Paraoxonase activity as a tool for clinical monitoring of dogs treated for canine leishmaniasis

This study was designed to determine if the activity of paraoxonase (PON1), an antioxidant enzyme that works as a negative acute phase reactant, is a better predictor for the clinical recovery of leishmaniotic dogs receiving standard treatments compared with inflammatory markers such as C reactive protein (CRP) and electrophoretic fractions. For this purpose we tested 20 healthy dogs (controls) and 39 leishmaniotic dogs classified as sick (group A, n = 23) or severely sick (group B, n = 16) and tested at admission and after 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days.At admission, CRP and electrophoresis were altered in both groups, while PON1 activity was abnormal only in group B. There were no differences related to the outcome (mortality, complications or time of recovery). PON1 activity normalized in about 2 weeks in dogs that had abnormal values at admission and a final positive outcome; CRP normalized in 4–6 weeks and electrophoretic fractions were still altered after 6 weeks. The results show that, at admission, inflammatory markers did not predict the outcome of leishmaniasis. PON1 activity decreased only in some dogs with systemic inflammation but not in those with mild leishmaniasis: when decreased, PON1 normalized earlier than other markers in dogs that responded to treatment. This finding most likely depends on the rapid decrease in oxidative phenomena. PON1 activity should therefore be tested on admission: if low values are recorded, severe inflammation may be suspected and PON1 measurement may be repeated during treatment to early identify responsive dogs.     

中药涂剂治疗波尔羊临床乳房炎的疗效

经确诊为临床型乳房炎的96只波尔羊作为研究对象,分为两组,每组48只,分别采用纯中药涂剂和青、链霉素治疗。试验结果显示:纯中药涂剂治疗临床型乳房炎波尔羊48例,治愈37例,治愈率77%,好转9例,无效2例,总有效率95.8%;用青、链霉素共治疗48例,治愈28例,治愈率58.3%,好转12例,无效8例,总有效率83.3%。经检验,纯中药涂剂对波尔羊临床乳房炎的治愈率、总有效率明显高于青、链霉素(P<0.05)。     

Caprine besnoitiosis: an emerging threat and its relationship to some other infections of ungulates by Besnoitia species

Caprine besnoitiosis, caused by the cyst-forming protozoal apicomplexan Besnoitia caprae appears to be endemic in Kenya, Nigeria and Iran, but has yet to be detected in other parts of the world. The infection causes an important parasitic disease of goats in affected developing countries. Bovine besnoitiosis, is a widespread disease of cattle in Africa, Asia (but not Iran) and southern Europe. Recent epidemiological data confirm that the incidence and geographical range of bovine besnoitiosis in Europe is increasing, which is why growing attention has been given to the condition during the past decade. This paper reviews pertinent information on the biology, epidemiology, pathology, clinical signs, diagnosis and control of caprine besnoitiosis, together with its similarities to, and differences from, bovine besnoitiosis. The serious economic consequences of besnoitiosis on goat breeding and local meat and hide industries is also considered.     

潮霉素B预混剂的临床驱虫试验研究

为了解潮霉素B预混剂临床驱除绦虫线虫的有效性和给药时间的合理性,依据兽药临床试验规范,试验选择了蠕虫自然感染皖西麻黄鸡824只,按要求随机分为3组,分别为潮霉素B预混剂治疗组284只,芬苯哒唑粉对照药物组284只,不治疗的感染对照组256只,试验周期根据临床治疗效果确定。结果显示,潮霉素B预混剂,推荐剂量10 mg/kg混饲,连续饲喂21 d,对鸡蛔虫和绦虫的粗计驱虫率分别为63%和26%,表现明显的驱除蛔虫作用(P0.05),连续饲喂42 d,对鸡蛔虫和绦虫的粗计驱虫率分别为100%和-13%,驱蛔虫效果极显著(P0.01);对照药物芬苯哒唑粉,50 mg/kg混饲,连续饲喂6 d,对鸡蛔虫和绦虫的粗计驱虫率分别为100%和44%,同样具有极显著的驱除蛔虫作用(P0.01),本试验中2种药物的驱蛔虫效果相当,对绦虫的驱除作用不明显(P0.05)。潮霉素B预混剂10 mg/kg混饲,连续饲喂42 d,可以驱净鸡蛔虫的感染,但对鸡绦虫感染无明显的驱除作用。     

SNOMED representation of explanatory knowledge in veterinary clinical pathology

BACKGROUND: The Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED) is an established standard nomenclature for the expression of human and veterinary medical concepts. Nomenclature standards ease sharing of medical information, create common points of understanding, and improve data aggregation and analysis. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine whether SNOMED adequately represented concepts relevant to veterinary clinical pathology. METHODS: Concepts were isolated from 3 different types of clinical pathology documents: 1) a textbook (Textbook), 2) the Results sections of industry pathology reports (Findings), and Discussion sections from industry pathology reports (Discussion). Concepts were matched (mapped) by 2 reviewers to semantically-equivalent SNOMED concepts. A quality score of 3 (good match), 2 (problem match), or 1 (no match) was recorded along with the SNOMED hierarchical location of each mapped concept. Results were analyzed using Cohen's Kappa statistic to assess reviewer agreement and chi-square tests to evaluate association between document type and quality score. RESULTS: The percentage of good matches was 48.3% for the Textbook, 45.4% for Findings, and 47.5% for Discussion documents, with no significant difference among documents. Of remaining concepts, 40% were partially expressed by SNOMED and 14% did not match. Mean reviewer agreement on quality score assignments was 76.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Although SNOMED representation of veterinary clinical pathology content was limited, missing and problem concepts were confined to a relatively small area of terminology. This limitation should be addressed in revisions of SNOMED to optimize SNOMED for veterinary clinical pathology applications.     

New gene-based approaches for an AIDS vaccine

Vaccine approaches against AIDS have focused on inducing cellular immune responses, since many studies revealed the role of T cell responses in the control of human immunodeficiency virus or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infections. The experimental infection of rhesus macaques with SIV or chimeric SHIV is routinely used as a model for AIDS. In such models, DNA immunization is a tool to elicit specific T cell responses and to study their protective efficacy. DNA immunogenicity in primates depends on parameters such as level of antigen expression, choice of the antigen among SIV proteins, use of fusion proteins, route of immunization, and addition of adjuvants. Recent results suggest that priming with DNA and boosting with attenuated recombinant viral vectors, each expressing corresponding SIV antigens, leads to improved specific immunity and, in some cases, affords protection against pathogenic challenge. After preclinical evaluations, DNA has entered clinical trials for a therapeutic or prophylactic gene-based AIDS vaccine.     

A Pressure Algometer Is a Useful Tool to Objectively Monitor the Effect of Diagnostic Palpation by a Physiotherapist in Warmblood Horses

There is a lack of scientific evidence for objective evaluation of neck and back musculoskeletal sensitivity in horses, although pressure algometry has been described as an objective tool to quantify musculoskeletal responses by mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) values. This study aimed to evaluate the use of pressure algometry for objectively quantifying the effect of diagnostic palpation applied by physiotherapists on the musculoskeletal function of the equine neck and back. The inter-examiner repeatability of animal physiotherapists was tested, and their subjective clinical scores for the vertebral column area were objectively compared with MNT values measured at the same locations to investigate the potential clinical implementation of the pressure algometer in daily equine rehabilitation practice. Six adult Dutch Warmblood riding school mares were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. The MNT of all horses was measured on 35 predefined sites on the vertebral column in the morning and in the evening of the same day. In the experimental group (n = 3), neck and back surface “temperature”, “pain”, “muscle tone”, and passive “mobility” were scored through palpation by three certified physiotherapists and related to MNT measurements at the same vertebral column locations. Agreement between the physiotherapists was determined from Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (P < .05). These correlation coefficients showed a significant agreement between the scores of individual physiotherapists and with objective MNT measurements. The three physiotherapists agreed best in their subjective gradings of “pain”, but less for “temperature” and “muscle tone”, and least for “mobility”. There was also a significant difference in MNT between individual horses. The physiotherapeutic diagnostic intervention did not significantly alter the MNT of the experimental group compared with the control group. There was a significant difference, however, between morning (7.4 kg/cm²) and evening (6.9 kg/cm²) MNT-measurements within the combined group (n = 6, P < .05). In conclusion, a pressure algometer proved to be a useful tool to objectively monitor the palpation of individual Warmbloods by individual physiotherapists. The correlation of their scores to the objective MNT measurements elucidated that there were differences on which scale (“pain”, “temperature”, “muscle tone”, “mobility”) they merely relied upon in their palpation. Significant effects of physiotherapeutic diagnostic palpation on MNT, however, were not found. The lower MNT of the horses at the second trial in the evening could be a sensitization of the measurement location because of bruising, a learning effect of the horses, or a diurnal fluctuation. The use of pressure algometry has both a potential to quantify clinical neck and back musculoskeletal sensitivity in horses possibly leading to dysfunction, as well as to objectively evaluate treatment results. Repeated measurements on the same day and on the same location along the vertebral column may influence absolute MNT values. The algometer can be used with success provided that the operator has proper and frequent training.     

Hematologic, biochemical, and protein electrophoretic values in captive tawny owls (Strix aluco)

BACKGROUND: The tawny owl (Strix aluco) is a protected species in Italy. Orphaned, injured, and ill owls often are sheltered and treated in rehabilitation centers, where hematologic and biochemical analyses would be helpful to evaluate and monitor the status of their health. OBJECTIVES: The major aim of this work was to assess hematologic and biochemical constituents together with protein electrophoretic fractions in healthy tawny owls. In addition, we compared laboratory methods for determining hemoglobin (Hgb), total protein, and albumin concentrations. METHODS: Heparinized blood samples were collected from 10 clinically healthy adult captive tawny owls between March 2001 and November 2003 for CBC, routine biochemical analysis, and protein electrophoresis. Alternate methods for Hgb (estimation as HCT/3 vs spectrophotometry), total protein (biuret vs refractometry), and albumin (bromcresol green vs electrophoresis) concentrations were compared in 34 samples from 16 unhealthy adult owls and 8 nestlings. RESULTS: Results were reported as mean, median, and range (minimum-maximum). Significant differences and poor concordance were observed between methods for Hgb, total protein, and albumin. CONCLUSIONS: Hematologic and plasma biochemical values in captive tawny owls may be useful in evaluating and monitoring the health of this species in captivity.     

Prevalence of clinical findings at examinations of young Swedish warmblood riding horses

Background

Soundness of an individual horse is important for animal welfare and owner economy. However, knowledge of health status in normal horse populations is limited due to lack of systematic health recordings. The aim of the investigation was to study the prevalence of veterinary clinical findings in 4-5-year-old Swedish warmblood riding horses, and their influence on overall health scores, where associations to future longevity has been indicated.

Results

The prevalence of clinical findings in 8,281 horses examined during 1983–2005 was studied according to a standardised protocol and related to overall health scores in linear statistical models. Effects of sex, age, examination event and changes over time were included. In total, 49% of the horses had clinical findings of medical health (MED), 42% in hooves (HOOF) and 74% of palpatory orthopaedic health (PALP). However, only 6%, 3% and 24% had moderate or severe findings, of MED, HOOF and PALP, respectively. Flexion test reactions were reported in 21% of the horses (5% moderate/severe), heavily influencing the overall score (H2). One fifth of these horses also had findings of unprovoked lameness while 83% had PALP findings (44% with moderate/severe findings). Acute clinical signs, i.e. heat or soreness, had a large influence on the H2 score but were rare, whereas more common clinical findings had smaller effects on overall health. Large variations in recorded health results were observed among events. A decrease in findings has occurred since 1983, in particular for PALP findings.

Conclusions

Results of occurrence and relevance of evaluated clinical findings could be used for advice on preventive actions to keep horses sound, and possibly for benchmarking, and genetic evaluation of health traits. The distinct effect of event on recorded clinical findings emphasises that further harmonisation of veterinary examinations are desirable.     

《兽医临床诊断学》教学改革效果分析

对近3年<兽医临床诊断学>教学改革的效果进行了分析,具体包括教学方法改革效果、实践教学改革效果、考核方式改革效果以及其他方面的改革效果,旨在为兽医临床诊断学及其他课程教学提供有益参考.