Outpacing the resistance tsunami: Antimicrobial stewardship in equine medicine,an overview

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is the term increasingly used to describe the multiple approaches needed to sustain the efficacy of antimicrobial drugs in the face of the increasing development and spread of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens, and the global crisis in medicine that it is engendering. The concept and the practices associated with AMS continue to evolve but the general approach is a dynamic and multifaceted one of continuous improvement based on reducing, improving, monitoring and evaluating the use of antimicrobials so as to preserve their future efficacy and to protect human and animal health. Using many equine examples, this basic overview discusses the multiple and interacting elements of AMS: Practice guidelines, infection control and prevention, clinical microbiology, resistance and use surveillance, dosage, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, regulation, education and owner compliance, leadership, coordination and measurement. There have been impressive advances in recent years in reporting and analysis of AMR in horses, in the scrutiny and assessment of how antimicrobial drugs are used in horses and in identification of areas for improvement including dosing, surgical prophylaxis, infection control, development of practice standards and the use of clinical microbiology. Antimicrobial stewardship is taking shape as we start to see the emergence of evidence-based recommendations but far more is required. Containing and even rolling back AMR will need the continued engagement of practitioners, equine national and international practitioner organisations, researchers and educators in the academic community, horse owners, regulators and others.     

Pathogen Analysis of Goat's Respiratory Diseases

To investigate the pathogens of goat's respiratory disease from a goat farm in Guangxi province, the epidemiological investigation, clinic observation, pathological examination, bacterium isolation and identification, biochemical test, PCR and animal experiment test were conducted.The preventive and control measures were taken on the basis of pathogen epidemiological characteristics and drug sensitive test results.The results showed that Mycoplasma, influenza virus and parasite were negative by isolation and culture or PCR, however, two strains of gram-negative bacteria named MS1 and MS2 were isolated from lung.MS1 was identified as Serratia marcescens by biochemical test and 16S rRNA sequencing, which shared 99% nucleotide homology with other Serratia marcescens in GenBank.And MS2 was identified as E.coil by the same methods that shared 99% nucleotide homology with other E.coli in GenBank.Animal experiment showed that two strains could cause death in mice.The drug sensitive tests showed two strains were highly sensitive to spectinomycin, amikacin, kanamicin and neomycin.Kanamycin and dexamethasone were used to treat the sick goats, and achieved good results.     

Removal of a metallic foreign body from the tongue of three horses

The objective of this case report is to describe the diagnostic and surgical techniques for removal of a metallic foreign body in the tongue of three adult horses. The three horses were presented for evaluation and treatment of dysphagia and marked hypersalivation of 3–5 days duration. Radiographs of the head revealed the presence of a metallic foreign body in the tongue of each horse. The foreign bodies could be precisely localised under general anaesthesia using palpation and lingual ultrasonography and/or lingual radiography in combination with a forceps as a marker. The foreign bodies were successfully removed using laparoscopic instruments creating minimal soft tissue trauma. The use of long (43 cm) small laparoscopic (5 mm) instruments enabled good visualisation of the surgical field, providing optimal conditions for successful minimally invasive surgical treatment of horses with foreign bodies in the tongue. The three horses made uneventful recoveries and 12 months after surgery were eating normally and could be ridden with a bit as per usual routine. It was concluded that using long laparoscopic instruments in combination with palpation, ultrasonography and/or radiography allowed removal of the foreign body creating minimal soft tissue trauma and allowing optimal conditions for a fast recovery.     

草业科学在现代马业发展中的研究现状

马是人类社会发展的重要组成部分,人类种草养马历史悠久,但人们对马用饲草的认识和研究还不足,致使现代马业和草业科学发展存在严重脱节现象,影响了两者的可持续发展。因此,结合现代马业发展趋势及其对饲草的利用特点,综述了草地放牧、青干草、青贮及半干青贮饲草等在现代马业发展中的研究与实践现状,并提出了现代马业发展中草业科学存在的问题及建议,以期为保障现代马业的可持续发展提供理论指导,为拓展我国现代草业科学与技术发展空间提供参考。     

Transient bilateral blindness associated with presumptive idiopathic pachymeningitis in a 22-year-old Irish Sport Horse

A 22-year-old Irish Sport Horse presented following a period of bilateral blindness with subsequent spontaneous resolution. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated features consistent with pachymeningitis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed increased numbers of basophils, suggestive of an immunologic or neoplastic aetiology. It was suspected that the enlarged meninges led to compression of the optic nerves in the optic canals, causing bilateral blindness. Initial spontaneous remission, as seen in this case, has been reported in human patients with this condition. Pachymeningitis should be considered as a possible cause of cranial nerve deficits, including bilateral and unilateral blindness, in horses.     

Surgical treatment of a complicated distal tibia epiphyseal Salter–Harris type I fracture in a yearling

This article describes the management of a complicated distal epiphyseal Salter–Harris type I fracture of the left tibia in a yearling horse. Closed reduction and internal fixation was attempted in the first surgery using tension band wires. Due to fracture instability 2 weeks after surgery, a full-limb transfixation pin cast was applied to the tibia and maintained for 7 weeks to prevent further fracture displacement and to achieve axial alignment. The full-limb cast was maintained for a total of 12 weeks, including the time with the transfixation pin cast. Cast sores and tendon laxity resolved without further complications. Ten months after the first surgery, the fracture had radiographically healed, and the horse was sound at the walk and trot in a straight line.     

Prevention and Controlling Effect of Intercropping on Pests and Diseases and Its Risk Control in Cotton Fields

Cotton is one of the major field crops which are seriously threatened by pests and diseases. In recent years, the ecological management of cotton pests and diseases with intercropping has become to be an interesting approach. Intercropping possibly increases the population of natural enemies and finally reduces the population density of pests as a result of changes in ecological structure and environmental conditions of farmland. Intercropping thus has been considered an important alternative in controlling pests and diseases. However, cotton field intercropping also has some limitations in controlling pests and diseases. Unreasonable intercropping system has many risks such as increasing labor input, increasing the difficulty of pests’ control, and aggravating pests and diseases. In this paper, the effects and the underlying mechanisms of cotton intercropping on cotton pests and diseases were reviewed. The possible risks and countermeasures used for ecological control of intercropping were also put forward, and the future and application of ecological management of cotton pests and diseases with intercropping were prospected.     

Associations between postpartum diseases and milk yield and changes in body condition between drying off and parturition of dairy cows in Argentina

ABSTRACT

Aims: To assess the change in body condition score (BCS) during the early and late dry periods and its association with postpartum diseases and milk yield in grazing dairy cows from central Argentina.

Methods: BCS assessments during the dry period, and cow health and milk production records up to 90 days in milk (DIM), were collated for cows from 28 farms at monthly visits between 2007 and 2008. Cows were categorised into four groups; those in Group 1 (n=7,067) maintained or gained BCS during the early and late dry periods; Group 2 (n=2,615) maintained or gained BCS during the early dry period and lost BCS during the late dry period; Group 3 (n=1,989) lost BCS during the early dry period and maintained or gained BCS during the late dry period; and Group 4 (n=5,144) lost BCS during the early and late dry periods.

Results: Cows in Group 1 had reduced odds of having retained fetal membranes (RFM), metritis, and clinical mastitis up to 90 DIM than cows in Group 2 (p<0.001), but the odds of disease were similar to cows in Group 3. The odds of having RFM or clinical mastitis tended to be lower in cows in Group 1 than cows in Group 4 (p=0.08). The odds of cows being culled or dying during the first 90 DIM were lower for cows in Group 1 than for those in Groups 2, 3, and 4 (p≤0.05). Mean accumulated milk yield up to 90 DIM was higher in cows in Group 1 than Group 2 and Group 4 (p<0.001), but was similar to that of cows in Group 3 (p=0.28).

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Cows that lost BCS during the late dry period had increased odds of being diagnosed with several postpartum diseases and had decreased milk yield compared to cows that maintained or gained BCS during the entire dry period. Loss of BCS during any stage of the dry period was also associated with increased incidence of culling or death during the first 90 DIM. These results should raise awareness among dairy cattle producers of the importance of properly managing cow body condition during the dry period, especially during the late dry period.     

高温闷棚技术在大棚辣椒连作生产上的应用

为研究大棚辣椒土传病害绿色防控技术,选择不同的高温闷棚杀菌方法,以本地传统的高温炕地杀菌方法为对照,调查不同处理对地温和土壤pH值的影响,调查不同处理大棚辣椒的根结线虫、疫病、枯萎病、青枯病和根腐病的发生为害情况,测量大棚辣椒产量。结果表明,应用石灰氮、覆盖地膜和大棚膜进行高温闷棚对大棚辣椒土传病害有较好的防治效果。     

芒果采后炭疽菌Colletotrichum asianum鉴定及生物学特性研究

采用组织块分离法从采后发病芒果果肉中分离病原菌,通过形态学观察、r DNA-ITS序列和系统发育树分析对其进行鉴定,并初步研究其生物学特性。结果表明:从发病芒果中分离到的病菌T0408鉴定为Colletotrichum asianum Prihastuti,L.CaiK.D.Hyde。该菌菌丝生长的适宜温度为20~30℃、适宜pH值为5~8;环境湿度在75%~98%范围内,湿度越大,菌丝生长速度越快,在3 000 lx日光灯的光照强度下连续光照有利于菌丝的生长和产孢;孢子萌发的适宜温度为25~30℃、适宜pH值为6~8,环境湿度为75%~98%,湿度越大、在3 000 lx日光灯的光照强度下连续光照有利于孢子的萌发。