Host parasite relationships in Trypanosoma (duttonella) vivax with special reference to the influence of antigenic variation

A mouse model system was used to study various aspects of host and parasite relationships in Trypanosoma vivax infections. These included the phenomenon of antigenic variation, the variable parasite antigens responsible for this phenomenon, parasite-host adaption, host immune responses and the role of genes in the major histocompatibility complex in the control of infection. While the mouse model system has allowed investigation of these aspects of host parasite relationships, it is clear that the system is much more limited than those generally used in T. brucei spp and T. congolense infections. This is indicated by the discovery that not all VATs of T. vivax were equally infective for mice, though in some cases infectivity could be improved by bovine serum supplementation and/or immunosuppression of the mouse host. In the case of rats, infection was even restricted to a smaller number of the VATs studied. It was, however, possible to biochemically characterize the variable surface antigen carried by T. vivax and show its similarity to those carried by T. brucei and T. congolense. The H-2 complex was found not to influence acquired resistance of inbred strains. Cyclic transmissions of T. vivax infections to goats combined with chemotherapy were carried out in an attempt to induce protection to subsequent infection as has been shown in T. brucei and T. congolense infections. Such protection could, however, not be obtained, The failure of the metacyclic VATs to induce immunity, was perhaps due to rapid decrease in antibody titres to bloodstream VATs found after treatment and prior to rechallenge. The usefulness of the mouse model system in elucidating the mechanisms responsible for the non-H-2 linked differences in susceptibility to T. vivax infections should be further explored and its relevance to mechanisms of trypanotolerance in domestic ruminants defined.     

Bovine Cryptosporidiosis: Clinical and Pathological Findings in Forty-two Scouring Neonatal Calves

Cryptosporidia organisms were identified in 42 of 161 (26%) neonatal, diarrheic calves, over a 32 month period commencing July 1979. Forty of the 161 calves were submitted alive and cryptosporidiosis was diagnosed in 63% (25 of 40) of them. The cryptosporidia infected calves were usually one to two weeks old and came from 26 herds where the typical history was profuse, watery diarrhea in nearly all neonatal calves. The diarrhea usually started around one week of age, was unresponsive to all conventional antidiarrhea therapies, lasted for two or more weeks and was usually fatal. Twenty-nine (69%) of the cryptosporidia infected calves were submitted between December and February. These calves were often hutch reared.

Histopatholoical examination revealed large numbers of the coccidial parasite Cryptosporidium sp embedded in the microvilli of jejunal and ileal absorptive enterocytes of all affected calves. The organisms were identified as trophozoites and schizonts (asexual stages) and macrogametes (female sexual stages) with the electron microscope. Microgametes (male sexual stages) were not identified. Occasionally a merozoite (asexual stage) was also seen apparently burrowing into or about to be enveloped by a host microvillus. Observation of the organisms was much easier when diarrheic calves were submitted alive. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli were often cultured from intestines of dead calves and occasionally from calves submitted alive. Coronavirus particles were seen in one calf. In the last year of this study, oocysts were identified in fecal smears stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain and fecal samples using a dichromate solution flotation technique.

     

A note on the amino acid composition of the Turkey

1. The amino acid composition of the whole body protein of 28‐ and 56‐d‐old turkeys is reported.

2. There were some differences between the two ages; these could largely be reconciled by considering the likely differences in the proportion of feather protein.

3. The results were compared with similar values for the chicken and goose; overall there is a striking similarity, both in absolute concentrations and relative proportions of amino acids.     

Effects of human chorionic gonadotrophin and castration on plasma gonadal steroid hormones of the dog

An intramuscular injection of 500 I.U. of human chorionic gonadotrophin resulted in an increase of plasma testosterone and progesterone concentrations in the intact male dog, but had no effect on plasma 17B-estradiol concentration. Castration caused a rapid decrease in concentration of testosterone, progesterone, and 17B-estradiol, indicating that the tests were the major organs producing these hormones in the male dog.     

The relationship between plasma triglyceride concentrations and body fat content in male and female broilers—a basis for selection?

1. The relationship between plasma triglyceride concentrations and body fat content was examined in three groups of male and one of female broiler chickens fed ad libitum on a normal growing diet.

2. Phenotypic correlations between total plasma triglyceride concentration and fat content were + 0.50, + 0.37 and + 0.39 for the three groups of male broilers and +0.33 for the group of females. Triglyceride content of plasma very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) plus low density lipoprotein (LDL) showed similar correlations with fat content.

3. Selection of birds from a flock of 550 male broilers on the basis of high or low plasma VLDL plus LDL triglyceride concentrations produced groups with significant differences in body fat content but little difference in body weight.

4. The results suggest that measurements of plasma triglyceride concentration could be used as an indirect means of selecting for decreased body fat content in broiler breeding programmes.     

Effect of injecting amino acids into the egg on embryonic and subsequent growth in the domestic fowl

1. The growing embryo uses about 1% of the total protein available in the egg during the first week of incubation.

2. Injecting the growing embryo with amino acids equivalent to the amount of protein used resulted in higher weight of chicks at all stages up to 56 d.     

Epidemiology of leptospirosis in dairy farm workers in the Manawatu. Part II. A case-control study of high and low risk farms

Subsequent to a cross-sectional serological survey of Manawatu dairy farm workers, a case-control study was carried out to investigate the correlation between titres to leptospiral serovars in workers and those in cattle in their herds. A total of 52 herds was investigated, 25 of which were high risk where milkers had titres of 1:96 or greater, and 27 were case-controls where milkers had no detectable agglutinin titres at a minimum serum dilution of 1:24. The serological prevalence of titres to hardjo in cattle on high risk farms (76.5%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than on the case-control farms (60.0%). The geometric mean titres of seropositive cattle on high risk farms were also significantly higher (P<0.01) than in the cattle from the case-control farms, especially in the younger cohorts. These findings suggest that there was active endemic hardjo infection in the two- to three-year-old cattle on the high risk farms. Titres to pomona were demonstrated in only 5.2% of the cattle from both types of farm. Workers with titres to pomona tended to be from farms on which stock, especially calves, were bought-in and pigs were kept. Conventional measures for protecting milkers from contact with infected urine appeared to be ineffective and it is concluded that prevention of leptospirosis in dairy farm workers can only be achieved by elimination of infection in the herd by vaccination of cattle.