bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Point-of-care assessment of platelet reactivity in the emergency department may facilitate rapid rule-out of acute coronary syndromes: a prospective cohort pilot feasibility study
Authors: Darling Chad E , Sala Mercado Javier A , Quiroga-Castro Walter , Tecco Gabriel F , Zelaya Felix R , Conci Eduardo C , Sala Jose P , Smith Craig S , Michelson Alan D , Whittaker Peter , Welch Robert D , Przyklenk Karin
Published: October 2014

Objective

Accurate, efficient and cost-effective disposition of patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is a growing priority. Platelet activation is an early feature in the pathogenesis of ACS; thus, we sought to obtain an insight into whether point-of-care testing of platelet function: (1) may assist in the rule-out of ACS; (2) may provide additional predictive value in identifying patients with non-cardiac symptoms versus ACS-positive patients and (3) is logistically feasible in the ED.

Design

Prospective cohort feasibility study.

Setting

Two urban tertiary care sites, one located in the USA and the second in Argentina.

Participants

509 adult patients presenting with symptoms of ACS.

Main outcome measures

Platelet reactivity was quantified using the Platelet Function Analyzer-100, with closure time (seconds required for blood, aspirated under high shear, to occlude a 150 µm aperture) serving as the primary endpoint. Closure times were categorised as ‘normal’ or ‘prolonged’, defined objectively as the 90th centile of the distribution for all participants enrolled in the study. Diagnosis of ACS was made using the standard criteria. The use of antiplatelet agents was not an exclusion criterion.

Results

Closure times for the study population ranged from 47 to 300 s, with a 90th centile value of 138 s. The proportion of patients with closure times ≥138 s was significantly higher in patients with non-cardiac symptoms (41/330; 12.4%) versus the ACS-positive cohort (2/105 (1.9%); p=0.0006). The specificity of ‘prolonged’ closure times (≥138 s) for a diagnosis of non-cardiac symptoms was 98.1%, with a positive predictive value of 95.4%. Multivariate analysis revealed that the closure time provided incremental, independent predictive value in the rule-out of ACS.

Conclusions

Point-of-care assessment of platelet reactivity is feasible in the ED and may facilitate the rapid rule-out of ACS in patients with prolonged closure times.
Calculating the burden of disease of avian-origin H7N9 infections in China
Authors: Qi Xiaopeng , Jiang Dong , Wang Hongliang , Zhuang Dafang , Ma Jiaqi , Fu Jingying , Qu Jingdong , Sun Yan , Yu Shicheng , Meng Yujie , Huang Yaohuan , Xia Lanfang , Li Yingying , Wang Yong , Wang Guohua , Xu Ke , Zhang Qun , Wan Ming , Su Xuemei , Fu Gang , Gao George F
Published: October 2014

Objective

A total of 131 cases of avian-originated H7N9 infection have been confirmed in China mainland from February 2013 to May 2013. We calculated the overall burden of H7N9 cases in China as of 31 May 2013 to provide an example of comprehensive burden of disease in the 21st century from an acute animal-borne emerging infectious disease.

Design

We present an accurate and operable method for estimating the burden of H7N9 cases in China. The main drivers of economic loss were identified. Costs were broken down into direct (outpatient and inpatient examination and treatment) and indirect costs (cost of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and losses in the poultry industry), which were estimated based on field surveys and China statistical year book.

Setting

Models were applied to estimate the overall burden of H7N9 cases in China.

Participants

131 laboratory-confirmed H7N9 cases by 31 May 2013.

Outcome measure

Burden of H7N9 cases including direct and indirect losses.

Results

The total direct medical cost was ¥16 422 535 (US$2 627 606). The mean cost for each patient was ¥10 117 (US$1619) for mild patients, ¥139 323 (US$22 292) for severe cases without death and ¥205 976 (US$32 956) for severe cases with death. The total cost of DALYs was ¥17 356 561 (US$2 777 050). The poultry industry losses amounted to ¥7.75 billion (US$1.24 billion) in 10 affected provinces and ¥3.68 billion (USD$0.59 billion) in eight non-affected adjacent provinces.

Conclusions

The huge poultry industry losses followed live poultry markets closing down and poultry slaughtering in some areas. Though the proportion of direct medical losses and DALYs losses in the estimate of H7N9 burden was small, the medical costs per case were extremely high (particularly for addressing the use of modern medical devices). A cost-effectiveness assessment for the intervention should be conducted in a future study.
Serosurvey of selected zoonotic agents in polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
Authors: Rah H. , Chomel B. B. , Kasten R.W. , Hew C. H. , Farver T. B. , Follmann E. H. , Garner G.W. , Amstrup S. C.
Published: October 2014

Between 1982 and 1999 blood samples were collected from 500 polar bears (Ursus maritimus) captured in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, to determine the seroprevalence of Brucella species,Toxoplasma gondii, andTrichinellaspecies infections. The bears were classified into four age groups, cubs, yearlings, subadults and adults.BrucellaandToxoplasmaantibodies were detected by agglutination (a buffered acidified card antigen and rapid automated presumptive test for brucellosis and a commercial latex agglutination test for toxoplasmosis); an ELISA was used to detectTrichinellaantibodies. The overall seroprevalence ofBrucellaspecies was 5 per cent, and subadults and yearlings were 2·62 times (95 per cent confidence interval 1·02 to 6·82) more likely to be seropositive forBrucellaspecies than adults and their cubs. The antibody prevalence forToxoplasma gondiiwas 6 per cent, and forTrichinellaspecies 55·6 per cent. The prevalence of antibodies toTrichinellaspecies increased with age (P<0·001).
Identification of Culicoides obsoletus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) as a vector of bluetongue virus in central Italy
Authors: De Liberato C. , Scavia G. , Lorenzetti R. , Scaramozzino P. , Amaddeo D. , Cardeti G. , Scicluna M. , Ferrari G. , Autorino G. L.
Published: October 2014

In 2001 and 2002, 235 outbreaks of bluetongue were observed in the Lazio and Tuscany regions of central Italy. During entomological surveillance Culicoides imicola, the main vector of bluetongue virus in the Mediterranean region, was detected in only 14 of 28 municipalities affected by outbreaks; Culicoides obsoletus was the most abundant species, contributing 83 per cent of individuals in catches, whereas C imicola contributed only 2 per cent. In affected municipalities the maximum catch of C obsoletus was 18,000 specimens, compared with 54 of C imicola. In October 2002 bluetongue virus serotype 2 was isolated from a single pool of wild‐caught, non‐blood‐engorged parous C obsoletus inoculated on to BHK‐21 cells. Its identity was confirmed by reverse transcriptase‐PCR.
Doppler sonography of the medial arterial blood supply to the coxofemoral joints of 36 medium to large breed dogs and its relationship with radiographic signs of joint disease
Authors: Rademacher N. , Ohlerth S. , Doherr M. G. , Gaschen L. , Stoffel M. H. , Lang J.
Published: October 2014

The medial arterial supply to 68 of the 72 coxofemoral joints of 36 medium to large breed dogs was examined ultrasonographically. The medial circumflex femoral artery and three branches were identified; the artery and its transverse branch were identified in all 68 joints, and the deep branch was identified in 61 joints, and the ascending branch was identified in 63. However, the acetabular and obturator branches were not identified. The pulsatility index, the mean velocity and the peak systolic velocity of the medial circumflex femoral artery were determined and associated with a radiographic score of degenerative coxofemoral joint disease and a lath distraction index (LDI). In joints with a LDI greater than 0·35, the pulsatility index was significantly lower (P=0·023) and its mean velocity was higher (P=0·005). However, no significant associations were observed in individual dogs when the measurements in both joints were taken into account.
Multiple antimicrobial resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B variant Java in cattle: a case report
Authors: Evans S. J. , Davies R. H. , Binns S. H. , Liebana E. , Jones T. W. H. , Millar M. F. , Threlfall E. J. , Ward L. R. , Hopkins K. L. , Mackay P. H. S. , Gayford P. J. R.
Published: October 2014

An epidemiological investigation of a calf rearing premises and a closely associated dairy herd was carried out after the isolation of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B variant Java phage type 3b variant 2 from clinically diseased calves on the premises. The isolate was resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulphonamides, tetracyclines, trimethoprim and cefoperazone. The organism was widespread on the calf unit and was also recovered from the dairy premises, mainly from groups of weaned calves. The investigation was extended to 10 epidemiologically linked farms but no S Java was isolated from any of the 40 to 60 samples collected from each premises. Molecular studies showed that the S Java isolates were genetically most similar to isolates from cases of human disease associated with ornamental fish tanks or feed. Long PCR and resistance gene profiling identified a resistance island which was indistinguishable from the human ‘fish tank’ strain of S Java and animal and human epidemic strains of S Typhimurium DT104. The isolates were clearly distinguished from multi‐resistant S Java strains commonly associated with continental poultry. This is the first report of S Java with this resistance pattern in Great Britain.
Pathogenesis of experimental bovine spongiform encephalopathy: preclinical infectivity in tonsil and observations on the distribution of lingual tonsil in slaughtered cattle
Authors: Wells G. A. H. , Spiropoulos J. , Hawkins S. A. C. , Ryder S. J.
Published: October 2014

The infectivity in tissues from cattle exposed orally to the agent of BSE was assayed by the intracerebral inoculation of cattle. In addition to the infectivity in the central nervous system and distal ileum at stages of pathogenesis previously indicated by mouse bioassay, traces of infectivity were found in the palatine tonsil of cattle killed 10 months after exposure. Because the infectivity may therefore be present throughout the tonsils in cattle infected with BSE, observations were made of the anatomical and histological distribution of lingual tonsil in the root of the tongue of cattle. Examinations of tongues derived from abattoirs in Britain and intended for human consumption showed that macroscopically identifiable tonsillar tissue was present in more than 75 per cent of them, and even in the tongues in which no visible tonsillar tissue remained, histological examination revealed lymphoid tissue in more than 90 per cent. Variations in the distribution of the lingual tonsil suggested that even after the most rigorous trimming of the root of the tongue, traces of tonsillar tissue may remain.
Serosurvey of Aujeszky’s disease virus infection in European wild boar in Spain
Authors: Vicente J. , Ruiz‐Fons F. , Vidal D. , Höfle U. , Acevedo P. , Villanúa D. , Fernández‐de‐Mera I. G. , Martín M. P. , Gortázar C.
Published: October 2014

Serum samples from 693 hunted wild boar (Sus scrofa) were analysed by means of a blocking ELISA technique, and the mean (se) prevalence of antibodies to Aujeszky’s disease virus was 44 (4) per cent. All the seropositive wild boar were from south central Spain, except for one from central Spain, close to the main positive area. In this area, where large game species are increasingly managed for hunting, the seroprevalence was affected by the type of management. More intensively managed populations had a higher prevalence than wild boar living in natural situations, and the seroprevalence increased with the age of the animals; the seroprevalence was higher in females in all age groups. The seroprevalence in males more than one year old peaked after the breeding season, whereas females of the same age had a higher and constant seroprevalence throughout the year.
Diagnosis and treatment of primary intraoral leiomyosarcomas in four dogs
Authors: Boy S. C. , Van Heerden W. F. P. , Steenkamp G.
Published: October 2014

This paper describes the clinical and pathological features, diagnosis and management of primary intraoral leiomyosarcomas in the oral cavity of four dogs; they involved the gingivae of the rostral maxilla and mandible, the mucosa of the upper lip and the soft palate. Their features are compared with the those of leiomyosarcomas commonly encountered in the gastrointestinal tract of dogs. Two of the dogs responded well to surgical treatment; one died after its airways were obstructed by a large palatal tumour; and the fourth was lost to follow‐up after its owners declined treatment.
Comparison of the efficacy of a synthetic dog‐appeasing pheromone with clomipramine for the treatment of separation‐related disorders in dogs
Authors: Gaultier E. , Bonnafous L. , Bougrat L. , Lafont C. , Pageat P.
Published: October 2014

Sixty‐seven dogs that showed signs of distress when separated from their owners (destructiveness, excessive vocalisation and house soiling) and hyperattachment were used in a randomised, blind trial to assess the potential value of a dog‐appeasing pheromone in reducing the unacceptable behaviours. For ethical reasons, there was no placebo group and the effects of the pheromone were compared with the effects of clomipramine which is regularly used to treat this type of problem. The undesirable behaviours decreased in both groups, but the overall assessment by the owners indicated that there was no significant difference between the two treatments, although there were fewer undesirable events in the dogs treated with the pheromone, and the administration of the pheromone appeared to be more convenient.
Two cases of feline leishmaniosis in Switzerland
Authors: Rüfenacht S. , Sager H. , Müller N. , Schaerer V. , Heier A. , Welle M. M. , Roosje P. J.
Published: October 2014

Two cats with Leishmania species infections were investigated. The first had been imported from Spain with a non‐healing, ulcerated nodule on a hindleg. The presence of Leishmania species was detected by histopathology and PCR on samples of skin. The lesion was unresponsive to treatment with allopurinol for three months but the cat was treated successfully by removing the lesion surgically. The second cat had lived in both Spain and Switzerland, and had a history of recurrent skin lesions on its head and neck. A diagnosis of pemphigus foliaceus was made on the basis of histopathology, but Leishmania species serology (ELISA) and PCR of skin were positive, leading to a diagnosis of a Leishmania species infection combined with pemphigus foliaceus.
Safety, efficacy and cross‐protectivity of a live intranasal aerosol haemorrhagic septicaemia vaccine
Authors: Myint A. , Nyunt H. H. , Jones T.O.
Published: October 2014

The safety, efficacy and cross‐protectivity of a live intranasal aerosol haemorrhagic septicaemia vaccine containing Pasteurella multocida serotype B:3,4 were tested in young cattle and buffaloes in Myanmar, where more than 1·5 million animals had been inoculated with this vaccine between 1989 and 1999. A recommended dose of 2 × 107 viable organisms was used for the efficacy test. The administration of 100 times the recommended dose to 50 cattle and 39 buffalo calves was innocuous. Seven months after they were vaccinated, three of three buffaloes were protected and 12 months after they were vaccinated, three of four buffaloes were protected against a subcutaneous challenge with serotype B:2 which killed three of three unvaccinated buffaloes. Twelve months after they were vaccinated, eight of eight cattle survived a serotype B:2 challenge, which killed four of four unvaccinated controls. The vaccinated cattle had developed serum antibodies detectable by the passive mouse protection test. Indirect haemagglutination tests on sera taken from cattle 10 days and five weeks after they were vaccinated showed high titres of antibodies. The serum of vaccinated cattle cross‐protected passively immunised mice against infection with P multocida serotypes E:2, F:3,4 and A:3,4.
Biochemical reference ranges for groups of ewes of different ages
Authors: Dubreuil P. , Arsenault J. , Bélanger D.
Published: October 2014

Reference biochemical ranges for young adult and adult ewes in mid‐gestation were derived from 83 pooled serum samples taken from 30 flocks in the Province of Québec, Canada. In each flock the samples were pooled into three age categories and each category contained between six and 10 samples. The blood samples were taken by jugular venepuncture in December 1999. All the values were within the normal published ranges. As the age of the ewes increased there were slight increases in the concentrations of globulin and total protein and decreases in the concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, creatinine, glucose and albumin, and in the activities of alkaline phosphatase and glutathione peroxidase.
International disease monitoring, January to March 2005
Authors: Sabirovic M. , Raw L. , Hall S. , Coulson N.
Published: October 2014

African swine fever in Namibia, Tanzania and Italy (Sardinia)

Bluetongue in previously affected regions of Portugal, Spain and France (Corsica)

Classical swine fever in Russia

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in Kenya

Foot‐and‐mouth disease in Colombia and Hong Kong

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in south‐east Asia; Malaysia free of H5N1; outbreak caused by H7 virus (of unknown subtype) in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

New haemagglutinin type (H16) of avian influenza in black‐headed gulls in Sweden

Newcastle disease in Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus

Peste des petits ruminants in Israel

Quarantine restrictions for vesicular stomatitis lifted in the USA; outbreaks reported in Bolivia and Belize; serological presence confirmed in cattle in Colombia

Swine vesicular disease in endemic areas in Italy

New case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Canada; French caprine isolate likely to contain the BSE strain

– These are among matters discussed in the international disease monitoring report for January to March 2005, prepared by DEFRA ’s International Animal Health Division
Factors associated with upper respiratory tract disease caused by feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, Chlamydophila felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica in cats: experience from 218 European catteries
Authors: Helps C. R. , Lait P. , Damhuis2 A. , BjÖrnehammar U. , Bolta D. , Brovida C. , Chabanne L. , Egberink H. , Ferrand G. , Fontbonne A. , Pennisi M. G. , Gruffydd‐Jones T. , Gunn‐Moore D. , Hartmann K. , Lutz H. , Malandain E. , MÖstl K. , Stengel C. , Harbour D. A. , Graat E. A. M.
Published: October 2014

A full history of the management practices and the prevalence of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) at 218 rescue shelters, breeding establishments and private households with five or more cats was recorded. Oropharyngeal and conjunctival swabs and blood samples were taken from 1748 cats. The prevalences of feline herpesvirus (FHV), feline calicivirus (FCV), Chlamydophila felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica were determined by PCR on swab samples. An ELISA was applied to determine the prevalence of antibodies to B bronchiseptica. The rates of detection by PCR of each pathogen in the cats in catteries with and without ongoing URTD were, respectively, FHV 16 per cent and 8 per cent; FCV 47 per cent and 29 per cent; C felis 10 per cent and 3 per cent; and B bronchiseptica 5 per cent and 1·3 per cent; the seroprevalences of B bronchiseptica were 61 per cent and 41 per cent, respectively. There was evidence that FHV, FCV and B bronchiseptica played a role in URTD. The risk factors associated with the disease were less than excellent hygiene, contact with dogs with URTD, and larger numbers of cats in the cattery or household.
Prevalence of obesity in dogs examined by Australian veterinary practices and the risk factors involved
Authors: McGreevy P. D. , Thomson P. C. , Pride C. , Fawcett A. , Grassi T. , Jones B.
Published: October 2014

A study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of obesity in dogs examined by veterinary practices across Australia, and to determine the risk factors involved; 1700 practices were asked to complete a veterinarian opinion survey, and of the 428 practices that responded, 178 were selected to complete an RSPCA Australia Pet Obesity Questionnaire, together with additional practices selected by Australian State and Territory RSPCA societies. This questionnaire was sent to a total of 209 practices which were asked to record details of eligible dogs, and the reason why they had been examined during the previous month. Fifty‐two (24·9 per cent) of the practices responded and provided data on 2661 dogs, of which 892 (33·5 per cent) were overweight and 201 (7·6 per cent) were obese. A further 112 dogs (4·2 per cent) were classified as thin or very thin, but these were excluded from subsequent analyses. Of the remaining 2549 dogs, approximately half were female and 1905 (74·7 per cent) were neutered. The dogs’ weight category was influenced by several factors. Breed influenced the importance of sex and neutering as risk factors. The prevalence of overweight and obese dogs combined was 41 per cent; the prevalence increased with age up to about 10 years old, and then declined. Rural and semirural dogs were more at risk of obesity than urban and suburban dogs.
Prevalence of Fasciola hepatica in dairy herds in England and Wales measured with an ELISA applied to bulk‐tank milk
Authors: Salimi‐Bejestani M. R. , Daniel R. G. , Felstead S. M. , Cripps P. J. , Mahmoody H. , Williams D. J. L.
Published: October 2014

An ELISA developed to diagnose Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle by detecting serum antibodies was adapted and validated for use with samples of bulk‐tank milk. The prevalence of the infection in 61 dairy herds was established by using serum antibody levels or faecal egg counts measured in a proportion of the cows in each herd. The correlation between the results of the ELISA and the herd seroprevalence was 0·83. Using a cut‐off value of 27 per cent positive, the bulk‐tank ELISA identified herds in which more than 25 per cent of the cows were infected with a diagnostic sensitivity of 96 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval 89 to 100 per cent) and a diagnostic specificity of 80 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval 66 to 94 per cent). By applying the ELISA to 623 herds in England and 445 herds in Wales, the prevalence of F hepatica infection in England was estimated to be 48 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval 46 to 54 per cent), and in Wales 86 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval 84 to 90 per cent).
Ophthalmological findings in free‐living tawny owls (Strix aluco) examined at a wildlife veterinary hospital
Authors: Cousquer G.
Published: October 2014

Detailed ophthalmological examinations were made on 128 of the 216 free‐living tawny owls (Strix aluco) examined at a wildlife hospital in the south west of England during the years 2000 to 2002. There were significant lesions in the eyes of 96 (75 per cent) of the birds examined. There were 147 adult birds admitted, of which 89 (60·5 per cent) were due to road traffic accidents; only 13 of these birds (14·6 per cent) were normal. Sixty‐nine juvenile birds were admitted, 36 (52 per cent) of them as ‘orphans’. Only 25 of the juvenile birds were examined ophthalmologically, and of these 13 (52 per cent) were normal. The ophthalmological examination included a Schirmer tear test the results of which were consistently lower than is normal for some other families of birds.
Leucocytoclastic vasculitis associated with Staphylococcus intermedius in the pastern of a horse
Authors: Risberg å. I. , Webb C. B. , Cooley A. J. , Peek S. F. , Darien B. J.
Published: October 2014

A pregnant quarterhorse mare became acutely lame as a result of severe swelling of its right hind leg, thought to have been caused by a fracture or a muscle tear. Diagnostic procedures ruled out a traumatic musculoskeletal cause and a physical examination revealed chronic pastern dermatitis (‘scratches’/‘grease heel’). Histopathological evaluation of biopsy samples from the right hind leg was consistent with a leucocytoclastic vasculitis, and culture yielded Staphylococcus intermedius. The treatment and infectious causes of pastern dermatitis are discussed.
Phacoemulsification of bilateral cataracts in a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
Authors: Kelly T. R. , Walton W. , Nadelstein B. , Lewbart MS G. A.
Published: October 2014

An immature free‐living loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) of unknown sex was found moribund off the coast of Wise Point, Virginia. It was suffering from cachexia and had bilateral hypermature cataracts which were treated by phacoemulsification under general anaesthesia. The surgery restored the turtle’s vision and it was returned to the wild
Clinical investigation of remifentanil and propofol for the total intravenous anaesthesia of dogs
Authors: Murrell J. C. , Wesselink van Notten R. , Hellebrekers L. J.
Published: October 2014

Fifteen adult dogs underwent elective ovariectomy. They were premedicated with 0·5 mg/kg methadone and 0·05 mg/kg‐1 atropine administered intramuscularly, and anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with intravenous infusions of remifentanil at 0·6 µg/kg/minute and propofol; the mean (sd) rate of infusion of propofol throughout the period of anaesthesia was 0·33 (0·03) mg/kg/minute. The dogs were ventilated continuously with oxygen while they were anaesthetised. Their haemodynamic parameters were clinically acceptable during the period of anaesthesia. Two dogs received additional atropine to correct bradycardias of less than 60 bpm and several dogs received additional boluses of remifentanil or propofol to maintain an adequate depth of anaesthesia, as determined by a clinical assessment. The mean (range) time to the return of spontaneous respiration after stopping the remifentanil infusion was 11·1 (6·0 to 17·0) minutes, and the mean (range) time to the dogs standing was 38·0 (20·0 to 80·0) minutes. The quality of recovery was good in 12 of the dogs, two showed mild excitation in the immediate postoperative period and the other dog required additional analgesia with methadone.
Financial incentive to control paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease) on dairy farms in the United Kingdom
Authors: Stott A. W. , Jones G. M. , Humphry R. W. , Gunn G. J.
Published: October 2014

This paper estimates the financial incentive to control paratuberculosis on dairy farms by establishing the level of expenditure that would minimise the total cost of the disease (output losses plus control expenditure). Given the late onset of the clinical signs and the lack of treatments, control was focused on minimising the financial impact of paratuberculosis by adjusting the dairy cow replacement policy. The optimum replacement policies for disease‐free herds and infected herds were compared by using dynamic programming. At the standard settings, the disease justified adjusting the culling policy; under constant bioeconomic assumptions, it reduced the expected annuity from milk production under the optimal replacement policy by about 10 per cent (£27 per cow annually), a considerably lower figure than for other major endemic diseases that affect dairy cows in the UK. The effect was even less at lower milk prices, suggesting that there is at present little incentive for dairy farmers to put more resources into controlling the disease. However, the incentive could be increased if more information were available about how best to manage the disease under specific farm circumstances. Any effect that paratuberculosis may have on the future demand for milk and hence on milk prices would also be an important consideration.
Control of endoparasites in horses with a gel containing moxidectin and praziquantel
Authors: Holm‐Martin M. , Levot G. W. , Dawson K. L.
Published: October 2014

A gel formulation containing moxidectin (20 g/kg) and praziquantel (125 g/kg) reduced the geometric mean faecal strongyle egg count in horses to below 100 eggs per gram of faeces (epg) for at least 12 weeks despite their being exposed continuously to reinfection from pasture grazed by treated and untreated horses. The geometric mean egg count of horses treated with a proprietary paste containing abamectin (3·7 g/kg) and praziquantel (46·2 g/kg) increased steadily from six weeks after the treatment, peaking at over 820 epg after 12 weeks. Relative to the efficacy of the abamectin/praziquantel treatment, the reduction in mean faecal egg count compared with the pretreatment counts was significantly (P<0·05) better in the horses treated with moxidectin and praziquantel from eight weeks after the treatment. Both products eliminated tapeworms from horses in a non‐invasive modified critical trial.
Non‐invasive real‐time measurements of cardiac vagal tone in dogs with cardiac disease
Authors: Little C. J. L. , Reid S.W. J. , Julu P. O. O. , Hansen S.
Published: October 2014

In dogs with spontaneous heart disease, an electronically generated measurement of cardiac vagal tone, the cardiac index of parasympathetic activity, was a sensitive, simple and inexpensive measure of the severity of heart failure. Dogs with cardiac disease and an index score less than 3 were at 15·8 (95 per cent confidence interval 2·9 to 87·2) times the risk of dying within a year than those with a score of 3 and over. The measurement of the index provided an objective and reliable beat‐by‐beat measurement of cardiac vagal tone, which was prognostically useful in dogs with heart disease.
Failure of moxidectin to control benzimidazole–, levamisole– and ivermectinresistant Teladorsagia circumcincta in a sheep flock
Authors: Sargison N.D. , Jackson F. , Bartley D. J. , Moir A. C. P.
Published: October 2014

Control of a benzimidazole–, levamisole– and ivermectin‐resistant population of Teladorsagia circumcincta was attempted using moxidectin administered orally at the manufacturer's recommended dose rate of 200 µg/kg bodyweight. Ewes were dosed after lambing with the aim of controlling their periparturient rise in faecal egg output and lambs were dosed at six‐week intervals throughout the summer. This regimen failed to suppress the establishment of significant numbers of infective helminth larvae on the pasture, resulting in unsatisfactory lamb production. Oral dosing with moxidectin was effective in removing adult female burdens of ivermectin‐resistant T circumcincta, but the effect of the drug did not persist against the resistant helminth population.
Suspected venous air embolism in a horse
Authors: Bradbury L. A. , Archer D. C. , Dugdale A. H. A. , Senior J. M. , Edwards G. B.
Published: October 2014

A horse which had had a caecal impaction for 10 days was treated by means of an ileocaecostomy but failed to respond satisfactorily. Before a second laparotomy was performed it was observed to have dislodged the extension set from a jugular catheter and air was heard being sucked into the vein. It became very agitated but was anaesthetised again and the impaction was removed through an incision in the apex of the caecum. After recovering from the anaesthesia it developed severe signs of pruritus which subsided only after 12 hours. These signs were considered most likely to have resulted from a venous air embolism.
PrP genotypes of rare breeds of sheep in Great Britain
Authors: Townsend S. J. , Warner R. , Dawson M.
Published: October 2014

In total 31,669 blood samples were collected from 1187 flocks of 27 rare breeds of sheep in the UK, and their genotype profiles at the prion protein locus were determined. The frequencies of the five alleles varied widely among the breeds and some had only two of the alleles and others had all five; the average was three. The average allele frequencies across all 27 breeds were 49·7 per cent for ARR, 4·4 per cent for AHQ, 2·7 per cent for ARH, 37·4 per cent for ARQ and 5·8 per cent for VRQ. The highest frequencies for each allele were 90·7 per cent for ARR in the Leicester Longwool, 24·7 per cent for AHQ in the Hebridean, 68·7 per cent for ARH in the Manx Loghtan, 98·7 per cent for ARQ in the North Ronaldsay and 28·4 per cent for VRQ in the Boreray. All 27 breeds had the ARR allele, 21 had AHQ, 11 had ARH, 26 had ARQ and 20 had VRQ.
Protection against bovine respiratory syncytial virus challenge following a single dose of vaccine in young calves with maternal antibody
Authors: Mawhinney I. C. , Burrows M. R.
Published: October 2014

Twenty‐one young calves with maternally derived antibody to bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) were divided into three groups of seven, each group balanced for BRSV antibody titre. The calves had no evidence of previous exposure to BRSV. The calves in one group were given a single dose of a monovalent modified live BRSV vaccine; the calves in the second group were given a single dose of an inactivated combined BRSV, parainfluenza virus type 3, Mannheimia haemolytica vaccine and the calves in the third group were left as unvaccinated controls. Three weeks after the single doses of vaccine, all the calves were challenged with BRSV. The clinical signs of disease were mild, and virus excretion was limited to two calves in the group given the inactivated vaccine, compared with six in the negative controls (P=0·05) and five in the group given the live vaccine. The mean virus excretion titres after the challenge were not significantly different between the groups. There was little seroconversion before the challenge, but six of the seven calves in the group given the inactivated vaccine showed significant seroconversion within two weeks after the challenge, compared with only one calf in each of the other two groups (P=0·015).
Outbreak of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection among captive Asian elephants in a Swedish zoo
Authors: Sternberg Lewerin S. , Eld K. , Bölske G. , Olsson S‐L. , Röken B. , Ghebremichael S. , Koivula T. , Källenius G.
Published: October 2014

Between 2001 and 2003, there was an outbreak of tuberculosis in a Swedish zoo which involved elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses and buffaloes. Cultures of trunk lavages were used to detect infected elephants, tuberculin testing was used in the giraffes and buffaloes, and tracheal lavage and tuberculin testing were used in the rhinoceroses. The bacteria isolated were investigated by spoligotyping and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Five elephants and one giraffe were found to have been infected by four different strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Tissue distribution of bovine spongiform encephalopathy infectivity in Romney sheep up to the onset of clinical disease after oral challenge
Authors: Bellworthy S. J. , Hawkins S. A. C. , Green R. B. , Blamire I. , Dexter G. , Dexter I. , Lockey R. , Ryder S. , Berthelin‐Baker C. , Simmons M. M. , Jeffrey M.
Published: October 2014

Sixty Romney sheep of three prion protein genotypes were dosed orally at six months of age with an inoculum prepared from the brains of cattle clinically affected with BSE, and 15 sheep were left undosed as controls. They were randomly assigned within genotype to groups and were sequentially euthanased and examined postmortem at intervals of six or 12 months, depending on their predicted susceptibility. Tissue pools prepared from the three, four or five dosed animals in each group were inoculated into groups of 20 RIII mice as a bioassay for infectivity. Separate inocula were prepared from the matched control sheep killed at each time. In the ARQ/ARQ sheep killed four months after inoculation, infectivity was detected in the Peyer's patch tissue pool, and at 10 months it was detected in the spleen pool; from 16 months, infectivity was detected in a range of nervous and lymphoreticular tissues, including the spinal cord pool, distal ileum excluding Peyer's patches, liver, Peyer's patches, mesenteric and prescapular lymph nodes, spleen, tonsil and cervical thymus. No infectivity was detected in the tissue pools from the ARQ/ARR and ARR/ARR sheep killed 10 months or 22 months after infection.
Factors associated with the wastage and achievements in competition of event horses registered in the United Kingdom
Authors: O’Brien E. , Stevens K. B. , Pfeiffer D. U. , Hall J. , Marr C. M.
Published: October 2014

The aims of this study were to estimate the wastage of horses registered for eventing in Britain, to investigate the reasons for this wastage and to evaluate factors affecting the horses’ achievement of grade I status (at least 61 points) while registered. An analysis of the database of the British Eventing register found that 33·7 per cent of horses registered for the first time in 1999 were not re‐registered for eventing in subsequent years. By using multivariable logistic regression analysis, it was shown that horses that were kept at an event yard were more likely to be re‐registered than those kept on other premises (odds ratio [OR] 2·0, 95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 1·2 to 3·2), and those that took part in showjumping while registered were also more likely to be re‐registered (OR 1·5, 95 per cent CI 1·1 to 2·2). Horses that took part in unaffiliated eventing while registered were less likely to be re‐registered the following year (OR 0·7, 95 per cent CI 0·5 to 0·9), as were those that were not insured (OR 0·7, 95 per cent CI 0·5 to 1·0) and those from outside the British Isles (OR 0·6, 95 per cent CI 0·3 to 1·0). Veterinary problems were the most commonly cited explanation (35·1 per cent) why horses that remained in their original ownership were not re‐registered with British Eventing the following year. Horses from Australia were more likely to achieve grade I status than horses from the British Isles (OR 9·7, 95 per cent CI 7·1 to 13·2), as were horses from New Zealand (OR 6·4, 95 per cent CI 5·0 to 8·2), the USA (OR 5·2, 95 per cent CI 3·8 to 7·2) and France (OR 2·8, 95 per cent CI 2·1 to 3·7), but horses from the Netherlands (OR 0·5, 95 per cent CI 0·3 to 0·9) and Belgium (OR 0·3, 95 per cent CI 0·1 to 0·9) were less likely to achieve grade I status. Mares were less likely to achieve grade I status than geldings (OR 0·4, 95 per cent CI 0·4 to 0·5).
Efficacy of an inactivated feline panleucopenia virus vaccine against a canine parvovirus isolated from a domestic cat
Authors: Gamoh K. , Senda M. , Inoue Y , Itoh O.
Published: October 2014

Canine parvovirus type 2a (CPV‐2a) and type 2b (CPV‐2b) have recently been isolated from cats throughout the world, and CPV‐2b strain FP84 has been reported to be virulent in domestic cats. Although live feline panleucopenia virus (FPLV) vaccines protect domestic cats from CPV infection, the efficacy of inactivated FPLV vaccines has not been established. In this study, two domestic cats were vaccinated with a commercial inactivated FPLV vaccine and challenged with CPV‐2b strain FP84 isolated from a domestic cat. The cats were protected against CPV‐2b strain FP84 infection and their clinical signs were suppressed, although the two unvaccinated cats showed the typical clinical signs of parvovirus infection.
Double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study of the efficacy of nandrolone laurate in the treatment of dobermanns with subclinical hepatitis
Authors: Mandigers P. J. J. , Horspool L. J. L. , van den Ingh T. S. G. A. M. , Teske E. , Bode P. , Rothuizen J.
Published: October 2014

Twenty‐one three‐year‐old dobermanns with subclinical hepatitis were treated with nandrolone laurate or a placebo in a double‐blind trial. The dogs were scored clinically before and after four months of treatment and they were evaluated by clinical biochemistry and liver biopsies. After the treatment no significant differences were observed between the two groups in any of the clinical biochemistry values; eight of the 21 dogs had no histological evidence of hepatitis and five other dogs had improved, but there was no significant difference between the responses of the two groups.
Conservative treatment for thoroughbred racehorses with intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate
Authors: Barakzai S. Z. , Dixon P. M.
Published: October 2014

Race records were obtained for 31 thoroughbred racehorses that were treated conservatively (rest, improvement of fitness and/or use of a tongue tie) for dorsal displacement of the soft palate, and for 62 matched control horses. Their racing performance, based on prize money won, was compared for three races run before and after the disorder was diagnosed. Nineteen (61 per cent) of the conservatively treated horses had higher earnings after conservative treatment than before treatment, compared with 27 (43·5 per cent) of the controls. There was a significant (P=0·049) increase in the earnings of the horses treated conservatively, but there was no significant difference in the earnings of the control group.
Production of exfoliative toxin by isolates of Staphylococcus hyicus from different countries
Authors: Andresen L. O.
Published: October 2014

A total of 218 isolates of Staphylococcus hyicus from pigs in eight countries (Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Korea, Slovenia, the UK and the USA) and 44 isolates from other animals in Belgium, India, Japan and the USA were examined for the genes encoding the exfoliative toxins ExhA, ExhB, ExhC and ExhD by multiplex PCR. The expression of the toxins was confirmed by immunoblot analysis, using monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies specific for each of the toxins. The porcine isolates were from pigs with exudative epidermitis, pigs with other lesions and from healthy pigs, and one or more of the toxins could be found among the isolates from the pigs in all the countries. Toxigenic strains of S hyicus were isolated from both healthy and diseased pigs, but the chance of isolating toxigenic strains from pigs with exudative epidermitis was greater than from pigs with other lesions or healthy pigs. Of the 44 isolates from other animal species, only one isolate, from a hare from Belgium, produced ExhB, and one isolate, from a cow with mastitis from Japan, produced ExhA.
Morbidity of Swedish horses insured for veterinary care between 1997 and 2000: variations with age, sex, breed and location
Authors: Egenvall A. , Penell J. C. , Bonnett B. N. , Olson P. , Pringle J.
Published: October 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential usefulness of the database maintained by the Swedish insurance company Agria for providing disease statistics on Swedish horses. The demography of the horses insured for veterinary care during the period 1997 to 2000 was recorded and the incidence of morbidity, defined as horses that required veterinary care that cost more than the policy excess, was calculated. Yearly incidences were calculated for horses that required veterinary care at least once, first overall, and then for horses with complete insurance, by sex, age, breed group, breed, location and human population density. Poisson regression was applied to a multivariable model to produce estimates of relative risk adjusted for other factors in the model, such as age. The total number of horse‐years at risk for those with complete insurance was over 72,000 each year. The annual incidence rate for horses that required veterinary care at least once varied from 1080 to 1190 events per 10,000 horse‐years at risk; for geldings the averaged incidence rate was 1398 events, for mares it was 1042 events, and for stallions it was 780 events per 10,000 horse‐years at risk. There were considerable variations in incidence rate between breeds.
Specific causes of morbidity among Swedish horses insured for veterinary care between 1997 and 2000
Authors: Penell J. C. , Egenvall A. , Bonnett B. N. , Olson P. , Pringle J.
Published: October 2014

The principal aim of this study was to analyse the incidence of disease due to general and more specific causes among over 100,000 horses covered by complete insurance for veterinary care by a Swedish insurance company during 1997 to 2000. The database was used to calculate the rate of cause‐specific morbidity in horses of different ages, sexes and breed groups kept in different regions with different human population densities. The joints were the most commonly affected part of the body, followed by unspecified/whole body, the skin and the digestive system. The most common specific diagnosis was fetlock arthritis, followed by lameness of undefined origin, other locomotor problems, traumatic injuries to the skin, arthritis in several joints, and colic. Geldings had the highest rate of at least one disease event in the joints, unspecified/whole body, skeletal or respiratory system, whereas in the other four major systems the difference between the sexes was marginal.
Discrimination of isolates of Mycobacterium bovis in Northern Ireland on the basis of variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTRs)
Authors: Skuce R. A. , McDowell S. W. , Mallon T. R. , Luke B. , Breadon E. L. , Lagan P. L. , McCormick C. M. , McBride S. H. , Pollock J. M.
Published: October 2014

The ability to reproducibly discriminate Mycobacterium bovis isolates and trace their transmission has the potential to clarify sources of infection and major routes of transmission for bovine tuberculosis (TB). A PCR ‐based genotyping assay has been developed to discriminate between strains of M bovis by examining multiple sites in its genome that consist of variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTR s). The discriminatory power and reproducibility of this VNTR typing has been compared with that of the established PCR ‐based spoligotyping technique by using a panel of 461 isolates of M bovis prevalent in Northern Ireland. The VNTR assay discriminated 40 different profiles, the most prevalent of which constituted 21 per cent of the total, compared with 14 profiles discriminated by spoligotyping, the most prevalent of which constituted 65 per cent. No significant differences were observed between the prevalences of the VNTR profiles in the years from 1999 to 2003. A preliminary evaluation indicated that most genotypes predominated in particular areas of the country. This VTNR typing assay was found to be highly discriminating, with the performance characteristics to support its systematic application to the molecular epidemiology of bovine TB.
Anatomical, histological and genetic investigations of a sexually anomalous goat
Authors: Hafez S. A. , Huckle W. R. , Caceci T.
Published: October 2014

An apparently female goat was masculine in appearance and had strong male‐pattern libido and behaviour. The goat’s DNA was subjected to PCR analysis and its reproductive system was examined anatomically and histologically. The external genitalia consisted of an apparent vulva in the normal position and a grossly enlarged clitoris. Two masses could be palpated lying subcutaneously in the inguinal region; when they were removed they had the macroscopic appearance of hypoplastic testes, and histologically they had atrophic tubules and prominent interstitial tissues. To exclude sex chimaerism, X and Y chromosome‐specific targets were amplified by PCR, using bone marrow and muscle DNA templates. The goat had some Y chromosomespecific sequences such as SRY and BRY. I but lacked others, such as BOV97M.