Isolation of avian influenza virus (subtype H5N2) from chicken eggs during a natural outbreak

Avian influenza virus (A/Chicken/Pennsylvania/83; H5N2) was recovered from the yolk, albumen, and shell surface of eggs obtained from naturally infected chicken flocks in Pennsylvania and Virginia. These findings represent the first reported isolation of avian influenza virus from the internal contents of eggs from naturally infected flocks. The need for adequate safeguards to prevent spread of the virus during commercial movement of table and hatching eggs, cracked and "checked" eggs, and egg flats and other materials is emphasized.     

A nutritional myopathy enzootic in a group of yearling beef cattle

Steers and bulls under feedlot conditions and on an apparently adequate ration developed transitory signs of diarrhea and unthriftiness. One animal became recumbent. Sick and clinically normal animals in the group had elevated serum creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase enzyme values and degenerative changes in muscle fibers on biopsy. Feed analysis was carried out and the animals were monitored over several weeks by means of muscle biopsy and serum enzyme analysis as well as by postmortem examination at slaughter. Subclinical myopathy was found in several animals and was thought to be related to low vitamin E content in the high moisture corn ration.     

Elimination of toxicity from polyurethane foam plugs used for plant culture

Polyurethane foam plugs commonly are used as collars or supports to grow plants in solution culture. Despite their utility, these foam plugs can be quite toxic to plants, particularly to small seedlings. We have observed tissue injury in tests using plugs to support lettuce, red beet, and potato plants in solution culture. Typically, the injury is initiated on the hypocotyl or stem tissue in direct contact with the foam, and appears within 30 hr as a brownish discoloration on the tissue surface. This discoloration can be followed by complete collapse of affected tissue and eventual death of the seedling. When injury does not progress beyond surface browning, the seedling survives but growth is slowed. In this paper, we report on different treatments that can be used to remove the toxicity of these plugs so they can be used in plant research.     

Congenital esophagotracheal fistula as the cause of bloat in a calf

A four day old Holstein calf was presented with a history of recurrent free gas bloat. An exploratory laparotomy was performed and no abnormalities were discovered in the gastrointestinal tract. An esophagotracheal fistula was suspected and confirmed by endoscopy. Surgical correction was performed by ligating the tubular connection between the trachea and esophagus and suturing closed the defects in these structures.     

Failure of orally administered zinc to prevent experimentally induced footrot in sheep

Two groups of adult Merino sheep, initially grazed on pasture, were dosed daily with zinc sulphate (1 mg Zn/kg LW) or zinc oxide (15 mg Zn/kg LW) for six and seven weeks, respectively. On the 18th day, both groups were transferred to indoor pens together with unmedicated control sheep, and five days later the feet of all animals were infected artificially with a virulent strain of Bacteroides nodosus. By the fourth week after challenge, 85% or more of the feet challenged had developed advanced footrot, and no significant differences in the incidence and severity of lesions between dosed and un-dosed groups were recorded. Plasma zinc concentrations, monitored throughout the experiment, remained at similar levels in sheep receiving the lower dose rate and in the controls. At the higher dose rate, plasma zinc levels increased till Day 23, but thereafter declined to values comparable to those of undosed animals. At post mortem, no evidence of zinc toxicosis was found, and only the kidneys of sheep receiving the higher dosage showed a significant accumulation of zinc compared with the controls.     

Fenbendazole treatment of pregnant bitches to reduce prenatal and lactogenic infections of Toxocara canis and Ancylostoma caninum in pups

A granulated formulation of fenbendazole was tested in a total of 23 treated and control, pregnant, parasite-free Beagle bitches experimentally infected with Toxocara canis and Ancylostoma caninum. The drug was administered to each treated bitch once daily in canned dog food at a dosage of 50 mg/kg body weight. Each of 2 treatment regimens tested was initiated on the 40th day of pregnancy. One regimen involved daily treatment continuing through the 14th postpartum day, and it resulted in 89% fewer ascarids and 99% fewer hookworms in pups born to medicated bitches, as compared with pups born to unmedicated controls. The other regimen of treatment, which was stopped on the day of parturition, was less effective in reducing ascarid and hookworm burdens (64% and 88% reductions, respectively). Three to 5 bitches from each of the treatment and control groups were allowed to whelp a 2nd litter without further treatment or further exposure to parasite infections. Hookworm burdens in 2nd-litter pups born of bitches that had initially received fenbendazole through the 14th postpartum day were significantly lower (P < 0.01; 85% reduction), when compared with the 2nd-litter control pups. All other parasite burdens were not significantly different. It was concluded that granulated fenbendazole is effective in reducing burdens of Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara canis in newborn pups when the bitch is treated during the last third of pregnancy, especially when treatment (50 mg/kg/day) extends from the 40th day of pregnancy through the 14th postpartum day.