Prevalence of subclinical mastitis and isolated udder pathogens in dairy cows in Southern Vietnam

Dairy production is not traditional in Vietnam. The farmers have little practical knowledge and udder health control is generally lacking. In order to give the farmers appropriate advice, knowledge about the distribution of udder pathogens is crucial. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of sub-clinical mastitis and to identify udder pathogens isolated from smallholder dairy herds in Southern Vietnam. Twenty farms with a herd somatic cell count (SCC) ranging from low (≤400?×?10³?cells/mL) to high (>400?×?10³?cells/mL) were randomly selected. Milk samples were collected from 458 quarters of 115 clinically healthy cows. SCC was analyzed on farm by a portable cell counter. Bacteriological samples were taken using Mastistrip^© cassettes and sent to Sweden for examination. For all herds the mean herd SCC was 632?×?10³/mL milk. The prevalence of subclinical mastitis at quarter SCC basis was 63.2 % and at cow basis 88.6 %. Only 40 % of all cows were bacteriologically negative in all quarters. Streptococcus agalactiae was the most commonly found bacteria species, isolated from 96 of the 458 quarter samples, in 13 of the 20 farms. The results indicate pronounced subclinical mastitis problems among the dairy cows in this region mainly due to infections with S. agalactiae. The high prevalence of this highly contagious pathogen is probably attributable to the generally poor milking hygiene and low awareness of proper measures to prevent occurrence and spread of udder infections. A strict, targeted action program for the herds in this area is required in order to lower the prevalence of subclinical mastitis.     

Effects of β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate and γ-Oryzanol on Blood Biochemical Markers in Exercising Thoroughbred Race Horses

In both the horse and the man, nutritional ergogenic aids have been used to improve physical ability in conjunction with an appropriate training regimen. Although training increases physical condition, the ease of taking a nutritional additive to improve training results explains the demand for supplementation, which may increase mechanical energy of work, delay onset of fatigue, or improve neuromuscular coordination. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of oral supplementation of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) and γ-oryzanol (GO) on indices of exercise-induced muscle damage in Thoroughbred race horses. In this 32-week study, the horses were assigned to either a placebo, GO (3.0 g/d), HMB (15 g/d), or GO and HMB treatment groups. The supplements were administered for the first 16 weeks of the study during the training period before the racing season began. Blood samples were taken at baseline, and then during training, before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 30 minutes after exercise. Heart rate and speed were monitored in each exercise session. Hematocrit, glucose, lactate (LA), creatine phosphokinase, and aspartate aminotransferase were measured before and after each exercise session. Analysis of variance showed a significantly greater increase in postexercise creatine kinase activity in placebo-supplemented group than in the other treatment groups, both in the training period and during the racing seasons (P < .05). Blood LA was higher immediately after exercise in the placebo group compared with the supplemented groups. In conclusion, supplementation with HMB and GO resulted in decreased creatine kinase and LA after exercise. These findings support the hypothesis that HMB and GO supplementation helps to prevent exercise-induced muscle damage.     

Premature centromere division (PCD) identified in a hucul mare with reproductive difficulties

A hucul mare with reproductive abnormalities was examined during karyotype analysis. The karyotype was analysed based on evaluation of 860 metaphase plates in chromosome preparations. The use of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with an X chromosome painting probe showed premature X chromosome separation in 9.5% cases of examined chromosome spreads. In this report, we present the first identify premature centromere division (PCD) as a possible cause of abnormal X chromosome morphology in horses and as a probable cause of reproductive difficulties.     

Occurrence of reproductive disorders in pig herds with and without Chlamydia suis infection – statistical analysis of breeding parameters

Chlamydiae are frequently encountered Gram‐negative intracellular eubacteria that can cause clear manifestations or clinically asymptomatic disorders. C. suis and other chlamydia are primarily isolated in cases of reproductive disorders. This study was performed to estimate the impact of Chlamydia suis infection on reproduction in sows by analyzing reproduction rates and breeding parameters. The test was conducted on first generation (F1) pigs from Polish Landrace (PL) × Polish Large White (PLW). Sixty‐four herds were investigated and 500 vaginal swabs were collected. Isolation of DNA was carried out directly from the swabs. All samples were analyzed for Chlamydia suis by real‐time PCR with a locked nucleic acid (LNA)‐containing probe. To analyze the impact of chlamydia infection on reproductive parameters, evaluation questionnaires were used. Reproductive problems were found in 77.3% of the farms tested. The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that in the farms with 10 up to 120 sows, there were higher reproductive problems with chlamydia infection than in smaller and bigger pig farms. The most common problems were estrus repetition, which was reported by 57.81% of the surveyed farms, and the birth of dead piglets, which was reported by 31.25% of the investigated pig farms. Abortions, which were reported by 28.12% of the surveyed farms, were the least common reproductive disorders.     

Cases with manifestation of chemodectoma diagnosed in dogs in Department of Internal Diseases with Horses,Dogs and Cats Clinic,Veterinary Medicine Faculty,University of Environmental and Life Sciences,Wroclaw, Poland

In the period of 3 years, 9 tumours of chemodectoma were supravitally diagnosed and histopathologically verified in dogs. In this period 15 351 dogs were admitted to the Clinic of Dogs and Cats and 2 145 dogs were examined in the cardiological outpatient clinic for dogs. This tumour is located in a typical place - at the base of the heart. Most frequently the tumour manifested in older boxers. Only in one case such a tumour was diagnosed in another breed of dogs. The tumours ranged in size between 3 and 16 cm in diameter. The principal sign accompanying tumours of cardiac base involved dyspnoea but in 3 cases the tumours yielded no clinical signs. All the diagnoses were additionally verified using immunohistochemical examination. We used antibodies to chromogranin A (clone DAK-A3 1:100), synaptophysin (clone SY38 1:20) and neuron-specific enolase (clone BBS/NC/VI-H14 1:150). An immunohistochemical examination is vital for the diagnosis since it allows to differentiate histologically distinct types of neoplasia which may locate in the same site and may manifest a similar histological pattern.     

Honey as the Potential Natural Source of Cholinesterase Inhibitors in Alzheimer’s Disease

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized, among others by abnormal levels of acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase in...     

Molecular evidence for cosmopolitan distribution of platyhelminth parasites of tunas (Thunnus spp.)

Global distribution of platyhelminth parasites and their host specificities are not well known. Our hypothesis was that platyhelminth parasites of large pelagic fishes are common around the world. We analysed molecular variation in three different taxa of platyhelminth parasites infecting four species of tunas: yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares, Scombridae) from Western Australia, southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii, Scombridae) from South Australia, Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis, Scombridae) from Pacific Mexico and northern bluefin tuna (T. thynnus, Scombridae) from two localities in the Mediterranean (Spain and Croatia). Comparisons of ITS2 and partial 28S rDNA demonstrated two congeneric species of blood flukes (Digenea: Sanguinicolidae) from multiple hosts and localities: Cardicola forsteri from southern bluefin and northern bluefin tunas, and Cardicola sp. from Pacific bluefin and northern bluefin tunas; and a gill fluke, Hexostoma thynni (Polyopisthocotylea: Hexostomatidae), from yellowfin, southern bluefin and northern bluefin tunas. Partial 28S rDNA indicates that a second type of fluke on the gills, Capsala sp. (Monopisthocotylea: Capsalidae), occurs on both southern bluefin and Pacific bluefin tunas. This appears to be the first report of conspecific platyhelminth parasites of teleosts with a wide‐ranging geographical distribution that has been confirmed through molecular approaches. Given the brevity of the free‐living larval stage of both taxa of flukes on the gills (H. thynni and Capsala sp.), we conclude that the only feasible hypothesis for the cosmopolitan distribution of these flatworms is migrations of host tunas. Host migration also seems likely to be responsible for the widespread occurrence of the two species of blood flukes (Cardicola spp.), although it is also possible that these were translocated recently by the spread of infected intermediate hosts.     

In vitro interactions between Neoparamoeba sp. and Atlantic salmon epithelial cells

Neoparamoeba sp., including the putative aetiological agent of amoebic gill disease in cultured fish (N. pemaquidensis), were incubated in vitro with an Atlantic salmon gill epithelium (RGE-2) cell line. Proliferation by the amoeba population was dependent upon culture osmolarity; no growth occurred at 330 mm x kg(-1) but a sixfold increase was observed at 1000 mm x kg(-1). At 780 mm x kg(-1) there was a fourfold increase in the amoeba population but a concurrent decrease in RGE-2 cell density that was significantly greater than that caused by the high culture osmolarity alone. This apparent cytopathic effect (CPE) developed rapidly and resulted in complete cytolysis of the monolayer in 5 days. CPE occurred in multiple foci and presented as cell vacuolation, rounding and clumping, and the rapid clearance of large areas of the cell monolayer. The possibility that CPE is because of the presence of Neoparamoeba sp. derived cytolytic products is discussed in the context of the pathology of the disease in vivo and the occurrence of secreted cytopathogenic compounds in other amoeba species.     

Presence of anti-Neoparamoeba sp. antibodies in Tasmanian cultured Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L

Previous studies have indicated that when Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., are exposed to Neoparamoeba sp. the fish produce anti-Neoparamoeba sp. antibodies. It appears unlikely that these antibodies elicit any specific protection against amoebic gill disease (AGD) as fish with demonstrable activities have been affected by AGD. Experiments were conducted on Atlantic salmon cultured throughout Tasmania to assess the natural production of antibodies towards Neoparamoeba sp. Fish were sampled from areas where AGD was prevalent and from areas where there had been no reported cases. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure anti-Neoparamoeba sp. antibody activities in serum. All fish from sea water had antibody activities greater than the negative control fish, including fish from areas with no reported cases of AGD. Time trial samples indicated that time after transfer to sea water did not appear to be a significant (P > 0.05) factor in antibody activity, however location was (P < 0.05). There was no agreement (corrected kappa value, 0.16) between the ELISA result and the isolation of Neoparamoeba sp. from the gills of the same fish. The results suggest that Atlantic salmon in seawater culture in Tasmania produce anti-Neoparamoeba sp. antibodies regardless of infection history, suggesting the presence of Neoparamoeba sp. in the environment.