Quality of computerized medical record abstract data at a veterinary teaching hospital

This study was designed to evaluate the quality of data from computerized medical record abstracts at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ontario Veterinary College. Information in the paper medical record (registration, physical exam, daily progress, laboratory, radiology, anaesthesia and surgery forms), the summary sheet, and the computerized record were compared. A random sample of 100 patient visits from a subset of visits that were identified as all possible dog or cat elective-surgery visits in the computerized records from 1983 through 1991 were used. Clinicians were responsible for summarizing the medical record on the summary sheet and health record technicians entered the information from the summary sheet into the computer record. Most of the discrepancies (n = 33) noted for diagnoses, procedures or complications were due to the lack of transfer of information from the paper forms to the summary sheet. Although the medical record technicians detected and entered some of these (n = 10), most were not entered into the computerized records. The next most-common discrepancies (n = 5) were due to the clinician writing a different entry on the summary sheet than was present on the other paper record forms. Only one record had a miscoded diagnosis and three had miscoded procedures. Misfiled forms in the medical record folders of two patients resulted in one incorrect diagnosis and one incorrect procedure recorded in the computer record. When any discrepancy between the paper and computer record for diagnoses, procedures or complications was considered, 41% of the visits had discrepancies (46% dogs; 36% cats). The percentage varied by surgery status: non-elective surgeries 82%, elective surgeries 37% and non-surgical visits 29%. There was no obvious time trend. The completeness and accuracy of information in the database was inadequate for the intended research on post-operative complications following elective surgeries.     

Reactivation of a Trypanosoma cruzi infection in a rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) experimentally infected with SIV

Trypanosoma cruzi-like flagellates were incidentally noted in blood smears of a routinely monitored rhesus monkey experimentally infected with the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Immunodeficiency in the course of the SIV infection reactivated a chronic infection of Chagas' disease that had been unnoticed when the macaque was imported to Europe. The animal developed no specific clinical symptoms of American trypanosomiasis, but histologically a chagasic myocarditis was detected. Analysis of the small subunit rRNA gene of the trypanosome identified the protozoan as T. cruzi.     

Sero-prevalence of avian influenza among broiler-breeder flocks in Jordan

Thirty blood samples were collected randomly from each of the 38 breeder-broiler farms in Jordan. Serum samples were examined using indirect ELISA for specific antibodies to avian influenza virus. The overall true flock-level sero-prevalence of avian influenza was 71% (95% CI: 55,83). Positive flocks had 2-30 sero-positive chickens and half of flocks had >20 sero-positive birds. The number of sero-positive flocks varied in the studied localities with more sero-positives in farms located within the migratory route of migratory wild fowl. The examined broiler-breeder flocks had no clinical signs, or noticeable decrease in egg production; mortalities were within the normal range (0.1-1%). The number of positive sera/flock correlated with flock size. There were a no significant (Pearsons r=0.21, p=0.21) correlation between positive flocks and age. A non-pathogenic AI virus infects broiler-breeder farms in Jordan. Wild local and migrating birds might promote the further spread of this virus in Jordan and other countries.     

Relationship of ruminal temperature with parturition and estrus of beef cows

Spring-calving Angus cows (n = 30) were used to evaluate changes in ruminal temperature (RuT) related to parturition and estrus. Cows were synchronized and artificially inseminated with semen from a single sire. Temperature boluses were placed in the rumen at 7.0 ± 0.2 mo of gestation. Boluses were programmed to transmit RuT every 15 min. Cows (BW = 623 ± 44 kg, BCS = 4.9 ± 0.4) calved during 3 wk, and estrus was synchronized at 77 ± 7 d after calving with PGF(2α). Cows were observed every 12 h to detect estrus. Daily average ambient temperatures ranged from 2 to 22 °C during parturition (February to March) and 17 to 25 °C during estrus (May to June). Ruminal temperature from 7 d before to 3 d after parturition and 2 d before to 2 d after visual detection of estrus was analyzed using the MIXED procedure. Ruminal temperatures <37.72 °C were attributed to water consumption and excluded from analyses. Day did not influence (P = 0.36) RuT from d -2 to -7 before parturition (38.94 ± 0.05 °C). Ruminal temperature decreased (P < 0.001) from d -2 to d -1 before parturition (38.88 ± 0.05 to 38.55 ± 0.05 °C, respectively). Ruminal temperature was not influenced (P = 0.23) by day from 1 d before to 3 d after parturition (38.49 ± 0.05 °C). Ruminal temperature at 0 to 8 h after detection of estrus (38.98 ± 0.09 °C) was greater (P < 0.001) compared with RuT at the same daily hour of the day before (38.37 ± 0.11 °C) or the day after estrus (38.30 ± 0.09 °C). Ambient temperature did not influence (P > 0.30) RuT at parturition or estrus. Ruminal temperature decreased the day before parturition and increased at estrus in spring-calving beef cows and has potential use as a predictor of parturition and estrus.     

Equine Cryptorchidism: Pre-surgical Considerations and Surgical Management

Horses with undescended testes are frequently presented to the veterinary surgeon for castration. The pertinent pre-operative evaluations and diagnostic procedures that should be made prior to either surgical intervention or referral of such cases are outlined. Several accepted anesthetic and surgical techniques are similarly reviewed. Case histories of 58 horses referred during a two year period are reviewed and correlated with the findings of a recent study of equine testicular development and descent.     

The expression of histamine H4 receptor mRNA in the skin and other tissues of normal dogs

The histamine 4 (H₄) receptor was first cloned and characterized in 2000 using the human H₃ receptor DNA sequence. The H₄ receptor has been shown to participate in various aspects of inflammation, such as chemotaxis, upregulation of adhesion molecule expression and modulation of cytokine secretion. The primary goal of this study was to determine whether H₄ receptor mRNA is expressed in normal canine skin by performing an RT‐PCR. An additional goal was to determine the expression of this receptor in the colon, liver, spleen and kidney. Tissues were collected from five healthy, young‐adult pit bull dogs. Samples were immediately placed in RNAlater^® solution and stored at ?20°C until processed. The amplified products in all skin samples in addition to the colon, liver, spleen and kidney (variable expression) had the expected size of 400–500 bp. The sequenced amplicons matched the National Center for Biotechnology Information published sequence for the canine H₄ receptor. The study results showed that canine normal skin expresses the H₄ receptor mRNA. Further studies using immunohistochemistry should be conducted to demonstrate the expression of the H₄ receptor at the protein level and to localize the expression of this receptor in the skin.