Diarrhoea in growing-finishing pigs is a common problem of commercial pig farms. Among many causative factors, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is one considered an important pathogen in modern pig production. The aim of the study was to verify if PCV2 was responsible for antibiotic non-responsive diarrhoea and wasting in pigs. A total of 13 dead pigs aged between 12 and 15 weeks from three Polish farms with persistent herd symptoms suggestive of PCV2 infection were provided for evaluation. Sections of lymph nodes and intestines were analysed by in situ hybridization (ISH) for PCV2 and histopathological examination. Faeces and intestinal scrapings were tested for Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae by real-time PCR and for parasitic infection by flotation and decantation. ISH and histopathological examination showed that all pigs were PCV2 systemic disease negative. Swine dysentery was confirmed by real-time PCR on two farms, and proliferative enteropathy on one farm. In histological examinations, erosions of the caecal and colonic mucosa were found, together with cysts and trophozoites of Balantidium coli. The protozoa were present in the intestinal lumen and mucosa. B. coli cysts were identified in faeces from all examined pigs. These results suggest that monitoring of B. coli infections should be an additional measure of control and prevention of gastrointestinal tract disorders in modern swine husbandry.

The aim of the study was to investigate the mitigative effects of bisoprolol (BIS) in cadmium-induced myocardial toxicity on oxidative stress and its inhibitive effect on nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) signalling in rats. Male albino Wistar rats were assigned to control, Cd, BIS 2 (2 mg/kg b.w.) and BIS 8 (8 mg/kg b.w.) groups with nine rats in each. Over four weeks, the control group was administered 1% gum acacia, all other groups received 3mg/kg b.w. CdCl₂ dissolved in distilled water, and the BIS groups were additionally given bisoprolol in gum acacia. Blood samples were collected for biochemical estimations. Blood pressure and serum biomarker (lactate dehydrogenase, aspirate transaminase, alanine transferase and creatine kinase-MB, enzyme (superoxide dismutase, lipid hydroxy peroxidase, catalase and malondialdehyde), and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) concentrations were measured. Western blot analysis was conducted for NF-κB and glutathione S-transferase (GST). After sacrificing the rats, cardiac tissue samples were examined histopathologically. Our findings pointed to a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the studied serum biomarkers and levels of the relevant enzymes in the BIS 8 group compared to the Cd group. A significant decrease (P < 0.05) in NF-kB p65 expression and TNF-α levels was noted in the BIS 8 group relative to the BIS 2 and Cd groups, indicating a reduction at a higher dose. In microscopy, histopathological changes in the cardiac muscles of the BIS 8 group were evident compared to those of the Cd group. BIS seemed to have protective effects against cardiac injury induced by cadmium and could be considered a novel therapeutic drug and prognostic biomarker in the pathology of the many cardiovascular diseases caused by heavy metal intake.

Recombinant bovine interferon alpha (rBoIFN-α) has been demonstrated to have antiviral activity. However, no conduct of acute or chronic toxicity tests has been reported. Specific pathogen-free Sprague Dawley rats were administered doses at different concentrations through intraperitoneal or intravenous injection. After the administration (single for an acute toxicity test over 14 days or daily for a sub-chronic toxicity test over 30 days), the rats’ behaviour and other indicators and the degree of toxic reaction were continuously monitored. Blood was collected for haematological and serum biochemical examinations. At the end of the experiments, the rats were sacrificed for necropsy and histopathological tissue analysis. The external performance, behaviour characteristics, and changes in body temperature and body weight of the rats in each subgroup were comparable to the normal control subgroup. Except for a few cases, there were no lesions in the viscera’s pathological structures, and the blood parameters and biochemical indicators were not noticeably different from those of the control subgroup. This study suggests that rBoIFN-α seems to be safe for rats, and its use may foster the development of the cattle industry in China by protecting livestock health.

Because minipig skin is similar to human skin in anatomy and physiology, establishing an atopic dermatitis (AD) minipig model seems meaningful. We applied 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNFB) or ovalbumin onto the back skin of five Yucatan minipigs aged 8–10 months and 19 kg in median weight. Two minipigs with the same parameters served as controls. Both DNFB and ovalbumin mediated epithelial hyperplasia, spongiosis, and immune cell infiltration in the dermis, which is a typical histopathological feature of AD. Moreover, AD upregulated the Th1- and Th2-related cytokine expressions in DNFB- or in ovalbumin-treated skin. Notably, AD-induced minipigs exhibited greater cytokine serum concentrations. Histopathological finding and cytokine analysis revealed that DNFB or ovalbumin mediates AD. However, ovalbumin-treated minipig is a more reliable and precise AD model owing to the DNFB-induced severe skin damage. In summary, ovalbumin-treated skin shows similar AD as human in histopathological and molecular analysis.