Pathotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Escherichia coli isolates from neonatal calves

Neonatal calf mortality is a major concern to livestock sector worldwide. Neonatal calf diarrhoea (NCD), an acute severe condition causes morbidity and mortality in calves. Amongst various pathogens involved in NCD, E. coli is considered as one of the major causes. The study was targeted to characterize E. coli isolates from neonatal calves for diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) types (pathotyping), antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiling and to correlate with epidemiological parameters. From neonates, a total of 113 faecal samples were collected, out of that 308, lactose fermenting colonies were confirmed as E. coli. Pathotypable isolates (12.3%) were represented by STEC (6.1%), EPEC (2.9%), ETEC (1.9%), EAEC (0.9%) and EHEC (0.3%). Occurrence of STEC was more in non-diarrhoeic calves, whereas ETEC was observed more in diarrhoeic calves. EPEC occurrence was observed in both diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic calves. Fishers extract test showed no significant association for occurrence of DEC types to type of dairies, health status, species, breed, age and sex of neonatal calves. Two hundred and eighty isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. The isolates showed maximum resistance towards ampicillin (55.4%) followed by tetracycline (54.3%), while minimum resistance was observed towards meropenem (2.5%). Multidrug resistant E. coli isolates were found to be 139 (49.6%), and Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers were 120 (42.9%). DEC pathotypes like STEC, ETEC, EHEC and EAEC that are also multidrug resistant present in neonatal calves have zoonotic potential and hence are of public health significance.

     

Outcome of superficial keratectomy without conjunctival graft as a surgical technique for immune-mediated keratitis in horses: Four cases

This case report describes four horses with unilateral superficial or mid-stromal immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) treated with a superficial keratectomy (SK) without a conjunctival graft. In two horses, the surgery was performed under general anaesthesia, and in two horses standing with sedation and local blocks. Results of this report show that SK is a viable treatment option in horses with chronic superficial and/or mid-stromal IMMK that can even be performed in the standing, sedated horse. When sufficient corneal tissue is removed, no recurrence is to be expected in the long-term follow-up (up to 31 months). In two horses, healing occurred without complications. Two horses developed a secondary bacterial infection post-operatively (Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus). In one case, this resulted in a pre-perforating melting corneal ulcer necessitating conjunctival pedicle graft surgery 13 days post keratectomy. In three horses, there was no recurrence of the IMMK with a long-term follow-up of 6–31 months. One case showed recurrence of IMMK in the cornea region surrounding the keratectomy 9 months after surgery.     

Co-occurrence of papillomas related to Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 and cutaneous habronemiasis

The present report describes a case of cutaneous papillomatosis related to equine papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2) with concomitant cutaneous habronemiasis. A 2-year-old female Pura Raza Española horse was referred for a dermatological evaluation because of the onset of cutaneous multifocal, nodular lesions on the face characterised by a warty and partially ulcerated overlying epidermis. Multiple biopsies were taken from these lesions, and cutaneous viral papillomas with a concomitant severe focal eosinophilic dermatitis with intralesional Habronematidae nematode larvae were diagnosed. Immunohistochemistry revealed papillomaviral capsid protein L1 in the epidermal proliferative lesion, confirming the presence of a productive infection. Rt-qPCR confirmed the presence of EcPV type 2. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of EcPV2-related papillomas with concurrent habronemiasis.