Studies of bovine Mycoplasma mastitis. 2. Testing of various culture media and culture methods for the isolation of Mycoplasma from milk samples]

The recipes Medium-I broth, Medium-B broth, and Weissenseemycoplasma broth as well as Medium-I agar, Medium-B agar, and MRL agar were tested for their applicability to culturing mycoplasma from milk samples, using the direct and indirect techniques. No dependable information on the occurrence of mycoplasma was obtainable from tested material unless several nutritive media and techniques were combined. Medium I, for which almost no imported substances were needed, was in no way inferior to common international nutritive substrates. Its use in conjunction with the indirect culturing technique is recommended for routine diagnosis.     

Internal parasites in calves and heifers in a central rearing barn

In the specialised rearing house for young cattle of all age groups the occurrence of endoparasites was followed. In the age group of 21 to 90 days, 56% of calves aged about 30 days eliminated oocysts of coccidia. On the whole, 49.3% of calves were infested by coccidia, 3% by enterohelminths. 90.3% of calves aged from three to six months were parasitised by coccidia, 7.4% by enterohelminths. Young cattle, aged from 6 to 12 months, were parasitised in 94.6% by coccidia and in 14.1% by enterohelminths. 86.6% of pregnant heifers at the age of 14 to 19 months had coccidia, 7.7% enterohelminths. The total farm capacity was about 950 animals. Throughout the year the number of examined animals amounted to 1,195, out of this number 958 animals, i. e. 80.2%, were infested by coccidia, 55.6% of animals by the species Eimeria bovis, 47.0% by E. zuernii, 43.3% by E. auburnensis, 39.4% by E. ellipsoidalis, 25.2% by E. cylindrica, 13.6% by E. subspherica, 3.1% by E. bukidnonensis, 1.7% by Isospora spp., 0.4% by E. brasiliensis, 0.08% by E. pellita. Enterohelminths were observed only in 96 animals, i. e. in 8.03%. Trichocephalus was found in 3.9% of animals, Cooperia in 2.4%, Ostertagia in 0.6%, Chabertia in 0.4%, Nematodirus in 0.3%, Capillaria in 0.2%, Oesophagostomum in 0.2%, Bunostomum in 0.1% and Trichostrongylus in 0.1%. The highest elimination of oocysts of coccidia was observed in August, January and February, of eggs of enterohelminths from August to October. In all age groups the most frequent was the occurrence of pathogenic species of coccidia.     

Pharmacologic and toxicologic properties of humic acids and their activity profile for veterinary medicine therapy

Humic acids derive from a class of natural substances in humic substances. The chemical properties of certain defined humic acid products enable their application in diseases of the digestive system of mammals when combined with metabolic disorders, especially in rearing age. The simple administration (via feed), their exceptional safety and the absence of side effects (e. g. allergy, resistance) as well as no residue formation in animal derived products allow a broad application of these substances in veterinary medicine, even when regarding ecotoxicological aspects.     

The synergism of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and influenza A virus in experimentally-infected mice

Models for infecting mice with Influenza A-Virus (A/PR 8/34, H0N1) and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (serotype 9) were developed in Han: NMRI-mice. After infecting mice with sublethal doses of one of the infectious agents, or both together as a mixed infection, animals were subsequently exsanguinated and the lungs washed by bronchoalveolar lavage. Clinical symptoms were recorded daily, examination of lung lavage fluid and sera as well as histology of the lungs were done. An increase in mortality, weight reduction and total cell yield of lung lavage fluid was observed after mixed infection. Compared to mixed infections total protein content and elastase in sera and lung lavage fluid after singular ones were raised not as much. In lung lavage fluid the total cell yield was increased more marked. These alterations indicate a synergistic effect of viruses and bacteria, developed by mixed infection as well as a bacterial infection on top of a viral one. Histopathologically the lung alterations were found to depend on the infectious agent and the mode of infection.     

Isolation of Chlamydia psittaci and Moraxella bovis from infectious keratoconjunctivitis in lambs

Out of 189 lambs in the flock, 25 animals suffered from bilateral or unilateral conjunctivitis, or keratoconjunctivitis. By serological examination (RVK), positive levels of antibodies to the group-specific antigen of Chl. psittaci were found in three out of six lambs examined by laboratory methods. Bacteriological examination of eye smears of six lambs showed in four cases the infection by microorganisms of Moraxella bovis. Smears from the conjunctivas of these lambs were after preparation instilled in the yolk sacs of six to seven days old chicken embryos. One strain of Chlamydia psittaci was isolated from the same material as Moraxella bovis.