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- Author or Editor: Richard L. Walker x
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Abstract
Objective—To determine whether previously unidentified variations of the SzP protein of Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus were present in horses with various clinical signs of infection and whether any relationship could be identified between SzP protein variants and naturally occurring clinical conditions.
Sample Population—23 isolates of S equi subsp zooepidemicus were recovered from specimens of horses with various clinical conditions and used as a representative population of isolates for evaluation of different SzP protein variants.
Procedure—Genetic heterogeneity of the isolates was demonstrated by repetitive extragenic palindromic- polymerase chain reaction analysis. The SzP gene was sequenced and the presumed protein sequence determined for each isolate. Characteristics of the SzP proteins were compared among the isolates and in relation to the clinical conditions of horses from which they were recovered.
Results—The signal peptide types, number of proline- glutamic acid-proline-lysine repeats, and anchor sequences were consistent with those previously described for the SzP protein. Many of the isolates clustered with 5 previously described types on the basis of the hypervariable region of the SzP protein. One additional variant, which represented 8 of the isolates, was identified. Particular motifs in the hypervariable region accounted for many of the differences among hypervariable types.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The SzP protein appears to be limited to a selected number of types. Variations in the SzP protein are frequently determined on the basis of different motifs rather than random amino acid substitutions. There does not appear to be any association of SzP protein variations and clinical manifestations of infection in horses. (Am J Vet Res 2003;64:976–981)
Abstract
Objective—To compare the effectiveness of lincomycin and oxytetracycline for treatment of digital dermatitis (DD) in dairy cows through gross visual examination, histologic evaluation, and bacteriologic evaluation.
Design—Randomized controlled clinical trial.
Animals—25 cows with DD lesions from a commercial Holstein dairy herd.
Procedures—Cows with DD lesions were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: topical treatment with 10 g of lincomycin hydrochloride (n = 11), topical treatment with 10 g of oxytetracycline hydrochloride (11), and no treatment (3) on days 1 and 2 (d1). Biopsy specimens were obtained for histologic examination from DD lesions prior to treatment and 28 or 31 days (d30) after treatment for histologic examination. Cows were clinically examined on d1, days 12 or 14 (d14), and d30.
Results—No difference was evident in clinical responses to lincomycin and oxytetracycline, so data were pooled; at d30, 8 of 11 of lincomycin-treated lesions and 7 of 11 oxytetracycline-treated lesions appeared visually healed, respectively. Gross visual examination suggested 73% (16/22) of treated cows were healed at d14 and 68% (15/22) of treated cows were healed on d30. Of the 15 lesions that appeared healed on d30, 7 of 15 were classified histologically as active (ulceration and bacterial invasion; 2/15) or incipient (5/15).
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Clinical responses to lincomycin and oxytetracycline did not differ. Agreement was good between gross visual and histologic assessments of DD lesions before treatment; agreement 1 month after treatment was variable. Histologic evaluation could not distinguish incomplete healing from lesion recurrence.
Abstract
Objective—To determine risk factors for Clostridium piliforme infection in neonatal foals on a Thoroughbred breeding farm in California.
Design—Case-control and retrospective cohort studies.
Animals—322 neonatal Thoroughbred foals either born on the study farm or born elsewhere but traveled to the farm with their dam during the 1998, 1999, and 2000 breeding seasons.
Procedure—Mare and foal records from 1998, 1999, and 2000 were examined, using case-control design methods to determine variables associated with increased risk of C piliforme infection in foals. Important risk factors identified in the case-control study were then reevaluated by use of a retrospective cohort design, using data from all neonatal foals present on the farm during the 3-year study period.
Results—Foals born between March 13 and April 13 were 7.2 times as likely to develop C piliforme infection as were those born at any other time of the foaling season. Foals of nonresident (visiting) mares were 3.4 times as likely to develop disease as were foals born to mares that were permanent residents of the study farm. Foals of mares < 6 years of age were 2.9 times as likely to develop disease as were foals born to older mares.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results of this research can be used to better understand the epidemiologic factors of C piliforme infection in horses. High-risk foals can be closely monitored to aid in early diagnosis and treatment, resulting in the best possible clinical outcome for affected individuals. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2002;220:785–790)
Abstract
Objective—To evaluate sensitivity of microbial culture of pooled fecal samples for detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) in large dairy herds and assess the use of the method for estimation of MAP prevalence.
Animals—1,740 lactating cows from 29 dairy herds in California.
Procedure—Serum from each cow was tested by use of a commercial ELISA kit. Individual fecal samples were cultured and used to create pooled fecal samples (10 randomly selected fecal samples/pool; 6 pooled samples/herd). Sensitivity of MAP detection was compared between Herrold's egg yolk (HEY) agar and a new liquid culture method. Bayesian methods were used to estimate true prevalence of MAP-infected cows and herd sensitivity.
Results—Estimated sensitivity for pooled fecal samples among all herds was 0.69 (25 culture-positive pools/36 pools that were MAP positive). Sensitivity increased as the number of culture-positive samples in a pool increased. The HEY agar method detected more infected cows than the liquid culture method but had lower sensitivity for pooled fecal samples. Prevalence of MAP-infected cows was estimated to be 4% (95% probability interval, 2% to 6%) on the basis of culture of pooled fecal samples. Herd-level sensitivity estimate ranged from 90% to 100% and was dependent on prevalence in the population and the sensitivity for culture of pooled fecal samples.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Use of pooled fecal samples from 10 cows was a cost-effective tool for herd screening and may provide a good estimate of the percentage of MAP-infected cows in dairy herds with a low prevalence of MAP. (Am J Vet Res 2004;65:1061–1070)
