Responses of dogs to dietary omega-3 fatty acids

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil and other marine sources appear to be capable of modifying inflammatory and immune responses in dogs. Information is provided on the capacity of dogs to metabolize omega-3 fatty acids and the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on skin and coat, inflammatory responses, and neurologic development in puppies.     

Pathogenesis of infectious bronchitis virus in vaccinated chickens of two different major histocompatibility B complex genotypes

Infectious bronchitis (IB) disease progression in vaccinated chickens after challenge was evaluated in a single commercial line of layer chickens presenting two different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) B complex genotypes. MHC B genotypes were determined by DNA sequence-based typing of BF2 alleles. In total, 33 B2/B15 and 47 B2/B21 chickens were vaccinated with an Ark-type IB virus (IBV) attenuated vaccine and challenged with Ark-type IBV field isolate AL/4614/98 14 days later. Additional chickens of both genotypes served as unvaccinated/challenged and unvaccinated/nonchallenged controls. Clinical signs, histopathologic analysis, detection of IBV genomes in tears, and IBV-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) in tears were used to evaluate disease progression and immune response. The incidence of IBV respiratory signs was significantly higher in B2/21 than in B2/B15 MHC genotype birds. However, neither the severity and duration of respiratory signs nor the severity and incidence of histologic lesions differed significantly with MHC genotype. The levels of IBV-specific IgA in tears of vaccinated and challenged chickens did not differ significantly between MHC genotypes. IBV genomes were present in the tears of vaccinated and challenged birds, and the incidence of detectable IBV genomes did not vary significantly with MHC B genotype. From an applied perspective, these results indicate that vaccinated commercial outbred chickens with these MHC genotypes are equally resistant to IBV.     

Relatedness of cytotoxins from geographically diverse isolates of Moraxella bovis

To determine whether amino acid sequence variation exists in the Moraxella bovis (M. bovis) cytotoxin (MbxA) from geographically diverse M. bovis isolated in the United States, mbxA was amplified and sequenced. The MbxA deduced amino acid sequence from M. bovis originally isolated in California, Washington, North Carolina, and Georgia, as well as reference strains of M. bovis isolated at the National Animal Disease Laboratory, Ames, IA, USA, all encoded a nearly identical 927 amino acid protein. MbxA from two of the four California isolates (SFS 9a and SFS 100a) differed from all other isolates at two sites at which the polar amino acids glutamine (position 666) and asparagine (position 823) were replaced by ionized amino acids glutamic acid and aspartic acid, respectively. Rabbit antiserum to the expressed carboxy terminus (amino acids 590-927) of MbxA from M. bovis (Tifton I) neutralized the hemolytic activity of SFS 9a and SFS 100a. The M. bovis cytotoxin appears to be conserved amongst geographically diverse isolates of M. bovis from the USA. Antiserum against the carboxy terminus of MbxA common to the majority of isolates neutralized the hemolytic activity of two strains with a divergent MbxA deduced amino acid sequence. Vaccines against IBK that incorporate MbxA as antigen may offer protection against geographically diverse strains of M. bovis.     

Factors associated with practice decisions of Nebraska veterinarians regarding type of practice and community size

Nebraska veterinary practitioners were surveyed to collect data about background characteristics and other factors related to veterinarians' decision to include or not include food animals in their practices and to practice in rural versus urban communities. Background characteristics that were significantly (p < or = 0.05) associated with choosing food-animal practice included growing up on a working farm or ranch; having parents who owned livestock; growing up in a town with a population of less than 10,000; majoring in animal science at university; being male; and having a primary interest, at the time of entering veterinary college, in food animal-exclusive or mixed-animal veterinary practice. The primary factor for choosing the community in which to practice was rural/urban lifestyle for rural veterinarians, while this factor was second for urban veterinarians. For all groups of veterinarians, the primary consideration in selecting their current practice was the species orientation of the practice. The primary reason for not choosing food-animal practice was better working conditions and lifestyle in companion-animal practice, followed by greater interest elsewhere.     

Salvinia plants in trade: what species are we actually talking about?

Incorrect labelling of plants in trade and misidentification are widespread. Likewise, in trade numerous names are being used for the ornamental aquatic plant known as ‘Kariba weed’, but rarely the correct scientific name Salvinia molesta Mitch. For inspection services of EPPO member countries, correct identification of S. molesta has become important since the species was added to the EPPO A2 List and the List of Union concern in accordance with EU regulation 1143/2014 based on an EPPO Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) for the species. Inspections and a targetted survey of Salvinia plants in trade in the Netherlands were performed and additional material was obtained from wild sources in South Africa, Hungary and the United States. Specimen identification was verified by comparison with the herbarium collection at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden and with the sequences available in NCBI GenBank database. This paper provides the tools to correctly identity the relevant Salvinia species.