation of CCNU was done to determine the maximally tolerated dosage of CCNU in tumor-bearing cats. Response data were obtained when available. Twenty-five cats were treated with CCNU at a dosage of 50-60 mg/m3 body surface area. Complete hematologic data were available for 13 cats. Neutropenia was the acute dose-limiting toxicity. The median neutrophil count at the nadir was 1,000 cells/microL (mean, 2,433 cells/microL; range, 0-9,694 cells/microL). The time of neutrophil nadir was variable, occurring 7-28 days after treatment, and counts sometimes did not return to normal for up to 14 days after the nadir. Based on these findings, a 6-week dosing interval and weekly hematologic monitoring after the 1st treatment with CCNU are recommended. The nadir of the platelet count may occur 14-21 days after treatment. The median platelet count at the nadir was 43,500 cells/microL. No gastrointestinal, renal, or hepatic toxicities were observed after a single CCNU treatment, and additional studies to evaluate the potential for cumulative toxicity should be performed. Five cats with lymphoma and 1 cat with mast cell tumor had measurable responses to CCNU. Phase II studies to evaluate antitumor activity should be completed with a dosing regimen of 50-60 mg/m3 every 6 weeks.     

Prevalence of gastric lesions in racing Alaskan sled dogs

Human and equine athletes are reported to have a high prevalence of gastric disease, and anecdotal evidence suggests a similar phenomenon applies to racing sled dogs. To investigate the prevalence of gastric disease in racing sled dogs, we conducted 2 gastroscopy studies on dogs competing in the annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race. A pilot study of dogs that were either dropped from the 2000 Iditarod Sled Dog Race because of illness or that finished the race indicated that, approximately 5 days after competing, 10 of 28 dogs (35%) had endoscopic evidence of gastric ulceration, erosion, or hemorrhage. The next year, an endoscopic study of 73 dogs participating in the 2001 Iditarod race was performed in order to evaluate a larger population of dogs. Data from 70 of these dogs could be used; 34 (48.5%) had ulceration, erosion, gastric hemorrhage, or some combination of these findings. When this group of 70 dogs was compared retrospectively to a control group of 87 dogs presented to the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, the Iditarod sled dogs had a significantly higher prevalence (P = .049) of gastric lesions. These findings suggest that, similar to athletes of other species, elite canine athletes have an increased prevalence of gastric disease compared to the canine population at large.     

Furosemide continuous rate infusion in the horse: evaluation of enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects

Continuous rate infusion (CRI) of furosemide in humans is considered superior to intermittent administration (IA). This study examined whether furosemide CRI, compared with IA, would increase diuretic efficacy with decreased fluid and electrolyte fluctuations and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the horse. Five mares were used in a crossover-design study. During a 24-hour period, each horse received a total of 3 mg/kg furosemide by either CRI (0.12 mg/kg/h preceded by a loading dose of 0.12 mg/kg IV) or IA (1 mg/kg IV q8h). There was not a statistically significant difference in urine volume over 24 hours between methods; however, urine volume was significantly greater after CRI compared with IA during the first 8 hours ([median 25th percentile, 75th percentile]: 9.6 L [8.9, 14.4] for CRI versus 5.9 L [5.3, 6.0] for IA). CRI produced a more uniform urine flow, decreased fluctuations in plasma volume, and suppressed renal concentrating ability throughout the infusion period. Potassium, Ca, and Cl excretion was greater during CRI than IA (1,133 mmol [1.110, 1,229] versus 764 mmol [709, 904], 102.7 mmol [96.0, 117.2] versus 73.3 mmol [65.0, 73.5], and 1,776 mmol [1,657, 2.378] versus 1,596 mmol [1,457, 1,767], respectively). Elimination half-lives of furosemide were 1.35 and 0.47 hours for CRI and IA, respectively. The area under the excretion rate curve was 1,285.7 and 184.2 mL x mg/mL for CRI and IA, respectively. Furosemide CRI (0.12 mg/kg/h) for 8 hours, preceded by a loading dose (0.12 mg/kg), is recommended when profound diuresis is needed acutely in horses.     

Internal Parasites and Haematological Values in Cattle Slaughtered in Buea Subdivision of Cameroon

Tropical Animal Health and Production -     

The Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Dairy Cattle in Central Kenya

The epidemiology of H. placei and of other gastrointestinal nematodes in yearling dairy cattle was examined on two farms in Kiambu District, central Kenya during each of 13 one-month periods from April 1993 to April 1994. On each farm, 32 newly weaned dairy calves were given a single dose of albendazole and then placed on experimental pastures. Twelve of the animals were designated for bi-monthly slaughter (n = 2) and analysis of worm population characteristics and 20 were designated for blood and faecal collection and for weighing. Two parasite-free tracer calves were grazed alongside the weaner calves each month throughout the study period and were also slaughtered for analysis of worm populations. Faecal egg counts, haematological and serum pepsinogen determinations, herbage larval counts, and animal live weight changes were recorded monthly. The study revealed that Haemonchus placei, Trichostrongylus axei, Cooperia spp. and Oesophagostomum radiatum were responsible for parasitic gastroenteritis and that H. placei was the predominant nematode present in the young cattle on both farms. Faecal egg counts from resident cattle and necropsy worm counts revealed that pasture larval levels were directly related to the amount of rainfall. The total worm burdens in the animals were highest during the rainy season (March–June and October–December) and lowest during the dry seasons (July–September and January–February). The very low recovery of immature larvae of H. placei from the tracer calves indicated that arrested development is not a feature of the life cycle of this parasite in central Kenya. The maintenance of the parasite population depended on continuous cycling of infection between the host and the pasture. The agroclimatic conditions of the study area were such that, in general, favourable weather conditions for the development and survival of the free-living stages of gastrointestinal nematodes existed all year round.     

Diversity of Ectoparasites in Sheep Flocks in Sa~o Paulo,Brazil

The occurrence of ectoparasites in sheep flocks is frequently reported but seldom quantified. Sheep production used to be a predominantly family activity in the state of Sa~o Paulo (Brazil), but it began to become a commercial activity in the past decade. Thus, information about the ectoparasites existing in sheep flocks has become necessary. The present data were obtained by means of questionnaires sent to all sheep breeders belonging to the `Associaça~o Paulista de Criadores de Ovinos' (ASPACO; Sa~o Paulo State Association of Sheep Breeders). Response reliability was tested by means of random visits paid to 10.6% of the respondents. Most of the properties (89.5%) reported the presence of one or more ectoparasites. Screw-worm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) was the most frequent ectoparasite (72.5%), followed by bot fly larvae (Dermatobia hominis, 45.0%), ticks (Amblyomma cajennense) and Boophilus microplus, 31.3%) and finally lice (Damalinia ovis, 13.8%). Combined infestations also occurred, the most common one being screw-worm with bot fly larvae (36.0%) followed by bot fly larvae with ticks (13.9%), screw-worm with ticks (9.3%), bot fly larvae with lice (6.9%), and ticks with lice (5.0%). The most common triple combination was screw-worm, bot fly larvae and ticks (12.8%). Breeds raised for meat or wool were attacked by bot fly larvae and ticks more often than other breeds. Lice were only absent from animals of indigenous breeds. The relationships among these ectoparasites are discussed in terms of sheep breeds, flock size, seasonality and the ectoparasitic combinations on the host.     

Chemotaxis of macrophage in inflammation

Our particular attention in this article was given to natural mediators for macrophages isolated from the sites of tissue injury. A number of chemotactic factors, which may satisfy many criteria making them acceptable as inflammatory leucocyte chemotactic factors, has been separated. Among them, our laboratory has isolated three macrophage (monocyte) chemotactic factors (MCF-a, -b and -c). Their purification, characterization and functional specificity are discussed.     

Evaluation of biohydrogenation rate of canola vs. soya bean seeds as unsaturated fatty acids sources for ruminants in situ

An experiment was conducted to study disappearance of C14 to C18 fatty acids, lag times and biohydrogenation (BH) rates of C18 fatty acids of ground soya bean and canola seeds in situ. Three ruminally fistulated Dallagh sheep were used to determine ruminal BH of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). Differences in the disappearance of fatty acids through the bags and lag times were observed between the oilseeds. We saw that the longer the incubation time of the oilseeds in the rumen, the lower the content of C18:2 and C18:3. Significantly higher lag times for both C18:2 and C18:3 were observed in ground canola compared to ground soya bean. BH rates of C18:2 and C18:3 fatty acids in soya bean were three times higher than those of canola. These results suggest that the fatty acid profile of fat source can affect the BH of UFAs by rumen micro‐organisms. So that UFAs of canola had higher ability to escape from ruminal BH. It seems that fatty acid profile of ruminant products is more affected by canola seed compared to soya bean seed.     

Serum biochemical values and mineral element contents of tissues in yaks

Serum biochemical values and the wet weight to dry weight ratios of tissues were determined in yaks in Shandan county of Gansu province. The liver, kidney, heart and muscle contents of seven elements in yaks were also analysed. Most serum biochemical values were similar to those of cattle, camels and sheep, but the calcium concentration was considerably above the normal range for other ruminants. The liver contained the highest concentrations of copper, manganese and cobalt and the kidney of selenium, iron and calcium.Abbreviations Alb albumin - ALT alanine aminotransferase - AST aspartate aminotransferase - BUN blood urea nitrogen - Chol cholesterol - Glob globulin - -GT -glutamyl transpeptidase - IP inorganic phosphorus - TP total protein