Funisitis associated with leptospiral abortion in an equine placenta

Funisitis, inflammation of the umbilical cord, is well recognized in human placentas. This report describes a case of funisitis associated with leptospiral infection in the placenta of a Thoroughbred foal born prematurely. The umbilical cord had diffuse superficial yellow discoloration along its entire length. Microscopic evaluation showed an exudate of neutrophils admixed with fibrin on the surface. Warthin-Starry staining showed spirochetes in the Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord. A locally extensive, severe placentitis not involving the star and allantoic cystic hyperplasia were the other lesions observed in the allantochorion. Leptospira funisitis is similar to the funisitis of congenital syphilis in humans, although there are some major microscopic differences. In Leptospira funisitis, lesions were limited to the cord surface, whereas in lesions in human umbilical cords with Treponema pallidum infection, the changes are observed mostly around the vessels and in the Wharton's jelly.     

New data on the transmission of pigeon circovirus

Nineteen racing pigeons aged from one to five years were examined postmortem. pcr tests showed that the spleens of 16 of them were positive for pigeon circovirus, the livers of six were positive, and blood from one of them was positive for the virus. Five of 44 embryos in embryonated eggs collected from three lofts were positive by pcr, but swabs taken from the crops of 64 adult birds which were feeding one- to 10-day-old squabs in these three lofts were negative for the viral dna.     

Assessing economic and social pressure for the control of bovine viral diarrhoea virus

The objective of this paper is to present a preliminary assessment of variation in the economic impact of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) at dairy farm level between a sample of nations within the EU and hence assess differences in pressure to respond to this disease that may be impeding progress in control and hence restricting collective benefits from healthier livestock. We used a questionnaire to obtain national average values of key epidemiological and economic parameters for a typical dairy farm from BVDV experts in the countries concerned. These parameters were converted into assessments of economic impact using a computer simulation model. Uncontrolled output losses for a BVDV-na?ve herd with virus introduced in year 1 of a 10-year epidemic represented 22, 7, 8, 5, 8 and 20% of the BVDV-free annuity for the UK, Northern Portugal, Holland, Norway, Italy and Germany, respectively. Differences between countries will be widened by differences in the risk of acquiring BVDV. These will be much reduced in countries, such as Norway that have a national BVDV eradication programme. Farmers in such countries can therefore justify spending much less on maintaining BVDV-free status than BVDV-free farms in other countries. This result illustrates the paradox that in countries where BVDV prevalence is high, farmers have least to gain from unilateral BVDV eradication because of the high cost of maintaining freedom from the disease. We discuss this issue in the light of increasing recognition at international level of the importance of BVDV control.     

Comparison of bacterial organisms and their susceptibility patterns from otic exudate and ear tissue from the vertical ear canal of dogs undergoing a total ear canal ablation

The purpose of this prospective study was to compare bacterial organisms and their susceptibility patterns from otic exudate and ear tissue from the vertical ear canal of six dogs with end-stage otitis undergoing a total ear canal ablation. Twenty-six organisms, 13 from the exudate and 13 from the tissue, were morphologically and biochemically similar, and their susceptibility patterns were compared. There were discrepancies for only 5 antibiotics for 4 organisms from 3 dogs. Culture of otic exudate from the vertical ear canal of dogs with chronic end-stage otitis externa provides an accurate reflection of the bacterial species present and the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of these infections.     

Articular / epiphyseal osteochondrosis in Thoroughbred foals at 5 months of age: influences of growth of the foal and prenatal copper supplementation of the dam

AIMS: To determine the influence of copper (Cu) supplementation by injection of mares in late gestation on the frequency and severity of osteochondrosis (OC) lesions in their foals at around 160 days of age. To determine if there was any influence of the concentration of Cu in the liver, growth rate, birthweight, weight at 160 days of age, fatness, sex, or year of birth of the foal on the frequency and severity of OC lesions. To determine the influence of dam's age, and sex and birthweight of the foal on the growth rate from birth to 160 days of age, and weight at 160 days of age. METHODS: Thirty-three Thoroughbred foals, born in two consecutive years, were weighed every 2 weeks from birth. The dams had been supplemented with parenteral Cu or saline during late gestation, and the supplementation regimens were different in each year. Foals had liver biopsies harvested at birth for determination of Cu concentration. Pasture samples were collected every 4-8 weeks for analysis of concentration of Cu and zinc (Zn). At 160 days of age, articular cartilage of long bones was examined. Gross lesions were counted and scored, then sawn and radiographed, and processed for histopathology. Lesions were given radiographic scores and histopathological scores. Maximum scores for each lesion were combined to give a total OC score for each joint and each foal. The fatness of 20 foals (10 each from Years 1 and 2) at 160 days of age was determined chemically. RESULTS: Supplementation of dams with Cu had no significant effect on the concentration of Cu in the liver of foals at birth, or on the frequency or severity of lesions in articular cartilage at 160 days of age. The Cu and Zn concentrations of pasture were similar in Years 1 and 2, and were lower than current recommendations. All foals in Year 2, and 9/10 foals in Year 1 had irregularities in cartilage that was confirmed histologically to be indicative of OC. The average number of lesions per foal was 4.7 (SD 1.1) and 5.7 (SD 1.1) in Years 1 and 2, respectively. However, the severity of the lesions was considered mild, and no foals showed any clinical evidence of OC while alive. The number of lesions in the tarsocrural (TC) joint and the TC OC score at 160 days were positively associated with average daily weight gain (ADG) in the previous 4 weeks (p=0.005 and p=0.001, respectively). There was no significant effect of sex, fatness, birthweight, weight at 160 days of age, or year of birth of the foal on the frequency and severity of OC lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Many of the lesions classified as OC, using classification systems described by other authors, were likely to be normal variations of the process of endochondral ossification. Despite the high frequency of such lesions, they were considered to be of minor significance and none were clinically evident. The distribution of lesions was not typical, and most probably reflected the subtlety of the lesions. These results support the hypothesis that Cu is an over-emphasised factor in the aetiopathogenesis of OC. The relationship between subtle macroscopic lesions and lesions resulting in clinical signs of disease requires further investigation.     

Inhibitory effects of the beta-adrenergic receptor agonist zilpaterol on the LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha in vitro and in vivo

In this study the anti-inflammatory properties of zilpaterol, a beta2-adrenergic receptor (AR) agonist specifically developed as a growth promoter in cattle were investigated. Although zilpaterol has a different structure compared with the beta2-AR agonists known to date, it was noted that it was able to bind to both the beta2-AR (Ki = 1.1 x 10(-6)) and the beta1-AR (Ki = 1.0 x 10(-5)). Using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-exposed U937 macrophages, the production of cyclic adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were investigated. Zilpaterol inhibited TNF-alpha release and induced intracellular cAMP levels in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of TNF-alpha release and induction of cAMP production was mainly mediated via the beta2-AR, as indicated by addition of beta1- and beta2-specific antagonists. The effects of zilpaterol were investigated in LPS-treated male Wistar rats after pretreatment with zilpaterol. Zilpaterol dosed at 500 microg/kg body weight reduced the TNF-alpha plasma levels. In conclusion, zilpaterol is a beta2-adrenergic agonist and an inhibitor of TNF-alpha production induced by LPS both in vivo and in vitro.     

Assessment of plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration in Boxers with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Boxers with a clinical diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) have increased plasma concentrations of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), compared with concentrations in clinically normal dogs. ANIMALS: 13 Boxers with ARVC, 9 clinically normal Boxers, 10 clinically normal non-Boxer dogs, and 5 hound dogs with systolic dysfunction. PROCEDURE: All Boxers were evaluated via 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography and echocardiography; the number of ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) per 24 hours was assessed. Hound dogs with cardiac pacing-induced systolic dysfunction (positive control dogs) and clinically normal non-Boxer dogs (negative control dogs) were evaluated echocardiographically. Three milliliters of blood was collected from each dog for measurement of plasma BNP concentration by use of a radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD plasma BNP concentration for the ARVC-affected Boxers, clinically normal Boxers, negative control dogs, and positive control dogs was 11.0 +/- 4.6 pg/mL, 7.9 +/- 3.2 pg/mL, 11.5 +/- 4.9 pg/mL, and 100.8 +/- 56.8 pg/mL, respectively. Compared with findings in the positive control group, plasma BNP concentration in each of the other 3 groups was significantly different. There was no significant difference in BNP concentration between the 2 groups of Boxers. A significant correlation between plasma BNP concentration and number of VPCs per 24 hours in the ARVC-affected Boxers was not identified. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A significant difference in BNP concentration between Boxers with ARVC and clinically normal Boxers was not identified. Results suggest that BNP concentration may not be an indicator of ARVC in Boxers.     

Evaluation of biochemical analytes in vitreous humor collected after death in West Indian manatees

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate biochemical analytes in vitreous humor collected after death in West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris). DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 73 West Indian manatees of various ages and both sexes. PROCEDURE: The condition of manatee carcasses submitted for routine postmortem examination was categorized as fresh, moderately autolyzed, or severely autolyzed. The eyes were removed, frozen for shipping, and thawed on arrival at the laboratory. Vitreous humor was extracted, and various biochemical analytes were measured. Values for each analyte were compared with published reference ranges for corresponding biochemical analytes in serum. Values were also compared among the carcass condition groups. RESULTS: Creatinine and urea nitrogen concentrations in vitreous humor were significantly higher in severely autolyzed carcasses than in fresh carcasses. Potassium concentrations in vitreous humor were significantly higher in moderately autolyzed carcasses than in fresh carcasses but were highly variable in severely autolyzed carcasses. These data were consistent with those reported in other species. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicate that measurement of biochemical analytes in vitreous humor of manatees is feasible and has potential for assisting in the postmortem diagnosis of certain metabolic, renal, and nutritional diseases; determining severity of autolysis at time of necropsy; and determining the time of occurrence of human-induced trauma.     

Remote sensing and epidemiology: examples of applications for two vector-borne diseases

Remote sensing techniques have greatly contributed to improve our capacity to observe our environment and its processes. For about 15 years, the use of satellite images for epidemiological purposes has been largely promoted to determine diseases distributions and their variations through time. In some circumstances, when diseases are strongly related to environmental data such as climate, vegetation or land-use, radiation values can be included in prediction models. In other cases, remote sensing data provide information for drawing thematic layers involved in the epidemiological processes, which may differ according to the different ecotypes and ecosystems. According to its final goal, the users can choose from the panel of available radiometers with specific characteristics including spatial resolution and frequency of data. In this paper, two examples of major vector-borne diseases, namely Animal Trypanosomosis and Bluetongue, illustrate these applications.