Chylothorax associated with cryptococcal mediastinal granuloma in a cat

A 10-year-old neutered female cat had chylothorax, precaval syndrome, and a mediastinal granuloma resulting from infection with Cryptococcus neoformans. Diagnosis of a chylous effusion was made by cytologic examination of pleural fluid and by finding higher triglyceride levels in the effusion than in serum (825 vs. 64 mg/dl, respectively). Postmortem examination revealed cryptococcal organisms in the mediastinal granuloma, lungs, cerebral meninges, and connective tissues adjacent to the thyroid gland. Chylous effusion in a cat associated with cryptococcosis has not been reported previously. Cryptococcosis should be included in the differential diagnosis in chylous effusions in cats.     

Responses to graded replacement of urea by maize steep liquor in diets for intensively fed lambs for meat production

Urea is a common ingredient of the diets of intensively fed lambs, but is increasingly required for industrial processes. Maize steep liquor (MSL) is a by-product of maize grain degradation to produce starch that may be a suitable replacement. Fifty growing lambs were fed on equinitrogenous diets in which between 0% and 80% of the urea was replaced by MSL; their growth and metabolism were recorded over 70 days. Increasing replacement of urea by MSL increased feed intake and nutrient digestibilities, leading to increased growth rates, more efficient feed conversion, and increased nitrogen retention. Concentrations of triiodothyroxin, thyroxin, glucose, and methionine were increased by replacement of urea by liquor, and plasma urea was reduced. This study suggests that MSL is a suitable replacement for up to 80% of urea in the diet of rapidly growing lambs.     

Comparison of the effects of firocoxib, carprofen and vedaprofen in a sodium urate crystal induced synovitis model of arthritis in dogs

A randomized, placebo-controlled, four-period cross-over laboratory study involving eight dogs was conducted to confirm the effective analgesic dose of firocoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, in a synovitis model of arthritis. Firocoxib was compared to vedaprofen and carprofen, and the effect, defined as a change in weight bearing measured via peak ground reaction, was evaluated at treatment dose levels. A lameness score on a five point scale was also assigned to the affected limb. Peak vertical ground reaction force was considered to be the most relevant measurement in this study. The firocoxib treatment group performed significantly better than placebo at the 3 h post-treatment time point and significantly better than placebo and carprofen at the 7 h post-treatment time point. Improvement in lameness score was also significantly better in the dogs treated with firocoxib than placebo and carprofen at both the 3 and 7 h post-treatment time points.     

Effects of epidurally administered morphine or buprenorphine on the thermal threshold in cats

Objective: To determine the antinociceptive effects of epidural administration of morphine or buprenorphine in cats by use of a thermal threshold model. ANIMALS: 6 healthy adult cats. PROCEDURES: Baseline thermal threshold was determined in duplicate. Cats were anesthetized with isoflurane in oxygen. Morphine (100 microg/kg diluted with saline [0.9% NaCl] solution to a total volume of 0.3 mL/kg), buprenorphine (12.5 microg/kg diluted with saline solution to a total volume of 0.3 mL/kg), or saline solution (0.3 mL/kg) was administered into the epidural space according to a Latin square design. Thermal threshold was determined at various times up to 24 hours after epidural injection. RESULTS: Epidural administration of saline solution did not affect thermal threshold. Thermal threshold was significantly higher after epidural administration of morphine and buprenorphine, compared with the effect of saline solution, from 1 to 16 hours and 1 to 10 hours, respectively. Maximum (cutout) temperature was reached without the cat reacting in 0, 74, and 11 occasions in the saline solution, morphine, and buprenorphine groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Epidural administration of morphine and buprenorphine induced thermal antinociception in cats. At the doses used in this study, the effect of morphine lasted longer and was more intense than that of buprenorphine.     

The role of phagocytic cells in enhanced susceptibility of broilers to colibacillosis after Infectious Bronchitis Virus infection

Colibacillosis results from infection with avian pathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria. Healthy broilers are resistant to inhaled E. coli, but previous infection with vaccine or virulent strains of Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) predisposes birds for severe colibacillosis. We investigated whether IBV affects recruitment and function of phagocytic cells and examined NO production, phagocytic and bactericidal activity, and kinetics of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and splenocytes. Moreover, we measured cytokine mRNA expression in lung and spleen samples. Broilers were inoculated with IBV H120 vaccine or virulent M41 and challenged 5 days later with E. coli 506. A PBS control and E. coli group without previous virus inoculation were also included. Birds were sacrificed at various time points after inoculation (h/dpi). Inoculation with IBV induced extended and more severe colibacillosis than with E. coli alone. At 4dpi, the number of KUL-01(+) PBMC in all E. coli-inoculated groups was significantly higher than in PBS-inoculated birds, which correlated with lesion scores. From 1 to 4dpi, NO production by PBMC from all E. coli-inoculated animals was elevated compared to PBS birds. Bactericidal activity of PBMC in IBV-inoculated animals at 7dpi was lower than in PBS- and E. coli-inoculated birds, but phagocytic capacity and recruitment were not severely impaired. In spleen samples of IBV-infected animals reduced expression of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18 and IFN-gamma mRNA was found 1dpi. Our results suggest that enhanced colibacillosis after IBV infection or vaccination is caused at least by altered innate immunity and less by impairment of phagocytic cell function.     

Development of a multiplex PCR test for identification of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovars 1, 7, and 12

A PCR assay for simultaneous species identification and separation of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovars 1, 7 and 12 was developed. Primers specific for genes involved in biosynthesis of the capsular polysaccharides (cps genes) of serovars 1, 7, and 12 were combined with a species-specific PCR test based on the omlA gene. The PCR test was evaluated with the serovar reference strains of A. pleuropneumoniae as well as 183 Danish field isolates. For all typable strains, a complete correspondence was found between results obtained with the multiplex PCR test and results from the traditional serotyping methods. Among eight serologically cross-reacting strains designated K1:O7, seven isolates produced amplicons of similar sizes as serovar 1 and one isolate produced amplicons of similar sizes as serovar 7. The species specificity of the assay was evaluated using a collection of 126 strains representing 25 different species within the family Pasteurellaceae including 45 field strains of the phylogenetically affiliated species Actinobacillus lignieresii. All these isolates tested negative for the cps genes by the multiplex PCR test except for 6 isolates of A. lignieresii. Five of these isolates produced an amplicon identical to the cps gene of serovar 7, whereas one isolate produced an amplicon identical to the cps gene of serovar 1. In addition, four isolates of Actinobacillus genomospecies 1 tested positive for the omlA gene but negative for the cps genes. The test represents a convenient and specific method for serotyping A. pleuropneumoniae in diagnostic laboratories.     

Electron microscopic identification of viruses associated with poult enteritis in turkeys grown in California 1993-2003

Poult enteritis (PE) is one of the most common diseases seen in young turkey flocks. Since 1993, more than 1800 cases of suspected PE have been submitted for examination by negative stain electron microscopy; this has involved more than 2400 individual results, because in many cases more than one virus was identified; at least 1500 individual results were positive for viruses. Viruses have been identified in poults as young as 3 days and up to 9 wk of age. The most commonly found viruses are rotavirus-like viruses and small round viruses ranging from 15 nm to 30 nm, either alone or in combination. Reovirus, birnavirus, and adenovirus have also been detected. There has been no evidence to suggest the presence of coronaviruses. This report summarizes our findings.     

TB diagnosis in non-human primates: comparison of two interferon-gamma assays and the skin test for identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

To examine the effect of recombinant bovine interferon-gamma (rbIFN-gamma) on cattle persistently infected with bovine leukemia virus (BLV), BLV-infected cattle were inoculated intraperitoneally with IFN-gamma. All cattle were febrile after inoculation with IFN-gamma and then recovered within 48 h. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were decreased for 2-3 days and then their numbers were recovered. The number of gammadelta T cells increased after the fever. In contrast, the number of IgM+ lymphocytes remained low for about 1 week. Moreover, the numbers of syncytia produced by peripheral blood lymphocytes decreased and remained low compared to that before IFN-gamma administration. These results suggest that IFN-gamma induces the up-regulation of gammadelta T cells, decreases the number of IgM+ lymphocytes and suppresses the growth of BLV in BLV-infected cattle in vivo.     

Analysis of world strains of Anaplasma marginale using major surface protein 1a repeat sequences

Anaplasma marginale is a tick-borne pathogen of cattle that causes the disease bovine anaplasmosis worldwide. Major surface proteins (MSPs) are involved in host-pathogen and tick-pathogen interactions and have been used as markers for the genetic characterization of A. marginale strains and phylogenetic studies. MSP1a is involved in the adhesion and transmission of A. marginale by ticks and varies among geographic strains in the number and sequence of amino-terminal tandem repeats. The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic diversity of A. marginale strains collected from countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, inclusive of all continents. In this study, we characterized 131 strains of A. marginale using 79 MSP1a repeat sequences. These results corroborated the genetic heterogeneity of A. marginale strains in endemic regions worldwide. The phylogenetic analyses of MSP1a repeat sequences did not result in clusters according to the geographic origin of A. marginale strains but provided phylogeographic information. Seventy-eight percent of the MSP1a repeat sequences were present in strains from a single geographic region. Strong (> or =80%) support was found for clusters containing sequences from Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Argentinean and South American strains. The phylogenetic analyses of MSP1a repeat sequences suggested tick-pathogen co-evolution and provided evidence of multiple introductions of A. marginale strains from various geographic locations worldwide. These results contribute to the understanding of the genetic diversity and evolution of A. marginale and tick-pathogen interactions.