Gastrointestinal helminth fauna of Japanese moles, Mogera spp

One trematode, Echinostoma macrorchis, 2 cestodes, Hymenolepis diminuta and Choanotaenia spasskii and 5 nematodes, Parastrongyloides winchesi, Tricholinstowia talpae, Heterakis spumosa, Trichuris sp. and Capillaria soricis were obtained from 129 Mogera wogura, 233 M. kobeae and 28 M. tokudae, which were collected from almost all over Japan. All present cases were new host and locality records. The discovery of T. talpae in Japan shows the wide distribution of this species from Japan to Europe.     

Effect of substituting soybean meal with euglena (Euglena gracilis) on methane emission and nitrogen efficiency in sheep

This study evaluated methane (CH₄) emission, intake, digestibility, and nitrogen efficiency in sheep fed diets containing replacement levels (0%, 33%, 50%, and 67% of soybean meal with euglena). In this experiment, four Corriedale wether sheep with an initial body weight of 53.8 ± 4.6 were arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. This experiment lasted 84 days, divided into four experimental periods. Each period lasted 21 days, which consists of 14 days of adaptation to the diets, 5 days to collect samples, and 2 days to collect gas emission from sheep. Methane emission expressed as L/kg DM intake or g/kg DM intake reduced by up to 37% and the energy loss via CH₄ (% of GE intake) reduced by up to 34%. No differences (p > 0.05) were observed in DM and OM intake and whole tract apparent DM digestibility due to substitution of soybean meal with euglena. The total CP loss reduced significantly (linear, p < 0.001) and CP efficiency increased linearly (p = 0.03) with increasing concentration of euglena. As a result, nitrogen balance and average daily weight gain remained unchanged despite higher nitrogen concentration in soybean supplemented group. In conclusion, substitution of soybean meal with euglena reduced methane emission without affecting the performance of animals.     

The effects of growth and disease in serum keratan sulfate concentration in dogs

The purpose of this study is to investigate keratan sulfate (KS) concentration in the serum of puppies and the effects of age, body weight, breed and diseases. Serum samples from six neonatal dogs (4 Beagles, 2 Labrador Retrievers), and from 127 adult dogs with various diseases were collected at a Teaching Animal Hospital. Canine serum KS concentration was measured by inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Samples from puppies were evaluated for growth-related changes, and samples from patients were evaluated for age, body weight, breed and disease-related changes. Serum KS concentration was high in puppies from birth to 4 months of age. KS values started to decrease from 4 months to 9 months of age, and then gradually reached to the plateau. Though in the small sample, mean KS concentration in a Labrador Retriever was higher than in Beagles during the first 10 months. The values of serum KS showed body weight-related increase within retrievers among teaching hospital population and there was significant increase in body weight-related change. Cartilage metabolism is high in canine immature joint and that activity continues for 5 months, and that higher in Labrador Retrievers rather than in Beagles. There was no effect from other factors, including age, body weight, breed and disease in all patients. Serum KS concentration of Retrievers is higher than Beagles, and that value increased with gain of body weight. We suggest that Retriever have higher cartilage metabolism with growth or ageing.     

Helminth fauna of carnivores distributed in north-western Tohoku, Japan, with special reference to Mesocestoides paucitesticulus and Brachylaima tokudai

In the winter of 1998-1999, we collected parasitological data from 54 wild carnivores in the north-western part of Tohoku region, Japan. These consisted of 38 martens (Martes melampus melampus), 14 raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) and 2 foxes (Vulpes vulpes japonica). Collected helminth parasites were 11 nematode, 10 trematode, 3 cestode, and a single acanthocephalan species, including 5 hitherto unknown species for this research area or the mainland of Japan (Honshu). Mesocestoides paucitesticulus was for the first time recorded from martens as well as from carnivores distributed in Honshu. Brachylaima tokudai originally recorded from Urotrichus talpoides in the central part of Honshu was for the first time found from a raccoon dog.     

Impeded establishment of the infective stage of Trichinella in the intestinal mucosa of mice by passive transfer of an IgA monoclonal antibody

Our previous study showed that the IgA monoclonal antibody (mAb) HUSM-Tb1 forms immunoprecipitates on the cuticular surface of infective larvae of Trichinella britovi, and that intraperitoneal injection of this mAb to mice 5 hr before challenge infection confers a high level of protection against intestinal T. britovi. The same treatment produced a similar effect in BALB/c mice inoculated orally with Trichinella pseudospiralis larvae, indicating that the effects may be seen upon most members of the genus Trichinella. Worms recovered from the intestinal mucosa at 1 hr after challenge infection with T. pseudospiralis was few in mice passively immunized with the mAb, whereas a substantial number of worms were recovered from the mucosa of control groups. These results suggest that the IgA mAb impedes establishment of infective Trichinella worms in the intestinal mucosa. Trichinella worms inoculated orally into BALB/c mice vaccinated with ultraviolet-irradiated muscle larvae 3 weeks earlier were expelled between days 4 and 7 after challenge infection. Although the mAb HUSM-Tb1 originated from the mesenteric lymph node cells of mice vaccinated repeatedly with such irradiated larvae, IgA-mediated expulsion does not seem to play an important role in this vaccination model.     

Epidemiological aspects of the first outbreak of Baylisascaris procyonis larva migrans in rabbits in Japan

Larva migrans caused by the common raccoon ascarid, Baylisascaris procyonis, is a zoonotic disease of critical importance in North America. Recently we encountered the first proven outbreak of this disease in Japan in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a small wildlife park. In this park, raccoons (Procyon lotor) had been kept for 9 years, and one raccoon was donated to the park by a pet owner 8 weeks prior to the occurrence of an outbreak in rabbits. Of 12 total raccoons, three raccoons including the donated one shed B. procyonis eggs in the feces, and two of these positive raccoons were kept in metal mesh cages on wooden pedestals, 2 m distant from the rabbit enclosure. Circumstantial evidence indicates that the donated raccoon is the likely source of this outbreak. Treatment of the raccoons with an ascaricide and decontamination by extensive flaming of the cages and the contaminated dirt floor of the park achieved a transient disappearance of ascarids from all 12 enclosed raccoons. Three months after the control measures began, recurrent ascarid infection was detected in three young raccoons of less than 1.5 years of age. The potential risk of serious zoonosis by B. procyonis as well as the difficulty in a clearance of contaminated areas should be considered by pet owners and public health workers in Japan.