Successful transfer of DHP-degrading bacteria from Hawaiian goats to Australian ruminants to overcome the toxicity of Leucaena

Cattle and goats in Australia lack the ability to totally degrade 3-hydroxy-4(1H)-pyridone, also known as 3,4-dihydroxy pyridine (3,4 DHP), the ruminal metabolite of mimosine, a toxic aminoacid present in the leguminous shrub Leucaena leucocephala. Ruminants in Hawaii have this capacity due to the presence of micro-organisms able to rapidly degrade the DHP. A mixed bacterial population capable of rapidly degrading DHP in vitro was isolated from a goat on the island of Maui. Cultures were grown anaerobically, without added sugars, in Medium 98-5 containing DHP. Cultures at a dilution of 10(-12) from the original rumen fluid were introduced into Townsville and further sub-cultured and multiplied in vitro in strict isolation at the Oonoonba Veterinary Laboratory, Townsville. Infusion of the culture into a goat and a steer fed a 100% leucaena diet resulted in cessation of DHP excretion in the urine. After 60 days the serum thyroxine levels and thyroid size were normal and there were no clinical signs of disease. The ability of the rumen fluid to degrade DHP in vitro showed that the bacteria had become established in the rumen. In the absence of any disease in the animals, clearance has been given for the wider use of these cultures in areas where leucaena is grown. The limited evidence suggests that the leucaena toxicity problem can be solved by the use of these introduced bacteria.     

The toxicity of ochratoxin to ruminants.

Among the mold toxins the most toxic ochratoxin, ochratoxin A, commonly occurs in many grains, other feedstuffs, and in soil but in low concentrations. The amount required to produce acute toxicity in ruminants makes such occurrences unlikely. Toxic effects are more likely to occur in chronic low-level intoxication. The lethal single oral dose in cattle is high, probably being a few milligrams more than 13 mg/kg. The lethal level produced by repeated feeding to goats was 3 mg/kg. Ochratoxin A occurred in cows milk and urine but only when massive doses were ingested. Abortion or fetal death, though occurring in rodents, are unlikely to be induced in cattle.     

Clonal diversity of Staphylococcus aureus originating from the small ruminants goats and sheep

Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen in humans and many animal species. The prevalence of different clonal types in animal species remains largely unknown. We analyzed 267 S. aureus from intramammary infections in goats (47) and sheep (220) by spa typing, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and antimicrobial susceptibility. The most frequent spa types in goats were t337 (N=9), t759 (N=6) and t1534 (N=5). Sheep isolates mainly belonged to spa types t1534 (N=72), t2678 (N=29) and t3576 (N=20). Eighteen novel spa-types were observed; two from goat strains, 13 from sheep and three in both species. The majority of the goat strains grouped in MLST CC133 (N=10) and ST522 (N=10), followed by CC9 (N=9), while the majority of the sheep strains were of ST522 (N=108) followed by CC133 (N=86) and CC130 (N=11). Nine new MLST types were detected; three in goat and sheep isolates (ST1739, ST1758 and ST1780), two identified in goats only (ST1740 and ST2061) and four in sheep only (ST1742, ST1743, ST1781 and ST2011). Strains showed resistance below 20% against penicillin and tetracycline; a strong association between CC-types and penicillin resistance was observed. No resistance was detected to cefoxitin, quinupristin-dalfopristin, rifampicin and vancomycin. This study suggests that ST522 is the most common S. aureus clone associated with small ruminants followed by CC133.     

Evidence of identification of peste des petits ruminants from goats in Egypt

Peste des petits ruminants virus was isolated from young goats in an outbreak of the disease for the first time in Egypt. Affected goats showed symptoms simulating rinderpest, disease in cattle. The mortality rate was about 30%, and morbidity reached 90%. History, clinical symptoms, postmortem lesions, and diagnosis were discussed.     

The toxicity of Cassia senna to Nubian goats

Ten Nubian goats were given oral doses of the fresh fruits and leaves of Cassia senna at 1, 5, and 10 g / kg /day. Eight goats died within 30 days and two others were slaughtered in a moribund condition on days 18 and 29. The clinical signs of diarrhoea, inappetence, loss of condition, and dyspnoea were well correlated with the pathological findings. There was an increase in G.O.T., ammonia, urea, and total cholesterol and a decrease in total protein in the serum of Cassia‐poisoned goats. Blood sugar level was reduced and the increase in the values of Hb, PCV, and RBC was due to haemoconcentration.     

Early detection of viral excretion from experimentally infected goats with peste-des-petits ruminants virus

We observed 15 goats for 9 days after subcutaneous infection with 10(3) TCID(50) with isolates of peste-des-petits ruminants virus from Africa and India and five concurrent, uninfected control goats. Typical clinical signs of the infection were present in all 15 infected goats by day 8 and in most by day 6 and some signs were present by day 4. However, 6 out of 15 goats already have detectable virus shedding by day 3 and four more were shedding by day 4 and every goat had virus shedding for at least 1 day before the recognition of clinical signs. This experiment indicates that incubatory carriers therefore might play a role in the transmission of PPRV among small ruminants.     

Pathogenicity of peste des petits ruminants virus isolated from Egyptian goats in Egypt

2 Egyptian goats and Boscat rabbits were experimentally inoculated with peste des petits ruminants (PPR) local Egyptian strain (PPR, Egypt 87). The inoculated animals contracted the disease with minor clinical manifestations, accompanied by rise of neutralizing antibodies to PPR virus. Virus was isolated from ocular and nasal secretions, buffy coat, spleen, and liver. No contact infection was observed between inoculated and healthy goats.     

The isolation of peste des petits ruminants virus from Nigerian sheep and goats.

Four isolates of peste des petits ruminants virus were obtained from sick Nigerian sheep and goats. One was identical antigenically with the prototype Senegalese strain. A cross relationship was found between peste des petits ruminants virus and rinderpest virus based on neutralisation in vitro.     

Faecal bacteria of wild ruminants and the alpine marmot

Faecal samples from 60 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 13 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 7 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 41 alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) and soils mixed with deer faeces from the Stelvio National Park were examined for Campylobacter sp. and Salmonella sp. with negative results. The same material, especially deer faeces, was a habitat highly suitable for Yersinia sp.: Y. enterocolitica (two biotypes) was isolated twice, Y. kristensenii (two serotypes) was isolated 19 times, Y. frederiksenii and Y. intermedia were isolated once. Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli were isolated from 16 specimens from wild ruminants, one from marmot and two from feeding places.     

Faecal bacteria of wild ruminants and the alpine marmot

Faecal samples from 60 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 13 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 7 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 41 alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) and soils mixed with deer faeces from the Stelvio National Park were examined forCampylobacter sp. andSalmonella sp. with negative results.The same material, especially deer faeces, was a habitat highly suitable forYersinia sp.:Y. enterocolitica (two biotypes) was isolated twice,Y. kristen-senii (two serotypes) was isolated 19 times,Y. frederiksenii andY. intermedia were isolated once.Antibiotic-resistantEscherichia coli were isolated from 16 specimens from wild ruminants, one from marmot and two from feeding places.This article was presented as a paper at the 8th International Symposium Enteric Infections and their Control of the World Association of Veterinary Microbiologists, Immunologists and Specialists in Infectious Diseases (Perth, Western Australia, 20 August 1983).     

The isolation of adenoviruses from goats affected with peste des petits ruminants in Nigeria.

Mucosal scrapings from the large intestine of two goats that had died from peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in separate outbreaks in Nigeria were examined for viruses. A mixed viral infection of PPR virus (morbillivirus) and adenovirus was confirmed in both goats. The adenoviruses did not conform to any of the ovine and bovine serotypes recognised; the two isolates were considered different serotypes. It is concluded that, although the role of adenoviruses in the epizootiology of PPR in Nigeria is difficult to appraise, they are probably commensals. This is believed to be the first report of the isolation of adenoviruses from goats.     

Facial eczema in goats: the toxicity of sporidesmin in goats and its pathology

Groups of six goats were orally dosed with sporidesmin at rates of 0.3, 0.6, 1.2 and 2.4 mg of sporidesmin per kg body weight and their responses up to 6 weeks later compared with those of sheep dosed at the same time. Clinical facial eczema and pathological lesions similar to those found in sheep were found in all the goat breeds, but at higher dose rates of sporidesmin than those which caused equivalent lesions in sheep. Saanens were the most susceptible goat breed, requiring 2-4 times as much sporidesmin as sheep to achieve similar effects. G4 and feral goats required 4-8 times the sheep dose of sporidesmin to obtain similar responses. Gamma-glutamyltransferase reached its highest serum levels after 20 days while glutamate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase reached their highest levels between 10 and 20 days. Alkaline phosphatase did not rise consistently to high levels in affected goats. The elevation in aspartate aminotransferase levels tended to be early and transient; glutamate dehydrogenase early and prolonged; gamma-glutamyltransferase late and prolonged, and'alkaline phosphatase late and minor. There was considerable individual variation in the time at which elevations occurred and the levels which enzymes reached. Cholesterol and bilirubin levels were high if liver injury was severe.     

Attempts to transfer Elaphostrongylus alces from moose (Alces alces) to sheep and goats

Six 1 year old female and 6 four months old male goats were inoculated different numbers of E. alces third-stage larvae. Protostrongylid larvae were not detected in the faeces of these animals during the experiment. At the end of the experimental period the animals were euthanized and autopsied. Neither parasites nor pathological lesions related to larval or adult stages of E. alces could be demonstrated.     

Persistent detection of peste de petits ruminants antigen in the faeces of recovered goats

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) disease was confirmed in West African Dwarf goats. They were managed symptomatically with antibiotics and antidarrhoeics. Following clinical recovery, faeces were collected every week from 40 recovered goats to monitor excretion of the PPR virus haemagglutinins in their faeces. All the 40 recovered goats shed the PPR virus haemagglutinins for 11 weeks post recovery. Nine goats (22.5%) continued shedding the viral antigen 12 weeks post recovery. There was correlation between weekly mean haemagglutination titre of the PPR virus and time post recovery with r = -0.7504 (p < 0.01).