The present study was conducted to investigate the Bordetella bronchiseptica infection in Youngnam swine herds during the period of August 1986 to July 1987 and some properties of the organisms isolated from these Korean swine. B. bronchiseptica was recovered from 25 of 70 (35.7%) growing pigs of 4 to 10 weeks of age and from 12 of 13 (92.3%) herds. From 115 slaughter pigs, 58(50.4%) pigs were culture positive and the pigs from 13 of 14 (92.9%) herds were found to be infected with B. bronchiseptica. The majority of biochemical and cultural properties of B. bronchiseptica isolated from Korean swine were identical to those of the standard strain employed and some 97.6% of the isolates showed the characters of phase I organism on primary isolation.

peer reviewed | Objective—To culture equine myoblasts from muscle microbiopsy specimens, examine myoblast production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in conditions of anoxia followed by reoxygenation, and assess the effects of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) on ROS production. Animals—5 healthy horses (5 to 15 years old). Procedures—Equine skeletal myoblast cultures were derived from 1 or 2 microbiopsy specimens obtained from a triceps brachii muscle of each horse. Cultured myoblasts were exposed to conditions of anoxia followed by reoxygenation or to conditions of normoxia (control cells). Cell production of ROS in the presence or absence of HRP or MPO was assessed by use of a gas chromatography method, after which cells were treated with a 3,3′-diaminobenzidine chromogen solution to detect peroxidase binding. Results—Equine skeletal myoblasts were successfully cultured from microbiopsy specimens. In response to anoxia and reoxygenation, ROS production of myoblasts increased by 71%, compared with that of control cells. When experiments were performed in the presence of HRP or MPO, ROS production in myoblasts exposed to anoxia and reoxygenation was increased by 228% and 183%, respectively, compared with findings for control cells. Chromogen reaction revealed a close adherence of peroxidases to cells, even after several washes. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that equine skeletal myoblast cultures can be generated from muscle microbiopsy specimens. Anoxia-reoxygenation– treated myoblasts produced ROS, and production was enhanced in the presence of peroxidases. This experimental model could be used to study the damaging effect of exercise on muscles in athletic horses.

Periosteal autograft were used for repair of large osteochondral defects in 10 horses aged 2 to 3 years old. In each horse, osteochondral defects measuring 1.0 X 1.0 cm2 were induced bilaterally on the distal articular surface of each radial carpal bone. Control and experimental defects were drilled. Periosteum was harvested from the proximal portion of the tibia and was glued into the principal defects, using a fibrin adhesive. Control defects were glued, but were not grafted. Sixteen weeks after the grafting procedure, the quality of the repair tissue of control and grafted defects was assessed biochemically. Total collagen content and the proportion of type-II collagen were determined. Galactosamine and glucosamine contents also were determined. From these measurements, contents of chondroitin and keratan sulfate and total glycosaminoglycan, and galactosamine-to-glucosamine ratio were calculated. All biochemical variables were compared with those of normal equine articular cartilage taken from the same site in another group of clinically normal horses. Total collagen content was determined on the basis of 4-hydroxyproline content, using a colorimetric method. The proportions of collagen types I and II in the repair tissue were assessed by electrophoresis of their cyanogen bromide-cleaved peptides on sodium dodecyl sulfate slab gels. Peptide ratios were computed and compared with those of standard mixtures of type-I and type-II collagens. Galactosamine and glucosamine contents were determined by use of ion chromatography. In general, the biochemical composition of repair tissue of grafted and nongrafted defects was similar, but clearly differed from that of normal articular cartilage. Total glycosaminoglycan content, galactosamine and glucosamine contents, and galactosamine-to-glucosamine ratio of grafted and nongrafted defects were all significantly (P < 0.05) less than corresponding values in normal equine articular cartilage. By contrast, total collagen content of neocartilaginous tissues of grafted and nongrafted defects was greater than that of normal articular cartilage, although the difference was not significant. The proportion of type-I and type-II collagens in repair tissue in grafted and nongrafted defects was 70 and 30%, respectively. The fibrous nature of the repair tissue reported in a companion morphologic and histochemical study was substantiated by the biochemical results. We concluded that use of periosteal autograft did not improve the healing of osteochondral defects.

Biochemical changes in the small intestine during development of naturally acquired wheat-sensitive enteropathy of Irish Setters were investigated. To distinguish primary biochemical abnormalities from secondary effects of intestinal damage, progeny of affected dogs reared on a normal wheat-containing diet were compared with their own littermates reared on a cereal-free diet and with age-matched clinically normal Irish Setters fed the same wheat-containing diet. Peroral jejunal biopsy specimens were sequentially obtained between weaning and 1 year of age; specific activity and reorientating sucrose density-gradient distribution of organelle marker enzymes were determined. Major primary biochemical abnormalities were not detected in affected progeny. In affected dogs fed wheat, there was a selective, but secondary, loss of the brush border alkaline phosphatase and aminopeptidase N activities. This loss was associated with the development of partial villus atrophy, but represented a specific effect of dietary wheat on the brush border, not merely a nonspecific effect of mucosal damage, because other brush border enzymes, including disaccharidases, were not similarly affected. Increased soluble activities of lysosomal and peroxisomal marker enzymes late in the disease process may represent alterations in these 2 organelles as a secondary consequence of mucosal damage.

Two hundred eighty-eight crossbred feeder pigs were used in 2 trials to determine the effects of feed and/or water deprivation at an auction market, and the effects of restricting the intake of the receiving diet on their serum chemical profile. The study also was designed to assess the value of the serum chemical profile as a diagnostic data base for stress disorders in feeder pigs. Performance data indicated that feeder pigs provided water only at the auction facilities lost significantly more weight than did those provided feed and water. Feeder pigs deprived of both feed and water were not significantly different in body weight from either group. Several serum chemical values (creatinine, triglycerides, cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, and lactate dehydrogenase) were significantly influenced by feed deprivation, but not by feed and water deprivation. However, only the serum creatinine values were significantly different after the 24-hour post-transport period. There were no significant differences in pig weight or serum chemical values 84 days after pigs had arrived at the finishing unit. The serum chemical profile, widely used in human medicine, appears not to provide a reliable marker for identification of short-term nutritional deprivation, nor for transport stress in feeder pigs.

In 2 studies, the effects of dietary aflatoxin (AF) and deoxynivalenol (DON) were evaluated in growing crossbred barrows. The first study consisted of 4 treatments of 5 barrows each (6 weeks old) at dosages of 0 mg of DON and AF (control), 2.5 mg of DON/kg of feed, 0.75 mg of AF/kg of feed, and 2.5 mg of DON + 0.75 mg of AF/kg of feed. Pigs were fed their respective diets for 21 days. Treatment with DON caused decreases in weight gains, but no other treatment-related differences could be attributed to diets. In a second study, the experimental design consisted of 4 treatments of 5 barrows each (6 weeks old) at dosages of 0 mg of DON and AF (control), 3 mg of DON/kg of feed, 3 mg of AF/kg of feed, and 3 mg of DON + 3 mg of AF/kg of feed fed ad libitum for 28 days. The pigs were observed twice daily for clinical signs, hematologic and serum biochemical measurements were made weekly, and body weights and feed consumption were determined weekly. Body weight gains were significantly depressed by the AF and the AF + DON treatments for days 7, 14, 21, and 28. Body weights and body weight gains were only slightly reduced in the DON treatment. Changes in serum enzymatic activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, creatine kinase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase were noticed in pigs given treatments with AF alone and those given AF + DON. Total iron binding capacity and serum total protein, albumin, cholesterol, BUN, and glucose concentrations were decreased, whereas prothrombin and activated thromboplastin times were increased by AF and AF + DON treatments. Lesions in the AF-treated groups were compatible with a diagnosis of aflatoxicosis. The control and DON-treated pigs had no abnormalities. These data provide a description of the effects of dietary AF and DON, singly and in combination, in growing barrows.

Rabbits were given T-2 mycotoxin orally at 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 mg/kg of body weight/day for 21 days. Only rabbits in the 0.75 mg/kg/day group (4 of 5 rabbits) died. Alveolar macrophages were harvested on day 22 and used for in vitro phagocytosis of killed Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. Cultures included sera from untreated rabbits or rabbits treated with T-2. Phagocytosis was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in cultures that used serum from rabbits treated with 0.5 mg of T-2kg/day and alveolar macrophages from untreated rabbits or rabbits treated with T-2. There was little reduction in phagocytosis when alveolar macrophages from rabbits treated with T-2 and normal serum were used. Ingestion of 0.5 mg of T-2 toxin/kg/day significantly (P < 0.05) reduced weight gain, serum alkaline phosphatase activity, serum sorbitol dehydrogenase activity, and serum bacteriostasis. Similar changes were found in the 0.75 mg/kg/day group, as well as a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in PCV, total WBC, and differential leukocyte counts. Neutrophil counts decreased, but not significantly (0.05 < P < 0.10). Significant changes were not detected in alanine transaminase activity, aspartate transaminase activity, blood urea nitrogen concentration, or complement hemolytic activity. Histopathologic changes consisting of centrilobular hepatocellular swelling, mild portal and periportal fibrosis and lymphocyte necrosis within secondary lymphoid tissues developed in most rabbits treated with T-2. Thymic atrophy, bile duct reduplication, and lymphocyte depletion of secondary lymphoid tissues developed in the group given 0.75 mg/kg/day. Severity of lymphoid depletion in secondary lymphoid tissues was greatest in the appendix and decreased in the following order: appendix > sacculus rotundus > ileal Peyer patches > lymph nodes and spleen. In this study, we provide additional data showing that, at these oral doses of T-2 toxin, rabbits could be immunosuppressed, as evidenced by reduced alveolar macrophage phagocytosis and histopathologic changes in lymphoid tissues. Also, these doses caused reductions in weight gain, certain hematologic factors, and serum alkaline phosphatase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities.

The objective of the study was to establish the baseline values for blood and coagulation parameters in normal and healthy rusa deer (Rusa timorensis) of different ages and sexes. The samplepopulation consists of 40 rusa deer, divided into four groups of (i) juvenile males (ii) juvenile females (iii) adult males and (iv) adult females. The findings showed significant (p<0.05) higher values in erythrocyte count, calcium concentration and prothrombin time in the adult males compared to adult female rusa deer. On the other hand, the total protein concentration was significantly higher in adult females than adult male deer. No significant differences in blood or coagulation parameters were observed between sexes in the juvenile deer. Between age group, the adult deer had significantly higher mean cell volume, plasma protein and globulin concentration than juvenile rusa deer. Thus, it is necessary to take into account the age and sex of the rusa deer when using blood reference values for the diagnosis of diseases or health assessment.

Reference intervals are reported for feline CSF biochemical and serologic variables, IgG concentration, and electrophoretic fractionation, derived from 58 clinically normal adult cats that did not have histologic lesions of the CNS. There was no apparent effect of age on any variable. The CSF total protein concentration was significantly (P = 0.012) greater in males than in females, but all other variables were unaffected by gender. The only variable that had a statistically significant correlation with its corresponding blood concentration was IgG. Blood contamination of the CSF affected the following CSF variables: total protein concentration, activities of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase, IgG ratio, and gamma-globulin percentage. The reference intervals proposed for feline CSF were derived from 33 cats with CSF RBC count < 31 cells/microliter. Reference limits for CSF with 31 to 1,700 RBC/microliter also are reported.