Comparison of PCR, virus isolation, and indirect fluorescent antibody staining in the detection of naturally occurring feline herpesvirus infections.

Cats with clinical signs suggestive of ocular infection with feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV 1) and cats without such signs were assayed by 3 methods to detect FHV. Comparison of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), virus isolation, and indirect fluorescent antibody staining techniques for the detection of FHV demonstrated higher sensitivity of PCR in detecting this common infectious agent of cats. Compared with PCR, sensitivity and specificity for virus isolation was 49% and 100%, respectively, and those of indirect immunofluorescence were 29% and 96%, respectively. FHV was detected in 13.7% of client-owned cats with conjunctivitis and in 31% of shelter cats with no ocular signs. The use of FHV PCR as a diagnostic test for FHV-associated disease is limited because of the occurrence of healthy carriers.     

Protein and cellulose level in diet: Effects on enzymatic activity,metabolite and amino acid profiles in freshwater anomurans Aegla uruguayana (Decapoda: Anomura)

The aims of this study were to evaluate the short‐term effects of artificial diets with different protein: cellulose ratios (D1 = 60:0, D2 = 45:15 and D3 = 30:30) on the enzymatic activity and metabolite profile and to probe the suitability of the amino acid profile of the different diets in Aegla uruguayana. The different artificial diets affected the digestive total protease and amylase activities in a short period of time. Lipases were not affected by the diets. In the haemolymph, an effect of the diet was found in glucose and triglyceride measurements. Particularly, the glucose of the organisms fed D1 was significantly lower than that of organisms fed D2, without significant differences in D3. The concentrations of triglycerides were different among organisms subjected to the treatments, indicating a greater concentration in organisms fed D2 than in those fed D1. In muscle tissue, the concentration of glycogen followed the same trend as haemolymphatic glucose, indicating that the organisms fed D2 had a higher concentration of this metabolite compared to the rest. The amino acid profile of muscle tissue of wild and fed aeglids had a high and significant correlation in all cases, showing few changes in the short‐term feeding regime. Some changes were observed mainly in aeglids fed D3, which exhibited the lowest amounts of methionine, lysine and arginine and the highest amounts of aspartic + glutamic acids. In addition, D2 has a good quality of EAA, fulfilling almost all the requirements of a wild aeglid.     

Infection of goats with Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis: histopathology and pH changes.

Two groups of goats were experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis, and killed at various days after infection (DAI). The percentage of worms that established in the abomasum and the small intestine was low. At necropsy, abomasums from infected goats had thickened walls and oedematous folds. At 7 DAI there was an initial infiltration of eosinophils and some neutrophils which tend to increase with age of infection. The mean pH of the abomasum in goats infected with H. contortus was 5.43 (range 5.3-5.7), while that of the control goats was 3.30 (range 2.8-3.7).     

Changes in liveweight gain, blood constituents and worm egg output in goats infected with a sheep-derived strain of Trichostrongylus colubriformis

Two groups of goats were dosed with 20,000 and 40,000 sheep-derived strain (SDS) larvae of Trichostrongylus colubriformis respectively. Over a period of 42 days, goats dosed with 40,000 larvae lost more weight than goats dosed with 20,000 larvae. Anaemia was not observed in infected goats, but total serum proteins, albumins and phosphorus fell with infection.     

Changes in liveweight gain, blood constituents and worm egg output in goats artificially infected with a sheep-derived strain of Haemonchus contortus

Two groups of goats were dosed with 10,000 and 20,000 sheep-derived strain (SDS) larvae of Haemonchus contortus respectively. Over a period of 42 days goats dosed with 20,000 larvae lost more weight than those dosed with 10,000 larvae. Infected goats showed anaemia from about 2 weeks after infection as well as reduced levels of total serum proteins and albumins.     

An indirect fluorescent antibody test for the detection of antibody to swine infertility and respiratory syndrome virus in swine sera.

An indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test was developed and standardized to detect and quantitate antibody for swine infertility and respiratory syndrome (SIRS) virus in swine sera. Test results were evaluated using sera of pigs infected both experimentally and naturally with SIRS virus. The IFA test used swine alveolar macrophage (SAM) monolayers prepared in 96-well microplates and infected with SIRS virus. The monolayers were incubated with test sera, washed, and stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled rabbit anti-swine IgG. After another wash step, the monolayers were examined under a fluorescent microscope. A noninfected SAM control well was included for each sample. The antibody titers for each serum sample were recorded as the highest serum dilutions with specific cytoplasmic fluorescence but no fluorescence in the control wells. To evaluate the test, sera of 4 6-week-old pigs that had been infected with SIRS virus, 2 contact pigs, and 13 experimentally infected sows were used. In the experimentally infected pigs, antibody was first detected at 7 days postexposure (PE) and peaked (1:256-1,024) between 11 and 21 days PE. All 13 sow sera were negative at time of infection but were positive (1:64- greater than or equal to 1:1,024) at 14-26 days PE. Seven hundred twenty sera collected from 25 different swine farms with or without a history of SIRS were also tested. Of 344 sera from 15 swine farms with a clinical history of SIRS, 257 (74.7%) sera had IFA titers greater than or equal to 1:4, whereas 371 (98.7%) of 376 sera from herds with no history of SIRS were negative.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Caprine herpesvirus-2 in association with naturally occurring malignant catarrhal fever in captive sika deer (Cervus nippon).

Three female sika deer from a single captive herd were submitted for postmortem examination over a 139-day period. The first 2 deer submitted were reported to have lost body mass for 20 days to 1 month before euthanasia. One of these deer had diarrhea, the other had a crusting dermatitis on the nasal planum and inner aspects of both pinnae. The third hind did not have any signs of disease before it was found seizuring and was immediately euthanatized. Microscopically, all 3 animals had a lymphocytic vasculitis typical of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), with the most severe lesions in the brain. All 3 deer were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for caprine herpesvirus 2 (CpHV-2) and were negative for ovine herpesvirus 2 (OHV-2). Two healthy goats that were housed adjacent to the deer were also PCR positive for CpHV-2 and PCR negative for OHV-2. The CpHV-2, PCR amplicons from the hinds, and the 2 healthy goats had an identical single base polymorphism. A male sika deer that was housed with the hinds and a fawn from 1 of the hinds remained asymptomatic and were PCR negative for CpHV-2. This represents the first report of mortality with MCF-like lesions in association with CpHV-2.     

Idiopathic granulomatous disease with ocular adnexal and cutaneous involvement in a dog.

Idiopathic granulomatous disease was the cause of bilateral eyelid masses and additional ocular adnexal disease in a dog. Histologically similar granulomas developed concurrently in distant sites including the limbs, prepuce, and testicles. Periodic resolution and redevelopment of the masses were observed and were unaffected by corticosteroid treatments. Rapid diminution of some of the masses was found after treatment with polyethylene glycol modified L-asparaginase, but poor client compliance and episodes of spontaneous resolution of some of the masses made it difficult to accurately assess effectiveness of treatment. Clinicians should be aware that ocular adnexal granulomas may simulate neoplasms and be a component of a more widespread disease process.     

Spatial patterns of large natural fires in Sierra Nevada wilderness areas

The effects of fire on vegetation vary based on the properties and amount of existing biomass (or fuel) in a forest stand, weather conditions, and topography. Identifying controls over the spatial patterning of fire-induced vegetation change, or fire severity, is critical in understanding fire as a landscape scale process. We use gridded estimates of fire severity, derived from Landsat ETM+ imagery, to identify the biotic and abiotic factors contributing to the observed spatial patterns of fire severity in two large natural fires. Regression tree analysis indicates the importance of weather, topography, and vegetation variables in explaining fire severity patterns between the two fires. Relative humidity explained the highest proportion of total sum of squares throughout the Hoover fire (Yosemite National Park, 2001). The lowest fire severity corresponded with increased relative humidity. For the Williams fire (Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, 2003) dominant vegetation type explains the highest proportion of sum of squares. Dominant vegetation was also important in determining fire severity throughout the Hoover fire. In both fires, forest stands that were dominated by lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) burned at highest severity, while red fir (Abies magnifica) stands corresponded with the lowest fire severities. There was evidence in both fires that lower wind speed corresponded with higher fire severity, although the highest fire severity in the Williams fire occurred during increased wind speed. Additionally, in the vegetation types that were associated with lower severity, burn severity was lowest when the time since last fire was fewer than 11 and 17 years for the Williams and Hoover fires, respectively. Based on the factors and patterns identified, managers can anticipate the effects of management ignited and naturally ignited fires at the forest stand and the landscape levels.