Dtw. Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift最新文献

This report deals with an enzootic due to Salmonella Typhimurium in two free living Eurasian siskins (Spinus spinus Linnaeus, 1758). Other birds in the vicinity of the siskins were not affected. Clinical signs consisted of non-specific symptoms such as ruffled plumage, apathy and reduced food intake. During necropsy, gross lesions were enlarged livers with focal necrosis, pale spleens, enlarged kidneys, pneumonia and enteritis. Salmonella Typhimurium was isolated from internal organs in pure culture. Using the polymerase chain reaction, the detection of Salmonella according to EN ISO 6579:2002 was confirmed. The detailed characterisation of both isolates in the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and in the Robert Koch Institute yielded for the first siskin Salmonella Typhimurium, 4, 5, 12: i : 1, 2, LT DT104, BT a and for the second siskin Salmonella Typhimurium, 4,12 i : 1, 2, LT DT013, BT c. These phage types were identified for the first time in siskins. The detected phage types have importance as causes of disease not only for free living siskins but also as infectious and zoonotic agents for domestic poultry and poultry products.

A 3-month-old female trotter foal was euthanized due to severe dyspnoea. Pathomorphologically a chronic granulomatous to necrotizing pneumonia was found and Rhodoccocus (R.) equi was isolated microbiologically. An immunohistological method using a murine monoclonal antibody against a 15-17 kDa antigen of virulent R. equi was established in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections using various antigen retrieval techniques to optimize the staining results. Microwave treatment was most suitable for the demonstration of bacterial antigen localized predominantly in intralesional macrophages. Immunohistology is an additional method for identifying R. equi-infections in equine tissue and may be useful in retrospective studies on paraffin-embedded archive material.

The study was aimed at determining the cause of a disease in a horse exhibiting symptoms of fever, joint effusion, weakness, and extravasations on the mucous membranes. Blood was drawn from the animal for haematological and biochemical molecular tests. The PCR technique revealed the presence of 16S RNA Ehrlichia spp. genetic material in the blood samples. DNA amplification by means of primers EHR 521 and EHR 747 gave a product with a volume of 247 bp.The sequence of the PCR product obtained showed a 97.6% similarity with a sequence of a fragment of 16S RNA Ehrlichia phagocytophila, gene number EU 090186 in the GenBank. A microscopic examination of blood smears demonstrated the presence in the neutrophiles of intracytoplasmatic structures characteristic for Ehrlichia.The treatment involved the intravenous application of oxytetracycline at a dose of 8 mg/kg of body mass for 7 days, and resulted in a gradual recovery. The positive results of the molecular test and the positive reaction to the therapy are an indication of the first case of ehrlichiosis in a horse in Poland as confirmed in laboratory test.

A multicentre field study was conducted in accordance with VICH Guideline on Good Clinical Practice (VICH 2000) to confirm the efficacy and safety of a new formulation of cefquinome for the treatment of naturally occurring severe bacterial infections and septicaemia in foals. Thirty-nine foals suffering from severe bacterial infections (such as pneumonia, gastro-enteritis, arthritis, omphalitis, or wound infections) or acute septicaemia were treated twice daily with the test product (1 mg cefquinome/kg body weight) intravenously for three days and then intramuscularly for three to 11 days. Investigators examined the foals daily and scored both systemic and local clinical signs to assess the response to treatment, treatment success and relapses. On the day of inclusion a blood sample was taken from each foal for IgG determination and blood culture. In case of abnormal clinical findings additional samples were taken for bacteriology. Treatment was successful in 87.2% of cases (34 of 39 foals) and no relapses were observed. The average duration of treatment was 7.5 days. At inclusion, bacterial culture was positive in 40.5% (15 out of 37) of the blood cultures. Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus spp. were the most common isolates and were all susceptible to cefquinome. E. coli predominated in swabs from umbilical and open wound infections, and in rectal swabs E. coli. There was no correlation between IgG at inclusion and study outcome or treatment duration. The test product was very well tolerated by all of the foals following intravenous and intramuscular injection. The cefquinome formulation tested was effective and safe in the treatment of severe bacterial infections and septicaemia in foals under field conditions.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the role of heat shock proteins (Hsps) as potential stress response marker in several organs of transported pigs. Constitutive (Hsp90, Hsp70 and Hsp27) and inducible (Hsp72 and Hsp86) Hsps expressed in skeletal muscle, heart, liver and kidney of transported young pigs were investigated. The study comprised 13 German Landrace line pigs (mean weight, approx. 35 +/- 1 kg). Eight animals (n = 8) were transported for a period of 6 h, whereas the control group (n = 5) was kept under normal housing conditions. Identification of Hsps was performed by immunoblot using porcine specific antibodies. Although the 5 Hsps were regularly detected in all porcine tissues, no clear up-regulation could be observed due to transportation. Densitometrical analysis of the immunoblots revealed an unexpected result. Every tissue had a significant reduction of at least 2 Hsp members: Kidney (Hsp90 and Hsp70), M. longissimus dorsi (Hsp90 and Hsp72) and M. gluteus maximus superficialis (Hsp90 and Hsp86), liver (Hsp90, Hsp86 and Hsp27). The heart was most affected, all Hsps were significantly reduced by 26% to 41% after 6 h of transportation. The regular reduction of the large Hsp90 and Hsp86 in nearly all tissues examined point to a new and critical role these Hsps might have in counteracting short-term stress reactions. The fast reduction of Hsps in fatal organs such as heart and kidney may have a relation to organ failure. Hsp90 level may therefore serve as a potential marker for the stress pigs are suffering during transportation.

For many years, ruminant nutritionists and microbiologists have been interested in manipulating the microbial ecosystem of the rumen to improve production efficiency by domestic ruminants. Antibiotic ionophores have been used successfully for this purpose. However, the use of antibiotics in animal feeds has been banned in the European Union since January 2006 due to the risk of spreading antibiotic resistance. For this reason, scientists have become interested in evaluating other alternatives to control specific microbial populations to modulate rumen fermentation. Dietary supplements of live yeast preparations, based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been reported to improve health and productivity of ruminants. In contrast to antimicrobial agents, live yeasts offer a natural alternative to manipulate animal performance. This review discusses the modes of action of live yeasts in rumen ecosystem and their subsequent effects on animal performance.

The present study intended to investigate the compatibility of the orally applicated Salmonella Typhimurium live vaccine Salmoporc on day 3 and 21, respectively. Piglets which only received saline solution orally were used as negative control. During eight hours following vaccination, fecal consistency, body temperature as well as body condition were evaluated. Furthermore, in addition to the daily measures of body temperature and body condition, weekly weight controls as well as bacteriological examination referring to the duration of excretion of the vaccine strain, were carried out until the end of the study. Additionally, distribution and persistence of the pathogen in different tissues were examined. Using serological determination of salmonella antibodies, immune response was scrutinised. Oral vaccination resulted in a significant rise of the body temperature.The vaccine strain could be isolated from fecal samples until the 28th day (seven days after the second vaccination). The vaccination strain persisted until six weeks after the second vaccination in organs of the piglets, whereas the last detection was from samples of small and large intestine. Field strains could neither be isolated from fecal nor from organ samples of vaccinated and control group. Until the end of the study, control animals were negative by bacteriological examination of fecal and organic samples. Seroconversion was observed from day seven after the second vaccination. Mean concentration of antibodies was significantly higher in vaccinated than in control animals three weeks after vaccination.

Campylobacter coli is an etiological agent of gastrointestinal and extraintestinal infections in man and animals, and can be found as a commensal in gastrointestinal tract of animals. In this study, we aimed to determine differences among C coli strains in colonization of the intestinal tract of mice. Seven C coli strains isolated from diarrheic patients, asymptomatic hosts and chicken carcasses were used for this study. Each strain was inoculated with 0.1 ml of a bacterial suspension (3 x 10(8) CFU/ml) to 5 weanling mice, intragastrically. For the isolation of C coli, faecal pellets collected before inoculation and after inoculation at particular intervals were cultured on Campylobacter Selective Agar. Seven C. coli strains were divided into 3 colonization groups, based on faecal shedding. Group I showed immediate colonization, with prolonged excretion of organism in all mice. Group II showed delayed and short time colonization of C. coli. Group III could not colonize mice. Division of isolates into colonization groups was as follows: Group I included 3 strains from gastrointestinal disease; Group II included 2 strains from asymptomatic hosts and Group III included 2 strains from chicken carcasses. The study showed that there were marked differences among C coli strains with respect to their colonization potential and it may depend upon the origin of the strain. For understanding the complete pathogenesis of Campylobacter spp., a greater number of strains from different sources and geographical locations require to be tested in further investigations in the light of our findings.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of type of ram presence (permanent vs. intermittent) on estrus onset, estrus duration and frequency of sexual behaviours in Kivircik ewes. During the breeding season, 20 multiparous Kivircik ewes were divided into two groups of permanent (PR) and intermittent (IR) presence of ram. Estrus was synchronized with fluorgestone acetate intravaginal sponges left for 14 days, plus an injection of 600 IU PMSG at the time of sponge removal. PR ewes introduced with ram immediately after sponge removal and remained with the ram throughout the study (5 days). IR ewes were exposed to ram twice a day, only during the observation periods. Behavioural observations were performed twice a day (at 07:00 a. m. and 07:00 p.m.) for a 2-hour period. Estrus onset was 32.40 +/- 1.60 h for PR group and 27.60 +/- 2.40 h for IR group (p > 0.05). Estrus duration was 15.60 +/- 1.83 h and 34.80 +/- 2.15 h for the same groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Standing was the most frequently displayed behaviour in both groups. IR ewes displayed sexual (p < 0.001), eating (p < 0.001), standing (p < 0.001), walking (p < 0.001), urination (p < 0.001) and defecation (p < 0.05) behaviours much more than the PR ewes. Frequency of each sexual behaviour was higher in IR group compared with PR group throughout the study. Among the proceptive behaviours investigated, head-turning was the most frequently displayed behaviour in both groups. Soliciting, non-firm standing, sniffing scrotum and anogenital sniffing behaviours were also expressed by the ewes considerably. It is concluded that, if the ewes are exposed to ram intermittently, behavioural signs of estrus could be recognized more successfully. Furthermore, the possibility of insemination of estrous ewes becomes much higher by the intermittent presence of ram and thus reproductive performance of the herd could be improved.

We researched the spread of Brucella ovis (B. ovis) infection in sheep during 2002 and 2003 in Croatia. A total of 30,635 sheep blood samples were examined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In 2002, 1014 out of 14,404 examined sheep blood samples (7%) from six counties gave positive reactions while 2060 (14.3%) were found suspicious. In 2003, 638 out of 16,221 examined sheep blood samples in nine counties (3.9%) tested positive while 1083 (6.7%) were suspicious. In rams and sheep that were serologically positive specific pathological changes were found in 68 (43.6%) out of 156 examined rams and in 5 (3.8%) out of 133 examined sheep. B. ovis was isolated from ram tissues from three counties and identified with classical microbiological procedures and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This research proves that Brucella ovis is present in sheep flocks in Croatia which is also the first proof of its existence in the country.