Pyothorax in nine dogs

Summary

The results of treatment of pyothorax using systemic antibiotics, drainage, and lavage of the pleural space, are reported for 9 dogs. All 9 dogs recovered completely. In 8 of the 9 dogs the follow‐up period was at least 6 months and in none was there a relapse. The results obtained with this treatment are excellent in comparison with the results that have been reported for treatment with systemic antibiotics and drainage of the pleural space but without lavage. Apart from the addition of pleural lavage to the treatment protocol, the better result might be because migrating plant related foreign bodies did not seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of pyothorax in this group of dogs.     

Association between quantitative bacterial culture of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and antibiotic requirement in dogs with lower respiratory tract signs

BackgroundHistorically, positive bacterial cultures from the lower respiratory tract (LRT) have been considered clinically relevant when quantitative bacterial cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were >1700 colony forming units (cfu)/mL. However, this threshold might not accurately predict a requirement for antibiotics.ObjectivesTo study whether quantitative BALF bacterial culture results were predictive of antibiotic requirement in dogs with LRT signs.AnimalsThirty‐three client‐owned dogs.MethodsCross‐sectional study. Dogs with positive quantitative bacterial culture of BALF were included. Dogs were divided into 2 groups, depending on whether they had a LRT infection requiring antibiotics (LRTI‐RA) or LRT disease not requiring antibiotics (LRTD‐NRA), based on thoracic imaging features, presence of intracellular bacteria on BALF cytology, and response to treatment. Predictive effect of cfu/mL and BALF total nucleated cell count (TNCC) on antibiotic requirement, adjusting for ongoing or prior antibiotic therapy and age, were studied using logistic regression.ResultsTwenty‐two and 11 dogs were included in the LRTI‐RA and LRTD‐NRA groups, respectively. The cfu/mL was not significantly predictive of antibiotic requirement, independent of ongoing or prior antibiotic treatment and age (LRTI‐RA: median, 10 000 cfu/mL; range, 10‐3 × 10⁸; LRTD‐NRA: median, 10  000 cfu/mL; range, 250‐1.3 × 10⁹; P = .27). The TNCC was not significantly predictive of antibiotic requirement when only dogs with bronchial disease were considered (LRTI‐RA: median, 470 cells/μL; range, 240‐2260; LRTD‐NRA: median, 455 cells/μL; range, 80‐4990; P = .57).Conclusion and Clinical ImportanceThe cfu/mL is an inappropriate measure for determining whether antibiotics are of benefit in dogs with LRT signs.     

Treatment of ulcerative dermatitis in mice (Mus musculus) with gabapentin: 14 cases (2011-2019)

BackgroundUlcerative dermatitis (UD) in the domestic mouse (Mus musculus) has been well characterized in laboratory mouse colonies but has not been well documented in pet mice. Affected animals are intensely pruritic and have characteristic ulcerative lesions on the head, neck, shoulders and trunk. UD is considered a multifactorial disease and can be difficult to treat.MethodsCases of ulcerative dermatitis in pet mice were presented between 2011 and 2019 to the Bird and Exotic Clinic of Seattle in which the owners wished to attempt treatment. All cases were treated with gabapentin, a γ-aminobutyric acid analog, at dosing ranging from 50 mg/kg q24 hours up to 300 mg/kg q8 hours PO, antibiotics, and antiparasitics.ResultsFourteen mice were eligible for inclusion. Of those, 13 showed an improvement post treatment. Response to treatment was partial to complete. Two out of 14 mice were successfully weaned off gabapentin.ConclusionsThe treatment protocol employed in these cases appeared effective in limiting the clinical signs of UD. Gabapentin at higher doses may have contributed to the decrease of the scratching behavior and secondary skin lesions. Underlying causes of the itching should be diagnosed and addressed in individual animals. Further randomized studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of gabapentin.     

Effects of feeding bamboo vinegar and acidifier as an antibiotic substitute on the growth performance and intestinal bacterial communities of weaned piglets

Abstract

The experiment was designed to evaluate effects of feeding bamboo vinegar (BV) and acidifier to substitute antibiotic on the growth performance and intestinal bacterial communities of weaned piglets. Three hundred and sixty weaned piglets (body weight (BW) = 10 ± 2 kg) were allocated into three treatments for 25 days of experiment feeding, with three replicates (pen) per treatment. A basal diet was added with antibiotics (Control), 0.4% BV and 0.25% acidifier I (BVAI), or 0.4% BV and 0.25% acidifier II (BVAII), respectively. No significant differences were observed in feed intake, final weight, average daily gain and feed to gain ratio (P > 0.05) among different treatments. The species richness and bacterial community diversities in feces were higher for the pigs in treatment BVAI and BVAII than those of pigs in the Control (36.5 and 1.55, respectively), with a significant difference between BVAII and the Control (P < 0.05). The bacterial communities of pigs in BVAI and BVAII clustered together, forming a cluster we designated as Cluster C and separated from another cluster in pigs fed antibiotic designated as Cluster A in the Control treatment. The results indicate that the 0.4% BV and 0.25% acidifier can replace antibiotics in the diets for piglets without negative effects on production and allow for greater diversity of the intestinal bacterial community compared to antibiotics.     

Antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from poultry environment and UTI patients in Kerala,India: A comparison study

BackgroundThere are only narrow insights regarding the antimicrobial resistance of pathogens in poultry environment in India and its transmission to humans. The use of antimicrobials in food animal production is not properly regulated in India. So, many clinically important antimicrobials are used indiscriminately.ObjectiveOur aim was to do a comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from poultry environment and UTI patients.MethodologyTwo poultry farms each from six areas in Muvattupuzha region of the state of Kerala in India were selected for the study. From each farm, samples of fresh fecal matter, litter from inside the shed, litter from outside the shed, nearby agricultural soil and control soilwere collected. E. coli was isolated from each sample, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of E. coli was done with fifteen antibiotics. Antibiograms of UTI patients were collected from the tertiary care hospital included in the study and those were compared with the antibiograms of poultrysamples.ResultAll samples were resistant to ampicillin, amoxicillin, meropenem and tetracycline. Similar resistance pattern in poultry environment and UTI patients was seen for antibiotics such as ampicillin, amoxicillin, amikacin, and ofloxacin. A statistically significant difference (p < .00601) was established in the total number of isolates resistant to various antibiotics from areas near to farms compared to those away from farms.ConclusionE. coli were resistant not only to extended spectrum beta lactams but also to carbapenems which might have disseminated to environment where litter was used as manure. This might be due to irrational use of antibiotics in chicken and poultry feed as growth promoter.     

Treatment of pigs with enrofloxacin via different oral dosage forms – environmental contaminations and resistance development of Escherichia coli

BackgroundAntibacterial agents play important roles in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and carry-over of substances into the environment are several problems arising during oral treatment of bacterial infections. We assessed AMR development in commensal Escherichia coli (E. coli) in enrofloxacin treated and untreated animals. In addition, we examined fluoroquinolone in the plasma and urine of treated and untreated animals, and in sedimentation dust and aerosol.MethodsIn each trial, six pigs were treated with enrofloxacin via powder, granulate or pellet forms in two time periods (days 1–5 and 22–26). Four pigs served as untreated controls. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to evaluate AMR development. Analysis of enro- and ciprofloxacin was performed with high performance liquid chromatography.ResultsNon-wildtype E. coli (MIC > 0.125 µg/mL) was detected in the pellet treated group after the first treatment period, whereas in the other groups, non-wildtype isolates were found after the second treatment period. E. coli with MIC > 4 µg/mL was found in only the pellet trial. Untreated animals showed similar susceptibility shifts several days later. Bioavailability differed among the treatment forms (granulate > pellet > powder). Enro- and ciprofloxacin were detected in aerosols and sedimentation dust (granulate, powder > pellet).ConclusionsThis study indicates that the kind of the oral dosage form of antibiotics affects environmental contamination and AMR development in commensal E. coli in treated and untreated pigs.     

Evaluation of efflux pump inhibitory activity of some plant extracts and using them as adjuvants to potentiate the inhibitory activity of some antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus

Background:Antibiotic-resistant pathogens became a real global threat to human and animal health. This needs to concentrate the efforts to minimize and control these organisms. Efflux pumps are considered one of the important strategies used by bacteria to exclude harmful materials from the cell. Inhibition of these pumps can be an active strategy against multidrug resistance pathogens. There are two sources of efflux pump inhibitors that can be used, chemical and natural inhibitors. The chemical origin efflux pump inhibitors have many toxic side effects while the natural origin is characterized by a wide margin of safety for the host cell.Aim:In this study, the ability of some plant extracts like (propolis show rosemary, clove, capsaicin, and cumin) to potentiate the inhibitory activity of some antibiotics such as (ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamycin, tetracycline, and ampicillin) against Staphylococcus aureus pathogen were tested.Methods:Efflux pump inhibitory activity of the selected plant extracts was tested using an ethidium bromide (EtBr) accumulation assay.Results:The results have shown that Propolis has a significant synergistic effect in combination with ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and gentamycin. While it has no effect with tetracycline or ampicillin. Also, no synergic effect was noticed in a combination of the minimum inhibitory concentration for the selected plant extracts (rosemary, clove, capsaicin, and cumin) with any of the tested antibiotics. Interestingly, according to the results of the EtBr accumulation assay, Propolis has potent inhibitory activity against the S. aureus (MRS usa300) pump system.Conclusion:This study suggests that Propolis might act as a resistance breaker that is able to restore the activity of ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and gentamycin against S. aureus strains, in case of the efflux-mediated antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.     

Ximenia americana L. enhances the antibiotic activity and inhibit the development of kinetoplastid parasites

ObjectiveThe objective of this work was evaluate the cytotoxic, leishmanicidal and tripanocidal activity, as well as to evaluate its antimicrobial and modulatory activity in association with different antibiotics of the hydroethanolic extract of the Ximenia Americana stem bark (EHXA).MethodIn vitro tests against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania sp. and citotoxicity were performed. The evaluation of the antibacterial and bacterial resistance modulatory effect was given by the microdilution method.ResultsThe chemical profile show different classes of compounds with significant presence of quercetrin and caffeic acid. The EHXA demonstrated activity only in the concentration of 1000 μg/mL against the L. infantum and L. brasiliensis promastigotes, causing mortality percentage of 40.66 and 27.62%, respectively. The extract presented a significant toxicity only in the concentration of 1000 μg/mL, causing a mortality of 55.42% of fibroblasts. The antibacterial activity of the EHXA demonstrated a MIC value ≥1024 μg/mL against all the tested bacteria. However, in the modulation assay with EHXA in association with different antibiotics the extract had a synergistic effect against S. aureus strains when associated with norfloxacin.ConclusionThe results of this investigation demonstrate for the first time the chemical composition of the hydroethanolic extract of the Ximenia Americana stem bark, your potential antiparasitic and modulatory effect. The low cytotoxic and biological potential against S. aureus open therapeutic perspectives against leishmaniosis and bacterial infections.     

Clinical evaluation and microbiota analysis in 9 dogs with antibiotic‐responsive enteropathy: A prospective comparison study

BackgroundAntibiotic‐responsive enteropathy (ARE) is diagnosed by excluding other causes of diarrhea and when there is a short‐term response to administration of antibiotics.ObjectivesTo characterize the gut microbiota and clinical trend of dogs with suspected ARE and to evaluate the variation in microbiota before (T0), after 30 days (T30) of tylosin treatment, and 30 days after discontinuation of treatment (T60). A further objective was to evaluate whether changes in gut microbiota are related to relapses of diarrhea when the therapy is tapered.AnimalsStudy sample (group A) was composed of 15 dogs with chronic diarrhea, group B was composed of 15 healthy dogs. Group A was given tylosin for 30 days.MethodsA multicentric prospective study. Clinical Indexes, fecal score, and samples for microbiota analysis were collected at T0, T30, and T60 in group A and T0 and T30 in group B. The gut microbiota was analyzed via 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Qiime2 version 2020.2 was used to perform bioinformatic analyses, and Alpha‐ and Beta‐diversity were computed.ResultsDiarrhea recurred after T30 in 9 of 14 dogs, which were classified as affected by ARE. At T0, a difference was noted in the beta‐diversity between groups (Bray Curtis metric P = .006). A T0‐T30 difference in alpha‐diversity was noted in group A (Shannon index P = .001, Faith PD P = .007).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceAlthough tylosin influences the microbiota of dogs with ARE, we failed to find any specific characteristic in the microbiota of dogs with ARE.     

A clinical approach to multidrug-resistant urinary tract infection and subclinical bacteriuria in dogs and cats

ABSTRACT

Multidrug-resistant bacteria are increasingly isolated from the urinary tract of pets, particularly those that suffer from concurrent conditions, have been hospitalised, or were treated with antimicrobials in the recent past. Many of the multidrug-resistant bacteria encountered are resistant to all commonly used oral antibiotics. This poses both a therapeutic dilemma in the individual pet and a threat to public health. This article begins with an overview of multidrug resistance in organisms that are commonly isolated from the urinary tract of pets. This is followed by a proposed clinical approach to managing multidrug-resistant urinary bacteria, which summarises current knowledge regarding appropriate sampling and analysis, reviews the current guidelines regarding appropriate antimicrobial use and discusses treatment options that might be considered. The article highlights several shortcomings of the current knowledge to be considered when planning future clinical research and developing policies.     

Side effects of antibiotics

Summary

A review of the side effects of antibiotics in human patients is presented. At least three classes of untoward reactions may be distinguished: development of drug hypersensitivity, toxicological hazards, and microbial effects such as emergence of drug resistance.

The intrinsic toxicities of the oldest discoveries, penicillin and sulphonamides, have turned out te be very low for most animals as well as for man. These agents interfere with specific synthetic pathways in bacteria which are absent in mammals. The antibiotics discovered next (streptomycin and other aminoglycosides; chloramphenicol; tetracyclines) have all been shown to display, under certain circumstances, various types of sometimes serious toxicities. As with thalidomide, the nature of their toxic effects had not been predicted by animal experiments. The present set of medically optimum antibiotics has its origin largely in substances with a long medical tradition. They represent the result of close cooperation of medical and scientific men of various disciplines. For the near future it seems unlikely that antimicrobial drugs will enter human and animal environments while yet tainted with any of the unforeseen side effects revealed in the past.

Admirable work very recently carried out in the Institute of professor van Genderen shows that he never lost interest in the group of drugs that he so succesfully explored when he was still on the staff of the institute where he started his career.     

Arthrotomy for the treatment of chronic purulent septic gonitis with subchondral osteolysis in two calves

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: A 6-week-old German Holstein heifer calf (Case 1) and a 4-week-old Charolais bull calf (Case 2) were referred because of unilateral hind limb lameness. Both had been treated with systemic antibiotics by the referring veterinarian.

CLINICAL FINDINGS AND DIAGNOSIS: Based on the results of clinical, radiographic and ultrasonographic examination, a diagnosis of chronic purulent septic gonitis with subchondral osteolysis of the lateral femoral condyle was made in both calves. In Case 2 the lateral tibial condyle also showed osteolysis.

TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Treatment consisted of arthrotomy with debridement of abnormal bone and cartilage via a craniolateral and a caudolateral approach. Case 1 was discharged from with grade 1/5 lameness 60 days after surgery. In a follow-up 15 months postoperatively, the owner reported that it had been bred at 14 months, was not lame and the affected stifle joint appeared normal. Case 2 had grade 2/5 lameness 52 days after surgery, but was sound at the time of slaughter at 22 months of age.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Arthrotomy via a caudolateral approach is a suitable method for the treatment of septic purulent gonitis with osteolysis of the lateral femoral and tibial condyles in calves. In these cases, this treatment resulted in the elimination of localised inflammation, prevented clinically relevant spread of infection to other organs, and restored normal joint function.     

Food animals as reservoirs and potential sources of multidrug-resistant diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes: Focus on intensive pig farming in South Africa

BackgroundDiarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) strains are a major cause of diarrheal diseases in both developed and developing countries. Healthy asymptomatic animals may be reservoirs of zoonotic DEC, which may enter the food chain via the weak points in hygiene practices.AimWe investigated the prevalence of DEC along the pig production continuum from farm-to-fork.MethodsA total of 417 samples were collected from specific points along the pig production system, that is, farm, transport, abattoir and food. E. coli was isolated and enumerated using Colilert. Ten isolates from each Quanti-tray were selected randomly and phenotypically identified using eosin methylene blue agar selective media. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm the species and to classify them into the various diarrheagenic pathotypes. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined against a panel of 20 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and EUCAST guideline.ResultsThe final sample size consisted of 1044 isolates, of which 45.40% (474/1044) were DEC and 73% (762/1044) were multidrug-resistant. Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) was the most predominant DEC at all the sampling sites.ConclusionThe presence of DEC in food animal production environments and food of animal origin could serve as reservoirs for transmitting these bacteria to humans, especially in occupationally exposed workers and via food. Adherence to good hygienic practices along the pig production continuum is essential for mitigating the risk of transmission and infection, and ensuring food safety.     

Comparison of the effects of supplemental Korean mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) powder and antibiotic on growth performance,serum cholesterol profiles,and meat quality of broilers

Abstract

The effects of Korean mistletoe (KM) powder on the growth performance, serum cholesterol profiles, and meat quality of broiler chickens were assessed. A total of 150 male broilers (n = 30 birds/treatment) were randomly assigned to one of five groups (0.05% chlortetracycline or 0, 0.5%, 1%, or 2% KM). No significant differences were observed in growth performance, proximate composition of meat, and meat color, except for crude fat and L* values. The KM-treated groups showed significantly reduced serum cholesterol levels (but not high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol) as the amount of KM in the diet increased. Meat groups that received KM showed a decline in pH and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and an increase in total phenol and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging compared with the antibiotics and control groups. The addition of 1% and 2% KM at the optimal rate can help develop practical broiler diets and improve the antioxidant effects.     

Systemic effects of periodontal disease in cats

Background: Periodontal disease in cats is a local disease that may have systemic consequences that are affected by treatment.

Objective: To test the hypotheses that systemic health indices would be correlated with the severity of periodontitis, and would improve with treatment.

Animals and methods: Apparently otherwise healthy cats from an in-bred colony were randomly assigned to a treatment group (n?=?30), or a control group (n?=?18), which was left untreated for 3 months. Periodontal disease was scored at baseline in the treatment group according to calculus, gingivitis, and alveolar bone loss measured from dental radiographs. Blood, urine and saliva were collected from both groups before, and 16, 45, and 90 days after dental treatment. Assays included haematology, urinalysis, serum biochemistry, serum IgG, salivary IgA, lymphocyte subsets and proliferation, and plasma malonyldialdehyde (MDA). Correlations between the severity of periodontitis and assays at baseline were assessed, and the effect of treatment determined using linear mixed model methodology.

Results: The severity of periodontitis was associated with age, bodyweight, total globulins (Globs), Alanine aminotransferase, and IgG, and negatively associated with albumin, haemoglobin, haematocrit, and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Treatment significantly reduced IgG, total Globs, AST, and eosinophils, and increased cholesterol. Other leucocyte assays and plasma MDA concentrations were not affected by the treatment. Cats ate dry food faster 1 week after, than they did 1 week before treatment.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Although the clinical significance of these findings are unknown, we conclude that periodontitis is not simply a localized disease, but also impacts on systemic health and wellbeing.     

Phenotypic and Genotypic Heterogeneity among Streptococcus iniae Isolates Recovered from Cultured and Wild Fish in North America,Central America and the Caribbean Islands

Abstract

Streptococcus iniae, the etiological agent of streptococcosis in fish, is an important pathogen of cultured and wild fish worldwide. During the last decade outbreaks of streptococcosis have occurred in a wide range of cultured and wild fish in the Americas and Caribbean islands. To gain a better understanding of the epizootiology of S. iniae in the western hemisphere, over 30 S. iniae isolates recovered from different fish species and geographic locations were characterized phenotypically and genetically. Species identities were determined biochemically and confirmed by amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Repetitive-element palindromic PCR fingerprinting as well as biochemical and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles suggest that a single strain of S. iniae was responsible for two different disease outbreaks among reef fishes in the Caribbean, one in 1999 and another in 2008. Interestingly, a majority of the isolates recovered from cultured fish in the Americas were genetically distinct from the Caribbean isolates and exhibited a trend toward higher minimal inhibitory concentration with respect to several antibiotics as well as greater genetic variability. The biological significance of this genetic variability is unclear, but it could have implications for future vaccine development and treatment.

Received April 20, 2014; accepted July 7, 2014     

Dynamics of lingual antimicrobial peptide,lactoferrin concentrations and lactoperoxidase activity in the milk of cows treated for clinical mastitis

The aim of the present study was to examine changes in innate immune factors in the milk of mastitic dairy cows treated with antibiotics. Cows in the antibiotics group (n = 13) were infused into the mammary gland with cefazolin on the sixth day after mastitis was diagnosed (the day of the mastitis diagnosis = day ?6). The control group (n = 12) was not treated. Milk samples were collected once every 2 days from days ?6 to 12 and somatic cell count (SCC), lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP), and lactoferrin (LF) concentrations and lactoperoxidase (LPO) activity were measured. SCC and LF concentrations in the antibiotics group markedly decreased after the antibiotic treatment. When cows in the antibiotics group were divided according to SCC on day 0, LAP concentrations and LPO activity in cows with a lower SCC on day 0 (<5 × 10⁶ cell/mL) were significantly higher and lower than those in cows with a higher SCC, respectively. These results suggest that LF concentration decreased with decrease in SCC after treatment and that LAP concentration and LPO activity differed depending on the severity of mastitis. This is the first report to reveal the dynamics of innate immune factor in milk of cows treated for clinical mastitis.     

Inclusion keratoconjunctivitis ('pink eye') in sheep

Summary

The cytoplasnwtic inclusion bodies, which, in 1931. Coles discovered in the corneal cet. of sheep suffering from contagious keratoconjunctivitis arc now considered to be the reticulate bodies of a chlamydia. Colesiota conjunctivae (synonym: Chlamydia psittaci ovis).

According to the postulates of Koch Colesiota conjunctivae is a primary cause of contagious kerato‐conjunctivitis in sheep, but the clinical picture is complex and is a result of the interaction between the infecting chlamydiae. host resistance factors. and secondary infections caused by opportunistic bacterial ocular pathogens.

The clinical syndrome might also be caused by other micro‐organisms, such as Mycoplasma conjunctivae or environmental factors, such as dust. However, in these cases, cytopiasnwtic inclusion bodies cannot be found in the corneal cells of diseased eyes.

To differentiate chlamydial keratoconjunctivitis from keratoconjunctivitis due to other causes, it is proposed to include in the name the laboratory findings typical for this disease: Sheep Inclusion Keratoconjunctivitis.

Chlamydia are Gram‐negative bacteria, which arc obligate intracellular parasites.

Prolonged treatment seems to be required to eradicate chlamydiae from a host and antibiotics must reach intracellular levels that are higher than their minimum inhibitory concentration for chlamydiae. Tetracyclines are the drugs of choice. This means that for a microbiological cure, diseased sheep must be injected several times a day for a week or more. Because the disease is usually self‐limiting and economic losses are considered low, this seems unnecessary and control of the disease by local treatment of secondary infections .seems sufficient.

However, this will not prevent .spreading of the disease in a herd and relapses may occur.