Delayed acute capture myopathy in three roe deer

Delayed acute capture myopathy is the term used to describe the clinical syndrome observed in three roe deer captured by drive-nets and transported to an enclosure for scientific purposes. The animals died 48 h, 60 h and 8 days after being captured. The simultaneous deaths coincided with a previous episode of deliberate human disturbance. The histopathological findings were indicative of acute myopathy and myoglobinaemic nephrosis. These could be related to an ataxic myoglobinuric syndrome brought on by capture and transport operations. The lack of clinical signs and negative prognosis indicators in the period between capture and just before death. the absence of gross muscular lesions in the animal that died after 8 days post-capture, the simultaneous deaths of animals captured at different times and the evidence of deliberate human disturbance in the enclosure are suggestive of death triggered by a second stress episode.     

Differential serological testing by simultaneous indirect immunofluorescent antibody test in canine leishmaniosis and ehrlichiosis

A mixed indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), based on cultured promastigotes Leishmania infantum and formol-inactivated suspension of cells infected with the bacteria Ehrlichia canis, was applied to make a differential diagnosis between canine ehrlichiosis and leishmaniosis. A titre greater than 80 was considered positive for antibodies to E. canis and suggestive of antibodies to L. infantum. Positive sera were titrated subsequently by serial dilutions to confirm antibodies positive to Leishmania and establishing the antibody titre of both pathogens. Fluorescence was absent with negative control sera and background staining was minimal. No serological cross-reactions between positive sera for L. infantum or E. canis were detected. Results obtained by mixed IFAT did not differ when the same serum IFAT standard was compared. The test showed equivalent sensitivity (100%). The specifities were 100% for L. infantum and 98.5% for E. canis. The equivalence in sensitivity was confirmed by calculating the correlation coefficient between IFAT standards and mixed IFAT (r>or=0.99 for both pathogens). The results of our investigations demonstrated that mixed IFAT is a specific means of establishing serological differential diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis and ehrlichiosis.     

Effect of different fat sources on in vitro degradation of nutrients and certain blood parameters in sheep

This study was designed to determine the effects of calcium salt of palm oil fatty acids (CS), hydroxyethylsoyamide (HESA), butylsoyamide (BSA) and soybean oil (SO) on degradation of crude protein and fibre in vitro, and on the blood plasma lipid parameters in vivo. Five mature wethers (body weight 75 kg) were fed five diets in a 5 x 5 Latin square experiment. The control diet consisted of 50% meadow hay and 50% concentrate with no added fat. The control diet was supplemented with CS, HESA, BSA, or SO. Fat was added at 3.5% of dietary dry matter (DM). The final ether extract content of the ration was near 6%. Each period lasted 20 days. Fat supplements, except HESA, consistently decreased the in vitro DM disappearance of soybean meal as compared to control. In contrast to the effect of other treatments, crude protein degradation was greatest in the test tubes with inocula obtained from sheep fed diet with HESA. Fat supplements equally inhibited the DM and fibre breakdown of alfalfa pellet. CS and HESA seemed to be less detrimental to in vitro fermentation of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) than BSA and SO. All fat supplements increased blood plasma triglyceride, cholesterol and total lipid content. Plasma concentration of cholesterol and total lipid was highest with SO. The inclusion of CS in the diet increased 16:0, while all fat supplements increased plasma 18:0 and decreased 16:1 and 18:1 fatty acid content. Plasma 18:2n-6 was not changed by feeding CS and SO. However, compared to the control diet, 18:2n-6 increased with 12 and 41% in plasma fatty acids when sheep were fed HESA and BSA, respectively. The results showed that plasma concentration of linoleic acid was enhanced more when the amide was synthesised from butylamine than when from ethanolamine.     

Comparison of echocardiography and gated equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography in the measurements of left ventricular systolic function parameters in healthy dogs

Left ventricular systolic function was assessed in 12 healthy dogs with equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography. The results of the analysis were compared to traditional echocardiographic measurements. Left ventricular internal dimensions and volume were measured at the time of end-systole and end-diastole. Ejection fraction--one of the most informative parameters of cardiac function--was calculated in each animal. Values (e.g. EDD, ESD, EDV, ESV) measured by the scintigraphic method were significantly (Student's t-test, p < 0.05) higher than the data obtained by echocardiography. Ejection fraction (EF) was the only parameter that did not differ significantly when comparing the two imaging techniques. The difference between the results of parallel measurements was in inverse ratio to the size of the heart.     

Surface alterations in the bovine pelvic peritoneum following rectal examination of reproductive organs: a scanning electron microscopy study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate possible injury provoked by an intensive reproductive programme based on rectal palpation in the cow. Alterations to the mesothelial surface of the peritoneum and to the oviductal mucosa were explored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nine multiparous Friesian cows were selected from each of two commercial dairy herds. Cows in herd 1 were maintained on a weekly reproductive health programme, while those in herd 2 were not subjected to gynaecological exploration. Surface features of the mesothelial cells of the reproductive tract and adjacent ligaments, and the oviductal mucosa were explored by SEM observation of tissue specimens from each animal. Six cows in the intensive reproductive programme showed microscopic alterations of the peritoneal surface. Strands were observed in the oviducts and adjacent ligaments in five of these cows. These strands, composed of filaments covered with mesothelial cells, were probably adhesions. Cells with abundant vacuoles on their surface were detected in the mesothelium corresponding to three animals, two of which also showed microscopic strands. No peritoneal surface alterations were observed in the cows from herd 2. No oviductal mucosal modifications were detected in either group. These findings suggest that intensive reproductive programmes based on rectal palpation may increase the risk of peritoneal surface alterations in the cow, but effects on reproductive physiology are unlikely.     

Rotavirus and concurrent infections with other enteropathogens in neonatal diarrheic dairy calves in Spain

Faeces samples from 218, one to 30 days old, diarrheic dairy calves in 65 dairy herds were screened for the presence of rotavirus and concurrent infections with coronavirus, Cryptosporidium, F5+ Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Calves were grouped according to their age as follows: 1-7, 8-14, 15-21 and 22-30 days. Rotavirus infection was detected in 46.9%, 45.6%, 33.8% and 48.3% of the calves in the respective age-groups. No significant differences in the detection rate of rotavirus were found among calves on the different age-groups. Rotavirus was the only enteropathogen detected in 39 of the 93 (41.9%) diarrheic calves positive to this agent. Concurrent infections with other enteropathogen(s) were detected in 31.3%, 33.3%, 20.6% and 3.4% of the rotavirus infected calves in the age-groups 1-7, 8-14, 15-21 and 22-30 d, respectively. A significant age-associated decrease in the detection rate of mixed infections (p < 0.01) was found. The detection rates of the other enteropathogens considered in calves with rotavirus infection were 20.4% for coronavirus, 85.2% for Cryptosporidium, 16.7% for F5+ E. coli and 1.8% for Salmonella.     

Cytotoxicity in pig hepatocytes induced by 8-quinolinol, chloramine-T and natamycin

The potential cytotoxic effects of the compounds 8-quinolinol, chloramine-T and natamycin have been studied in isolated pig hepatocytes. The relative cytotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated on the basis of the leakage of cytosolic lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), 3-(4,5 dimethyl)thiazol-2-yl,-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction by mitochondrial dehydrogenases, uptake of neutral red (NR) by cytosolic lysosomes, glutathion (GSH) depletion and oxidized glutathion (GSSG) efflux after 24 h exposure. Evaluation of the 20%, 50% and 80% reduced absorbance data obtained from the parameters NR20, NR50, and NR80, and MTT20, MTT50 and MTT80 enabled us to rank these compounds in decreasing order of cytotoxicity: 8-quinolinol > natamycin > chloramine-T. Also for the parameters LDH and GSH, chloramine-T appears to be less cytotoxic than natamycin and 8-quinolinol. Our study demonstrated that pig hepatocytes may be a useful model for examining cytotoxic events of drugs to be used in pigs, therefore avoiding possible extrapolation problems due to species differences.     

New pig disease in Hungary: postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome caused by circovirus (short communication)

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), a new disease in Hungary, was recognized in a swine herd located in Southeast Hungary, during the early winter of 1999. The first clinical signs of paleness, anaemia, and leanness appeared immediately after weaning, at the age of 40-50 days. Pustules were frequently observed on the skin of the trunk, and signs of necrotic dermatitis were also visible. A syndrome of poor growth and wasting was characteristic of the affected pigs. A porcine circovirus (PCV), the suspected causative agent, was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequencing data and restriction endonuclease (RE) analysis of the PCR products suggested that the virus belonged to the PCV-II group where all the causative agents of PMWS are also grouped.