Dermatophytes from skin lesions of domestic animals in Nsukka,Enugu State,Nigeria

Background – Dermatophytes are well‐recognized cutaneous fungi with public health implications. In Nigeria, several studies have been carried out on dermatophytosis in humans; however, data on dermatophytes in animals are lacking. Objectives – This study was conducted to determine the occurrence and species of dermatophytes in skin lesions in domestic animals in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria. Animals – Forty‐six domestic animals (dogs, goats, sheep and pigs) presented for sale in the local markets in the study area and with suspected lesions of dermatophytosis were used for the study. Methods – Plucked hairs and epidermal scales from the skin lesions of affected animals were inoculated on Sabouraud dextrose agar slants containing 0.05 mg/mL of chloramphenicol and 0.5 mg/mL of cycloheximide. Inoculated slants were incubated at room temperature (27°C) for up to 4 weeks and examined at 2–3 day intervals for fungal growth. Laboratory identification of the fungal isolates was based on their colonial, microscopic and biochemical characteristics. Results – Of the 46 animals with suspected lesions of dermatophytosis, six (13.0%) were positive for a dermatophyte, and the following dermatophytes were identified: Microsporum gypseum, two of 12 sheep; Microsporum audouinii, one of 16 dogs; Trichophyton mentagrophytes, one of 16 dogs and one of 12 sheep; and Trichophyton schoenleinii, one of 13 goats. Conclusions and clinical importance – Anthropophilic dermatophytes are among the fungal agents associated with dermatophytosis in animals in Nsukka Agricultural Zone. These dermatophytes could constitute health risks to humans in contact with the animals.     

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency in Dogs and Cats: Online Support for Veterinarians and Owners

Pet owners increasingly refer to online sources before, during, and after seeking veterinary advice for their pets. Although some online information is inaccurate or unhelpful, there is much useful material, and we believe much is to be gained by directing owners to online material that supports and complements veterinary advice. With regard to managing veterinary patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), there is an excellent online community that not only offers moral support and practical advice, but also facilitates clinical research and fundraising. For genetic diseases like canine EPI that affect primarily young animals, but for which a decade or more of treatment can reasonably be expected, online support can greatly facilitate optimal lifelong management. In this article we provide some information that may be of value when veterinarians consider which web sites to recommend to their clients managing patients with EPI.     

Porcine circovirus-2 and concurrent infections in the field

Porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2) is the necessary cause of post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in swine; however, a variety of co-factors, including other infectious agents, are thought to be necessary in the full expression of disease. Porcine parvovirus (PPV) was found in the inoculum used in the first experiments to reproduce PMWS in gnotobiotic swine. Retrospective and prospective studies in the field and laboratory have demonstrated PCV-2 can act synergistically with PPV to enhance the severity of PMWS. PCV-2 has been shown to play a role in the porcine infectious disease complex (PRDC). Other co-infecting agents with PCV-2 in the lung include, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), swine influenza virus (SIV) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Exposure of pregnant sows to PPV, PRRSV, or encephalomyocarditis virus may interact with PCV-2 infected foetuses. The severity of hepatic lesions in PCV-2 infected pigs may be enhanced by co-infection with agents such as swine hepatitis E virus and Aujezsky's disease virus. Additional studies are required to determine the mechanistic basis for the interaction of PCV-2 with other agents in the pathogenesis of the various clinical syndromes that have been associated with PCV-2 infection.     

Genetic trends for objectively measured and subjectively assessed traits in a Dorper sheep flock

Genetic trends were constructed to monitor the genetic change for subjectively assessed and objectively measured traits using data emanating from complete records from the National Small Stock Improvement Scheme database and performance records accumulated by a single breeder over a period of 24 years. The objectively measured production traits considered were weaning weight, post-weaning weight (PWW), yearling weight, average daily weight gain to weaning (ADGW), average daily weight gain during post-weaning phase (ADGPW) and average daily weight gain up to yearling age. The subjectively assessed traits (scored on a five-point scale) were conformation, fat distribution, size, type and colour. Direct genetic trends for live weight and growth traits (with the exception of ADGPW) were positive. All the objectively measured traits where maternal effects were significant, except PWW, registered small declines in maternal breeding values. The fastest genetic progress was attained by ADGW, which amounted to 0.29 % of the overall phenotypic mean per annum. Conformation and type exhibited positive but slow increments in direct breeding values at an equivalent annual rate amounting to 0.12 and 0.09 % of the overall phenotypic mean, respectively. Size demonstrated a negative genetic trend of ?0.14 % of the overall phenotypic mean per annum. Genetic trends for fat distribution and colour were negligible. It was concluded that breeders should focus more on the performance recording of objective traits as they are likely to respond favourably to selection pressure.