Serological analysis of Chlamydophila abortus in Australian sheep and implications for the rejection of breeder sheep for export

Objective   To examine the incidence of positive results in a complement fixation test (CFT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Chlamydophila abortus in Australian sheep and how this incidence differs with state of origin, age, sex, breed and property. To examine the consequences in relation to rejection of breeder sheep for export.
Design   Collection of blood samples from 891 sheep on 109 properties in southern Australia. All samples had a unique, coded property identification.
Procedure   The samples were tested using the Institut Pourquier Chlamydophila abortus antibody ELISA (rELISA) and a CFT. Residual maximum likelihood analyses of the sample to positive ratio of the corrected optical density for the rELISA and generalised linear mixed model analyses of the CFT outcomes were carried out.
Results   The sample to positive ratio of the corrected optical density values of the rELISA did not differ between sex, age, breed or state of origin, but differed greatly between properties. The CFT outcome did not differ between age, breed or state of origin, but differed greatly between properties and was more often positive with rams than with ewes.
Conclusion   Positive outcomes to C. abortus antibody tests are very common in Australia. Rams have a particularly high incidence of positive results with the CFT. Rejection of sheep and property consignments is likely to be very common with all tests and situations examined except for the CFT (at 1:32 dilution) in ewes.     

Naphthalophos combinations with benzimidazoles or levamisole as effective anthelmintics for sheep

Objective: To investigate the relative efficacy and safety of the anthelmintic naphthalophos in sheep, either given alone or in combination with benzimidazole (fenbendazole and albendazole) or levamisole anthelmintics.
Design: A parasitological study using faecal egg count reduction tests, a validating slaughter trial and field safety trials.
Procedure: Faecal egg count reduction tests were carried out on 13 farms. Naphthalophos and combinations of naphthalophos with levamisole and fenbendazole were included in the drench tests. On one property a controlled efficacy study was carried out to validate faecal egg count reduction test findings. In this trial, sheep were slaughtered 10 days after treatment and the remaining parasites recovered from the gastro-intestinal tract. Safety trials were carried out on eight farms where approximately 50 000 sheep were treated with naphthalophos and albendazole that were tank mixed in the backpack.
Results: The efficacy of naphthalophos alone in faecal egg count reduction tests ranged from 59 to 98% with one test showing 95% reduction. The efficacy of naphthalophos and levamisole ranged from 74 to 100%, with 5 farms showing 95% reduction. The efficacy of naphthalophos and fenbendazole ranged between 88 and 100% with 95% reduction achieved on 10 farms. The controlled efficacy study showed a good correlation between the faecal egg count reduction tests and numbers of parasites recovered, except for Nematodirus where the faecal egg count reduction tests overestimated efficacy. The mortality rate in the safety trials was 0.05%, with most fatalities occurring on one farm.
Conclusion: The combination of naphthalophos and fenbendazole was more effective than a combination of naphthalophos and levamisole, and will provide a sufficiently safe drench rotation option.     

Cytopathological and histopathological diagnosis of canine splenic disorders

Objectives To determine (1) the common types of canine splenic disorders, and the breeds affected, that are diagnosed by cytopathological and histopathological examination in Sydney, Australia and (2) the accuracy of cytopathological examination compared with histopathological examination for the diagnosis of canine splenic disorders. Design 69 cytopathological and 51 histopathological diagnoses of canine splenic disorders presented to the Veterinary Pathology Diagnostic Services, The University of Sydney during 2006 and 2007 were tabulated and analysed; 17 cases examined both cytopathologically and histopathologically during 2001–07 were also analysed. Results The most common cytopathological diagnoses were benign disorders of growth, vascular disturbances and necrosis (29%), followed by no abnormalities detectable (28%), malignant neoplasms (20%), equivocal diagnoses (20%) and inflammatory disorders (3%). The most common breeds were Kelpie crosses and mixed breeds. The most common histopathological diagnoses were benign disorders of growth, vascular disturbances and necrosis (49%), followed by malignant neoplasms (43%) and inflammatory disorders (8%). The most common breeds were German Shepherd Dogs, Boxers and Maltese Terriers. Cytopathological and histopathological diagnoses were in complete agreement in 59% of cases, partial agreement in 29% and disagreement in 12%. Conclusion Benign disorders of growth, vascular disturbances and necrosis were the most commonly diagnosed canine splenic disorders, both cytopathologically and histopathologically. Kelpie crosses presented most frequently for cytopathological examination. German Shepherd Dogs were the most common breed diagnosed histopathologically with haemangiosarcoma. Although cytopathological and histopathological splenic examinations are complementary for diagnosis, this study has shown a high correlation for complete and partial agreement between the two.     

Two anatomic resources of canine pelvic limb muscles based on CT and MRI

Advances in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and three-dimensional (3D) modeling software provide the tools necessary to create sophisticated, interactive anatomic resources that can assist in the interpretation of MR images of extremities, and learning the structure and function of limb musculature. Modeling provides advantages over dissection or consultation of print atlases because of the associated speed, flexibility, 3D nature, and elimination of superimposed arrows and labels. Our goals were to create a diagnostic atlas of pelvic limb muscles that will facilitate interpretation of MR images of patients with muscle injury and to create a 3D model of the canine pelvic limb musculature to facilitate anatomic learning. To create these resources, we used structural segmentation of MR images, a process that groups image pixels into anatomically meaningful regions. The Diagnostic Atlas is an interactive, multiplanar, web-based MR atlas of the canine pelvic limb musculature that was created by manually segmenting clinically analogous MR sequences. Higher resolution volumetric MR and computed tomography (CT) data were segmented into separately labeled volumes of data and then transformed into a multilayered 3D computer model. The 3D Model serves as a resource for students of gross anatomy, encouraging integrative learning with its highly interactive and selective display capabilities. For clinicians, the 3D Model also serves to bridge the gap between topographic and tomographic anatomy, displaying both formats alongside, or even superimposed over each other. Both projects are hosted on an open-access website, http://3dvetanatomy.ncsu.edu/     

Tick-borne fever caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Germany: first laboratory confirmed case in a dairy cattle herd

Four cows from North-West Germany have been diagnosed with tick-borne fever (TBF) based on the demonstration of morulae in neutrophilic granulocytes in their blood smears, positive signals in real-time PCR specific for Anaplasma phagocytophilum using DNA extracted from their buffy coats, and demonstration of specific antibodies in their sera using a commercially available immunofluorescence assay. Clinical findings included high fever, decreased milk production, lower limb edema with stiff walking, eye and nasal discharge, and depression. These signs developed about a week after the animals had been brought to the pasture for the first time in their life. All cows recovered after 5-15 days, although DNA of A.phagocytophilum could be detected by real-time PCR up to 6 weeks after onset of the disease. Considering the known prevalences of A.phagocytophilum in ticks in Germany and its detection in dogs and horses, we think that underdiagnosing of TBE in cattle is highly likely. Therefore TBF should be taken into account as differential diagnosis in case of high fever and/or a sudden decrease in milk production in pastured animals.     

Oral vaccination of brushtail possums with BCG: Investigation into factors that may influence vaccine efficacy and determination of duration of protection

AIMS: To determine factors that may influence the efficacy of an oral pelleted vaccine containing Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) to induce protection of brushtail possums against tuberculosis. To determine the duration of protective immunity following oral administration of BCG.

METHODS: In Study 1, a group of possums (n=7) was immunised by feeding 10 pellets containing dead Pasteur BCG, followed 15 weeks later with a single pellet of live Pasteur BCG. At that time, four other groups of possums (n=7 per group) were given a single pellet of live Pasteur BCG orally, a single pellet of live Danish BCG orally, 10 pellets of live Pasteur BCG orally, or a subcutaneous injection of live Pasteur BCG. For the oral pelleted vaccines, BCG was formulated into a lipid matrix, and each pellet contained approximately 10⁷ colony forming units (cfu) of BCG, while the vaccine injected subcutaneously contained 10⁶ cfu of BCG. A sixth, non-vaccinated, group (n=7) served as a control. All possums were challenged by the aerosol route with a low dose of virulent M. bovis 7 weeks after vaccination, and killed 7–8 weeks after challenge. Protection against challenge with M. bovis was assessed from pathological and bacteriological findings.

In Study 2, lipid-formulated live Danish BCG was administered orally to three groups of possums (10–11 per group), and these possums were challenged with virulent M. bovis 8, 29 or 54 weeks later. The possums were killed 7 weeks after challenge, to assess protection in comparison to a non-vaccinated group.

RESULTS: The results from Study 1 showed that vaccine efficacy was not adversely affected by feeding dead BCG prior to live BCG. Feeding 10 vaccine pellets induced a level of protection similar to feeding a single pellet. Protection was similar when feeding possums a single pellet containing the Pasteur or Danish strains of BCG. All vaccinated groups had significantly reduced pathological changes or bacterial counts when compared to the non-vaccinated group. In Study 2, oral administration of Danish BCG induced protection against challenge with M. bovis, which persisted for at least 54 weeks after vaccination. Some protection was observed in possums challenged 54 weeks after vaccination, but this protection was significantly less than that observed in groups vaccinated 29 or 8 weeks prior to challenge. There was a strong relationship between the proportion of animals producing positive lymphocyte proliferation responses to M. bovis antigens and protection against challenge with M. bovis.

CONCLUSIONS: Factors considered potentially capable of interfering with vaccination, including feeding dead BCG to possums prior to feeding live BCG, feeding multiple doses of BCG at one time, and changing strains of BCG, were shown not to interfere with the acquisition of protective immune responses in possums. Protection against tuberculosis was undiminished up to 29 weeks after vaccination with BCG administered orally. It is concluded that vaccination of possums by feeding pellets containing BCG is a robust and efficient approach to enhance the resistance of these animals to tuberculosis.     

SnakeMap: four years of experience with a national small animal snake envenomation registry

SnakeMap is a national cloud-based, veterinary snakebite registry. It was designed to prospectively collect data of the clinical circumstances and temporospatial information on cases of snake envenomation in dogs and cats. We herein introduce the project and summarise the data from the first 4 years of SnakeMap. The registry is a veterinary community-based online database allowing case entry from veterinary hospitals across Australia. Registry data comprise hospital characteristics, patient characteristics, envenoming snake type, treatment and outcome variables, including time and geolocation of the snake bite. We present summative information on select key variables from the SnakeMap registry (1 July 2015 to 30 June 2019). Twenty-eight hospitals from 6 states/territories entered 624 cases into the registry, including 419 dogs (67%) and 205 cats (33%). Bite time was available in 216 animals of which 90 (42%) were reported to be bitten in the 3 hours between 03:00 pm and 05:59 pm; median bite to presentation interval was 60 (interquartile range [IQR] 30, 211) minutes in dogs and 95 (IQR 41, 238) minutes in cats. Bites occurred in the owner's yard in 356 dogs (85%) and 53 cats (26%). A snake venom detection kit was used in 172 cases (28%) and antivenom was administered in 523 cases (85%). Most animals (n = 534, 88%) survived to discharge (median hospitalisation of 25 [IQR 16, 62] hours). SnakeMap effectively collects relevant clinical data from dogs and cats with presumed snake bite and provides locally specific information on the epidemiology of snake envenomation in small animals.