P‐81 A retrospective study of equine sarcoidosis

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate six cases of equine sarcoidosis for initial presenting symptoms, response to therapy and actual outcome. Dermatologists and dermatopathologists from Europe, the United States, Australia and Canada were contacted to obtain these six cases, as this is a rare disease. Signalment, clinical signs, histological findings, clinical management and outcome were determined via a questionnaire and compared to former reports. There was no age or breed predilection, and four of six horses were geldings. Age of onset ranged from 3 months to 17 years. Onset of the disease was insidious or rapid. Interestingly, in five of six cases, scaling began on the trunk (girth and shoulder). Scaling, crusting and alopecia were seen in all six horses. In one horse, clinical signs of systemic disease were reported and included intermittent fever, prescapular lymphadenopathy, depression, poor body condition and nasal discharge. Treatment included phenylbutazone, deworming agents, antibiotics, short‐term low‐dose corticosteroids, and 1–1.5 mg/kg of prednisolone. One horse showed a partial response to trimethoprim and sulfonamide, and five of six went into clinical remission with corticosteroid treatment. Five of six horses were still alive 1 year after diagnosis; one horse was diagnosed <12 months ago. Two horses are in complete remission 4 and 8 years after diagnosis. In both horses, clinical signs recurred after cessation of therapy and went into remission again with reintroduction of treatment. Both of these horses have been in remission for several years without therapy. Funding: Self‐funded.     

Antiviral Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiaeβ‐glucan to Swine Influenza Virus by Increased Production of Interferon‐γ and Nitric Oxide

The aim of these experiments was to investigate the potential antiviral effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiaeβ‐glucan on the pneumonia induced by swine influenza virus (SIV). Forty colostrum‐deprived 5‐day‐old piglets were randomly divided into four groups of 10. The 20 pigs in groups 1 and 2 were administered Saccharomyces cerevisiaeβ‐glucan orally (50 mg/day/pig; En‐Bio Technology Co., Ltd) for 3 days before SIV infection and those in groups 3 and 4 were given culture medium/diluent alone. Groups 1 and 3 were inoculated intranasally with 3 ml of tissue culture fluid containing 2 × 10⁶ tissue culture infective doses 50% (TCID₅₀)/ml of SIV and those in groups 2 and 4 were exposed in the same manner to uninfected cell culture supernatant. The microscopic lung lesions induced by SIV infection (group 1 pigs) were significantly more severe than those induced by infection in animals pre‐administered β‐glucan (group 3) (P < 0.05). Significantly more SIV nucleic acid was detected in the lungs of pigs experimentally infected with SIV only (group 1) at 5, 7 and 10 days post‐inoculation (dpi) compared with lungs from pigs pre‐administered β‐glucan and infected with SIV (group 3) (P < 0.05). The concentrations of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and nitric oxide (NO) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from pigs pre‐administered β‐glucan and infected with SIV (group 3) were significantly higher than for any other group at 7 and 10 dpi for IFN‐γ, and at 5, 7 and 10 dpi for NO (P < 0.05). Saccharomyces cerevisiaeβ‐glucan reduced the pulmonary lesion score and viral replication rate in SIV‐infected pigs. These findings support the potential application of β‐glucan as prophylactic/treatment agent in influenza virus infection.     

FC‐51 Comparison of intradermal test and antigen‐specific IgE test in 22 cases of feline allergic dermatitis

The usefulness of the intradermal test (IDT) and the serological allergy test (SAT) for detecting antigen‐specific IgE in allergic cats has not yet been established. In this study, we compared the results of IDT with those of SAT and evaluated the clinical usefulness of the two tests for detecting possible allergens in allergic cats. IDT and SAT using eight antigens were performed on 22 cats with intense pruritus after excluding ectoparasites and performing diet elimination tests. Approximately 50% of the cats reacted to at least one allergen by either IDT or SAT, and 36.4% of the cats reacted on both IDT and SAT. In contrast, seven healthy cats did not show any reactions on IDT or SAT. The most commonly detected allergen in both tests was house dust mites (IDT, 36.4%; SAT, 40.9%). Five cats reacted to one allergen and the others reacted to more than one allergen with IDT. Three cats reacted to one allergen with SAT. The following percentage agreement between the results of the two tests was calculated: house dust mites (86.4%), cat fleas (63.6%), grass mix (86.4%), common mugwort (81.8%), cat epithelia (90.9%), ragweed (86.4%), Japanese cedar (90.9%), and plantain (81.8%). The overall mean percentage agreement was 83.5%. In summary, the present study showed good agreement between IDT and SAT for cats, and SAT may be more sensitive than IDT, but less specific for detecting sensitized allergens. Funding: Self‐funded.     

FC‐61 The role of a liquorice preparation in healing of experimental wounds in calves: a histopathologic study

Liquorice, a derivative of the root of Glycyrrhizia glabra, has been proposed as a treatment for gastric ulcers. Here, a preparation of liquorice combined with sesame oil was evaluated in experimental wound healing. The study was carried out in two female 10‐month‐old Holstein calves. An area of 10 × 10 cm on each side of the thorax of the animals was surgically prepared and infiltrated with local anaesthetic. Eight uniform skin wounds were created in two rows with an 8‐mm biopsy punch on each prepared area. Each side of an animal was used to evaluate one treatment (Groups 1–4). To make the mixture, powdered and sieved liquorice (16 g) was mixed with sesame oil (36 g) to make a suspension. The wounds were treated for 7 days. The wounds of Groups 1–3 were rinsed daily with normal saline, after which the mixture of liquorice and sesame oil (Group 1) or only the sesame oil (Group 2) was applied to the wounds. In Group 4, no treatment was applied. All wounds were left open. On day 8, skin biopsies were taken from the wounds for histopathologic study. In Group 1, seven wounds (87%) showed moderate granulation tissue, mild scab formation, and complete re‐epithelialization. In Group 2, there was massive scab formation with no granulation tissue and minimal re‐epithelialization. In Groups 3 and 4, mild granulation tissue, severe scab formation and very limited re‐epithelialization were observed. We conclude that a preparation of liquorice and sesame oil can be an effective remedy for wound healing. Funding: Self‐funded.     

Epidemiological Study of Non‐contagious Intramammary Infections in Nine Commercial Dairy Herds following a Staphylococcus aureus Control Programme

Changes in prevalence in intramammary infection, by pathogen type, in herds applying a stringent contagious mastitis control programme was studied. Enrollment of 1651 lactating cows and collection of milk samples was made in this ancillary study to a cohort study of the dynamics of mastitis prevalence after adoption of a strict contagious mastitis control programme that targeted the elimination of mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Nine commercial dairies in Italy were used. Aseptic collection of milk samples from all lactating cows was performed at the time of enrollment, from all cows within 7–14 days of entering the lactating herd after the date of enrollment, and from all lactating cows at 2, 4, 7, 10 and 14 months after the date of enrollment. Prevalence of intramammary infection by pathogen type was determined from culture of milk samples. Application of the strict contagious mastitis programme did not lead to an increased risk of non‐contagious mastitis. The risk of coliform, environmental streptococcal and coagulase‐negative staphylococcal intramammary infections decreased after adoption of the programme. The data reported herein indicate that the overall risk for any intramammary infections decreases with adoption of a strict contagious mastitis programme, and that such a programme therefore does not necessarily lead to an increase in environmental mastitis.     

Significance of β2‐Toxigenic Clostridium perfringens Infections in Animals and Their Predisposing Factors – A Review

The novel β2‐toxin of Clostridium perfringens has recently been described as the cause of enteric diseases in animals. The biological activity of β2‐toxin is similar to that of the β1‐toxin with a possibly weaker cytotoxic activity. However, the production of β2‐toxin in vitro is not seen in all β2‐toxin‐gene (cpb2)‐positive C. perfringens strains, and to deduce a clinical importance solely from the detection of cpb2 is difficult. Detection of cpb2‐positive C. perfringens from various animal species with and without enteric diseases demonstrates the wide distribution of cpb2 in nature, and the presence of cpb2 gene is therefore not considered a risk by itself. Predisposing factors like low trypsin activity in the intestinal tract, antibiotic and/or antiphlogistic treatment or changes in diet can result in the selection of β2‐toxigenic C. perfringens which may lead to enteritis or enterotoxaemia.     

Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Nepalese domestic dwarf cattle Lulu*

Dwarf Lulu cattle, the only Bos Taurus type of cattle in Nepal, are raised under severe environments in the mountainous zone of that country. In the present study, the body measurement traits, cytogenetic and molecular genetic characteristics of the Lulu cattle are investigated. Blood samples were collected from 31 animals in four villages (altitudes 2590–3550 m) in the southern part of Mustang. The Lulu cattle had a normal karyotype with 2n = 60, XY or XX. Only one male examined had a large submetacentric X‐chromosome and a small submetacentric taurine type Y‐chromosome. The mitochodrial DNA (mtDNA) genotypes were analyzed by PCR mediated restriction fragment length polymorphisms, displacement (D)‐loop region PCR mediated single strand conformation polymorphisms, and D‐loop region sequences. Many base substitutions were found in the D‐loop region, suggesting that the Lulu cattle originated from at least 10 maternal lines. Three types of mtDNA from these cattle were found, the Bos taurus type (n = 23), the Bos indicus type (n = 6), and the Bos grunniens type (n = 2). In the village at the lowest altitude, four of the five cows were of the Bos indicus type. These results indicated that mtDNA types of the Lulu cattle mostly belong to Bos taurus, but have been hybridized with Bos indicus cattle in lower‐elevation regions in their maternal lineage.     

A perspective on the measurement of time in plant disease epidemiology

The growth and development of plant pathogens and their hosts generally respond strongly to the temperature of their environment. However, most studies of plant pathology record pathogen/host measurements against physical time (e.g. hours or days) rather than thermal time (e.g. degree-days or degree-hours). This confounds the comparison of epidemiological measurements across experiments and limits the value of the scientific literature.     

Effects of straw and silicon soil amendments on some foliar and stem-base diseases in pot-grown winter wheat

Four foliar and two stem-base pathogens were inoculated onto wheat plants grown in different substrates in pot experiments. Soils from four different UK locations were each treated in three ways: (i) straw incorporated in the field at 10 t ha⁻¹ several months previously; (ii) silicon fertilization at 100 mg L⁻¹ during the experiment; and (iii) no amendments. A sand and vermiculite mix was used with and without silicon amendment. The silicon treatment increased plant silica concentrations in all experiments, but incorporating straw was not associated with raised plant silica concentrations. Blumeria graminis and Puccinia recondita were inoculated by shaking infected plants over the test plants, followed by suitable humid periods. The silicon treatment reduced powdery mildew ( B. graminis ) substantially in sand and vermiculite and in two of the soils, but there were no effects on the slight infection by brown rust ( P. recondita ). Phaeosphaeria nodorum and Mycosphaerella graminicola were inoculated as conidial suspensions. Leaf spot caused by P. nodorum was reduced in silicon-amended sand and vermiculite; soil was not tested. Symptoms of septoria leaf blotch caused by M. graminicola were reduced by silicon amendment in a severely infected sand and vermiculite experiment but not in soil or a slightly infected sand and vermiculite experiment. Oculimacula yallundae (eyespot) and Fusarium culmorum (brown foot rot) were inoculated as agar plugs on the stem base. Severity of O. yallundae was reduced by silicon amendment of two of the soils but not sand and vermiculite; brown foot rot symptoms caused by F. culmorum were unaffected by silicon amendment. The straw treatment reduced severity of powdery mildew but did not detectably affect the other pathogens. Both straw and silicon treatments appeared to increase plant resistance to all diseases only under high disease pressure.     

Fireblight monitoring in Lithuania1

Lithuania has requested that its whole territory should be recognized by the EU as a protected zone for Erwinia amylovora . Fireblight monitoring was performed in 1998/2002 with the aim of detecting and identifying the bacterium, and of determining its distribution in the country. The study consisted of periodic surveys (at least twice a year) of nurseries, orchards, collective farms and host plants, growing individually or in small groups, as well as the surrounding zone within a radius of 250 m. Tests, under conditions of quality control, were applied to host plants with and without symptoms, using detection methods such as ELISA and immunofluorescence (with polyclonal antibodies), semi-selective plating and pathogenicity.