The Effect of Diet on the Biochemical Composition of Juvenile Artemia: Potential Formulations for Rock Lobster Aquaculture

The lipid class and fatty acid (FA) composition of juvenile Artemia fed continuously on four diets—the microalga Tetraselmis suecica , a mix of oat bran-wheat germ-lecithin (OWL), OwL-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and OWL-EPA-arachidonic acid (AA)—were examined over a 9-d experiment in an attempt to approximate the FA profile of phyllosoma larvae of wild southern rock lobster Jasus edwardrii . The main difference in lipid class composition of Artemia fed the four diets was the relative level of polar lipid (PL) and triacylglycerol (TAG). By day 9, the algal-fed Artemia were highest in PL (95% of total lipid) and lowest in TAG (2%), whereas the remaining diets resulted in Artemia with 16–30% PL and 41–82% TAG. After 2 d, the relative FA composition of all Artemia treatments closely reflected those of the diets, with no marked change after further feeding (to day 9). In terms of the content of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), by day 5 Artemia fed: 1) with the algal diet contained 7 mg/g FA dry mass (0.3% DHA, 6.3% EPA, 3.4% AA of total FA); 2) with the OWL diet contained 3 mg/g (0.3% DHA, 0.9% EPA, 0.7% AA); 3) with the OWL-EPA diet contained 55 mg/g (6.2% DHA, 11.6% EPA, 1.1% AA); and 4) with the OWL-EPA-AA contained 83 mg/g (3.8% DHA, 7.5% EPA, 17.4% AA). The PUFA profiles of Artemia using the OWL-oil diets were similar to wild rock lobster phyllmmata, although levels of doco-sahexaenoic acid (DHA) were lower (10% DHA) than in J. edwardsii larvae. On the basis of PUFA composition data alone, the results suggest the suitability of the OWL-oil mixed diets for consideration for feeding to Artemia used in the culture of southern rock lobster larvae, particularly if the level of DHA can be further enhanced.     

Docosahexaenoic Acid Is Naturally Concentrated at the sn-2 Position in Triacylglycerols of the Australian Thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium sp. Strain TC 20

The Labyrinthulomycetes or Labyrinthulea are a class of protists that produce a network of filaments that enable the cells to glide along and absorb nutrients. One of the main two Labyrinthulea groups is the thraustochytrids, which are becoming an increasingly recognised and commercially used alternate source of long-chain (LC, ≥C₂₀) omega-3 containing oils. This study demonstrates, to our knowledge for the first time, the regiospecificity of the triacylglycerol (TAG) fraction derived from Australian thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium sp. strain TC 20 obtained using ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C NMR) analysis. The DHA present in the TC 20 TAG fraction was determined to be concentrated in the sn-2 position, with TAG (16:0/22:6/16:0) identified as the main species present. The sn-2 preference is similar to that found in salmon and tuna oil, and differs to seal oil containing largely sn-1,3 LC-PUFA. A higher concentration of sn-2 DHA occurred in the thraustochytrid TC 20 oil compared to that of tuna oil.     

Detection of Aphanomyces invadans and epizootic ulcerative syndrome in the Murray‐Darling drainage

Epizootic ulcerative syndrome was diagnosed, and the presence of Aphanomyces invadans confirmed, from an outbreak of clinical disease in wild‐caught bony bream (Nematalosa erebi) from the Darling River near Bourke, in New South Wales, Australia, during 2008. This confirms a significant extension of the agent beyond its historical range.     

A retrospective study of canine and feline cutaneous vasculitis

Twenty-one cases of cutaneous vasculitis in small animals (dogs and cats) were reviewed, and cases were divided by clinical signs into five groups. An attempt was made to correlate clinical types of vasculitis with histological inflammatory patterns, response to therapeutic drugs and prognosis. Greater than 50% of the cases were idiopathic, whereas five were induced by rabies vaccine, two were associated with hypersensitivity to beef, one was associated with lymphosarcoma and two were associated with the administration of oral drugs (ivermectin and itraconazole). Only the cases of rabies vaccine-induced vasculitis in dogs had a consistent histological inflammatory pattern (mononuclear/nonleukocytoclastic) and were responsive to combination therapy with prednisone and pentoxifylline, or to prednisone alone. Most cases with neutrophilic or neutrophilic/eosinophilic inflammatory patterns histologically did not respond to pentoxifylline, but responded to sulfone/sulfonamide drugs, prednisone, or a combination of the two.     

An investigation of Salmonella Fluntern illnesses linked to leopard geckos—United States, 2018

Reptile contact can result in zoonotic non‐typhoidal salmonellosis. In April 2018, Oregon Public Health Division contacted CDC about a cluster of four Salmonella serovar Fluntern (SF) illnesses in four states (OR, CA, IA, NY); patients reported contact with geckos, a popular reptile pet. PulseNet, the national molecular subtyping network of food‐borne disease surveillance, subsequently identified additional SF clinical isolates. Twelve cases in 11 states were identified; median age was 5 years (range: <1–58 years). Three patients were hospitalized; no deaths were reported. Of those with exposure information (n = 10), all reported reptile exposure; 9 (90%) specified contact with leopard geckos. No common source of geckos was identified from reported purchase locations. Los Angeles County (LAC) health officials isolated SF from one patient's leopard gecko. Five reptile/gecko isolates were identified from the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) from 2015 to 2018. Five countries responded to an Epidemic Intelligence Information System post by PulseNet; reptile isolate sequence data were received from Czech Republic. A clinical case from England was identified through the National Center for Biotechnology Information pathogen detection pipeline; the patient did not report contact with leopard geckos. Whole genome sequencing analysis revealed substantial genetic diversity between clinical and animal isolates; however, gecko and clinical isolates from LAC were highly related (1 allele difference). This investigation linking SF illnesses to leopard geckos highlights an important public health risk from pets. A better understanding of how geckos are distributed by the pet industry in the United States could improve traceability to points of origin and mitigate Salmonella transmission at gecko breeders. Earlier NVSL reports of SF isolates from geckos suggest the risk of human SF infection from geckos is not new. This investigation demonstrates a need to educate gecko breeders, retailers and gecko owners about the continued Salmonella infection risk from pet geckos.     

A retrospective study of 29 cases of otitis media/interna in dairy calves

Epidemiological data, clinical findings, laboratory data, medical imaging, and outcomes were reviewed in 29 dairy calves with otitis media/interna. Age at admission ranged from 1 to 24 wk. The majority of calves were referred during winter. Clinical signs included drooping ear, ptosis, head tilt, abnormal nystagmus, strabismus, dysphagia, regurgitation, stiff neck, opisthotonos, facial hyperesthesia, and purulent aural discharge. Intranasal endoscopic examination of 5 animals revealed nasopharyngeal collapse in 4. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was abnormal in all of 7 cases. Mycoplasma bovis was cultured from all but 1 case with external ear or tympanic bullae samples (n = 12), and Mycoplasma arginini was cultured from the remaining ear sample. Radiographs of the tympanic bullae were performed in 24 calves, tomodensitometry (CT) in 3 calves and ultrasound in 4 calves. According to medical imaging techniques or necropsy, 69% of the cases were classified as chronic. Mean duration of treatment was 23.3 d. The rate of clinical recovery was 75%.     

Endoscopic removal of esophageal and ruminal foreign bodies in 5 Holstein calves

Endoscopic removal of esophageal and ruminal foreign bodies was successfully performed in 5 Holstein-Friesian calves under sedation or general anesthesia by using an electrocautery snare or a wire-guided Dormi basket. This report describes the endoscopic manipulations, treatment, and outcomes of esophageal foreign body removal in these calves.