The Neospora caninum-Spain 7 isolate induces placental damage, fetal death and abortion in cattle when inoculated in early gestation

The Nc-Spain 7 isolate of Neospora caninum, which was newly obtained from an asymptomatic congenitally infected calf, demonstrated a similar virulence as Nc-1 strain in mouse models. The aim of this study was to characterize the pathogenesis of Nc-Spain 7 isolate in cattle after experimental infection at 65 days of gestation. For this purpose, thirteen pregnant heifers were divided into three groups as follows: group A: 7 heifers inoculated with 1×10(8) tachyzoites of Nc-Spain 7 isolate; group B: 4 heifers inoculated with 1×10(8) tachyzoites of Nc 1 strain; and group C: 2 heifers received PBS. Serum samples were collected weekly and heparinized blood samples were collected three times (0, 28 and 42 days after inoculation) by jugular venipuncture. Placenta and fetal tissue samples were collected at time of necropsy. Specific antibody response in the dams was tested by IFAT, indirect ELISA, and rNcGRA7 and rNcSAG4 based-ELISA. Specific antibody response in fetal fluids was tested by IFAT. IFN-γ production was measured after in vitro culture of PBMC and the supernatant was assessed using a commercial kit (BOVIGAM). A significant increase in N. caninum antibody responses was detected in groups A and B by IFAT and by i-ELISA from day 14 after inoculation onwards. Besides, antibody response against rNCGra7 protein was also detected in all inoculated heifers by rNcGra7-based ELISA. Four fetuses from group A and one from group B were aborted between 3 and 5 weeks after infection. In the recovered fetuses, only 3 out of 4 fetal fluids from fetuses of group A and 1 out of 3 of group B were seropositive by IFAT, but all of them were positive by PCR. Transplacental transmission could be determined in all fetuses from groups A and B by PCR and/or IHC. Heifers of group C and their fetuses remained negative by all techniques. The results of this study demonstrate that the NC-Spain 7 isolate could be transmitted transplacentally, and produced fetal death and abortion in cattle.     

2D versus 3D in the kinematic analysis of the horse at the trot

The handled trot of three Lusitano Purebred stallions was analyzed by using 2D and 3D kinematical analysis methods. Using the same capture and analysis system, 2D and 3D data of some linear (stride length, maximal height of the hoof trajectories) and angular (angular range of motion, inclination of bone segments) variables were obtained. A paired Student T-test was performed in order to detect statistically significant differences between data resulting from the two methodologies With respect to the angular variables, there were significant differences in scapula inclination, shoulder angle, cannon inclination and protraction-retraction angle in the forelimb variables, but none of them were statistically different in the hind limb. Differences between the two methods were found in most of the linear variables analyzed.     

细胞松弛素B对牛GV期卵母细胞玻璃化冷冻效果的影响

本试验通过玻璃化冷冻前不同浓度细胞松弛素B(cytochalasin-B,CB)预处理来分析CB对牛GV期卵母细胞固体表面玻璃化(SSV)冷冻后发育潜力的影响。试验结果表明,玻璃化冷冻后,CB处理组和未处理组之间卵母细胞成熟率差异不显著(P>0.05),但均显著低于体外培养组。说明试验中所用CB浓度 (2.5、7.5、15、20和30 μg/mL)对牛GV期卵母细胞玻璃化冷冻效果的改善作用不明显。     

Experimental infection with Toxocara cati in BALB/c mice, migratory behaviour and pathological changes

Experimental inoculations of 1000 Toxocara cati larval eggs were carried out in 18 BALB/c mice. The T. cati eggs used for inoculation were collected from the faeces of naturally infected cats. Euthanasia was performed on two mice on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14, 21 and 28 post-inoculation (p.i.). Tissue samples were taken for digestion and histopathology. Larvae were recovered from all infected mice and the average of all larvae recovered was 28.3% (95%; CI: 14.1-42.4). Maximum number was obtained from liver on days 1 and 2 p.i.; from the lung on day 2 p.i. and from the brain on day 28 p.i. In muscle, the recovery was high as from day 3 p.i., with the maximum obtained on day 28 p.i. Superficial foci of congestion and haemorrhage were macroscopically observed in the lungs between days 2 and 5 p.i. and in the brain between days 3 and 6 p.i. Microscopic lesions were observed in the liver between days 2 and 14 p.i., with periportal and subcapsule inflammatory infiltrates. In the lungs, haemorrhages and inflammatory infiltrates can be observed in the alveolar parenchyma, close to bronchioles and large blood vessels. In the brain, congestive areas without inflammatory reactions were seen. In muscle, the presence of inflammatory infiltrates and degenerated muscle can be observed surrounding a parasite larva. These same lesions were observed in myocardium and pericardium. The kidneys were congested with inflammatory infiltrates. The inflammatory cells present in all the tissues studied were lymphocytes, neutrophils and a few eosinophils. Formation of granulomas or signs of larva encapsulation were not observed. The migratory pattern of T. cati larvae in BALB/c mice and its tendency to become concentrated in the muscle reinforce the importance of the mouse as a paratenic host for the parasite's cycle in the environment.     

The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of ivermectin in domestic animal species

The pharmacokinetic properties of drugs are closely related to their pharmacological efficacy. The kinetics of ivermectin are characterised, in general terms, by a slow absorption process, a broad distribution in the organism, low metabolism, and slow excretion. The kinetics vary according to the route of administration, formulation, animal species, body condition, age, and physiological status, all of which contribute to differences in drug efficacy. Characterisation of ivermectin kinetics can be used to predict and optimise the value of the parasiticide effects and to design programmes for parasite control. This article reviews the pharmacokinetics of ivermectin in several domestic animal species.     

Screening of five drugs for efficacy against Babesia felis in experimentally infected cats

The efficacy of 5 drugs was tested against experimental Babesia felis infection in domestic cats. Two of the drugs, rifampicin and a sulphadiazine-trimethoprim combination, appeared to have an anti-parasitic effect, but were inferior to primaquine. The other 3 drugs, buparvaquone, enrofloxacin and danofloxacin, had no significant anti-babesial effect.     

畜禽养殖场环境微生物致病性和耐药性调查研究

为了解掌握养殖场中环境微生物对养殖业和公共卫生造成的影响,初步对我国养殖场环境微生物进行了研究。对吉林、湖北等省份的部分养猪场和养鸡场环境采样,并进行大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌分离鉴定,同时对从鸡舍和猪舍内分离大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌进行动物致病性实验及对13种抗生素的耐药性实验。实验结果表明,所有实验的沙门氏菌和90.7%的大肠杆菌菌株对小白鼠有致病性;所有分离菌株对磺胺类药物的耐药性非常严重,其次是对四环素,对其他药物也有不同程度的耐药性。     

Nutritional evaluation of sunflower seed and products derived from them. Effect of oil extraction

1. Apparent MEn and oil digestibility of hulled sunflower seed (SFS) and the products derived from the oil extraction process: press extracted SFS (PESFS), sunflower seed meal (SFSM), and press and solvent oils (PO and SO) were determined with 198 cockerels. Recombined products (mix of meal and oil) were also evaluated to study the effect of the 2 consecutive oil extraction steps. Each foodstuff was included in a basal diet, according to the proportions resulting from processing, at 100, 200, and 300 g SFS/kg. 2. Dietary energy value and digestible fat content were linearly related to rate of inclusion of test ingredients. Extrapolation values for AMEn (MJ/kg DM) were: SFS, 16.20; PESFS, 9.46; SFSM, 7.62. A decreasing quadratic trend was also found in the AMEn of PESFS, with interpolation values ranging from 11.77 to 9.33 MJ/kg DM between 70 and 210 g/kg DM of inclusion. No differences were observed between PO and SO. The AMEn of of sunflower oil, calculated from its digestibility, was 33.70 MJ/kg DM. 3. The oil extraction process affected the nutritional value of sunflower products. Recombined materials showed greater values than original foodstuffs: R-SFS, 17.47; R-PESFS, 11.49 MJ/kg DM. The increase in oil digestibility (from 0.814 to 0.862 g/kg DM in SFS; from 0.778 to 0.892 in PESFS) accounted for most of the increase observed in AMEn values. 4. As the form in which oil is incorporated in diets (released or within SFS or PESFS) affects the utilisation of sunflower products, their nutritional value is less than maximal and should not be calculated from their ingredients. Solvent oil seems to be the less available fraction of sunflower oil within SFS as the effect of the 2nd extraction proved to be greater than that of the previous press extraction.     

Use of whole blood for spectrophotometric determination of cholinesterase activity in dogs

Whole blood has been compared with erythrocytes and plasma for spectrophotometric cholinesterase determination in the dog. Cholinesterase activity was characterized using two substrates: acetylthiocholine and butyrylthiocholine. Acetylcholinesterase was the only form of cholinesterase present on erythrocytes and hydrolysed only acetylthiocholine. Butyrylcholinesterase (pseudocholinesterase) was predominant in plasma, hydrolysing mainly butyrylthiocholine. Based on these results, a method based on the use of two substrates (acetylthiocholine for monitoring acetylcholinesterase and butyrylthiocholine for determining butyrylcholinesterase) in the same whole blood sample is recommended for canine cholinesterase analysis. This way of monitoring both enzymes can be easily automated, yielding good within (CVs < 5%) and between-run (CVs < 7%) precision.     

Influence of storage time and processing on chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of olive cake

Olive oil extraction generates olive cake (OC) that could be used in ruminant feeding. However, the chemical composition of OC is affected by multiple factors, being therefore highly variable. The objective of this study was to analyse the influence of storage time and further processing: crude, exhausted (subjected to a second oil extraction) and cyclone (obtained from a cyclone separator) on nutritive value of OC samples. Twelve samples (six crude and six exhausted) were obtained monthly from the same pond from 1 to 6 storage months, and nine samples (three crude, three exhausted and three cyclone) were obtained monthly from a different pond from 6 to 9 months storage. Chemical composition was analysed, and OC samples were fermented in vitro with sheep rumen fluid. Increasing storage time up to 6 months decreased sugars and total soluble polyphenols content but increased fibre content in OC. Dry matter effective degradability (DMED) decreased linearly (p < 0.001) by 35.9 and 45.5% as storage time augmented from 1 to 6 months for crude and exhausted OC, respectively. Crude OC had lower DMED values than exhausted OC (averaged values 0.255 and 0.294 g/g, respectively). Both potential production and rate of gas production were lower (p ≤ 0.018) in crude compared with exhausted OC, which was attributed to the high fat content of crude OC (≥86 g/kg dry matter). For samples stored longer than 6 months, cyclone had greater (p < 0.05) DMED than crude and exhausted OC (averaged values 0.207, 0.164 and 0.164 g/g, respectively). The results indicate that ruminal degradability of OC is reduced with advancing storage time, but only subtle changes were observed during the first two months. Cyclone showed greater degradability than crude and exhausted OC, but differences between crude and exhausted OC became negligible after five storage months.