Association of tumor-associated antigen on the proliferation of bovine leukemia virus-infected lymphoblastoid B-cell lines.

The association of tumor-associated antigen (TAA) on the proliferation of BLV-infected lymphoblastoid B-cell lines (BL2M3 and BL312) was investigated. Flow cytometric analysis of the expression of TAA with monoclonal antibody (mAb) c143 showed high expression of TAA on the surfaces of BL2M3 and BL312 cells. A large amount of TAA was found in the culture supernatant of BL2M3 and BL312 cells as well as in the lysates of BL2M3 and BL312 cells. Culture supernatant but not lysates of BL2M3 and BL312 cells promoted the growth of either BL2M3 cells or BL312 cells. Furthermore, this growth promoting activity in culture supernatants of BL2M3 and BL312 cells was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when cultured with mAb c143. These results suggested that TAA may be involved in the growth factor-mediated cell growth of bovine B-lymphoblastoid cell lines expressing TAA on their cell surface.     

Anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies detected in sera of dogs naturally infected with Babesia gibsoni.

Due to the potential for anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies as possible enhancers of erythrocyte destruction, the presence of serum anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies in 31 dogs with Babesia gibsoni infection admitted to a veterinary hospital was investigated by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting analyses. This infection resulted in an increase of anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies in 84% (IgG) and 74% (IgM) of 31 infected dogs, respectively. This was confirmed by the similarity in the protein profiles of the erythrocyte membrane antigens immunoblotted with rabbit antiserum to dog erythrocyte membrane antigens and infected dog serum. These results suggest the production of anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies was induced by B. gibsoni infection.     

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in dairy cattle in Bahia, Brazil.

Sera collected from 447 dairy cattle on 14 dairy farms were tested for Neospora caninum antibodies by use of an immunofluorescent antibody technique. Positive reactions with titres > or =1:200 were found in 63 (14.09%) of animals. Neospora positive sera were also tested for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by using a commercial latex agglutination test. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 3 (4.76%) of 63 N. caninum positive sera. These results indicate that N. caninum infection is widespread among dairy cattle in Bahia state.     

Pharmacokinetics and toxicity of zonisamide in cats

With the eventual goal of making zonisamide (ZNS), a relatively new antiepileptic drug, available for the treatment of epilepsy in cats, the pharmacokinetics after a single oral administration at 10mg/kg and the toxicity after 9-week daily administration of 20mg/kg/day of ZNS were studied in healthy cats. Pharmacokinetic parameters obtained with a single administration of ZNS at 10mg/day were as follows: Cmax=13.1microg/ml; Tmax=4.0h; T(1/2)=33.0h; areas under the curves (AUCs)=720.3microg/mlh (values represent the medians). The study with daily administrations revealed that the toxicity of ZNS was comparatively low in cats, suggesting that it may be an available drug for cats. However, half of the cats that were administered 20mg/kg/day daily showed adverse reactions such as anorexia, diarrhoea, vomiting, somnolence and locomotor ataxia.     

In Vitro Activities of Antifungal Agents against Clinical Isolates of Dermatophytes from Animals

Although the susceptibility of dermatophytes to antifungal drugs is well documented in humans, the effectiveness in animals has not been previously investigated. The in vitro susceptibility of 54 clinical isolates from animal dermatophytoses to ketoconazole (KTZ), itaconazole (ITZ) and terbinafine (TFN) was measured using microdilution assay (CLSI M38-A2 test) and by the E-test (KTZ and ITZ). All 3 drugs showed antifungal activity, while KTZ displayed the broadest minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) range (0.125-16 μg/ml) against M. canis and M. gypseum. The MIC of KTZ and ITZ was almost the same for human and animal isolates of T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum. The MIC of TFN was almost the same for dermatophytes isolated from humans and animals.     

Distribution of inclusion bodies in tissues from 100 dogs infected with canine distemper virus

One hundred dogs that were positive for canine distemper virus antigen and inclusion bodies in the tonsils were examined for the distribution of inclusion bodies in various tissues. Inclusion bodies were found in the lungs (70 dogs), brains (20 dogs), urinary bladders (73 dogs), stomachs (78 dogs), spleens (77 dogs), and lymph nodes (81 dogs) of the dogs. Based on these results, the tonsils may be the most suitable tissue for detection of inclusion bodies in canine distemper.     

Uterine disorders diagnosed by ventrotomy in 47 rabbits

The type, ages of occurrence, primary complaints, clinical signs and mortality in forty-seven cases of uterine disorders diagnosed by ventrotomy in rabbits were analyzed retrospectively. Endometrial hyperplasia (29.8%) was most frequently observed, followed by uterine adenocarcinoma (21.3%). Tumorous lesions were seen in 46.8% of the cases. The age of occurrence ranged from two years and two months to seven years and six months, with a peak at four to five years of age. The most common primary complaint was bleeding (62.2%), followed by mammary gland abnormality (12.8%) and increased abdominal circumference (10.6%). Physical examinations revealed mammary gland disorders such as mammary cysts in 31.9% of the cases. Uterine disorders were detected by palpation in 15 out of 32 cases with a primary complaint of bleeding. Ultrasonography showed uterine disorders in 21 out of 24 cases, suggesting that ultrasonography could be useful in the diagnosis of uterine disorders. The outcome seemed to be influenced by physical status rather than malignancy of lesions. The mortality was higher in cases with symptoms such as anorexia, emaciation, severe anemia, and dehydration.     

Arthroderma benhamiae infection in a rabbit

The isolate from the rabbit with dermatophytosis which was transmitted to the owners was proved to be Arthroderma benhamiae (-) by mating experiments as well as by chitin synthase 1 (CHSI) gene analysis.