Laboratory diagnosis and disease occurrence in the current African swine fever eradication program in Spain, 1989–1991

The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of decline and geographical distribution by municipality of clinical and subclinical African swine fever (ASF) in the affected areas of Spain. A second aim was to evaluate the performance of diagnostic tests in the Spanish ASF eradication program. Clinical outbreaks were confirmed using both the direct and indirect immunofluorescence test (and if both were negative, by the hemabsorption test). The serological status of swine was determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and suspect serum samples were confirmed by the immunoblot assay.

The number of clinical outbreaks (herds) of ASF for 1989, 1990 and 1991 was 170, 347 and 207, respectively. The numbers of municipalities within each affected province experiencing acute outbreaks for the same time periods were 49, 69 and 48, respectively. Serologically diagnosed animals positive for ASF were 1.1% of animals tested in 1989, 0.5% in 1990 and 0.8% in 1991. The corresponding positive predictive values of the standard ELISA test used were 99.0, 97.9 and 98.8, respectively. Similarly, the number of municipalities within each affected province experiencing serologically positive subclinically infected animals was 269, 178 and 147 for each of the years 1989, 1990 and 1991, respectively.     

Comparative histological study of the reproductive system of the female llama (Lama guanicoe glama). I. Ovary]

In the present study a cytological, histological and morphometrical comparison between the ovaries of the llama, the cow and the sheep is presented, at two phases of the ovarian cycle. There were found differences in the amount of primordial and primary follicles, the size of secondary follicles and follicular cells, and type and distribution of the connective tissue inside the stroma of the ovary. It would be necessary to study the fine structure of the ovary and the so-called "embryological remnants", for its permanent appearance in most (50%) of the ovaries.     

Effect of prostagladin F2 alpha on the bovine fetal ruminal wall in vitro

Strips of rumen wall from bovine fetuses were incubated in an organ bath with prostaglandin F₂ alpha (0.13 to 33.76 g/ml). The highest reactivity with a submaximal dose (17.03 g/ml) was observed in the period between 3.0 and 7.9 months of fetal age. A smaller response, but higher than in 1.0 to 2.9 months old fetuses, was observed in the 8.0 to 8.9 months fetuses. The period of the highest reactivity to prostaglandin F₂ alpha coincides with the age of onset of papillary morphogenesis and the period of highest reactivity to autonomic and putative transmitter drugs.     

Extension of fresh-cut “Blanquilla” pear (Pyrus communis L.) shelf-life by 1-MCP treatment after harvest

‘Blanquilla’ pears processed as fresh-cut products are highly sensitive to browning and softening. Common postharvest methods, such as the use of antibrowning compounds and/or modified atmosphere packaging, fail to preserve ‘Blanquilla’ pear slices long enough to be marketable. However, treatment with 1-MCP before cutting and peeling considerably improved their textural properties (9.2 N vs. 1.1 N with and without 1-MCP treatment, respectively) and color (a* values of 1 vs. 5 after 15 d at 4 °C, for slices pear treated with 1-MCP and without treatment, respectively). These positive changes were closely related to a decrease in respiratory activity determined on whole pears after 3 months of storage in air at 0 ± 1 °C and 95% R.H. (0.40 ± 0.05 mmol CO₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ vs. 0.77 ± 0.04 mmol CO₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ with and without 1-MCP treatment, respectively) and ethylene production (1.18 ± 0.36 nmol C₂H₄ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ vs. 5.751 ± 1.12 nmol C₂H₄ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ for samples treated with and without 1-MCP, respectively). The use of 1-MCP allows fresh-cut ‘Blanquilla’ pears to be sold up to about 5 d after processing. Treatment with 1-MCP could be a viable alternative to common technologies for extending the shelf-life of ‘Blanquilla’ pears as a fresh-cut product.     

Characterization of cider apples on the basis of their fatty acid profiles

In the current study, the fatty acids composition of 30 monovarietal apple juices from six cider apple varieties belonging to two categories was analyzed. The different apple juices were obtained from three consecutive harvests (1997, 1998, and 1999). The fatty acids concentration in apple juice together with chemometric techniques such as principal components analysis (PCA), soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), allowed us to differentiate apple juices on the basis of the sweet or sharp category to which the cider apple variety belongs. Fatty acids such as the unsaturated oleic and linoleic acids, and saturated caprylic, capric, stearic, and palmitic acids were related to the sweet cider apple category, while pentadecanoic acid is related to the sharp class.     

Molecular typing of Streptococcus agalactiae isolates from fish

The genetic variability among Streptococcus agalactiae isolates recovered from fish was characterized using single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of the intergenic spacer region (ISR), and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting. A total of 46 S. agalactiae cultures isolated from different fish species and geographic origins as well as related reference strains were included in the study. ISR-SSCP divided the S. agalactiae isolates analysed into five distinct genotypes. Genotype 1 grouped all Kuwait isolates while genotype 4 clustered the majority of non-Kuwait isolates (USA, Brazil and Honduras). AFLP analysis offered a higher resolution level by dividing the isolates into 13 different genotypes. Two different AFLP profiles were identified within the Kuwait isolates. When data from both ISR-SSCP and AFLP were combined through a multidimensional analysis (MDS), a good correlation between geographical origin and genotypes was observed. Both AFLP and ISR-SSCP revealed genetic differences between S. agalactiae isolates from fish. While AFLP offered a higher resolution, ISR-SSCP also provided valid information being a simpler and faster method.     

Intra- and interspecific phenotypic characteristics of fish-pathogenic Edwardsiella ictaluri and E. tarda

Intra‐ and interspecific characteristics of fish‐pathogenic Edwardsiella ictaluri, and E. tarda were determined by numerical analysis of gel electrophoresed protein profiles, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and immunoblotting. The 18 E. ictaluri isolates revealed a high degree of homogeneity (70% similarity or higher) in their protein profiles and 95% similarity in their FAME, while the nine E. tarda isolates revealed 30% similarity in their protein profiles and 95% similarity in their FAME. Immunoblots probed for antigenic epitopes with goat antiserum produced against E. ictaluri and E. tarda, respectively, revealed that E. ictaluri were more homogeneous compared with the E. tarda isolates. Overall, there was a considerable degree of relatedness between the two species. Our findings suggest that phenotypically E. ictaluri represents a clonal bacterial population structure compared with the less monomorphic E. tarda.     

Bursaphelenchus fungivorus (Nematoda: Aphelenchida) associated with Orthotomicus erosus (Coleoptera: Scolitydae) in Spain

A survey of the xylophagous insects in the conifer forests, mainly Pinus pinaster woodlands, in Spain was carried out in order to study the phoretic vectors of nematodes of the genus Bursaphelenchus. Fifteen environmental sites were characterized on the bases of altitude, rainfall, temperature and conifer species. Specimens of Orthotomicus erosus (n = 3476) were captured of which 59% carried nematodes under their elytrous, most of them were aphelenchid fungal‐feeding nematodes, but B. fungivorus was found on the beetles from Las Cumbres, Villa Blanca, (Huelva), southern Spain, which represent the first record of O. erosus as vector of a Bursaphelenchus sp. The nematode is characterized by morphometric and biomolecular techniques and distribution and ecology of the insect is discussed.     

Pigmentation, carotenoids, lipid peroxides and lipid composition of skin of red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) fed diets supplemented with different astaxanthin sources

A feeding experiment was carried out to determine the efficiency of different commercial sources, chemical forms and levels, of dietary astaxanthin, to appropriately pigment the red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) skin. According to this, total carotenoid content, profiles and chemical forms present in the skin were determined. In order to establish the potential for antioxidant protecting role of astaxanthin supplemented diets, peroxide levels and lipid composition of skin were also determined.

Red porgy alevins were fed six dietary treatments in triplicate; a basal diet (B) without carotenoids; two diets (N25 and N50) formulated to supply either 25 or 50 mg kg^− 1 of an esterified source of astaxanthin (Haematococcus pluvialis, NatuRose™); two diets (CP25 and CP50) with either 25 or 50 mg kg^− 1 of unesterified astaxanthin (Carophyll® Pink); and a positive control diet (B + S) proved as a successful pigmenting-diet in previous experiences (B + S, 88% basal diet:12% frozen shrimp) [Cejas, J., Almansa, E., Tejera, N., Jerez, S., Bolaños, A., Lorenzo, A., 2003. Effect of dietary supplementation with shrimp on skin pigmentation and lipid composition of red porgy (P. pagrus) alevins. Aquaculture 218, 457–469].

All fish fed carotenoid supplemented diets displayed a pink-coloured skin after 4 months of feeding in contrast to the greyish appearance displayed by fish fed the basal diet not supplemented with carotenoids (B). Furthermore, astaxanthin diesters were the major carotenoid in the skin of pink fish. A second carotenoid, tentatively identified as tunaxanthin diester, was also detected. The best results in terms of skin natural reddish hue, total carotenoid and astaxanthin contents were found by using the esterified forms of dietary astaxanthin (N25, N50 and B + S). Interestingly, the lowest levels of lipid peroxides were found in the fish fed these three treatments. However, no effect of treatment on lipid composition was found. In conclusion, red porgy alevins are able to efficiently utilise dietary natural or synthetic astaxanthin, and deposit this pigment in its esterified form to acquire an acceptable pink-coloured skin compared to that of the wild fish.     

Total vertebrectomy for stabilisation of chronic spinal lumbar luxation in a paraplegic dog without nociception

An adult male crossbred dog was referred with a history of a road traffic accident that took place 1 month earlier. Neurological examination revealed paraplegia with absent nociception in the pelvic limbs. On epaxial palpation, significant curvature of the anatomical axis of the spine between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae was observed, with the presence of a bone end almost piercing the dog's skin. Survey radiographs of the lumbar spine revealed severe dislocation between L3 and L4 vertebrae. During surgery, the spinal cord was not visible between the dislocated segments. Because of difficulties in reducing the lumbar luxation during surgery, vertebrectomy and vertebral shortening were performed. After alignment between vertebrae L3 and L5, eight cortical orthopaedic screws and bone cement were used for fixation. After 30 days, the dog started to use a wheelchair and was considered by its owner to have a good quality of life with no evidence of pain. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case of severe luxation treated by total vertebrectomy and spine shortening in a dog. This surgery can be considered as an option in the management of severe spine luxation when the spinal cord is physically transected.