Rhodococcus equi-associated osteomyelitis in foals

Two cases of Rhodococcus equl infection in foals are described, in which osteomyelitis was a feature. Because rhodococcal infection is usually low grade and chronic, and because the signs of early metaphysitis can be subtle, any articular or periarticular swelling in a foal from a farm with a history of rhodococcosis should be strongly suspected to be associated with R equl until proven otherwise.     

Kaurane-type diterpenoids from Chromoleana odorata, their X-ray diffraction studies and potent α-glucosidase inhibition of 16-kauren-19-oic acid

A new diterpenoid, 15-angeloyloxy-16,17-epoxy-19-kauronic acid (1), along with five known metabolites, 16-kauren-19-oic acid (2), 6′-hydroxy-2′,3′,4,4′-tetramethoxychalcone (3), isosakuranetin (4), acacetin (5), and kaempferide (6) was isolated from the organic extracts of the roots of Chromoleana odorata. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic evidences. The structures of 1 and 2 were further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Compound 2 exhibited significant α-glucosidase inhibitory and antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.     

Extraction of bacteria from soil: Efficiency of shaking or ultrasonication as indicated by direct counts and autoradiography

Blending, shaking with a mechanical wrist-action shaker or ultrasonication were compared for removing bacteria from a sandy soil and a silt loam soil. Bacteria were counted microscopically after staining with acridine orange. There was no significant difference in the numbers of bacteria released from the sandy soil by the different treatments but ultrasonication extracted more bacteria from the silt loam. Highest recoveries of bacteria were obtained with a combination of Tris buffer as extractant, and 25% Ringer's solution as diluent. Ultrasonication of an irradiated sandy soil containing added Bacillus cereus removed 97% of the bacteria from the sand grains, but lysed some cells. Members of the indigenous soil population were more firmly held by the soil than added bacteria. Optimum conditions for recovering soil bacteria by ultrasonication were either 10.5 μm for 30s or 5 μm for 2 min. With the natural population, the numbers of bacteria and the proportion of metabolizing bacteria increased a little after ultrasonication as shown by labelling cells with ³H-glucose and detecting uptake by autoradiography. However, three isolates of bacteria tested showed varying amounts of injury after ultrasonication, with 5 μm for 2 min causing more damage than 10.5 μm for 30s. Ultrasonication was a more efficient means of extracting the natural bacterial population of soil than shaking but the time and amplitude must be adjusted to avoid injury to cultured bacterial cells.     

Occurrence of isoprenoid Fatty acids in the green river shale

The most abundant free fatty acids present in a sample of shale from the Green River Formation (Eocene, about 60 x 10(6) years) from Sulfur Creek are the acylic C(19) and C(20) isoprenoid acids. The dominance of these acids parallels the abundance of the corresponding hydrocarbons pristane and phytane.     

Serial immobilization of a Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestrus) with oral detomidine and oral carfentanil.

Detomidine (0.17 +/- 0.03 mg/kg, p.o.) followed in 20 min by carfentanil (7.88 +/- 1.85 microg/kg, p.o.) reliably restrained an adult Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestrus) eight times for short medical procedures. Detomidine caused head droop, sawhorse stance, ataxia or head pressing (or both). Sternal or lateral recumbency was reached within 10.75 +/- 7.6 min of carfentanil administration. Recoveries after i.v. and s.c. administration of yohimbine and naltrexone were smooth and rapid, with the tapir standing within 2-5 min.     

Blastomycosis in nondomestic felids.

Blastomycosis was diagnosed in six nondomestic felids from eastern Tennessee, including two Asian lions (Panthera leo persicus), one African lion (Panthera leo), one Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris), one cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), and one snow leopard (Panthera uncia). Clinical signs included lethargy, anorexia, weight loss, dyspnea, sneezing. ataxia, and paresis. Variable nonspecific changes included leukocytosis, monocytosis, moderate left shift of neutrophils, moderate hypercalcemia, hyperproteinemia, and hyperglobulinemia. Thoracic radiographs revealed interstitial and alveolar changes, consolidation or collapse of a lung lobe, bullae formation, and a pulmonary mass. Agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) serology for Blastomyces dermatitidis was performed in five felids and was positive in three. The tiger had cerebral blastomycosis and was positive for AGID serologic tests of both cerebrospinal fluid and serum. One percutaneous lung aspirate in the snow leopard and one bronchial aspirate in an Asian lion demonstrated B. dermatitidis organisms. whereas tracheal wash samples and a nasal discharge were nondiagnostic in others. Treatment with itraconazole was attempted in four cats. The tiger improved before euthanasia, whereas the others did not survive beyond initial treatments. In four felids, B. dermatitidis was found in the lungs and tracheobronchial lymph nodes associated with a florid pyogranulomatous reaction; the tiger had a pyogranulomatous encephalomyelitis, and the cheetah had a single pulmonary granuloma. Thoracic radiography, cytologic examination of lung lesion aspirates, and B. dermatitidis AGID serology should be performed on clinically ill zoo felids in endemic areas to rule out blastomycosis.