临床型乳房炎奶牛致病性大肠杆菌血清型研究

为有效防治乳房炎以及进一步研究致病性大肠杆菌的危害性,本研究对呼和浩特市某奶牛场16头患临床型乳房炎的奶牛进行采样分析了致病性大肠杆菌。结果表明,在16份粪样、乳样中致病性大肠杆菌的检出率分别为100%和68.75%,血样中未检出致病性大肠杆菌。经动物试验表明,所检出的致病菌均有强致病力。在血清型鉴定中,粪样中分离鉴定出致病性大肠杆菌为O51、O55、O127、O7、O91、O101、O112、O92、O142血清型较多;乳样中分离出的致病性大肠杆菌为O55、O101、O112、O134、O51、O53、O78、O91、O126、O128、O158血清型较多。且粪样中分离出的致病性大肠杆菌42种血清型,乳样中分离出的致病性大肠杆菌33种血清型中具有25种血清型相同,分别为:O8、O35、O44、O51、O55、O61、O62、O65、O69、O80、O91、O92、O95、O96、O98、O99、O100、O101、O112、O120、O127、O134、O142、O153、O158。因此可见,作为环境性病原菌,大肠杆菌侵入乳房而引发了奶牛乳房炎。     

军牧1号白猪、杜洛克猪、西藏小型猪和大白猪ESR、FSHβ、EGF基因的多态性分布

摘要：ESR、FSHβ和EGF基因与猪繁殖性状密切相关。为检测军牧1号白猪、西藏小型猪、杜洛克猪和失白猪ESR、FSHβ和EGF基因的多态性分布情况,采用PCR和PCRRFLP的方法对61头军牧1号白猪,51头杜洛克猪,51头西藏小型猪和69头大白猪的ESR、FSHβ和EGF基因多态性进行了检测。结果显示,对于各个基因的优势等位基因,在军牧1号白猪群体中,ESR基因位点A等位基因频率为0．6393,FsHp基因的13等位基因频率高达0．9098,EGF基因的A等位基因频率仅有0．0164杜洛克猪群体中,ESR基因A等位基因频率为0．6078,FSHβ基因的B等位基因频率为0．8235,而EGF基因的八等位基因频率仅为0．0297;西藏小型猪群体中,ESR基因A等位基因频率是0．4608,FSHβ基因B等位基因频率仅为0．0687,H;F基因A等位基因频率为o．1961;大白猪群体中。ESR基因位点有频率为0．5000的有害A等位基因,而FSHβ基因和EGF基因的13等位基因频率则分别为0．8013和0．7391。所有基因型分布均符合哈代温伯格平衡（P〉0．05）。     

犬常见肿瘤流行病学调查及组织病理学诊断

为探讨犬常见肿瘤的发病规律，试验收集哈尔滨地区2016-2017年宠物医院部分犬肿瘤病例71例，采用组织病理学方法对犬肿瘤进行病理学诊断，并对患病动物的品种、性别、年龄、发生部位和饮食情况与肿瘤发生关系进行统计分析。结果显示，71例确诊肿瘤病例中，恶性肿瘤28例，包括鳞状上皮细胞癌3例，基底细胞癌5例，乳腺癌14例，淋巴瘤2例，肾母细胞瘤、精原细胞癌、生殖细胞癌、侵袭性血管黏液瘤各1例；良性肿瘤43例，包括良性乳腺肿瘤15例，纤维瘤10例，平滑肌瘤5例，乳头状瘤和精原细胞瘤各3例，造釉细胞瘤、耵聍腺瘤、脂肪瘤、结节样增生、性索间质细胞瘤、颗粒细胞瘤、肛周腺瘤各1例。上述病例中，乳腺和皮肤是犬肿瘤的高发部位，分别占全部患犬的40.8%和34.0%；患病犬年龄1~16岁不等，平均发病年龄为9.1岁，7岁以后是肿瘤的高发期，中老年犬仍为主要发病群体，但低龄犬发病数量上升；各品种犬均可发生肿瘤，其中杂种犬发病率最高，其次是贵宾犬和京巴犬，且主要为乳腺肿瘤；饮食习惯主要以剩饭剩菜类和肉拌饭类为主，分别占患犬总数的39%和30%；部分肿瘤类型与犬的性别、是否绝育有关，如乳腺肿瘤多发生于未绝育的老年母犬。本研究结果为犬肿瘤的流行病学及诊断提供了参考依据，对犬肿瘤的预防和诊断有一定的借鉴意义。     

A genetically engineered Escherichia coli phytase improves nutrient utilization, growth performance, and bone strength of young swine fed diets deficient in available phosphorus

A 28-d experiment was conducted using 126 crossbred barrows to evaluate the addition of a genetically engineered Escherichia coli phytase to diets that were 0.15% deficient in available P. Growth performance, bone strength, ash weight, and the apparent absorption of P, Ca, Mg, N, energy, DM, Zn, Fe, and Cu were the response criteria. The pigs (2 pigs/pen) averaged 7.61 kg of BW and 30 d of age initially. The low-P basal diet was supplemented with 0, 100, 500, 2,500, or 12,500 units (U) of E. coli phytase/kg of diet, or 500 U of Peniophora lycii phytase/kg of diet. The positive control (PC) diet was adequate in available P. Pigs were fed the diets in meal form. Fecal samples were collected from each pig from d 22 to 27 of the experiment. There were linear and quadratic increases (P < 0.001) in 28-d growth performance (ADFI, ADG, and G:F), bone breaking strength and ash weight, and the apparent absorption (g/d and %) of P, Ca, and Mg (P < or = 0.01 for quadratic) with increasing concentrations of E. coli phytase. Pigs fed the low-P diets containing 2,500 or 12,500 U/kg of E. coli phytase had greater (P < or = 0.01 or P < 0.001, respectively) values for growth performance, bone breaking strength and ash weight, and the apparent absorption (g/d and %) of P, Ca, and Mg than pigs fed the PC diet. The addition of E. coli phytase did not increase the apparent percentage absorption of N, GE, DM, Zn, Fe, or Cu. There were no differences in the efficacy of the E. coli or P. lycii phytase enzymes at 500 U/kg of low-P diet for any criterion measured. In conclusion, there were linear increases in growth performance, bone breaking strength and ash weight, and the apparent absorption of P, Ca, and Mg with increasing addition of E. coli phytase up to 12,500 U/kg of diet. Also, all of these criteria were greater for pigs fed the low-P diets containing 2,500 or 12,500 U of E. coli phytase/kg than for pigs fed the PC diet. The addition of 500, 2,500, or 12,500 U of E. coli phytase/kg of low-P diet reduced P excretion (g/d) in manure by 35, 42, and 61%, respectively, compared with pigs fed the PC diet.     

甘南玛曲高寒草甸草地沙化的研究

以甘南玛曲高寒草甸生态系统植物群落样地调查资料为基础,对不同沙化程度植物群落结构及物种多样性特征进行了研究分析。结果表明：随着草地沙化程度的加剧,植物群落多样性指数,均匀度指数及丰富度指数下降,优势度指数增加;禾草地上植物量减少,杂草、莎草地上植物量增加,其中,莎草增加最快。中度沙化阶段是植物群落丰富度、多样性、优势度、地上植物量和均匀度变化的一个转折点,演替早期群落多样性,均匀度及地上总植物量最高,在极度沙化阶段,地上总植物量最低,优势度指数最大。     

DNA restriction endonuclease cleavage pattern and protein antigen profile of Ehrlichia risticii

Molecular characterization of Ehrlichia risticii, the etiological agent of Potomac horse fever, was performed. Restriction endonuclease cleavage of E. risticii DNA generated distinct patterns by different enzymes. The DNA cleavage patterns of E. risticii isolates obtained from different geographic regions were similar. Protein analysis identified thirty-five distinct proteins with molecular weights ranging from 160 to 16 kilodalton (kDa). Antigenic analysis by radioimmunoprecipitation using 125I surface labeled E. risticii and by Western blotting determined the presence of eighteen antigens (160, 110, 86, 84, 81, 70, 55, 51, 49, 44, 41, 36, 33, 31, 28, 24, 22 and 16 kDa) of which nine (110, 86, 70, 55, 51, 49, 44, 33, and 28 kDa) were major antigens. Fourteen of these antigens, which included the major antigens, were apparent surface components. There were no heat-modifiable proteins but lipopolysaccharide components of 245 and 14 kDa, resistant to proteinase K and of non-antigenic character, were detected in the organism.     

Some studies on the growth and development of Echinococcus granulosus, camel origin in experimentally infected dogs.

The development of Echinococcus granulosus of camel subspecies in 35 experimentally infected dogs was studied at 3, 7, 10, 13, 18, 23, 35 and 56 days post-infection (d.p.i.). The morphological characteristics of each developmental stage is studied and discussed. Morphological characters included number, total length, shape, arrangement of rosteller hooks and blade length to total length percentage (B1/T1%). In addition, total worm length, scolex, suckers, rostellum, neck and segments were measured and described. Other useful characters are considered to be the position of common genital pore, number and distribution of testes, uterus, shape of ovary and vitelline glands. Generally, the results indicated that the segmentation first appears at 18 d.p.i. Moreover, male and female genitalia could be detected at the same period. However, completely developed genitalia appeared at 56 d.p.i. Histological examination of the small intestine of experimentally infected dogs revealed that the parasites were found in distended and thin wall crypts of Liberkuhn at the periods of 3.7 and 10 d.p.i, while the parasite scoleces were found embeded in the mucosa at the periods of 13, 18 and 23 d.p.i. No significant pathological changes were encountered in both infected and control dogs. The data presented here are the first report of strobilar development of E. granulosus of camel origin in experimentally infected dogs.     

青海湖区普氏原羚与鸟类种群监测

通过在青海湖的蛋岛、鸬鹚岛、海心山、三块石、布哈河口等鸟类栖息地的鸟类种群数量监测，甘子河乡、沙岛东、克土、小泊湖、湖东种羊场、倒淌河镇元者、青海湖农场、哈尔盖乡、快尔玛乡、生格乡等地进行普氏原羚种群数量监测。目前，普氏原羚种群数量为702—845只。11月份种群数量比8月份增加22只，仅增长4．21个百分点；5个鸟类...     

河套灌区小麦后复种燕麦草生产性能与营养品质效应研究

为研究小麦后复种燕麦草（Avena sativa L.）的品种适应性、生长特性、产量与营养价值,引进适合秋季种植的8个燕麦草品种（青引1号、青引2号、青燕1号、加燕2号、林纳、青海甜燕、胜利者、天鹅）,通过对各燕麦草品种的农艺性状特征、分蘖数、平均旗叶宽、平均旗叶长、茎直径、株高、茎叶比、生物产量与主要营养价值分析研究,得出以下结果：相同品种生育期46 d霜冻前的CP含量高于生育期76 d,NDF、ADF、可溶性糖含量与鲜、干草产量均低于76 d;霜冻后30 d的生长速度与高度结果表明适合小麦后种植的秋性耐冷品种为青引2号、加燕2号和林纳;茎叶比与CP含量呈负相关,与NDF、ADF、可溶性糖呈正相关。单位面积生物产量（除天鹅）与CP、NDF、ADF、可溶性糖总产量呈正相关。从8个燕麦草品种中选出分蘖数适中、植株高、叶片长而宽、茎叶比低、干草总产量高和总营养价值高的品种为青引2号、加燕2号与林纳。     

多花黑麦草在生长肉兔上的营养价值评定

本试验旨在评定初花期多花黑麦草在生长肉兔上的营养价值。试验选取60日龄平均体重(2.20±0.32)kg的健康新西兰兔24只,随机分为2组,每组12个重复,每个重复1只。试验饲粮采用套算法进行配制,多花黑麦草的替代比例为20%;试验采用全收粪法进行消化试验,预试期和正试期各7 d。结果表明:1)多花黑麦草中总能、干物质、粗蛋白、粗脂肪、粗纤维、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维、粗灰分、钙、总磷和无氮浸出物含量分别为16.78 MJ/kg、92.24%、10.20%、1.64%、26.09%、51.80%、31.35%、7.72%、0.66%、0.28%和46.59%;2)多花黑麦草在生长肉兔中的表观消化能为7.21 MJ/kg,生长肉兔对多花黑麦草中总能、干物质、粗蛋白、粗脂肪、粗纤维、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维、粗灰分、钙、总磷和无氮浸出物的表观消化率分别为33.45%、48.36%、44.18%、84.45%、25.91%、22.73%、22.25%、26.10%、62.87%、13.94%和61.42%。由结果可知:初花期多花黑麦草中粗纤维、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维含量相对较高,总磷含量相对较低;生长肉兔对初花期多花黑麦草中不同营养成分的消化率存在一定差异,其中以粗脂肪、粗纤维、钙、无氮浸出物的表观消化率较高,总磷的表观消化率较低。     

青海4种棘豆属植物精细表观特征比较

用解剖镜和Sony数码相机对4种棘豆属(Oxytropis)植物的茎、叶、花和果实进行精细表观特征观察,以便掌握其识别要点和特殊结构术语,探讨其对生境的适应性。结果发现:4种棘豆植株被黑色、黄色或白色柔毛或绢毛不等。小叶形态为黑萼棘豆(O.melanocalyx)卵形,宽苞棘豆(O.latibracteata)近披针形,甘肃棘豆(O.kansuensis)长椭圆披针形,黄花棘豆(O.ochrocephala)长椭圆状卵形;萼齿形状为黑萼棘豆披针状线性,宽苞棘豆锥状三角形,甘肃棘豆窄披针形,黄花棘豆线状披针形。旗瓣和翼瓣先端分别为,黑萼棘豆2浅裂和微凹,宽苞棘豆近圆形和截形微凹,甘肃棘豆微缺和圆形,黄花棘豆微凹和圆形;龙骨瓣喙长为宽苞棘豆黄花棘豆黑萼和甘肃棘豆。黑萼棘豆雄蕊完全展开,基部有蜜腺,黄花棘豆蜜腺少;成熟花药淡黄色,大小为甘肃棘豆宽苞棘豆黄花棘豆黑萼棘豆。子房形状为黑萼棘豆披针形,宽苞棘豆椭圆形,甘肃棘豆和黄花棘豆具短柄。果实黑萼、甘肃和黄花棘豆为荚果1室,宽苞棘豆具狭隔膜为不完全两室。依据4种棘豆植物精细表观特征可将其区别,其形态特征均表现出对高寒环境的适应性。     

Campylobacter jejuni in poultry giblets

A total of 200 poultry giblets, 50 each of chickens, ducks, squab and turkeys, were examined for the presence of Campylobacter jejuni. In chicken giblets, C. jejuni was isolated from gizzards, hearts, livers and spleens with incidences of 28%, 10%, 40% and 16% respectively while 24%, 6%, 36% and 10% of duck gizzards, hearts, livers and spleens were positive for the organism, respectively. C. jejuni was detected in 6% of squab gizzards, in 10% of squab livers but failed to be detected in squab hearts & spleens. In turkey giblets, 16% of gizzards, 4% of hearts, 30% of livers and 8% of spleens were positive for the organism. C. jejuni was more frequently isolated from liver samples than gizzard, spleen and heart samples, each constituting of 29%, 18.5%, 8.5% and 5%, respectively. High incidence of C. jejuni was recorded among chicken giblets (23.5%), followed by duck giblets (19%), then turkey giblets (14.5%) and finally squab giblets (4%).     

Evaluation of efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes against larvae of Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The blowfly Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is the primary agent of cutaneous myiasis of sheep in northern Europe, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand. As the application of chemicals has several disadvantages, alternative control measures of traumatic myiasis of livestock must be developed. In this study, the use of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) as potential biocontrol agents against second instar larvae of Lucilia sericata was considered. The following nematode species were tested: Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (IS 5, HHU 1, Hmol, HNC 1, HAZ 36, Hbrecon, HHU 2, HAZ 29, HHP 88, HHU 3, HHU 4 and HGua), Steinernema intermedia, NC513 strain of S. glaserii, S. anomali, S. riobrave, Steinernema sp. and 5 strains of S. feltiae (22, Vija Norway, HU 1, scp, and IS 6). None of the examined EPN species or strains showed larvicidal efficacy at 37 degrees C (no killing effect was observed in the case of the two heat-tolerant strains--H. bacteriophora and S.feltiae) against L. sericata larvae. At lower temperatures (20 degrees C and 25 degrees C) only strains of S. feltiae were found to be active. The overall odds ratios calculated for L. sericata maggots to contract S. feltiae nematode infection show significant (p < 0.05) effect only in the case of strains HU 1, 22 and IS 6. In the case of strains HU 1 and 22 parasitic forms of S. feltiae could be detected in the dead larvae of L. sericata. Strain IS 6 (and also Vija Norway at 20 degrees C) penetrated and killed fly larvae, but only adult forms of the nematode occurred in the cadavers.     

不同施肥配比对蒙古黄芪产量及品质的影响

为研究不同肥料配施对土壤营养状况及黄芪生长和药效成分积累的影响，本研究以1年生蒙古黄芪（Astragalus membranaceus（Fisch.）Bge.var.mongholicus（Bge.）Hsiao）为试材，采用正交设计L₉（3⁴），研究因素A（硝普钠sodium nitroprusside，SNP）、B（黄芪茎叶绿肥）、C（黄芪固氮菌T₁₆）、D（黄芪固氮菌T₂₁）配施后对土壤有机质及氮磷钾含量、黄芪生物量、有效成分含量及产量的影响。结果表明：与对照相比，4种因素配合施用，均对蒙古黄芪的生长及产量品质起到了积极作用，尤其处理4（A2B1C2D3）提高了土壤有机质、有效氮、有效钾、全氮、全磷含量，增加了黄芪生物量，提高了叶片3种抗氧化物酶的活性，降低了丙二醛含量，且黄芪总多糖、总皂苷、总黄酮含量及其总产量分别比对照提高了91.89%，161.54%，155.56%，118.64%。综上分析可知处理4即SNP15 mmol·L^-1、绿肥含量1.2 kg·（15m²）^-1，T₁₆10⁶·mL^-1，T₂₁10⁹·mL^-1为肥料最佳配施方案。本研究可为黄芪专用肥的研制提供理论参考。     

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in cats from Colombia, South America and genetic characterization of T. gondii isolates

Cats are important in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection because they are the only hosts that can excrete the environmentally-resistant oocysts. In the present study, prevalence of T. gondii was determined in serum, feces, and tissues of 170 unwanted cats from Colombia, South America. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test and found in 77 of 170 (45.2%) cats with titers of <1:5 in 93, 1:5 in eight, 1:10 in 17, 1:20 in 10, 1:40 in seven, 1:80 in four, 1:160 in eight, 1:320 in six, and 1:640 or higher in 17 cats. T. gondii oocysts were not found in feces of any cat as ascertained by bioassay in mice. Tissues (brain, heart, tongue) of 116 cats were bioassayed in mice or cats. T. gondii was isolated from tissues of 15 of the 42 cats with titers of 1:40 or higher and not from any of the 90 cats titers of 1:20 or lower. Of the 29 cats whose tissues were bioassayed individually, T. gondii was isolated from the tongues of nine, hearts of eight, and brains of five. Mice inoculated with tissues of 12 of 15 infected cats died of toxoplasmosis; with nine T. gondii isolates all infected mice died. Overall, 65 of 92 (70%) of T. gondii-infected mice died of toxoplasmosis. Genotyping of these 15 isolates using polymorphisms at the SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, and GRA6 loci revealed that three isolates (TgCtCo1, 2, and 7) had Type I alleles and one isolate (TgCtCo8) had Type II allele at all five loci. Eleven isolates contained the combination of Type I and III alleles and were divided into three genotypes, with TgCtCo3,5,6,9,12,13 and 15 had alleles I, I, III, I and III, TgCtCo4,10,11 had alleles I, III, III, I and I, and TgCtCo14 had alleles I, III, III, III, and III, at loci SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB and GRA6, respectively. All infected mice from each group had identical genotype except one mouse infected with TgCtCo5 had a Type III allele at locus BTUB and a unique allele (u-1) at locus SAG1 indicating mixed infection for TgCtCo5, whereas the rest seven mice had a Type I alleles at both loci.     

Kleingrass (Panicum coloratum L.) poisoning in sheep

Twenty-four lambs grazing pastures of Panicum coloratum developed photosensitization secondary to hepatic dysfunction. Lesions were necrosis of scattered hepatocytes, obstruction of small bile ducts and bile canaliculi by small aggregates of birefringent crystals, and accumulation of birefringent crystals in phagocytes within sinusoids. The number of crystals in livers of affected sheep varied, depending on the amount of time of exposure to toxic plants and severity of hepatic abnormalities. Crystals in the liver were soluble in acidified ethyl alcohol, acetic acid, pyridine, chloral hydrate, and methanol, but not in xylene, petroleum ether, diethyl ether, acetone, water, or cold ethyl alcohol. Crystals were not stained by oil red O. There was necrosis of epithelial cells in renal distal convoluted tubules, papillary muscles of the heart, and the adrenal cortex. Lesions of Panicum coloratum-associated disease are similar to those associated with photosensitization induced by Tribulus terrestris, Agave lecheguilla, and Nolina texana.     

光源对草莓生长发育影响的现状研究

光调节植物的光合作用和生长发育,调节光通过率、光强和波长组合能积极操纵植物的形态和生长。组合光可以调整优化植物的生长,如提前开花、改变生长周期和营养状态、控制植株高度,青加速果实成熟等。LED的出现成为可能,它可以精确地调整光质、光强、光周期和光周期。本文研究光质、光强以及温度对草莓果实、叶绿素、光合作用、二氧化碳补偿、植株等的影响,为研制智能可调光控制系统,全程调节草莓生长提供理论依据。     

Level of dietary energy and 2,4-thiazolidinedione alter molecular and systemic biomarkers of inflammation and liver function in Holstein cows

Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of overfeeding a moderate energy diet and a2,4-thiazolidinedione(TZD) injection on blood and hepatic tissue biomarkers of lipid metabolism, oxidative stress,and inflammation as it relates to insulin sensitivity.Results: Fourteen dry non-pregnant cows were fed a control(CON) diet to meet 100% of NRC requirements for3 wk, after which half of the cows were assigned to a moderate-energy diet(OVE) and half of the cows continued on CON for 6 wk. All cows received an intravenous injection of 4 mg TZD/kg of body weight(BW) daily from 2 wk after initiation of dietary treatments and for 2 additional week. Compared with CON cows and before TZD treatment, the OVE cows had lower concentration of total protein, urea and albumin over time. The concentration of cholesterol and tocopherol was greater after 2 wk of TZD regardless of diet. Before and after TZD, the OVE cows had greater concentrations of AST/GOT, while concentrations of paraoxonase, total protein, globulin, myeloperoxidase, and haptoglobin were lower compared with CON cows. Regardless of diet, TZD administration increased the concentration of ceruloplasmin, ROMt, cholesterol, tocopherol, total protein, globulin, myeloperoxidase and beta-carotene. In contrast,the concentration of haptoglobin decreased at the end of TZD injection regardless of diet. Prior to TZD injection, the mR NA expression of PC, ANGPTL4, FGF21, INSR, ACOX1, and PPARD in liver of OVE cows was lower compared with CON cows. In contrast, the expression of HMGCS2 was greater in OVE compared with CON cows. After 1 wk of TZD administration the expression of IRS1 decreased regardless of diet; whereas, expression of INSR increased after 2 wk of TZD injection. Cows fed OVE had lower overal expression of TNF, INSR, PC, ACOX1, FGF21, and PPARD but greater HMGCS2 expression. These differences were most evident before and after 1 wk of TZD injection, and by 2 wk of TZD differences in expression for most genes disappeared.Conclusions: Based on molecular and blood data, administration of TZD enhanced some aspects of insulin sensitivity while causing contradictory results in terms of inflammation and oxidative stress. The bovine liver is TZD-responsive and level of dietary energy can modify the effects of TZD. Because insulin sensitizers have been proposed as useful tools to manage dairy cows during the transition period, further studies are required to investigate the potential hepatotoxicity effect of TZD(or similar compounds) in dairy cattle.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF THE INTRATEMPORAL FACIAL NERVE IN IDIOPATHIC FACIAL PARALYSIS IN THE DOG

The most common cause of peripheral facial nerve paralysis in dogs, in the absence of otitis media, is thought to be idiopathic. Gadolinium-enhanced (Gd) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been used to study peripheral facial weakness in humans with a wide variety of disorders, including Bell's palsy, the clinical equivalent of idiopathic facial nerve paralysis in dogs. Gd-MR imaging may be useful to demonstrate abnormal enhancement of the intratemporal facial nerve. The aim of this study was to define the role of the Gd-MR imaging in dogs with idiopathic facial nerve paralysis, with regard to pattern of enhancement, and to search for prognostic information. Six dogs with peripheral facial nerve paralysis, followed between 2003 and 2005, were studied. Physical and neurologic examinations, as well as clinical tests, were performed, including routine hematology, serum biochemistry, thyroid screening, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and MR imaging. The time interval between the onset of the clinical signs, the progress of the disease, and the final recovery was noted in each dog. The following four intratemporal segments of the facial nerve were analyzed: internal acoustic meatus, labyrinthine segment/geniculate ganglion, tympanic segment, and mastoid segment. Along its length, contrast enhancement was found in four dogs. In this group, contrast enhancement of the facial nerve was found in all segments of two dogs, in three segments of one dog, and in one segment of the other dog. In the four dogs with enhancement, one recovered completely in 8 weeks and three have not recovered completely. The two dogs without evidence of enhancement recovered completely in an average time of 4 weeks.     

Conidiobolomycosis in sheep in Brazil

Conidiobolomycosis is reported in the state of Piauí, in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. Affected sheep had depression, weight loss, serous or mucohemorrhagic nasal discharge, and cranium-facial asymmetry from exophthalmos of 1 eye, generally with increased volume of the eyeball, keratitis, and corneal ulceration. At necropsy of 60 sheep, friable masses were observed in the posterior region of the nasal cavity, often destroying the ethmoturbinate bones. Frequently, the lesions invaded the nasal sinuses, cribiform plate, orbit, and brain. The masses were irregular, granular with moist surfaces, and soft and friable with white, yellow, or tan coloration. Dissemination of the lesion to lungs was observed in 27 sheep, to the brain in 26, to lymph nodes in 3, to the kidney in 2, and to the gallbladder and heart in 1. The microscopic examination showed granulomatous inflammation composed of central necrosis surrounded by lymphocytes, epithelioid and giant cells, and fibrous tissue. In all lesions, negatively stained structures representing hyphae were surrounded by Splendore-Hoeppli material. Coagulative necrosis, thrombosis, and vasculitis were also observed. Grocott methenamine silver stain showed 8-30-microm-thick hyphae, rarely septate or ramified, irregular in shape, and with black contoured wall, sometimes with bulbous dilatation in the extremities. On electron microscopy, the hyphae had a thick double wall surrounded by cellular remnants and an inflammatory exudate. Conidiobolus coronatus was isolated from the lesions of 6 sheep. Conidiobolomycosis is an important disease of sheep in the state of Piauí, and other regions of northeastern Brazil.