Corynebacterium equi Infections in Horses, 1958-1984: A Review of 131 Cases

Of 131 cases of Corynebacterium equi infection in horses submitted for necropsy to the Ontario Veterinary College or Veterinary Laboratory Services, OMAF, Guelph, Ontario from 1958 to 1984, 115 were diagnosed as suppurative pneumonia, and of these 55 had associated ulcerative enterocolitis. Only five animals had intestinal involvement without pulmonary lesions. The remaining 11 cases included arthritis/cellulitis, skin abscesses and submandibular lymphadenitis. While the lung, intestine and associated lymph nodes yielded C. equi most frequently, in 21% of cases C. equi was also cultured from parenchymatous organs (spleen, liver or kidney) or blood. Corynebacterium equi infection accounted for 10% of all foals submitted for postmortem examination and 45% of all foals with pneumonia. Affected foals were one to four months of age. Submissions occurred between the months of May and August with a peak during July. There was a significantly greater prevalence of C. equi infection in Standardbreds when compared with other breeds. Of foals in this study, 36% were from farms which had had other horses succumb to this disease. Of the foals with pulmonary involvement, 21% did not have fever or clinical signs referable to the respiratory or gastrointestinal systems, findings which indicated that a large percentage of cases were subclinical.     

Some diagnostic, biologic and morphologic characteristics of Francisella tularensis strains isolated from the ticks Ixodes ricinus (L.) in the Prague agglomeration

Four infectious agents were isolated from the ticks Ixodes ricinus (L.) collected in the recreational area and park-forest of Prague. On the basis of cultivation, staining, biochemical, serologic properties, pathogenicity for animals and histological tests they were identified as Francisella tularensis with the following features: they are short, gram-negative rods of approximate dimensions of 0.3 X 0.8 micron, growing in enriched media after 3-4 day incubation at 37 degrees C. They form small circular, at first transparent, later greyish turbid colonies with regular rims. They are little active biochemically. They are susceptible to streptomycin and some broad spectrum antibiotics. They react positively with tularemic serum, but in lower titres than those in which this serum reacts with standard antigen. The microbes are highly pathogenic for mice, guinea-pigs, young rats, in which a massive bacteriemia occurs before death, but they do not kill rabbits. They multiply well in chick embryo, but do not grow in cell or tissue cultures. The most important histologic changes were observed in liver and spleen of mice. No pathologic changes were found in brain, lungs, heart, kidneys. Necroses were found in liver and in their marginal zones the microbes were present. Conspicuous were changes in numerous hepatocytes which became enlarged due to microbial multiplication and finally transformed into "sacs" packed with microbes. Histological and electronoptical examination showed that these are intracellular parasites fringed with a light lytic zone. Discussed is the problem to what extent the properties of the isolated strains are typical of F. tularensis as well as the importance of their detection from the aspect of epidemiology and differential diagnostics.     

A review of feline serum protein electrophoresis

A review of the current literature available on feline serum proteins is presented. Early studies concentrated on comparative aspects of species variations in the electrophoretic pattern. The feline electrophoretogram was divided into five basic regions: albumin, alpha-1, alpha-2, beta and gamma. Different subdivisions of these areas were recognized depending on the support medium used. Current papers have compared the relative migration distances of each globulin peak to the migration of albumin. This "Rf" value enables reliable peak identification. To date, no data exists identifying the individual proteins responsible for the peaks in the alpha and beta regions. The only feline globulin to be studied is haptolobin; however its precise location on the electrophoretic strip was not identified.     

The concept of vector in parasitology, ecology of agents, epidemiology and epizootology

The concepts of "host" and "vector" are compared in application to arthropods which are capable to transmit pathogens to man and animals. The paper shows that these concepts are not identical. The function of such arthropods as hosts of microorganisms, as well as their possible importance in population ecology, epidemiology and epizootology are discussed. The system of different concepts corresponding to the tasks of these scientific disciplines is also considered.     

Braconidae (Hymenoptera) associated with forest and ornamental trees and shrubs in Israel

Data are presented on the occurrence of Braconidae (Hymenoptera parasitica) parasitizing insects associated with forest and ornamental trees and shrubs in Israel. Fifty-five genera of plants are listed, the richest in braconid fauna being tamarisk (9 species); acacia, pistachio and poplar (8 species each); carob and oak (7 species each). Of the 95 species of insect hosts mentioned, 53 are Lepidoptera, mostly Gelechiidae (7 species), Pyralidae (6 species), Noctuidae (5 species), Gracillariidae, Tortricidae, Geometridae, Lymantriidae and Lycaenidae (3 species each); 44 are Coleoptera, mostly Cerambycidae (13 species), Scolytidae (12 species), and Bostrichidae (9 species); three are Diptera. Of the 92 species of braconids listed, of which only 65 have been fully named, 56 develop in Lepidoptera, mostly Noctuidae (15 species), Gelechiidae (11 species) and Pyralidae (9 species); 33 species develop in Coleoptera, mostly Cerambycidae (12 species, Bostrichidae (10 species) and Scolytidae (5 species); and three species develop in Diptera. Thirty-eight species are new to the fauna of Israel; at least three of them are new to science,viz., Gnaptodon, Gildoria andDendrosotinus titubatus Papp.     

The effect of some benzoyl phenylureas on the larvae of earias insulana

Diflubenzuron, PH 60-38, PH 6043, penfluron (PH 60-44), PH 6045, triflumuron, chlorfuazuron (IKI-7899), teflubenzuron (CME 134), XRD473 and Dowco 439 were tested for their efficacy against the larvae of the spiny bollworm,Earias insulana (Boisd.), in laboratory experiments. The compounds were incorporated at different concentrations in an artificial diet and 5-day-old larvae were introduced and grown on the treated diets until pupation and adult emergence. Teflubenzuron was active at 0.1 ppm, chlorfuazuron at 0.75 ppm and PH 60-38 at 10 ppm; triflumuron and diflubenzuron were active only at 50 ppm; all the rest of the compounds were even less active. When cotton bolls were dipped in teflubenzuron and offered to 6-day-old larvae in the laboratory, only 4% and 10% of the larvae penetrated inside the bolls treated with 50 and 25 ppm a.i., respectively, whereas 68% penetrated inside untreated bolls.     

Spring invasion of Heterodera schachtii in sugarbeet; a simulation study

A simulation model was developed for the spring invasion of the beet cyst nematode,Heterodera schachtii Schmidt, into sugarbeet roots, according to the state variable approach. This model describes the processes of egghatch, emergence of second stage larvae from cysts, migration to roots and penetration into roots quantitatively, using published data.In 1983 a field experiment was conducted to test this model.H. schachtii cysts were introduced at depths 6–29 cm in PVC-cylinders, buried in the soil. The rooting depth of sugarbeet seedlings, growing in these cylinders, was limited to 5 cm by 50 m mesh nylon gauze. Every 10 days the second stage larvae, which had penetrated into the roots of these seedlings were counted. After 50 days, about 40% of the eggs had hatched. More than 20% of the emerged larvae penetrated if the cysts had been buried undeeply, and only 4% if the cysts had been buried at 29 cm depth.The model predicted the course of penetration into the root during the first 40 days with reasonable accuracy (r²=0.79), but in the 5th period of 10 days the model made an overestimation of more than 100%. Egghatch after 50 days was correctly simulated. The differences in penetration into the root between the model and the experiment might result from an oversimplified simulation of the penetration success or the neglection of mortality of second stage larvae. Detailed experiments should be done to provide better parameters for these factors.Samenvatting Volgens de toestandsvariabele-benadering werd een simulatiemodel ontwikkeld van de voorjaarspenetratie van het bietecystenaaltje. Het model beschrijft aan de hand van literatuurgegevens het uikomen van de eieren, het verlaten van de cyst door de larven, de migratie naar en de penetratie in de wortel.In 1983 werd een veldproef uitgevoerd om het model te toetsen. Cysten vanH. schachtii werden op 5 dieptes tussen 6 en 29 cm ingegraven in PVC-cylinders, welke waren verzonken in de bodem. De bewortelingsdiepte van de suikerbiete-zaailingen die hierin groeiden werd beperkt tot 5 cm door nylon gaas van 50 m maaswijdte. Elke 10 dagen werden de larven geteld die in de wortels van deze plantjes waren gepenetreerd. Na 50 dagen was 40% van de eieren uitgekomen. Meer dan 20% van de gelokte larven penetreerden als de cysten ondiep waren ingegraven, en slechts 4% als de cysten op 29 cm diepte waren ingegraven.Gedurende de eerste 40 dagen werd het verloop van de penetratie in de wortel met redelijke nauwkeurigheid door het model voorspeld (r²=0.79). In de 5e periode van 10 dagen maakte het model echter een overschatting van meer dan 100%. Het uitkomen van de eieren werd correct gesimuleerd. De verschillen in penetratie tussen het model en de proef zouden het gevolg kunnen zijn van een oververeenvoudigde simulatie van het penetratiesucces of van het verwaarlozen van de mortaliteit van de migrerende larven. Betere gegevens hierover zullen moeten komen uit detailproeven.