Clostridium difficile diarrhea: infection control in horses.

C difficile has emerged as an important cause of diarrheic disease in horses. C difficile diarrhea is usually diagnosed in mature horses, mostly when they are treated with antimicrobials and hospitalized. It is important for clinicians at veterinary hospitals to have knowledge about the organism and the infection. To prevent C difficile diarrhea, judicious use of antimicrobials is important, as is minimizing different stress factors at the animal hospital or clinic. Infected horses must be isolated. Routine examination for C difficile and toxin A or B is recommended in horses with antibiotic-associated diarrhea. When treating foals for R equi pneumonia, it is important to avoid accidental ingestion of erythromycin by the dams. To reduce the number of environmental spores, thorough cleaning and surface disinfection of the animal hospital and clinic are important. Routine handwashing should be performed by all staff.     

Renal ultrasonographic evaluation in the oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus).

Ultrasonography is currently used in veterinary medicine to examine the anatomy and physiology of internal organs and to establish normal standards for exotic animal species. Specifically, the kidneys may be evaluated and measured in length, width, and height. The kidneys in 33 oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), including 20 males and 13 females, were opportunistically located, characterized, and measured by ultrasound using a 7.5-MHz linear transducer at two different zoologic facilities in S?o Paulo, Brazil. Renal volume was calculated from these linear measurements. The mean linear measurements and volume of the right and left kidneys were not significantly different.     

Recognition of the Nor98 variant of scrapie in the Swedish sheep population.

Within the framework of the active surveillance for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in sheep in Sweden, 4 cases of the atypical form of scrapie, Nor98, were identified during 2003. Nor98 is a recently recognized and poorly understood variant of scrapie, first described in Norway. The cases were positive by the rapid test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Immunohistochemical staining showed diffuse thin-granular staining of the cerebellar cortex. Western immunoblotting analysis of specimens of brain stem and cerebellum showed a light band of approximately 12 kDa. Typical scrapie was ruled out based on the confirmatory testing. The affected ewes were from 4 different flocks. They were between 7 and 9 years old. Two were of the ARQ/ARQ genotype, 1 ARR/ARQ, and 1 ARR/AHQ. Two ewes had shown ataxia, and the other 2 had no clinical signs. Whole-flock slaughter was applied, and testing of the flock mates did not reveal additional cases. Nor98 differs from typical scrapie in its epidemiology, frequency of genotypes of sheep affected, clinical signs, microscopic lesions, distribution of scrapie prion protein in the brain, and characteristics of the immunostaining and immunoblotting profiles.     

Evaluation of the cationic trypsinogen gene for potential mutations in miniature schnauzers with pancreatitis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cationic trypsinogen gene in miniature schnauzers for possible mutations. Genetic mutations have been linked with hereditary pancreatitis in humans. Four miniature schnauzers were selected on the basis of a clinical history of pancreatitis. One healthy miniature schnauzer and 1 healthy mixed breed canine were enrolled as controls. DNA was extracted from these canines using a commercial kit. Primers were designed to amplify the entire canine cationic trypsinogen cDNA sequence. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed and products were purified and sequenced. All sequences were then compared. The healthy control canine, a healthy miniature schnauzer, and the 4 miniature schnauzers with pancreatitis showed identical sequences of the cationic trypsinogen gene to the published sequence. We conclude that, in contrast to humans with hereditary pancreatitis, mutations of the cationic trypsinogen gene do not play a major role in the genesis of pancreatitis in the miniature schnauzer.     

An inexpensive sedimentation chamber for the preparation of cytologic specimens of cerebrospinal fluid.

An inexpensive sedimentation chamber to obtain cytologic specimens of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is described. The device, which has a total cost of about $5.00 can be built in few minutes. The device permits the cytologic study of specimens of CSF in clinics, where because of economic constraints, a cytocentrifuge is not available. The device permits the study of the CSF cells on either air-dried or wet smears even under field conditions, and the results obtained are consistent. Also, the device permits to retrieve the cell-free fluid for its use in chemical or immunologic procedures.     

Effects of surgical implantation of temperature dataloggers on reproduction of captive striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis).

A total of 20 (14 females, six males) captive striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) with miniature temperature dataloggers implanted free in the abdominal cavity were examined for reproductive performance and pathology because of implants. Eleven of 12 female skunks reproduced successfully 45.9+/-3.7 days after surgery to remove implanted dataloggers. The pregnancy rate of 91.7% (11/12) was much higher than other captive studies and was comparable with that of wild skunks. Eight striped skunks (six males, two females) that were euthanatized and necropsied after having implants in the abdominal cavity for 5 mo showed no apparent pathology associated with the implant. Implantation of the intraperitoneal devices did not lead to complications in abdominal tissues. Neither implant nor surgery affected reproduction. We conclude that implanted dataloggers can safely be used in physiologic studies of striped skunks or possibly other small carnivores in captive or field studies.     

Adherence of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 to swine buccal epithelial cells involves fibronectin

The swine pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 was investigated for its ability to adhere to swine, rat, and human buccal epithelial cells (BEC). The highest number of bacteria adhered was to swine BEC. This binding ability was affected by heating, extreme pH, treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate, ethylenediamine tetraacetate, or periodate, and proteolysis, suggesting that cell-surface glycoproteins participate in adherence and that adherence is based mostly on ionic interactions. Mannose and swine fibronectin may play a direct role in this interaction. Convalescent-phase serum from naturally infected pigs inhibited the adhesion. There was a correlation between bacterial pathogenicity as well as host specificity and the capacity for adherence to swine BEC. Adhesion to swine BEC provides a convenient method to study in vitro the adherence of A. pleuropneumoniae and other pathogens of the pig respiratory tract.     

乙烯利对干旱胁迫下草地早熟禾生理指标的影响

以草地早熟禾(Poa pratensis)‘Nuglade'品种为试验材料,研究叶片喷施乙烯利对草地早熟禾在水分充足、干旱及复水恢复3种处理下叶片电解质渗透率、叶绿素、可溶性蛋白、丙二醛(MDA)等生理指标的影响。结果表明,乙烯利与对照组(CK)相比,乙烯利在干旱胁迫下保持更高的叶片相对含水量23.5%(对照为11.5%)和更低的电解质渗透率68.1%(对照为90.7%)及MDA含量53.90μmol·g~(-1)(对照检查131.62μmol·g~(-1)),且复水后的电解质渗透率恢复程度更好;此外乙烯利处理提高了复水恢复过程草地早熟禾的可溶性蛋白含量;说明,叶片喷施乙烯利能够缓解草地早熟禾的干旱胁迫损伤,并促进干旱后的复水恢复。     

呼伦贝尔草原土壤和植物矿物元素分布特征

为了解呼伦贝尔草原土壤和植物中矿物元素的分布特点,指导草原畜牧业健康发展,对呼伦贝尔草原不同地区草地进行了调查取样和分析。结果表明,呼伦贝尔草原土壤中矿物元素含量由多到少分别为Fe、Na、Ca、K、Mg、Mn、P、Zn、V、Cr、B、Ni、Cu、Co和Sn,其中Ca的变异性最强,K的变异性最弱;植物中矿物元素含量由多到少分别为Ca、K、Mg、P、Fe、Na、Sn、Mn、Cr、B、Zn、Ni、Cu、V和Co,其中Na的变异性最强,Ni的变异性最弱。植物中Co的含量能满足家畜的营养需要,Mg、P、K、Mn和Cu的含量只能满足或部分满足家畜基本生长发育的需要,Na和Zn的含量无法满足家畜的需要,而植物中Fe的含量对家畜可能是过量的。放牧和割草利用对草地土壤中矿物元素的含量没有显著影响(P0.05),但放牧显著提高了植物中P、Fe、Na、V、Co、Mn、Cu、Zn和Cr的浓度(P0.05)。在呼伦贝尔草原上常见的20种植物中,Ca在蓬子菜(Galium verum)中含量最高,在芨芨草(Achnatherum splendens)中含量最低;Mg在披针叶黄华(Thermopsis lanceolate)中含量最高,在针茅(Stipa capillata)中含量最低;Mn在二裂委陵菜(Potentilla bifurca)中含量最高,在马蔺(Iris ensata)中含量最低;Zn在针茅中含量最高,在披针叶黄华中含量最低。针对家畜营养需求,采用适宜的草地利用方式、牧草品种和矿物元素补饲措施,有利于维持呼伦贝尔草原畜牧业可持续发展。     

过量使用抗倒酯对海滨雀稗草坪生长的影响

抗倒酯(Trinexapac-ethyl,TE)具有抑制草坪垂直生长,减少修剪频率的作用,近年来被广泛应用于高尔夫球场草坪,但常常因为过量使用而造成草坪伤害。为此,本研究分别对3种抗倒酯类产品(P、M、N)设置常规浓度(1mL·L~(-1))、中高浓度(1.5mL·L~(-1))、特高浓度(2mL·L~(-1))、超高浓度(10mL·L~(-1)),通过比较其对海滨雀稗(Paspalum vaginatum)草坪草屑量、生物量、颜色、密度、生长速度的影响,为抗倒酯产品的合理使用提供参考依据。结果表明,与清水对照相比,产品P、M、N在常规浓度下,草屑量分别下降70.0%、78.5%、80.0%,生长速度分别下降66.0%、51.5%、53.6%;超高浓度下,草屑量分别下降82.2%、87.8%、81.3%,生长速度分别下降71.1%、72.2%、83.6%,浓度越高下降幅度越大,但不同浓度处理间差异不显著(P0.05)。不同浓度处理对生物量影响也不显著。P、M、N这3种产品超高浓度处理使草坪草颜色分别从常规浓度处理的7.9、7.9、8.0分下降到7.3、7.2、7.2分,使草坪草密度分别从常规浓度处理的8.1、8.1、8.2分下降到7.5、7.4、7.4分。综合分析得出,在1 mL·L~(-1)常规浓度下,产品P对草坪生长速度抑制最强,且对草屑量、草坪颜色和密度影响较小,调控效果最好。过量使用抗倒酯不仅抑制效果不再明显,还会降低草坪质量。