Veterinary Quarterly最新文献

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by neuronal loss and abnormal deposition of pathological proteins in the nervous system. Among the most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances are one of the most common symptoms in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, one of the main objectives in the study of TSEs is to try to establish an early diagnosis, as clinical signs do not appear until the damage to the central nervous system is very advanced, which prevents any therapeutic approach. In this paper, we provide the first description of sleep disturbance caused by classical scrapie in clinical and preclinical sheep using polysomnography compared to healthy controls. Fifteen sheep classified into three groups, clinical, preclinical and negative control, were analysed. The results show a decrease in total sleep time as the disease progresses, with significant changes between control, clinical and pre-clinical animals. The results also show an increase in sleep fragmentation in clinical animals compared to preclinical and control animals. In addition, sheep with clinical scrapie show a total loss of Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM) and alterations in Non Rapid Eyes Movement sleep (NREM) compared to control sheep, demonstrating more shallow sleep. Although further research is needed, these results suggest that prion diseases also produce sleep disturbances in animals and that polysomnography could be a diagnostic tool of interest in clinical and preclinical cases of prion diseases.

Duck plague (DP) is an acute, contagious and fatal disease, caused by duck enteritis virus (DEV), with worldwide distribution causing several outbreaks and posing severe economic losses. The present study was carried out with a goal of development of a live attenuated cell culture based DP vaccine using an Indian strain of DEV and evaluation of its safety, efficacy along with complete genome analysis. The live attenuated DP vaccine (DPvac/IVRI-19) was developed by serial propagation of a virulent isolate of DEV (DEV/India/IVRI-2016) in the chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) primary cell culture. Adaptation of DEV in CEF cell culture was indicated by more rapid appearance of cytopathic effects (CPE) and gradual increase of virus titre, which reached up to 10^7.5 TCID₅₀/mL after 41 passages. The safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of the vaccine were determined by immunization trials in ducklings. The DPvac/IVRI-19 was found to be avirulent and completely safe in the ducklings. Further, the vaccine induced both humoral and cell mediated immune responses and afforded 100% protection against the virulent DEV challenge. A comparison of the whole genome of DPvac/IVRI-19 (MZ911871) and DEV/India/IVRI-2016 (MZ824102) revealed significant number of mutations, which might be associated with viral attenuation. Phylogenetic tree of DEV/India/IVRI-2016 revealed its evolutionary relationship with other DEV isolates, but it formed a separate cluster with certain unique mutations. Thus, with the proven safety and 100% efficacy, the DPvac/IVRI-19 is suitable for large scale production with precisely pure form of vaccine and has potential utility at national and global levels.

Foot-and-mouth disease Virus (FMDV) serotype Asia1 is prevalent in the Indian subcontinent, with only G-III and G-VIII reported in India until 2020. However, in 2019, a novel genetic group within serotype Asia1, designated as G-IX, emerged in Bangladesh, followed by its detection in India in 2020. This report presents analyses of the complete coding region sequences of the G-IX lineage isolates. The length of the open reading frame (ORF) of the two G-IX isolates was 6990 nucleotides without any deletion or insertion. The G-IX isolates showed the highest sequence similarity with an isolate of G-III at the ORF, L, P2, and P3 regions, and with an isolate of G-VIII at the P1 region. Phylogenetic analysis based on the capsid region (P1) supports the hypothesis that G-VIII and G-IX originated from a common ancestor, as speculated earlier. Further, VP1 region-based phylogenetic analyses revealed the re-emergence of G-VIII after a gap of 3 years. One isolate of G-VIII collected during 2023 revealed a codon insertion in the G-H loop of VP1. The vaccine matching studies support the suitability of the currently used Indian vaccine strain IND63/1972 to contain outbreaks due to viruses belonging to G-IX.

Background: Mistletoe is an herb that grows on duku plants (Lancium demosticum) and is known as benalu duku (BD) in Indonesia. It is predicted to have benefits such as anticancer or antiviral properties, and it is also thought to have anti-diabetic pharmacological activity. Quercetin-like compounds (QLCs) are secondary metabolites with antidiabetic activity that are expected to lower blood sugar levels in animals after oral administration.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the ability of QLCs to reduce random blood sugar levels using experimental animals as clinical models.

Material and methods: The research method used was exploratory, which used a before-after test model, and observations were made on the random blood sugar levels after treatment. Secondary metabolites were extracted from BD leaves, which were then screened. Diabetes was induced in 30 rats (Rattus norvegicus) by the administration of streptozotocin at 0.045 mg/g body weight daily for 2 days. The antidiabetic effects of the secondary metabolite at doses of 0.5 mg/kg body weight (twice a day) when administered orally for up to 5 days were tested in diabetic rats. The random sugar levels (mg/dL) were measured using a One Touch Ultra Plus medical device for observation of randomized blood sugar levels. Results and novelty: The results revealed that the secondary metabolite, as an analyte from the BD leaf extract, can significantly reduce random blood sugar levels.

Conclusion: The secondary metabolite extracted from BD, could be used to treat diabetes in rats.

Fibrinogen-fibrin degradation products (DR-70) are derived from tumor cells or metastases. Our previous study reported the diagnostic values in dogs with tumors, but no research has yet to be conducted to establish DR-70 as a prognostic marker. Herein, we investigated changes in DR-70 concentrations and disease courses in dogs with tumors. Overall survival time (OST) analysis was performed in 195 dogs with tumors, stratified with a recommended cut-off (1.514 µg/mL). Continual DR-70 measurements were performed during the medical interventions of 27 dogs with neoplasms. Clinical conditions and medical records were retrospectively reviewed. According to a cut-off value, dogs with plasma DR-70 concentrations above 1.514 µg/mL had shorter survival rates than those with concentrations below this threshold. In cases with complete or partial remission in response to treatment, the DR-70 concentration was decreased compared with that at the first visit, whereas it was increased in patients with disease progression. Our study suggested that changes in DR-70 concentration can be used as a prognostic biomarker for canine neoplasms. Furthermore, increased plasma DR-70 levels might be associated with shorter survival, and DR-70 concentrations may reflect responses to medical intervention.

This article attempts to present, for the first time, the usefulness and feasibility of using endoscopic techniques in the cloacal region of Varanus cumingi and Varanus macraei. This method can serve both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, as well as offering an early approach to sex determination through the observation of the urodeum which in males ends in a blind end while in females it consists of two ostia which represent the outlets of the oviducts. In this context, commonly employed sex determination techniques, such as post-cloacal spur detection, have shown unreliability. The study involved the examination of ten specimens, approximately one year old, from a private breeding farm, following a complete clinical evaluation to confirm their general state of health. All subjects underwent sedation, which allowed the evaluation of anatomical structures, the health status of the cloaca and the determination of sex. This study and its findings may provide a critical basis for addressing population declines of these species, particularly for V. macraei, which has already been classified as 'endangered' by the IUCN.

Hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) is characterized by a dissecting intramucosal hematoma at the small bowel, causing obstruction and severe hemorrhage in dairy cattle. Recent investigation revealed the presence of early-stage lesions in cows affected by HBS. These are presumed to be the initial stage of the hematoma, as both share unique dissection of the lamina muscularis mucosae (LMM) as histological hallmark. Early-stage lesions of HBS have not been characterized in greater detail, and neither has the hypothesis of mucosal abrasion as etiology been explored. Therefore, the first objective of the present study was to characterize the morphology of early-stage lesions, by gross examination, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. The second objective was to determine the effect of mucosal abrasion to the small intestine in an ex vivo model. A total of 86 early-stage lesions from 10 cows with HBS were characterized. No underlying alterations at the LMM were evident which could explain their occurrence. However, degeneration at the ultrastructural level of the LMM smooth muscle cells was present in 3 of 4 lesions, it is however unclear whether this is primary or secondary. Bacteriological examination did not reveal any association with a specific bacterium. Experimental-induced and early-stage lesions were gross and histologically evaluated and scored in three cows with HBS and seven controls. Experimentally induced lesions in both affected cows and controls, were histologically very similar to the naturally occurring early-stage lesions. Altogether, the results are suggestive for mucosal trauma to play a role in the pathogenesis of HBS.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection causes a high mortality rate in porcine animals. Antimicrobial resistance poses global threats to public health. The current study aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibilities and probe the resistome of A. pleuropneumoniae in Taiwan. Herein, 133 isolates were retrospectively collected; upon initial screening, 38 samples were subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS). Over the period 2017-2022, the lowest frequencies of resistant isolates were found for ceftiofur, cephalexin, cephalothin, and enrofloxacin, while the highest frequencies of resistant isolates were found for oxytetracycline, streptomycin, doxycycline, ampicillin, amoxicillin, kanamycin, and florfenicol. Furthermore, most isolates (71.4%) showed multiple drug resistance. NGS-based resistome analysis revealed aminoglycoside- and tetracycline-related genes at the highest prevalence, followed by genes related to beta-lactam, sulfamethoxazole, florphenicol, and macrolide. A plasmid replicon (repUS47) and insertion sequences (IS10R and ISVAp11) were identified in resistant isolates. Notably, the multiple resistance roles of the insertion sequence IS10R were widely proposed in human medicine; however, this is the first time IS10R has been reported in veterinary medicine. Concordance analysis revealed a high consistency of phenotypic and genotypic susceptibility to florphenicol, tilmicosin, doxycycline, and oxytetracycline. The current study reports the antimicrobial characterization of A. pleuropneumoniae for the first time in Taiwan using NGS.

Background: Knowledge of reference intervals for blood analytes, including serum protein fractions, is of great importance for the identification of infectious and inflammatory diseases and is often lacking in wild animal species.

Material and methods: Serum samples were obtained from European minks enrolled in the breeding program (n = 55). Agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) were used to separate and identify protein fractions. Albumin, α1, α2, β, and γ-globulins fractions were identified in all mink sera by both electrophoresis methods. Reference intervals (90% CI) were determined following the 2008 guidelines of the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute. The methods were compared using Passing-Bablok regression, Bland-Altman analysis, and Lin's concordance correlation.

Results: A significant bias was found between methods for α1, α2, and γ-globulin. Lin's concordance correlation was considered unacceptable for α1, α2, and β-globulins. Differences for gender between methods were found for albumin and α2-globuins, which were higher for males than females. γ-globulins were higher for adults than young minks using both methods; however, α1 and α2-globulins were lower.

Conclusion: Both methods are adequate for identifying serum protein disorders, but the AGE and CZE methods are not equivalent. Therefore, reference intervals for each technique are required.

Mastitis is an inflammatory condition that affects dairy cow's mammary glands. Traditional treatment approaches with antibiotics are increasingly leading to challenging scenarios such as antimicrobial resistance. In order to mitigate the unwanted side effects of antibiotics, alternative strategies such as those that harness the host immune system response, also known as immunotherapy, have been implemented. Immunotherapy approaches to treat bovine mastitis aims to enhance the cow's immune response against pathogens by promoting pathogen clearance, and facilitating tissue repair. Various studies have demonstrated the potential of immunotherapy for reducing the incidence, duration and severity of mastitis. Nevertheless, majority of reported therapies are lacking in specificity hampering their broad application to treat mastitis. Meanwhile, advancements in mastitis immunotherapy hold great promise for the dairy industry, with potential to provide effective and sustainable alternatives to traditional antibiotic-based approaches. This review synthesizes immunotherapy strategies, their current understanding and potential future perspectives. The future perspectives should focus on the development of precision immunotherapies tailored to address individual pathogens/group of pathogens, development of combination therapies to address antimicrobial resistance, and the integration of nano- and omics technologies. By addressing research gaps, the field of mastitis immunotherapy can make significant strides in the control, treatment and prevention of mastitis, ultimately benefiting both animal and human health/welfare, and environment health.