Influence of formulation on the efficacy of experimental oil-emulsion Newcastle disease vaccines

Twenty-one experimental oil-emulsion vaccines with different emulsifier contents, aqueous-to-oil ratios, and antigen concentrations were compared by immunization of 4-week-old chickens. Vaccines that contained oil-phase (Arlacel 80) and aqueous-phase (Tween 80) emulsifiers induced 2-to-4-fold higher hemagglutination-inhibition titers than vaccines with only the oil-phase emulsifier. The emulsion vaccines containing both emulsifiers were also more stable at 37 C and less viscous than those containing only the oil-phase emulsifier. Vaccines that had different aqueous-to-oil ratios and contained different quantities of allantoic-fluid antigen (1.2% to 50% of the vaccine volume) induced similar protection against challenge, but hemagglutination-inhibition titers were proportional to the amount of antigen added. Vaccines that had different aqueous-to-oil ratios but contained equal amounts of antigen induced similar hemagglutination-inhibition titers and similar protection against challenge.     

Death of an African elephant from probable toxemia attributed to chronic pulpitis

A 31-year-old captive male African elephant (Loxodonta africana) of 5,000-kg body weight died suddenly in ventral recumbency. Lesions seen at necropsy were bilateral purulent pulpitis and periodontitis of both tusks, serous atrophy of coronary groove fat, Grammocephalus cholangitis, myocardial and skeletal lipofuscinosis, and scattered segmental necrosis in the pectoral muscles. Nonhemolytic streptococci, Corynebacterium sp, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Bacteroides sp, were recovered from the exudate around one or both tusks. We postulated that the elephant died of hypoxia from prolonged ventral recumbency because of weakness and inability to rise secondary to toxemia from bilateral pulpitis and periodontitis.     

Hemorrhage from the cosmetic otoplasty of Doberman Pinschers with von Willebrand's disease

The hemorrhagic tendencies of 23 Doberman Pinscher pups were observed during cosmetic otoplasty and were ranked by a +1 to +4 grading system (+1 = least hemorrhage, and +4 = most hemorrhage). A second estimate of the hemostatic competencies of these dogs was made by counting the gauze sponges used in the otoplasties. Factor VIII-related antigen concentrations and coagglutinin cofactor concentrations were measured in plasma samples from blood drawn not more than 30 hours before the surgical procedures were done. The factor VIII-related antigen concentrations were between 9% and 147% of the concentration in a normal plasma pool, and the coagglutinin cofactor concentrations were between 1% and 165%, indicating that some of these dogs had von Willebrand's disease. The hemorrhagic tendencies of 12 pups were graded +1. This group had a mean antigen concentration of 75% (min-max, 38% to 147%) and a mean coagglutinin cofactor concentration of 89% (min-max, 42% to 165%). These were significantly greater than the antigen and cofactor concentrations of the grades +2 (n = 5), +3 (n = 3), or +4 (n = 3) dogs. Significant differences were not found when antigen concentrations of the grade +2 dogs (mean, 16%; min-max, 11% to 22%), grade +3 dogs (mean, 13%; 12% to 16%), and grade +4 dogs (mean, 11%; 9% to 12%) were compared with each other, nor were significant differences seen among the coagglutinin cofactor concentrations of the grade +2 dogs (mean, 7%; min-max, 1% to 11%), grade +3 dogs (mean, 6%, 4% to 8%), and grade +4 dogs (mean, 5%; 2% to 9%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The effects of serum on the in vitro adherence and maturation of bovine monocytes

Serum concentration was found to affect both the initial adherence and subsequent in vitro maturation of bovine monocytes. Bovine monocytes cultured in the absence of serum remained small and reduced in number, whereas monocytes cultured in an adequate concentration of either autologous adult bovine or fetal bovine serum developed into large macrophage-like cells. Heat inactivation (56 degrees C for 30 minutes) did not affect the ability of bovine sera to promote monocyte maturation in vitro.     

BCG treatment of periocular sarcoid

Twenty-six horses and five mules with periocular sarcoids were treated with intralesional injections of a purified bacillus of Calmette and Guerin (BCG) cell walls in oil suspension. All sarcoids were cured and the horses and mules remained free from recurrence of sarcoid during the two-year follow-up period.     

Surgical techniques for the liver and biliary tract

Surgical treatment of hepatic and biliary disease requires a thorough knowledge of pertinent anatomy and pathophysiology. Proper attention to both preoperative and postoperative care is important. This article describes many of the more common surgical manipulations of the liver and biliary tract, as well as pre- and postoperative considerations.     

Adjuvant enhancement of humoral immune response to chemically inactivated bovine viral diarrhea virus.

Potentiation of the antibody response to inactivated bovine viral diarrhea virus by immunological adjuvants was studied in guinea pigs and cattle. The inactivated bovine viral diarrhea virus alone was demonstrated to be a weak immunogen. Addition of either 2 mg per mL diethylaminoethyl-dextran or 5% alhydrogel to inactivated bovine viral diarrhea virus did not or only slightly stimulated the antibody response; the combined adjuvants induced a significantly higher titer. A higher concentration (20 mg per mL) of diethylaminoethyl-dextran, on the contrary, suppressed the immune potentiation by the dual adjuvants. Combination of Bordetella bronchiseptica and alhydrogel adjuvants stimulated a high titer of antibody. The titer was further elevated upon revaccination and was significantly higher than that induced by alhydrogel alone. In cattle, alhydrogel enhanced the immune response and the additional inclusion of diethylaminoethyl-dextran did not cause a significant potentiation of the immunity. However, the antibody decay rate was significantly slower when stimulated by the combined adjuvants.