Isotypic antibody responses in cattle infected with Haemophilus somnus

Bovine antibody responses to Haemophilus somnus were compared on the basis of clinical and bacteriological findings. Serum IgG1 and IgM antibody titres were significantly increased in clinically normal cattle that were bacteriologically positive for H somnus from the nasal or vaginal mucosae compared with clinically normal, negative cows. IgG2 titres did not differ significantly between these two groups. However, IgG2 antibody was significantly higher in animals with H somnus disease (pneumonia or abortion) than in clinically normal cattle (whether bacteriologically positive or negative), while IgG1 and IgM titres did not differ between diseased and bacteriologically positive, clinically normal cattle. These antibody trends were duplicated in experimental H somnus abortion or pneumonia, with the greatest response occurring within the IgG2 subclass. Cattle vaccinated systemically with killed whole H somnus produced a predominant IgG2 response with minimal IgG1 and IgM responses. These results demonstrate that IgG2 antibody is consistently elevated in H somnus disease, and suggest that this response may be useful in discriminating diseased from asymptomatic cattle.     

Effect of a new pelleting process on the level of contamination of poultry mash by Escherichia coli and Salmonella

The efficacy of a new pelleting process in eliminating naturally occurring Escherichia coli and salmonella from poultry mash was assessed by comparing the microbial load in raw and processed mash. Instead of using steam produced in a boiler, the new process conditioned mash in an Original Vertical Conditioner with steam and other hot gases generated by direct combustion in a Vaporator. E. coli was isolated from 72-100% of samples of raw mash in all trials, and the mean number of colony-forming units of E. coli/g of samples was 6.8 +/- 4.0 X 10(4). Salmonellae (S. senftenberg, S. bredeney, and S. mbandaka) were isolated from 5-10% of samples of raw mash utilized in three of the seven trials. Within limitations of the sampling and analytical tests utilized, the new pelleting process eliminated salmonella from all mash in which the organism was known to be present but eliminated E. coli in only three trials. The process appeared to be 100% effective against both organisms when mash entering the pellet mill from the conditioner had a temperature of 85.7 C and a moisture content of 14.5% and had been retained and treated with steam and hot gases for 4.1 minutes.     

The detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus using modified culture media

Studies have been completed for the detection of Vibrio(V.) parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus in Baltic Sea fish. The author had prepared for that purpose a liquid culturing medium and a solid substrate. The percentage of positive findings is remarkable. The results so far recorded should be a good reason for further studies.     

Pharmacologic effects and detection methods of methylated analogs of fentanyl in horses

Pharmacologic effects of alpha-methylfentanyl and 3-methylfentanyl, analogs of fentanyl, were investigated in mares. The ability of an 125I-labeled fentanyl radioimmunoassay (125I-RIA) to detect these methylated fentanyl analogs in individual and pooled urine samples from horses was evaluated. Also, the ability of 7 fentanyl antibodies to react with fentanyl and fentanyl derivatives (sufentanil, alfentanil, and carfentanil) was investigated. Mares were studied in a locomotor test to determine the amount of stimulation methylated fentanyl analogs might induce. Two mares each were given alpha-methylfentanyl at 1, 2, 4, 8, or 13 micrograms/kg of body weight, IV, or 3-methylfentanyl at 0.4, 0.7, or 1 microgram/kg IV. The cross-reactivity of sufentanil, alfentanil, carfentanil, alpha-methylfentanyl, and 3-methylfentanyl with 7 fentanyl antibodies was studied, using the 125I-RIA. All fentanyl analogs, with the exception of alfentanil, cross-reacted well with a C1 antibody raised to fentanyl. Less satisfactory cross-reactivity was determined with 6 other antibodies raised to fentanyl derivatives. When the C1 antibody was combined with an iodinated analog to fentanyl, good detectability of alpha-methylfentanyl and 3-methylfentanyl, in terms of fentanyl equivalents, was obtained from urine samples of dosed mares. The ability of the 125I-RIA to detect methylated fentanyl analogs in forensic urine samples pooled in groups of up to 20 samples was evaluated. When these methylated analogs were administered to mares in doses that induced measurable locomotor stimulation, the analog's presence was readily detected in individual or pooled samples.     

Influence of the Indoleacetic Acid-Lysine Synthetase Gene (iaaL) of Pseudomonas syringae subsp. savastanoi on Yield Attributes of Potatoes

The iaaL gene of Pseudomonas syringae subsp. savastanoi encodes an indoleacetic acid-lysine synthetase which conjugates free indoleacetic acid (IAA) with lysine. lAA-lys is biologically less active than free IAA. The iaaL coding region was expressed under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and transgenic potato plants were produced (Spena et al. 1991). 35S iaaL potato plants are characterized by increased internodal length and epinastic bending of older leaves. In three greenhouse experiments with plants grown in pots of different size and in two growth chamber experiments tuber number increased in iaaL transgenic plants compared to untransformed and vector-transformed controls of the same genotype. The increase in tuber numbers observed under controlled conditions was reflected in tuber yield which increased in the pot grown transgenics.     

Anthelmhntic effects of injectable and oral paste formulations of ivermectin against 28-day infections of parascaris equorum

Efficacy of ivermectin treatment (0.2 mg/kg) against 28-day experimental infections of Parascaris equorum was determined in 18 pony foals6–17.5 weeks old. There were 6 foals in each group: nontreated control, ivermectin injectable or oral paste. In comparison with larvae found in the nontreated controls, ivermectin injectable or paste was 96.0% and 99.9% efficacious. There was a distinct difference in drug effect against the larger (ca 26mm.) vs the smaller (13–19mm) larvae by the 2 formulations of ivermectin. There were no adverse signs related to treatment of the young foals.     

Infectious diseases of New-World camelids (NWC)

Although there are notable infectious conditions that are capable of producing clinical disease in the NWC, overall, these species are quite healthy. Of the bacterial diseases, enterotoxemia caused by Clostridium perfringens types C and D would be deemed the most significant in North America, while type A also would be regarded as important in South America. Other important bacterial infections of potential concern are tuberculosis, Johne's disease, anthrax, malignant edema, actinomycosis, tetanus, and the South American condition referred to as alpaca fever, which, to date, has not been observed in North America. Fungal infections include classical ringworm, principally caused by Trichophyton spp., and the cases of coccidioidomycosis that are associated with the arid desert lands of the southwestern United States. Most notable of naturally occurring viral infections in the NWC would be rabies, ecthyma, and a recently described blindness neuropathy that has been associated with the equine herpesvirus I. NWC can be infected experimentally with agents causing hoof-and-mouth disease and vesicular stomatitis, but naturally occurring cases do not seem to occur. Serological evidence of exposure to many viral agents, including blue tongue, parainfluenza 3, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, bovine herpesvirus I, bovine viral diarrhea, influenza A, and rotavirus, has been demonstrated; however, no clinical disease associated with these agents, as yet, is apparent.     

Identification of a potentially important antigen of pasteurella haemolytica

To identify antigens which may be important for stimulating immunity to pneumonic pasteurellosis, a bovine antiserum to whole P. haemolytica was used to screen a recombinant lambda gt11/P. haemolytica expression library. One of the recombinant bacteriophage clones identified with the bovine antiserum, SW20C, expressed a fusion protein which was also recognized by rabbit antiserum to partially purified P. haemolytica culture supernatant and was found to be immunogenic in guinea pigs. The guinea pig antibody recognized a 100 kDa protein in P. haemolytica cell lysates. Sequence analysis of the cloned DNA from SW20C identified a fragment of 1443 bp with a small open reading frame that was contiguous with the lacZ sequence. The 153 bp P. haemolytica-specific open reading frame encoded a polypeptide of approximately 6kDa. Homology searches of Genbank and the EMBL data bases revealed no homology of this open reading frame with any other bacterial sequences including P. haemolytica leukotoxin and Ssa1. Evaluation of sera from calves that were scored either susceptible or resistant to experimental pneumonic pasteurellosis demonstrated a significant (P < 0.001) correlation between the intensity of the antibody response to the SW20C antigen and resistance to disease.     

Survey of internal parasites in Western Australian pig herds. 1. Prevalence

Between September 1982 and March 1984, 101 Western Australian piggeries with 15 or more sows were surveyed to determine the prevalence of internal parasites and examine the relationship between parasitism and management practices. Faecal samples were collected from 20 pigs in 4 age groups in randomly selected piggeries, and examined for the presence of eggs of helminth parasites and protozoan cysts. Evidence of nematode parasites was found in 79% of piggeries. Sows were more commonly affected than other classes of pigs with worm eggs being found in 68% of herds. Oesophagostomum spp was the most prevalent worm species, being found in pigs from 65% of piggeries and in sows in 60% of herds. Ascaris suum was the most common species of worm found in growing pigs. There was no evidence of infection with either Metastrongylus spp or Strongyloides spp in any of the herds sampled. Oocysts of coccidia were found in pigs from 56% of piggeries and Balantidium coli cysts were detected in pigs from 42% of piggeries sampled.     

Environmental influences on the progression of clinical and microbiological parameters of sheep periodontal disease

The responses of some clinical and microbiological parameters of periodontal disease (PD) in sheep were examined subsequent to transferring animals between PD-affected and PD-free farms. Previously healthy animals showed transient deterioration in some clinical, but not microbiological parameters, which suggests either that a different microbiota to the one studied may be more important in the initiation of the disease, or that sampling did not intercept periods of destructive disease activity in the early lesions. In sheep with established disease, those parameters indicative of periodontitis which included pocket depth and bleeding on probing as well as the proportions of black-pigmented Bacteroides species were not significantly altered by environmental changes. This observation suggests that once the disease is established on PD-affected farms, the hand, some clinical signs of the disease including lengthening and mobility of incisor teeth increased in sheep on the PD-affected farm relative to the PD-free farm. This suggests that the disease may have a complex aetiology.