Pharmacokinetics and Dosage Regimen of Enrofloxacin in Buffalo Bulls after Intramuscular Administration

The disposition kinetics and dosage regimen of enrofloxacin were investigated in breeding buffalo bulls following a single intramuscular administration of 5 mg/kg. The absorption half-life, half-life of the terminal phase, apparent volume of distribution and total body clearance were 0.262±0.099 h, 1.97±0.23 h, 0.61±0.13 L/kg and 210.2±18.6 ml/(kg.h), respectively. Therapeutic plasma levels (1 g/ml) were maintained for up to 6 h. A satisfactory intramuscular dosage regimen for enrofloxacin in buffalo bulls would be 8.5 mg/kg followed by 8.0 mg/kg at 8 h intervals.     

人工感染雏鹅新型病毒性肠炎的病理形态学发展规律的研究

40只2日龄四川白鹅口服感染雏鹅新型病毒性肠炎病毒，在不同阶段解剖发病和死亡雏鹅，电镜观察组织器官的病理变化发展规律，接种后第2天，十二指肠绒毛顶部上皮细胞发生坏死、脱落。随着感染时间延长，上皮细胞的坏死、脱落迅速向绒毛基部发展，并伴随固有膜炎性细胞浸润和坏死，病变向着空肠段发展，进一步发展为纤维素性坏死性肠炎，于小肠中后段形成假膜包裹肠内容物的栓塞物或直接由纤维素性渗出物与地不死肠粘膜混合凝固形成栓塞物阻塞肠腔，使外观膨大，肺充血和出血，肾充血、出血及肾小管上皮细胞变性。部分病例肝颗粒变性、脂肪变性，后期部分病例气管、腺胃上皮细胞脱落，早期部分病例心充血和出血，食道、胰腺及脑正常，电镜下可观察到小肠上皮细胞核畸形、固缩、核仁消失、核膜模糊和胞核崩解；胞浆严重空化，形成含有很多病毒粒子的“封入体”；粗面内质网扩张呈囊状，其上的核蛋白体严重脱落；线粒体外膜破裂或嵴断裂及空化，部分受到损害的线凿全充满大量的病毒粒子；形成肠道栓子的外层假膜有大量的病毒粒子、细菌以及坏死的肠上皮细胞，肝脏细胞粗面内质网严重扩张及部分线粒体肿胀、脊断裂；而心肌细胞粗面内质网的轻度扩张及胞核畸形。本文还对雏鹅新型病毒性肠炎与小鹅瘟的病理变化进行了比较分析。     

An oculo-cerebellar syndrome caused by congenital bovine viral diarrhoea virus-infection

An epizootic characterized by birth of calves severly ataxic and blind were encountered in 3 herds 7–8 months after outbreaks of bovine virus diarrhoea. Serological and virological investigations indicated introduction of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) into previously virus-free herds, followed by transplacental virus infection of the fetuses of cows in the first trimester. Clinical, pathological, serological, and microbiological examinations were performed on 10 calves. Pathological findings included microcephaly and cerebellar hypoplasia, ocular malformations, and thymic hypoplasia. BVDV was isolated from tissue and blood of 7 calves, and 4 calves, 1 of which had not received colostrum, had virus-specific neutralizing antibodies.This is the first report on natural occurrence of congenital bovine infection with BVDV among Danish cattle herds resulting in abortion and birth of calves with severe debilitating congenital anomalies. It draws attention to the importance of this virus for bovines of all age groups.     

The effects of low doses of Senna occidentalis seeds on broiler chickens

The effects of 0.5%, 0.3% and 0.1% w/w concentrations of Senna occidentalis (So) seed mixed with commercial ration were studied in 18 groups of 32 broiler chicks each, from 1 day to 49 days of age. Three groups were fed one of the rations throughout their lives (TL). Three other groups were fed one of the rations from the 1st to the 28th day of life (starter phase, SP), and the final 3 groups were fed one of the rations from the 29th to 49th day (finisher phase, FP). Each experimental group was matched by a control group fed the same diet over the same period but without the inclusion of So. All the animals were killed at 49 days of age, and blood was collected from 10 birds in each group for biochemical studies (ALT, AST, GGT, LDH, UA). A complete necropsy was performed on 3 birds from each group. No significant differences in the biochemical parameters in the serum were found between the control and experimental chicks, but animals treated with 0.5% So in groups FP and TL, gained less weight and chicks that received 0.3% So or 0.5% So in the ration throughout life (TL) had a larger feed conversion ratio. Besides this, degenerative changes were found in the striated skeletal muscle in the chest, in the myocardium and in the liver in the animals that received the higher concentrations of So seeds.     

A Universal `One-tube' RT-PCR Protocol for Amplifying Isolates of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus

The increase in the knowledge of the genetic variability of BVDV and the identification of some of the genetic determinants of its pathogenicity require robust and practical tools for rapid molecular characterization of the various genotypes of this virus. This study was undertaken to develop a standard protocol for RT-PCR that allows the amplification of various parts of the genome of BVDV without the need for optimizing each individual reaction. The reaction set-up is very flexible because it consists of two pre-mixes. These are a master mix, with all the required reagents except the desired primers, which are the components of the second pre-mix and are therefore easily interchangeable between the different reactions. After adding any primer-containing pre-mix to the fixed master mix, a non-interrupted cycling protocol led to the generation of amplicons of up to 4 kbp in size in amounts sufficient for subsequent sequencing reactions. The method was applied to five different regions of the BVDV genome: (i) the well-known 5-UTR to differentiate genotypes I and II; (ii) the entire E2 gene, or an approximately 550 bp region within the E2 gene, in order to find the molecular equivalent of antigenic varieties; (iii) the entire structural protein coding region covering the Npro, capsid, E ^RNS, E1 and E2 genes; (iv) a 2.1 kbp region embracing the NS2/3 junction which is known to be cleaved in cytopathic biotypes of BVDV; and (v) the region covering the entire NS4B and NS5A/B genes. All six RT-PCRs were successfully applied using (i) primers with lengths of between 20 and 52 nucleotides, (ii) an aliquot of RNA extracted from either 10⁶ infected bovine embryonal lung cells or the same number of leukocytes from viraemic cattle, and (iii) all the genotype I and II strains of BVDV tested. The technique described was used to generate various Sindbis virus/BVDV recombinants. The correct processing of the amplicon-derived E2 glycoprotein of BVDV strain PT810 was demonstrated by its reaction with a monoclonal antibody in an immunofluorescence assay. Given the variety of RT-PCRs tested, we conclude that this universal protocol may be useful with other RNA viruses.     

鸡病毒性关节炎病毒C-98分离株S1基因的克隆与序列分析

提取鸡病毒性关节炎病毒（AVAV）内蒙古分离株（C-98株）总RNA，参考GenBank中禽呼肠孤病毒（ARV）S1133株S1基因序列设计了2对引物，应用RT—PCR技术扩增了病毒S1基因，将S1基因cDNA克隆到pGEM—T Easy载体后测序。将测定序列拼接后与参考毒株ARV-176、ARV-138、ARV-S1133、MDRV—YJL的S1基因序列进行了比较。结果显示，AVAV C-98分离株的S1基因与强毒株ARV-176株的同源性最高，达99．9％；与MDRV—YJL的同源性为99．3％，与弱毒疫苗株ARV—S1133的同源性也达97．9％；与ARV-138株的同源性最低，为81．2％。表明，AVAVC-98株与参考毒株的差异较小，与疫苗株ARV-S1133有很高的同源性。     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒持续感染的免疫学研究进展

牛病毒性腹泻病毒(BVDV)是危害养牛业的重要病原之一。BVDV感染能够引起广泛的临床症状,包括牛病毒性腹泻-黏膜病、持续感染、免疫耐受、繁殖障碍、血小板减少与出血综合征等。由于其病原的复杂性,给该病的控制及疫苗研制带来了一定的困难。近年来,对其免疫学的研究取得了一定进展,特别是在病原的基本免疫学特征、体液免疫、细胞免疫、免疫耐受和免疫调节方面做了深入研究,同时也在参与免疫应答的细胞因子方面做了研究,这些都为牛病毒性腹泻-黏膜病的预防和控制研究提供了新的思路。     

Disposition kinetics and dosage regimen of levofloxacin on concomitant administration with paracetamol in crossbred calves

The disposition kinetics of levofloxacin was investigated in six male crossbred calves following single intravenous administration, at a dose of 4 mg/kg body weight, into the jugular vein subsequent to a single intramuscular injection of paracetamol (50 mg/kg). At 1 min after the injection of levofloxacin, the concentration of levofloxacin in plasma was 17.2 ± 0.36 µg/ml, which rapidly declined to 6.39 ± 0.16 µg/ml at 10 min. The drug level above the MIC₉₀ in plasma, was detected for up to 10 h. Levofloxacin was rapidly distributed from blood to the tissue compartment as evidenced by the high values of the distribution coefficient, α (17.3 ± 1.65 /h) and the ratio of K₁₂/K₂₁ (1.83 ± 0.12). The values of AUC and Vd_area were 12.7 ± 0.12 µg.h/ml and 0.63 ± 0.01 l/kg. The high ratio of the AUC/MIC (126.9 ± 1.18) obtained in this study indicated the excellent antibacterial activity of levofloxacin in calves. The elimination half-life, MRT and total body clearance were 1.38 ± 0.01 h, 1.88 ± 0.01 h and 0.32 ± 0.003 l/kg/h, respectively. Based on the pharmacokinetic parameters, an appropriate intravenous dosage regimen for levofloxacin would be 5 mg/kg repeated at 24 h intervals when prescribed with paracetamol in calves.     

The Role of Vitamins and Feed Enzymes in Combating Metabolic Challenges and Disorders

The potential exists for vitamins and feed enzymes to counteract some metabolic disorders and challenges in poultry. Recent research indicates that increased levels of vitamins E and C are able to reduce ascites-related mortality in broiler chickens. Fatty liver and kidney syndrome is a nutritionally induced metabolic disorder that has been eliminated under practical production conditions due to regular supplementation of poultry diets with biotin. There is also experimental evidence for beneficial effects of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol on the incidence and severity of skeletal and performance anomalies in broilers. Another challenge is the presence of high levels of indigestible and partly soluble nonstarch polysaccharides in many cereals and other plant feed ingredients, resulting in various antinutritive effects. The use of feed enzymes, in particular endo-1,3-1,4-β-glucanase and endo-1,4-β-xylanase, to counteract these adverse effects is well implemented by the feed industry. A typical example of metabolic challenge is the reduced availability of phytate P in plant feed ingredients and the potential for phytate to act as an antinutritional component. Microbial phytase provides a practical solution for improving P availability in plant ingredients. In addition, recent studies suggest phytate can stimulate endogenous losses, and phytase can help prevent those losses.     

Monitoring the Immune Status of Broilers Against Reoviruses Using Challenge and Serologic Data

Reoviruses are an important cause of suboptimum performance in commercial broilers worldwide. Integrators use the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against the S1133 antigen for monitoring serum of breeders for indicating pullet vaccine success. However, without correlating serology to reovirus challenge, it is difficult to determine whether titers reflect protective immunity. We developed a broiler challenge test against 2 common reovirus isolates (2408 and S1133) to evaluate the efficacy of reovirus pullet vaccine programs. Two reovirus serologic and challenge studies were undertaken using chicks from broiler integrators from the southeastern United States. Breeder flocks, from which the chicks were obtained, received at least 1 live and 2 inactivated reovirus vaccines during their pullet phase. One-day-old progeny were collected from 6 breeder flocks. At 1 d of age, 20 chicks from each broiler flock were bled, and serum was analyzed for antibodies. At 3 to 4 d of age, 20 progeny per flock were challenged with the 2408 reovirus by intratracheal route. At 10 to 14 d of age, another 20 birds per flock were challenged with the S1133 reovirus by footpad. Twenty birds per flock were used as nonchallenged controls. At 3 wk of age, all birds were killed and weighed. Percentage of protection was calculated for each flock based on the absence of gross lesions. Flocks with at least 50% protection were considered well protected. Most flocks were well protected against both viruses. The percentage of protection correlated with day-old enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay titers. Chicks from younger hens had higher titers and the best protection against challenge. Producers, whose hen flocks were monitored herein, were doing a good job of immunizing pullets against reovirus. They are now using reovirus progeny challenge studies along with breeder antibody titers to determine vaccination success of their pullets.