Public Health Follow‐up of Suspected Exposure to Echinococcus multilocularis in Southwestern Ontario

In the 3 years since the first report of canine alveolar echinococcosis (AE) in Ontario, three additional cases have been diagnosed in the province. Of the four cases reported to date, three have had no known history of travel outside the province. It is possible that this development is an indication of previously unrecognized environmental contamination with Echinococcus multilocularis eggs in some areas of the province. If so, there is the potential for an emerging threat to human health. This article describes a local public health department's investigation of the possible exposure to E. multilocularis of a number of individuals who had had contact with the latest of the four cases of canine AE, and summarizes a comprehensive decision process that can be used by public health departments to assist in the follow‐up of such exposures.     

Sick Neonatal Foals Do Not Demonstrate Evidence of Oxidative Stress

Critical illness in humans is associated with alterations in oxidative stress and the concentration of antioxidant molecules; however, this association has not been examined in equine neonates. The purpose was to determine the concentration of various antioxidant molecules, as well as a marker of oxidative stress, in the serum and plasma of normal and sick neonatal foals and their dams. Results demonstrated that the concentration of selenium was less (61.71 vs. 77.93 ng/mL; P = .002) in sick versus healthy neonates, whereas the concentration of vitamin E was slightly higher in sick compared with healthy foals (4.36 vs. 3.17 mg/mL); however, this did not achieve statistical significance (P = .31). The vitamin E concentration was greater (5.37 vs. 3.43 mg/mL; P = .01) and serum selenium was less in sick mares (129.50 vs. 184.78 ng/mL; P = .0001) compared with healthy mares. In addition, the serum concentration of selenium is lower in neonates than in their dams in the perinatal period (70.10 vs. 173.34 ng/mL; P = .0001). Glutathione peroxidase activity was less in sick foals (7.04 nmol/min/mL) compared with healthy foals (9.13 nmol/min/mL) (P = .19), and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) concentration/mg protein was less in sick foals versus healthy foals (geometric mean, 1.24 vs. 2.07 nmol 3-NT/mg protein). This difference did not achieve statistical significance (P = .09); however, when a subset of critically ill foals was examined, the assayed concentration of 3-NT/mg protein was even less (0.99 nmol 3-NT/mg protein) and did statistically differ from healthy foals (P = .03).     

A Comparative Study Evaluating Three Bioscaffold Augmentation Devices Used for Superficial Digital Flexor Tenorrhaphy in Donkeys (Equus Asinus) by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasonography

Little is known about using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating the healing properties of superficial digital flexor tenorrhaphy in equines. The present study was designed to carry out in vivo comparative evaluation of normal and repaired superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) in donkeys, based on MRI, ultrasonography, clinical and histopathological features. Eighteen clinically healthy donkeys were assigned for three treatment trials (n = 6) using three bioscaffold materials (bovine pericardium xenograft, tendon allograft, and allograft shielding by bovine pericardium), in addition to six healthy donkeys to serve as control group. Clinical signs for each animal were scored, and the sum of all clinical indexes was calculated. MRI and ultrasonographic examinations of each donkey were carried out at 45 and 90 days postoperatively in the three treated groups, and were compared with those in the control group. Both clinical and imaging characteristics were compared and statistically analyzed at each time point. The echogenicity (P < .0039), cross-sectional area (P < .0490), and fiber alignment (P < .0077) were different at 45 and 90 days postoperatively in the shielding group than in the other two groups, with no difference in the histological features in comparison with the control group, based on the median and range analysis at 90 days postoperatively. In conclusion, MRI and ultrasonography initiate a new paradigm in monitoring the healing progression and case prognosis of SDFT tenorrhaphy with the bioscaffold augmentation devices, either xenogenic or allogenic, which provided a good alternative technique and an accelerated SDFT healing with minimal adhesions in donkeys.