Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis phospholipase D (PLD) significantly affected viability of ovine neutrophils after 24 hours' exposure, This effect was more marked in cells that ingested PLD emulsified in oil. Treatment of neutrophils with PLD significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the ability of these cells to migrate toward activated sheep serum. The PLD was not chemotactic, but it activated normal sheep serum, producing factors that were chemotactic for neutrophils.

OBJECTIVE To describe functional and anatomic changes of the lower urogenital tract of healthy male dogs during the sexually immature period and up to 2 years of age by urodynamic and morphometric assessment. ANIMALS 6 sexually intact male Beagle littermates. PROCEDURES Dogs underwent electromyography-coupled urodynamic tests, CT-assisted retrograde urethrography, prostatic washes, and blood sampling monthly from 4 through 12 months of age and then at 3-month intervals. Urodynamic and morphometric variables and serum canine prostate–specific esterase concentrations were analyzed by statistical methods. RESULTS Integrated pressure of the urethra was significantly increased beginning at 8 months of age, compared with earlier time points. Urethral pressure peak amplitudes varied among anatomic regions. During bladder filling, few electromyographic signals were concurrent with urethral pressure peaks; these were most commonly detected in the penile portion of the urethra. Urethral length and prostate gland volume were significantly greater from 7 to 24 months of age than at younger ages. Urethral length was approximately 26 to 27 cm after 9 months, and prostate gland volume was approximately 11 to 12 cm3 after 11 months of age. Serum canine prostate–specific esterase concentrations correlated with prostate gland volume. Urinary bladder threshold volume was significantly increased at 6 months of age, compared with that at 4 months, with a maximum of 197.7 mL at 24 months. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Urethral resistance was acquired at approximately 8 months of age, when growth of the lower urinary tract was incomplete. Electromyographic and integrated pressure measurement results and the distribution and amplitude of urethral pressure peaks highlighted the potential role of the prostate gland and possibly the bulbocavernosus muscles in control of continence.

Cells infected with bovine coronavirus (BCV) were solubilized with Triton X-100 to yield a cell lysate (CL) antigen having high hemagglutinating (HA) titers. The antigen gave high HA titers using rat erythrocytes, suggesting that it contained large amounts of hemagglutinin esterase (HE) antigen. The CL antigen, combined with an oil adjuvant, was tested for protective and antibody-inducing activities in cattle. Four groups (2 cattle/group) of cattle were inoculated with CL antigen having HA titers of 16 000, 4000, 1000, and 250. Another group served as untreated controls. Two intramuscular inoculations were given at an interval of 3 wk. The animals were challenged with virus 1 wk after the second inoculation. The groups immunized with the CL antigen having an HA titer of 4000 or 16 000 produced hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers of > 320 and serum neutralizing (SN) antibody titers of > 1280. These groups of animals showed no clinical abnormalities after challenge. In the groups immunized with CL antigen at an HA titer of 1000 or 250, HI antibody titers were 40 to 160 and SN titers were 80 to 640. The cattle with HI antibody titers of > or = 160 and the SN titers of > or = 640 showed no clinical signs, but the cattle with the HI antibody titer < 80 and the SN antibody titer < 160 developed watery diarrhea and fever after challenge. These results indicate that CL antigen with high HA titer induces antibody production in cattle that provides effective protection against winter dysentery.

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis phospholipase D (PLD) significantly affected viability of ovine neutrophils after 24 hours' exposure, This effect was more marked in cells that ingested PLD emulsified in oil. Treatment of neutrophils with PLD significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the ability of these cells to migrate toward activated sheep serum. The PLD was not chemotactic, but it activated normal sheep serum, producing factors that were chemotactic for neutrophils.

isoenzyme patterns of extracts of adult schistosomes collected from Hippopotamus amphibius in Kruger National Park compared with similar extracts of adult Schistosoma mansoni and S. rodhaini, characteristics differed suggesting that H. amphibius schistosome is separate species