Evaluation of 3 Serological Tests for Early Detection Of Leptospira‐specific Antibodies in Experimentally Infected Dogs

Background

Leptospirosis in dogs is a disease of global importance. Early detection and appropriate therapeutic intervention are necessary to resolve infection and prevent zoonotic transmission. However, its diagnosis is hindered by nonspecific clinical signs and lack of rapid diagnostic tests of early infection. Recently, 2 rapid point‐of‐care tests (WITNESS Lepto [WITNESS Lepto, Zoetis LLC, Kalamazoo, MI, USA] and SNAP Lepto [SNAP Lepto, IDEXX Laboratories, Westbrook, ME, USA]) for detection of Leptospira‐specific antibodies in canine sera were developed.

Hypothesis

Immunoglobulin M‐based WITNESS Lepto containing multiple detection antigens can detect Leptospira‐specific antibodies to common leptospiral serovars earlier in the course of infection as compared to microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and SNAP Lepto.

Animals

Four groups of 8 6‐ to 8‐month‐old male Beagle dogs were used.

Methods

Thirty‐two healthy seronegative dogs were inoculated experimentally with serovars Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Pomona (8 dogs/serovar). Acute‐phase sera were collected at regular intervals and monitored for Leptospira‐specific antibodies by WITNESS Lepto, MAT, and SNAP Lepto.

Results

Seroconversion was detected in all dogs by day 10 by WITNESS Lepto and in 30 of 32 dogs by day 14 by MAT. The SNAP Lepto test detected seroconversion in 3 dogs during the 2 weeks postchallenge.

Conclusions

Immunoglobulin M‐based WITNESS Lepto detected immune responses specific to multiple leptospiral serovars early in the course of infection and identified seroconversion in all animals earlier than did the gold standard MAT. The SNAP Lepto test displayed considerably lower and inconsistent performance during the study period. At the point‐of‐care, WITNESS Lepto should be the test of choice for rapid and reliable screening of acutely ill dogs suspected to have leptospirosis.     

Rocket Immunoelectrophoresis in the Diagnosis of Infectious Bursal Disease

The rocket immunoelectrophoresis (RIE) test was used for the qualitative detection and quantitative estimation of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) specific antigen in experimentally infected chickens and samples collected from suspected outbreaks. The IBDV specific antigen was detected in the bursae of experimentally inoculated chickens up to 5 days post infection (PI) by the agar gel precipitation (AGP) test and 7 days PI by the RIE test. The RIE detected IBDV specific antigen in a significantly greater number of samples collected from the field outbreaks than the conventional AGP test. Exudative bursae were found to have a higher antigen content than haemorrhagic bursae and are recommended as the material of choice for diagnosis of IBD. This test could also be used to quantify IBDV specific antigen in commercial killed vaccines.     

Evaluation of a Filter Paper Blood Sampling Technique for Quantitative Assessment of Antibodies to Infectious Bursal Disease Virus

Tropical Animal Health and Production -     

Effect of Desmopresssin in Normal Dogs and Dogs with von Willebrand's Disease

Desmopressin acetate (DDAVP(R)), a synthetic analogue of vasopressin was slowly administered intravenously to 12 healthy dogs of various breeds and 10 Doberman Pinschers with mild-to-moderate type I von Willebrand's disease at a dose of 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 micro g/kg body weight. Plasma von Willebrand factor:antigen was measured by an electroimmunoassay prior to and 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes after desmopressin infusion. Desmopressin induced only very modest and statistically insignificant increases in von Willebrand factor in both groups. We conclude that the response to desmopressin as measured by circulating von Willebrand factor is much less pronounced in healthy dogs and in Doberman Pinschers with von Willebrand's disease than in humans.     

青海省牛羊蓝舌病血清学调查

从青海省玉树、共和、格尔木、果洛、大通、祁连、德令哈、同德8个地区采集牛羊血清样品413份,应用琼脂免疫扩散法对蓝舌病进行了血清学调查。结果在被检的209份羊血清中,共检出阳性血清样品4份,平均阳性率为1.91%;而在被检的204份牛血清中则未检测到阳性样品。     

Endoscopic Assessment of the Duodenum in Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background

Endoscopy is performed for direct inspection of the mucosa and acquisition of biopsies in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Aim

To evaluate the interobserver agreement in the endoscopic assessment of duodenal mucosa in dogs with IBD.

Methods

Thirty‐five archived endoscopic images of grossly normal (n = 6) and inflamed (n = 29) duodenal mucosa were displayed to 3 expert and 5 trainee endoscopists. Each image was assessed independently by endoscopists for mucosal abnormalities using established indices (of hyperemia, granularity, friability, lymphatic dilatation, and erosions) or interpreted as normal mucosa (trial 1). A repeated trial (trial 2) was performed with the same images presented in random order 1 month later, and accompanied by a visual template.

Results

There was slight interobserver agreement in initial mucosal assessment for expert and trainee endoscopists in trial 1 (kappa ≤ 0.02, P > .05). Interobserver agreement improved in trial 2 for both expert and trainee endoscopists (kappa = 0.2, P > .05) for experts and (P < .05) for trainees. There was a significant (P < .01) improvement in trainee endoscopy scores of lesions from trial 1 to trial 2. Regression analysis showed a significant (P < .01) difference between expert versus trainee endoscopy scores in trial 1. Repeat lesion assessment aided by use of a visual template (trial 2) improved the overall scores of trainee endoscopists to near that of expert endoscopists (P = .06).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Interobserver agreement of IBD mucosal appearance from endoscopic findings benefitted from operator experience.     

口蹄疫检测技术的研究进展与应用

从生物学试验、血清学诊断技术和分子生物学检测技术等方面概述了目前口蹄疫检测技术的研究进展及其应用。其中生物学试验包括动物试验和细胞培养;血清学诊断技术包括补体结合试验、中和试验、凝集试验、酶联免疫吸附试验和免疫胶体金快速检测技术等;分子生物学检测技术包括反转录聚合酶链式反应、核酸探针、核酸序列分析和等电聚焦等。     

表达禽腺病毒血清4型Fiber2蛋白的重组耐热新城疫病毒的构建及免疫效果评估

【目的】 研究针对新城疫病毒(Newcastle disease virus, NDV)和禽腺病毒(Fowl adenovirus, FAdV)的耐热基因工程疫苗。【方法】 利用反向遗传学操作技术将NDV耐热株的HN基因替换到LaSota疫苗株上, 再将禽腺病毒血清4型(Fowl adenovirus serotype 4, FAdV-4)的Fiber2基因插入到其基因组上, 构建表达Fiber2蛋白的重组耐热NDV质粒pTS-HN-Fiber2。通过病毒拯救技术拯救重组NDV rTS-HN-Fiber2, 并测定其生物学特性和作为疫苗候选株的免疫原性和攻毒保护性。【结果】 rTS-HN-Fiber2的鸡胚平均致死时间>168 h, 且脑内接种致病指数为0, 属于弱毒的范畴; 在细胞上的生长曲线结果表明, rTS-HN-Fiber2与亲本LaSota株有相似的生长曲线, 但最终的生长滴度略低于LaSota株; rTS-HN-Fiber2在56 ℃处理15 min后, 病毒滴度下降约10³ TCID₅₀/mL, 而LaSota株56 ℃处理5 min几乎无感染性; 间接免疫荧光试验结果表明, rTS-HN-Fiber2能表达Fiber2蛋白。免疫和攻毒试验结果显示, rTS-HN-Fiber2能产生NDV抗体, 且能显著提高雏鸡在FAdV-4强毒下的存活率, 减轻FAdV-4强毒引起的组织病变, 降低组织中的病毒载量。【结论】 本研究成功构建了表达FAdV-4 Fiber2蛋白的重组耐热NDV, 该病毒保持了亲本LaSota株的弱毒生物学特性, 但热稳定性有显著提升; 重组NDV免疫雏鸡可产生针对NDV和FAdV-4强毒的保护, 该重组NDV可作为开发针对FAdV-4和NDV二联基因工程疫苗的候选病毒株。     

Effect of Physiological Determinants and Cardiac Disease on Plasma Adiponectin Concentrations in Dogs

Background

In humans, a high concentration of adiponectin is associated with a favorable cardiovascular risk profile whereas, in patients with heart failure (HF), a high concentration of adiponectin is associated with a less favorable prognosis.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To evaluate the physiological determinants of plasma adiponectin concentration in dogs and the influence of heart disease, myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Animals

One hundred and fourteen client‐owned dogs and 9 Beagles from the research colony of the Clinical Veterinary Unit of the University of Liège.

Methods

We prospectively measured circulating adiponectin concentration in healthy control dogs (n = 77), dogs with MMVD (n = 22) and dogs with DCM (n = 15) of various degrees of severity. Diagnosis was confirmed by Doppler echocardiography. Plasma adiponectin concentration was measured by a canine‐specific sandwich ELISA kit.

Results

An analysis of covariance showed an association between adiponectin concentration and age, neuter status, and heart disease. No association between adiponectin concentration and class of HF, sex, body condition score, body weight, circadian rhythm, or feeding was found. Plasma adiponectin concentration was negatively correlated with age (P = .001). Adiponectin was lower in neutered (P = .008) compared to intact dogs. Circulating adiponectin concentration was increased in dogs with DCM compared to healthy dogs (P = .018) and to dogs with MMVD (P = .014).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Age and neutering negatively influence circulating adiponectin concentration. Plasma adiponectin concentration increased in dogs with DCM. Additional research is required to investigate if this hormone is implicated in the pathophysiology of DCM and associated with clinical outcome.     

The Characterization of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Strains/Isolates from Field Outbreaks in India

Pahar, B. and Rai, A., 1997. The characterization of infectious bursal disease virus strains/isolates from field outbreaks in India. Veterinary Research Communications, 21 (4), 289-301Three infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) isolates were adapted to culture in chick embryo fibroblast cells in which they produced a cytopathic effect. The isolates were identified as IBDV by virus neutralization tests using a standard hyperimmune serum against infectious bursal disease, physicochemical properties and their pathogenicity in chick embryos and chicks. The IBDV S394 strain was antigenically different from IBDV S194/IBDV S494 as well as from the IBDV Intermediate Georgia strain, one of the vaccine strains in use in India.     

Comparative Evaluation of a Field-based Dot-ELISA Kit with Three Other Serological Tests for the Detection of Brucella Antibodies in Goats

A dot-ELISA (d-ELISA) test was evaluated and compared with the serum agglutination test (SAT), micro-complement fixation test (CFT) and a plate-ELISA (p-ELISA) for field use in screening herds of goats against brucellosis. During the standardization of the dot-ELISA kit on 1732 caprine serum samples, 1571 samples out of 1666 were found to be negative in d-ELISA, SAT and micro-CFT, while 59 were positive in different combinations. Of a further 66 serum samples, 34 were negative and 31 were positive in different combinations in d-ELISA, SAT, micro-CFT and p-ELISA. A total of 1584 goats belonging to different herds were then screened for brucellosis. Of the 694 serum samples screened in the first batch using d-ELISA, a positive reaction was observed in 26 cases. Further screening of these cases revealed 13 and 21 goats as positive reactors in SAT and CFT, respectively. In a second batch of 890 goats there were 109 positive reactors in d-ELISA. Among these 109 goats, 34, 40 and 80 goats were positive reactors in SAT, CFT and p-ELISA, respectively. The results of d-ELISA correlated well with those of p-ELISA. Dot-ELISA was found to be a more suitable and rapid test for screening large numbers of goats in the field.