Haemodynamics, blood gas and metabolic changes after anaesthesia with chloral hydrate and magnesium sulphate in camels (Camelus dromedarius)

The effects of chloral hydrate and magnesium sulphate (1:1, 10 per cent solution) were evaluated in six healthy adult camels. A dose of 1 ml kg-1 was used. These agents produced satisfactory anaesthesia with good muscle relaxation. The changes in the electroencephalogram showed that the anaesthetic effect lasted for 45 to 60 minutes. Tachycardia and hypotension were moderate and within safe limits. Electrocardiogram studies showed ST segment elevation and primary T wave changes. The acid-base status, blood gas tensions, haemoglobin concentration, blood glucose level and the plasma concentration of total protein, sodium, potassium and chloride were not altered.     

Water intake of weaned piglets from three to seven weeks old

One hundred and two large white cross landrace piglets weaned at 21 (+/- 1) days old were randomly allocated to one of two commercial early weaning diets for a four week growth trial. The piglets were housed in groups of between six and 10. After initial moderate restriction the piglets were fed ad libitum. Food intakes and weight gains were recorded weekly. Water consumption of individual pens of piglets was recorded daily. Dietary treatment had no significant effect on mean daily feed intake, daily liveweight gain or food conversion ratio. The relationship between water and food intake, piglet weight and daily gain was examined using regression and multiple regression analyses. Water intake was related to all these parameters, with daily feed intake being the best single predictor of water intake. The relationship was described by the equation: water intake (litres/day) = 0.149 + 3.053 feed intake (kg/day).     

Serological and bacteriological survey of three horse studs for contagious equine metritis

A bacteriological and serological survey for evidence of contagious equine metritis (CEM) was made during the 1980 breeding season on 3 horse studs in South Australia with a history of previous infection. Swabs from the clitoral sinus and the cervix were cultured for Haemophilus equigenitalis and serum was screened for antibody using the complement fixation test (CFT) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The specificity of both tests was greater than 0.99 but the ELISA was more sensitive in detecting antibody in infected mares. On the evidence presented it was concluded that H. equigenitalis is no longer present in the horse studs investigated.     

Application of a linear programming model to the control of African trypanosomiasis

A linear programming (LP) model was designed to evaluate trypanosomiasis control activities in south-western Ethiopia. The objectives included maximizing net benefits, utilization of unskilled labor, and resettlement of reclaimed land, and decreasing the prevalence of trypanosomiasis from 20% to less than 5% at the end of 5 years, subject to epidemiological, ecological and economic constraints. The model was a multiperiod specification with 127 equations and 81 activities for the project period of 5 years. The optimal solution required reclamation of 5221 km² of tsetse infested land and used treatment of cattle at maximal levels. At the end of the project period, the prevalance decreased to 2% with net benefits of E$1.281 million. LP provided a potentially optimal means of resource allocation in the short run and a means of identifying those restrictive resources which could be vital to long range planning.     

Two cases of feline leishmaniosis in Switzerland

Two cats with Leishmania species infections were investigated. The first had been imported from Spain with a non-healing, ulcerated nodule on a hindleg. The presence of Leishmania species was detected by histopathology and pcr on samples of skin. The lesion was unresponsive to treatment with allopurinol for three months but the cat was treated successfully by removing the lesion surgically. The second cat had lived in both Spain and Switzerland, and had a history of recurrent skin lesions on its head and neck. A diagnosis of pemphigus foliaceus was made on the basis of histopathology, but Leishmania species serology (elisa) and pcr of skin were positive, leading to a diagnosis of a Leishmania species infection combined with pemphigus foliaceus.     

Feeding-unrelated factors influencing the plasma leptin level in ruminants

The triglyceride content of lipid depots associated with the current feeding level is the primary determinant of leptin gene expression and the circulating leptin level. In laboratory rodents and primates the plasma leptin is influenced also by the age, gender and physiological status (puberty, pregnancy, lactation, postpartum period), and by the health condition such as sepsis due to Gram-negative (GN) bacteria. Some pathologic conditions with intensive cytokine release evoke an increase in plasma leptin, which is thought to depress the subsequent feed intake. However, the effect of these secondary factors may be species-dependent, with still unknown clinical relevance in ruminants. In our ovine and bovine models plasma leptin increased after castration and dexamethasone treatment, decreased after experimental administration of synthetic androgens in castrated rams, but remained unchanged throughout the ovarian cycle and after ovariectomy. The circulating leptin level increased temporarily during synthetic progestin (fluorogestone) treatment in ewes, but similar changes were not seen in progesterone-supplemented ewes and norgestomet-treated cows. In a second trial on dairy cows we wanted to study whether elevated plasma leptin levels are induced by experimental endotoxin mastitis, or by natural outbreak of GN mastitis and puerperal metritis. Experimental endotoxin mastitis resulted in some-hour elevation in cortisol and insulin, with a simultaneous decrease in IGF-I and thyroid hormones. In the first 14 days of lactation GN mastitis induced the same endocrine alterations as the experimental endotoxin challenge, but in natural cases these changes varied within a wider range, and were more protracted and robust. Cows with puerperal metritis had more obvious catabolic changes in the early weeks of lactation, than their healthy counterparts. However, both mastitis and puerperal metritis failed to increase the circulating leptin level, showing that in cows the plasma leptin is not responsible for the anorexia associated with these inflammatory diseases.     

Lymphocytes of dogs immunised with purified excreted-secreted antigens of Leishmania infantum co-incubated with Leishmania infected macrophages produce IFN gamma resulting in nitric oxide-mediated amastigote apoptosis

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the anti-leishmanial activity has been confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. Recently, we demonstrated that NO-mediated apoptosis-like amastigote death pathway is an important and highly regulated mechanism used for the clearance of Leishmania within infected murine macrophages stimulated to produce NO endogenously. To further characterize these important effector mechanisms in dog, a natural host-reservoir of L. infantum/L. chagasi, we have developed an ex vivo infection model of canine macrophages. Exposure of L. infantum-infected macrophages to autologous peripheral lymphocytes derived from dogs immunised with purified excreted-secreted antigens of L. infantum promastigotes (LiESAp) formulated with muramyl dipeptide (MDP) as adjuvant resulted in a significant leishmanicidal effect due to interferon (IFN)-gamma dependent macrophage activation. Concomitant accumulation of NO(3)(-)/NO(2)(-) in supernatants of co-cultured cells and in situ staining of parasites with terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) and YOPRO-1 showed that NO-mediated apoptosis of intracellular L. infantum amastigotes is occurring in canine macrophages as previously observed in mouse models. Monitoring these parameters in dogs after immunisation and before experimental challenge can represent a useful and easy way to rapidly evaluate vaccine candidates against canine visceral leishmaniasis.