Cryptosporidiosis in calves during the period of milk nutrition

It has been found out by examining faeces of 83 calves from calf house in Uhercice (Breclav district) that 52 calves excreted coccidium oocysts, genus Cryptosporidium Tyzzer, 1907, during the period of milk nutrition. The calves excreted oocysts from the eighth day of age, and at the end of the milk nutrition period (43rd-47th ridium Tyzzer, 1907, during the period of milk nutrition. The calves excreted oocysts of cryptosporidia were found in two thirds of calves suffering from diarrheas. By histological examination of a 27-day-old calf, developmental stages of this coccidium were found on the surface of villus epithelium in the distal part of ileum. Villi were shortened and expanded, submucous connective tissue was penetrated by inflammatory infiltrate with large quantity of eosinophil granulocytes. For demonstration of oocysts in faeces, Breza flotation method combined with sedimentation and staining by modified Giemsa panoptic method were used.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FEATURES OF CERVICAL SPINAL CORD MENINGIOMAS

The records of four dogs with cervical spinal cord meningiomas were retrospectively reviewed. Signalment, history, laboratory findings, neurological examination, and histopathological findings were evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed using a 1.0-T superconducting magnet and T2-weighted (W) and noncontrast and postcontrast T1-W spin echo pulse sequences. Meningiomas were located at the level of the second, third, and fifth cervical vertebrae and the C2-3 intervertebral space. All meningiomas appeared as focal masses that were hyperintense to the spinal cord on T2-W images and iso- to hypointense on the T1-W images. They could be identified as intradural and extramedullary in origin based on a broad-based dural margin seen on at least one of the imaging planes and a gradual expansion of the subarachnoid space cranial and caudal to the mass, best noted on the transverse and dorsal plane images. On dorsal plane T2-W images in three dogs, expansion of the subarachnoid space adjacent to the mass appeared similar to the myelographic "golf tee" sign. All meningiomas exhibited moderate, well-defined contrast enhancement with dural tails seen in three of the four dogs. One dog had extension into the intervertebral foramen along the nerve and ipsilateral atrophy of the muscles of the neck. By differentiating the meningiomas from intramedullary tumors and by clearly depicting the extent of the masses, MRI provided valuable information about treatment options and prognosis.     

Prolapse of the uterus and cataract: a comparison of veterinary and human medicine in Greco-Roman antiquity

A number of surgical interventions in ancient veterinary medicine were modelled on the same procedures in human medicine. This is discussed in some detail for the prolapse of the uterus and the couching of the cataract in horses. In the introductory section, the importance of Switzerland and neighbouring areas for the transmission of ancient veterinary medicine is highlighted.     

Gefrierkonservierung von Schafbockspermien in Gegenwart oberflächenaktiver Substanzen

Inhalt Ein Zusatz von Alkylsulfaten bzw. von TRITON X 45 in sehr geringer Konzentration zum Medium für die Gefrierkonservierung von Schafbocksperma führt zu verbesserten Auftauergebnissen. In einem Medium ohne Kryoprotektiva wird die Empfindlichkeit gegenüber Kälteschock bzw. osmotischen Schock verringert. Der vermutlich membranstabilisierende Effekt von Natriumhexadecylsulfat hatte keinen Einfluβ auf das Befruchtungsergebnis nach Insemination gefrierkonservierten Schafbockspermas.
Ein Zusatz von N-Acetyl-cystein bei der Gefrierkonservierung von Schafbocksperma verbessert Motilität und Resistenz nach dem Auftauen signifikant. Andere Vitalitätsparameter werden nicht beeinfluβt. Im Besamungsversuch konnte der positive Effekt dieses Zusatzes bestätigt werden, ohne daβ damit praxisrelevante Ergebnisse erreicht wurden.
Contents: Cryopreservation of ram spermatozoa in the presence of surface active substances
The addition of alkylsulphates or TRITON X 45 in very low concentrations to diluents for the cryopreservation of ram semen leads to an improvement of after-thawing results. In a diluent without cryoprotectives the sensitivity against cold shock as well as osmotic shock is diminished. The membrane stabilising effect of sodium-hexadecylsulphate has no influence on the fertility rate after insemination of cryopreserved ram semen.
The addition of N-acetyl-cysteine in cry opreservation of ram spermatozoa increases the motility and lifetime in a resistance test after thawing significantly. Other parameters of viability are not influenced. In insemination experiments the positive effect of this addition could be verified, but, on the whole, the effect is too small to be relevant in practice.     

Is feeding of green silage in areas with hog cholera in wild boar a danger for domestic swine herds? Experimental study]

In an experimental study we tested the survival of hog cholera virus (HCV) contained in pieces of muscular tissue and organs from experimentally infected swine after incubation in silage. In big (diameter greater than 20 cm) muscular pieces HCV survived even in excellent mineral acid silage (pH 3.8-4.0) after a storage of 5 months. On the other hand in smaller parts (musculature tissue, organs less than 20 cm diameter) we never found virulent HCV after 3 months of incubation. Independent of the size of the tested organs we did not find any virulent HCV in silage with pH 5.2 after 3 months. The results of our investigations show, that the feeding of green silage in areas with hog cholera among wild boar is a potential risk for the domestic swine population. In conclusion we propose to feed green silage to unvaccinated pigs in such areas only after a storage of 9 month.     

Paratuberculosis in farmed and free-living wild ruminants in the Czech Republic (1999-2001)

Due to the occurrence of the infection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis among domestic ruminants and the rapid development of farmed deer industry and the market of cloven-hoofed game we have carried surveys of paratuberculosis, beginning in 1997, in the most common four species of wild ruminants in the Czech Republic [Pavlik et al., Vet. Microbiol. 77 (2000) 231-251]. From 1999 the prevalence of paratuberculosis has been slightly reduced in all three types of husbandry of wild ruminants. Nevertheless paratuberculosis has been diagnosed in wild ruminants in three districts, in four game parks and in five farms. M. a. paratuberculosis was isolated from 128 (5.3%) out of 2,403 wild ruminants of four animal species: 106 red deer, 2 roe deer, 4 fallow deer and 16 mouflons. In red deer farms, the highest number of clinical paratuberculosis cases was in yearling deer. RFLP type B-C1 of M. a. paratuberculosis predominated during the second period (1999-2001) in all types of husbandry with no relationship to wild ruminant species. New "cattle" RFLP types B-C5 and B-C16 of M. a. paratuberculosis were described in infected farmed red deer and one "intermediate" RFLP type R-I4 in fallow deer from one game park. The survival of M. a. paratuberculosis was found to be 4 months during winter in the pasture after destocking of all cattle infected with paratuberculosis. We found that non-vertebrates, wild ruminants or non-ruminant wildlife can be vectors and potentially become a risk factor in the spread of M. a. paratuberculosis infection.     

Unilateral evisceration of an eye following cornea and lens perforation in a sulfur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)

A 24-year old male sulfur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) was presented with a subacute perforation of the cornea without involvement of the lens.The bird was treated conservatively and the eye remained quiescent up to a second traumatic corneal perforation associated with a lens capsule rupture 15 months later. Due to the second perforating trauma of an already blind eye involving the lens, evisceration of the eye was performed. Two months after surgery the cosmetic result was excellent. Treatment options for perforating ocular traumas in captive birds are discussed in detail.     

Effects of two diets on the haematology, plasma chemistry and intestinal flora of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)

Two groups of 22 budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) were housed for 12 months under identical conditions. One group was fed a commercial seed mixture plus carrots and a mineral supplement, and the other group was fed a commercially formulated diet plus carrots. Samples of blood and faeces were collected initially and after three, six, nine and 12 months. There were no significant differences between the haematological values of the two groups. The group fed the seed mixture had significantly higher concentrations of glucose, albumin, triglycerides and uric acid, and higher activity of aspartate aminotransferase, but the values were within the published reference ranges for normal birds. There were no significant differences between the faecal samples from the two groups, except that the fungus Macrorhabdus ornithogaster was identified in 48.3 per cent of the samples from the group fed the commercially formulated diet but from only 3.4 per cent of the samples from the group fed the seed mixture.     

Use of DNA and recombinant canarypox viral (ALVAC) vectors for equine herpes virus vaccination

In this study, experimental canarypox virus (ALVAC) and plasmid DNA recombinant vaccines expressing the gB, gC and gD glycoproteins of EHV-1 were assessed for their ability to protect conventional ponies against a respiratory challenge with EHV-1. In addition, potential means of enhancing serological responses in horses to ALVAC and DNA vaccination were explored. These included co-administration of the antigen with conventional adjuvants, complexation with DMRIE-DOPE and co-expression of the antigen along with equine GM-CSF. Groups of EHV primed ponies were vaccinated twice intra-muscularly with one dose of the appropriate test vaccine at an interval of 5 weeks. Two to 3 weeks after the second vaccination, ponies were infected intra-nasally with the virulent Ab4 strain of EHV-1 after which they were observed clinically and sampled for virological investigations. The results demonstrated that DNA and ALVAC vaccination markedly reduced virus excretion after challenge in terms of duration and magnitude, but failed to protect against cell-associated viremia. Noteworthy was the almost complete absence of virus excretion in the group of ponies vaccinated with ALVAC-EHV in the presence of Carbopol adjuvant or DNA plasmid formulated with aluminium phosphate. The administration of the DNA vaccine in the presence of GM-CSF and formulated in DMRIE-DOPE and of the ALVAC vaccine in the presence of Carbopol adjuvant significantly improved virus neutralising antibody responses to EHV-1. These findings indicate that DNA and ALVAC vaccination is a promising approach for the immunological control of EHV-1 infection, but that more research is needed to identify the immunodominant protective antigens of EHV-1 and their interaction with the equine immune system.