Protection of cattle against heartwater in Botswana: comparative efficacy of different methods against natural and blood-derived challenges

Five groups of Tswana-cross castrated male cattle between 20 and 30 months of age (a total of 158 animals) were transported from a ranch in a heartwater-free area of south Botswana to a feedlot near Gaborone in the east of Botswana where heartwater is endemic. On arrival, one group was vaccinated intravenously with the Onderstepoort sheep blood heartwater vaccine, one group was vaccinated intravenously with the new Onderstepoort tick-derived heartwater vaccine and a third group was vaccinated subcutaneously with this tick-derived vaccine. Vaccine reactions were blocked with long acting oxytetracycline on the first day of fever. A fourth group had a series of injections of long acting oxytetracycline on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 after arrival, and a fifth served as untreated controls. The animals remained at the feedlot for 65 days during which time they faced a low level of challenge by Amblyomma hebraeum ticks. None contracted heartwater and so they were then challenged, together with a further group of control cattle, with a dose of the sheep blood vaccine. Some animals in all groups had severe heartwater reactions and died despite therapy, but 76.7 per cent, 64.5 per cent and 74.3 per cent of the cattle in the blood vaccine, intravenous tick vaccine and long acting oxytetracycline groups respectively were resistant to challenge, compared with 48.3 per cent of the subcutaneous tick vaccine group and 36.4 per cent of the controls. It was concluded that intravenous vaccination of susceptible adult cattle with either the blood or the tick-derived vaccine needs careful monitoring in the month after vaccination and does not necessarily result in immune animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Equine bandaging techniques

Topical medications and bandages play an important role in the management of equine wounds. Certain water-soluble antibacterial ointments (povidone-iodine, polymixin-neosporin-bacitracin) may be appropriate for use on contaminated wounds. A well-designed equine bandage is usually composed of primary, secondary, and tertiary layers. Because so many different products are available, the practitioner is advised to become familiar with the handling characteristics of a few. Because of the irregular contours of the equine limb, only products that stretch and conform should be used. Bandages should be applied snugly and secured in such a fashion that they will not slip or ride up. The horse should be confined to a stall while bandaged, and, even then, bandages must be changed at frequent intervals.     

The excretion of campylobacter,salmonellae andGiardia lamblia in the faeces of stray dogs

Faecal samples were collected from impounded stray dogs, classified as under or over six months of age, on their arrival in kennels and again 5–7 days later. The faeces were examined for the presence of campylobacters, salmonella andGiardia lamblia. No significant difference was found in the rate of isolation of these organisms between the two age groups. There was, however, a significant increase in the rate of isolation at days 5–7 compared with day 1. It is suggested that while dogs may acquire campylobacter infection in kennels, excretion of the organism may be intermittent and may be precipitated by stress. A low incidence of salmonellae andGiardia lamblia excretion was detected.     

Utility of diagnostic tests used in diagnosis of infection in dogs experimentally inoculated with a North American isolate of Leishmania infantum infantum

Eight female beagles were infected with 1 x 10(7) (low dose, LD) or 2 x 10(8) (high dose, HD) promastigotes of a North American isolate of Leishmania infantum infantum (LIVT-1 strain) isolated from naturally infected Virginia Foxhounds. Two female beagles served as negative controls and 2 male beagles chronically infected (> 3 years) with Leishmania infantum chagasi were positive controls. Bone marrow (BM) and lymph node (LN) aspirates were collected every 6-8 weeks for cytologic evaluation, parasite culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum samples were collected monthly for determination of serologic responses by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and diagnostic rK39 antigen. Cultures of BM and LN aspirates and cytology evaluation were consistently positive in positive control dogs during the course of study. Negative control dogs were negative on BM and LN cultures and on cytologic evaluation of aspirates. Amastigotes were present on cytological examination of BM aspirates in 2 experimentally infected dogs. Cultures of LN aspirates were positive on 22 samples, whereas BM cultures were positive on 12 samples for all dogs. IFA titers ranged from 0 to 1 :400 in experimentally infected dogs during the course of the study. Recombinant K39 immunoassay tests were consistently positive in positive control dogs and in the HD dogs by approximately 8 weeks after infection. BM PCR products were identified more consistently in the HD dogs compared with the LD dogs. Kappa statistics indicated PCR correlated better with cultures and cytology than did IFAT or the rK39 immunoassay results in the experimentally infected dogs.     

Serum 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and corticosterone concentrations in dogs with nonadrenal neoplasia and dogs with suspected hyperadrenocorticism

OBJECTIVE: To assess serum 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) and corticosterone concentrations in dogs with nonadrenal neoplasia and dogs being screened for hyperadrenocorticism. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 16 clinically normal dogs, 35 dogs with nonadrenal neoplasia, and 127 dogs with suspected hyperadrenocorticism. PROCEDURE: ACTH stimulation tests were performed in all dogs. Baseline serum cortisol and corticosterone concentrations were measured in the healthy dogs; baseline serum cortisol concentration and ACTH-stimulated cortisol, corticosterone, and 17OHP concentrations were measured in all dogs. Endogenous plasma ACTH concentration was also measured before administration of ACTH in dogs with neoplasia. RESULTS: In 35 dogs with neoplasia, 31.4% had high serum 17OHP concentration and 22.9% had high serum corticosterone concentration. Of the 127 dogs with suspected hyperadrenocorticism, 59 (46.5%) had high ACTH-stimulated cortisol concentrations; of those, 42 of 59 (71.2%) and 32 of 53 (60.4%) had high serum 17OHP and corticosterone concentrations, respectively. Of dogs with serum cortisol concentration within reference range after ACTH administration, 9 of 68 (13.2%) and 7 of 67 (10.4%) had high serum 17OHP and corticosterone concentrations, respectively. In the dogs with neoplasia and dogs suspected of having hyperadrenocorticism, post-ACTH serum hormone concentrations were significantly correlated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Serum concentrations of 17OHP or corticosterone after administration of ACTH may be high in dogs with nonadrenal neoplasia and no evidence of hyperadrenocorticism. Changes in serum 17OHP or corticosterone concentrations after administration of ACTH are proportionate with changes in cortisol concentration.     

Identification of new morphological and life-cycle stages of Cochlosoma anatis and experimental transmission using pseudocyst

Cochlosoma anatis is a flagellated intestinal parasite that infects a variety of avian species. C. anatis infections have been associated with decreased weight gain and increased morbidity and mortality. Conditions favoring the growth of this organism in birds are current pathogenic intestinal infections and/or young age. There is little data describing the life cycle of this parasite. In this study, electron microscopy images are presented that document longitudinal binary fission of the trophozoite stage and outline the events of pseudocyst formation, which includes a rounding stage. Evidence provided here indicates that the pseudocyst stage may be a mechanism for transmission of this organism. The observations reported here provide additional evidence of homology between Cochlosoma and members of the trichomonad order.     

Immunolocalization of aquaporin-5 expression in sweat gland cells from normal and anhidrotic horses

Western blot analysis showed that sweat gland cells from freely sweating horses expressed the water channel aquaporin-5 (AQP-5). Immunohistochemistry revealed a strong AQP-5-like activity reaction at the apical membrane of the glandular secretory cells, which was absent from the surrounding myoepithelium and all other skin structures. In anhidrotic horses, AQP-5 was also found at the apical membrane of the luminal sweat gland cells, but the level of expression reduced with the length of time that the animal had displayed anhidrosis. The level of AQP-5 expression was substantially reduced in animals with long-term anhidrosis, hence implicating water channel impairment as a possible factor in the development of this disorder.     

Indigenous peoples' food systems for health: finding interventions that work

This is a short report of a 'safari' held in conjunction with the International Congress of Nutrition in September 2005, in Futululu, St. Lucia, South Africa. Participants were several members of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences Task Force on Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems and Nutrition, other interested scientists and members of the Kwa Zulu indigenous community. The paper describes the rationale for and contributions towards understanding what might be successful interventions that would resonate among indigenous communities in many areas of the world. A summary of possible evaluation strategies of such interventions is also given.