A method was developed for percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis in cattle. The procedure was performed on the right side in the 9th, 10th, or 11th intercostal space of 30 cows. Of the 30 cows, 20 were slaughtered 24 hours after cholecystocentesis and the remaining 10 cows were slaughtered after a 10-day observation period. Changes in the peritoneum and gallbladder wall, observed at slaughter, were minimal. During the 10-day observation period, general behavior, attitude, and appetite of the 10 cows were normal. A transient, slight increase in rectal temperature was observed in 6 cows at 4, 5, or 8 days after cholecystocentesis. Total and differential WBC counts and total protein and fibrinogen concentrations, determined daily, were all within normal ranges. Bile samples from 20 cows were examined microscopically and biochemically. Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum eggs were observed in bile from 7 and 12 cows, respectively. Fecal examination revealed F hepatica eggs in 4 cows; D dendriticum eggs were not identified in any of the fecal samples. In 1 cow, F hepatica eggs were observed in the feces, but not in the bile. Bile acids concentration in bile varied from 12.5 to 68.5 mmol/L (mean +/- SD, 45.3 +/- 3.05 mmol/l) and in serum from 3.8 to 281.0 micromol/l (41.6 +/- 17.24 micromol/L). Negative correlation was obtained between bile acids concentration in bile and that in serum (r = - 0.60, P < 0.01). It was concluded that percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis in cows is a safe procedure and that microscopic and biochemical examinations of obtained bile can be useful diagnostic aids.

Fibrinopurulent peritonitis and abdominal abscesses associated with Streptococcus (S.) equi subsp. zooepidemicus is reported in a 1-year-old female thoroughbred horse. The horse died after showing 5-day history of the cold, severe abdominal distention, abdominal breathing, hyperthermia, anorexia, and loss of intestinal sound. At necropsy, several liters of turbid yellowish green fluid were seen in the abdominal cavity. Yellowish creamy and fibrinous or bloody materials were presented on the serosa of various abdominal organs that were intensively adhered with each other.

Sixteen adult horses were randomly divided into 4 equal groups (GI, GII, GIII and GIV) of 4 animals and each group was injected intraperitoneally with one of the following suspension: Group I, 100 x 10(7) colony-forming units (CFU) of E. coli diluted in 500 ml of 0.9% saline; Group II, 100 x 10(7) CFU of Bacteroides fragilis in 500 ml of 0.9% saline; Group III, 100 x 10(7) CFU of E. coli in combination with 100 x 10(7) CFU of B. fragilis in 500 ml of 0.9% saline; Group IV, 500 ml of 0.9% saline. Leukopenia appeared in all animals inoculated with bacteria within the first six hours of the experiment. After this period, leukocytosis was observed in some inoculated horses. Horses inoculated with pure cultures of either E. coli or B. fragilis demonstrated mild and self-limiting peritonitis, whereas those inoculated with a combination of both bacteria demonstrated laboratory findings of higher intensity and duration. | Dezesseis eqüinos adultos foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em 4 grupos (GI, GII, GIII e GIV) constituídos por quatro animais, recebendo cada grupo o seguinte inóculo por via intraperitoneal: GI (100 X 10(7) unidades formadoras de colônia (UFC) de Escherichia coli diluídos em 500 ml de solução salina 0,9% estéril); GII (100 X 10(7) UFC de Bacteroides fragilis diluídos em 500 ml de solução salina 0,9% estéril); GIII (100 X 10(7) UFC de Escherichia coli associados a 100 X 10(7) UFC de Bacteroides fragilis diluídos em 500 ml de solução salina 0,9% estéril); GIV (testemunho - 500 ml de solução salina 0,9% estéril). Leucopenia ocorreu em todos os animais inoculados com bactérias, nas primeiras seis horas após as inoculações. Posteriormente a este período, verificou-se em alguns eqüinos inoculados leucocitose. Os eqüinos inoculados com culturas puras de E. coli ou B. fragilis apresentaram peritonites brandas e autolimitantes, enquanto os inoculados com a associação destas bactérias, apresentaram alterações laboratoriais de maior intensidade e duração.

<p>The kinetic of vascular and cellular alterations in the carrageenin-induced peritonitis was investigated (500 mcg) in Gallus gallus and the effect of the pre-treatment with dexamethasone (0.5; 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg), indomethacin (2.0; 4.0 or 8.0 mg/kg), pyroxiean (20.0; 40.0 or 80.0 mg/kg), given by oral route 30 minutes before the inflammatory stimulus. It was observed that the highest increase in both vascular permeability and leucocyte accumulation ocurred respectively 150 minutes and 4 hours after the carrageenin injection. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes were the predominant cell type in the exudate obtained 2 and 4 hours after the stimulus. An equilibriun between polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells was observed with 24 hours of inflammation and the latter cell type was predominant after 48 hours. The pre-treatment with indomethacin and pyroxiean significantly (p&lt;0.05) inhibited the vascular permeability increase but not the leukocytes counts. Dexamethasone was significantly reduced both vascular permeability increase and leukocyte accumulation. These results suggest that eicosanoids have a role in the vascular permeability increase but it is less relevant in the leuchocyte chemotaxis in carrageenin-induced acute inflammation in fowls. The vascular permeability increase and cellular migration are independent phenomena when the effect of antiinflammatory drugs are concerned.</p> | <p>Neste trabalho investigou-se a cinética das alterações vasculares e celulares na peritonite induzida pela carragenina (500 mcg) em <em>Gallus gallus </em>e o efeito do pré-tratamento com dexametasona (0,5; 1,0 ou 2,0 mg/kg), indometacina (2,0; 4,0 ou 8,0 mg/kg), ou piroxicam (20,0; 40,0 ou 80,0 mg/kg), administrados por via oral, 30 minutos antes do estímulo lesivo. Observou-se que os máximos aumento de permeabilidade vascular e acúmulo de leucócitos ocorreram 150 min. e 4 h, após a aplicação do irritante, respectivamente. Os leucócitos polimorfonucleares foram o tipo celular predominante no exsudato após 2 e 4 h, equilibraram-se com as mononucleares após 24 h, predominando o último tipo celular após 48 h. O maior acúmulo de células polimorfo e mononucleares ocorreu após 4 h e 24 h, respectivamente. O pré-tratamento com indometacina ou piroxicam inibiu significativamente (p&lt;0,05) o aumento de permeabilidade vascular mas não o acúmulo de leucócitos, 150 min. e 4 h após o estímulo lesivo, respectivamente. A dexametasona foi efetiva em reduzir significativamente (p&lt;0,05) ambos os componentes. Os resultados sugerem que os eicosanóides participem ativamente dos fenômenos vasculares mas são de pouca relevância na quimiotaxia de leucócitos no processo inflamatório agudo induzido pela carragenina cm <em>Gallus gallus. </em>Os achados indicam que quando o efeito de drogas antiinflamatórias é considerado, como no presente trabalho, o aumento de permeabilidade vascular e a migração celular são fenômenos independentes.</p>

The intraperitoneal inoculation of 3.8 x 10(9) CFU of alive Salmonella typhimurium caused 100% mortality in rats. In these animals a small number of neutrophils migrated to the peritoneal cavity. The intraperitoneal inoculation of the animals with thioglycollate (Tg, 90 mg), carrageenin (Cg, 500 mu g), or killed S. typhimurium (KS, 1.9 x 10(9) CFU) 24 hours before challenge with alive S. typhimurium caused a significant neutrophil migration to the peritoneal cavity (determined 6 hours after challenge) and protected the animals against the lethal effect of the bacteria at a rate of 50%, 83% and 80%, respectively. However, similar treatment of the animals with brain heart infusion broth (BHI, S. typhimurium grout medium) protected the animals by only 23%. The migrating neutrophils in these animals represented less than 10% of those observed with other treatments. The phagocytosis activity was not associated with the survival rate as this activity was 2 times higher in the KS group than in the Tg and Cg groups, and the survival rate in this group was similar to that observed in Cg. These results suggest that the increase of neutrophil migration to the infectious site is an important factor associated with protection of the animals against the lethal effect of the bacterial infection. | A inoculação intraperitoneal de 3,8 x 10(9) CFU de Salmonella typhimurium viva causou 100% de mortalidade em ratos. Nesses animais, pequeno número de neutrófilos migraram para a cavidade peritoneal. A injeção intraperitoneal de tioglicolato (TG, 90 mg), carragenina (Cg, 500 mi g) ou salmonella morta pelo calor (KS, 1,9 x10(9) CFU) 24 horas antes do desafio com S. typhimurium viva causou maior (p &lt; 0,01) migração de neutrófilos para a cavidade peritoneal após 6 horas e conferiu proteção aos animais contra os efeitos letais da bactéria que foram da ordem de 50%, 83% e 80%, respectivamente. Todavia, o tratamento semelhante dos animais com o meio de cultivo "infusão de cérebro e coração" (brain heart infusion-BHI) estéril exerceu proteção de apenas 23%. O número de neutrófilos que migraram para a cavidade peritoneal representou apenas 10% do verificado nos outros tratamentos. A atividade fagocitária não estava relacionada ao índice de sobrevivência dos animais, uma vez que tal atividade foi duas vezes maior no grupo KS do que nos grupos Tg e Cg, e a taxa de sobrevivência nesse grupo foi semelhante à observada no grupo Cg. Esses resultados sugerem que o aumento da migração de neutrófilos para o sítio infeccioso induzida pelas administrações prévias das diferentes substâncias é um importante fator associado com a proteção dos animais contra os efeitos letais da infecção bacteriana.