The efficacy of an autogenous vaccine consisting of a whole cell suspension of formalin killed bacteria in sterile buffered saline against Staphylococcus aureus infections was determined, using a well-established rabbit skin infection model. Thirteen 8 wk old rabbits were vaccinated twice subcutaneously with a 2 wk interval while 10 rabbits were injected twice with formalised PBS (sterile phosphate buffered saline). Two weeks after the last injection, 10 vaccinated and all PBS-injected rabbits were inoculated intradermally with 10(8) cfu of a S. aureus strain (KH 171)which had been shown to be highly virulent for rabbits. Three vaccinated animals served as negative controls and were intradermally injected with sterile buffered saline. All rabbits were examined daily for the development of skin lesions until 14 d after the experimental infection when all rabbits were euthanised. All animals experimentally infected with S. aureus developed skin abscesses within 24 h post-inoculation, but in the vaccinated group the maximum abscess diameter was significantly lower than in the non-vaccinated group (P=0.048). This difference between autovaccinated and non-vaccinated groups increased over time (P < 0.001). These results indicate that vaccination with an inactivated whole cell bacterin may be useful for control of staphylococcosis in rabbits but does not prevent abscess formation in animals inoculated with a high dose of a highly virulent S. aureus strain.

Hyperadrenocorticism is a frequently occurring disease in middle-aged ferrets. It is caused by a neoplasm of the adrenal cortex. Otherwise than in dogs and cats, hyperadrenocorticism in the ferret is always independent of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The tumor of the adrenal cortex can be removed surgically, mostly with satisfying results. After surgery, a regression of symptoms occurs after two to eight weeks, and the animals are without symptoms after five to eight months. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in using a chemical therapy aimed at decreasing hormone production through the administration of GnRH agonists. These agonists initially cause a temporary increase of the sex steroids, and then a long-term decrease of them through desensitization of the GnRH receptors. A deslorelin implant seems to be a promising alternative for the surgical treatment of hyperadrenocorticism in ferrets. Some authors even recommend it as a standard preventive treatment after neutering in both genders and for every ferret over four years of age. Moreover, it is an excellent alternative for surgical castration.

Overzicht met casuïstieken 137 INLEIDING De fret wint de laatste jaren steeds meer aan populariteit.In de dierenartsenpraktijk worden deze dieren dan ook steeds vaker aangeboden.Hyperadrenocorticisme is een vaak voorkomende aandoening bij fretten van middelbare leeftijd.In dit artikel worden twee patiënten besproken: de eerste werd chirurgisch behandeld en de tweede werd behandeld met een desloreline-implantaat.De pathogenese, symptomen en diagnose worden behandeld en vervolgens de twee verschillende therapieën.Daarna volgt een vergelijking

Vaccination is being considered more commonly today as a supportive measure to biosecurity, restriction policies and stamping out for avian influenza (AI) eradication efforts. However, although conventional inactivated vaccines protect against clinical signs and death, they only reduce shedding of field virus if vaccinated poultry become infected, with the risk of masking a circulation of field virus. There is thus an urgent need to improve the performances of conventional vaccines. The M2e-specific ELISA may be a valuable diagnostic tool.

Vaccination programs for the control of avian influenza (AI) in birds have restrictions because of some limited efficacy and the difficulty of discriminating between vaccinated and virus-infected poultry. We studied M2e, the highly conserved external domain of the influenza A M2 protein, as a potential differential diagnostic marker for influenza virus infection. The M2 protein is an integral membrane protein, scarcely present on virus particles, but abundantly expressed on virus-infected cells. M2e-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for different avian influenza strains were developed by coating the peptides corresponding to the first 18 amino acids, without the first methionine, of the universal human consensus M2e sequence and the specific M2e sequence of two highly pathogenic AI (HPAI) strains, H7N7 and H5N1. Using the M2e ELISAs, M2e-specific antibodies were observed in chickens and ducks experimentally infected with H7 or H5 HPAI, respectively, that correlated well with hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies. Conversely, sera from chicken and ducks inoculated with inactivated AI vaccines were positive for HI test but negative for the M2e ELISAs. Moreover, ducks inoculated with inactivated vaccine and challenged with a HPAI H5N1 seroconverted for antibodies to the M2e peptide, with significantly different levels from those measured between the vaccinated and infected groups. These results indicate the potential benefit of a simple and specific M2e ELISA in the assessment of the efficacy of vaccination as well as for diagnostic and survey applications.

Inclusion body disease, a fatal disorder in Boidae, is reviewed, and three cases in boa constrictors, the first reported cases in Belgium, are described. The snakes showed nervous signs, and numerous eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions, which are considered to be characteristic of the disease, were found in the liver and pancreas. The disease is suspected to be caused by a retrovirus, but transmission electron microscopic examinations of several tissues from one of the snakes did not reveal particles with a typical retroviral morphology.

During the first two weeks of March 2004, 80 carrion crows (Corvus corone) were found dead in a park in Brussels (Belgium). At necropsy, splenomegaly, hemorrhagic enteritis with duodenum lesions and cerebral or meningeal hemorrhages were observed reminiscent of West Nile virus infection. By real-time (RT)-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction), no amplification of the West Nile disease virus-specific 3'UTR RNA sequence was observed, while viral isolation from brain homogenate was also negative. Toxicological examination revealed no toxins. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated intracytoplasmic, reovirus-like particles in ultra-thin sections of the spleen and duodenum. Proliferation of these virions in cultured chicken embryonic hepatocytes was evidenced by their cytopathogenic effect and their presence in infected cells and their supernatant.

The progression of tracheal lesions induced by vaccination of day-old specific pathogen-free chicks with the La Sota strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was examined by relating surface changes as observed by scanning electron microscopy with subcellular changes seen by transmission electron microscopy. NDV infection resulted in hypertrophy of goblet cells, their rupture, and the formation of excess mucus. Activation of goblet cells peaked within 4 days postvaccination. Afterward, the activation levels gradually decreased. At the level of the ciliated cells, a marked increase in the proportion of nonciliated to ciliated cells and later an almost complete deciliation of the tracheal surface were observed because a simple squamous to cuboidal epithelium replaced the original pseudostratified epithelium. Fifteen days postvaccination, all epithelial damage was restored. Because the observed vaccination-induced lesions are detrimental to epithelial integrity and function as a barrier against invading microorganisms, they might explain at the ultrastructural level the secondary complications of vaccination with the La Sota strain against NDV

To reduce the embryonic pathogenicity of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), escape mutants of the La Sota strain were produced with selected monoclonal antibodies. Immunoselection resulted in the elimination of an epitope by single amino acid substitution (F and HN molecule) or in a conformational change (HN molecule). The embryonic pathogenicity of these escape mutants was reduced and their dose was optimised for in ovo vaccination. Because antibody responses and protection of in ovo vaccinated chicks were similar to controls vaccinated at hatch with the La Sota strain, immunoselection appears a valuable technique to produce attenuated NDV strains, which are candidate in ovo vaccines.

The sequences of the L1 loop of the hexon protein from representative fowl adenovirus (FAdV) strains of the different European and American collections were determined and compared. This study highlighted the lack of consensus in the numbering of the individual serotypes between the American and the European classifications. An identification system is proposed based on restriction fragment length polymorphism of the hexonA/hexonB polymerase chain reaction product. In addition, new insights into the relationships among FAdV strains are presented and discussed on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of the L1 loops sequences. Six clusters of strains that are supported by high bootstrap values were identified. Three of them are clearly independent, forming groups A, B and C, whereas the three others are clustered in a single 'supergroup', denominated D. Interestingly, the Japanese strain TR22 that is presently classified as European type 5 (species B) could not be assigned to any of the aforementioned clusters and might therefore constitute the sole representative of a seventh cluster.

Since mid-december 2003, an epizootic of highly pathogenic avian influenza (type A, sub-type H5N1) occurs in eastern and south-eastern Asia. This epizootic is historically unprecedented in its virulence, geographical spread, and economic consequences for the agricultural sector. Implications for human health were registered in Vietnam and in Thailand. This paper summarizes the current knowledge about the risk evaluation of the transmission of avian influenza virus to humans. The current asian epizootic has highlighted the key role of global health information systems and also the need for exhaustive notification of human and animal cases. It reinforces the concept of veterinary public health.

Veterinary RecordVolume 155, Issue 1 p. 25-26 Short Communications Lingual and pharyngeal paralysis due to acute doxycycline intoxication in veal calves K. Chiers DVM, PhD, K. Chiers DVM, PhD Department of Pathology Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorM. Van Heerden DVM, M. Van Heerden DVM Department of Pathology Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorG. Meulemans DVM, G. Meulemans DVM Department of Pathology Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorR. Ducatelle DVM, PhD, R. Ducatelle DVM, PhD Department of Pathology Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorP. Deprez DVM, PhD, P. Deprez DVM, PhD Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorK. Baert DVM, K. Baert DVM Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorS. Croubels PhD, S. Croubels PhD Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorP. De Backer DVM, PhD, P. De Backer DVM, PhD Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorP. Weyens DVM, P. Weyens DVM P.P. Rubenslaan 29, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this author K. Chiers DVM, PhD, K. Chiers DVM, PhD Department of Pathology Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorM. Van Heerden DVM, M. Van Heerden DVM Department of Pathology Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorG. Meulemans DVM, G. Meulemans DVM Department of Pathology Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorR. Ducatelle DVM, PhD, R. Ducatelle DVM, PhD Department of Pathology Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorP. Deprez DVM, PhD, P. Deprez DVM, PhD Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorK. Baert DVM, K. Baert DVM Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorS. Croubels PhD, S. Croubels PhD Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorP. De Backer DVM, PhD, P. De Backer DVM, PhD Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorP. Weyens DVM, P. Weyens DVM P.P. Rubenslaan 29, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this author First published: 03 July 2004 https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.155.1.25Citations: 5Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume155, Issue1July 2004Pages 25-26 RelatedInformation

The potential of a capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specific for chicken interferon-gamma (ChIFN-gamma) has been evaluated as a tool to assess cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in the chicken. In a first step, ChIFN-gamma production and cell proliferation of mitogen-activated chicken splenocytes have been compared. In general, for each of the stimulation conditions where significant proliferation was observed, production of ChIFN-gamma could be measured by ELISA. In our hands, the combination of ionomycin and phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate or the use of recombinant chicken interleukin-2 gave the most satisfactory results. Then, the CMI response induced by live or killed Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccines has been evaluated sequentially by ex vivo antigen-specific ChIFN-gamma production and cell proliferation of splenocytes from immune chickens. The ex vivo data showed that both types of NDV vaccines are capable of stimulating CMI responses to NDV in chickens as measured by the ChIFN-gamma ELISA. However, most of the chickens vaccinated with the live vaccine produced ChIFN-gamma after antigen recall stimulation, from 2 to 4 weeks after vaccination, when only some chickens vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine showed a specific response 4 weeks after vaccination. No significant proliferative responses to either NDV vaccine were detectable during the 4 weeks of the study. From our results, it appears that antigen-specific ChIFN-gamma production can be used as a good indicator of actively acquired immunity to NDV and that the sensitivity range of the capture ELISA test is well adequate to measure ex vivo release of ChIFN-gamma.

This study aimed to examine the significance of interactions between Escherichia coli and various respiratory pathogens during outbreaks of colibacillosis-associated mortality in layer hen flocks under field conditions. For this purpose, a case-control study involving 20 control flocks with baseline mortality and 20 flocks with increased mortality due to E. coli septicaemia and polyserositis, was conducted. In each colibacillosis flock, blood samples were taken from 20 hens at the onset of clinical disease and three times thereafter at 2-week intervals. Control flocks of comparable ages were sampled in the same way. Pooled sera, taken at the first and last sampling, were examined for antibody titres against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and the individual sera from all four samplings were examined for the presence and/or titres of antibodies against avian pneumovirus (APV), Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae and Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale. Titre increases were seen for IBV D274 (one control flock) and O. rhinotracheale (one control and one colibacillosis flock). An increase in per cent reactors was seen for APV (one control flock), and for M. synoviae (one control and two colibacillosis flocks). The study failed to detect any consistent interactions between E. coli and the aforementioned pathogens. These results indicate that, at least as observed in this study, outbreaks of increased mortality resulting from colibacillosis are not necessarily associated with IBV, NDV, APV, M. gallisepticum, M. synoviae or O. rhinotracheale infections.

Since mid-december 2003, an epizootic of highly pathogenic avian influenza (type A, sub-type H5N1) occurs in eastern and south-eastern Asia. This epizootic is historically unprecedented in its virulence, geographical spread, and economic consequences for the agricultural sector. Implications for human health were registered in Vietnam and in Thailand. This paper summarizes the current knowledge about the risk evaluation of the transmission of avian influenza virus to humans. The current asian epizootic has highlighted the key role of global health information systems and also the need for exhaustive notification of human and animal cases. It reinforces the concept of veterinary public health.

The ability of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis isolates to adhere to immobilized secretions of the isthmus of the laying hen was determined in an ELISA-type assay. One-third of the 56 isolates tested in the logarithmic growth phase, adhered to the isthmal secretions. Using a binding assay of the isolates to thin paraffin sections of the oviduct, we demonstrated that the receptor of the adhesion was localized inside the tubular gland cells of the isthmus. The adhesion to immobilized isthmal secretions as well as to the paraffin sections was blocked by the addition of mannose. A fimD mutant of S. Enteritidis, lacking type 1 fimbriae, did not adhere, confirming that the adhesion was mediated by type 1 fimbriae. Mannosylated glycoproteins were demonstrated in the isthmus glandular cells using confocal laser scanning microscopy by FITC-labelled Lens culinaris lectins. It is hypothesized that the binding of S. Enteritidis to isthmal secretions could play a role in the contamination of eggs through incorporation of the bacteria in the shell membranes.

Twenty-seven Newcastle disease virus isolates obtained during the years 1998 and 1999 from racing pigeons were shown to be antigenically indistinguishable from the pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1) viruses isolated in the years 1983 and 1984. Partial sequencing of 240 base pairs of the F gene demonstrated at least 94.7% identity at the nucleotide level between isolates from 1983 and 1984, and more recent viruses isolated in 1998 and 1999. Most of the nucleotide changes observed were silent mutations as only six amino acid changes were observed. Three amino acid substitutions were observed in the F2/F1 cleavage site. The sequence of the F2/F1 cleavage site of all isolates was typical for pathogenic paramyxovirus 1 viruses. Amino acids at the F2/F1 cleavage site changed from 112 GRQKRF 117 to 112 RRQKRF 117 , 112 RRKKRF 117 or 112 RRRKRF 117 . The motif 112 RRQKRF 117 was present in the majority of the isolates but the intracerebral pathogenicity indexes of PPMV-1 isolates having this motif was highly variable but largely lower (mean, 0.69) than that reported for PPMV-1 viruses isolated in the years 1983 and 1984 (mean, 1.44).

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) was isolated from each of 236 broiler flocks that had respiratory infection (86%), impaired growth, enteritis and/or nephritis (14%), over a 10-year period from 1986 to 1995 in Belgium. Among them, 65% of the investigated flocks had not been vaccinated against infectious bronchitis. Type-specific reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) were used after propagation of the isolates in embryonated eggs in order to detect and differentiate Massachusetts, D274, B1648 and 793/B types. The incidence of these types was approximately 50, 38, 11 and 1%, respectively. In 16% of cases, two or three types of IBV were detected, representing mostly combinations of Massachusetts and D274. The majority of the Massachusetts and D274 isolates (68 and 69%, respectively) were recovered from non-vaccinated flocks, confirming that such flocks are at greatest risk of infection by these types of IBV. Interestingly, the B1648 type was isolated from more vaccinated flocks (14%) than non-vaccinated flocks (7.6%). Most surprising was the very low incidence (1%) of the 793/B type, which was the dominant type in some neighbouring countries, during the period of investigation. The DNA derived by RT-PCR from 24 of the Massachusetts-type isolates from 12 vaccinated and 12 non-vaccinated flocks was sequenced and compared with the sequence of Massachusetts vaccines used in Belgium. This revealed that the sequence of four of the isolates (two from vaccinated and two from non-vaccinated flocks) was identical to that of a Massachusetts vaccine strain. Similar results were obtained for D274 isolates when compared with the sequence of D274 vaccines. These sequencing results demonstrate a co-circulation of vaccine and wild-type infectious bronchitis viruses in broilers, and are further justification for permanent monitoring of circulating strains in order to rationally modify vaccination strategies to make them appropriate to the field situation.