Serratospiculosis in a New Zealand Falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae)

CASE HISTORY: An adult New Zealand falcon was presented with metacarpal fractures in the left wing.

CLINICAL FINDINGS: In addition to the fractures, radiographs revealed an area of opacity in the air sacs. A few days after hospitalisation and initiation of treatment of the fractures, the bird developed signs of respiratory disease; the area of opacity was found to have increased in size and density. Treatment with antibiotics and nebulisation was commenced; the bird initially responded but respiratory signs subsequently worsened and the bird died. At necropsy, air sacculitis and bronchopneumonia were associated with numerous nematodes in the air sacs, which were morphologically consistent with Serratospiculum guttatum.

DIAGNOSIS: Serratospiculosis

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The discovery of this parasite and the associated disease for the first time in New Zealand indicates that it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of respiratory disease in falcons and possibly other raptors in New Zealand.     

Ulcerative disease rhabdovirus: cell-line susceptibility and serological comparison with other fish rhabdoviruses

Abstract. Five isolates of a rhabdovirus associated with a severe ulcerative disease of striped snakehead, Ophicephalus striatus, and other freshwater fish in S.E. Asia were examined for growth in a range of cold and warm water fish cell lines and for serological relationships to other pathogenic fish rhabdoviruses. All five isolates grew in AS, BF-2, snakehead, O. striatus and O. micropeltis, and climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, cell lines. CHSE-214, RTG-2, EPC, Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, and grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella, cell lines were all refractory to infection. Cross neutralization tests showed the ulcerative disease rhabdovirus (UDRV) to be serologically distinct from VHSV, IHNV, EVA, EVX, SVCV, PFRV and perch rhabdovirus. UDRV appears to be a new distinct pathogen of freshwater fish in S.E. Asia.     

Fate of low-molecular-weight organic phosphorus compounds in the P-rich and P-poor paddy soils

Continuous application of organic fertilizers can cause accumulation of organic phosphorus(P) in soil, especially in the lowmolecular-weight organic phosphorus(LMWOP) forms. This organic P pool represents a potentially important source of P for both plants and microorganisms. To understand the effect of long-term fertilization(30 years)(P-rich soil) vs. fallowing(P-poor soil) on the bioavailability and fate of LMWOP in subtropical paddy soils, we determined the sorption and mineralization of 14 C-labeled adenosine, adenosine monophosphate(AMP), adenosine diphosphate(ADP), and adenosine triphosphate(ATP) in each soil. The contents of carbon, nitrogen, and P in the P-rich soil were more than two times greater than those in the P-poor soil. The mineralization rates of the LMWOP compounds were faster in the P-rich soil compared to the P-poor soil, and followed the order AMPADPATP. Using sterilized soil, all forms of adenosine-P were strongly sorbed to the solid phase and reached saturation in a short time, with the adsorbance increasing with the number of phosphate groups. We concluded that the mineralization of LMWOP compounds was repressed slightly by sorption to the solid phase, but only in the short term. Thus, LMWOP compounds serve as readily available sources of C for microorganisms, making P available for themselves as well as for the plants. However, P accumulation and the progressive saturation of the P sorption sites in highly fertile soils may increase the potential risk of P runoff.     

Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo is not a major cause of bovine abortion in Victoria

The aim of this study was to determine whether evidence could be obtained of foetal infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo in aborted foetuses collected from dairy farms. Material from 197 abortions occurring over a wide area of Victoria was collected over 3 years. None of 195 foetal kidney cultures or 7 cultures from membranes was positive for leptospiral organisms. Immunogold silver staining for leptospires was performed on sections of kidneys, lungs or heart from 156 foetuses, with negative results. Evidence of transient leptospiral infection in 11 of 123 foetuses was obtained by foetal heart blood serology. Two isolates of L. interrogans serovar hardjo were obtained from the urine of milking cows. These strains were examined by restriction endonuclease analysis and both were shown to be of the genotype Hardjobovis, as have been all Australian isolates studied so far. It appears that foetal infection with serovar hardjo is not associated with any substantial proportion of bovine abortions in Victoria, in contrast to the situation in Northern Ireland. The apparent absence from Victoria of the pathogenic genotype Hardjoprajitno is a possible explanation.     

Detection of two viruses infecting Narcissus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) proved sufficiently reliable to detect narcissus tip necrosis virus (NTNV) and arabis mosaic virus (AMV) in Narcissus leaf material provided it was of the right age. Similar trends in virus concentration in leaf samples were indicated by ELISA reactions for both viruses, with highest levels at the start of growth, a decrease during flowering, followed by an increase before levels fell as leaves died. Leaf tip samples consistently provided the highest ELISA reactions at all stages and testing was more reliable from outer, older leaves than inner, younger ones. Best samples for ELISA detection of both viruses were from the tips of older leaves early in the growing season.     

Ovarian Responses, Hormonal Profiles and Embryo Yields in Anoestrous Ewes Superovulated with Folltropin®-V after Pretreatment with Medroxyprogesterone Acetate-releasing Vaginal Sponges and a Single Dose of Oestradiol-17β

In ruminants, superovulatory treatments started at the time of follicular wave emergence result in greater and less variable ovulatory responses and embryo yields compared with the treatments begun in the presence of a large growing antral follicle(s) from the previous waves. The progesterone–oestradiol treatment is routinely used for follicular wave synchronization in cattle. The main objective of this study was to characterize the ovarian responses, hormonal profiles and in vivo embryo production in anoestrous Rideau Arcott ewes (May‐June), which were superovulated after pretreatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP)‐releasing intravaginal sponges and a single dose of oestradiol‐17β (E₂‐17β). Six days after insertion of MAP sponges, eight ewes were given an i.m. injection of 350 μg of E₂‐17β (E₂‐17β‐treated ewes); 10 ewes were given an i.m. injection of vehicle (control ewes). Multiple‐dose Folltropin®‐V treatment, followed by the bolus injection of GnRH (50 μg i.m.), began 6 days after E₂‐17β/vehicle injection. Transrectal ovarian ultrasonography revealed that: (i) the interval between E₂‐17β/vehicle injection and regression of all follicles ≥5 to 3 mm in diameter was shorter (p < 0.01; 2.6 ± 0.4 vs 4.8 ± 0.6 days respectively); and (ii) the interval between injection and emergence of the next follicular wave was longer (p < 0.05; 5.4 ± 0.3 vs 1.2 ± 0.4 days, respectively) in E₂‐17β‐treated than in control ewes. During the 6 days after injection, the mean FSH peak concentration and basal FSH concentration were lower (p < 0.01) in E₂‐17β‐treated ewes. The mean ovulation rate and the number of recovered embryos did not differ (p > 0.05) between the two groups of ewes. However, the number of luteinized unovulated follicles per ewe, and the variability in the number of luteal structures and overall embryo yield were less (p < 0.05) in E₂‐17β‐treated compared with control ewes. In conclusion, the MAP–E₂‐17β pretreatment significantly reduced the variability in ovarian responses and embryo yields, without affecting the embryo production in superovulated anoestrous ewes.     

A METHOD FOR THE QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT OF ANISOTROPIC PLASMA IN SOIL THIN SECTIONS

A method is described to measure the total amount of anisotropic plasma visible in soil thin sections. The proportion occurring within 15μm of void and skeletal grain surfaces is also measured. The results can be presented as an orientation index.     

THE USE OF ORIENTATION DIAGRAMS IN DESCRIBING PLASMIC FABRICS IN SOIL MATERIALS

Orientation diagrams are used to show differences in the orientation of birefringent domains in the S-matrix, and in sub-cutanic features of the vo-insepic fabric of two West Indian soils. Such orientation diagrams could prove useful in helping to characterize plasmic fabrics.