Within-herd spread of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in Ethiopian highlands

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a major threat for cattle health and production in Africa. This disease is caused by the small-colony type of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides (MmmSC). Transmission occurs from direct and repeated contacts between sick and healthy animals. Veterinary services recently reported a resurgence of CBPP in the province of West Wellega, in the Ethiopian highlands. A research program was set up to estimate the epidemiological parameters of the within-herd infection spread. A follow-up survey was implemented in 71 sampled herds of the Boji district (West Wellega province). Fifteen herds were classified as newly infected and used in a serological- and clinical-incidence study. The overall 16-month cumulative sero-incidence risk was 34%. Clinical cases were recorded for 39% of the seropositive cattle; case-fatality risk was 13%. There was no evidence of benefit on infection spread of CBPP-control measures used locally by farmers (isolation or antibiotic treatments of sick animals). This might be related to a lack of power in the statistical analyses or to a quality problem for the medications used (and more generally, for health-care delivery in the Boji district).     

Minimally invasive patent ductus arteriosus occlusion in 5 dogs

OBJECTIVE: To report a technique for minimally invasive occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and outcome in 5 dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical cases. Animals: Five, 4-6-month-old, dogs with PDA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Titanium ligating clips were used for PDA closure in all dogs. Three dogs had video-enhanced mini-thoracotomy PDA occlusion. Two other dogs had thoracoscopic PDA occlusion using a custom-designed thoracoscopy clip applicator. RESULTS: Thoracoscopic PDA occlusion was successful in both dogs in which it was attempted. Complete PDA closure was achieved in 4 dogs. Three months after surgery, the largest dog had residual ductal flow that hemodynamically was insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Although technically demanding, minimally invasive PDA occlusion is a safe and reliable technique in dogs. Preoperative measurement of the diameter of the PDA is crucial to determine if complete closure with metal clips can be achieved. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Minimally invasive PDA occlusion should be considered as an alternative to occlusion via conventional thoracotomy.     

Non-invasive assessment of growth, gender and time of day related changes of respiratory pattern in healthy cats by use of barometric whole body plethysmography

The objective of this study was to establish a reference base for respiratory variables (respiratory rate [R(R)], inspiratory and expiratory time [T(i) and T(e)], peak inspiratory and expiratory pseudoflow [PIF and PEF], tidal volume [V(T)], minute ventilation [V(E)] and enhanced pause [Penh]) of healthy cats by use of barometric whole body plethysmography (BWBP). Eighteen healthy European cats (10 male, 8 female) were studied from the age of 3 to 13 months in order to assess growth- and gender-related changes of BWBP variables. Chest radiographs and bronchoalveolar lavage cytology were performed to confirm pulmonary health status. Diurnal changes were investigated every 2 h over a period of 24 h when the cats were adult. V(T), V(E), PIF and PEF significantly increased during somatic growth and were higher in males than in females, whereas R(R), T(i), T(e), T(e)/T(i) ratio, PEF/PIF ratio and Penh remained unchanged and were not affected by gender. When measured over 24 h, Penh, T(e) and T(i) were significantly increased in the early morning hours (04:00 h), whereas R(R), PIF and PEF were decreased at that time. This study provides reference values of BWBP variables for healthy male and female cats and indicates when circadian changes might be observed.     

Fast variability of tera-electron volt gamma rays from the radio galaxy M87

The detection of fast variations of the tera-electron volt (TeV) (10(12) eV) gamma-ray flux, on time scales of days, from the nearby radio galaxy M87 is reported. These variations are about 10 times as fast as those observed in any other wave band and imply a very compact emission region with a dimension similar to the Schwarzschild radius of the central black hole. We thus can exclude several other sites and processes of the gamma-ray production. The observations confirm that TeV gamma rays are emitted by extragalactic sources other than blazars, where jets are not relativistically beamed toward the observer.     

Establishment of diagnostic criteria for feline nonflea-induced hypersensitivity dermatitis

Hypersensitivity dermatitides (HD) are commonly seen in cats, and they are usually caused by environmental, food and/or flea allergens. Affected cats normally present with one of the following clinical reaction patterns: head and neck excoriations, usually symmetrical self-induced alopecia, eosinophilic skin lesions or miliary dermatitis. Importantly, none of these clinical presentations is considered to be pathognomonic for HD skin diseases, and the diagnosis of HD is usually based on the exclusion of other pruritic diseases and on a positive response to therapy. The objectives of this study were to propose sets of criteria for the diagnosis of nonflea-induced HD (NFHD). We recruited 501 cats with pruritus and skin lesions and compared clinical parameters between cats with NFHD (encompassing those with nonflea, nonfood HD and those with food HD), flea HD and other pruritic conditions. Using simulated annealing techniques, we established two sets of proposed criteria for the following two different clinical situations: (i) the diagnosis of NFHD in a population of pruritic cats; and (ii) the diagnosis of NFHD after exclusion of cats with flea HD. These criteria sets were associated with good sensitivity and specificity and may be useful for homogeneity of enrolment in clinical trials and to evaluate the probability of diagnosis of NFHD in clinical practice. Finally, these criteria were not useful to differentiate cats with NFHD from those with food HD.     

Edge effects on plant diversity in tropical forest ecosystems at Periyar Wildlife sanctuary in the Western Ghats of India

Forest resource conservation has been widely accepted as a key to sustain the local and regional economic development. The forest edges are affected by anthropogenic activities including deforestation, forest fragmentation, selective logging, extraction of non-timber forest products, collection of medicinal plants, recreations, hydroelectric projects and its associated developmental activities, which alter the biodiversity. The present study intends to evaluate the edge effect on vegetation structure and species compositions in the tropical forest ecosystems at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats. High species richness (number of species) and Shannon’s diversity indices were observed in the site III (completely undisturbed forest) compared to site I (adjacent to the village/ edge of the forest, which is next to the teak plantation, severely disturbed forest) and site II (in between the undisturbed forest and moderately disturbed forest) while density of tree species showed greater value in site II. Single species such as Tectona grandis (IVI of 80) and Terminalia paniculata (IVI of 112) were the dominant tree species in site I and site II, respectively, whereas, in site III Terminalia bellirica, Bishofia javanica and Syzgium gardneri shared the dominance. Perturbation leads to alien plant invasion particularly Lantana camara, Eupatorium odoratum and Ageratum conizoides. Site II is at forest transition level because the site is dominated by both natural species as well as plantation species such as Tectona grandis. This site seems to be a buffer zone on natural forest and plantations. Further studies are required to analyse the real patterns of regeneration and dynamic change due to human impact by long term monitoring with the establishment of permanent plots.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of a hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma in a cat.

A hepatic mass was identified in a 5-year-old, female mixed-breed cat that died spontaneously after a clinical history of progressive emaciation, ptyalism, and persistent coryza. At necropsy, a 7-cm-diameter, yellow-brown, firm, multilobulated tumor was identified in the liver. Microscopically, the mass consisted of neoplastic cells arranged in small, closely packed nests within a thin fibrovascular stroma. These cells were of medium sized and polygonal, with fine argyrophilic cytoplasmic granules. Nuclei were predominantly round with finely stippled chromatin and indistinct nucleoli. Mitotic figures were numerous. Immunohistochemically, most of the neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and weakly labeled for synaptophysin. The tumor was negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, and cytokeratins 5, 6, 8, and 17. Vascular emboli and intrahepatic micrometastasis were also identified with chromogranin A. All these features were consistent with a hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma and emphasized the importance of using a panel of antibodies to diagnose such rare tumors.