Bovine abortion associated with Anaplasma marginale.

During the period from June 1974 to June 1975, five bovine fetuses between seven to nine months old were received for necropsy from four different counties of the S. Paulo State, Brazil. All of them were from brucellosis-free herds. Necropsy revealed slight liver enlargement generally accompanied by capsular petechial hemorrhages. Enlargement and congestion of the spleen, epicardial and endocardial petechiae were present in three fetuses and one of them had lungs with some hemorrhagic lobules. Cardiac blood films of all the fetuses stained by the Pappenheim's panoptic method showed Anaplasma marginale in two to 20% of red corpuscles. When stained with acridine orange and immunofluorescent methods blood films of the first fetus specifically showed A. marginale.     

The Effects of Cyclosporine Versus Standard Care in Dogs With Naturally Occurring Glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a leading cause of chronic renal failure in dogs. However, little is known about the efficacy of available treatment options for GN in this species. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of cyclosporine (Cy) administration on the outcome of naturally occurring GN in dogs. Thirteen dogs from 4 institutions were included in the study. Randomization of dogs into placeboversus Cy-treated groups was stratified according to initial morphological diagnosis and contributing institution. Seven and 6 dogs were assigned to be given placebo or Cy, respectively. The initial Cy dose of 10 mg/kg every 24 hours was adjusted to maintain 24-hour trough, whole blood Cy concentrations between 250 and 400 ng/mL. There were no statistically significant differences between placebo-and Cy-treated groups with respect to serum total protein, albumin, urea nitrogen and creatinine, and plasma protein concentrations; platelet count; urine protein-creatinine ratio; endogenous creatinine clearance; 24-hour urine protein concentrations; or 24-hour urine protein—endogenous creatinine clearance ratio. However, PCV was significantly lower in the Cy-treated group. Decreased appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, involuntary shaking, and thrombocytopenia were noted in both treatment groups; however, clinical signs in Cy-treated dogs subjectively were more severe. One Cy-treated dog developed gingival hyperplasia. After entry into the study, the median survival times for placebo-and Cy-treated dogs were 16 and 11 months, respectively. Considering the expense and the frequency of adverse effects related to Cy administration, the use of Cy in the treatment of dogs with GN does not seem warranted.     

Effects of sample storage and delayed secondary enrichment on detection of Salmonella spp in swine feces

OBJECTIVE: To determine effects of fecal sample storage and delayed secondary enrichment (DSE) on detection of Salmonella spp in swine feces. Sample Population-Fecal samples obtained from 84 pigs in a commercial herd. PROCEDURE: Each fecal sample underwent 3 storage treatments: no storage (ie, processed on the day of collection), storage at 4 C for 6 days, and storage at -15 C for 14 days. After assigned storage treatments, all samples were enriched in Rappaport-Vassiladias (RV) broth (single enrichment) and plated on XLT4 agar. Delayed secondary enrichment was performed, using single enrichment broths that were stored for 4 days at room temperature. RESULTS: Of 504 cultures, 186 (36.9%) were Salmonella positive. A difference in proportions of samples with positive results was not found between same-day processing and storage at 4 C for 6 days. Compared with use of single enrichment for 24 hours (34% positive), use of DSE resulted in a greater proportion (40%; P < 0.001) of samples with positive results. Estimated relative sensitivities for the storage methods were 0.90, 0.85, and 0.71 for same-day processing, storage at 4 C for 6 days, and storage at -15 C for 14 days, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Where practical, processing of fecal samples on the day of collection is recommended, although storage at 4 C for several days does not result in marked loss of sensitivity. Improved detection associated with DSE warrants further investigation and optimization.     

A retrospective-cohort study on the development of cataracts in dogs with diabetes mellitus: 200 cases

The objective of the study was to determine the incidence and estimated median time to cataract formation in dogs with diabetes mellitus. The animals studied were 200 dogs with diabetes mellitus which were referred to a university teaching hospital between 1985 and 1995. Medical records from dogs with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were reviewed and, where necessary, further follow-up information was gathered from the referring veterinarian. Incidence rate and median time to diabetic cataract formation was calculated using survival-analysis techniques in a retrospective cohort study design. Among the 200 dogs in the study population, 23 had cataracts at the time of diabetes diagnosis that were presumed to be related to other disease processes. Of the remaining 177 dogs, 132 had documented cataract development with features suggestive as being secondary to diabetes. Twenty-three dogs did not have obvious cataracts at the time of their last examination while 22 dogs did not have cataracts at the time they were lost to follow-up. These 55 cases contributed to the statistical models as noncases of cataracts until the last date for which an examination was available. Half of the population had developed cataracts by the 170th day postdiagnosis of diabetes mellitus, while 75% and 80% of the population developed cataracts by 370 days and 470 days, respectively. The results of this study suggest that the majority of dogs with diabetes will develop cataracts within 5–6 months from the time of diagnosis of the disease, and that approximately 80% of dogs will develop cataracts within 16 months of diagnosis.     

Combination of phytase and citric acid,but not phytase alone,ensures regular rates of growth and bone mineralization in quails under severe phosphorus restriction

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of phytase (PHY), alone or in combination with citric acid (CA), on growing Japanese quails under moderate and severe phosphorus (P) restriction. For this, 504 one‐day‐old female quails were distributed in a completely randomised design with seven treatments and six replications. Treatments consisted of the following diets: (a) positive control (PC): formulated according to quails nutritional requirements; (b) negative control 40% (NC₄₀): PC with 40% less aP; (c) NC₄₀+PHY; (d) NC₄₀+PHY+CA; (e) negative control 65% (NC₆₅): PC with 65% less aP; (f) NC₆₅+PHY; (g) NC₆₅+PHY+CA. Phytase and CA were included at 300 FTU/kg and 40 g/kg, respectively. Performance, bone mineralization and plasma mineral concentration were evaluated at day 35; calcium (Ca) and P metabolism, between days 36 and 39. No significant differences in performance, plasma Ca and P were detected between quails fed PC or NC₄₀; however, NC₄₀ decreased tibia ash (p < 0.01). Treatment NC₆₅ impaired daily weight gain (p = 0.01), tibia ash (p < 0.01), and tibia optical densitometry (p = 0.03), as well as modified plasma Ca (p < 0.01) and P (p = 0.03) concentrations when compared to PC. Both NC₄₀ and NC₆₅ reduced P excretion (p < 0.01). Phytase alone restored tibia ash of NC₄₀ quails to regular rates. Nevertheless, only PHY and CA combined returned plasma P, tibia ash, tibia optical densitometry, and daily weight gain of quails fed NC₆₅ to similar values as those observed in PC. In conclusion, PHY alone suppresses the negative effects of moderate P restriction in growing Japanese quails, but fails in this task under severe P restriction. In such a situation, only the combination of PHY and CA ensures regular rates of growth and bone mineralization. This concept should be better explored by producers in order to take full advantage of the reduction in P excretion achieved by lowering dietary P concentrations.     

Effects of summer heat stress on physiological variables,ovulation and progesterone secretion in Pelibuey ewes under natural outdoor conditions in an arid region

Ten non‐lactating multiparous Pelibuey breed ewes were housed in a corral to evaluate the effects of summer thermal stress on physiologic variables, estrous behavior, ovulation and corpus luteum functionality under natural conditions of an arid region. In summer and autumn, daily estrous detection with a ram fitted with an apron and blood sample collections were performed during two natural estrous cycles. An environment of heat stress was detected in summer and thermoneutral in autumn. Rectal temperature and respiratory frequency were greater (P < 0.01) in summer than in autumn during the morning and afternoon. Season did not affect (P > 0.05) live weight, body condition, length of estrous cycle or percentage of ewes in estrous and ovulating. Compared with autumn, serum progesterone concentrations in summer decreased (P < 0.05) between days 8 and 14 of the estrous cycle. It is concluded that under outdoor conditions of arid regions, while estrous and ovulatory activities of Pelibuey ewes were not affected by summer thermal stress, the corpus luteum functionality was decreased.     

Effect of time of progesterone supplementation on serum progesterone and the conception rate of cooled Holstein heifers during the summer

To investigate the effects of progesterone supplementation at two different times on serum progesterone (P₄) concentration, conception rate and resynchronization of cooled Holstein heifers in summer, 90 heifers were randomly assigned to two groups: (i) heifers subjected to TAI (timed artificial insemination) and progesterone supplementation from days 4 to 14 after TAI (S_1; n = 45); and (ii) heifers under the same TAI protocol as S₁ and progesterone supplementation from days 17 to 22 after TAI (S₂; n = 45). The groups S₁ and S₂ were cooled 10 days before and 21 days after TAI. Respiratory rate, body surface temperature, vaginal temperature and rectal temperature recorded during the experiment were not different (P > 0.05) between S₁ and S₂ groups. Progesterone concentration was not different (P > 0.05) in S₁ compared to S₂. The conception rates on days 30 and 55 were similar between groups (P > 0.05). Progesterone supplementation did not increase either conception rate or concentrations of P₄ in heifers during the summer. Heifers not pregnant to first service in the group S₂ were resynchronized (77.7%) for a second breeding.     

Increased urban seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infecting swine in Panama

Toxoplasmosis gondii causes one of the most common zoonoses worldwide. The rate in Panama is one of the highest in the world. Infections are primarily asymptomatic in immune competent individuals; however, in immunocompromised patient and congenital cases can be lethal. Exposure to the pathogen is hypothesized to occur when handling or consuming infected food such as swine meat. In this study, we analyzed 290 swine sera collected from six provinces in Panama by Indirect Immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) against T. gondii. Toxoplasma-specific IgG were found in 32.1% of the samples. The highest seroprevalence was found in the province of Panama.     

Use of a Piezo Drill for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection into Cattle Oocytes Activated with Ionomycin Associated with Roscovitine

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) consists of the introduction, by micromanipulation, of a single sperm into the cytoplasm of a mature egg. This technique is particularly advantageous when only a few sperm are available for fertilization, representing an important tool in preserving genetic material, especially from poorly fertile males. The results from ICSI in cattle are very often unsatisfactory and difficult to reproduce. Thus, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of a Piezo drill (PD) and oocyte activation with ionomycin + roscovitine (I + R) during ICSI in cattle oocytes. After in vitro maturation (24 h), cumulus complex oocytes were divided into four groups: G1 – the ICSI was performed without the use of a PD and the oocyte was activated with I + R; G2 – the ICSI was performed with the use of the PD and activation with I + R; G3 – the ICSI was performed with the use of the PD, but without activation and G4 – parthenogenetic control, treated with I + R, but without sperm injection. The presumptive zygotes were cultured for 7 days and evaluated on day 3 for cleavage rate and on day 7 for blastocyst formation. Embryo production by standard in vitro fertilization in the laboratory was 78% for cleavage (117/150) and 35% for blastocyst formation (41/150). The cleavage rates obtained in G1, G2 and G4 were similar (66.7%, 71.6% and 66.3%, respectively), demonstrating the beneficial effect of oocyte activation. However, in G3, despite the presence of the sperm and the electric stimulation of a PD, the cleavage rates were significantly lower (17.5%) compared with the groups that used chemical activation, even in the absence of sperm (G4). Despite the beneficial effects of activation, this stimulus alone, or in the absence of the PD, was not sufficient for adequate morulae formation (13.4%, 37.9%, 0.0% and 13.5% for G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively). Only in G2, when the PD was used followed by artificial activation, blastocysts were obtained (14.7%). These results indicate that cattle oocytes must be activated after ICSI to produce viable embryos.     

Resistant accessions of wild Psidium spp. to Meloidogyne enterolobii and histological characterization of resistance

Meloidogyne enterolobii has been reported in some states of Brazil and other countries causing severe damage on commercial guava (Psidium guajava). The use of resistant varieties is the most effective way to manage nematode parasitism. This study screened 51 accessions of Psidium spp. selected from the Psidium Germplasm Collection (Embrapa) to look for resistance against M. enterolobii. Six months after inoculation, nematode reproduction factor (RF) was used to assess resistance. The following species were resistant to M. enterolobii: P. cattleianum (yellow guava), P. friedrichsthalianum (Costa Rican guava), Acca sellowiana (feijoa) and P. rufum (purple guava). All 43 wild accessions of P. guajava were susceptible, as well as three accessions of P. guineense (Brazilian guava), one of P. acutangulum (pear guava) and the susceptible control P. guajava cv. Paluma. When used as rootstocks under greenhouse conditions, P. cattleianum and P. friedrichsthalianum were compatible with cv. Paluma; however, in greenhouse and field conditions only 50% of both scions survived. No apparent hypersensitive response (HR) was seen in the resistant guava P. cattleianum and P. friedrichsthalianum. Juveniles were able to develop normal feeding sites similar to those in susceptible roots 6–13 days after inoculation (dai). From 27 to 32 dai, giant cell deterioration was observed and nematodes showed arrested development. The majority of nematodes failed to reach maturity and did not begin laying eggs in resistant roots. These results suggested that the induction of resistance is relatively late in this pathosystem.