Clostridium Infection (Jisizheng) in Yaks in Qinghai,China

Since the mid-1980s, outbreaks of a disease characterized by a sudden onset, acute deaths and extensive haemorrhages in the viscera and digestive tract of yaks have been prevalent in Qilian, Qinghai, China. The disease is known as jisizheng by local people. Virulent Clostridium perfringens type A and Clostridium haemolytica were isolated from yaks that had died of jisizheng. In 1996 and 1997, yaks were immunized with a polyvalent inactivated vaccine against C. perfringens and with an inactivated vaccine against C. haemolyticum, and this prevented the occurrence of jisizheng.     

Field efficacy of minidosed eprinomectin against Hypoderma spp. in dairy cattle

A chemoprophylactic field trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of pour-on eprinomectin applied at the approximate dose of 50 mcg/kg to dairy cattle with naturally occurring hypodermosis. Two-hundred-eleven cattle, selected from two herds with a high prevalence of Hypoderma spp. infestation, were divided in three groups: Group A (N = 71) was treated with pour-on eprinomectin at the recommended dosage of 500 mcg/kg, Group B (N = 64) at the lower dose of 50 mcg/kg, a third group (Group C, N = 76) served as untreated control group. Treatments were performed in November-December 2002 and the animals were examined for the presence of warbles in the following April and June. No larvae emerged in the treated groups, whereas a variable number of warbles (ranging from 1 to 28) were found in control animals. Adverse reactions were not observed in any animal, and only minor side effects were observed. A larger field trial carried out in the following year (1064 treated and 131 untreated control cattle) confirmed the chemoprophylactic efficacy of minidosed eprinomectin against Hypoderma spp. Administration of eprinomectin minidoses in dairy cattle is interesting because of the low costs involved and no need for milk withdrawal.     

Sarcoptic mange in captive maras: the first known outbreak and complete recovery with colony-wide acaricide treatment

Among 16 maras housed as a colony at a zoo, 2 initially showed generalized dermal lesions on the legs, head and abdomen. Approximately 1 month later, following completion of therapy with amitraz, 6 maras in the same colony, including the 2 previously diseased animals, showed dermal lesions with severe alopecia and crusting. Sarcoptic mange was diagnosed on skin scrapings on the basis of morphological criteria. The mites were highly mobile and abundant in all cases, and no other causative agents were detected. Colony-wide treatment with ivermectin and prednisolone was administered weekly for a total of 4 treatments. After therapy was completed in all cohabitants, follow-up scrapings were negative for Sarcoptes scabiei. This report describes the first known outbreak of sarcoptic mange in captive maras and successful treatment with acaricides.     

青海省海北地区牦牛源贾第虫检测与基因型分析

为研究青海省海北地区牦牛贾第虫的感染情况及虫种基因型,对青海省祁连县、海晏县和刚察县的297份牦牛粪样采用蔗糖密度梯度离心法纯化,之后用免疫荧光方法对贾第虫进行鉴定,对阳性及疑似阳性样品采用基于18SrRNA和谷氨酸脱氢酶(gdh)基因的套式PCR扩增,并对扩增产物进行测序。将测序结果与GenBank中的贾第虫序列进行比对分析。免疫荧光抗体试验结果显示,共检出24份贾第虫阳性粪样,总阴性率为8.1%。套式PCR扩增结果显示,24份阳性样品中18SrRNA基因扩增阳性22份,gdh基因扩增阳性18份,产物大小分别为292bp和432bp。序列分析表明,分离的虫种均为牦牛源肠贾第虫,基因型为集聚体E,未发现人畜共患基因型。     

Study on Infection of 4 Kinds of Internal Parasites in Yaks in Hongyuan and Litang County of Northwest Sichuan Province

To understand the infection of main internal parasites in yaks, total of 402 fecal samples of yaks were collected from Hongyuan county in Aba prefecture and Litang county in Ganzi prefecture, the morphological characteristics of 4 kinds of internal parasitic eggs or oocysts were observed and the numbers of them were counted using the modified Liao's counting method. The results showed that in yaks of Hongyuan county, the average infection intensities of EPG or OPG of nematodes, cestodes, trematodes and coccidian were 11.59, 23.77, 42.45 and 14.72, respectively, and the total number of infections was 92.53 (48.91 to 154.90); The average infection rates of eggs or oocysts of these 4 kinds of parasites were 18.01%, 36.62%, 44.68% and 17.37%, respectively, and the total infection rate was 76.39%, which proved that trematodes was the dominant parasitic species and cestodes was also an important one in this area. In yaks of Litang county, the average infection intensities of EPG or OPG of nematodes, cestodes, trematodes and coccidian were 52.38, 13.10, 20.24 and 1.19, respectively, and the total number of infections was 86.90, the average infection rates of eggs or oocysts of these 4 kinds of parasites were 52.38%,19.05%,23.81% and 2.38%, respectively, the total infection rate was 78.57%, which proved that nematodes was the dominant parasitic species in this area. The infection patterns of internal parasitic eggs or oocysts in yaks in Hongyuan and Litang county were all mainly the single and double infection, the sums of these two patterns were 69.31% and 78.57%, respectively, which accounted for 90.73% and 100% of the total infection rate, respectively. The results in this paper showed that the parasitic disease in yaks was still an important disease harmful to yak production and herdsman health, meanwhile these results enriched the epidemiological data of the internal parasitic disease of yaks in Northwest plateau of Sichuan province and provided a theory basis for prevention and control of parasitic diseases in yaks in this area.     

Histocytological specificities of adrenal cortex in the New World Monkeys, Aotus lemurinus and Saimiri boliviensis

The New World monkey Aotus spp. (night monkeys) are expected for use of valuable experimental animal with the close species of Saimiri spp. (squirrel monkeys). Saimiri is known to show spontaneous hypercortisolemia, although few reports in Aotus. We compared basic states of blood steroid hormones and histological structure of the adrenal glands in two monkeys. Serum cortisol and ACTH levels were statistically lower in Aotus than Saimiri. Conversely, Aotus adrenocortical area showed significant enlargement, especially at the zona fasciculata. Electron microscopic observation at Aotus fasciculata cells revealed notable accumulation of large lipid droplets and irregular shapes of the mitochondrial cristae. These results suggest potential differences in cellular activities for steroidogenesis between Aotus and Saimiri and experimental usefulness in adrenocortical physiology and pathological models.     

川西北红原县和理塘县牦牛4类体内寄生虫感染的研究

采集川西北阿坝州红原县和甘孜州理塘县总计402份牦牛粪便样本,采用廖氏计数法（改良）对4类常见体内寄生虫虫卵进行形态学观察并计数,以了解该地区牦牛体内寄生虫感染情况。结果表明,红原县牦牛体内线虫、绦虫、吸虫、球虫虫卵或卵囊（EPG或OPG）的平均感染量分别为11.59、23.77、42.45和14.72,总感染量为92.53（48.91~154.90）;平均感染率分别为18.01%、36.62%、44.68%、17.37%,总感染率为76.39%,表明吸虫是红原的优势寄生虫虫种,绦虫也是重要虫种。理塘县牦牛线虫、绦虫、吸虫、球虫的虫卵或卵囊（EPG或OPG）的感染量分别为52.38、13.10、20.24和1.19,总感染量为86.90;感染率分别为52.38%、19.05%、23.81%和2.38%,总感染率为78.57%,表明线虫为该地区的优势虫种。红原县和理塘县两地牦牛体内寄生虫虫卵感染主要以单一感染和二重感染为主,二者的总和分别为69.31%和78.57%,分别占总感染率的90.73%和100%。本研究结果证实牦牛寄生虫病目前仍是危害牦牛生产和当地牧民健康的一类重要疫病。该研究丰富了川西北高原地区牦牛体内寄生虫病的流行病学资料,为该地区牦牛寄生虫病的防控提供了理论依据。     

Development of a Medium-term Animal Model Using gpt Delta Rats to Evaluate Chemical Carcinogenicity and Genotoxicity

In this study, the potential for development of an animal model (GPG46) capable of rapidly detecting chemical carcinogenicity and the underlying mechanisms of action were examined in gpt delta rats using a reporter gene assay to detect mutations and a medium-term rat liver bioassay to detect tumor promotion. The tentative protocol for the GPG46 model was developed based on the results of dose-response exposure to diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and treatment with phenobarbital over time following DEN administration. Briefly, gpt delta rats were exposed to various chemicals for 4 weeks, followed by a partial hepatectomy (PH) to collect samples for an in vivo mutation assay. The mutant frequencies (MFs) of the reporter genes were examined as an indication of tumor initiation. A single intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 10 mg/kg DEN was administered to rats 18 h after the PH to initiate hepatocytes. Tumor-promoting activity was evaluated based on the development of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci at week 10. The genotoxic carcinogens 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo [4,5-f] quinolone (IQ) and safrole (SF), the non-genotoxic carcinogens piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and phenytoin (PHE), the non-carcinogen acetaminophen (APAP) and the genotoxic non-hepatocarcinogen aristolochic acid (AA) were tested to validate the GPG46 model. The validation results indicate that the GPG46 model could be a powerful tool in understanding chemical carcinogenesis and provide valuable information regarding human risk hazards.     

青海牦牛的类群特征与生态环境的关系研究

采用生态地理比较分析法,根据青海牦牛类群分布的自然环境特点,研究了青海牦牛形成与分布的自然生态规律,青海牦牛不同类群的体型结构(体尺、体型结构)与生态因子(海拔、气温、降雨量、植被状况)的相关规律。结果表明:为了适应不同的生态环境,青海不同类群的牦牛的体型指标、生理指标有明显的差异。     

Characterization of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae strains isolated from acute swine erysipelas outbreaks in Eastern China

Recently, a series of acute swine erysipelas outbreaks occurred in Eastern China. Eight strains isolated from cases of septicemia were determined as serotype 1a, and 4 of the isolates were resistant to acriflavine. One isolate strain named {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"HX130709","term_id":"383559396","term_text":"HX130709"}}HX130709 was attenuated on agar media containing acriflavine dye. The 432-bp hypervariable region in spaA gene of the field and attenuated strains were amplified and sequenced. It was further compared with the vaccine strain G₄T₁₀, and thus, the eight field strains can be divided into four spaA-types. The partial spaA gene analysis also showed that no point mutations occurred among different archived passages of {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"HX130709","term_id":"383559396","term_text":"HX130709"}}HX130709 during the attenuation. Results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that eight distinct patterns with 22 to 30 DNA fragment bands were produced from field strains, and twelve distinct patterns with 23 to 27 DNA fragment bands were produced from different passages of the attenuated strains. Mouse pathogenicity test showed that the mortality of the mice infected with 10⁴ CFU field strains was 100% and the attenuation of strain {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"HX130709","term_id":"383559396","term_text":"HX130709"}}HX130709 occurred between 46 and 50 passages. All the field and attenuated strains were highly sensitive to β-lactam antibiotics, tetracyclines and macrolides. So, we can make conclusions that the acute swine erysipelas outbreaks in Eastern China were caused by serotype 1a E. rhusiopathiae strains with different biochemical characteristics, and the virulence of serotype 1a E. rhusiopathiae strains is unrelated with some point mutations in 432-bp hypervariable region of the spaA gene.