Feline bartonellosis and cat scratch disease

Bartonella species are important emerging zoonotic pathogens. Transmission of these organisms in nature may be much more complex than is currently appreciated. Cats can be infected with five Bartonella species, including, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeae, Bartonella bovis, Bartonella koehlerae and Bartonella quintana. In addition to cats, numerous domestic and wild animals, including bovine, canine, human, and rodent species can serve as chronically infected reservoir hosts for various intra-erythrocytic Bartonella species. In addition, an increasing number of arthropod vectors, including biting flies, fleas, keds, lice, sandflys and potentially ticks have been implicated in the transmission of various Bartonella species to animals or human beings. In the reservoir host, Bartonella species cause chronic intra-erythrocytic and vascular endothelial infections, with a relapsing bacteremia documented in experimentally infected cats. Although the immunopathology induced by Bartonella infection requires additional study, the organisms can localize to the heart valve (endocarditis), cause granulomatous inflammation in lymph nodes, liver or spleen, induce central nervous system dysfunction with or without cerebrospinal fluid changes, and may contribute to inflammatory polyarthritis. Hematological abnormalities are infrequent, but thrombocytopenia, lymphocytosis, neutropenia, and eosinophilia have been reported in B. henselae-infected cats. Serology, PCR and culture can be used to support a diagnosis of feline bartonellosis, however, due to the high rate of sub-clinical infections among various cat populations, documenting causation in an individual cat is difficult, if not impossible. Response to treatment can be used in conjunction with serology or organism isolation to support a clinical diagnosis of feline bartonellosis. As fleas are involved in the transmission among cats, the use of acaracide products to eliminate fleas from the environment is of critical importance to decrease the risk of B. henselae transmission among cats and to humans.     

野生马蹄金种质遗传多样性的SRAP研究

为评价野生马蹄金种质的遗传多样性,从80对SRAP引物中筛选出19对多态性高、稳定性好的引物,用于研究21份马蹄金材料,获得如下结果:1)19对引物共扩增出212条带,平均每对引物扩增出11.1条,其中多态性条带156条,平均每对引物8.2条,多态率为73.58%。材料间遗传相似系数变化范围为0.444~0.980,平均值为0.7112。结果表明,供试马蹄金材料具有较为丰富的遗传多样性。2)对所有材料的聚类分析发现,在GS值为0.78处所有供试材料可聚为3个类群,大部分来源地相同或生态环境相似的材料聚为一类,表明供试材料的聚类和生态地理环境具有一定的相关性。     

Isoenzyme patterns of phosphatases and esterases in Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum

A study was made of alkaline and acid phosphatase isoenzymes and non-specific esterases in homogenates of the trematodes Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum obtained from infected tissues of Capra hircus and Ovis aries using horizontal polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

The esterase patterns in F. hepatica and D. dendriticum were different. Homogenate of F. hepaticafrom both hosts gave four enzyme bands. For D. dendriticum, however, while homogenates of parasites from C. hircus also gave four bands, those of O. aries gave only three bands.

Acid and alkaline phosphatases in homogenates of both parasites showed three enzyme bands, but there was a host species difference betwen the enzyme patterns of specimens collected from C. hircus versus O. aries.     

Detection of human filarial parasite Brugia malayi in dogs by histochemical staining and molecular techniques

Human filariasis caused by Brugia malayi is still a public health problem in many countries of Asia including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The World Health Organization (WHO) has targeted to eliminate filariasis by the year 2020 by Mass annual single dose Diethylcarbamazine Administration (MDA). Results of the MDA programme after the first phase was less satisfactory than expected. Malayan filariasis caused by B. malayi is endemic in the south of Thailand where domestic cat serves as the major reservoir host. There is no report about the occurrence of B. malayi in dogs. The present work was carried out to find out the incidence of microfilariasis in dogs and also to detect the presence of human filarial infection in dogs, if any. One hundred dogs above 6 months of age presented to the veterinary college Hospital, Mannuthy, Kerala, with clinical signs suggestive of microfilariasis - fever, anorexia, conjunctivitis, limb and scrotal oedema - were screened for microfilariae by wet film examination. Positive cases were subjected to Giemsa staining, histochemical staining and molecular techniques. Results of the study showed that 80% of dogs had microfilariasis; out of which 20% had sheathed microfilaria. Giemsa and histochemical staining character, PCR and sequencing confirmed it as B. malayi. High prevalence of B. malayi in dogs in this study emphasized the possible role of dogs in transmission of human filariasis.     

氮磷对马蹄金抗旱性的影响

研究氮磷对马蹄金(Dichondra repens)出苗期、成坪期、旺盛期和衰退期抗旱生理指标的影响。结果表明:施磷后马蹄金根系活力上升,超氧化物歧化酶活性提高,增强了避旱能力,其中高磷(1.50kg P₂O₅/100m²)的效果最好;低氮(0.24kg N/100m²、0.57kg N/100m²)使叶片脯氨酸、可溶性糖和叶绿素含量增加,通过渗透调节提高其耐旱性,但高氮则使叶片超氧化物歧化酶活性降低,丙二醛大量累积,加重了水分胁迫程度;马蹄金受水肥影响最主要的抗旱生理指标为:叶片脯氨酸含量、根系活力和叶绿素含量。     

Canine filariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens in southeastern Nigeria

Many species of canine filarial nematodes and their microfilariae have been described in various parts of the world. At the present time, it would appear that in Nigeria, the canine filarial species of importance is Dirofilaria repens. The parasite and its microfilariae appear to produce toxic and immunologic actions which are responsible for many pathological lesions.     

花叶滇苦菜浸提液对3种花卉种子萌发和幼苗生长的化感作用

为探讨花叶滇苦菜与常见草本花卉协同生长过程中的化感作用机制,采用培养皿生物测定法,研究了花叶滇苦菜地上部(DS)和地下部(DX)不同浓度浸提液对二月兰、石竹、观赏油菜3种花卉种子萌发、幼苗生长的生理指标及相关酶活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响,以期为花卉植物大规模应用及杂草生物防治提供理论依据。结果表明:花叶滇苦菜浸提液对3种花卉种子萌发、幼苗生长均呈低浓度促进、高浓度抑制的趋势,在5 g·L^-1时2种浸提液中促进效应最大的是二月兰,其次是石竹,均在100 g·L^-1浓度下抑制效应达最大。2种浸提液提高了3种花卉幼苗的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性,二月兰、观赏油菜在50 g·L^-1时达到峰值,石竹在25 g·L^-1时达到峰值,100 g·L^-1时均高于对照组,过氧化物酶(POD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性均呈先升高后降低的趋势,丙二醛含量随浸提液浓度的升高而增加。石竹种子POD活性与种子发芽率呈极显著正相关;观赏油菜POD活性与茎长和根长呈显著正相关;二月兰根长与POD、CAT...     

Serosurvey of Babesia canis, Babesia gibsoni and Ehrlichia canis in pound dogs in California, USA

The seroprevalence of three canine tick-transmitted parasites, Babesia gibsoni, Babesia canis and Ehrlichia canis, was estimated in selected regions of California. Blood smears and sera were obtained from 971 dogs in seven animal shelters: four in Los Angeles County, one in Yolo County, one in El Dorado County in California and one in Minden, Nevada. Seroprevalence in Los Angeles County shelters were 0–13%, 0–2.6% and 0% for B. canis, B. gibsoni and E. canis, respectively. Seroprevalences of the same three parasites in Yolo County and El Dorado County Shelters were 0% except for a 1% seroprevalence of B. canis in dogs from Yolo County Shelter.

Potential risk factors (breed, age, sex and evidence of ticks on the dogs) for B. canis seropositivity were evaluated. Dogs 3 years of age or older had a significantly higher risk (odds ratio 5.04) of being seropositive to B. canis compared with dogs less than 1 year old. Breed, sex and evidence of ticks were not associated with seropositive reactions to B. canis. Of 29 coyotes captured in Los Angeles County, three (10.3%) were seropositive for B. gibsoni, with titers of 1280 to 2560. This study indicated that dogs in Los Angeles County were at higher risk of being seropositive and potentially infected with canine babesial parasites than dogs in Yolo and El Dorado Counties. Movement of chronically infected dogs from Los Angeles County into other areas could contribute to the spread of these important pathogens.     

Molecular evidence of shared hookworm Ancylostoma tubaeforme haplotypes between the critically endangered Iberian lynx and sympatric domestic cats

Hookworms of the genus Ancylostoma are the most pathogenic parasites of young cats, and A. tubaeforme may cause morbidity or mortality in young individuals of the most endangered felid species in the world, the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). Since the transmission of monoxenous parasites is related to host density and remaining lynx populations are currently very small, the presence of reservoir hosts may be necessary for the maintenance of the hookworm life-cycle, the domestic cat being the most likely reservoir of A. tubaeforme. In order to confirm this hypothesis, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (Cox I) sequences of three A. tubaeforme specimens from a road-killed Iberian lynx from Do?ana were compared with 14 specimens retrieved from five sympatric free-roaming cats from the same area, and with six specimens from three free-roaming cats from the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. Gene fragments (300 bp) from 23 A. tubaeforme individuals representing 16 different haplotypes were obtained. A statistical parsimony haplotype network analysis showed that the three specimens infecting an Iberian lynx corresponded to two different haplotypes, one of which was identical to a specimen in a cat found only 10 km from the lynx. Specimens from the Iberian lynx and those from cats in Do?ana were only 1.03% genetically divergent, whereas specimens from Mallorca cats and those from Do?ana cats and the lynx diverged by 1.33% and 1.36%, respectively. The existence of shared haplotypes of hookworms between lynx and cat reinforces the hypothesis that the abundant sympatric domestic cat population is acting as a reservoir for A. tubaeforme infection in the endangered Iberian lynx.     

不同混播方式豆禾混播草地生产性能的综合评价

对红豆草、紫花苜蓿、红三叶、鸭茅、无芒雀麦和猫尾草6种豆禾牧草在混播种类为混3-1(鸭茅、无芒雀麦和紫花苜蓿混播)、混3-2(鸭茅、无芒雀麦和红豆草混播)、混4-1(鸭茅、无芒雀麦和紫花苜蓿、红三叶混播)、混4-2(鸭茅、无芒雀麦和紫花苜蓿、红豆草混播)、混5-1(鸭茅、无芒雀麦、猫尾草和紫花苜蓿、红三叶混播)、混5-2(鸭茅、无芒雀麦、猫尾草和紫花苜蓿、红豆草混播)和混6(6种豆禾牧草混播)与混播比例为豆禾比5∶5,4∶6和3∶7条件下建立的混播草地连续2年的生产性能进行了灰色关联度分析,并建立了包含牧草产量、牧草营养品质、种间相容性和群落稳定性在内的生产性能评价模型。结果表明,混6组合具有较高生产性能,且高于其他混播种类组合,而不同混播比例组合生产性能相差不大;根据各混播组合的生产性能,可将21个混播组合分为3类,生态稳定型(混6)种间相容性、群落稳定性及产量均较高,适宜长期持续利用;产量型(混5-2、混4-2和混3-2)产量较高,牧草品质较差,特别是叶茎比较低,适宜放养耐粗饲牲畜;营养品质型(混5-1、混4-1和混3-1)产量较低,牧草营养品质较高,特别是具较高叶茎比,适宜放养对牧草品质要求较高牲畜。     

Two cases of cutaneous nodular dirofilariasis in the cat

Cutaneous nodular dirofilariasis is occasionally reported in dogs but is rare in cats. This report describes two cases of cutaneous nodular lesions due to Dirofilaria immitis adult parasites in domestic shorthaired cats living in an endemic area in northern Italy.     

云贵高原人工草地混播组合的研究

红三叶(Trifolium pratense)、白三叶(Trifolium repens)、多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne)、鸭茅(Dactylis glomerata)、无芒雀麦(Bromus inermis)、黑穗画眉(Eragrostis uigra)、紫羊茅(Festuca rubra)、草地早熟禾(Poapratensis)八种适宜当地生态条件的豆科及禾本科牧草组成三大类(刈牧兼用型复杂类、刈草型简单类、放牧型简单类)十二种不同的混播组合,在力求一致的试验条件下研究各混播组合植被类型的产量动态和植物群落内部各组分的变化规律,以了解各混播组合草地的生产能力和植物群落的稳定性(包括豆、禾比例在生产意义上的合理性及稳定性),并据此为当地筛选出建立人工草地的理想混播组合。结果表明,红三叶、白三叶、多年生黑麦草、鸭茅、紫羊茅、草地早熟禾在其参于的混播组合中,表现出较好的竞争性和互补性,可以当选为混播成员,而黑穗画眉、无芒雀麦在其参于的混播组合中逐渐被淘汰。联合分析结果表明,刈牧兼用型复杂组合总体上优于刈草型和放牧型简单组合,其中当选的组合有 V9(红三叶+白三叶+多年生黑麦草+紫羊茅)、V10(红三叶+白三叶+鸭茅+紫羊茅)、V12(红三叶+白三叶+多年生黑麦草);当选的刈草型组合有 V2(红三叶+鸭茅);当选的放牧型组合有 V6(白三叶+紫羊茅)、V5(白三叶+多年生黑麦草)。     

Infection of sandflies by a cat naturally infected with Leishmania infantum

Despite the recent reports of feline leishmaniosis from Southern Europe, cats are still regarded as unusual Leishmania hosts. A cat found chronically infected with Leishmania was submitted to xenodiagnosis. After being sedated, the animal was exposed to the bite of 100 laboratory-reared Phlebotomus perniciosus in a fine net cage for 90 min. Four out of 19 blood-fed sandflies (21%) showed motile promastigotes at the dissection. Parasites cultured from cat's lymph node and an infected fly were identical at PCR-RFLP genotyping and identified as Leishmania infantum MON-1, the main zymodeme responsible for human and canine leishmaniosis in Southern Europe. This is the first evidence of transmissibility of feline parasites to a proven vector, suggesting that cats may represent an additional domestic reservoir for L. infantum.     

遮阴对三种豆科牧草光合特性和叶绿素荧光参数的影响

为了探讨豆科牧草在遮阴条件下生态适应性及寻求适度的遮阴比例,系统研究了不同程度的遮阴处理(0%,48%,70%,95%)对3种豆科牧草的光合特性和叶绿素荧光参数的影响。结果表明,随着遮阴强度的提高,白三叶的光补偿点和光饱和点减小,紫花苜蓿与草木樨在适度遮阴条件下可维持较低的光补偿点和光饱和点;3种豆科牧草叶片叶绿素a、叶绿素b和叶绿素a+b的含量逐渐降低,且相同遮阴处理下白三叶均高于其他2种豆科牧草,紫花苜蓿在Y3处理条件下表现为叶绿素a/b值最大;3种豆科牧草PSⅡ受到损伤的程度为紫花苜蓿＞草木樨＞白三叶;遮阴会使白三叶与草木樨的ΦPSⅡ和qP略有降低,但在Y3处理条件下,白三叶的ΦPSⅡ和qP会略有增加,而紫花苜蓿随着遮阴强度的提高,其ΦPSⅡ和qP呈先增加后减小的趋势。3种豆科牧草的耐阴强度顺序为:白三叶＞草木樨＞紫花苜蓿,其中,白三叶在70％以上的遮阴强度下仍然可以长势良好,而草木樨在48％的遮阴强度下有利于生长,紫花苜蓿则受遮阴影响较大。     

An initial survey of the cattle grub Dermatobia hominis (L. Jr.) in Nicaragua

After the civil war and the Hurricane-Mitch disaster, cattlemen in Nicaragua were forced to transport their cattle from lowland areas to higher, dryer areas of the country. These areas are natural ecological niches for the cattle grub Dermatobia hominis (L. Jr.) (Diptera: Cuterebridae). To determine the importance of this infestation, the Agricultural and Livestock-Forestry Ministry selected a central area of Nicaragua to run a pioneer survey program to acquire information about hosts involved, number of cases, treatments applied and general knowledge of 42 farmers about the life cycle of the parasite. The subjects were either farm owners or farm managers. Ninety-five percentage of the farms indicated cases of D. hominis infestation in their animals, with cattle being the most affected host (100% of the affected farms). There was poor understanding of the D. hominis life cycle, vectors and control methods. A misuse of insecticides for the treatment of larval infestation by D. hominis was indicated.     

An overview of the epidemiology and epizootology of brucellosis in selected countries of Central and Southeast Europe

The objective of this paper is to give an overview of the epidemiologic and epizootic status of brucellosis in selected countries of Central and Southeast Europe (Balkan region). Based on dimension of the disease problem, there is a need to establish collaboration in the eradication and prevention of brucellosis between all countries in the region. Although there were no readily accessible data concerning epidemiology and epizootology of brucellosis in these countries, the limited official and published data were analyzed.

The incidence of brucellosis caused by Brucella melitensis in sheep, goats and humans is a very significant problem in Macedonia and Greece. In Greece, cattle are also affected either by B. melitensis or B. abortus. The disease is an endemic problem in some regions of Yugoslavia and includes B. suis biovar 2 in pigs and in Croatia, B. melitensis in sheep, goats and human is found occasionally. No problem appears to exist with brucellosis in Bulgaria.

Financial well-supported brucellosis control programs of the European Union that will include all countries, regardless of the magnitude of brucellosis incidence, are needed for eradication and control of brucellosis.     

劲直黄芪水浸提液化感作用研究

采用培养皿滤纸法,首次研究了分布于西藏自治区的劲直黄芪地上部分水浸液对4种受体植物燕麦、反枝苋、白三叶和荠菜种子萌发、幼苗根长、苗高和鲜重的化感效应以及对燕麦和白三叶丙二醛(MDA)含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性的影响,旨在提示劲直黄芪的化感潜力,为劲直黄芪资源的进一步开发利用提供理论依据。结果表明,劲直黄芪水浸提液对燕麦种子萌发和幼苗生长均表现为抑制作用,且随着劲直黄芪水浸提液浓度的升高其抑制程度不断增强;对反枝苋、白三叶和荠菜种子萌发均表现为抑制作用,幼苗生长基本呈“低促高抑”的化感作用,且浓度达到100.0 mg/mL时,反枝苋种子不能萌发,被完全抑制了。不同浓度的劲直黄芪水浸提液影响燕麦和白三叶幼苗体内SOD、POD活性和MDA含量,当浓度为50.0 mg/mL时,SOD、POD活性和MDA含量明显增加;浓度升高到100.0 mg/mL时,MDA含量继续增加,而SOD和POD活性呈下降趋势。     

吸血行为对草原革蜱和森林革蜱中肠菌群结构的影响

本研究旨在探明随吸血时间的延长,草原革蜱和森林革蜱中肠菌群结构的特征及变化。从内蒙古呼伦贝尔和宁夏固原绵羊体表分别采集半饱血、饱血草原革蜱和半饱血、饱血森林革蜱,无菌条件下收集蜱中肠内容物,提取细菌总DNA,扩增细菌16S rDNA V3-V4区,IonS5^TMXL高通量测序,对比分析各样本菌群结构的特征。结果显示,森林革蜱半饱血中肠内的细菌多样性最高,草原革蜱饱血和半饱血中肠内的细菌多样性次之,森林革蜱饱血中肠内的细菌多样性最低;变形菌门为4个样品的优势菌门;无形体属、立克次体属、寡养单胞菌属和柯克斯体属为4个样品的优势菌属,其中无形体属在草原革蜱和森林革蜱饱血中肠内的含量高于2种蜱半饱血中肠,立克次体属和柯克斯体属在2种蜱半饱血中肠内的含量明显大于饱血中肠;边缘无形体、弯曲假单胞菌和柯克斯体科RFE02菌为4个样品的优势菌种,其中边缘无形体的分布特点与无形体属在2种蜱中肠内的分布特点相一致。结果表明,草原革蜱和森林革蜱中肠菌群结构易受到吸血行为的影响,共有菌属和菌种在不同蜱种和不同饱血状态下的相对丰度变化较大。     

Incidence and control of brucellosis in the Near East region

In countries of the Near East region, brucellosis was reported in almost all domestic animals, particularly cattle, sheep and goats. Brucellosis in camels has been reported in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Egypt, Libya and Somalia. It has been reported even in racing camels in the United Arab Emirates. In Egypt, brucellosis has been reported also in buffaloes, equines and swine. Brucella melitensis biovar 3 is the most commonly isolated species from animals in Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Tunisia and Turkey. B. melitensis biovar 2 was reported in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and B. melitensis biovar 1 in Libya, Oman and Israel. B. abortus biovar 1 was reported in Egypt, biovar 2 in Iran, biovar 3 in Iran and Turkey, and biovar 6 in Sudan. The countries with the highest incidence of human brucellosis are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Jordan and Oman. Bahrain is reported to have zero incidence. Most human cases are caused by B. melitensis, particularly biovar 3. However, B. abortus has been responsible for an increasing number of cases in recent years, e.g. in Yemen, where B. abortus was identified in 45 cases and B. melitensis in 7 cases out of 330 cultures performed in 1995. Concerning control of brucellosis in animals, there is a controversy on the choice of policy. In some countries, the test and slaughter policy together with the vaccination of young females is adopted, in others, particularly with regard to sheep and goats; mass vaccination has been recently started. The most commonly used vaccines are B. abortus S19 and B. melitensis Rev.1 vaccines. B. abortus RB51 vaccine is used in some countries on small scale. Vaccination is limited to cattle and small ruminants.     

Brucellosis in the European Union and Norway at the turn of the twenty-first century

Control and eradication programs of brucellosis in cattle, sheep, goats and pigs have been more or less successfully implemented within the Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU) and Norway after Word War II. As a result, the epidemiological situation of animal brucellosis is extremely diverse among different MS or regions within a MS and among the different animal species. Some MS, mainly North European countries, and Norway are declared “officially bovine brucellosis free” and/or “officially ovine and caprine (Brucella melitensis) free”. The situation is less favorable in Southern European countries, particularly as far as sheep and goat brucellosis are concerned. This situation has important zoonotic consequences as reflected in the number of human brucellosis cases due to B. melitensis that are still encountered in those countries. Brucellosis in swine has re-emerged as a result of spillover from the wild boar brucellosis (Brucella suis biovar 2) reservoir, particularly in outdoor reared pigs. Besides the actual challenge to eradicate brucellosis, further issues have to be addressed: (1) the management of false positive serological results that occur in the course of brucellosis testing, particularly in cattle; (2) the impact of wildlife brucellosis, particularly wild boar brucellosis in domestic animals; and (3) the importance of B. melitensis infection in cattle that are in contact with infected sheep.