Morphologic and physiologic changes induced by Clostridium perfringens type A alpha toxin in the intestine of sheep

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the morphologic and physiologic changes induced by Clostridium perfringens type A (alpha toxin in the ileum and colon of sheep. SAMPLE POPULATION: 16 ligated intestinal loops in 4 Merino lambs and 18 explants of ileum and colon from slaughtered lambs. PROCEDURE: alpha Toxin-induced fluid accumulation was evaluated in ligated ileal and colonic loops of sheep. Tissues were evaluated morphologically by use of gross and histologic examination. Effects of toxin on in vitro intestinal net water transport were tested in modified Ussing chambers. RESULTS: Ovine ileal and colonic loops incubated with C perfringens type A alpha toxin retained more fluid than control loops. Histologically, in the ileum of lambs inoculated with 300 LD50 of alpha toxin/mL, there was a mild to moderate multifocal infiltration of neutrophils in the lamina propria and submucosa. The colonic loops of lambs inoculated with 30 or 300 LD50 of alpha toxin/mL had excessive mucus in the lumen, a moderate amount of neutrophils mixed with mucus in the intestinal lumen, and moderate multifocal infiltration of the lamina propria and submucosa with neutrophils; the blood vessels of these layers were engorged with neutrophils. In vitro measurements of water transport also revealed inhibition of net epithelial water absorption in ileum and colon incubated with alpha toxin on the mucosal side. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These results indicate that alpha toxin induces alterations in sheep intestine. Clostridium perfringens type A organisms that produce alpha toxin could be responsible for diseases of intestinal origin in some ruminants.     

Plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin-like growth factor-I, and insulin in relation to changes in body condition score in heifers

The objective of this study was to determine the relationships among plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin, and IGF-I with dynamic changes in body condition scores (BCS) in heifers. Nineteen Zebu-Brown Swiss crossbred heifers, 24 to 30 mo old, weighing 322 +/- 9 kg, and with an initial BCS of 2.6 +/- 0.11 (range = 1 to 9) were used. Heifers were fed 60% of their maintenance requirements until they reached a BCS of < or = 2. Heifers were then maintained at that level for 25 d, after which they were fed to gain 1 kg of body weight daily until a BCS of 6 was reached. Heifers were weighed weekly and BCS was measured every 2 wk. Plasma samples were collected twice weekly, and leptin and insulin were determined by RIA. An immunoradiometric assay was used to measure IGF-I from one sample every 2 wk. Plasma concentrations of leptin were positively correlated during nutritional restriction (NR) and weight gain (WG) periods with BCS (r = 0.47 for NR, and r = 0.83 for WG; P < 0.01) and body weight (r = 0.40 for NR, and r = 0.78 for WG; P < 0.01). Plasma concentrations of leptin decreased during nutritional restriction (P < 0.01) as BCS decreased. During weight gain, leptin concentration increased at BCS 3 and thereafter for each integer change in the BCS. Regression analysis showed that changes in body weight affect leptin concentrations within a given BCS. There was a decrease in IGF-I as BCS declined (P < 0.01). During weight gain, by contrast, IGF-I increased significantly (P < 0.01) with every unit change in body condition up to BCS of 4 and plateaued thereafter. Insulin concentrations did not change during nutritional restriction when BCS decreased from 3 to 1. However, once the diet was improved, there was a large increase in insulin concentrations in heifers with BCS 1 (P < 0.01). Among heifers of BCS 2 and 3, insulin did not differ and was lower than in heifers of BCS 1 (P < 0.01). Insulin increased (P < 0.01) among heifers at BCS 4 to 6. Leptin was positively correlated (P < 0.01) with both IGF-I (r = 0.34 for NR, and r = 0.36 for WG) and insulin (r = 0.18 for WG). Insulin was correlated with IGF-I (r = 0.60; P < 0.01). During nutritional restriction, insulin did not correlate with leptin (r = -0.05), BCS (r = -0.03), or IGF-I (r = 0.07). It was concluded that leptin serves as a dynamic indicator of body condition in heifers, as well as an indicator of nutritional status.     

Suspected air embolism through the thoracic ventral internal vertebral venous plexus during hemilaminectomy in dogs

Venous air embolism entering via the ventral internal vertebral venous plexus was suspected during thoracic spinal surgery in two dogs. In both cases, air was seen bubbling from a pool of blood on the floor of the vertebral canal accompanied by sudden cardiopulmonary disturbances: low end‐tidal carbon dioxide pressure, tachycardia and reduction in oxygen in the blood. One dog became dyspnoeic and one died.     

Silica Urolithiasis in the Dromedary Camel in a Subtropical Climate

In 1998, two cases of silica urolithiasis occurred in castrated male dromedaries on an intensive camel farm in the Canary Islands. The immediate attributable cause was the ingestion of large amounts of silica in the feed, estimated as 84.44 g/day. An associated cause was the low level of salt in the diet. Daily ingestion of salt from feed and water was estimated to be 21.8 g (8.6 g of sodium). Seventy-six castrated males from the same farm were divided into four groups: group A received 30 g of salt daily; group B received 40 g; group C received 60 g; and group D received no added salt in the diet (control). The animals were maintained on these dietary regimes for 2 years. No animals from groups A, B or C suffered overt urinary retention. One animal from group D had an obstructive urinary retention 10 months after the study commenced. Thus, 52 g of salt daily appears to be sufficient to prevent urinary retention in dromedaries raised in a subtropical climate.     

Camel trypanosomosis in the Canary Islands: assessment of seroprevalence and infection rates using the card agglutination test (CATT/T. evansi) and parasite detection tests

Trypanosomosis due to Trypanosoma evansi (surra) is a major enzootic disease of the dromedary camel. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to assess seroprevalence and infection rates in the Canary Islands using antibody(-card agglutination test-CATT/T. evansi) and parasite detection tests (micro-Haematocrit Centrifugation technique, Giemsa stained blood smears, microscopic examination of lymph node aspirates and mouse inoculation). PCV was also determined. 745 dromedary camels (483 females and 262 males) were examined. Trypanosomes were detected in seven animals. 36 animals yielded CATT positive results while 709 animals were negative. All parasitologically positive animals were also CATT positive. Results showed a good correlation between CATT positive and low PCV and a higher seroprevalence in older animals. Trypanocidal drugs have not been registered in Spain and, consequently, if vigilance is not exercised the prevalence could be increased in the future.     

Dynamics of porcine circovirus type 2 infection in a herd of pigs with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of infection for porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in a herd of pigs with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). ANIMALS: 29 sows and 250 pigs. PROCEDURE: Blood samples were collected from all 3-, 7-, and 12-week old pigs and 59 pigs at 28 weeks of age. Pigs that died during the study were necropsied. Porcine parvovirus and PCV2 antibodies were assayed. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect PCV2 genome in serum of selected pigs. RESULTS: The PMWS started when pigs were 8 weeks old, with a prevalence of 30% in 8- to 10-week-old pigs. Eighty-three pigs died during the period between 3 and 12 weeks of age. Microscopic lesions consistent with PMWS were observed, and PCV2 nucleic acid was detected (50 of 68 pigs). Antibodies to PCV2 decreased from 3 to 7 weeks of age, increased at 12 weeks of age, and were maintained until 28 weeks of age. One sow had a positive result for PCR of serum. Nine, 37 and 8 pigs had PCV2 genome in serum obtained at 7, 12, and 28 weeks of age, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Infection with PCV2 coincided with severe clinical signs; however, infected 28-week-old pigs did not have evidence of disease. Immunity declined over time in young pigs. A long duration of PCV2 viremia was apparent in a high percentage of infected pigs, which may affect transmission and persistence of the virus in a herd.     

Haptoglobin and pig-major acute protein are increased in pigs with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)

The objective of this study was to determine the serum concentration levels of selected acute phase proteins (APP), haptoglobin (HPT) and pig-major acute phase protein (pig-MAP), in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) affected pigs and PCV2-subclinically infected pigs. In a first study, a group of 15 eight-week-old conventional pigs from a PMWS affected farm were bled and a complete necropsy, histopathology and in situ hybridisation to detect PCV2 were performed. Based on the results, pigs were classified as suffering from PMWS (n = 10) or healthy animals (n = 5). In a second study, a group of 45 pigs from another PMWS affected farm were selected and bled at 3, 7, 12 and 28 weeks of age. The assessment of PCV2 infection status in these pigs was retrospectively done by PCV2 PCR in serum samples. Selected APP were measured in the serum of all studied pigs by means of radial immunodiffusion. Mean HPT and pig-MAP levels were significantly increased (p = 0.004 and p = 0.0006 respectively) in PMWS-affected pigs when compared to levels found in healthy pigs (2.52 +/- 0.88 mg/mL vs. 1.06 +/- 0.73 mg/mL for HPT and 3.81 +/- 1.53 mg/mL vs. 0.76 +/- 0.34 mg/mL for pig-MAP). In the second study, no significant difference in mean HPT and pig-MAP values were observed between PCV2 PCR positive and negative pigs of any age. However, both APP increased significantly with age in PCV2 PCR negative pigs. Altogether, the present results suggest that APP levels are significantly increased in pigs that develop PMWS, but not in animals with a PCV2 subclinical infection.