Evaluation of a Killed Vaccine Against Porcine Pleuropneumonia Due to Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae

A bacterin containing serotypes 1 and 5 of Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae was developed for the prevention and the control of porcine pleuropneumonia. It was injected intramuscularly into three groups of ten piglets, the first group with one dose, the second one with two doses and the third one with three doses at two-week intervals. Another group of ten piglets did not receive the vaccine. All the piglets were then challenged by an aerosol of mixed suspensions of H. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1 and 5. Two and three injections of vaccine completely prevented mortality, whereas half of the control piglets and of those receiving only one dose of vaccine died. All surviving piglets, both control and vaccinated, had severe signs of respiratory disease for at least 36 hours after exposure to challenge. Moreover, vaccination did not induce the production of antibodies at high titers. Local reactions were not noted after vaccination and at postmortem; ten weeks after the challenge, there were no signs of abscess formation or induration.     

Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic piglets in the Province of Quebec.

During 1972 to 1974, 112 Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic piglets were recieved from different parts of the Province of Quebec, Canada. Fifty-six strains elicited a positive gut loop response in three week old piglets and were then considered as Moon's class 1 enteropathogens, while four of the 56 remaining strains reacted only in ten day old piglets and were classified as class 2 enteropathogens. Forty-eight strains produced both a heat-labile and a heat-stable enterotoxin, while 12 isolates which included the four class 2 enteropathogens produced only a heat-stable enterotoxin. Fifty-one enterotoxigenic strains could be serogrouped using OK antisera against E. coli strains commonly associated with colibacillosis in piglets. The most common serogroups encountered were O157: K "V17"; 88a,c, O149:K91; 88a.c. O157:K"V1c, O149:K91; 88a.c, O157:K"V17"; 88 a,c or a,b and O45:K"E5"; 88a,c. No significant difference was observed in the fermentation patterns, antibiotic susceptibility, colicin production, production of a filterable hemolysin and transferable tetracycline resistance between the enterotoxigenic and the nonenterotoxigenic strains.     

PCR Assay for Identification of Aspergillus Carbonarius and Aspergillus Japonicus

Black Aspergilli, and in particular Aspergillus carbonarius, are the main causes of contamination of grapes and their by-products by ochratoxin A. A PCR-based method was developed to detect DNA of A. carbonarius and A. japonicus. Two pairs of primers (CARBO1/2 and JAPO1/2) designed from the calmodulin gene, produced PCR products of 371 and 583 bp for A. carbonarius and A. japonicus, respectively. Primer specificity was tested with DNA of 107 strains belonging to Aspergillus section Nigri isolated mostly from grapes in Europe. The sensitivity of primers CARBO1/2 and JAPO1/2 was 12.5 pg when using pure total genomic DNA of the two species. The developed primers provide a powerful tool for detection of the main ochratoxigenic producing Aspergillus species in grapes.     

Can treatment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachiaria decumbens</Emphasis> (signal grass) improve its utilisation in the diet in small ruminants?—a review

Brachiaria decumbens is an extremely productive tropical grass due to its aggressive growth habit and its adaptation to a varied range of soil types and environments. As a result of the vast availability, treated B. decumbens demonstrates as a promising local material that could be utilised as an improved diet for sheep and goats. Despite the fact that the grass significantly increases weight gains in grazing farm animals, there were many reports of general ill-thrift and sporadic outbreaks of photosensitivity in livestock due to the toxic compound of steroidal saponin found in B. decumbens. Ensiling and haymaking were found to be effective in removing toxin and undesirable compounds in the grass. Biological treatments using urea, activated charcoal, polyethylene glycol, and effective microorganisms were found to be useful in anti-nutritional factor deactivation and improving the nutritive values of feedstuffs. Besides, oral administration of phenobarbitone showed some degree of protection in sheep that fed on B. decumbens pasture. In this review, we aim to determine the effect of B. decumbens toxicity and possible treatment methods on the grass to be used as an improved diet for small ruminant.