Disease of geese caused by a new herpesvirus

A goose flock farmed outdoors in south-eastern Queensland suffered an outbreak of peracute disease with high death rate (97%). Small button ulcers and large plaques overlying lymphocyte aggregates were present on the mucosa of the small intestine of affected birds. Small white foci of necrosis and focal haemorrhages were seen in the livers. Numerous intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed microscopically in hepatocytes and a herpesvirus which grew rapidly in chicken kidney cells was isolated from tissues. Duck virus enteritis (DVE) was suspected but DVE antiserums failed to neutralise the virus. Further serological studies with a limited range of known avian herpesviruses have failed to identify the virus. Experimental transmission resulted in high mortality in geese (100%), lower mortality in ducklings and nil mortality in chickens. Surveillance studies showed no evidence of infection in domestic and wild birds beyond the original farm and the infection appears not to have been established in the area. Wild ducks, which were frequent visitors to the farm dam, were considered the most likely source of the infection.     

Testing a model to track fish migrations in polar regions using pop‐up satellite archival tags

The use of pop‐up archival satellite tags (PSATs) to geolocate marine fishes in polar regions is challenging due to the brevity of periods during which there is a defined sunrise and sunset. Models using other environmental parameters are thus required to supplement geolocation data in the estimation of marine migratory routes. The objective of this work was to create a simple method that would estimate the migratory pathways of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in polar regions using temperature and depth recordings. Validated geolocations from PSATs were used to test and constrict the model. The model’s predicted migratory routes were within 100 km of the light‐based geolocations calculated by the tags. By constraining the trajectories through the geolocations, bias was reduced. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that slight alterations of the location and timing of the start and end points did not affect the mean migratory route estimates. This method is a management tool that can determine the primary habitat areas for any surface‐ or bottom‐dwelling marine species – especially in polar regions, where other methods may be impossible.     

Expression and localization of BCRP,MRP1 and MRP2 in intestines,liver and kidney in horse

Tydén, E., Bj?rnstr?m, H., Tjälve, H., Larsson, P. Expression and localization of BCRP, MRP1 and MRP2 in intestines, liver and kidney in horse. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. doi: 10.1111/j.1365‐2885.2009.01140.x. The gene and protein expression and the cellular localization of the ABC transport proteins breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), multidrug resistance‐associated protein 1 (MRP1) and multidrug resistance‐associated protein 2 (MRP2) have been examined in the intestines, liver and kidney in horse. High gene and protein expression of BCRP and MRP2 were found in the small intestines, with cellular localization in the apical membranes of the enterocytes. In the liver, MRP2 was present in the bile canalicular membranes of the hepatocytes, whereas BCRP was localized in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes in the peripheral parts of the liver lobuli. In the kidney both BCRP and MRP2 were predominantly present in the distal tubuli and in the loops of Henle. In most tissues, the gene and protein expression of MRP1 were much lower than for BCRP and MRP2. Immunostaining of MRP1 was detectable only in the intestines and with localization in the cytoplasm of enterocytes in the caecum and colon and in the cells of serous acini of Brunner’s glands in the duodenum and the upper jejunum. The latter cells were also stained for BCRP, but not for MRP2. Many drugs used in horse are substrates for one or more of the ABC transport proteins. These transporters may therefore have important functions for oral bioavailability, distribution and excretion of substrate compounds in horse.     

The effects of different anesthetics on blood steroid concentrations in domestic tom-cats

Testosterone and androstenedione were measured in the plasma of mature tom-cats before, during and after anesthesia with thiopentone, ketamine, xylazine and alphaxolone/alphadolone. Samples were collected via an indwelling jugular catheter at 30 min intervals before anesthesia (5 samples) and during the recovery phase (8 samples), and at intervals of 15 min during anesthesia (7 samples). Thiopentone and ketamine anesthesia significantly depressed testosterone and androstenedione concentrations during and after anesthesia. Xylazine significantly increased testosterone concentrations during anesthesia but they returned to pre-anesthetic concentrations during recovery. Androstenedione concentrations were significantly depressed during the recovery phase from xylazine anesthesia. Alphaxolone/alphadolone anesthesia had no significant effect of testosterone concentrations but significantly increased and androstenedione concentrations during anesthesia and recovery. Testosterone and androstenedione concentrations in cats were significantly altered by these 4 commonly used anesthetics and this must be taken into account if hormone concentrations are measured while cats are anesthetised.     

Influence of Seeding Density on Contents and Uptake of N, P and K in Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Field experiments were conducted at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK to evaluate the effects of seeding density and row spacing on the contents and uptake of N, P and K in linseed during 1993 and 1994. The contents of all three nutrients decreased with age of the plants up to the start of flowering, but N and P slightly increased at maturity in both the experiments. The increase of N and P at maturity could be the result of greater accumulation of these elements in the seeds. The uptake of all three elements (N, P and K) increased progressively with age of the plants, with a peak at maturity, but the level of K decreased by almost half in both experiments between flowering and maturity. The progressive increase of uptake with age of the plants may be related to total dry matter production. The decrease of K at maturity indicated that lower plant parts (stem and leaves) accumulated a higher percentage of K than seeds. The senescence of leaves at maturity might also have contributed to the decrease of K at maturity. The characteristics of the crop were in general quite similar in 1993 and 1994. The small variations found in the contents and uptake of N, P and K could be due to variation in weather conditions and the total length of the growth period. In 1993, the weather was moist and relatively cool, while in 1994 it was dry and relatively hot.     

Ataxia and paralysis in cats in Australia associated with exposure to an imported gamma-irradiated commercial dry pet food

Between June 2008 and March 2009, 87 cats in Australia developed symmetrical hindlimb ataxia, paraparesis, tetraparesis, paraplegia or tetraplegia in association with eating an imported, irradiated dry pet food. This communication reports the clinical signs and outcomes of those cats.