Description of outcomes of experimental infection with feline haemoplasmas: Copy numbers, haematology, Coombs’ testing and blood glucose concentrations

The aim of this study was to compare blood copy, haematological and glucose values between cats experimentally infected with either Mycoplasma haemofelis (Group HF: 10 cats), ‘Candidatus M. haemominutum’ (Group HM: 3 cats) or ‘Candidatus M. turicensis’ (Group TU: 3 cats). Blood samples were collected regularly up to 85 days post-infection (DPI) for haemoplasma real-time quantitative PCR, haematology, Coombs’ testing and blood glucose measurement. Statistical analysis was performed using a general linear model (ANOVA) appropriate for a repeated measures experiment with significance set as P < 0.05. Cats in Group TU had significantly lower blood copy numbers than cats in Group HF (P < 0.001) and HM (P < 0.001). All Group HF cats developed anaemia (often severe), macrocytosis and evidence of erythrocyte-bound antibodies whereas Groups HM and TU cats did not. Group HF had significantly lower PCVs, haemoglobin concentrations and red blood cell counts, and significantly higher mean cell volumes, than Groups HM and TU. In Group HF, erythrocyte-bound antibodies reactive at 4 °C (both IgM and IgG) appeared between 8 and 22 DPI and persisted for two to four weeks, whereas those reactive at 37 °C (primarily IgG) appeared between 22 and 29 DPI and persisted for one to five weeks. In most cats antibodies appeared after the fall in haemoglobin started. Although Group TU had significantly lower glucose concentrations than Groups HF (P = 0.006) and HM (P = 0.027), mean blood glucose concentrations remained within the reference range in all groups. This study demonstrates that M. haemofelis infection, in contrast to ‘Candidatus M. haemominutum’ and ‘Candidatus M. turicensis’ infection, can result in a severe macrocytic anaemia and the development of cold and warm reactive erythrocyte-bound antibodies.     

日粮中蛋白质和纤维水平对仔猪生产性能和健康状况的影响

为了研究日粮的蛋白质和纤维水平对仔猪生产性能和健康状况的互作,特选择96头35日龄的仔猪（体重为9.11±0.60kg）,分32个栏饲养,每栏3头,分成4个日粮处理组,饲喂期21d。在设定的2×2因子处理中,4种日粮以大米、奶制品和大豆粕为基础配制,日粮蛋白质设两个水平（15.4%与19.4%,风干基）,纤维也设两个水平[低水平纤维（LF）为含5.3%中性洗涤纤维,高水平纤维（HF）为含7.15%中性洗涤纤维,风干基]。高水平纤维日粮组在基础日粮中添加了40g/kg的小麦麸和20g/kg的甜菜浆。每周测定动物生产性能,试验第1天和最后一天收集粪样进行微生物学分析,并且按1（液态）到4（硬实）的评分体系对粪便进行评分。在试验最后1d,每栏选1头猪采集血液,分析急性期反应蛋白（acute-phase protein）和主要急性期反应蛋白（major acute-phase prot）（即Pig-MAP）的含量,随后进行屠宰,对消化道（包括内容物）进行称重,并进行结肠组织学分析。饲喂高水平纤维日粮的仔猪具有较大的平均日增重（390g与457g,P≤0.001）和大肠重量（以占体重比例衡量为4.4%与5.4%,P≤0.05）。这与较高的短链脂肪酸浓度（尤其是乙酸和丁酸）、较少的大肠杆菌数量（每克粪便含7.77与6.86logcfu,P≤0.05）和较高乳酸杆菌与肠道细菌比（0.76与1.37,P≤0.05）是相符的。虽然日粮蛋白质水平没有改变猪的生产性能,但是20%的蛋白质水平提高（P≤0.05）了小肠（6.5与7.7）和大肠（3.8与4.3）的相对重量（占体重的百分比）。在大肠内,含20%蛋白质的日粮使仔猪杯状细胞数量增加（4.6/100与5.4/100μm;P≤0.05）,并使肠上皮内淋巴细胞数量减少（1.8/100与1.3/100μm;P≤0.05）。在健康状况方面,提高日粮纤维水平所产生的效果与日粮中的蛋白质含量有关。在含16%蛋白质的日粮中增加纤维水平可降低粪便评分值、增加抗生素治疗次数,然而在?     

Pathological studies of cheek teeth apical infections in the horse: 4. Aetiopathological findings in 41 apically infected mandibular cheek teeth

Examination of 41 extracted, apically infected mandibular cheek teeth (CT) without obvious causes of infection included radiography, computerised axial tomography and decalcified and undecalcified histology. In CT with recent infections, some pulps remained viable, with proliferative soft and calcified tissue changes confined to the apex. With more advanced CT infections, occlusal pulpar exposure was sometimes present (in 34% of the 41 CT), some infected pulp chambers were filled with necrotic pulp or food, and extensive destructive or proliferative changes were present in the calcified apical tissues.No physical route of infection to the apex was found in 24 CT (59%) that consequently were believed to have anachoretic infections. Fractures involving pulps, including fissure fractures between the clinical crown and infected pulps, were found in eight (20%) CT. Some CT had vertical, full length periodontal destruction between the infected apex and the gingival margin that were believed to be the route of infection in four (19%) CT and dysplastic changes were believed to have caused one (2%) infections.     

First report of thelaziosis (Thelazia anolabiata) in an Andean Cock of the Rock (Rupicola peruviana) from Peru

Thelazia anolabiata is a spirurid nematode living in the orbits of birds which can cause lacrimation, keratitis, conjunctivitis, and corneal ulcers. This species is reported for the first time from an Andean Cock of the Rock, Rupicola peruviana (Passeriformes: Cotingidae), from a zoo in Lima, Peru. Clinical signs of keratoconjunctivitis were resolved with the treatment of ivermectin, ciprofloxacin, and an epithelium regenerator, and the host is presently in good health. The nematodes were identified using the primary characteristics used to differentiate the species of this genus as lengths of spicules and other morphologic characteristics.     

Infection with Menangle virus in flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) in Australia

Objective To examine flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) for evidence of infection with Menangle virus. Design Clustered non‐random sampling for serology, virus isolation and electron microscopy (EM). Procedure Serum samples were collected from 306 Pteropus spp. in northern and eastern Australia and tested for antibodies against Menangle virus (MenV) using a virus neutralisation test (VNT). Virus isolation was attempted from tissues and faeces collected from 215 Pteropus spp. in New South Wales. Faecal samples from 68 individual Pteropus spp. and four pools of faeces were examined by transmission EM following routine negative staining and immunogold labelling. Results Neutralising antibodies (VNT titres ≥ 8) against MenV were detected in 46% of black flying foxes (P. alecto), 41% of grey‐headed flying foxes (P. poliocephalus), 25% of spectacled flying foxes (P. conspicillatus) and 1% of little red flying foxes (P. scapulatus) in Australia. Positive sera included samples collected from P. poliocephalus in a colony adjacent to a piggery that had experienced reproductive disease caused by MenV. Virus‐like particles were observed by EM in faeces from Pteropus spp. and reactivity was detected in pooled faeces and urine by immunogold EM using sera from sows that had been exposed to MenV. Attempts to isolate the virus from the faeces and tissues from Pteropus spp. were unsuccessful. Conclusion Serological evidence of infection with MenV was detected in Pteropus spp. in Australia. Although virus‐like particles were detected in faeces, no viruses were isolated from faeces, urine or tissues of Pteropus spp.     

Efficacy of 3 anthelmintics in communally grazed sheep as reflected by faecal egg count reduction tests in a semi-arid area of South Africa

A survey was conducted on the occurrence of anthelmintic resistance of nematodes in communally grazed sheep in a semi-arid area near Mafikeng, South Africa, from January to March 2006. In the herds belonging to twelve smallholder sheep farmers, the efficacies of albendazole, levamisole and closantel were tested by faecal egg count reduction tests where 80 % efficacy was considered the cut off for anthelmintic resistance. The results of the faecal egg count reduction tests showed more than 80% efficacy with all the drugs used in most cases, but there were notable exceptions. In 1 case, closantel had an efficacy of 72%, albendazole had an efficacy of 68% and levamisole showed efficacies of 58%, 60% and 75% respectively on 4 farms. The occurrence of anthelmintic resistance in this farming sector is of concern and steps should be taken to prevent its further spread and development to avoid a situation developing as on numerous commercial sheep farms in South Africa where resistance is common.     

Effects of ammonia load on glucose metabolism by isolated ovine duodenal mucosa

To determine the effects of ammonia load on glucose metabolism in ruminant small intestinal tissues, duodenal mucosal cells (DMC) were isolated from growing female sheep (n = 10; 46. 0 +/- 0. 8 kg of BW) fed diets differing in CP content: high (19. 4%) vs. low (13. 1%). Ammonia concentration in the duodenal digesta fluid was greater for sheep fed a high CP diet compared with those fed a low CP diet (16. 4 +/- 1. 0 vs. 9. 1 +/- 1. 8 mM). The isolated primary mucosal cells were incubated for 90 min with [2-(13)C] glucose (3 mM) and ammonium chloride (0, 0. 1, 1, 5, 10, 20, or 50 mM) in Krebs-Ringer HEPES buffer. It was hypothesized that DMC would increase glucose carbon utilization for the synthesis of nonessential AA when the ammonia concentration in the incubation media increased. However, utilization of glucose carbon for alanine synthesis decreased linearly (P = 0. 03) as the ammonia concentration in the incubation media increased. Furthermore, glucose disappearance and utilization of glucose carbon for aspartate synthesis were not affected (P > 0. 47) by the ammonia concentration. Contrarily, in vitro glucose disappearance was greater (P = 0. 03) for DMC isolated from sheep fed a low CP diet vs. a high CP diet [14. 6 +/- 1. 6 vs. 8. 6 +/- 1. 3 nmol.(10(6) cells)(-1).(90 min) (-1)], and hexokinase activity was greater (P = 0. 01) in the mucosa of sheep fed a low CP diet compared with a high CP diet (1. 22 +/- 0. 05 vs. 1. 04 +/- 0. 02 mUnit/mg of protein). These observations indicate that ammonia load does not affect the extent of glucose utilization by DMC, and that glucose carbon may not play a significant role for the synthesis of alanine, aspartate, or glutamate when DMC are exposed to increased concentrations of ammonia.     

ACQUISITION HARDWARE FOR DIGITAL IMAGING

Use of digital radiography is growing rapidly in veterinary medicine. Two basic digital imaging systems are available, computed radiography (CR) and direct digital radiography (DDR). Computed radiographic detectors use a two-step process for image capture and processing. Image capture is by X-ray sensitive phosphors in the image plate. The image plate reader transforms the latent phosphor image to light photons that are converted to an analog electrical signal. An analog to digital converter is used to digitize the electrical signal before computer analysis. Direct digital detectors provide digital data by direct readout after image capture—a reader unnecessary. Types of DDR detectors are flat panel detectors and charge coupled device (CCD) detectors. Flat panel detectors are composed of layers of semiconductors for image capture with transistor and microscopic circuitry embedded in a pixel array. Direct converting flat panel detectors convert incident X-rays directly into electrical charges. Indirect detectors convert X-rays to visible light, then to electrical charges. All flat panel detectors send a digitized electrical signal to a computer using a direct link. Charge coupled device detectors have a small chip similar to those used in digital cameras. A scintillator first converts X-rays to a light signal that is minified by an optical system before reaching the chip. The chip sends a digital signal directly to a computer. Both CR and DDR provide quality diagnostic images. CR is a mature technology while DDR is an emerging technology.