Molecular epidemiology of two fowl cholera outbreaks on a free-range chicken layer farm.

Two outbreaks of fowl cholera on a multiage free-range egg farm were investigated. The outbreaks occurred in 1994 and 2002. A total of 22 strains of Pasteurella multocida were available for study, 11 from the 1994 outbreak and 11 from the 2002 outbreak. Lesions typical of acute fowl cholera were seen in the 1994 outbreak, whereas both acute and chronic fowl cholera occurred in the 2002 outbreak. The isolates were examined in an extended phenotypic typing methodology, by a P. multocida-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), by the Heddleston somatic serotyping scheme, and by restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) typing using the enzyme HpaII. All 22 strains had the same phenotypic properties, all were confirmed as P. multocida by PCR, all were Heddleston serovar 4, and all had the same REA pattern. The results indicate that these 2 outbreaks were caused by the same clone of P. multocida--despite the 8-year time period between the outbreaks.     

Evolution of equine infection control programs.

The science of control of infectious diseases in hospitals was born in 1847 when Semmelweis, a physician, ordered his medical students to scrub their hands in chlorinated lime water between patients and demonstrated that this simple procedure resulted ina dramatic decline in patient morbidity and mortality. In the late nineteenth century came huge breakthroughs in the understanding that microorganisms cause many disorders, and methods to eliminate and control these microorganisms were attempted. By 1910, sterile instruments, gowns, masks, and gloves had become standard for surgical procedures in large university human hospitals, and isolation of human and veterinary patients with contagious diseases became standard. With the advent of vaccines, many epidemic viral diseases could be controlled, and antimicrobial drugs allowed many previously devastating bacterial diseases to be treated effectively. Before long, however, bacterial resistance became an important issue and remains so today, particularly for Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in horses. Vaccination has decreased the number of animals susceptible to equine influenza and equine herpesvirus 1, yet these contagious diseases still pose a serious issue in large equine veterinary hospitals. The development of equine isolation facilities and improved methods of barn cleaning; mandatory application of procedures, such as handwashing or use of disinfectant hand wipes, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases; and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance and use of restricted antimicrobial drugs were driven by recognition and necessity and have given rise to current equine infection control programs.     

Bayesian comparison of test-day models under different assumptions of heterogeneity for the residual variance: the change point technique versus arbitrary intervals

Test‐day milk yields from Spanish Holstein cows were analysed with two random regression models based on Legendre polynomials under two different assumptions of heterogeneity of residual variance which aim to describe the variability of temporary measurement errors along days in milk with a reduced number of parameters, such as (i) the change point identification technique with two unknown change points and (ii) using 10 arbitrary intervals of residual variance. Both implementations were based on a previous study where the trajectory of the residual variance was estimated using 30 intervals. The change point technique has been previously implemented in the analysis of the heterogeneity of the residual variance in the Spanish population, yet no comparisons with other methods have been reported so far. This study aims to compare the change point technique identification versus the use of arbitrary intervals as two possible techniques to deal with the characterization of the residual variance in random regression test‐day models. The Bayes factor and the cross‐validation predictive densities were employed for the model assessment. The two model‐selecting tools revealed a strong consistency between them. Both specifications for the residual variance were close to each other. The 10 intervals modelling showed a slightly better performance probably because the change point function overestimates the residual variance values at the very early lactation.     

FC-17 Cutaneous papillomatosis and carcinomatosis in the highly endangered Western Barred Bandicoot

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has antineoplastic and immunostimulatory properties, and it is currently being clinically tested in anticancer therapy. In order to analyse the immunostimulatory effects of NDV on bovine papillomatosis, we inoculated 14 cows subcutaneously with an attenuated vaccine containing the LaSota strain of NDV (LS-NDV). Four cows with papillomatosis served as controls. Serum samples were collected from each animal 1 h preinoculation and 7 and 21 days postinoculation. In inoculated cows on days 7 and 21, the mean antibody titres were log₂ 2.43 ± 0.92 and 5.57 ± 0.72, respectively, by haemagglutination inhibition, and the mean levels of TNFα were 5.80 ± 4.19 and 5.39 ± 2.66 ng/mL, respectively, by WEHI-164 cytotoxicity assay. Significant differences between inoculated and control animals were evident for antibody titres on day 21 and clinical scores on day 60. A correlation was evident between the TNFα activities and clinical scores on day 21. The clinical observations at day 60 showed that the papillomas in five cows had completely resolved (36%), one animal had no alterations on clinical appearance of the tumour (7%), and papillomas in eight cows had regressed (57%). In conclusion, these results demonstrated that inoculation of LS-NDV vaccine stimulates an antibody response and a limited increase in TNFα activity and may enhance clinical recovery in bovine papillomatosis.
Funding: Scientific Research Council of Akdeniz University.     

Results from the treatment of advanced stage squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum in cats, using a combination of intralesional carboplatin and superficial radiotherapy: a pilot study

Six cats with an advanced stage squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the nasal planum were treated with a combination of superficial radiotherapy and intralesional carboplatin therapy. This multimodality protocol was well tolerated by the majority of cats and resulted in complete responses in all cats (100%). Median follow‐up for all cats is 268 days, and the median time‐to‐recurrence, time‐to‐progression and overall survival have not yet been reached. Our study, although limited in number of animals and with a relatively short median follow‐up compared to other studies for this disease, suggests that a combination of radiotherapy and intralesional carboplatin is a useful treatment option for an advanced stage SCC of the nasal planum in cats and warrants further application of the multimodality approach presented here.     

Monitoring response to aminobisphosphonate therapy in canine osteosarcoma using dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (dexa)

Introduction: Palliative therapy is essential to improve the quality of life of dogs with osteosarcoma (OSA), when definitive therapy is not considered a valid option. Bisphosphonates, a novel class of antiosteoclastic drugs, are widely used in humans for several painful osteolytic conditions. Dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is recognized as a reliable tool to measure bone mineral density (BMD), and to monitor treatment response to bisphosphonates in humans. A prospective evaluation of pamidronate, an injectable aminobisphosphonate, is ongoing in dogs with appendicular OSA. The potential value of DEXA for objective evaluation of BMD variations with palliative therapies is concurrently being assessed. Materials and Methods: Dogs with naturally occurring appendicular OSA treated with pamidronate constitute the patient population. A DEXA scan (QDR‐4500 W, Hologic, Bedford, MA) is performed on day 0 (baseline) and on every treatment day with pamidronate thereafter (every 28 days). For each dog, a whole body scan is performed, followed by a scan of the tumor, and contralateral normal bone. Three regions of interest are subsequently analyzed for BMD changes in tumor and normal bone. Statistical analysis was performed using Student t‐test and paired t‐tests, with significance being set at p < 0.05. Results: Nineteen dogs have been enrolled to date. Seven responders and 6 non‐responders have suitable data for analysis. A significant difference is observed (p = 0.04) between tumor BMD variations of responders and non‐responders at day 28 (mean variations +18.0% and ?4.6% respectively). The changes at day 28 are significant only in the responders (p = 0.038 vs p = 0.05 in non‐responders). When BMD of tumor and normal bone at day 84 is compared to day 0 in six responders, only tumor had a significant increase (p = 0.017 vs p = 0.279, respectively). Conclusions: Objective measurements of response to therapy are essential in pain palliation studies. Increased tumor bone BMD, as obtained by DEXA analysis, may correlate with subjective clinical improvement in pamidronate‐treated dogs with appendicular OSA.     

Cardiac troponin I in canine patients with lymphoma and osteosarcoma receiving doxorubicin: comparison with clinical heart disease in a retrospective analysis

The cumulative cardiotoxicity that occurs as a result of doxorubicin chemotherapy is irreversible and can affect both quality and quantity of life for the cancer patient. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a sensitive and specific marker of cardiomyocyte death. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate serum concentrations of cTnI in dogs with lymphoma or osteosarcoma given doxorubicin chemotherapy, and with known cardiac outcome, based on a minimum assessment by physical examination and thoracic radiography. Serum samples were also available for cTnI measurement from seven healthy dogs given intracoronary doxorubicin. Serial serum samples obtained before, during and after doxorubicin chemotherapy showed increased cTnI concentrations in some clinical patients following chemotherapy (P = 0.0083 compared to baseline), but this did not correlate with clinical signs of cardiomyopathy. In dogs that subsequently developed cardiomyopathy however, serum cTnI concentrations were elevated before clinical signs became evident (confirmed with echocardiography).     

Association of hyponatremia and hyperglycemia with outcome in dogs with congestive heart failure

Objective: To evaluate plasma sodium and glucose concentrations in dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) prior to treatment and evaluate the differences between survivors and non‐survivors. Design: Retrospective study. Animals: Fifty‐nine dogs with CHF prior to receiving cardiac medication. Interventions: None. Measurements and main results: The mean plasma sodium concentration in dogs with CHF was below the reference range (144–156 mmol/L) and significantly lower (P=0.009) in non‐survivors (141±6 mmol/L) compared with survivors (147±4 mmol/L). The mean plasma glucose concentration was above the reference range (76–117 mg/dL) and significantly higher (P=0.004) in non‐survivors (128±52 mg/dL) compared with survivors (100±13 mg/dL). Forty‐four percent of non‐survivors had concurrent low plasma sodium and high plasma glucose concentrations, whereas no survivors had both abnormalities (P<0.0001). Conclusions: Lower plasma sodium and higher plasma glucose are associated with a worse outcome in dogs with CHF.