A case of very serious Sarcoptes mange in alpacas (Lama pacos)

After the diagnosis sarcoptic mange in four alpaca's (Lama pacos) we have tried to control this infection. Despite three treatments with doramectin, three with ivermectin, four with amitraz and two with diazinon we were unable to get the animals free of Sarcoptes mites and their condition deteriorated. One animal died six month after the first treatment. The three remaining animals were euthanized one month thereafter.     

The activity of albendazole against adult and larval gastrointestinal nematodes in naturally infected calves in the Netherlands

Summary The activity of albendazole against gastrointestinal helminths in naturally infected calves in the Netherlands was tested. The calves were in their fist grazing season and kept in two groups of ten. One of these groups was grazed alternately with sheep. Five out of each group were drenched with albendazole (7.5 mg/kg) on the day they were housed (November 1). Before and 2, 14, and 28 days after treatment individual faecal samples were taken from all calves and larval cultures were made. Ten calves, six treated and four untreated, were killed for post mortem studies 14 days after treatment The remaining calves were slaughtered 14 days later. The drug was highly effective in reducing the egg output, measured as the number of larvae cultured per gram of faeces. Compared with the untreated calves, the reduction was more than 99% two days after treatment, 100% at 14 days, and 99% after 28 days. It was shown that egg output 28 days after treatment came from worms which had developed from arrested larvae of Ostertagia ostertagi that had survived treatment. Post mortem results showed an efficacy of 100% against adult O. ostertagi, of almost 100% against Trichostrongylus axei, and 100% against adult and larval Cooperia oncophora. Twenty-eight days after treatment, the reduction of arrested early fourth stages of O. ostertagi was 85% in comparison with the untreated calves. Apparently less effect was found against Trichuris ovis at the given dose rate.     

Metabolite profiles for Antrodia cinnamomea fruiting bodies harvested at different culture ages and from different wood substrates

Antrodia cinnamomea is a precious edible fungus endemic to Taiwan that has long been used as a folk remedy for health promotion and for treating various diseases. In this study, an index of 13 representative metabolites from the ethanol extract of A. cinnamomea fruiting body was established for use in quality evaluation. Most of the index compounds selected, particularly the ergostane-type triterpenoids and polyacetylenes, possess good anti-inflammation activity. A comparison of the metabolite profiles of different ethanol extracts from A. cinnamomea strains showed silmilar metabolites when the strains were grown on the original host wood (Cinnamomum kanehirai) and harvested after the same culture time period (9 months). Furthermore, the amounts of typical ergostane-type triterpenoids in A. cinnamomea increased with culture age. Culture substrates also influenced metabolite synthesis; with the same culture age, A. cinnamomea grown on the original host wood produced a richer array of metabolites than A. cinnamomea cultured on other wood species. We conclude that analysis of a fixed group of compounds including triterpenoids, benzolics, and polyacetylenes constitutes a suitable, reliable system to evaluate the quality of ethanol extract from A. cinnamomea fruiting bodies. The evaluation system established in this study may provide a platform for analysis of the products of A. cinnamomea.