Veterinary Record Open最新文献

Background: Ticks are vectors of disease-causing pathogens that pose a serious threat to animals and people. Dogs and cats are exposed to tick infestation in multiple ways and can easily transport infected ticks into domestic environments and potentially transfer them to people. Pet owners are at increased risk of picking up ticks from their pets and developing tickborne diseases. This study aims to detect the presence of pathogens of potential public health interest in ticks removed from cats and dogs in Tuscany, Italy.

Methods: The collected ticks were screened for the presence of protozoan (Theileria species and Babesia species) and bacterial (Rickettsia species, Anaplasma species, Ehrlichia species, Chlamydia species, Bartonella species and Coxiella burnetii) pathogens using PCR.

Results: PCR and sequencing analysis revealed that 3 per cent of the ticks were PCR-positive for the presence of Rickettsia helvetica DNA, 5 per cent of ticks were PCR-positive for Bartonella henselae DNA, and 46 per cent of ticks were PCR-positive for Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia abortus DNA. None of the examined ticks was PCR-positive for Theileria species, Babesia species, Anaplasma species, Ehrlichia canis or Coxiella burnetii DNA.

Conclusion: The results of this preliminary study highlight the importance of monitoring companion animals as indicators to evaluate the health status of their owners. Preventive measures are necessary to limit the spread of zoonotic pathogens from companion animals to people within the home environment.

Background: Biosecurity is a key measure to reduce and prevent the introduction of diseases to farms and minimise spread of diseases within a herd. The aim of the study was to characterise the current application of biosecurity measures on dairy cattle farms in Spain along with their bovine viral diarrhoea and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis status.

Methods: Data on biosecurity measures for 124 dairy herds were collected using a questionnaire. The sanitary status of these farms for bovine viral diarrhoea and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis was also assessed using antibody ELISA. Data were analysed using multiple correspondence analysis and a two-step cluster analysis.

Results: Three main clusters of farms were identified: clusters 1 and 2 included herds of small and intermediate sizes. These, particularly cluster 1, showed the most deficiencies in the control of vehicles and visitors. However, laboratory tests were always performed on purchased animals. Cluster 3 had the largest herd sizes, with somewhat better biosecurity control of vehicles and visitors. However, farms in this cluster also purchased the most animals, sometimes without testing, and hired external workers more often.

Conclusion: The study indicated that, in the study population, there are serious shortcomings in the application of biosecurity measures on dairy farms, exposing them to disease transmission. This survey also highlights regional and herd size-related differences in the implementation of biosecurity. Collecting data is an important first step to identification of specific weaknesses in different farm typologies, and an adequate follow-up is needed to ensure that measures are implemented correctly on farms.

Background: Copper is frequently used as an algicide, and copper ion generators such as the Aquascape IonGen claim to be safe for use in systems containing fish. In 2012, a die-off of koi (Cyprinus carpio) in a pond in Raleigh, North Carolina, occurred after the IonGen was added to the system.

Methods: Physical and postmortem examinations suggested that heavy metal toxicity was the likely cause of morbidity and mortality. This was supported by a heavy metal screening of the owners' pond. Additional experiments were performed to determine if the IonGen produced toxic levels of copper and zinc.

Results: The tank containing the IonGen had higher concentrations of copper and zinc, and copper levels exceeded those associated with toxicity in both hard and soft water.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that ion generators might not be safe for fish, and copper should only be used as an algicide if concentrations are closely monitored.

Background: Platelet transfusion is indicated for haemorrhage due to severe thrombocytopenia and for trauma associated coagulopathy. Febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions are a common complication of platelet transfusions in people and may be due to accumulated inflammatory cytokines. The present study aimed to determine the cytokine profile of a novel canine lyophilised platelet product following reconstitution, to assess the lyophilised platelets' activation response to physiological platelet agonists and to compare the cytokine profiles of basal and stimulated canine lyophilised platelets.

Methods: Cell counts and biochemical analyses were conducted following reconstitution. Cytokine concentrations were measured with a canine-specific multiplex immunocapture assay and with an electrochemiluminescent ELISA. Aliquots of reconstituted product from three separate vials were activated for 10 minutes under non-stirred conditions using adenosine diphosphate, thrombin or convulxin and their cytokine concentrations compared with unactivated samples. Flow cytometry and light-transmission aggregometry were used to evaluate the product's ability to express a procoagulant surface, degranulate and aggregate. Fresh platelet-rich plasma was used as a positive control.

Results: The product had a mean±SD particle count of 1.23±0.2×10⁹/ml, contained platelets that expressed surface phosphatidylserine before agonist stimulation and was capable of aggregation in response to thrombin stimulation suggesting that the product may have haemostatic potential following in vivo administration. Cytokine concentrations measured by the immunocapture assay were generally low, while twofold to threefold increases relative to published intervals were noted for several cytokines using the ELISA. Concentrations of chemokine (C-X-C) motif ligand 8 and tumour necrosis factor-α were significantly increased as measured by the ELISA, but not by the immunocapture assay, while concentrations of KC-like were significantly increased as measured by the immunocapture assay. Stimulation with platelet agonists did not affect measured cytokine concentrations.

Conclusion: Further study of the effects of administration of this lyophilised platelet product is warranted.

Background: Gadoxetate sodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA) is taken into hepatocytes and excreted into the bile. Hepatocytes with reduced function or dysfunction due to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatitis or hepatic fibrosis show impaired Gd-EOB-DTPA uptake. The purpose of the present retrospective case series was to assess the relationship between liver function and contrast enhancement using Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI.

Methods: Sixteen dogs with a histopathological diagnosis of liver disease, including six with HCC, three with nodular hyperplasia, two with hepatocellular adenoma, two with liver fibrosis and three with hepatitis were included in the study along with three dogs with suspected liver disease but no histopathological diagnosis of liver disease. Relative signal intensities (RSI) of the common bile duct and gall bladder were calculated, and their relationship with the following serum biochemical parameters was assessed: total bilirubin, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and albumin (Alb). To assess anatomical liver function, relative contrast enhancement indices (RCEI) of the liver were calculated, and differences were assessed between normal and diseased liver.

Results: RSI showed no significant differences between dogs without and with a histopathological diagnosis of liver disease (P=0.88) although they were significantly correlated with Alb (ρ=0.57, P=0.02) in dogs with a histopathological diagnosis of liver disease. RCEI was significantly higher in normal liver tissue than that in livers with hepatitis/fibrosis (P=0.048) and HCC (P=0.03) but not nodular hyperplasia/hepatocellular adenoma (P=0.51).

Conclusions: Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI may be potentially useful in the assessment of anatomical liver function in dogs with liver disease.

Background: This is a pilot study to evaluate the effects of fentanyl on intraocular pressure (IOP) and pupil size (PS) in dogs premedicated with medetomidine and methadone.

Methods: Sixteen dogs with a median (first quartile-third quartile) age of 3.5 (1.25-6) years and a mean (sd) weight of 18.6 (9.2) kg were included. Baseline readings of IOP and PS were recorded before all dogs were premedicated intramuscularly with medetomidine (10 µg/kg) and methadone (0.5 mg/kg). Both measurements were repeated 15 and 30 minutes later. Following this, the dogs were randomly assigned into two groups. The fentanyl group received intravenous fentanyl (10 µg/kg), while the control group received the same volume of saline solution intravenously. IOP and PS measurements were measured and recorded in both groups at one, five and ten minutes after intravenous injection. Data were analysed with one-way and two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance or their non-parametric equivalents.

Results: PS was significantly decreased 15 and 30 minutes following intramuscular premedication and IOP was significantly increased in the fentanyl group at all time points following intravenous administration.

Conclusions: Medetomidine, methadone and fentanyl combinations are not recommended for use in patients where an increase in IOP or decrease in PS is undesirable.

Objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein used in multiple canine inflammatory conditions including steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis, immune-mediated polyarthritis and bronchopneumonia. The aim of this study was to assess whether serum CRP is elevated in cases of diskospondylitis.

Methods: Medical records from 2010 to 2019 were searched to identify dogs diagnosed with diskospondylitis based on findings consistent on CT or MRI and with CRP tested.

Results: A total of 16 dogs met the inclusion criteria. All cases had back pain. Fourteen cases had elevated CRP, with a median value of 100.7 mg/l (reference range for CRP values: 0-10 mg/l), 12 were pyrexic and six had leucocytosis. The two dogs with normal CRP were normothermic and did not have leucocytosis. CRP was measured four to six weeks into antimicrobial treatment in eight of 14 dogs and was normal in all cases. One dog developed a suspected bacterial empyema diagnosed on MRI; this occurred two weeks after antibiotic treatment was discontinued based on a normal CRP level at follow-up.

Conclusions: Serum CRP is elevated in cases of diskospondylitis and may be clinically more useful to screen dogs with back pain than pyrexia or leucocytosis alone. Further long-term clinical evaluation in a prospective study is needed to assess its use as a treatment monitoring tool and in decision making.

Background: In 2015, in Switzerland the Suissano Health Programme was implemented in pig production to improve transparency for antimicrobial usage (AMU) and to reduce the usage of fluoroquinolones (FQ), macrolides and cephalosporins, representing highest priority critically important antimicrobials.

Methods: In the presented cohort study, the impact of the Suissano programme on the AMU of 291 pig farms between 2016 and 2017 was investigated. AMU was calculated in total numbers of defined course doses (nDCDch) for all farms in the programme. For each single farm the nDCDch/animal/year was determined for four different age categories (suckling piglets, weaned piglets, fattening pigs, sows) as well as each antimicrobial substance separately. Trends between 2016 and 2017 were investigated for all farms as well as the 25 per cent with the highest usage of antimicrobials (high users) separately.

Results: Total AMU measured in nDCDch declined by 23 per cent between 2016 and 2017, but statistically significant differences could not be observed when comparing the data sets of the individual farms. A significantly reduced usage of FQ could be demonstrated in suckling piglets (P=0.003), weaned piglets (P=0.006) and sows (P=0.008) in 2017 compared with 2016. For high users, a significant reduction of total AMU could be shown in suckling piglets (P=0.02), weaned piglets (P=0.0004) and fattening pigs (P=0.01).

Conclusion: This study demonstrated a significant reduction in the usage of FQs in suckling piglets, weaned piglets and sows as well as total AMU in suckling piglets, weaned piglets and fattening pigs on high-usage farms.

Background: A mutation in the canine multidrug resistance MDR1 gene (also referred as ABCB1), encoding for the multidrug resistance (MDR) P-glycoprotein (P-gp) transponder, causes a pathological condition known as 'ivermectin toxicosis'. The causative mutation, known since 2001, has been described to affects sheep herding breeds related to collie lineage. The present study is a retrospective investigation of the presence of MDR1 mutated allele in Italian dog populations in a 5 years' time lapse. The aim of the research is to offer a deep knowledge in MDR1 allelic and genotypic frequencies in canine breeds and populations raised in Italy.

Methods: Genotype data for the 4-bp deletion (c296_299del4) in MDR1 gene from 811 dogs belonging to 32 breeds/populations were collected.

Results: The mutated allele has been found in 9 out of 31 breeds: Rough Collie, Smooth Collie, Border Collie, Bearded Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Australian Shepherd, White Swiss Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, Whippet and also in crossbreed. The breeds with the highest allelic mutation frequency are Smooth and Rough Collies with 75 per cent and 66 per cent of mutant MDR1 allele, respectively.

Conclusions: The results support the usefulness of this genetic analysis to optimise medical care in dogs at risk of multidrug resistance and to create an objective basis in breeding programme definition and in the risk evaluation in different breeds.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing problem in human and veterinary medicine and is closely linked to the use of antimicrobials. The objective of this study was to describe antimicrobial prescriptions for selected canine diseases in Switzerland during 2016.

Methods: Dogs presented to two university hospitals and 14 private practices for acute diarrhoea (AD; n=371), suspected or confirmed urinary tract infections (UTIs; n=245), respiratory tract infections (RTIs; n=274) or wound infections (WIs; n=175) were included. Clinical history, diagnostic work-up and antimicrobial prescription (class, dosage and duration) were retrospectively assessed. A justification score was applied to evaluate appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy based on available national and international consensus guidelines.

Results: Antimicrobials were prescribed in 65 per cent of dogs with AD, 88 per cent with UTI, 62 per cent with RTI and 90 per cent with WI. The most prescribed antimicrobial classes (monotherapy and combination therapy) were potentiated aminopenicillins (59 per cent), nitroimidazoles (22 per cent), non-potentiated aminopenicillins (16 per cent) and fluoroquinolones (13 per cent). Overall, 38 per cent (95 per cent CI 0.35 to 0.41) of the prescriptions were in accordance with consensus guidelines. In dogs with AD, antimicrobial therapy was associated with the presence of haemorrhagic diarrhoea (P<0.05) and complied in 32 per cent with consensus guidelines, which recommend antimicrobial treatment only when sepsis is suspected. A bacterial aetiology was confirmed via culture and/or sediment examination in 36 per cent of dogs with suspected UTI.

Conclusions: Overall, adherence to consensus guidelines was poor both, at university hospitals and private practices. Antimicrobial stewardship measures are therefore needed to improve prudent use.