We studied the frequency and timing of abortion and the serum levels of 17β-estradiol and progesterone in Korean native cows fed pine needles during pregnancy. Fifteen pregnant cows were randomly assigned to groups of 5. The control group was fed a concentrate and rice straw, and the other 2 groups were fed, in addition, either 1.3 or 2.7 kg (dry weight) of Korean pine needles daily, starting at an average of 91 d of gestation and continuing until 245 d of gestation. The health status of the dams and the viability of the fetuses were ascertained by rectal palpation and ultrasound scanning during pregnancy. Simultaneously, blood samples were collected for analysis of serum 17β-estradiol and progesterone. Two abortions in mid-pregnancy (at 126 and 150 d of gestation) occurred in the group ingesting the higher daily amount of pine needles. Premature parturition occurred at 259 d of gestation in this group and at 241 and 252 d of gestation in the group ingesting the lower daily amount of pine needles. The serum 17β-estradiol concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 4 mo of gestation and the serum progesterone level significantly lower (P < 0.05) at 8 mo of gestation in the group ingesting more pine needles daily than in either of the other 2 groups. These results suggest that the ingestion of pine needles may play a role in abortion in Korean native cows by increasing the serum 17β-estradiol concentration and decreasing the serum progesterone concentration.

The use of naturally-farrowed, artificially-reared piglets as an alternative model to study Haemophilus parasuis infections was evaluated. Two trials were performed in order to evaluate the proposed model. In trial 1, animals were vaccinated and challenged with H. parasuis. Results showed that the proposed model was effectively used to evaluate protective immunity against this organism. In trial 2, animals were challenged with different doses of H. parasuis. Results showed that the severity of clinical signs and lesions tended to increase with higher doses. The reproduction of clinical signs and lesions characteristic of H. parasuis systemic infection was successful in both trials, proving that this model is a viable alternative to specific-pathogen free and cesarean-derived, colostrum-deprived pigs.

To determine the effect of swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection on pregnant gilts, their fetuses, and offspring, 12 gilts were intravenously inoculated with swine HEV. Six gilts, who were not inoculated, served as controls. All inoculated gilts became actively infected and shed HEV in feces, but vertical transmission was not detected in the fetuses. There was no evidence of clinical disease in the gilts or their offspring. Mild multifocal lymphohistiocytic hepatitis was observed in 4 of 12 inoculated gilts. There was no significant effect of swine HEV on fetal size, fetal viability, or offspring birth weight or weight gain. The offspring acquired anti-HEV colostral antibodies but remained seronegative after the antibodies waned by 71 days of age. Swine HEV infection induced subclinical hepatitis in pregnant gilts, but had no effect on the gilts' reproductive performance, or the fetuses or offspring. Fulminant hepatitis associated with HEV infection was not reproduced in gilts.

Objective--To evaluate the efficacy of coumaphos, an organophosphate (OP) acaricide, at concentrations up to 2 times higher than the highest concentration required by the US Eradication Program against all stages of an OP-resistant strain of Boophilus microplusin experimentally infested cattle. Animals--16 tick-naïve 200-kg female Hereford calves. Procedure--Four groups of cattle (4 calves/group) were all infested with Boophilus ticks 3 times before treatment. Each group was treated with coumaphos as follows: group 1, at 0.165% active ingredient (AI); group 2, at 0.299% AI; group 3, at 0.566% AI; and group 4, not treated. Following treatment, ticks were collected for 21 days. Ticks collected 1 to 7, 8 to 14, and 15 to 21 days after treatment were considered adults, nymphs, and larvae, respectively, at time of treatment. Results--Overall control at 0.165, 0.299, and 0.566% AI was 52.9, 75.8, and 89.7%, respectively. Control of adults ranged from 4.3% at 0.165% AI to 73.5% at 0.566% AI. Control of nymphs ranged from 60.6% at 0.165% AI to 97.3% at 0.566% AI. Control of larvae was > 98% at all coumaphos concentrations. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance--All coumaphos concentrations failed to provide acceptable control for use in the US Eradication Program against OPresistant ticks. Treatment was least effective against adults and most effective against larvae. Even at 0.566% AI (2 times higher than required by the US Eradication Program), ticks were not eradicated, placing the United States at risk from dispersing cattle harboring viable ticks to uninfested areas.

Objective-To determine the presence of adenosine receptor subtypes A1 and A2a in equine forebrain tissues and to characterize the interactions of caffeine and its metabolites with adenosine receptors in the CNS of horses. Sample Population-Brain tissue specimens obtained during necropsy from 5 adult male research Procedures-Membrane-enriched homogenates from cerebral cortex and striatum were evaluated by radioligand binding assays with the A1-selective ligand [3H]DPCPX and the A2a-selective ligand [3H]ZM241385. Functional responses to adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists were determined by a nucleotide exchange assay using [35S]-guanosine 5'-(γ-thio) triphosphate [35S]GTPγS). Results-Saturable high affinity [3H]DPCPX binding (A1) sites were detected in cerebral cortex and striatum, whereas high-affinity [3H]ZM241385 binding (A2a) sites were detected only in striatum. Caffeine and related methylxanthines had similar binding affinities at A1 and A2a sites with rank orders of drug binding affinities (theophylline > paraxanthine ≥ caffeine >> theobromine) similar to other species. [35S]GTPγS exchange revealed that caffeine and its metabolites act as pure adenosine receptor antagonists at concentrations that correspond to A1 and A2a receptor binding affinities. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Results of our study affirm the presence of guanine nucleotide binding protein linked adenosine receptors (ie, high-affinity A1 and A2a adenosine receptors) in equine forebrain tissues and reveal the antagonistic actions by caffeine and several biologically active caffeine metabolites. Antagonism of adenosine actions in the equine CNS by these stimulants may be responsible for some central actions of methylxanthine drugs, including motor stimulation and enhanced racing performance.

Proliferative enteropathy is an important enteric disease caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. A wide range of host species can be infected by the same bacterium, yet the clinico-pathologic features among these hosts remains almost identical. The disease has been recognized regularly among ratites, but not in other avian families, such as galliforms, even though these suffer uncharacterized enteric conditions. Fresh ileum-colon contents were obtained from 228, 3- to 8-week-old chickens with enteric disease, kept at 14 large commercial farms in the southern USA. DNA was extracted from each sample and subjected to polymerase chain reactions (PCR) with primers specific to eubacterial DNA, L. intracellularis, and Bilophila wadsworthia. All chicken samples were positive for eubacterial DNA, 29 chickens (13%) were positive for B. wadsworthia DNA, and none were positive for L. intracellularis DNA. Given the ubiquitous nature of L. intracellularis, we consider it likely that some avian families do not carry the necessary mechanism for L. intracellularis viability. Bilophila wadsworthia appears to be a consistent member of the colonic flora of some host animals. Neither bacterium appears to be associated with malabsorption syndromes in chickens.

The objectives of the study were to determine the duration of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) survival in houseflies (Musca domestica Linnaeus) following feeding on an infected pig, and to determine whether the virus was present on the exterior surface or within the internal viscera of the fly. A total of 210 laboratory-colonized houseflies were allowed to feed to repletion on a pig, experimentally infected with PRRSV on day 7 postinoculation, and then maintained alive under laboratory conditions (27°C). Two subsets (A and B) of 30 flies were collected at each of the following sampling points; 0, 6, and 12 hours post feeding (pf). Subset A contained an extra group of 30 flies collected at 24 hours pf due to the availability of extra flies. Flies in subset A were processed as whole fly homogenates, while the exterior surface washes and digestive organs were collected from flies in subset B. Whole fly homogenates, collected at 0, 6, and 12 hours pf, were positive by both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and swine bioassay. Digestive organs, collected at 0 and 12 hours pf, were positive by PCR and swine bioassay. The PRRSV RNA was detected by PCR from the exterior surface wash of subset B flies collected at 0, 6, and 12 hours pf; however, only the subset collected at 0 hour pf was swine bioassay-positive. This study indicates that infectious PRRSV can survive within the intestinal tract of houseflies for up to 12 hours following feeding on an infected pig, but only for a short period on the exterior surface of the flies.

Objective-To explore whether early analysis of spatial data may result in identification of variables associated with epidemic spread of foot and mouth disease. Sample Population-37 farms with infected cattle (ie, case farms) reported within the first 6 days of the 2001 Uruguayan foot-and-mouth disease epidemic. Procedure-A georeferenced database was created and retrospective analysis was performed on case farm location in relation to farm density, cattle density, farm type (ie, beef vs dairy cattle production), road density, case farm distance to the nearest road, farm size, farm ownership, and day of infection. Mean or median results of 1 to 3 day versus 4 to 6 day spatial data were compared. Spatial-temporal associations were investigated by correlation analysis. Results-Comparison of mean or median values between the first 3 days and days 4 to 6 of the epidemic and results of correlation analysis indicated a significant increase in road density, cattle density, and dairy cattle production and a significant decrease in farm size and case farm distance to the nearest road that developed over time. A route that linked most case farms by the shortest possible distance and also considered significantly associated variables was created. It included 86.1% of all case farms reported by 60 days into the epidemic. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Epidemic direction can be assessed on the basis of road density and other spatial variables as early as 6 days into an epidemic. Epidemic control areas may be more effectively identified if local and regional georeferenced data are considered.

Objective-To evaluate the association between airway reactivity and age, sex, body weight, and radiographic findings in cats. Animals-32 mature cats that constituted 2 age groups (17 young cats that were 1 to 2 years old and 15 old cats that were 12 to 13 years old). Procedure-Cats were placed in the chamber of a barometric whole-body plethysmograph (volume, 38 L), and box pressure was measured at baseline and after aerosol administration of increasing concentrations of carbachol. Airway reactivity was assessed by monitoring increases in enhanced pause (PENH), a unitless variable that measures bronchoconstriction as derived from dose-response curves. The endpoint chosen was the provocative concentration of carbachol that increased PENH to 300% of the baseline value (PCPENH300). Results-We did not find a correlation between PCPENH300 and sex, body weight, number of eosinophils, PENH before bronchoconstriction, respiratory frequency, tidal volume, or minute ventilation. Airway reactivity was significantly less in the old cats (mean +/- SD PCPENH300, 0.578 +/- 0.051%), compared with the value for the young cats (0.053 +/- 0.006%). Radiographic patterns differed significantly between groups of cats; a greater proportion of old cats (12/15) had bronchointerstitial patterns, compared with the proportion of young cats (4/17). Conclusion and Clinical Relevance-These data support the notion that age exerts a strong influence on airway reactivity in adult cats, and radiographic differences suggest that structural changes in older cats may contribute to this effect. These findings have important implications for interpretation of results of airway reactivity tests in cats.

Objective-To evaluate response of euthyroid cats to administration of recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH). Animals-7 healthy cats. Procedure-Each cat received each of 5 doses of rhTSH (0, 0.025, 0.050, 0.100, and 0.200 mg), IV, at 1-week intervals. Serum concentration of total thyroxine (TT4) and free thyroxine (fT4) was measured immediately before each injection (time 0) and 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours after administration of each dose. Results-Overall TT4 response did not differ significantly among cats when administered doses were ≥ 0.025 mg. Serum TT4 concentrations peaked 6 to 8 hours after administration for all doses greater than 0.025 mg. For all doses greater than 0.025 mg, mean +/- SEM TT4 concentration at 0, 6, and 8 hours was 33.9 +/- 1.7, 101.8 +/- 5.9, and 101.5 +/- 5.7 nmol/L, respectively. For all doses greater than 0.025 mg, mean fT4 concentration at 0, 6, and 8 hours was 38.7 +/- 2.9, 104.5 +/- 7.6, and 100.4 +/- 8.0 pmol/L, respectively. At 8 hours, the fT4 response to 0.025 and 0.050 mg was less than the response to 0.100 and 0.200 mg. Adverse reactions after rhTSH administration were not detected. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-The TSH stimulation test can be performed in cats by IV administration of 0.025 to 0.200 mg of rhTSH and measurement of serum TT4 concentrations at time of injection and 6 or 8 hours later. Clinical validation of the TSH stimulation test would facilitate development of additional tests of thyroid gland function, such as a TSH assay.