Transport of serum IgA into bile of sheep infected with Fasciola hepatica

Sheep infected with Fasciola hepatica were studied for their ability to transport intravenously injected radiolabelled IgA from serum to bile. The results show that there was an apparent reduction in the selectivity of transport of IgA into bile in infected animals compared with uninfected controls. However, in infected animals the biliary flow rate was approximately twice that of uninfected animals, and the total amount of radiolabelled IgA transported was similar irrespective of infection status. The possible relevance of the elevated biliary flow rate is discussed with respect to the pharmacokinetics of drugs used for the chemotherapy of helminth infections in sheep.     

Feline Precursor. porphyria, characterized by persistent delta. Aminolevulinic aciduria

A female domestic shorthaired cat had frequent seizures and vague gastrointestinal signs. Lead poisoning was suspected because of increased urinary delta aminolevulinic acid concentration. However, abnormalities continued despite repeated chelation therapy and blood lead concentration was normal. Delta aminolevulinic aciduria persisted, but concentrations of porphobilinogen in urine and of porphyrins in blood, urine and faeces were normal. An inherited porphyric disorder was suspected, involving deficiency of aminolevulinic acid dehydrase, an enzyme active in haem biosynthesis. Accumulation of aminolevulinic acid in vivo could explain the observed signs.     

Atlantoaxial subluxation and absence of transverse ligament of the atlas in a dog

Absence of the transverse ligament of the atlas was diagnosed at necropsy in an 8-month-old Shih Tzu with radiographic signs of atlantoaxial subluxation. Symmetric ataxia, tetraparesis, and signs of pain in the vertebral canal suggested a lesion in the cervical portion of the spinal cord. Necropsy revealed absence of the transverse ligament of the atlas and malformation of dens and atlas. In addition, the alar ligaments were distinct and thick, and the atlanto-occipital and atlantoaxial joint capsules were markedly thicker than normal. Histologic examination revealed focal compressive myelopathy of the spinal cord at the level of the atlantoaxial joint.     

Role of genetically engineered animals in future food production

Genetically engineered (GE) animals are likely to have an important role in the future in meeting the food demand of a burgeoning global population. There have already been many notable achievements using this technology in livestock, poultry and aquatic species. In particular, the use of RNA interference (RNAi) to produce virus‐resistant animals is a rapidly‐developing area of research. However, despite the promise of this technology, very few GE animals have been commercialised. This review aims to provide information so that veterinarians and animal health scientists are better able to participate in the debate on GE animals.     

Plasma cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations in the dog: The effects of age, breed, gender and endocrine disease

A combined ultracentrifugation and precipitation technique was used to quantify the plasma lipoprotein concentrations of control dogs (n=33) and dogs with diabetes mellitus (n=11), hyper-adrenocorticism (n=14), hypothyroidism (n=10) and obesity (n=20). In addition, the effect of breed type, age and gender on the lipoprotein phenotype was assessed. Breed type and age were found to have no effect upon cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations but the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration was greater in intact females than intact males. Cholesterol concentrations were significantly higher than those of the control group in dogs with diabetes mellitus (P<0·01), hyper-adrenocorticism (P<0·01) and hypothyroidism (P<0·001). In dogs with diabetes mellitus this was due to increased concentrations of very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) (P<0·01) and HDL-C (P<0·05). The concentrations of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (P<0·05) were significantly increased in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism, while in the hypothyroid dogs, VLDL-C (P<0·05), LDL-C (P<0·001) and HDL-C (P<0·05) were significantly higher than the control group. The cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations in the obese population were not significantly different from control dogs.     

Isolation and characterisation of an H3N8 equine influenza virus in Australia, 2007

Before 2007, equine influenza had never been diagnosed in Australia. On 22 August 2007, infection was confirmed in horses at Eastern Creek Animal Quarantine Station near Sydney. The virus subsequently isolated (A/equine/Sydney/2888-8/2007) was confirmed by sequence analysis of the haemagglutinin (HA) gene as an H3 virus of the variant American Florida lineage that is now referred to as Clade 1. The HA sequence of the virus was identical to that of a virus isolated from a contemporaneous outbreak in Japan and showed high homology to viruses circulating in North America.