Isolation of visna-maedi virus from the choroid plexus of an apparently healthy sheep in Italy

In this paper, the presence of visna-maedi in Italy, reported to exist since 1982 on clinical grounds, and the presence of anti-visna-maedi antibody is confirmed by the isolation of the viral agent from choroid plexus cells of an apparently healthy sheep. Gel diffusion test antigen, prepared from the explanted choroid plexus cells and from normal choroid plexus cells infected with the isolated agent, gave a positive reaction with one or two identity lines with reference antigens. The isolated agent gave both a characteristic cytopathic effect and a cytoplasmic fluorescence starting 24 hours after infection in normal choroid plexus cell cultures. Fluorescence was observed neither in control normal choroid plexus cells nor in infected normal choroid plexus cells incubated with a visna-maedi negative serum. By electron microscopy, budding forms arising from the cell membrane and extracellular particles of two distinct types were observed. One type was characterized by an electron-dense central core and a single membrane, and ranged from 80 to 110 nm, while the other had elongated bar-like cores and a double wall, and ranged from 100 to 140 nm. The characteristics observed for the isolated agent are identical to those reported by various authors for visna-maedi virus.     

Susceptibility of Sudanese sheep to a bluetongue virus isolated from apparently healthy cattle in the Sudan

This study intends to clarify the role of apparently healthy cattle as a reservoir of bluetongue (BT) virus to sheep in the Sudan. It confirms earlier work and establishes that cattle can harbour bluetongue virus to which sheep are susceptible in the country. Experimental transmission of BT virus between the two species suggests that the best indicator to determine viraemia in apparently healthy cattle is to inoculate susceptible sheep with suspected cattle virus. The condition of the viraemia and the virus survival in the field are discussed.     

Preliminary observations on the presence of visna-maedi in Italy

The presence of visna-maedi in Italy is reported for the first time. History, clinical findings and gross and microscopic lesions typical of the disease were observed in two sheep flocks in Central Italy. Affected animals were afebrile, lacked energy, lost condition and had progressively worsening dyspnoea which ended fatally. A few showed locomotor disturbances but remained alert. Anaemia and leukopenia were present. The lungs were affected with fleshy consolidation. Histologically, the pulmonary lesions included bronchiolar epithelial hyperplasia, peribronchiolar lymphoid cuffing, alveolar epithelialization and very marked interstitial changes. In agar gel diffusion tests on sera from 106 animals from the two flocks, 44 were positive. Furthermore, when the same test was conducted as a preliminary screening procedure on 682 animals randomly chosen from 94 flocks in five Regions, 93 positive animals were revealed in 39 flocks, involving all of the Regions. The infection is likely to be widespread in Italy and to constitute a problem in at least some flocks or areas.     

Ectopic pregnancy in an apparently healthy bitch

This case describes an extrauterine fetus that was discovered in an apparently healthy bitch 5 mo after whelping. The extrauterine fetus was surgically removed, and the bitch made a complete recovery. The topic of canine ectopic pregnancy is discussed, and a review of previously reported cases is presented.     

Isolation and characterization of Clostridium perfringens from apparently healthy animals of the Shandong province of China

In a pilot study the presence and frequency of Clostridium (C.) perfringens was investigated among apparently healthy farm animals in the Shandong province of China. 748 faecal samples were collected from 9 pig-, 4 sheep-, 7 cattle- and 5 rabbit farms. C. perfringens was isolated from 124 samples (16.6%). The isolates were classified into major toxin types by using PCR analysis detecting the genes encoding these toxins. All isolates were identified as C perfringens toxin type A. There are also some reports from different regions in China linking C. perfringens toxin type A strains to gastrointestinal diseases. Therefore further investigations about the epidemiologic role of C perfringens toxin type A strains in the Shandong region are necessary. Currently, cases of enterotoxemia from this region are investigated for the presence of C perfringens.     

Surgical removal of a choroid plexus oncocytoma in an adult cat

An 11‐year‐old male castrated domestic shorthair cat presented with left central vestibular dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a large, extra‐parenchymal, strongly contrast‐enhancing mass at the level of the left cerebellopontine angle and compressing the cerebellum and brainstem. The mass was surgically excised via left rostral and sub‐tentorial craniectomies and histopathology revealed an epithelial neoplasm composed of anastomosing cords of neoplastic cells that contained large amounts of finely granular hypereosinophilic cytoplasm and round nuclei. The cytoplasmic granules were variably positive with periodic acid‐Schiff and modified Gomori trichrome. Immunohistochemical staining with anti‐cytokeratin AE1/AE3 was diffusely positive. Electron microscopy revealed neoplastic cells that were full of electron‐dense organelles consistent with mitochondria. This is the first case of a choroid plexus oncocytoma in the central nervous system of any domestic animal species and highlights the role of successful surgical intervention in extra‐parenchymal neoplasia in the central nervous system.     

Isolation of Parainfluenza type 3 virus from sheep in New Zealand

Extract

Bovine virus diarrhoea (BVD) and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) viruses are commonly thought on clinical grounds to be widespread in the. New Zealand cattle population, and records of virus isolation and serology from this laboratory support this assumption. To date, however, few reports have been published on the prevalence of these two diseases in New Zealand.     

绵羊痘病毒的分离与鉴定

利用羔羊睾丸细胞、Marc-145、Vero细胞对病毒进行分离和培养,通过动物回归试验、组织病理学切片的观察、透射电镜观察、PCR鉴定等方法进行病毒的鉴定,并参照GenBank中绵羊痘病毒P32基因序列设计并合成1对特异性引物,成功地对分离株的P32基因进行克隆、测序,并与多株参考毒株进行同源性比对分析。结果显示:透射电镜下观察到典型的痘病毒粒子;动物回归试验中试验动物临床症状为典型的羊痘症状;组织病理学切片中观察到羊痘病毒嗜酸性包涵体;通过DNASTAR与参考毒株进行同源性比对,与参考株同源性为97.2%~99.5%。结果表明:该分离株为绵羊痘病毒,并命名为SPPV-NeiMengG2015。