Association of Treponema spp. with canine periodontitis

To evaluate the association of oral Treponema (T.) spp. with severity of canine periodontitis, subgingival plaque samples of dogs of various breeds undergoing surgery were investigated. A wide range of oral Treponema spp. was analysed by a molecular and culture-independent approach applying DNA-DNA dot blot hybridization analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization using Treponema specific oligonucleotide probes specific for phylogenetic groups I-VII of oral treponemes as well as probes specific for T. socranskii and T. denticola. To assess the periodontal status of affected dogs clinical parameters were measured and the periodontal status was classified from grade 0 (physiological periodont) to 3 (severe periodontitis). The periodontal status correlated significantly with an increasing concentration of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC, r=0.854) determined with a Halimeter, indicating a positive correlation between the presence of VSC-producing bacteria and periodontitis. In this study Treponema spp. of phylogenetic groups III, V-VII were not detected in any sample, whereas T. denticola-like treponemes were found only in 2 of 51 animals. However, treponemes belonging to phylogenetic groups I, II and IV of oral treponemes or T. socranskii were found in up to 64.84% of the dogs. The detection rate of Treponema spp. was significantly associated with an increased periodontal status. Treponemes present in periodontal lesions were also visualized by fluorescence in situ hybridization of gingival biopsies showing Treponema spp. not only in the microbial biofilm but also within the gingival tissue. The data presented here indicate that oral Treponema spp. are associated with canine periodontitis. Similar to human periodontitis, treponemes of groups I, II and IV and T. socranskii were found more frequently the higher the degree of periodontitis was.     

The efficiency of energy retention of broiler chickens and turkeys fed on diets with different lysine concentrations

1.?An experiment determined the effect of 6 different lysine concentrations (40, 52, 58, 65, 90 and 130 g/kg CP) in two protein concentrations (210 and 260 g/kg) on the efficiency of energy utilisation of broiler chickens and turkeys. Ninety-six male Ross 308 broiler chicks and 96 male BUT Big 6 turkey poults were fed at 90% of ad libitum during a 12 d bioassay period. At the end of the bioassay, birds were slaughtered and carcase crude protein, fat and gross energy were measured and nutrient metabolisability determined.

2.?Broiler chickens had lower AME and AME_N than turkeys. AME was higher in the 260 g/kg than in the 210 g/kg protein diet; however, no difference was evident in AME_N between any of the diets in both species. A significant species × lysine interaction indicated that the decrease in AME and AME_N with increasing lysine was greater in turkeys than in broiler chickens.

3.?Turkeys had lower weight gains and efficiencies of energy retention than broiler chickens. The effects of different lysine concentrations on growth and the efficiency of energy retention were significant and growth responses were quadratic but there were negative linear responses in the efficiency of energy retention in both species at both crude protein concentrations. The efficiency of energy retention was increased with decreasing lysine concentrations throughout the wide range of concentrations used in the experiment.     

Bayesian estimation of flock-level sensitivity of detection of Salmonella spp., Enteritidis and Typhimurium according to the sampling procedure in French laying-hen houses

A study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of flocks infected by Salmonella spp., S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in 521 French laying-hen farms from October 1st 2004 to September 30th 2005 as part of a European Union-wide baseline study to define targets for Salmonella reduction in member states. The sampling scheme prescribed and financed by the European Commission to detect Salmonella in laying-hen flocks was based on 2 dust-samples and 5 faeces-samples per farm. A latent-class Bayesian approach for correlated tests was used to estimate the sensitivity of detection of reduced sampling schemes corresponding to the 16 combinations of 2 dust- and 5 faeces-samples. For each model the full sampling scheme (7 samples) and the reduced protocol were considered as two correlated tests, the biological principle being identical and the reduced protocol being a subset of the full sampling scheme. As the observed apparent prevalence in cage flocks was higher than in other systems (barns, outdoor, or organic) these two sub-populations were considered separately. Bayesian estimation of posterior medians with 95% probability intervals for true prevalence in cage flocks were 0.34 (0.29; 0.39) and 0.13 (0.10; 0.18) for Salmonella spp. and Salmonella Enteritidis+Typhimurium respectively. In alternative flocks posterior medians with 95% probability intervals for true prevalence were 0.09 (0.06; 0.13) and 0.05 (0.03; 0.08) for Salmonella spp. and Salmonella Enteritidis+Typhimurium, respectively. In cage flocks Bayesian estimation of posterior distributions for sensitivity indicated that at least 5 samples, including 2 dust samples were necessary to attain comparable sensitivity levels to the full sampling scheme. In alternative flocks and for Salmonella spp. 6 samples were required to ensure a comparable sensitivity level to the full sampling scheme. Detection sensitivity was improved by increasing the number of dust samples in cage farms and by increasing the total number of samples whatever their type in alternative farms.     

Migration of retrobulbar wooden foreign body between diagnostic imaging and surgical extraction in a German shepherd dog

A 2‐year‐old, male castrated German shepherd dog was presented to the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center (UTVMC) with periorbital swelling and conjunctival mucopurulent discharge 2 days following removal of a twig from the medial canthus by the owner. Diagnostic imaging was pursued due to the suspicion of a retrobulbar foreign body (FB). A cylindrical FB approximately 3.0 cm in length and 1.0 cm in diameter with concentric rings, suspected to be wooden material, was identified on computed tomography (CT) imaging. An attempt to remove the FB via a stab incision using ultrasound guidance was unsuccessful, and postmanipulation ultrasound confirmed the FB position was unchanged. An exploratory orbitotomy was performed, using the acquired CT images for guidance in locating the FB; however, the FB was not present at the predicted site. The CT imaging was repeated and showed that the FB had migrated rostrally approximately 3.0 cm, compared to the originally acquired study and its same location during attempted ultrasound‐guided removal. A combination of CT‐guided needle placement and contrast injection was then used with repeat imaging in an attempt to better localize the FB and its soft tissue tract. The dog was taken back into the operating room, and the wooden FB was successfully removed.