A study of manatee leukocytes using peroxidase stain

Leukocytes of the manatee, dog, cat, horse, rabbit, bird, and human were stained with modified Wright-Giemsa stain and myeloperoxidase stain. The predominant segmented leukocyte of the manatee stained positive for myeloperoxidase in a manner similar to the human, dog, cat, and horse neutrophil. Rabbit and bird heterophils stained unlike the manatee predominant leukocyte with myeloperoxidase stain. Eosinophils of all species examined also stained differently from the predominant manatee leukocyte. We conclude that the predominant segmented cell type of the manatee is not biochemically similar to the heterophil of the bird and rabbit or to the eosinophil of the human, dog, cat, horse, bird, and rabbit.     

Bovine reaginic antibody III. Cross-reaction of antihuman IgE and antibovine reaginic immunoglobulin antisera with sera from several species of mammals.

Using antisera specific for the heavy chain of human IgE and bovine reaginic immunoglobulin, the degree of cross-reaction amongst sera from pig, rat, rabbit, guinea pig, goat, cow, horse, dog, cat and human was tested. Antihuman IgE antiserum gave strong reactions with pig, rabbit, cow, goat and human sera (100% to 15.1%) and weak reactions with rat, guinea pig, horse, dog and cat sera (10.1% to 3.22%). Antibovine reagin antiserum produced a considerable amount of cross-reaction with sera from pig, rat, rabbit, goat, horse and human (43.6% to 20.1%) with limited reactions with guinea pig, dog and cat sera (13.9% to 9.3%).     

Reactivity of eleven anti-human leucocyte monoclonal antibodies with lymphocytes from several domestic animals

Nine commercially available monoclonal antibodies and two monoclonal antibodies from The American Type Culture Collection, raised against various human leucocyte surface antigens, were tested on lymphocytes from cow, sheep, goat, swine, horse, cat, dog, mink, and rabbit as well as man. Four antibodies bound to lymphocytes from some of the animals. These were the antibodies against CD8 and CD4 antigen, the antibody to C3b-receptor, and the antibody to the HLA-DR antigen. The CD8 antigen-reactive antibody reacted with lymphocytes from mink, cat, dog, and sheep, while the CD4 antigen-reactive antibody reacted with lymphocytes from mink. The anti-C3b-R antibody reacted with lymphocytes from horse, swine, dog, and cat, and the anti-HLA-DR reacted with lymphocytes from cow, goat, sheep, horse, dog, cat, and mink.     

Tritrichomonas foetus: a scanning electron microscopy study of erythrocyte adhesion associated with hemolytic activity

The in vitro hemolytic activity of Tritrichomonas foetus was investigated. The parasite was tested against human erythrocytes of groups A, B, AB, and O, and against erythrocytes of nine adult animals of different species (the rabbit, rat, chicken, cat, dog, swine, horse, bovine, and sheep). The results showed that T. foetus strains (ATCC KV1, K, PAL, 5022, RJ, 90) did not present any hemolytic activity against any human erythrocyte group nor against rabbit, rat, chicken, cat, dog and swine erythrocytes. T. foetus strains, however, lysed horse, bovine, and sheep erythrocytes. No hemolysin released by the parasites could be identified. Hemolysis did not occur with trichomonad culture supernatants, with sonicated extracts of T. foetus, nor with killed organisms. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that human erythrocytes did not adhere to the trophozoites, in contrast horse erythrocytes adhered to the surface of the parasites and were phagocytosed for up to 90 min. The parasites are able to exert their cytopathic effects through: (a) physical contact established between the two cell surfaces, (b) toxins released from parasites into the interaction media, or (c) the association of both mechanisms. Further studies are necessary to clarify the importance of the hemolytic activity in the biology of T. foetus.     

Chitin synthase 1 (Chs1) gene sequences of Microsporum equinum and Trichophyton equinum

Chitin synthase 1 (Chs1) genes from Microsporum equinum and Trichophyton equinum were compared with those of the other dermatophytes. The Chs1 nucleotide sequences of these dermatophytes from horses showed more than 80% similarity to those of Arthroderma benhamiae, A. fulvum, A. grubyi, A. gypseum, A. incruvatum, A. otae, A. simii, A. vanbreuseghemii, Epidermophyton floccosum, T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (T. interdigitale), T. rubrum and T. violaceum. Especially high degree of nucleotide sequence similarity of more than 99% was noted between the Chs1 gene fragments of M. equinum and A. otae, and those of T. equinum, T. interdigitale and A. vanbreuseghemii, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of their sequences revealed that M. equinum was genetically very close to A. otae and T. equinum to A. vanbreuseghemii. A molecular analysis of Chs1 genes will provide useful information for the genetic relatedness of M. equinum and T. equinum and confirm the value of DNA sequencing in identification of these two dermatophytes.     

Isolation and culture of preantral follicles for retrieving oocytes for the embryo production: present status in domestic animals

The development of efficient ovarian preantral follicle (PF) isolation and culture systems provide a large number of oocytes for the manipulation and embryo production. It also helps for understanding the mechanisms of follicle and oocyte development. Isolation and culture protocols for PFs were developed for many domestic species like cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pig, horse, camel, dog and cats; however, embryo production from oocytes derived from in vitro grown PFs was reported only in pigs, buffalo, sheep and goat. The rate of oocyte maturation from PFs grown in vitro is low and requires considerable research. This paper presents an overview of isolation and culture systems of PFs that have been developed for domestic species (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pigs, horse, camel, dog and cat) along with the current status of progress achieved in the direction of producing embryos using PFs as the source of oocyte in these species.     

Dermatophytes isolated from domestic and feral animals

In work over a period of 8 years, dermatophytes were recovered from 12 animal species in the North Island of New Zealand. A total of 552 dermatophytes were isolated and belonged to the Microsporum (6 species) and Trichophyton (6 species) genera.

Some unusual isolations are reported: Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes were recovered from calves; Microsporum distortum from a dog, which was the first known isolation from an animal in the North Island; four horses, from the same stable, yielded Microsporum equinum which has not previously been recorded in this country; Trichophyton erinacei was recovered from lesions on a cat which is the first report of the dermatophyte from an animal other than the dog, hedgehog or man; Trichophyton equinum var. autotrophicum was a rare isolation from a dog.

Species affinity was demonstrated with the dermatophytes M. canis; M. nanum; M. equinum; T. equinum; and T. verrucosum. These zoophilic species appear to be passed between individuals of the same species, with occasional infection in man and other animal species. T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes had a wider distribution, being isolated from dogs, cats, guinea-pigs and rats. The infection in rats was subclinical.

The geophilic species M. cookei, T. ajelloiand and T. terrestre were recorded but not regarded as being pathogenic. M. gypseum was significant in cases involving dogs, horses and a cat, as arthrospores were seen invading the affected hairs.     

Coronavirus-like Particles in the Feces of a Cat with Diarrhea

Coronavirus-like particles were visualized in the feces of a young domestic shorthair female cat with diarrhea. On the surface projections, these particles could be distinguished from the enteric coronavirus-like particles of human, dog, cattle and monkey origin. They appeared morphologically similar to a feline enteric coronavirus recently described by other authors. A precipitin antigen was detected in the cat feces by counterimmunoelectroosmophoresis using a rabbit antibovine coronavirus serum.     

Application of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase procedure to the localization of pituitary hormones and calcitonin in various domestic animals and human beings

Specific cell populations in the pituitary glands of the rat, cat, pig, and human being were positive for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). When reacted with prediluted rabbit anti-human TSH, LH, and FSH, antisera were not positive for the demonstration of these hormones in the horse, cow, or dog. Immunocytochemical staining was obtained in the horse, cow, and dog by the use of a primary antiserum against a specific beta-subunit of bovine TSH. The immunocytochemical staining of TSH, LH, FSH, adrenocorticotropic hormone, growth hormone, prolactin, and calcitonin was examined by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method, using standard commercially available kits. All species examined had a strong positive reaction in specific pituitary cell populations for adrenocorticotropic hormone, growth hormone, and prolactin. Sections of normal thyroid gland tissue had positive staining of C cells containing calcitonin at the dilution of 1:100 of the primary antibody in the rat, horse, cow, dog, cat, pig, and human being.     

THE ROLE OF WILD ANIMALS IN THE SPREAD OF EXOTIC DISEASES IN AUSTRALIA

The distributions of the following feral animals are given -- cattle, buffalo, pig, goat, deer, camel, horse, donkey, fox, dog and cat -- and the native dingo. The possible role these and the native rodents, marsupials and monotremes would play should an exotic disease of livestock enter Australia is discussed. It is considered that feral animals would be important in creating foci from which the disease would spread.     

Equine phacoclastic uveitis: the clinical manifestations, light microscopic findings, and therapy of 7 cases

This retrospective clinical study describes the clinical manifestations, light microscopic findings, and diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic lens rupture in the horse. Rupture of the lens capsule in the horse usually results in a chronic, blinding inflammation (phacoclastic uveitis) unless prompt surgical and medical therapies are implemented. The clinical manifestations of acute lens capsule rupture included: cataract; intralenticular displacement of iridal pigment; lens cortical fragments attached to the perforated lens capsule, iris, and corneal endothelium; miosis; aqueous flare; and usually a corneal or scleral perforation with ulceration or focal full thickness corneal edema and scarring. The clinical signs of chronic phacoclastic uveitis include blindness, phthisis bulbi, and generalized corneal opacification related to scarring, vascularization, pigmentation, and edema. In one horse, acute phacoclastic uveitis was successfully treated with phacoemulsification to remove the ruptured lens and medical therapy to control the accompanying inflammation. The affected eyes of the horses with chronic phacoclastic uveitis were enucleated because of persistent clinical signs of nonulcerative keratitis and uveitis, despite long-term medical management. The clinical manifestations and lack of improvement with medical therapy are similar in the horse, dog, cat, and rabbit. However, the histologic findings in equine phacoclastic uveitis differ significantly from those in the dog, and rabbit.     

Isolation of reoviruses from mink]

In this first report of the isolation of reovirus from mink, isolates were obtained from 18 to 26 young mink with viral enteritis, by using cultures of cat kidney cells. The isolated also produced cytopathic changes in cell cultures of mink kidney, dog kidney, piglet kidney, calf kidney, bovine embryonic kidney and calf testis. A characteristic feature was the formation of eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the cytoplasma of culture cells. Haemagglutination tests were negative with erythrocytes from cat, rabbit, pig, horse and cattle. Attempts to infect old and young mink, kittens and ferrets with tissue culture material failed. It was not known to what extent this second infection with reovirus influenced the course of mink viral enteritis.     

Presence of opioid growth factor and its receptor in the normal dog,cat and horse cornea

Objective To determine if opioid growth factor (OGF, [Met⁵]enkephalin) and its specific receptor (OGFr) are present in normal cat, dog and horse cornea. Animals studied Normal dog, cat and horse. Procedure Corneas were obtained from animals euthanized for reasons unrelated to this project. One cornea from each of three normal cats, dogs and horses was evaluated. The right or left cornea from each animal was chosen randomly. Corneas were harvested and placed in corneal storage media for transport to The M.S. Hershey Medical Center of The Pennsylvania State University where immunocytochemistry techniques were used to demonstrate the presence and location of OGF and OGFr. Tissues were rinsed in Sorenson's phosphate buffer, immersed in 20% sucrose in buffer and then snap frozen in isopentane. Corneas were then embedded in OCT medium and 15 µm cryostat sections were created. Presence of OGF was determined by using a polyclonal antibody to [Met⁵]enkephalin and assessing immunoreactivity. OGFr presence was determined by using a previously characterized rabbit polyclonal antibody to the receptor. Results OGF and OGFr were identified in large quantities in the corneal epithelium of all three species. Conclusion Opioid growth factor and its specific receptor are present in the corneal epithelium of normal cats, dogs and horses. OGF is present in the cornea of many species and its presence is theorized to inhibit healing of injured tissue.     

Sonographic diagnosis of early pregnancy in horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, dogs and cats. Standard values and limitations

Ultrasonography allows early and reliable pregnancy detection in several domestic animals. Transrectal sonography can be recommended in horses and cattle, transrectal or transcutaneous procedures in sheep, goats and pigs while transcutaneous ultrasound scanning is appropriate in dogs and cats. Three periods of time can be distinguished in the diagnosis of early pregnancy by ultrasound: the earliest phase, where signs of pregnancy can be found in some cases, but accuracy of diagnosis is very low; the succeeding period, where reliable diagnosis is possible, but results are often difficult to achieve and examination can be time consuming; the third phase in which ultrasound diagnosis is very accurate even under practice conditions and can be efficiently carried out on a large scale basis in breeding management. To achieve high accuracy in determining pregnancies a suitable ultrasound scanner with a good image quality and considerable expertise are required. Under field conditions ultrasonic pregnancy diagnosis should be possible: from Day 14 in the horse, from Day 25-28 in cattle, from Day 25 (transrectal), resp. 35 (transcutaneous) in sheep, goats and swine and from Day 24-25 (transcutaneous) in the dog and cat. Before this period of time reliable diagnosis is sometimes possible: between Day 11 and 13 in the horse, between Day 20 and 25 in cattle, between Day 20 and 25 (transrectal), resp. between Day 30 and 35 (transcutaneous) in sheep and goats, between Day 20 and 25 (transrectal) and Day 22 and 35 (transcutaneous) in swine and between Day 19-20 and 24-25 in the dog and cat. Earlier sonographic indications of pregnancy are not sufficiently reliable for large scale accurate pregnancy diagnosis.     

Molecular identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in animal and human hosts from the Czech Republic

To study the diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in various hosts, we used the variability of the small-subunit rRNA gene and the Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein genes. Oocysts from humans, cattle, horses, dogs, field mice, chickens, reptiles, deer, goat, cat, antelope and from a sample of water reservoir were assayed. The zoonotic C. parvum bovine genotype sequence was found to be present in the most of isolates. This study shows a complex epidemiology pattern for C. parvum bovine genotype infections. The identification of cattle, horse, and deer isolates emphasizes a transmission route for C. parvum via these hosts, and identifies a potential source for human infection in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, C. andersoni from a cow, C. baileyi from a chicken, C. felis from a cat, C. meleagridis from a dog, and C. saurophilum and C. serpentis from reptiles were also identified in the isolates from the Czech Republic.     

Detection of parvoviruses in dogs using the hemagglutination test

The haemagglutination activity of the causal agent of canine parvovirosis is described. Out of the tested erythrocytes of pig, monkey, cat, horse, cattle, sheep, rabbit and guinea-pig, a positive reaction was recorded only in the erythrocytes of pig and monkey at the temperature of 4 degrees C. As a result of the examination of 20 faeces samples of hospitalized dogs by the method of haemagglutination reaction, a positive reaction typical of canine parvovirosis was obtained in 17 cases. The specificity of the reaction was confirmed by antiserum against the virus of panleucopenia of cat in the haemagglutination-inhibition test.     

Detection of staphylo-coagulase using plasmas from various animals

The effect of sources of Staphylococcus aureus and plasmas, concentration of plasma, temperature and duration of incubation on coagulase-test results was evaluated. Using S. aureus strains of food origin, the value of plasmas in coagulase tests was, in order of superiority, human and rabbit greater than pig greater than donkey greater than chicken greater than cattle greater than duck greater than goat greater than dog. However, with staphylococcal isolates of animal origin the order was cattle greater than pig greater than human greater than duck greater than goat greater than dog greater than rabbit greater than chicken greater than donkey. Regardless of the source of staphylococci, horse plasma was found unsuitable in coagulase tests as it clotted spontaneously. The temperature (25 and 37 degrees C), and duration of incubation and type of anticoagulant had no significant (P greater than 0.05, X2) effect on coagulase-test results. It is concluded that in testing staphylococcal isolates from various sources for coagulase production, it is imperative to use plasmas from several animal species whenever practicable as staphylococcal biotypes display variable ability to coagulate different plasmas.     

Complement "specificity" and interchangeability: measurement of hemolytic complement levels and use of the complement-fixation test with sera from common domesticated animals.

The results from studies to measure lytic complement (C') in sera of different animal species were reviewed. The traditional system, using sheep red blood cells (RBC) and rabbit antibody, was confirmed as the most sensitive to measure C' levels in man, monkey, dog, guinea pig, and rat serums. Sera C' from horse, cow, and sheep were found to be best assayed using rabbit RBC, whereas C' from goat, cat, and rabbit were best assayed with human RBC. Antibodies and C' from the same species usually mediated lysis of foreign RBC, but this lysis occurred more readily with some RBC targets than with others and may be associated with the presence of natural antibodies in the test sera. The effects of the species origin of a C' source in immunologic reactions in vitro and in vivo are discussed.     

Comparative molecular characterization of Forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) gene of swamp-type (Bubalus carabanensis) and riverine-type (Bubalus bubalis) water buffaloes

FoxP3 is a forkhead family member that plays an important role in the development and function of a type of CD4 + T cell called T regulatory cells. Molecular characterization of FoxP3 gene in swamp- and riverine-type water buffaloes was conducted to determine its homology and compare it to the FoxP3 gene of other animal species (cattle, goat, sheep, horse, pig, cat, and dog), determine its unique characteristics in water buffaloes, and provide a reference for future studies to analyze its immunological function. FoxP3 nucleotide sequence of swamp- and riverine-type water buffaloes was 99% identical, whereas its protein translation revealed 97% homology. FoxP3 of swamp- and riverine-type water buffaloes were compared to FoxP3 of other animal species and revealed a high degree of homology which suggests that they may have the same biological properties. This study is the first report that describes the genetic characteristic of FoxP3 gene in water buffalo.     

Allometric scaling of orbifloxacin disposition in nine mammal species: a retrospective analysis

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between pharmacokinetic parameters and body weight (W) for orbifloxacin using reported pharmacokinetic data. The parameters of interest: clearance (Cl), volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) and elimination half-life were correlated across nine mammal species, including cattle, dog, rat, rabbit, goat, camel, horse, cat and sheep as a function of W using the conventional allometric equation Y = aW(b), where Y is the pharmacokinetic parameter, W is the body weight, a is the allometric coefficient (intercept) and b is the exponent that describes the relationship between the pharmacokinetic parameter and W. Our estimates (Cl=4.40 W(1.03); Vss=1.10W(1.05)) indicated that the increase in these parameters with W approximates a linear power relationship with slopes being very close to one. Overall, the results of this study indicated that it is possible to use allometry to predict pharmacokinetic variables of orbifloxacin based on W of mammal species.