Antigen-specific IgG(T) responses in natural and experimental cyathostominae infection in horses

Equine clinical larval cyathostominosis is caused by simultaneous mass emergence of previously inhibited larvae from the mucosa of the colon. Clinical signs include diarrhoea, colic, weight loss and malaise, and in up to 50% of cases, the disease results in death. Cyathostominae spend a large part of their life cycle as larval stages in the intestinal mucosa. Definitive diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of diagnostic methods for pre-patent infection. In the present study, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to investigate isotype responses to larval cyathostominae somatic antigen. Measurement of anti-larval IgG(T) responses appeared to have the most immunodiagnostic potential. An increase in IgG(T) response was detected to crude larval antigen by 5 weeks post-infection (PI) in individual infected ponies. Subsequently, IgG(T) responses to larval and adult somatic extracts were examined by Western blotting using sera from experimentally-infected horses and helminth-naive animals (n=6). Two antigen complexes, designated A and B, in larval somatic antigen were recognised specifically by the infected animals by 7 weeks PI. Sera taken from 23 endemically-infected animals, whose cyathostominae burdens had been enumerated, were also used to identify putative diagnostic antigens. Eighteen horses had positive mucosal worm burdens (range 723-3,595,725) and all but two of these animals had serum IgG(T) antibody specific to either complex. Moreover, IgG(T) responses specific to antigen complexes A and B were absent in all five parasite negative horses that were tested. Serum IgG(T) responses to either of the two complexes were identified in five clinical cases tested. IgG(T) responses to adult antigen somatic extracts were more heterogeneous, with no clear pattern between experimentally-infected ponies and helminth-free controls. The results indicate that increases in serum IgG(T) to mucosal larvae occur in the pre-patent period and that two antigenic complexes within somatic preparations of these stages have immunodiagnostic potential.     

Chronic diarrhoea in adult horses: a review of 51 referred cases.

A retrospective analysis of the clinical and laboratory findings from 51 adult horses with chronic diarrhoea revealed that the most common conditions were larval cyathostomiasis (14 cases), idiopathic chronic colitis (nine cases) and alimentary lymphoma (five cases). Five animals had diarrhoea as a result of non-alimentary disease. A diagnosis was reached in 37 cases, but only 15 were made ante mortem. Among the 18 animals (35 per cent) which survived, there were five cases of larval cyathostomiasis, one case of colonic impaction and 12 cases were undiagnosed. The most frequent abnormalities detected in blood samples from the horses were neutrophilia, hypoalbuminaemia, hyperglobulinaemia and high alkaline phosphatase activity. Evidence of carbohydrate malabsorption was found in 16 of 28 cases in which oral glucose tolerance tests were performed. No diagnostic specificity was apparent in either the clinical signs or the laboratory findings.     

Manually assisted ejaculation in a stallion with erectile dysfunction subsequent to paraphimosis.

A Thoroughbred stallion with erectile dysfunction following paraphimosis was managed to allow consistent ejaculation. Ejaculation was elicited in this stallion by applying manual stimulation to the base of the penis. This technique allowed consistent ejaculation, and the stallion was able to return to natural service. Historically, stallions with this degree of penile dysfunction have been considered incapable of ejaculation and unable to continue as breeding animals.     

Associations amongst three feline Porphyromonas species from the gingival margin of cats during periodontal health and disease

Digoxigenin labelled whole chromosomal DNA probes directed against three feline members of the genus Porphyromonas (P. gingivalis VPB 3492, P. circumdentaria NCTC 12469T and P. salivosa VPB 3313) were used to identify and quantify organisms in samples taken from the gingival margins of 40 domestic cats with different grades of periodontal disease. At the right upper canine tooth, the grade of periodontal disease ranged from 0 to 5 and the cfu of facultative/obligate anaerobes ranged from 5.5 x 10(4) to 2.0 x 10(6)). In 38 of the 40 cats, at least one of the three Porphyromonas species was isolated and regression analysis showed that the cfu of total Porphyromonas sp. was a highly significant indicator of the grade of periodontal disease (p < 0.001, R2 0.510). Feline P. gingivalis was isolated from 37 of the 40 cats and regression analysis showed that it was a highly significant predictor of the grade of periodontal disease (p < 0.001, R2 0.561). The cfu of P. salivosa was a significant predictor of the grade of periodontal disease (p < 0.001, R2 0.286) and regression analysis showed that there was a significant positive relationship between cfu of P. circumdentaria and grade of periodontal disease (p = 0.018, R2 0.116). The periodontal grades at the right upper third premolar tooth ranged from 0 to 6. The cfu of facultative/obligate anaerobes isolated ranged from 1.2 x 10(5) to 7.9 x 10(6), and regression analysis showed that cfu was a significant predictor of periodontal grade (p < 0.001, R2 0.378). The cfu of total Porphyromonas species ranged from 1.2 x 10(4) to 1.7 x 10(6) and regression analysis of the cfu against the grade of periodontal disease showed a highly significant association (p < 0.001, R2 0.633). The cfu of P. gingivalis ranged from 0 to 1.1 x 10(6) and regression analysis of the cfu of P. gingivalis against the grade of periodontal disease showed a highly significant association (p < 0.001, R2 0.439). The cfu of P. salivosa was a significant predictor of the grade of periodontal disease (p < 0.001, R2 0.479) and the same association was found between cfu of P. circumdentaria and grade of periodontal disease (p = 0.002, R2 0.204). This study has established Porphyromonas as anumerically significant and highly prevalent genus in feline periodontal disease.     

Infection of the subcutis and skin of cats with rapidly growing mycobacteria: a review of microbiological and clinical findings.

Mycobacteria were isolated and characterised from 49 cats with extensive infections of the subcutis and skin. Cats were generally between 3 and 10 years of age, and female cats were markedly over-represented. All isolates were rapid-growers and identified as either Mycobacteria smegmatis (40 strains) or M fortuitum (nine strains). On the basis of Etest for minimum inhibitory concentration and/or disc diffusion susceptibility testing, all strains of M smegmatis were susceptible to trimethoprim while all strains of M fortuitum were resistant. M smegmatis strains were typically susceptible to doxycycline, gentamicin and fluoroquinolones but not clarithromycin. All M fortuitum strains were susceptible to fluoroquinolones, and often also susceptible to gentamicin, doxycycline and clarithromycin. Generally, M smegmatis strains were more susceptible to antimicrobial agents than M fortuitum strains. Treatment of mycobacterial panniculitis involves long courses of antimicrobial agents, typically of 3-6 months, chosen on the basis of in vitro susceptibility testing and often combined with extensive surgical debridement and wound reconstruction. These therapies will result in effective cure of the disease. One or a combination of doxycycline, ciprofloxacin/enrofloxacin or clarithromycin are the drugs of choice for long-term oral therapy.     

Serological changes observed in horses infected with Anoplocephala perfoliata after treatment with praziquantel and natural reinfection

The serological changes in two groups of horses known to be harbouring Anoplocephala perfoliata were studied; 12 were treated with 1.5 mg/kg praziquantel and 200 microg/kg ivermectin, and 14 were treated with 200 microg/kg ivermectin. Serological and faecal analyses were carried out on each animal at intervals for 758 days. The titres of antibodies specific for A perfoliata decreased from the day of treatment to day 28 in both groups, and continued to decrease in the group treated with praziquantel and ivermectin, with the first significant decrease from the other group at day 121. From day 151 to day 295 the first significant increase in antibody levels in the group treated with both drugs was observed; no A perfoliata eggs were detected in the faeces of these animals until day 295 when five of the 10 were positive.     

Infection with Menangle virus in flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) in Australia

Objective To examine flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) for evidence of infection with Menangle virus. Design Clustered non‐random sampling for serology, virus isolation and electron microscopy (EM). Procedure Serum samples were collected from 306 Pteropus spp. in northern and eastern Australia and tested for antibodies against Menangle virus (MenV) using a virus neutralisation test (VNT). Virus isolation was attempted from tissues and faeces collected from 215 Pteropus spp. in New South Wales. Faecal samples from 68 individual Pteropus spp. and four pools of faeces were examined by transmission EM following routine negative staining and immunogold labelling. Results Neutralising antibodies (VNT titres ≥ 8) against MenV were detected in 46% of black flying foxes (P. alecto), 41% of grey‐headed flying foxes (P. poliocephalus), 25% of spectacled flying foxes (P. conspicillatus) and 1% of little red flying foxes (P. scapulatus) in Australia. Positive sera included samples collected from P. poliocephalus in a colony adjacent to a piggery that had experienced reproductive disease caused by MenV. Virus‐like particles were observed by EM in faeces from Pteropus spp. and reactivity was detected in pooled faeces and urine by immunogold EM using sera from sows that had been exposed to MenV. Attempts to isolate the virus from the faeces and tissues from Pteropus spp. were unsuccessful. Conclusion Serological evidence of infection with MenV was detected in Pteropus spp. in Australia. Although virus‐like particles were detected in faeces, no viruses were isolated from faeces, urine or tissues of Pteropus spp.     

Lumbo-sacral epidural anaesthesia as a complement to dissociative anaesthesia during scrotal herniorrhaphy of livestock pigs in the field

Background

In Sweden, scrotal or inguinal herniorrhaphy of livestock pigs in the field has traditionally been an important part of the surgical skills training of veterinary students. Few substances meet the legal requirements for field anaesthesia of production animals in the European Union but a protocol based on azaperone-detomidine-butorphanol-ketamine does. Unfortunately the anaesthesia is characterised by unpredictable duration and depth and of abrupt awakenings which is not acceptable from an animal welfare perspective and impedes surgical training. Lumbo-sacral epidural analgesia is proven to provide sufficient analgesia to allow abdominal surgery, but there are few reports on the field use of this loco-regional technique. The study aim was to evaluate whether lumbo-sacral anaesthesia can be safely and successfully used in the field by a veterinary student and whether the combination of dissociative and lumbo-sacral epidural anaesthesia improves analgesia and anaesthesia to guarantee animal welfare during herniorrhaphy in livestock pigs, enabling surgical skills training.

Results

Pigs in the control-group (placebo) responded significantly stronger to surgery, with five out of 11 requiring additional doses of detomidine and ketamine. There were no significant differences between groups in respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, SpO₂ or blood gases. SpO₂ levels <94 % were recorded in several pigs in both groups. No post-injection complications were reported at follow-up.

Conclusions

The results from this study showed that lumbo-sacral epidural anaesthesia with lidocaine could successfully be administered during dissociative anaesthesia of livestock pigs by a veterinary student and without reported post-injection complications. It improved analgesia and anaesthesia during herniorrhaphy of sufficient duration to enable surgical skills training. The risks and consequences of hypoxaemia and hypoventilation should be considered.