Failure of passive transfer in foals: incidence and outcome on four studs in New South Wales

Objective To determine the regional incidence and effectiveness of treatment of failure of passive transfer (FPT) in foals. Design A study of disease incidence. Animals Eighty-eight foals and 57 mares from four studs in the practice area of the Rural Veterinary Centre were tested. Procedure Foals were tested for their serum IgG and total serum protein (TSP) concentration within the first 72 hours of life. Colostrum was collected from mares and specific gravity determined. FPT and partial failure of passive transfer (PFPT) of immunoglobulins was diagnosed when serum IgG concentrations were < 4 g/L and 4 to 8 g/L respectively. Owners of foals diagnosed with FPT were offered treatment with 1 to 2 L plasma (TSP > 70 g/L); 9 (64%) of the affected foals were treated. Results Fourteen foals (16%) had FPT whereas 15 (17%) had PFPT. There were significant differences between the mean TSP concentration in foals with FPT (42.6 ± 4.2 g/L), PFPT (48.1 ± 3.9 g/L) and those acquiring adequate passive immunity (58.9 ± 5.5 g/L) (P < 0.01). Sixteen (29%) mares had pre-suck colostral specific gravity < 1.060 and 12 (71%) foals raised by these mares had FPT or PFPT. The incidence of severe disease (categorised by a sepsis score > 11, positive culture of bacteria from blood or disease requiring hospitalisation) in all foals in the first 2 months of life was 10%. However, none of the nine foals with FPT that received plasma experienced severe disease. In contrast, foals with PFPT had an increased susceptibility to severe disease (P < 0.001) when compared with normal foals. Conclusion Treatment of foals with FPT may reduce the subsequent incidence of severe disease. Pre-suck colostral specific gravity and foal TSP may be used to predict the likelihood of FPT and PFPT. Even though the number of foals studied is small the results highlight the importance of optimal management practices in reducing the incidence of FPT and disease associated with this process.     

Inhibition of juvenile hormone biosynthesis in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, by a bisthiolcarbamate juvenoid and related compounds

Biosynthesis of juvenile hormone in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, is inhibited by the bisthiolcarbamate juvenoid N-ethyl-1,2-bis(isobutylthiolcarbamoyl)ethane both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro an extremely steep dose-response curve was obtained with an ID₅₀ value of 6 × 10^?6M. However, in vivo topical treatment with the compound resulted in mild JH antagonistic symptoms, suggesting rapid metabolism of the compound. In agreement with results from metabolic studies performed on plants and in mammals, sulfoxidation of the thiocarbamate S-(4-chlorobenzyl)N,N-diethylthiocarbamate resulted in an enhanced inhibitory effect on JH biosynthesis in vitro. This suggests that the corresponding thiocarbamate sulfoxides may act as intermediates in carbomylating critical thiol sites important in the terpenoid biosynthesis pathway. Furthermore, this study shows that these prototype compounds are interesting tools for further investigation of chemical inhibition of JH biosynthesis in insects.     

Is Wolbachia complicating the pathological effects of Dirofilaria immitis infections?

Human and animal parasitic filarial nematodes, which often are the cause of severe disease, harbor intracellular bacteria of the genus Wolbachia (Rickettsiaceae). It is thought that these bacteria play an important role in the pathogenesis and immune response to filarial infection. In order to determine the possible role of Wolbachia in heartworm disease, dogs naturally infected with Dirofilaria immitis were studied for specific antibody response to Wolbachia surface protein (WSP). Antibody subclasses were analyzed to determine immune response polarization. Dogs that died from heartworm disease were necropsied, and various organs were studied by immunohistochemistry to determine whether Wolbachia-derived molecules were present in tissue from infected dogs. Humoral response to the WSP was present in all infected dogs and appeared to be predominantly of the Th1-type. Several organs, including lung, liver, and kidney, contained positive-staining cells for WSP, confirming that the canine host does come into contact with Wolbachia-derived molecules.     

Reproductive ability of triploid ornamental (koi) carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) × goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) hybrids and characteristics of their offspring

The purpose of this study was to investigate reproductive ability of backcross triploid koi (Cyprinus carpio L.) × goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) hybrids. These triploids have been obtained by crossing of F₁ hybrid females producing diploid eggs with males of parental species. Triploid hybrid females, when crossed with goldfish or koi males, produced mostly aneuploid fish with ploidy range from approximately 2.2n–3.2n with a mean value 2.5n; some fish in crosses of triploid females with koi males were tetraploid (4.0n). Since analysed fish had in their genomes one haploid set from parental males, the data indicate that triploid hybrid females mostly produced aneuploid eggs with ploidy range from approximately 1.2n–2.2n and a mean ploidy around 1.5n while some eggs were triploid. Triploid hybrid males were completely sterile and have not released any sperm after hormonal injection. Despite their low viability, some aneuploid fish obtained from triploid hybrid females were raised in indoor recirculating systems until the age of 2 years and their reproductive ability has been evaluated. One aneuploid female with ploidy 2.1n produced larvae with ploidy range from 2.9n to 3.4n with a mean ploidy of 3.1n when crossed with a koi male; about 60% of obtained larvae had ploidy from 3.0n to 3.2n. These data indicate that this female produced mostly eggs with unreduced ploidy level.     

HYPOTHYROIDISM IN A DOG AFTER SURGERY AND RADIATION THERAPY FOR A FUNCTIONAL THYROID ADENOCARCINOMA

Hypothyroidism was diagnosed in a dog which had undergone unilateral thyroid lobectomy and external beam irradiation (48 Gy in 3 Gy fractions) for a functional cystic thyroid adenocarcinoma. Hypothyroidism became biochemically apparent within 4 months of completion of radiation therapy, and clinically apparent within 7 months. Clinical signs resolved after thyroid hormone supplementation. The potential for alterations in thyroid function should be considered in any animal undergoing radiation therapy in which the thyroid gland is included in the radiation field. This potential may be greater if surgery and radiation are combined.     

Seroprevalence of Bartonella infection in American free-ranging and captive pumas (Felis concolor) and bobcats (Lynx rufus)

Bartonella henselae is the main agent of cat scratch disease in humans and domestic cats are the main reservoir of this bacterium. We conducted a serosurvey to investigate the role of American wild felids as a potential reservoir of Bartonella species. A total of 479 samples (439 serum samples and 40 Nobuto strips) collected between 1984 and 1999 from pumas (Felis concolor) and 91 samples (58 serum samples and 33 Nobuto strips) collected from bobcats (Lynx rufus) in North America, Central America and South America were screened for B. henselae antibodies. The overall prevalence of B. henselae antibodies was respectively 19.4% in pumas and 23.1% in bobcats, with regional variations. In the USA, pumas from the southwestern states were more likely to be seropositive for B. henselae (prevalence ratio (PR) = 2.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.55, 5.11) than pumas from the Northwest and Mountain states. Similarly, adults were more likely to be B. henselae seropositive than juveniles and kittens (PR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.07, 2.93). Adult pumas were more likely to have higher B. henselae antibody titers than juveniles and kittens (p = 0.026). B. henselae antibody prevalence was 22.4% (19/85) in bobcats from the USA and 33.3% (2/6) in the Mexican bobcats. In the USA, antibody prevalence varied depending on the geographical origin of the bobcats. In California, the highest prevalence was in bobcats from the coastal range (37.5%). These results suggest a potential role of wild felids in the epidemiological cycle of Bartonella henselae or closely related Bartonella species.     

Reproductive ability of second generation ornamental (koi) carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) × goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) hybrids and characteristics of their offspring

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reproductive ability of second generation (F₂) koi (Cyprinus carpio L.) × goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) hybrids. Only diploid F₂ males and females were fertile and used in crosses. A significant increase was recorded in male fertility in F₂ versus F₁. In contrast with an earlier study in which only one fertile F₁ male was found, about 20% of F₂ males produced sperm. The observed reproductive ability of F₂ hybrids was similar to that demonstrated by the only fertile F₁ male and F₁ females. F₂ males produced diploid spermatozoa and generated triploids when crossed with koi females. All triploid fish in these progenies were males indicating that F₂ males had a sex chromosome constitution of XY. F₂ females produced diploid eggs and generated mostly triploids when crossed with koi males. In progenies obtained by crosses of F₂ males with F₁ and F₂ females, most of the surviving juveniles (63%–100%) were diploid; a minority of juveniles were aneuploid (ploidy ranged from 2.1n to 3.6n). Diploid fish in these progenies were presumably the result of spontaneous androgenesis and gynogenesis, by the same mechanisms observed earlier in progenies obtained by crossing the F₁ male with F₁ females.