Clinical and epidemiological features of canine leptospirosis in North Queensland

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical signs, results of clinical pathology and serology tests, and treatment outcome of clinical leptospirosis in 40 dogs from North Queensland. DESIGN: Retrospective study from January 1995 to August 1999. PROCEDURE: Case records were reviewed for age, breed, sex, month of submission, geographical location and presenting clinical signs in 40 dogs with titres of > or = 200 for leptospirosis by the microscopic agglutination test. A biochemistry panel and complete blood count were performed on 18 dogs. RESULTS: Canine leptospirosis occurred most frequently during the summer and autumn particularly in the 'wet' tropical coastal areas of Mackay and Cairns. Fewer cases were seen in the Atherton Tablelands and 'dry' tropics around Townsville. Young and male dogs were more commonly affected. Most cases were caused by L australis (80%) and L zanoni (15%) with individual cases of L hardjo and L copenhageni. All dogs showed a distinctive multiorgan disease pattern including renal failure and cholestatic hepatopathy. Presenting clinical signs were related to these disease syndromes and included jaundice, vomiting, lethargy, inappetence, dehydration, pyrexia, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Just over 50% of the dogs in the present study failed to recover. Clinical biochemical changes indicative of renal failure and cholestasis were significantly less severe in dogs that recovered compared with dogs that did not survive. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical pathology testing should be performed on all dogs presented for illness in the endemic areas so as to help make a presumptive diagnosis and assist in determining the prognosis as soon as possible. The presumptive diagnosis should be confirmed serologically.     

Serological examination for evidence of infection with Hendra and Nipah viruses in Queensland piggeries

OBJECTIVE: To examine piggeries in Queensland for evidence of infection with Hendra virus and Nipah virus. DESIGN: A serological survey was designed to provide 99% confidence of detecting at least one infected pig herd in Queensland, assuming that for each virus, at least 5% of herds would have been exposed to virus and that at least 40% of the finisher pigs in these herds would have detectable antibodies to virus. PROCEDURE: A two stage sampling regimen was used. All samples were tested with serum neutralisation tests developed and performed at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory. RESULTS: There was no evidence of antibody to either virus in the 500 samples collected from 100 herds. CONCLUSION: The results of the survey support a case that commercial pigs in Queensland are free of both Hendra virus and Nipah virus infections.     

Prevalence and epidemiological features of bovine viral diarrhoea virus infection in Lithuania

The objectives of the present work were to estimate the level of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infection in cattle herds at the different Lithuanian districts and to determine factors influencing the course of BVDV infection. The studies were explored in 147 intensive dairy cattle breeding herds from 27 different Lithuanian regions in 1997-2001. BVDV infection was diagnosed in all investigated regions. The existing variations in the structure of cattle population determined different distribution patterns of BVDV infection. The number of seropositive animals ranged from 11.9 to 100%. It must be pointed out that 29.9% of the herds were not infected with BVDV and in 32.7% of the herds from 70 to 100% of cattle were seropositive to BVDV. A positive correlation between the number of seropositive cattle, and the size of herds and age of animals was determined. Sex of animal had no influence on the prevalence of BVDV. It was estimated that the annual incidence risk of infection with BVDV decreases with the animal age.     

Generalized fatal Cowpox virus infection in a cat with transmission to a human contact case

A 4-month-old female domestic shorthair cat was infected by a virus of the Poxvirus family. The animal developed a severe pneumonia and generalized ulcerating lesions of the skin. Histologically, typical eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies indicative of an Orthopoxvirus (OPV) infection were present. The lung showed grey-white to haemorrhagic nodular lesions with a central zone of complete necrosis of alveolar and bronchial tissue. Electron microscopy from skin and lung nodules revealed typical square-shaped OPV particles. Cultivation of the virus on chorio-allantoic membranes of embryonated chicken eggs resulted in haemorrhagic plaques. Restriction enzyme analysis, PCR and sequencing of the D8L gene identified the OPV isolate as a typical Cowpox virus. It was transmitted by the cat to a human contact person who developed a local nodular dermatitis at the inoculation site in association with signs of general infection and had an increase of OPV-specific neutralizing antibodies in paired serum samples.     

Myiasis in a dog shelter in Greece: epidemiological and clinical features and therapeutic considerations

The paper describes features of myiasis in a cohort of 163 dogs in an animal shelter, monitored over 3.5 years (4 fly activity seasons). Seven dogs (4 males, 3 females) were presented with myiasis; two dogs were presented twice with infestation in different areas of their body. The overall incidence rate (IR) of myiasis was 5.8 cases per 10(3) animal-months at risk, or else 0.0058 case per animal-month at risk. Six cases occurred from May to July and three from August to October, giving IRs of 7.7 per 10(3) animal-months and 3.9 per 10(3) animal-months, respectively, and an IR ratio of 1.97 (P=0.35). Five cases occurred in males and four in females, giving IRs of 7.8 per 10(3) animal months and 4.3 per 10(3) animal-months, respectively, and an incidence rate ratio of 1.78 (P=0.41). Three cases were diagnosed as cutaneous myiasis of the thigh, 2 cases as myiasis of the ear canal, 2 as myiasis of the prepuce, 1 as myiasis of the toes and 1 case as myiasis of the vagina. Median time from entrance into the shelter to infestation was 5 months; it was 1m in three dogs which were injured at entrance of animal into the shelter, but longer (5-15m) in the other four dogs. Larvae were identified as 2nd or 3rd stage instars of Wohlfahrtia magnifica. Signs characteristic of local inflammation, in the affected area of the body, were recorded. Treatment included mechanical removal of larvae, cleansing of the area, administration of injectable moxidectin and a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. Complete recovery was achieved within 1.5 months, bar that of preputial infestations which required 2.5 months.