Fasciola hepatica infection in farmed emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

Objective To describe two cases of infection with Fasciola hepatica i n young farmed emus, subacute and chronic fasci-olosis and a response to treatment of the flock with albenda-zole.
Procedure Gross lesions were found at necropsy and hepatic lesions in microscopic examination. The parasite recovered from one emu was identified by its morphological characteristics and an egg count reduction test was carried out after treatment of the flock with albendazole.
Results Hepatic lesions resembling subacute and chronic fasciolosis of ruminants were identified. An adult fluke was recovered from the liver of one of the birds and was identified as F hepatica . The eggs of the fluke were irregular in shape and size. No fluke eggs were identifiable in faeces of live emus 10 days after treatment of the flock with albendazole at a dose of 10 mg/kg.
Conclusions This is the first reported case of infection with F hepatica i n farmed emus and the first report of the occurrence of Fasciola infection is the class Aves. The irregular shape and size of the eggs may be attributable to infection of an aberrant host. Treatment with albendazole eliminated eggs from the faeces of the flock.     

Serum-gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT) and aspartate-aminotransferase (AspAT) activities in adult cattle with chronic Fasciola hepatica infection

Sera from adult cattle with fluke-infected and normal livers were analyzed for γ-GT and AspAT activities. The analyses revealed no significant increases in either γ-GT or AspAT values of the animals with fascioliasis as compared with the non-infected animals. The advanced chronic stage of the infection characterized by hepatic fibrosis, limited injury of parenchyma and low fluke burdens may explain the lack of enzymatic increase.     

Chemotherapy of infection with Fasciola hepatica in cattle.

Diamphenethide and a mixture of nitroxynil and hexachlorophane, which are effective against Fasciola hepatica in sheep, are effective in cattle if allowance is made for the slower rate of development and the more intense liver reaction which is associated with resistance. Adult parasites are mostly rejected around the time of maturity so that therapy in cattle must be directed against the early developmental stage using an appropriate drug.     

水牛血液与肝组织中cAMP、cGMP与cAMP/cGMP的正常水平及其在感染肝片吸虫后的动态变化

选择２ ～３ 岁,体重３００～４００ ｋｇ 雄性健康去势水牛２０ 头。用放射免疫方法测定水牛血清和肝组织中ｃＡＭＰ和ｃＧＭＰ水平及其在感染肝片吸虫后的动态变化。结果表明：水牛血清ｃＡＭＰ、ｃＧＭＰ、和ｃＡＭＰ／ｃＧＭＰ正常水平分别为（２－１１ ±０．４６） ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ,（０．８２ ±０．０７） ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ和２．２０ ±０．４１ 。肝组织匀浆三者水平值分别为（０－３５±０－０４） ｎｍｏｌ／ｇ,（０－１５ ±０－０１） ｎｍｏｌ／ｇ,２－３８±０－３４。慢性感染条件下,感染后２ ～１１ 周,血清ｃＡＭＰ与ｃＡＭＰ／ｃＧＭＰ在高于对照组的范围内波动,ｃＧＭＰ水平则与对照组相近;肝组织匀浆的ｃＡＭＰ和ｃＧＭＰ均高于对照组。急性感染水牛血清ｃＡＭＰ在感染后３～７ 周期间低于或显著低于对照组,而ｃＧＭＰ在高于对照组波动,ｃＡＭＰ／ｃＧＭＰ比值在感染后１～１５ 周低于对照组;肝组织匀浆中的ｃＧＭＰ显著高于对照组,而ｃＡＭＰ／ｃＧＭＰ则显著低于对照组。结果提示,肝片吸虫感染能导致宿主的ｃＡＭＰ,ｃＧＭＰ和ｃＡＭＰ／ｃＧＭＰ比值紊乱。     

大鼠感染肝片吸虫后某些免疫介质变化的研究

３０只成年大鼠随机分成感染组和对照组，感染组每只习一次口服２５个肝片吸虫囊蚴。通过整体和肝脏离体灌流的方法研究大鼠在感染肝片吸虫后机体免疫功能的变化以及一些免疫介质在抗肝片吸虫和诱导肝损伤中的作用。结果发现，大鼠抗肝片吸虫ＥＳ抗原特异抗体（ＩgＧ）从感染后第２周开始显著升高，第８周回落到与对照组相当水平。感染组大鼠血浆 和肝组织匀浆中ＮＯ水平虽高于对照组，但差异不显著（P〈０．０５），而离体肝脏灌流     

苏皖水牛肝片吸虫和前后盘吸虫感染情况的调查

苏皖两省１０县（市）共调查３０２农户的３０７头水牛,粪便学检查肝片吸虫阳性４３头,阳性率１４．０％,其中安徽的阳性率为１１．６１％（１８／１５５）,江苏阳性率为１６．４８％（２５／１５２）;母牛阳性率为１１．８％,公牛为１１．４％;前后盘吸虫阳性１７０头,阳性率为５５．４％（１７０／３０７）,其中安徽的阳性率为５８．１％（９０／１５５）;江苏的阳性为５２．６％（８０／１５２）,母牛的阳性率为６０．１％（１３７／２２８）,公牛的阳必国４１．８％（３３／７９）,两种吸虫的阳性率均呈现随年龄增加而提高的趋势,经统计学分析,两种吸虫的感染与地形无显著差异（Ｐ〉０．０５）,肝片吸虫的感染与性别、年龄亦无显著差异（Ｐ〉０．０５）,但对前后盘吸虫来说,感染与性别、年龄的差异显著（Ｐ〈０．０５）。而各县间两种吸虫感染则有显著关     

实验感染肝片吸虫山羊血液T、B淋巴细胞比例及激素水平变化

为了深入了解动物感染肝片吸虫后免疫细胞和内分泌活动的变化，将6只健康山羊均分为感染Ⅰ、Ⅱ组及对照组。Ⅰ、Ⅱ组分别一次性口服感染肝片吸虫囊蚴200、500个／只，试验期17周，每周定时采血，测定血浆T、B淋巴细胞比例、皮质醇、胰岛素、甲状腺激素（T3、T4）等。结果表明，Ⅰ、Ⅱ组山羊T淋巴细胞（％）分别从感染后4、6周开始低于或显著低于对照组，直至17周；而淋巴细胞（％）变化与之相反。Ⅰ、Ⅱ组山羊血浆皮质醇变化较大，总体水平高于对照组；T3、T4水平从第4周开始逐渐低于对照组，且在极低的水平上变动；Ⅰ、Ⅱ组胰岛素水平与对照组相近。揭示山羊急性感染肝片吸虫后，内分泌活动紊乱，体内细胞免疫反应抑制，而体液免疫反应增加，表现出山羊对肝片吸虫感染的耐受力和抵抗力较弱的特点。     

一氧化氮（NO）在山羊感染肝片吸虫过程中作用

8～12月龄雄性山羊(n=5)人工感染肝片吸虫后,每周定时颈静脉采血1次,用硝酸还原酶法检测血清中一氧化氮(NO)的动态变化,并观察了NO与IgG抗体、嗜酸性粒细胞(EOS)之间的相关性.结果,山羊在感染后第1周,NO含量明显低于对照组,第2～6周或高或低呈波动趋势,自第6周后明显高于对照组,其中第7～8周达高峰,即(93.73±17.233)μmol/L,第7周与对照组相比P<0.01,第8、10周P<0.05;IgG抗体用间接ELISA最早在感染后第2周就可检出,并从第4周起保持高水平,第8～9周达到最高峰,血清中NO含量与IgG水平的相关系数为r＝0.511(P<0.05),而对照组的NO与IgG相关系数为r＝0.25(P>0.05);感染山羊在整个试验期间的EOS明显升高,其中第8周达峰值(P<0.01).本试验结果表明,NO、IgG和EOS在山羊感染肝片吸虫过程中的变化趋势基本一致并呈正相关,且与虫体在宿主体内的移行、发育密切关联,显示NO、IgG和EOS共同参与宿主抗肝片吸虫感染的作用.     

Evaluation of a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting antibodies to Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica in cattle, sheep and buffaloes in Australia

A commercially available ELISA for detecting antibodies to liver fluke was evaluated for use in Australia. Milk and serum samples from cattle and sheep in which infection with Fasciola hepatica was confirmed by detection of eggs in faeces were used to estimate sensitivity. Similar samples collected from cattle and sheep outside the F. hepatica-endemic area were used to estimate specificity. The ELISA was also evaluated for detecting antibodies to F. hepatica in milk from sheep and antibodies to Fasciola gigantica in sera from cattle and buffaloes, but with small numbers of samples. In cattle, the sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA were 98.2% and 98.3% using serum and 97.7% and 99.3% using milk. In infected herds, 41.4% and 41.5% of animals were positive in the serum and milk ELISAs, respectively, whereas F. hepatica eggs were found in faecal samples from 26.5% of animals. In sheep, the sensitivity of the ELISA was 96.9% and the specificity was 99.4%. In infected flocks, 60.2% of animals were positive in the serum ELISA and F. hepatica eggs were found in faecal samples 52.2% of animals. There was perfect agreement in the ELISA between paired serum and milk samples collected from ewes. The assay detected antibodies in sera from cattle and buffaloes with natural and experimental F. gigantica infections. In the experimentally infected animals, antibodies were detected 2 weeks post-infection. We conclude that the ELISA will be a valuable tool for diagnosing F. hepatica infections in cattle and sheep. The assay may also be useful for diagnosing F. gigantica infections but further studies are required to establish sensitivity and specificity.     

Herd evaluation of Fasciola hepatica infection levels in Louisiana cattle by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was evaluated as a method of determining relative immunoconversion rates in calves and how immunoconversion rates and strength of optical density values correlate with prevalence of Fasciola hepatica fecal egg shedding. Ten to 55 calves and cows were examined from each of 10 separate beef cattle herds in central and southern Louisiana. Infection prevalence rates for calves averaged 8% higher when ELISA optical density values were used than those when fecal egg count data were used. Of 55 calves in 8 herds that were ELISA positive, 39 were shedding F hepatica eggs; of 53 calves that were shedding eggs, 14 were ELISA negative. Significant correlation of calf fecal and ELISA prevalence was observed for 8 herds by linear regression analysis. A chi 2 analysis showed that calf ELISA and fecal egg shedding data were not independent. Results indicate that positive ELISA reactions for as few as 10 to 15 calves from the fall calf crop of a given herd are sufficiently accurate to be used to assess F hepatica herd infection rates, the likelihood of liver condemnations at feedlot destinations, and variation between individual farms in fascioliasis infection risk. The test was less valuable as a diagnostic test when used in adult animals previously exposed to F hepatica or on an individual animal basis.     

肝片形吸虫与巨片形吸虫的DNA和氨基酸含量的分析

本文对肝片形吸虫和巨片形吸虫进行了组织化学探讨。结果表明：肝片形吸虫和巨片形吸虫的ＤＮＡ含量不同，二者比值为２：３，且所含１７种氨基酸种类相同，含量却不相同，某些氨基酸含量差别很大。     

小鼠感染肝片吸虫早期IL-4/IFN-γ及M2巨噬细胞标记分子的变化

为弄清肝片吸虫感染早期的主要细胞免疫类型及选择性激活巨噬细胞(M2或AAMΦ)标记分子的变化,本试验采用肝片吸虫囊蚴为感染源,经口分别感染雌性BALB/c野生型小鼠,运用特异性PCR鉴定成功感染小鼠后用间接ELISA对腹腔中IL-4和IFN-γ的水平进行测定,并对细胞因子IL-4、转录因子GATA3和M2的标记蛋白Relm a、Ym1分子的mRNA进行荧光定量PCR检测.结果显示,在感染后1,3,5,7周,从所获取肝脏组织中扩增的ITS2片段条带清晰,大小正确,测序后确定为肝片吸虫ITS2序列,表明肝片吸虫感染成功.对腹腔中IL-4和IFN-γ的水平测定表明感染组IL-4在感染后1,3,5周比对照组的显著增加(P=0.013,P＜0.01,P=0.02),但在第7周时无显著差异.IL-4的水平显著高于IFN-γ(P=0.011),而在第7周两者间无显著差异;对腹腔中IL-4、GATA3、Relm α和Ym1 mRNA水平的测定结果表明,感染后IL-4和GATA3 mRNA水平在第3周达到最高峰;于感染后1,3,5,7周,IL-4和GATA3 mRNA水平都分别显著高于对照组(IL4:P=0.01,P=0.012,P=0.023,P=0.014;GATA3:P=0.011,P＜0.01,P=0.032,P=0.014),但IL-4和GATA3间无显著差异;Relm α和Ym1mRNA水平都分别显著高于对照组(Relm α:P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P=0.011;Ym1:P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P=0.012),且二者间无显著差异,并随时间推移mRNA水平都呈下降趋势,于第7周达到最低水平.本研究成功利用肝片吸虫-小鼠模型研究蠕虫感染早期细胞免疫类型及M2标记分子的变化,发现在肝片吸虫感染小鼠早期主要引起Th2为主的细胞免疫.IL-4和M2巨噬细胞标记分子Relm α和Ym1在感染后1,3,5,7周都显著增加且具有相似的变化趋势,但nelmα和Ym1在第1周的高表达可能受诸多因素的影响还有待深入研究.     

Risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium parvum infection in cattle

A 2-year, cross-sectional study was conducted to identify risk factors for Cryptosporidium sp. infection in bovine farms in central Italy. Faecal samples were collected on 248 farms, from 2024 calves and analysed using ELISA and immunofluorescent assay (IFA) commercial kits. In all 101 samples confirmed to be positive with IFA, the aetiological agent was identified as Cryptosporidium parvumand a large genetic variability was detected by subtype analysis. The prevalence of farm infection ranged from 3.4% to 35.6%. Univariate analysis showed a number of putative risk factors, including the type of farm, stalling of calves, late supply of colostrum, number of heads and contact between calves and adults. However, multivariate analysis confirmed that the higher risk for calves was associated with housing calves separately from their dams, a characteristic practice of dairy herd, whereas calves being nursed by their dams, a characteristic of cow-calf herd resulted as a protective factor.     

Novel Propionibacterium infection in cattle

OBJECTIVE: To describe four cases of infection in cattle, from geographically different places, with a presumptive new species of Propionibacterium, which causes granulomatous lesions in the head, thorax, abdomen, pelvic area and skin. PROCEDURE: Gross lesions, ranging from 0.5 to 15 cm and detected during routine carcase inspection at the abattoir, were submitted to the laboratory for routine testing in the National Granuloma Submission Program. The bacterium isolated was identified using morphological characteristics, biochemical reactions, cell wall components, products of fermentation and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: Gross lesions submitted for examination consisted of a fibrous outer capsule enclosing thick yellow pus-like material. A Gram-Glynn stain of the histological sections revealed colonies of Gram-positive, filamentous, branching bacteria. Bacteriological culture, cell wall analysis, biochemical reactions and 16S rRNA sequencing identified the organism as a Propionibacterium sp closely related to P cyclohexanicum and the P freudenreichii cluster. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a Propionibacterium sp closely related to P cyclohexanicum and the P freudenreichii cluster associated with extensive granulomatous lesions in cattle in Queensland. Sequencing data are suggestive of a previously undescribed species of the Propionibacterium genus.     

Climatic factors associated with the infection of herds of cattle with bluetongue viruses

The incidence of bluetongue virus infection of 15 cattle herds in Queensland, Australia, was determined by a serum neutralization test. The maximum temperature (°C), minimum temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm) data were obtained from the meteorological recording stations closest to each herd. Using unweighted least-squares regression analysis, the best statistical model explaining the most variability in the herd incidence rate included the ratio between the maximum and minimum temperature recorded at both 1 month and 6 months preceding seroconversion, and rainfall recorded at both 2 months and 6 months preceding seroconversion. More than 90% of the variability in the incidence of bluetongue virus infection in the herds was explained by the model, a considerable improvement on previous models that used prevalence data. The prospective nature of the study also supports a strong causal relationship between climatic factors and the occurrence of infection in cattle herds.Abbreviations SN serum neutralization - R _infa ^sup2 adjusted coefficient of multiple determination - AIC Akaike's information criterion - FPE Akaike's final prediction error - PRESS predicted sum of squares     

Anti-lipopolysaccharide antibody administration mitigates ruminal lipopolysaccharide release and depression of ruminal pH during subacute ruminal acidosis challenge in Holstein bull cattle

The effects of anti-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antibody on rumen fermentation and LPS activity were investigated during subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) challenge. Eleven Holstein cattle (164 ± 14 kg) were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. Cattle were fed a roughage diet on days −11 to −1 (pre-challenge) and day 2 (post-challenge), and a high-grain diet on days 0 and 1 (SARA challenge). For 14 days, 0-, 2-, or 4-g of anti-LPS antibody was administered once daily through a rumen fistula. Ruminal pH was measured continuously, and rumen fluid and blood samples were collected on days −1, 0, 1, and 2. Significantly lower ruminal LPS activity on day 1 was observed in the 2- and 4-g groups than those in the 0-g group. In addition, significantly higher 1-hr mean ruminal pH on SARA challenge period (days 0 and 1) was identified in the 4-g group than in the 0-g group. However, rumen fermentation measurements (total volatile fatty acid [VFA], VFA components, NH₃-N and lactic acid) and peripheral blood metabolites (glucose, free fatty acid, beta-hydroxybutyrate, total cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase) were not different among the groups during the experimental periods. Therefore, anti-LPS antibody administration mitigates LPS release and pH depression without the depression of rumen fermentation and peripheral blood metabolites during SARA challenge in Holstein cattle.