Antimicrobial resistance determinants among anaerobic bacteria isolated from footrot

Antibiotic resistance has been evaluated among 36 Gram negative and anaerobic bacilli (10 Bacteroides, 11 Prevotella, 7 Porphyromonas and 8 Fusobacterium strains) isolated from clinical cases of caprine and ovine footrot (necrotic pododermatitis). The initial analysis on this bacterial consortium evaluates the relationships existing among antimicrobial resistance determinants, phenotype expression and mobilization potential. The Bacteroides strains were generally resistant to penicillins, first-generation cephalosporins, tetracycline and erythromycin, and expressed low level of β-lactamase activity. The main determinants found among the Bacteroides strains were cepA and tetQ genes, conferring resistance to β-lactams and tetracycline, respectively. A general susceptibility to β-lactams was shown for most Prevotella, Porphyromonas and Fusobacterium strains, where none of the β-lactamase genes described in Bacteroides was detected. Resistance to tetracycline and/or erythromycin was found among the three bacterial groups. Although tetQ genes were detected for several Prevotella and Porphyromonas strains, a unique ermF positive was revealed among Prevotella strains. The expression of resistance markers was not related with the polymorphism of their coding sequences. However, the finding of sequence signatures for conjugative transposons in the vicinities of tetQ and ermF suggests a mobilization potential that might have contributed to the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes.     

In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of anaerobic bacteria isolated from caprine footrot

The in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of Gram-negative anaerobic bacilli commonly isolated from footrot in goats was studied. A total of 97 isolates belonging to the genera Dichelobacter, Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Porphyromonas and Bacteroides, obtained from clinical cases of footrot in south-western Spain between March 2000 and May 2001, were tested against 25 antimicrobial agents comprising beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, chloramphenicol, quinolones, lincosamides, sulphonamides and tetracyclines in order to optimise antibiotic treatment of this disease in goats. beta-lactams, tetracyclines and metronidazole displayed the highest in vitro efficacy against the species involved in the pathogenesis of footrot.     

Relationship between the immune response of sheep and the population dynamics of bacteria isolated from fleecerot lesions.

In sheep wetted by rain, proliferation of bacteria in the skin-fleece microenvironment invariably discolours the fleece and causes a dermatitic condition known as fleecerot. The changes in population dynamics of fleece bacteria were analysed by carrying out skin washings at randomly selected sites on the back of sheep before, and at 48 h and 96 h after exposure to rain. Gram-positive rods belonging to Bacillus species (10(2)-10(4) cfu/cm2) predominated in dry fleece. Gram-positive cocci (e.g. Micrococcus and Staphylococcus species) as well as Gram-negative rods (pseudomonads) were also present but in lower abundance (less than 10(2) cfu/cm2). Fleece bacterial populations generally increased in numbers during the first 24-48 h of wetting. By 96 h however, skin washings showed a preponderance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10(4)-10(6) cfu/cm2) and to a lesser extent, pigmented Micrococcus species. Growth of fleece bacteria was associated with a characteristic green or yellow/orange staining of fleece. Fewer species of bacteria were isolated from sheep showing green staining while those animals with yellow/orange discolourations appeared to have a more mixed microflora composition. The predominance of P. aeruginosa in the wet fleece of sheep displaying either green or yellow/orange bacterial stain, was accompanied by a significant serological response against this species. Since skin bacteria have never been observed to penetrate cutaneously in skin sections biopsied from fleecerot sites, it must be concluded that the sheep skin is sensitized by continuous exposure to antigens that are associated with or released by P. aeruginosa.     

Disappearance of ethanol from isolated sheep rumen

The absorption of ethanol from the rumen was studied in three British Milk sheep equipped with a rumen cannula. After removal of the rumen content and washing the forestomachs several times the reticulo-omasal orifice was closed and through the cannula 20 or 60 ml ethanol and 2 ml Cr-EDTA were infused in physiological saline. The entire fluid volume was 3000 ml. At the start of the experiment (0 min) and subsequently in the 5th, 15th, 30th, 45th, 60th and 75th minutes samples were taken from the fluid present in the forestomachs. During the 75-min experiment the amount of ethanol gradually decreased in the rumen. The rate of disappearance varied according to concentration. The graph depicting the change of ruminal ethanol concentration shows a curve typical of passive transport. The equation describing the disappearance of ethanol was y = -0.0474x2 + 5.6544x + 10.869 after the administration of 20 ml ethanol, and y = -0.1377x2 + 19.541x - 24.606 after the infusion of 60 ml ethanol. It was established that ethanol was absorbed through the rumen wall by a passive transport process.     

Survey of Anaplasmataceae bacteria in sheep from Senegal

Purpose

The authors studied the role of bacteria belonging to Anaplasmataceae family as the causes of acute illnesses of sheep in West Africa.

Methods

We examined and sampled 120 febrile sheep in two regions of Senegal for this study. The DNA extracted from these blood samples was tested by PCR using two pairs of primers (groEL-based and 16S rRNA gene-based).

Results

In 52/120 samples, the microscopic examination revealed intraerythrocytic and/or intraphagocytic spherical inclusions. In 48/52 cases, we succeeded in identifying the bacterial agent: in 38 cases, it was Anaplasma ovis; in six cases, it was Ehrlichia ruminantium; in two cases, Anaplasma phagocytophilum; in one case, Anaplasma platys; and in one case, a yet uncultured Anaplasma sp. closely related to A. phagocytophilum.

Conclusions

Our studies demonstrated the great variety of pathogenic bacteria from the Anaplasmataceae family in the blood of clinically ill sheep. A. ovis was identified unexpectedly often. For the first time, A. phagocytophilum was found in sub-Saharan Africa, and its further epidemiology may be now reconsidered. The roles of canine pathogen, A. platys, and yet undescribed Anaplasma sp. “Badiouré” in ovine pathology should be more closely studied.     

A bovine herpesvirus isolated from sheep.

A viral agent was isolated from the trachea of a lamb that was suffering from a respiratory disorder. The physical and chemical properties of the isolates are characteristic of the herpesvirus group. It contains DNA in its virion, is ether sensitive, acid labile at pH 3.0 and heat labile at 56 degrees C after five minutes. The cytopathology observed provided further evidence of a herpesvirus isolate. The neutralization of the infectivity of the isolate with antiserum to bovine herpesvirus 1 is evidence that it should be considered an isolate of bovine herpesvirus 1. It is concluded that this is a report of a bovine herpesvirus infection in sheep.     

Yersinia species isolated from sheep with enterocolitis

In 40 submissions to the Regional Veterinary Laboratory (RVL) Wagga Wagga from sheep in southern New South Wales from 1981 to 1989, 53 isolates of Yersinia sp were recovered from 45 sheep in 37 flocks. Of 53 isolates, 26 were identified as Y. pseudotuberculosis, 20 as Y. enterocolitica, 5 as Y. intermedia and 2 as Y. frederiksenii. Twelve isolates of Y. pseudotuberculosis tested in the slide agglutination test all belonged to serotype III. The 20 Y. enterocolitica isolates were categorised biochemically as biotype 5 strains and, of 6 isolates serotyped, all belonged to serogroup 2,3. Outbreaks of yersiniosis were most common in late winter and early spring and affected flocks often had experienced a change in husbandry. Infection with Yersinia sp was associated with diarrhoea, illthrift and mortality. At necropsy, congestion and occasionally thickening of the intestinal mucosa were observed in affected sheep. Gastrointestinal nematodiasis and coccidiosis often were concurrent findings. The characteristic histological lesion in sheep infected with Y. pseudotuberculosis was acute segmental suppurative erosive enterocolitis. There were no lesions consistently associated with Y. enterocolitica, Y. intermedia or Y. frederiksenii.     

Development of periodontal disease in a single flock of sheep: clinical signs, morphology of subgingival plaque and influence of antimicrobial agents

The clinical development of broken mouth over a single reproductive year and the effect of two broad spectrum antibacterial agents upon it was followed in 72 Scottish Blackface ewes aged between two and three years. Using a number of dental health indices especially developed for the purpose, the amount of gingivitis, tooth movement, gum recession and pocketing were quantified and graphed for both the whole population and each group in the drug trial. All clinical features except movement fluctuated significantly with time, the fluctuations often being associated with nutritional or other environmental factors. Despite the extended use of large doses of two antimicrobial agents no significant reduction in the amount of clinical gingivitis or pocketing was evident.     

犊牛源乳酸菌的筛选及抑菌性能研究

从15日龄健康犊牛的肠道黏膜和食糜分离得到31株革兰氏阳性、无芽孢乳酸菌。通过耐消化道环境筛选得到4株乳酸菌M5、M7、SB1和Z4,在pH=2条件下处理2h后的存活率分别为39.24%、28.08%、44.20%、23.28%,有较强的耐牛胆盐能力,经人工胃液处理后各菌的存活率均可达到30%以上,且活菌数超过108CFU/mL。能抵御体外模拟的胃肠道逆环境的影响,且对大肠杆菌的抑制作用明显,抑菌圈直径为16～21mm。