Infectious tenosynovitis in broilers and broiler breeders in Egypt

Two infectious tenosynovitis-producing viruses were isolated from tendon sheaths and synovial fluids of 59 broilers and 15 broiler breeders obtained from different flocks in Egypt during June to October 1983. The viruses grew well on the chorioallantoic membrane of developing chicken embryos, produced small localized white pock lesions with oedematous swellings at the inoculation sites and death of most of the embryos 72 to 96 hours post-inoculation. They also induced cytopathic effect in chicken embryo rough, Vero and MS cell lines. The viruses were neutralized by reovirus S1133 antiserum, both in tissue culture and. on the chorioallantoic membrane. Inoculation of the viruses into 2-day-old broiler chicks via the foot pad, intramuscular and oral routes reproduced the disease with the development of characteristic clinical, pathological and serological responses. The infection was transmitted to in-contact control chicks. This is the first report of the disease and of the isolation and identification of the causative virus in Egypt.     

SIDE LOBES AND GRATING LOBES ARTIFACTS IN ULTRASOUND IMAGING

Side lobes and grating lobes are both unwanted parts of the ultrasound beam emitted off axis that produce image artifacts due to error in positioning the returning echo. The purpose of this study was to reproduce artifacts associated with side lobes and grating lobes in vitro using different transducer types and recognize these artifacts in vivo. A phantom, composed of a water bath, a metallic wire, and a wooden tongue depressor, was imaged using a linear array, a curved linear array, a vector array, and a sector mechanical transducer. When imaging the metallic wire in a transverse plane, an echogenic artifact was constantly seen on each side of the wire, with a shape and intensity variable with the transducer type. The artifact was curvilinear and concave (linear and curved linear arrays), or curvilinear and convex (vector array and the mechanical transducer). When the tongue depressor was imaged in a longitudinal plane, the artifact was a straight line (linear array), a curved convex line(curved array), a series of convex curvilinear echo (vector array) or a small convex curvilinear echo (mechanical transducer). In vivo situations similar to the phantom experiment were investigated using clinical patients. Artifacts produced in vitro were recognized in vivo when a highly reflective object (urinary bladder wall) was imaged adjacent to an anechoic region (urine). These artifacts corresponded to the principle of secondary ultrasound lobes, and were therefore interpreted as such.     

Presence of bacterial glycocalyx and fimbriae on Pasteurella haemolytica in feedlot cattle with pneumonic pasteurellosis.

This investigation was conducted to determine if Pasteurella haemolytica within feedlot cattle affected by pneumonic pasteurellosis express fimbriae (pili) and bacterial glycocalyx. Bacteriological culture of pulmonary tissue from three calves with fibrinous pneumonia resulted in heavy growth of P. haemolytica. Transmission electron microscopy of the lungs showed numerous microcolonies of gram-negative bacteria with morphology typical of Pasteurella haemolytica. The cells within these microcolonies possessed bacterial glycocalyces which stained with ruthenium red. Glycocalyx-encased microcolonies were also present in specimens examined by scanning electron microscopy. Typical P. haemolytica cells were evident in a tracheal specimen and these bacteria had radial glycocalyces consistent with polysaccharide and proteinaceous material condensed on linear structures suggestive of fimbriae. The pathogenetic importance of the bacterial glycocalyx and fimbriae in shipping fever pneumonia has yet to be established but their presence in clinical cases of Pasteurella pneumonia in feedlot cattle further supports a possible role in the initiation and progression of this disease as well as bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents.     

Ochratoxin A in Korean food commodities: occurrence and safety evaluation

To evaluate the exposure of Koreans to ochratoxin A, we conducted a survey in 2003 for ochratoxin A in various domestic food commodities: 60 polished rices, 22 barleys, 35 wheat flours, 46 beers, and 14 unstrained rice wine (makkolli) samples. They were analyzed for ochratoxin A using immunoaffinity column and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-fluorescence detection, and the positive samples were confirmed using HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry. By combining results from different surveys on the levels of ochratoxin A in selected foods and the consumption patterns, we obtained the Korean probable daily intakes (PDI) of ochratoxin A. The polished rice commodity had the highest mean levels of ochratoxin A, which ranged from 0.2 (not detected, i.e., ND = 0) to 1.0 ng/g (ND = limit of detection, i.e., LOD). The estimated PDI for all Koreans fell into the range of 0.8-4.1 ng/kg bw/day, while for heavy consumers the estimates ranged from 1.7 to 9.1 ng/kg bw/day, which did not exceed the PTDI value (14 ng/kg bw/day). Staple rice is the major contributor (>90%) to the Korean dietary intake of ochratoxin A. On the basis of these estimates, it may be concluded that there is at present no considerable risk of ochratoxin A exposure for the average Korean consumer.     

Crystal violet staining of Bordetella bronchiseptica colonies for differentiation of phase-I strains from variant strains in degraded phases.

After 2 days of growth on Brain heart infusion agar (BHIA) at 38 degrees C, phase-I colonies and degraded-phase colonies of Bordetella bronchiseptica could be differentiated by their ability to take up crystal violet (CV). Phase-I colonies in X mode, but not colonies in degraded phases (phases II, III, and rough) bound CV. Phenotypically-altered C-mode colonies (grown at 32 degrees C or lower temperatures) also lacked this ability. CV staining offers an easy method for the recognition of different colony types that appear identical when observed on BHIA.     

High-level gentamicin-resistant and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from a wound in a dog

This report describes the first clinical case, in Europe, of a high-level gentamicin-resistant and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium infection in a dog. The aim of this report is to alert the veterinary profession to high-level gentamicin-resistant and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in companion animal patients. Multi-drug resistant strains of this pathogen are the cause of considerable problems in human hospitals and for community healthcare professionals worldwide. The potential for a similar impact within veterinary medicine is discussed.     

Effects of dietary live or heat‐inactivated autochthonous Bacillus pumilus SE5 on growth performance,immune responses and immune gene expression in grouper Epinephelus coioides

To evaluate the possible dietary application of live and heat‐inactivated probiotic Bacillus pumilus SE5 in grouper Epinephelus coioides, juveniles (14.6 ± 0.2 g) were fed either a basal control diet (without probiotic) or the basal diet supplemented with 1.0 × 10⁸ CFU g^?1 live (T1) and heat‐inactivated B. pumilus SE5 (T2). The heat‐inactivated probiotic significantly improved the final weight, weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) at day 60 and significantly decreased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) at day 30 and 60, while the viable probiotic significantly decreased the FCR at day 60 (P < 0.05). Phagocytic activity, serum complement C3 and IgM levels as well as SOD activity elevated significantly in fish fed the heat‐inactivated probiotic for 60 days (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the heat‐inactivated probiotic remarkably up‐regulated expression of TLR2 and pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IL‐8 and IL‐1β) in head kidney (P < 0.05), but the viable probiotic failed to do so. These results indicated that heat‐inactivated B. pumilus SE5 can effectively improve the growth performance and immune responses of E. coioides.     

施氮模式对玉-麦周年轮作系统产量和氮吸收利用的影响

为明确适宜豫北平原夏玉米-冬小麦一体化种植的高效施氮管理模式,2016—2017年分别在豫北典型高产田区河南省鹤壁市和中产田区河南省原阳县开展了夏玉米-冬小麦周年轮作不同施氮模式对夏玉米与冬小麦产量、氮素吸收和利用效率影响的田间试验。共设5种处理:不施氮肥(T1)、普通尿素按210 kg(N)?hm?2一次性基施(T2)、普通尿素分次施用且总施氮量同T2(T3)、控释尿素与普通尿素配比氮素减量施用(T4)和控释尿素与普通尿素配比氮素足量施用(T5)。分别于夏玉米和冬小麦关键生育期测试叶片SPAD值、植株与籽粒氮含量及生物量等氮营养指标,并于成熟期测定产量和产量构成因子,分析计算植株氮积累量与吸收利用特征。结果表明,处理间,高、中产区夏玉米与冬小麦产量、产量构成因子及氮素营养指标整体变化趋势均为T5T4T3T2T1。产区间,各处理夏玉米和冬小麦产量性状及氮营养指标均表现为高产区显著优于中产区。综合各处理平均值,高产区夏玉米产量、植株氮含量和氮素积累量相比于中产区分别平均提高58.0%、19.2%和47.1%,冬小麦增幅则分别为34.7%、33.3%和85.9%。氮利用效率方面,高、中产田在氮肥表观利用率、氮肥农学效率和100kg籽粒需氮量变化趋势均表现为T5T4T3T2T1,处理间差异显著;氮素收获指数则与此相反。豫北平原夏玉米-冬小麦周年轮作制在作物稳产甚至增产条件下,采用尿素与缓释氮肥掺混配施的氮肥优化施用模式不仅可有效减少肥料用量,还能显著提升肥料利用率,降低氮肥损失。