Veterinary Medicine and Science最新文献

Background: The study of the epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile in populations is greatly facilitated by the ability to isolate and further characterize individual organisms, which requires effective culture protocols. In cattle, where little is known about the epidemiology of C. difficile, no studies have assessed or compared the performance of different assays for detecting C. difficile.

Objectives: This study compared two culture protocols for detecting C. difficile in bovine faeces from 121 gestating cows and 70 of their neonatal calves, while situating results obtained with each protocol relative to those obtained with shotgun metagenomic sequencing.

Methods: Protocol 1 involved direct plating enrichment onto taurocholine-cycloserine-cefoxitin-fructose agar (TCCFA), while Protocol 2 included an ethanol shock step before plating on CCFA/ChromID agar. For both protocols, one aliquot underwent broth enrichment prior to plating, while the other aliquot did not.

Results: Clostridioides difficile was detected following broth enrichment in two of the same calf samples using both protocols, and an additional cow sample was found to be positive with Protocol 2, though the difference in detection rates was not statistically significant (p = 1.0).

Conclusions: The detection of C. difficile in a much high number of these samples by shotgun metagenomics, albeit at low levels of relative abundance, suggests that neither of these culture protocols is sensitive when levels of abundance are low.

Background: There is a lack of data on the validation and diagnostic performance of the Freestyle Optium Neo-H (Freestyle) and Centrivet GK (Centrivet) devices for the diagnosis of hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia and hyperketonaemia in goats.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to validate the Freestyle and Centrivet for the analysis of whole blood beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) and to validate the Freestyle for the analysis of whole blood glucose concentrations using the reference method (RM) in goat blood collected from the jugular and ear veins.

Methods: Venous blood samples were utilised to assess glucose and BHBA concentrations using the Freestyle, Centrivet and RM. The cut-off point of BHBA was ≥ 0.8 mmol/L for hyperketonaemia. A total of 198 paired blood samples (vena jugularis and ear vein) were collected from 99 hair goats. The cut-off point for hypoglycaemia diagnosis was < 49 mg/dL.

Results: There were proportional but no constant errors between RM and Freestyle and Centrivet for BHBA, and both proportional and constant errors were observed for glucose analysis. The mean bias for BHBA analysis was 0.14 and 0.06 mmol/L (Freestyle-RM) 0.51 and 0.16 mmol/L (Centrivet-RM) for jugular and ear veins, respectively. The mean bias for blood glucose analysis was 0.0 and 5.6 mg/L between Freestyle and RM in the jugular and ear veins, respectively. The sensitivity (Centrivet: 50%-61.3%; Freestyle: 93.6%-75.8%) and specificity (Centrivet GK: 75.7%-73%; Freestyle: 37.8%-70.3%) were determined in jugular and ear vein blood for hyperketonaemia diagnostics, respectively. The AUC of Freestyle was 0.89 and 0.95 in the jugular and ear vein for hypoglycaemia, respectively. The sensitivity of Freestyle was 60.3% and 96.8% in the jugular and ear vein for hypoglycaemia. The specificity of Freestyle was 100.0% and 76.7% for hypoglycaemia in jugular and ear veins, respectively.

Conclusions: Freestyle demonstrated acceptable diagnostic performance for hypoglycaemia in ear veins, but neither Freestyle nor Centrivet showed sufficient diagnostic performance for hyperketonaemia. Both analysers were not interchangeable with RM in BHBA and glucose analysis.

This study aimed to compare the inhibitory effect of flunixin meglumine and meloxicam on the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract in male cattle. Tissue samples, including the abomasum, ileum, proximal loop and centripetal gyri of the ascending colon, were collected from routinely slaughtered male cattle. These samples were sectioned into strips and mounted in an isolated tissue bath system. Smooth muscle contractions were evoked using carbachol, and cumulative doses of atropine, flunixin meglumine and meloxicam were administered to assess smooth muscle activity. Atropine, used as a positive control, did not abolish contractions in the abomasum and centripetal gyri tissues, even at a high concentration of 10 µM. Based on area-under-curve values, flunixin meglumine demonstrated a greater inhibitory effect than meloxicam by factors of 8.57, 4.28, 12.44 and 3.93 in the abomasum, ileum, proximal loop and centripetal gyri tissues, respectively. For beats-per-minute values, flunixin meglumine exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect than meloxicam by factors of 7.22, 3.88, 7.03 and 3.35 in the abomasum, ileum, proximal loop and centripetal gyri tissues, respectively. Finally, based on peak maximum values, flunixin meglumine's inhibitory effect was 6.13, 4.43, 7.07 and 7.02 times greater than that of meloxicam in the abomasum, ileum, proximal loop and centripetal gyri tissues, respectively. In conclusion, flunixin meglumine was more potent than meloxicam in inhibiting smooth muscle activity. Conversely, meloxicam is associated with fewer adverse effects due to its selective action on the cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme. However, flunixin meglumine may be more advantageous than meloxicam for applications in beef and milk production due to its shorter residue elimination time.

Objectives: Vomiting is frequently observed in cats after dexmedetomidine administration. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of different antiemetics in preventing vomiting in cats after dexmedetomidine administration.

Methods: Sixty-four cats were randomly allocated to receive saline solution (0.9% NaCl, 0.1 mL/kg, SC), maropitant (1 mg/kg, SC), ondansetron (0.22 mg/kg, IM) or metoclopramide (1 mg/kg, IM) 30 min before the intramuscular administration of dexmedetomidine (25 µg/kg). Duration of vomiting, severity of vomiting and nausea signs (sialorrhoea, lip licking, retching and vomiting) was recorded for 30 min after dexmedetomidine administration.

Results: The duration and severity of vomiting were significantly reduced in groups that received maropitant, ondansetron or metoclopramide compared to the saline group. Although differences were observed in retching and vomiting between the saline and other groups (p < 0.001), there were no significant differences in sialorrhoea or lip licking (p = 0.34 and p = 0.12, respectively).

Conclusions: Maropitant, ondansetron and metoclopramide were found to significantly reduce retching and vomiting compared to the control group. In conclusion, no significant difference was found among maropitant, ondansetron and metoclopramide groups in the prevention of dexmedetomidine-induced vomiting in cats.

Hamartoma is characterized by the abnormal proliferation of cells and tissues within the originating organ. Apocrine hamartoma (AH) affecting the skin, especially in the perianal area, has not yet been reported in dogs. A 7-year-old neutered male Poodle presented with multiple perianal papules and pruritus. Histopathological examination revealed significant enlargement of the apocrine glands and ducts, accompanied by mononuclear cell infiltration that extended into the subcutis. Given the location, number, depth and extent of the lesion, CO₂ laser ablation was chosen over surgical resection. Complete recovery was observed at the surgical site 1 month after treatment, and pruritic symptoms were markedly reduced. CO₂ laser ablation is a relatively safe and effective palliative treatment for perianal AH in dogs.

Dog bites are a source of zoonotic infections to humans, such as pasteurellosis and meningitis. Zoonotic bacterial identification and their antibiotic susceptibility assessment are key towards the successful management of such infections. This study isolated and identified zoonotic bacterial species from the oral cavities of indigenous dogs and also determined their antibiotic susceptibility profile. Oral swab samples collected from 54 indigenous dogs (domestic [36] and stray [18]) were cultured on agar media, and then on selective-differential media. The colony morphology and conventional biochemical tests were used to identify the bacterial isolates. Antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. A total of 232 bacterial isolates were obtained, from which 29 bacteria species (18 Gram-negative and 11 Gram-positive) belonging to 19 genera and 13 families were identified. Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria species constituted 69% and 31%, respectively. The most prevalent bacteria species was Staphylococcus aureus (10.8%) followed by Escherichia coli (9.5%), while Yersinia enterocolitica (0.4%) was the least common. Most bacteria species belonged to family Enterobacteriaceae (11) followed by Vibrionaceae (04). All the sampled dogs had a number of multi-drug-resistant superbugs in their oral cavities. However, all the tested bacterial isolates were only susceptible to imipenem and chloramphenicol. All the identified bacteria species were resistant to metronidazole, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ceftazidime. Therefore, antibiotics such as imipenem and chloramphenicol could be of better choice for managing dog bite infections compared to the antibiotics recommended by Uganda Clinical Guidelines, such as metronidazole and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.

Background: Fasciolosis is a prevalent disease that significantly impairs the health and productivity of cattle and causes significant economic damage. Beyond the individually available studies with varying prevalence rates, there are no pooled national prevalence studies on bovine fasciolosis. Therefore, the current study aims to determine the pooled prevalence and economic significance of fasciolosis among cattle in Ethiopia.

Methods: Cochrane's Q, inverse variance (I²), sensitivity analysis, funnel plots, Begg's and Egger's regression tests were used to assess heterogeneity and publication bias. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled burden of fasciolosis among cattle.

Results: The pooled prevalence of fasciolosis among cattle was 28.02% (7626/27,604) with (95% CI: 24.77%-31.26%). About 25.58% (3200/12,639) with (95% CI: 20.89, 30.27) and 30.45% (4426/14,965) with (95% CI: 26.05, 34.85) were found to harbour Fasciola through coprological inspection and post-mortem examination, respectively. Among a total of 14,965 livers of slaughtered cattle examined in municipal abattoirs, Fasciola hepatica (54.43%) was the predominant fluke identified compared to Fasciola gigantica (23.21%). Mixed infections of both species and unidentified immature flukes were detected in 15.04% and 7.02% of the affected livers, respectively. Regarding the severity of the pathological lesions observed, 35.08%, 49.31% and 15.61% of the livers were mildly, moderately and seriously infested, respectively. The total annual economic significance of fasciolosis among cattle from 21 reported studies was approximately 43,240,653.2 ETB (US$4,069,100.649). Increasing and decreasing trends of pooled fasciolosis prevalence were observed from 2010 to 2023 in coprological examination and post-partum inspection, respectively.

Conclusion: Therefore, bovine fasciolosis requires integrated control methods to address its influence on animal health and economic impact.

Background: Isoproterenol (ISO) is a nonselective beta-adrenergic receptor agonist known for its vasodilatory effects. This experiment aims to investigate whether intrauterine ISO administration could alter vascular indices and follicular development in postpartum Holstein cows.

Objectives: The objectives are to evaluate the effects of intrauterine ISO administration on vascular changes and its impact on follicular development compared to placebo groups.

Study design: This randomized controlled study was conducted on 36 Holstein cows selected based on their health status, including only those free from reproductive, metabolic and infectious disorders.

Methods: The cows (n = 36) were divided into two groups as control received distilled water alone (CON, n = 18) and experiment received 4 mg ISO in 40 mL distilled water (ISO, n = 18) and four subgroups as CON-I (n = 9), CON-II (n = 9), ISO-I (n = 9) and ISO-II (n = 9) according to days of intrauterine administration (I or II represents to 1 or 2 days after ovulation, respectively). Uterine and ovarian artery blood flows were assessed before and after administration by Doppler ultrasonography. Blood samples were collected both before and after administration (on Day 1 or 2) and on Days 3, 6 and 9 post-ovulation for hormonal analysis. Antral follicle count (AFC) was recorded on the blood sampling days. Data were analysed via mixed model ANOVA.

Results: Intrauterine ISO administration significantly increased the pulse rate (PR) in the ovaries (89.4 vs. 65.5 bpm, p < 0.0001) and uterus (90.6 vs. 64.2 bpm, p < 0.0001). Early AFC (1-2.9 mm) decreased, whereas small AFC (3-4.9 mm) increased in the ISO groups. The weighted average antral follicle size (WAAFS) significantly increased in the ISO group but remained unchanged in the controls. Hormonal analysis revealed elevated levels of FSH (626 vs. 468 mIU/mL), AMH (61.3 vs. 46.4 ng/L), E2 (138 vs. 122 ng/L), P4 (15.3 vs. 10.6 ng/mL), IGF-1 (62.6 vs. 25.1 ng/mL) and IGFBP-3 (28.4 vs. 16.5 ng/mL) in the ISO groups (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: The findings indicate that intrauterine administration of ISO on Day 1 post-ovulation could be a promising 'adjunct technique' for future research focussed on minimizing dependence on exogenous hormones or improving the sensitivity of follicles to endogenous hormonal signals, thereby potentially enhancing oocyte yield.

Genomic and evolutionary analysis of epidemic porcine hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the Tibetan Plateau was performed. Faecal samples were collected from 216 Tibetan pigs and 78 Tibetan Yorkshire (Large White) and 53 tissue samples from Yorkshire from the Linzhi City slaughterhouse. Total RNA was extracted from faeces and fragments of HEV open reading frame 2 (ORF2) detected by reverse transcription and nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR) and cloned. Twenty-three samples (23/347; 6.63%) were positive for the virus, including 6.94% (15/216) Tibetan pig and 6.11% (8/131) Yorkshire samples. No tissue samples tested positive for the virus. Cloned sequences were uploaded to GenBank (accession numbers: OR392679-OR392685, OR355817-OR355824 and OR909495-OR909502) and a phylogenetic tree constructed. The entire viral genome was amplified using primers for the 5-month-old Tibetan pig sequence which confirmed that the strain belonged to HEV type 4, subtype d (GenBank accession number: OQ981960) and showed 93.30% homology with Sichuan Tibetan pig sequence, MK410044. Bayesian tree analysis showed that the earliest divergence was in 1999 and evidence of homologous recombination was found. Genomic and evolutionary analysis of HEV in the Tibetan Plateau is presented. The importance of continuous surveillance and genomic analysis of HEV is highlighted, especially in regions like the Tibetan Plateau where new strains may emerge. The findings contribute to our understanding of HEV's genetic diversity, evolutionary history and potential risks to animal and human health.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a cestode infection of significant public health and economic importance. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence of small ruminant CE and associated risk factors in Ethiopia. The published literature written in English from 01 January 2000 to 30 December 2019 was searched from electronic databases and eligible reports that fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 1140 records were identified, of which 23 reports met the eligibility criteria. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used to pool the prevalence estimations, and a subgroup meta-analysis was utilized to compare the pooled prevalence of CE among the species, age group and sex of the studied animals. The pooled estimated small ruminant CE prevalence was 20.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.7, 22.3) in Ethiopia, and there was significant heterogeneity among the studies (p < 0.05). The pooled prevalence was higher for sheep, 24.3% (18.5, 30.1), compared to goats, 18.5% (14.5, 22.6), and in adults than young animals. The results of the present analysis suggested a high prevalence of CE at the national level. CE has a significant economic impact due to organ condemnation and production losses and poses a serious public health risk. Effective control requires public awareness, improved slaughterhouse practices, stray dog population management and integrated surveillance and control programmes involving veterinary, public health and environmental sectors. Such synthesis reports are believed to be useful in influencing policymakers towards designing effective prevention and control policies and strategies.