In vitro activity of danofloxacin, tylosin and oxytetracycline against mycoplasmas of veterinary importance

The activities of danofloxacin, a novel fluoroquinolone, and two other antimicrobials were determined in vitro against field isolates of seven Mycoplasma species of veterinary importance isolated from cattle, swine and poultry in five European countries. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of danofloxacin, tylosin and oxytetracycline were determined against a total of 68 isolates. Danofloxacin showed excellent activity against isolates of all Mycoplasma species (range 0·008 to 0·5 μg ml⁻¹), but in some isolates there was evidence of reduced sensitivity to tylosin (range 0·008 to 2·0 μg ml⁻¹) and oxytetracycline (range 0·008 to over 16·0 μg ml⁻¹). Danofloxacin was more active than other antimicrobials against, M hyopneumoniae, M dispar and M bovigenitalium, and showed activity similar to that of tylosin against M bovis and M gallisepticum. Tylosin was the most active against M synoviae and M hyosynoviae. Generally, oxytetracycline showed the poorest activity, but was superior to tylosin against M bovigenitalium. A second (final) MIC reading was taken for all isolates 14 or 21 days after the initial reading, and MIC values rose during that time. However, the increase seen in danofloxacin values (typically one to two dilutions) was less than that seen for tylosin and oxytetracycline. It is concluded that danofloxacin is highly active in vitro against all of the Mycoplasma species tested, and thus shows great potential for the treatment of respiratory and other infections caused by Mycoplasma species in cattle, pigs and poultry.     

Interferon in sheep]

There is only limited information on sheep interferon available. Recent publications have reported on: 1. an interferon (IFN) alpha subtype, which is secreted by the fetal trophectoderm into the lumen of the uterus between the 10th and 21st day of gestation. It was therefore named ovine trophoblast protein (oTP-1), and is responsible for signalling pregnancy to the ewe via high affinity receptors in the endometrium. It is thought that oTP-1 acts by directly influencing prostaglandin metabolism. 2. the role of lentivirus-induced interferon (LV-IFN) in the pathogenesis of Maedi/Visna. The results indicate that LV-IFN limits viral replication and therefore contributes to virus persistence and is also responsible for a chronic inflammatory process. 3. the mitogen- or antigen-dependent induction of ovine interferon gamma (IFN gamma) and its characterization.     

Vererbung des β-Glucangehaltes der Haferkaryopse

Inheritance process for β-glucan content in oat caryopsis
Due to the fact that there are only few studies concerning β-glucans in oat caryopsis with regard to plant-breeding aspects, three oat crosses were performed (cross 19 = low × high, cross 86 = low × low, cross 98 = high × high). In all of the three oat crosses, lower β-glucan content (% DM) was recorded in F, than in F, indicating that the β-glucan content (% DM) at a higher heterozygoty grade is lower than at a reduced heterozygoty grade. This points to a dominant inheritance of lower β-glucan content (% DM). A tendency towards the female β-glucan content (% DM) could not be proven. Thus, it can be started from a nuclear genetic inheritance of the β-glucan content (% DM). In most cases, the experiments showed a normal distribution of β-glucan content (% DM), indicating for several genes a quantitative inheritance of β-glucan content (% DM). By means of the regression of the F₃-lines to the F₂-plants, the narrow-sense heritability could be calculated for the cross 86 (h²= 0.51***) and the cross 98 (h²= 0.48***). The heritability for the cross 19 was not significant.     

Clinical equine dysautonomia and autonomic neuron damage.

Damage to the neurons of selected autonomic ganglia was quantified in relation to the severity of the clinical signs shown in acute, subacute and chronic cases of dysautonomia (grass sickness). No connection between the clinical severity of acute or subacute dysautonomia and the amount of neuronal damage in the superior cervical, stellate and coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia could be demonstrated. However, a higher proportion of normal neurons were found in chronic cases. Jejunal submucosal neuronal damage was correlated with clinical severity but further work is required to confirm this finding and to establish how widespread the alimentary neuronal lesions are in dysautonomia of different severities.     

An outbreak of infectious chicken anemia in fattening chickens in Switzerland]

An outbreak of infectious anaemia in 46 broiler flocks due to chicken anaemia agent (CAA) is described. The vertically acquired infection led to increased mortality (3.6-19.8%) in 16 to 24 day-old broiler chickens. At necropsy severe atrophy of thymus and anaemia with pale bone marrow was observed. The histologic findings were depletion of cortical thymocytes and of hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow. The CAA was isolated from 15 of 35 examined broiler flocks.     

Annual sex hormonal profiles, gonad development and age determination of the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas, Chevey)

Annual sex hormonal profiles, gonad development and age determination of 18 (13–14 kg body weight) and three (145–226 kg body weight) Mekong giant catfish (MGC) (Pangasianodon gigas, Chevey) reared in earthen ponds in Chiang Mai and from the Mekong River in Chiang Rai, Thailand, respectively, were investigated. The hormonal profiles were determined from blood samples of the fish by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay during May to August in 2000. The highest testosterone levels of 0.06 ng mL^?1 in both sexes and the highest oestradiol of 47.8 and 14.23 pg mL^?1 in females and males, respectively, were observed in May. The gonadosomatic index was found to be 0.07 for males and 0.38 for females from ponds in comparison with 2.27 for males and 8.29 for females from the Mekong River. Higher development stages of spermatocytes and oocytes of the cultured fish in May than in February and November were demonstrated. No mature germ cells were obtained from either the males or females, indicating no sexual maturity. The average age of fish was determined from the annual rings of the cross‐section of the pectoral fins by a stereomicroscope. The average age of fish in earthen pond determined from the annual ring was 8 years, which agreed with the actual culture records, while those from the Mekong River were 21 years. This information will be beneficial for the breeding programmes and conservation of the MGC.     

Enzyme Immunoassays for the Determination of Ovine LH and FSH

The development of competitive enzyme immunoassays for ovine plasma LH (oLH) and FSH (oFSH) is described. Standards and plasma samples were preincubated with diluted antiserum to oLH or oFSH and the reacted solution (100 μl per well) was transferred to plates previously coated with oLH or oFSH, respectively. The second antibody used was anti‐rabbit IgG horseradish peroxidase. The measuring range was 0.39–50 ng/ml for each hormone and the 50% relative binding sensitivity was 9 ng/ml for oLH. The respective value for oFSH was 3.5 or 34 ng/ml with different hormone and antibody preparations used for the assay. The enzyme immunoassays were used to determine oLH and oFSH levels in plasma from ewes of two breeds during the oestrous cycle. The assays detected the first FSH surge coincident with the LH surge, the second FSH surge about 24 h later and the periodic fluctuations of FSH concentrations during the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle. These enzyme immunoassays are an efficient and economic alternative to the established radioimmunoassays (RIA) for oLH and oFSH.     

Small intestine and small colon neuropathy in equine dysautonomia (grass sickness)

The number of neurons in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia and the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the jejunum, ileum and small colon, and the pathological changes induced in them, were studied in various types of equine dysautonomia. In all forms of dysautonomia, severe and extensive neuron loss and damage occurred in the ileum. In acute and subacute dysautonomia, jejunal neuron loss and damage were severe, but in chronic cases significantly less loss or damage occurred. The damage followed the same pattern in the small colon but it was always less obvious than in the jejunum. The distribution of the damage was uniform within a segment of the intestine. In fatal cases of dysautonomia, the clinical severity and duration of illness seems, in most instances, to be related to the amount of neuronal disruption occurring in the jejunum. Severe disruption results in acute/subacute dysautonomia, while milder damage leads to the chronic form.No case of dysautonomia was encountered in which enteric neuron loss and damage occurred without significant neuronal disruption also occurring in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia.Ileal neuronal damage and loss are not invariably worse than that in the jejunum, and the possible reasons for this, together with the relationship between neuronal damage and possible causes of dysautonomia, are discussed.Abbreviations H&E haematoxylin and eosin Deceased. Formerly of the Moredun Research Institute, 408 Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh, EH17 7JH, UK