Scrotal stalk ablation and orchiectomy using electrosurgery in the male sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) and histologic anatomy of the testes and associated scrotal structures

This report describes an alternative surgical technique for performing scrotal ablation and orchiectomy in the adult male sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) using electrosurgery. Eight animals from a local small mammal shelter group that presented for routine surgical castration for population control measures were included in this study. Mean surgical time was 4.37 ± 2.13 seconds. Mean anesthesia time was 12.32 ± 5.63 minutes. Mean recovery time was 8.37 ± 3.68 minutes. Mean total procedure time was 22.24 ± 5.69 minutes. No perioperative complications were reported. All animals appeared to have sufficient pain management with an analgesia and anti-inflammatory protocol using butorphanol and meloxicam. No over grooming and or self-injurious behaviors were reported by the local shelter during both the 24-hour and 14-day recheck examinations. Electrosurgery scrotal ablation and orchiectomy therefore offers an alternate route for the practicing veterinarian to perform safe and efficient castrations in male sugar gliders. Histologically, in the epididymis, 3 of the 8 sugar gliders had evidence of a well-defined region in the head, between the efferent ducts and the remaining epididymis. The lining cells differed morphologically from those constituting the remaining epithelial lining. The presence of eosinophilic vacuoles in the cytoplasm of the cells in this region suggests a secretory activity.     

A comparison of the programme coverage of two therapeutic feeding interventions implemented in neighbouring districts of Malawi

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic feeding programme coverage for severely malnourished children achieved by a community-based therapeutic care (CTC) programme and a therapeutic feeding centre (TFC) programme operating in neighbouring districts in Malawi. DESIGN: Two surveys were implemented simultaneously one in each of the two programme areas. Each survey used a stratified design with strata defined using the centric systematic area sample method. Thirty 100 km2 quadrats were sampled. The community or communities located closest to the centre of each quadrat were sampled using a case-finding approach. Cases were defined as children aged under 5 years with 相似文献   

Phenotypic and genotypic anti-microbial resistance profiles of campylobacters from untreated feedlot cattle and their environment

Anti-microbial resistance is an emerging public health issue. Farmed animals may act as reservoirs and potential sources of anti-microbial resistant Campylobacters. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-microbial resistance profile of cattle and environmental Campylobacter isolates from normal untreated feedlot cattle, the role of the gyrA Thr-86-Ile mutation in ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter jejuni isolates and the involvement of the tripartite CmeABC efflux system for multi-resistant C. jejuni isolates. The phenotypic anti-microbial resistance testing was carried out on 500 Campylobacter isolates (445 cattle isolates and 55 environmental isolates). In general, there was a higher level of anti-microbial resistance for the environmental isolates compared with the animal isolates, 45% of the animal isolates were resistant to one or more of the seven anti-microbials compared with 84% of the environmental isolates. The combined cattle and environmental Campylobacters had 34 (6.8%) isolates resistant to three or more of the seven anti-microbials tested on all isolates and 11 (2.2%) isolates were resistant to the seven anti-microbials. There was a substantial level of ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacters in both animal (8.5%) and environmental (21.8%) isolates. The gyrA Thr-86-Ile mutation was only present in five of 22 ciprofloxacin-resistant C. jejuni isolates investigated. No multi-drug-resistant associated mutation was detected in the CmeB or the CmeR regions investigated. In conclusion, our study observed a substantial level of Campylobacter anti-microbial resistance, highlighting the need for an active anti-microbial surveillance program for food animals in Ireland and the importance of the chosen sampling point can have on the findings of such a program.     

Equine paranasal sinus disease: a long-term study of 200 cases (1997-2009): treatments and long-term results of treatments

Reasons for performing study: There is limited objective information available on the treatment and the long‐term response to treatment of the different types of equine sinus disease. Objectives: To document the treatments and long‐term response to these treatments in 200 cases of equine sinus disease (1997–2009). Methods: The treatments of horses affected with subacute primary sinusitis (n = 52); chronic primary sinusitis (n = 37); dental sinusitis (n = 40); sinus cyst (n = 26); traumatic (n = 13); dental‐related oromaxillary fistula (n = 8); sinus neoplasia (n = 10); mycotic sinus disease (n = 7); and intrasinus progressive ethmoid haematoma (n = 7) and the long‐term response to these treatments were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Treatments evolved throughout the study and latterly were as conservative as possible, including sinoscopic lavage and standing sinusotomy, with a maxillary sinusotomy approach preferred for the mainly mature horses treated in this study. Removal of intrasinus inspissated pus, including transendoscopically (by sinusotomy and via existing sinonasal fistulae), was the main treatment for chronic primary sinusitis and sinonasal fistulation was seldom performed latterly. Attempted oral extraction of infected cheek teeth, even if unsuccessful, facilitated subsequent dental repulsion, resulting in few post operative problems. Sinus cyst removal carried an excellent prognosis. Except for cases of sinus neoplasia (only 22% cured), an excellent long‐term response to treatment (91% fully cured, 7% partially cured) was obtained for all other types of sinus disease following a median of one treatment. Conclusions: More conservative treatments, including removal of intrasinus inspissated pus by sinoscopy, pre‐existing sinonasal fistula or sinusotomy, are effective for chronic primary sinus disease. Standing sinusotomy, mainly using a small maxillary site, was suitable for most cases of sinus disease in mature horses.     

Controlling tuberculosis in a llama (Lama glama) herd using clinical signs, tuberculin skin testing and serology

An outbreak of tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, was investigated in a small herd of llamas (Lama glama). Based on three ante-mortem diagnostic methods (clinical signs, tuberculin skin test reactions, and 'Rapid Test' serology), 12 llamas were selected for examination post-mortem. Grossly visible lesions suspicious of TB were observed in eight animals, four of which had exhibited clinical signs, one was a skin test 'reactor', and three had been seropositive. M. bovis was isolated from seven of these eight animals. Clinical signs combined with serology were found to be useful in identifying infected animals, but tuberculin skin testing had limited negative predictive value as four llamas that were subsequently confirmed as infected were not detected using this assay.     

Infectivity of pestivirus following persistence of acute infection

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is an endemic pathogen worldwide and eradication strategies focus on the identification and removal of persistently infected (PI) animals arising after in utero infection. Despite this, acute infections with BVDV can persist for months or years after the removal of the PI source despite repeated screening for PIs and tight biosecurity measures. Recent evidence for a prolonged duration of viraemia in the testicles of bulls following acute BVDV infection suggests the possibility of a form of chronic persistence that may more closely resemble the persistence strategies of hepatitis C virus (HCV). To investigate the potential for virus transmission from infected and recovered cattle to virus naïve hosts we established an acute infection of 5 BVDV-naïve calves and monitored animals over 129 days. Infectious BVDV was detected in white blood cells between days 3 and 7 post-challenge. The animals seroconverted by day 21 post-infection and subsequently were apparently immune and free from infectious virus and viral antigen.Animals were further monitored and purified white blood cells were stimulated in vitro with phytohaemagglutinin A (PHA) during which time BVDV RNA was detected intermittently.Ninety-eight days following challenge, blood was transferred from these apparently virus-free and actively immune animals to a further group of 5 BVDV-naïve calves and transmission of infection was achieved. This indicates that BVDV-infected, recovered and immune animals have the potential to remain infectious for BVDV-naïve cohorts for longer than previously demonstrated.     

Synergistic induction of wheat stem rust appressoria by chemical and topographical signals

The leaf alcohols cis -3-hexen-1-ol and trans -2-hexen-1-ol have been previously shown to induce the wheat stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) to differentiate appressoria in a complex axenic culture medium. In this paper, the possible role of these chemicals in appressorium induction during infection has been analysed further. The inductive potential of ethylene and three cutin monomers were also tested because they have been found to induce appressoria in other fungi. Both hexenols were found to be inductive in aqueous solution in the absence of media constituents. 0.5–1 m trans -2-hexen-1-ol was the most inductive resulting in a maximum of 51% appressorium differentiation. trans -2-hexen-1-ol was also shown to be inductive in vapour form. In aqueous solution, trans -2-hexen-1-ol acted synergistically with topographical signals by increasing the rate of appressorium induction. Combining the two signals also increased the total number of appressoria differentiated (88%). The other chemicals tested were non-inductive although a biochemical domain rich in exposed cutin was localized around stomatal apertures of wheat leaves. The characteristic bipolar morphology of appressoria formed over stomata was found to be determined by topographical signals. Overall, our data support a role for both chemical signals (hexenols or their analogues) and topographical signals being involved in appressorium induction by wheat stem rust.