An epizootic of bovine tuberculosis in Georgia.

A tuberculous beef animal was detected Aug 29, 1973, by a veterinary medical officer in a Georgia slaughter establishment. Animal identification and traceback eventually led to a purebred beef herd in Decatur County, Georgia. Investigation and tuberculin testing of 23,000 cattle in 350 herds revealed 11 Mycobacterium bovis-infected beef herds and resulted in the complete depopulation of 5 herds. The epizootic was confined to Georgia and was eradicated by April, 1975.     

An all-island approach to mapping bovine tuberculosis in Ireland

This study used techniques in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to explore the spatial patterns of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in the whole island of Ireland over an 11-year period. This is the first time that data pertaining to TB from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have been collated and examined in an all-Ireland context. The analyses were based on 198, 156 point locations representing active farms with cattle in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland between the years 1996 and 2006. The results consist of a series of maps giving a visual representation of cattle populations and associated detected bTB levels on the island of Ireland over this time interval.     

牛结核病研究进展

结核病是由分枝杆菌感染引起的人畜共患传染病,对人和动物的健康造成极大的危害,具有重要的公共卫生学意义.20世纪80年代以来,该病在全球范围内流行呈急剧回升之势,每年约有1000万新发病人,300万死亡,是单因素所致的感染性疾病中病死率最高者之一.     

Serological survey of ruminants in some Caribbean and South American countries for type-specific antibody to bluetongue and epizootic haemorrhagic disease viruses

The results of a serological survey of ruminant livestock in some countries of the Caribbean and South America for type-specific antibody to bluetongue virus are reported. Using the microneutralisation test with the international serotypes 1 to 22 of bluetongue virus, antibodies to several types were detected. Analysis of the data indicated that in 1981-82 bluetongue virus types 6, 14 and 17, or viruses closely related to them, were infecting ruminants in this region of the world. Antibody to the related virus of epizootic haemorrhagic disease (serotype 1) was also detected in cattle. The difficulty in interpreting the epidemiological significance of data generated by a serological survey of this kind is discussed.     

An epizootic of bovine tuberculosis in Barbados, West Indies.

A 57 cow dairy herd, believed to be in excellent condition and producing well, was found to contain 30 tuberculous cattle after cervical skin testing employing bovine PPD tuberculin with the single intradermal comparative test. Testing was initiated after two cows from this herd were found at meat inspection to have tuberculosis. The reliability of bovine PPD tuberculin for testing as well as significant epidemiological, laboratory and meat inspection factors are presented.     

An update on xenotransplantation

Xenotransplantation is one of the possible avenues currently being explored to address the shortage problem of human organs. With this in mind, this article will briefly review the current situation with respect to the immunological, physiological and biosafety aspects related to the transplantation of pig organs into primates. Acute humoral xenograft rejection (AHXR) currently remains the central immunological obstacle and the development of strategies for both a better control of the elicited anti-pig humoral immune response or the prevention of the onset of coagulation disorders that accompany AHXR are the two primary focuses of research. To date, porcine xenografts have been shown to sustain the life of nonhuman primates for several months. Such preclinical studies have also demonstrated the absence of insurmountable physiological incompatibilities between pig and primate. In addition, reassuring findings regarding biosafety aspects have been generated and pro-active research aimed at the identification of an organ source with a higher safety profile is also underway. These advancements, in conjunction with ongoing research in pig genetic engineering, immunosuppression and tolerance are expected to further extend the survival of porcine xenografts transplanted into primates. However, until further physiological, efficacy and safety data are generated in relevant primate models, clinical xenotransplantation should not be considered.     

Retinal detachment and bovine tuberculosis in cats

Bovine tuberculosis has been virtually eradicated from Britain. It was a disease to which cats were susceptible, mainly from the consumption of infected cow's milk. This report discusses four cases of ocular tuberculosis which, although of limited clinical significance today, could be of some value to veterinary clinical history. In the past, there has been a tendency to associate retinal haemorrhages with a choroidal tuberculosis, but with reference to the veterinary literature and two of the cases cited here, it would appear that either haemorrhage or uveitis, from whatever cause, is more likely to be linked to retinal detachment than to tuberculosis.     

Analysis of Amblyomma surveillance data in the Caribbean: Lessons for future control programmes

Amblyomma variegatum, the Tropical Bont Tick (TBT), is the principal vector of heartwater and is associated with dermatophilosis, major causes of losses in animal production and mortality in Caribbean livestock. From 1995 to 2007, the Caribbean Amblyomma Programme (CAP) supported treatment and surveillance activities in 11 islands of the Eastern Caribbean with an initial objective of eradicating TBT. In addition to control activities, surveillance data were collected between 1997 and 2006 in a unique regional database. We report the analysis of the surveillance data from four islands (Nevis, St Kitts, St Lucia, and Barbados) where control and surveillance followed the initial protocol and where enough data were collected. We describe the evolution of TBT infestation levels and the efforts carried out throughout the surveillance period. Logistic regression identified factors associated with herds found infested with TBT. Overall, treatment programmes were associated with a decrease in proportion of TBT-infested farms. High surveillance efforts were carried out throughout the 1997–2007 period for all island of interest, but inadequate level of surveillance was observed in several quarters especially for St Kitts. Third quarter of the year, as indication of adult TBT seasonality on livestock, was significantly associated with the risk of detecting TBT in Nevis and St Kitts livestock farms. Also, presence of cattle in Nevis farms was shown associated with an increasing probability of farms being declared TBT-infested. Outcomes of these analyses provide basis for recommendations to improve future national and regional control and surveillance activities. This analysis demonstrates the usefulness of long term and adequate surveillance data for control programmes and identification of factors associated with risk of having infested herds.     

牛结核病病原生态学和流行病学研究

牛结核病是严重危害牛和多种动物的人畜共患病,作者将从牛结核病的病原分类、动物感染谱、传播途径、地区分布和流行情况以及影响疾病的流行因素等方面进行综述,旨在为牛结核病的研究和防制提供参考.     

牛结核病的诊断与防制要点

结核病是一种严重威胁人们身体健康和影响畜牧业发展的人畜共患传染病,也是世界动物卫生组织(OIE)规定必须强制报告的疫病,在我国的动物疫病名录表中被列为二类动物疫病。此病分布于全世界,我国奶牛结核病的患病率很高,人与病牛长期接触或不慎食用含结核菌的牛奶,都有可能感染此病。因此,该病的诊断和防制越来越多地受到人们的关注。     

Enzootic bovine leukosis in New Zealand--a case report and update

Enzootic bovine leukosis was diagnosed in an 8-year-old Friesian cow which had lost condition and was milking poorly. The cow had a severe nonregenerative anaemia, panhypoproteinaemia and lymphoid leukaemia. At necropsy there was widespread lymphoid infiltration of many organs, including the abomasal mucosa, myocardium, uterus, kidney, lymph nodes and bone marrow. Antibodies against bovine leukaemia virus were detected in the serum. Although clinical enzootic bovine leukosis is rare in New Zealand, having been confirmed on only five properties, infection with the causative agent, bovine leukaemia virus, is more widespread. The results of a recently completed survey of bulk milk samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for bovine leukaemia virus antibodies suggest that there are about 300 dairy herds in the country with a bovine leukaemia virus infection level of at least 5-10%. The economic impact of enzootic bovine leukosis on the productivity of New Zealand's dairy cattle population is probably still negligible but the introduction of control or eradication schemes in Europe and North America could sooner or later lead to restrictions on the export of live cattle and genetic material from New Zealand.