Epidemiological and microbiological study of an outbreak of infectious keratoconjunctivitis in sheep

After several thousand sheep had been imported from Australia and New Zealand to Croatia during 1995, many native sheep that had been in contact with the imported animals acquired a severe ocular disease closely resembling infectious keratoconjunctivitis. In affected flocks glucose-fermenting mycoplasma were isolated from 48 per cent of conjunctival swabs and Branhamella ovis from 58 per cent. Twelve of 42 culturally and biochemically identical isolates were identified as Mycoplasma conjunctivae by polymerase chain reaction. From the conjunctivae of two animals M conjunctivae and M arginini were isolated in mixed culture. For many reasons most farmers removed the imported animals from their flocks and only sporadic cases of the disease were recognised in 1996. At the end of 1997, six flocks which were clinically free of the disease but had been affected during 1995, and five flocks with no history of the severe ocular disease were examined clinically and microbiologically, and were found to be free of M conjunctivae infection. At the time, B ovis was cultured almost exclusively from sheep originating from flocks which had been affected during 1995 and/or 1996. It was usually isolated in pure culture or as the predominant bacterial species, and was often accompanied by mild conjunctivitis. There were no microbiologically confirmed new cases of infectious keratoconjunctivitis during 1998 and 1999.     

Sesquiterpene lactones from the aerial parts of Inula oculus-christi

Pulchellin E (1) and gaillardin (2) were isolated from the aerial parts of Inula oculus-christi, along with the flavone hispidulin. The 13C-NMR chemical shifts of 1 and 2 are reported.     

Erfahrungen über den Einsatz des Phosphorwasserstoffpräparates PHOSTOXIN in Jugoslawien

Summary This report is dealing with the fumigation of grain in granaries with phosphine against the main stored-grain insects in Yugoslavia. The phosphine gas was generated from PHOSTOXIN tablets which were inserted in the grain mass. The efficacy was tested by the mortality of laboratory-bred insects and insects of the natural infestation. The successful fumigation was depending on the temperature of the grain and of the storage rooms and on the exposure period. The covering of the grain mass by plastic sheets reduced the gas leakage considerably. The dosage of 5–6 tablets per ton of grain and an exposure time of 5 days resulted in a 100% mortality of all insect stages at a grain temperature of 19° C. In all trials the exposure time proved to be the main factor. For the control of the angoumois grain moth and the Indian meal moth in the storage rooms outside the grain mass an additional treatment with an insecticidal spray was necessary. The control of hot spots by inserting the tablets through a probe was successful, provided that these hot spots were not too numerous and could be marked off very accurately.

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Die Übersetzung aus dem Jugoslawischen besorgte Herr Dipl.-Ing. MAYR, die Bearbeitung des deutschen Textes erfolgte durch Herrn. Dr. F. NEUBECKER; beide Deutsche Gesellschaft für Schädlingsbekämpfung m. b. H., Frankfurt a. M.     

Vergleichende Untersuchung von Phosphorwasserstoff entwickelnden Präpapaten zur Getreidebegasung

Zusammenfassung Die Ergebnisse der hier dargestellten Versuche zeigen, sowohl bezüglich der Verteilung des Phosphorwasserstoffes im Getreide als auch bezüglich der Wirksamkeit der PH₃-Präparate auf die Abtötung der Schädlinge, eindeutig, daß die Art der Verteilung der Präparate eine wesentliche Rolle für den Begasungserfolg spielt. Hierbei stellt das Gewicht der Präparate (Pellet, Tablette, Beutel) einen entscheidenden Faktor für ihre Verteilung im Getreide und damit für den Erfolg der Begasung dar.Selbstverständlich ist auch das Präparat in Beutelform brauchbar für die Begasung von Schä dlingen in gelagertem Getreide. Der Hauptunterschied zwischen dem Beutel und der Tablette bzw. dem Pellet in der praktischen Anwendung besteht aber darin, daß Tablette und Pellet durch ihre gleichmäßigere Verteilung eine bessere Wirksamkeit m der Abtötung der Schädlinge bei gleichzeitig geringerer Dosierung pro Tonne Getreide besitzt.Bei der Getreidebegasung spielen schließlich auch ökonomische Gesichtspunkte eine Rolle.Es kann also der Schluß gezogen werden, daß Präparate in Papierbeuteln für die Getreidebegasung weder anwendungstechnische noch ökonomische Vorteile gegenüber dem bei uns bisher bekannten Tabletten- bzw. Pellet-Präparat besitzt.Auf Grund der Ergebnisse dieser Versuche wie auch der bisher gemachten Erfahrung bei der Anwendung von PH₃-Präparaten in der Getreidebegasung kann gesagt werden, daß Präparate wie Tabletten und Pellets für unsere Bedingungen sowohl hinsichtlich der Wirksamkeit gegenüber Getreideschädlingen wie auch in ökonomischer Hinsicht ausgezeichnet verwendbar sind.

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Summary Referring to the distribution of hydrogen phosphide in grain as well as to the effectiveness of the PH₃ preparations for the destruction of insect pests, the results of the herein described tests show clearly that the method of distribution of the preparations plays an essential part for the success of the fumigation. Hereby the weight of the preparations (pellet, tablet, bag) is a decisive factor for their distribution in grain and therefore also for the succes of the fumigation.Naturally, the preparation in bags is also usable for the fumigation of insect pests in stored grain. The main difference between bag and tablet, respectively pellet, in the practical application lies, however, in the fact that tablet and pellet, due to their more uniform distribution, are more effective for the destruction of insect pests allowing at the same time a reduced dosage rate per ton of grain. Last but not least, economical aspects represent an important factor in grain fumigation.It, therefore, can be concluded that reparations in paper bags have no advantages in grain fumigation, as far as technique of application and economy are concerned, when compared with the tablet and pellet preparations so far known in this country.Based on the results of these tests and on the experience gained in application of PH₃ preparations in grain fumigation, one can say that preparations like tablets and pellets are most suitable under our conditions as far as efficacy against grain insect pests and economical aspects are concerned.

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Karadjordjeva 17 (Jugoslawien)     

Levamisole synergizes experimental F4ac+ Escherichia coli oral vaccine in stimulating ileal Peyer's patch T cells in weaned pigs

Recent findings demonstrate that priming by levamisole of weaned pigs experimentally vaccinated against postweaning colibacillosis (PWC) contributes to immune protection from challenge-induced clinical disease through stimulation of the mesenteric lymph node cells that participate in cell-mediated immunity. With the objective of better understanding the mechanisms by which levamisole induces protective mucosal cell-mediated immune response to vaccination against PWC, it was tested whether the drug synergizes experimental F4ac+ Escherichia coli oral vaccine in stimulating T cells also in the jejunal lamina propria (JLP) and ileal Peyer's patch (IPP) upon virulent challenge. Commercial crossbred pigs weaned at 4 weeks were allocated into two equal groups. The experimental group was i.m. primed with levamisole at an immunostimulatory dose of 2.5 mg/kg once daily, for 3 consecutive days, and controls received saline. Both groups were vaccinated orally with the vaccinal E. coli strain on day 0 and challenged with the virulent E. coli strain 7 days later. All pigs were killed on postchallenge day 6. The results determined by immunophenotyping of isolated cells indicate that priming by levamisole of the vaccinated weaned pigs selectively recruited and activated T cells in the IPP, a lymphoid organ-generating B lymphocytes. The pig IPP is normally populated with up to 5% of CD3+ T cells and CD6 is an activation antigen expressed exclusively by T cells in swine. Therefore, a significantly higher number of CD3+ (P < 0.01) and CD6+ (P < 0.001) cells observed within the IPP follicles of the primed-vaccinated vs. unprimed-vaccinated challenge-infected pigs suggest enhanced T cell-mediated immunity in this B-cell compartment induced by the potentiating action of the drug and vaccine. The ability of levamisole to influence interaction between activated T cells and B cells in the IPP of primed-vaccinated weaned pigs, and the possibility that this interaction plays a role in regulating B-cell maturation within the IPP follicles, are discussed.     

Chemical composition of the essential oils of serbian wild-growing Artemisia absinthium and Artemisia vulgaris

The chemical composition of the aerial and root essential oils, hydrodistilled from Artemisia absinthium L. and Artemisia vulgaris L. (wild-growing populations from Serbia), were studied by gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. During the storage of plant material under controlled conditions, a significant decrease of essential oil yields (isolated directly after drying and after 1 year of storage) and significant differences in their chemical compositions were observed. A possible mechanism for the observed oil component interconversion has been discussed. The noticeable differences in the chemical composition of the oils isolated from roots and aerial parts of A. absinthium and A. vulgaris were also correlated with the diverging biosynthetic pathways of volatiles in the respective plant organs. The antimicrobial activities against the common human pathogens of all of the isolated oils were tested according to National Committee on Clinical Laboratory Standards. The oils showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against the tested strains. Therefore, these oils can be used as flavor and fragrance ingredients.