Hemorrhagic stomatitis in a natural hybrid of Vipera ammodytes × Vipera berus due to inappropriate substrate in terrarium

A natural hybrid of Vipera ammodytes × Vipera berus was presented having low body weight, seizures and generalized swelling of the cephalic region. Based on the history of the case and clinical examination, hemorrhagic stomatitis of traumatic origin was diagnosed. The snake was kept in a terrarium with wood chips as a substrate, and the material had induced trauma in the oral mucosa which was further complicated with Salmonella Arizonae and Morganella morganii co-infection, abscessation and osteomyelitis. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of bacterial infection in European snake hybrids and one of a few case reports in European snakes. Although wood chips are an inexpensive substrate, based on our findings, they should be avoided when keeping and breeding European vipers.     

Linear woody landscape elements may help to mitigate leaf surface loss caused by the cereal leaf beetle

Landscape Ecology - Woody semi-natural habitats serve as permanent habitats and hibernation sites for natural enemies and, through spillover processes, they play an important role in the biological...     

Distribution of porcine circovirus 2 cap antigen in the lymphoid tissue of pigs affected by postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome

The lymphatic organs of 50 pigs from a total of eight farms located at different sites in the epizootiological region of North Ba?ka County were studied to obtain data on the prevalence of circoviral infections in Serbia. All of the pigs examined had clinical signs suggestive of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). All pigs underwent necropsy and tissue samples were taken for histopathological, immunohistochemical (IHC) and PCR analysis. The presence of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) was established by PCR analysis in the organs of the pigs tested. The most frequent histopathological lesions of lymphoid tissue linked with the presence of positive immunostaining for PCV2 Cap antigen confirmed the existence of PMWS in all farms tested in North Ba?ka County. Using PCR, histopathological and IHC techniques, the presence of PMWS was proved in the Republic of Serbia. During necropsy, generalised enlargement of the lymph nodes was evident. The most common histopathological finding was lymphocyte depletion in the follicular and perifollicular areas of lymph nodes. Infiltration by macrophages was also recorded. By IHC analysis, the cytoplasm of macrophages was shown to contain a large amount of the ORF2-coded Cap antigen of PCV2. Lymphocyte depletion and large numbers of macrophages were recorded in the tonsils, spleen, intestinal lymphatic tissue, Peyer's patches and ileocaecal valve. The presence of typical granulomatous lesions with multinuclear giant cells (MGCs) was also recorded in the lymphatic tissue. Cap antigen was shown to be present in macrophages and less often in lymphocytes.     

Depletion of gentamicin and its major components from various tissues of turkeys

OBJECTIVE: To determine tissue depletion profiles for gentamicin and its 3 major components (C1, C1a, and C2) in turkeys. ANIMALS: Twenty 10-week-old male turkeys. PROCEDURE: birds were maintained as untreated controls. The remaining birds were treated with gentamicin sulfate at a dosage of 2 mg/kg, IM, once daily for 5 days. Treated birds were euthanatized 45, 60, 75, and 90 days (4 birds at each sample time) after the last dose of gentamicin was administered, and samples of muscle, liver, kidney, and skin and fat were collected. Control birds were euthanatized on day 45. Concentrations of the 3 major components of gentamicin were measured by means of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Total gentamicin concentration (ie, sum of the concentrations of the 3 major components) was < 100 microg/kg for all muscle and skin and fat samples by day 45 and all liver samples by day 75. At all sample times, concentration of the gentamicin C1 component was higher than concentrations of the C1a and C2 components in all tissues. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that tissue depletion profiles of the 3 major components of gentamicin differ from each other. Withdrawal time, therefore, may depend on the ratio of the components in the pharmaceutical preparation used.