Liver fluke infestation in New World camelids. Parasitology, pathology, clinical findings and therapy]

In Llamas and Alpacas infestation with Fasciola hepatica or Dicrocoelium dendriticum can cause liver damage, sometimes even with lethal outcome. Once infected South American Camelids (SACs) react more sensitively to these parasites than other domestic ruminants. We report here on the pathology, parasitology, clinics and therapy of this disease. Concerning Dicrocoelium dendriticum we describe own clinical results and therapeutic outcome in addition to the pathological investigation. According to anatomic corrosion casts, the bile ducts of SACs show more similarity with the equine bile system than with the bile system of domestic ruminants.     

Diagnostic radiology of pet and wild birds: a review. I. Radiographic techniques and radiographs of healthy birds.

By the radiographic examination of pet and wild birds, veterinary clinicians may relatively easily obtain additional information that can be used routinely in their everyday diagnostic and therapeutic work. The first part of the present review summarizes the basic technical conditions of radiological examinations, analyses the radiographic features of healthy birds, and describes the procedure and radiological indications of contrast radiography.     

Comparison between Haemophilus parasuis infection in colostrums-deprived and sow-reared piglets

The aim of this study was to compare the development of Glasser's disease in sow-reared and colostrum-deprived piglets. Ninety piglets from a commercial pig farm in Spain were used. The farm was positive for Haemophilus parasuis. Fifty-two pigs were sow-reared (SR) and 38 were colostrum-deprived (CD) piglets. The animals were intratracheally inoculated with H. parasuis serovar 5 and sacrificed at 1, 2 and 3 days post-infection. To assess the development of disease, antibody titers, clinical signs, pathological lesions, microbiological isolation and PCR amplification were compared between the groups. Inoculation of SR pigs did not cause clinical signs or lesions of Glasser's disease. In SR pigs, H. parasuis isolation and specific PCR amplification from tissues showed a very low number of positive samples. In contrast, in CD pigs, inoculation resulted in the typical signs and lesions of Glasser's disease. Positive microbiological isolation and specific PCR products were obtained from the majority of the tissues tested, and no antibodies against H. parasuis were detected. The experimental infection using CD pigs describes a successful method to study this microorganism and confirms the important role that maternal antibodies play in protection against clinical signs and disease.     

Comparative fluke burden and pathology in condemned and non-condemned cattle livers from selected abattoirs in Zambia

After dissecting 70 condemned and 32 non-condemned cattle livers collected from Lusaka, Chisamba, Mongu and Senanga abattoirs and Turnpike slaughter slab, significantly higher numbers of liver flukes (Fasciola gigantica) (P < 0.001) were found in the condemned livers (mean +/- SD = 100.6 +/- 16.7) than in the non-condemned livers (mean +/- SD = 0.7 +/- 0.5). Liver flukes found in 9.4% of the non-condemned livers suggest that abattoir records of liver inspection may underestimate F. gigantica infections. Average faecal fluke egg counts from animals with condemned livers (5 eggs per gram [EPG]) were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than in animals with non-condemned livers (0.8 EPG). No correlation was found between egg counts and number of flukes. Fibrosis and calcification were common in condemned livers, being severest in the vicinity of the bile ducts. Only two (6.3%) of the non-condemned livers showed pathological changes on the liver edges. The severe liver damage and high worm burden may explain low production levels experienced in cattle in Zambia maintained under traditional systems of management where worm control and good management programmes are rarely practiced.