Seroprevalence of and agroecological risk factors for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis and neospora caninum infection among adult beef cattle in cow-calf herds in Alberta, Canada

A province-wide cross-sectional seroprevalence and agroecological risk factor study of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) and Neospora caninum (NC) infection among cattle in 100 cow-calf herds in Alberta was conducted. The seroprevalence of MAP in adult cattle was 1.5% across all herds. Using a widely accepted herd test cutpoint of 2 or more seropositive cows out of 30 animals tested, 7.9% of herds were estimated to be infected (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.3-23.4%). Seroprevalence of MAP differed by agroecological region; specifically, cattle and herds in areas with high soil pH (> 7.0), southern latitudes, and arid climates had a moderately reduced risk of infection (P < 0.10). Seroprevalence of NC infection was 9.7% among adult beef cattle province-wide--these levels also varied by agroecological region--with 91.0% of herds infected overall.     

Identification of Staphylococcus hyicus by polymerase chain reaction mediated amplification of species specific sequences of superoxide dismutase A encoding gene sodA

A species specific PCR test, based on manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase A encoding gene sodA, was developed for the identification of Staphylococcus hyicus, an important bacterial pathogen in pigs. The designed primers allowed a rapid and reliable identification of phenotypically characterized S. hyicus, isolated in Russia, Germany and Denmark. No cross reactivities could be observed investigating staphylococcal reference strains representing 18 different species and subspecies. The use of the described primers might improve a future diagnosis of this bacterial pathogen.     

Exposure of domestic swine to influenza A viruses in Ghana suggests unidirectional,reverse zoonotic transmission at the human–animal interface

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) have both zoonotic and anthroponotic potential and are of public and veterinary importance. Swine are intermediate hosts and ‘mixing vessels’ for generating reassortants, progenies of which may harbour pandemic propensity. Swine handlers are at the highest risk of becoming infected with IAVs from swine but there is little information on the ecology of IAVs at the human–animal interface in Africa. We analysed and characterized nasal and throat swabs from swine and farmers respectively, for IAVs using RT‐qPCR, from swine farms in the Ashanti region, Ghana. Sera were also analysed for IAVs antibodies and serotyped using ELISA and HI assays. IAV was detected in 1.4% (n = 17/1,200) and 2.0% (n = 2/99) of swine and farmers samples, respectively. Viral subtypes H3N2 and H1N1pdm09 were found in human samples. All virus‐positive swine samples were subtyped as H1N1pdm09 phylogenetically clustering closely with H1N1pdm09 that circulated among humans during the study period. Phenotypic markers that confer sensitivity to Oseltamivir were found. Serological prevalence of IAVs in swine and farmers by ELISA was 3.2% (n = 38/1,200) and 18.2% (n = 18/99), respectively. Human H1N1pdm09 and H3N2 antibodies were found in both swine and farmers sera. Indigenous swine influenza A viruses and/or antibodies were not detected in swine or farmers samples. Majority (98%, n = 147/150) of farmers reported of not wearing surgical mask and few (4%, n = 6) reported to wear gloves when working. Most (n = 74, 87.7%) farmers reported of working on the farm when experiencing influenza‐like illness. Poor husbandry and biosafety practices of farmers could facilitate virus transmission across the human–swine interface. Farmers should be educated on the importance of good farm practices to mitigate influenza transmission at the human–animal interface.     

Effects of different forms and origins of oilseeds on dynamics of ruminal biohydrogenation of long‐chain fatty acids in vitro

Dietary unsaturated fatty acids (FA) are intensively hydrogenated in the rumen, resulting in reduced amount of poly‐unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and accumulation of several biohydrogenation (BH) products. In this study, BH of PUFA originating from different oilseeds (linseed, soya beans, sunflower seed and rapeseed) present in crushed oilseeds or their free oils were assessed in vitro. The assay substrates were incubated in buffered rumen fluid for 0, 6, 12 and 24 h. After incubation, the FA pattern of the incubated samples was analysed using gas chromatography. Biohydrogenation is defined as disappearance of double bonds (DB) calculated from the contents of unsaturated FA. After 24‐h incubation, the DB contents of all oilseeds were reduced (p < 0.001) by 40–60%. The reduction was higher (p < 0.001) for the crushed form compared with the oil form. In addition, linseed and sunflower seed known as oilseeds with high contents of linolenic acid C18:3 c9,12,15 (LNA) and linoleic acid C18:2 c9,12 (LA), respectively, showed a higher (p < 0.001) accumulation of the BH intermediates conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, isomer C18:2 c9t11) and vaccenic acid (C18:1 t11) for the crushed form, when compared with the oil. These results suggest an inherent effect of the physical form of the assay oilseeds on in vitro BH. Changes in FA pattern during BH in vitro can be attributed to both source and physical form of the assay oilseeds. However, further investigations are warranted to ensure whether the observed in vitro effects on ruminal BH can be confirmed in vivo.     

一年生植物作为石膏刨花板原料的适应性

本文叙述了使用德国及中国建筑石膏和甘蔗渣、竹材、棉秆、麦秸、稻草等一年生植物生产石膏刨花板的适应性,分析了石膏的成分和性能,测定了缓凝剂和植物原料对石膏水化的影响。制板时采用不同的配方和板的密度,以评价一年生植物的使用价值。在所使用的原料中,甘蔗渣是良好的石膏刨花板原料。     

Detection of bovine papillomavirus DNA in equine sarcoids using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)]

Unfixed and formalin-fixed frozen sections and paraffin-sections of histopathologically confirmed sarcoids of 20 horses were studied in the PCR. The used set of primers was located in the E5 open reading frame fitting both to bovine papillomavirus 1 (BPV-1) and BPV-2. Independent of the quality of the used tissues BPV-DNA was detected in all 20 sarcoids. By cleaving with restriction endonuclease Bst XI it was shown that the DNA-sequences amplified by PCR were identical with that of BPV-1. The results support the general view that BPV play an important role in equine sarcoids.     

Inhibition of feline infectious peritonitis virus replication by recombinant human leukocyte (alpha) interferon and feline fibroblastic (beta) interferon

Replication of feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) in feline cell cultures was inhibited after incubation of cells with either human recombinant leukocyte (alpha) interferon (IFN) or feline fibroblastic (beta) IFN for 18 to 24 hours before viral challenge exposure. Compared with virus control cultures, FIPV yields were reduced by ranges of 0.1 to 2.7 log10 or 2 to 5.2 log10 TCID50 in cultures treated with human alpha- or feline beta-IFN, respectively; yield reductions were IFN dose dependent. Sensitivity to the antiviral activities of IFN varied with cell type; feline embryo cells had greater FIPV yield reductions than did similarly treated feline kidney or feline lung cells. Comparison of the virus growth curves in IFN-treated and virus control cultures indicated marked reduction in intracellular and extracellular FIPV in IFN-treated cultures. Compared with virus control cultures, intracellular and extracellular infectivity in IFN-treated cultures was delayed in onset by 12 and 30 hours, respectively, and FIPV titers subsequently were reduced by 3 to 3.5 and 5 log10 TCID50, respectively. Frequently, immunofluorescent and electron microscopy of IFN-treated cells or cell culture fluids did not reveal virus; however, even in cultures without viral cytopathic changes, small amounts of virus occasionally persisted in cells.