Chloramphenicol 4. Responsible topical use in ophthalmology

Chloramphenicol has gained widespread use in the topical treatment of ocular infections. The rationale for this use was based on the ability of chloramphenicol to penetrate the cornea and enter the anterior segment, together with its broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. However, routine use in corneal ulceration or keratitis is not desirable. Hypopyon, when present, is usually sterile. Concerns about human exposure to chloramphenicol and its recent prohibition of use in food-producing animals, raise the need to review its indications and discuss alternatives. The role of chloramphenicol in ocular therapeutics is examined in this article.     

The relationship of pathogenicity to the growth of Pasteurella multocida serotype 3,4 isolates in normal turkey plasma

The percent mortality (M%) caused by various isolates of Pasteurella multocida serotypes 3,4 in turkeys challenged with these organisms was significantly associated with the growth curve when these organisms were grown in normal turkey plasma. The organisms that lysed the most caused the least mortality. In turn, the longer it took for an organism to reach the lowest point on its growth curve, the lower the M%. The highest point on the growth curve and the time that it took to reach that point were analyzed in normal and heat-treated plasma (HTP). The isolates with the maximum growth had the highest M%. The isolates that reached their maximum growth faster also had the greatest M%.     

Treatment of virulent footrot with lincomycin and spectinomycin

A mixture of lincomycin and spectinomycin was investigated as a treatment for footrot in sheep. In a controlled clinical trial 92.5% of acute and chronic cases of virulent footrot were cured following a single intramuscular injection of a mixture containing 50 mg lincomycin and 100 mg spectinomycin/ml at a dose rate of 1 ml/10 kg bodyweight. No improvement in clinical response was observed in groups of sheep treated on 3 successive days with this dose rate nor in another group treated once at a dose rate 1 ml/3.3 kg bodyweight. Cure effectiveness of each of the 3 treatment groups relative to untreated controls was 89%, 95% and 95%. Efficacy of lincomycin/spectinomycin was compared with that of penicillin/streptomycin in the treatment of footrot on 2 farms in south western New South Wales. Assessments made 14 to 17 d after treatment showed that on one farm all 122 ewes treated with lincomycin/spectinomycin had recovered while 170 of 175 ewes treated with penicillin/streptomycin recovered in the same period. On the second farm 87 of 90 ewes treated with lincomycin/spectinomycin recovered, compared with 184 of 190 sheep in the same flock treated with penicillin/streptomycin. Supportive footbathing did not seem to improve the clinical response in either treatment group and the paring done was sufficient only to establish diagnosis and to remove grossly overgrown horn.     

Functional and morphological studies on blood platelets in a thrombasthenic horse

A four-year-old Standardbred gelding presented with a 3.5 year history of intermittent epistaxis and spontaneous submucosal petechiae and ecchymoses in the nares and the mouth. Routine haematological and biochemical examinations were unremarkable. A thrombocytopathy was suspected when activated partial thromboplastin time, one stage prothrombin time, plasma fibrinogen and the platelet count were all normal. The patient's platelets failed to aggregate with serotonin, adenosine diphosphate, collagen (at 20 micrograms/ml) or the endoperoxide analogue U46619. Very high levels of collagen (100 micrograms/ml) did cause aggregation. The response to the calcium ionophore A23187 was reduced and although complete degranulation occurred the resulting aggregates were unstable. Thromboxane generation in response to collagen and ADP was inferred from the concentration of its stable metabolite thromboxane B2 and was reduced. A diagnosis of a thrombasthenia-like syndrome possibly equivalent to Type II Glanzmann's thrombasthenia in people was made.     

Use of Ultrasound In Horses for Diagnosis of Left Dorsal Displacement of the Large Colon and Monitoring its Nonsurgical Correction

During a 28 month period, 82 horses with clinical signs of abdominal pain were examined for left dorsal displacement of the large colon (LDDLC) using percutaneous ultrasound. Left dorsal displacement of the large colon was diagnosed when a gas echo dorsal to the spleen obliterated the dorsal splenic border, or when the colon was observed lateral to the spleen. In 42 horses, ultrasound confirmed a diagnosis of LDDLC and 40 horses had no evidence of LDDLC. There were five false negative results and no false positives. In four horses with LDDLC, the colon was displaced between the spleen and body wall; three of these colic episodes resolved with medical therapy and the fourth required a celiotomy to relieve a sand impaction. The remaining 38 horses had a renosplenic entrapment; surgical correction was elected in 4 horses, 21 horses were corrected by a nonsurgical rolling procedure, 12 were corrected at surgery after an unsuccessful rolling attempt, and one was corrected by rolling but required surgery later because of an additional lesion. Percutaneous abdominal ultrasound was a valuable aid in the diagnosis of LDDLC and in confirming correction of the displacement after a nonsurgical rolling procedure.     

In vitro microbicidal activity of avian peritoneal macrophages

Peritoneal exudate macrophages collected from 4-wk-old broilers were capable of in vitro bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and fungistatic activity against Candida tropicalis. Bactericidal activity was inhibited by treatment of macrophages with 2-deoxyglucose. These assays may be used to evaluate macrophage function in normal, diseased, and immunomodulated birds or to assess the direct effects of cytokines and toxins on macrophage microbicidal activity.     

Efficacy of metoclopramide for treatment of ileus in horses following small intestinal surgery: 70 cases (1989–1992)

Summary: In this retrospective study, postoperative ileus was studied in horses having resection of the small intestine followed by a jejunojejunal (n=35) or a jejunocaecal (n=35) anastomosis. Twenty-six horses received no metoclopramide, 27 received metoclopramide as an intermittent intravenous infusion and 17 horses received metoclopramide as a continuous intravenous infusion (0.04 mg/kg/hour). Horses receiving a continuous infusion of metoclopramide had a reduced total volume (P< 0.001), shorter duration (P< 0.001), and a slower rate (P< 0.001) of postoperative gastric reflux, and a shorter postoperative hospital stay (P< 0.01) when compared to horses receiving no metoclopramide and horses receiving metoclopramide as an intermittent infusion. Horses having jejunocaecostomy performed had a larger volume (P< 0.05), longer duration (P< 0.05), and a greater rate (P< 0.05) of postoperative gastric reflux, and a longer postoperative hospital stay (P< 0.001) than horses undergoing jejunojejunostomy. Horses that had an abdominal drain placed during surgery had a longer length of intestine resected (P< 0.05) and a longer postoperative hospital stay (P< 0.05) than horses without an abdominal drain. Horses that died or were euthanased during the postoperative period had a greater total volume (P< 0.05), longer duration (P< 0.05), and greater rate of postoperative gastric reflux (P< 0.01), a longer length of small intestine resected (P< 0.01), and a shorter postoperative hospital stay (P< 0.05) than horses that survived until discharge from the hospital. In a multivariate regression analysis the continuous infusion of metoclopramide was the only variable that contributed significantly to predicting the total volume (P< 0.001; r²= 0.24), duration (P< 0.001; r²= 0.24) and rate (P< 0.001; r²= 0.25) of postoperative gastric reflux. We concluded that metoclopramide given as a continuous intravenous infusion decreased the incidence and severity of ileus following small intestinal resection and anastomosis in horses.     

Septicemia in vaccinated and nonvaccinated turkeys inoculated with Pasteurella multocida serotype A:3,4

Sixty-four, 10-week-old turkeys were inoculated with a highly virulent field isolate (86-1913) of Pasteurella multocida serotype A:3,4 by an oculo-nasal-oral route. Inoculated turkeys were examined at 4, 8, 16, 20, and 24 hours post-inoculation for bacteremia and histologic lesions. Bacteremia was detected in one of six turkeys 8 hours after inoculation and in four of six turkey poults at 16 hours post-inoculation. Pasteurella multocida was isolated from the spleens of two turkeys at 8 hours and from the spleens of all six poults 16 hours after inoculation. Peak concentrations of P. multocida reached 10(9) colony forming units per ml of blood. At 4 to 8 hours post-inoculation, isolate 86-1913 produced a fibrinopurulent bronchopneumonia followed by severe pulmonary necrosis, pleuritis, vasculitis; and, at 16 to 24 hours post-inoculation numerous extracellular bacteria were observed. Hepatic lesions included focal heterophil aggregates 8 hours after inoculation; these progressed to hepatic necrosis. Numerous extracellular bacteria within sinusoids were present 16 to 24 hours after inoculation. At 16 to 24 hours post-inoculation, there was degeneration of periarteriolar reticular cells in the spleen; these cells progressed to coalescing coagulative splenic necrosis with extracellular bacterial colonies. A second group of 41, 10-week-old turkeys, previously vaccinated with the Clemson University strain of P. multocida serotype A:3,4, were challenged with isolate 86-1913.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)