Clinical presentation of 26 anaplasma phagocytophilum-seropositive dogs residing in an endemic area

Anaplasma (A.) phagocytophilum, the etiological agent of canine granulocytic anaplasmosis, is capable of inciting moderate to severe clinical disease in a variety of mammals and is endemic in the upper midwest. The purpose of this study was fourfold: to describe the range of clinical signs in dogs seropositive to A. phagocytophilum; to examine the prevalence of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) in this population; to evaluate whether specific clinical signs were associated with coexposure to Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi in actively infected dogs; and to determine whether clinical response to doxycycline was complete in treated dogs. Medical records of dogs seropositive for A. phagocytophilum were reviewed retrospectively. Peripheral blood smears were also reviewed retrospectively for granulocytic Anaplasma morulae. Lethargy (81%), inappetence (58%), and lameness (50%) were the most common clinical signs, followed by fever (46%). Thrombocytopenia was the most common laboratory abnormality, and IMHA was diagnosed in three dogs. Dogs that were thrombocytopenic and had antibodies to both A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi had a median platelet count of 51,000/μL (range 20,000 to 171,000/μL), which was significantly lower than the count in dogs with antibodies only to A. phagocytophilum (P=0.04). Some dogs had an apparent relapse of clinical signs after an appropriate course of doxycycline. Testing for A. phagocytophilum by polymerase chain reaction, serum antibody assays, and/or blood smear evaluation should be considered in dogs with IMHA, cough, or epistaxis and that reside in A. phagocytophilum-endemic areas. If moderate to severe thrombocytopenia is present, testing for concurrent B. burgdorferi infection may be warranted.     

紫花苜蓿杂交后代遗传变异的AFLP分析

利用扩增片段长度多态性(AFLP)标记对德钦苜蓿♀×Acrora♂杂交组合的杂交亲本与杂交F1代、F2代的遗传变异进行分析,结果如下:(1)36对引物中筛选出4对引物,共检测到199个扩增片段,其中,有172个多态性位点,多态性位点比率为90.5%,可以用于杂种后代遗传变异分析;(2)与杂交亲本比较,杂交F1和杂交F2代的Nei基因多样性指数(H)、Shannon多样性信息指数和有效等位基因数(Ne)发生了显著的变化,遗传多样性增大,杂交F2代遗传变异程度最高,说明F2代发生了较大的性状分离;(3)杂交后代的基因分化系数(Gst)为0.218,基因流(Nm)为0.874,表明杂交子代出现了较高的遗传分化;(4)杂交亲本及杂交后代遗传距离分布在0.128～0.284,其中,F1代与亲本的遗传距离最小,为0.128,而F2代与亲本之间的遗传距离最大,为0.284。表明F1群体变异较小,F2群变异较大。依据Nei′s遗传距离系统树图可以看出,在杂交子代中,F1代群体与亲本的系统发育关系更为接近。     

Osteochondrosis lesions of the lateral trochlear ridge of the distal femur in four ponies

Lesions of the lateral trochlear ridge (LTR) of the distal femur were investigated in four pony or pony cross horses. The animals were all geldings and were six to 15 months of age. Lesions were bilateral in three ponies and unilateral in one. Femoropatellar joint effusion and lameness were present in two ponies; clinical signs were absent in the others. The proximal LTR was affected in all four animals. The radiographic appearance of the lesions was a subchondral defect containing mineralised bodies. Arthroscopic and postmortem examination findings included an osteochondral flap, a fissured or irregular articular surface and a smooth surface overlying focally thickened cartilage that extended into subchondral bone. Thickened articular cartilage was a histological feature of all the lesions. Among the other histological features, the most common were chondronecrosis, chondrocyte clusters, phenotypically abnormal chondrocytes, horizontal fissures at the osteochondral junction and retained blood vessels. The signalment of the four ponies, their clinical signs and the pathological features of their lesions were consistent with osteochondrosis of the LTR in horses. The use of multiple criteria was considered to be important in making a specific diagnosis.     

Identification of Hammondia heydorni oocysts by a heminested-PCR (hnPCR-AP10) based on the H. heydorni RAPD fragment AP10

Toxoplasma gondii, Hammondia hammondi, Neospora caninum, Neospora hughesi and Hammondia heydorni are members of the Toxoplasmatinae sub-family. They are closely related coccidians with similarly sized oocysts. Molecular diagnostic techniques, especially those based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), can be successfully applied for the differentiation of Hammondia-like oocysts. In this paper, we describe a rapid and simple method for the identification of H. heydorni oocysts among other members of the Toxoplasmatinae sub-family, using a heminested-PCR (hnPCR-AP10) based on a H. heydorni RAPD fragment available in molecular database. DNA of oocysts of H. heydorni yielded a specific fragment of 289-290 bp in the heminested-PCR assay. No product was yielded when the primers were used for the amplification of DNA extracted from T. gondii, N. caninum, N. hughesi and H. hammondi, thus allowing the differentiation of H. heydorni among other members of the Toxoplasmatinae sub-family. The hnPCR-AP10 was capable of detecting H. heydorni genetic sequences from suspensions with at least 10 oocysts. In conclusion, the hnPCR-AP10 proved to be a reliable method to be used in the identification of H. heydorni oocysts from feces of dogs.     

Genetic characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of Mannheimia haemolytica isolated from the nasopharynx of feedlot cattle

A surveillance study was undertaken to examine the population dynamics and antimicrobial resistance of Mannheimia haemolytica isolated from feedlot cattle. A total of 416 isolates were collected from the nasopharynx either upon entry or exit from two feedlots in southern Alberta, Canada. Isolates were serotyped, characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and tested for susceptibility to ten antimicrobial agents via disk diffusion. Resistant isolates were screened by PCR for select antimicrobial-resistance gene determinants. Isolates were highly diverse, with 335 unique pulsed-field profiles identified among 147 strongly related clusters (similarity ≥ 85%). Clonal spread of isolates throughout the feedlots was limited and no clear association was found between genetic relatedness of M. haemolytica and sampling event (entry or exit). Pulsed-field profiles sharing a common serotype and resistance phenotype tended to cluster together. The majority of isolates were identified as serotype 2 (74.5%) although both serotype 1 (11.9%) and 6 (12.7%) were detected. Only 9.54% of isolates exhibited antimicrobial resistance. Resistance to oxytetracycline was most prevalent (n=16), followed by ampicillin (n=10), and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (n=7). Multi-drug resistance was observed in five isolates. The tetH gene was detected in all but two oxytetracycline resistant isolates. Other detectable resistance determinates included ermX and bla(ROB-1). In the two feedlots examined, M. haemolytica exhibited considerable genetic diversity and limited resistance to common veterinary antibiotics. Garnering further information on the linkage between genotype and phenotype should contribute toward a better understanding of the pathogenesis and dissemination of M. haemolytica in feedlots.     

新疆北部地区(北疆)苜蓿属植物秋眠性的研究

以紫花苜蓿栽培品种为对照,对新疆北部地区(北疆)28份四倍体苜蓿属植物种群即紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)、黄花苜蓿(M.falcata)、多变苜蓿(M.varia)的秋眠性进行了研究.结果表明,北疆苜蓿属植物种群和国内紫花苜蓿种群相对秋眠性等级值水平为1～3级,其中野生种群表现为极秋眠性(1级),反映了中国苜蓿种质资源蕴藏着较强的抗寒性种质.针对我国苜蓿属植物资源研究现状和国际研究趋势,提出了加强秋眠性研究的建议.     

恢复措施对云南退化山地草甸土壤微生物和酶活性的影响

采用围栏封育、补播、重建等恢复措施,并以围栏外为对照,研究各措施对不同退化梯度的山地草甸土壤微生物数量、脲酶活性和过氧化氢酶活性的影响.结果表明:土壤细菌的数量补播显著高于其它措施和对照(P<0.05);各植被恢复措施对山地草甸细菌数量的影响基本上表现为补播>自然封育>重建,而对真菌和放线菌数量的影响为重建>补播>自然封育;对土壤脲酶活性和过氧化氢酶活性的影响为自然封育>补播>重建;土壤脲酶活性与细菌数量呈显著正相关,过氧化氢酶活性与细菌数量呈显著正相关.     

干热河谷区灌草草地的水土保持效应

为了恢复干热河谷退化山区草地的生态环境,提高草地的水土保持能力,于2004～2007年在金沙江干热河谷区的云南省永胜县设置样点,在退化严重的草地上建植了7个组合模式的灌草复合型草地,以凋落物量、最大持水量、有效截流量、草地盖度、草地土壤崩解时间为指标,对建植3年的灌草草地的水保效果进行研究。结果表明,＂灌＋草＋藤＂最适宜金沙江干热河谷区的植被重建,其中＂木豆＋非洲狗尾草＋高羊茅＋大翼豆＂建植模式显著地提高草地植被盖度和凋落物重量。凋落物的持水能力与凋落物重量呈显著的正相关;土壤根量与土体崩塌时间呈显著的正相关。灌草草地植被盖度、凋落物量和根系重量的显著提高,有效地提高草地的持水量和有效截流量,推迟草地土壤崩解时间,增加了土体的稳定性,对防止水土流失和泥石流的形成具有重要作用。