High prevalence of mycoplasmas in the genital tract of asymptomatic stallions in Austria     

Spergser J  Aurich C  Aurich JE  Rosengarten R 《Veterinary microbiology》2002,87(2):119-129

Mycoplasma equigenitalium and M. subdolum have been implicated in genital disorders and infertility of horses. The reported cytopathic effects of M. equigenitalium observed in vitro underscore its potential pathogenic role in reproductive dysfunction in mares. This study was initiated to determine the prevalence of mycoplasmas in the genital tract of stallions in relationship to age, clinical signs, geographic location and semen quality. For this purpose the mycoplasma flora of the genital tract of 116 stallions of the Noric breed was determined by isolation and colony immunoblotting and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Of 438 swabs from the genital tract, pre-ejaculatory fluid and semen samples, 352 (80%) samples were positive by PCR and 125 (29%) were positive by culture. Mycoplasmas were isolated predominantly from the fossa glandis and urethra and less frequently from the penis shaft and from semen. M. equigenitalium (89 isolates) and M. subdolum (70 isolates) were the predominant species identified. M. equirhinis and M. felis were detected in 27 and 8 samples, respectively. Comparison of these isolations with clinical signs, semen quality, and age of the stallions revealed no significant correlation. However, geographical location of the stallion significantly correlated with mycoplasma detection. These results suggest that mycoplasmas are present as commensals in the genital tract of stallions. Thus, clinically healthy stallions may present a permanent reservoir for infection of mares via venereal transmission.  相似文献   

Prevalence and consequences of subacute ruminal acidosis in German dairy herds     

Joachim L Kleen  Lucia Upgang  Jürgen Rehage 《Acta veterinaria Scandinavica》2013,55(1):48

Background

The prevalence and the clinical consequences of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in dairy cows are still poorly understood. In order to evaluate the prevalence of SARA, 26 German dairy farms were included in a field study. In each herd, between 11 and 14 lactating dairy cows were examined for their ruminal pH using rumenocentesis. Milk production data and farm management characteristics were recorded. Each farm was scored for lameness prevalence among lactating animals, and body condition score was recorded three times four to five weeks apart in all animals examined. Farms were grouped on basis of ruminal pH and compared for lameness, body condition, milk production parameters and style of management. Animals were grouped on basis of their measured ruminal pH and compared accordingly for milk production parameters and body condition score.

Results

Of 315 cows examined, 63 individuals (20%) exhibited a ruminal pH of ≤ 5.5 at time of rumenocentesis. Of 26 farms examined, eleven farms had three or more of their cows experiencing a ruminal pH of ≤ 5.5 and were classified as likely experiencing subacute ruminal acidosis. These farms tended to be bigger than the others and offered less lying space to the lactating cows. There was no clear tendency regarding lameness. Among individual cows, animals with a low ruminal pH of ≤ 5.5 were found to be in significantly poorer body condition than animals with higher pH values (p < 0,05).

Conclusions

The study shows 11 out of 26 of herds likely experiencing SARA. Bigger herds tend to be at a higher risk for SARA, while individuals with low ruminal pH tend to be lower in body condition. The study points to the importance of management in preventing SARA.  相似文献   

Camel Streptococcus agalactiae populations are associated with specific disease complexes and acquired the tetracycline resistance gene tetM via a Tn916-like element     

Anne Fischer  Anne Liljander  Heike Kaspar  Cecilia Muriuki  Hans-Henrik Fuxelius  Erik Bongcam-Rudloff  Etienne P de Villiers  Charlotte A Huber  Joachim Frey  Claudia Daubenberger  Richard Bishop  Mario Younan  Joerg Jores 《Veterinary research》2013,44(1):86

Camels are the most valuable livestock species in the Horn of Africa and play a pivotal role in the nutritional sustainability for millions of people. Their health status is therefore of utmost importance for the people living in this region. Streptococcus agalactiae, a Group B Streptococcus (GBS), is an important camel pathogen. Here we present the first epidemiological study based on genetic and phenotypic data from African camel derived GBS. Ninety-two GBS were characterized using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), capsular polysaccharide typing and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We analysed the GBS using Bayesian linkage, phylogenetic and minimum spanning tree analyses and compared them with human GBS from East Africa in order to investigate the level of genetic exchange between GBS populations in the region. Camel GBS sequence types (STs) were distinct from other STs reported so far. We mapped specific STs and capsular types to major disease complexes caused by GBS. Widespread resistance (34%) to tetracycline was associated with acquisition of the tetM gene that is carried on a Tn916-like element, and observed primarily among GBS isolated from mastitis. The presence of tetM within different MLST clades suggests acquisition on multiple occasions. Wound infections and mastitis in camels associated with GBS are widespread and should ideally be treated with antimicrobials other than tetracycline in East Africa.  相似文献   

Impact of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris on the degradation of Fusarium-infected and deoxynivalenol-contaminated wheat straw     

Elisabeth Oldenburg  Susanne Kramer  Stefan Schrader  Joachim Weinert 《Soil biology & biochemistry》2008,40(12):3049-3053

When conservation tillage is practised in agriculture, plant residues remain on the soil surface for soil protection purposes. These residues should be widely decomposed within the following vegetation period as microbial plant pathogens surviving on plant litter may endanger the currently cultivated crop. Important soil-borne fungal pathogens that preferably infect small grain cereals belong to the genus Fusarium. These pathogens produce the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), a cytotoxic agent, in infected cereal organs. This toxin frequently occurs in cereal residues like straw. So far it is unclear if DON degradation is affected by members of the soil food web within decomposing processes in the soil system. For this purpose, a microcosm study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions to investigate the degradation activity of the earthworm species Lumbricus terrestris when exposed to Fusarium-infected wheat straw being contaminated with DON.Highly Fusarium-infected and DON-contaminated straw seemed to be more attractive to L. terrestris because it was incorporated faster into the soil compared with straw infected and contaminated at low levels. This is supported by a greater body weight gain (exposure time 5 weeks) and smaller body weight loss (exposure time 11 weeks) of L. terrestris, respectively, when highly contaminated straw was offered for different time periods.Furthermore, L. terrestris takes part in the efficient degradation of both Fusarium biomass and DON occurring in straw in close interaction with soil microorganisms. Consequently, earthworm activity contributes to the elimination of potentially infectious plant material from the soil surface.  相似文献   

Dynamics of litter carbon turnover and microbial abundance in a rye detritusphere     

Christian Poll  Sven Marhan  Joachim Ingwersen  Ellen Kandeler 《Soil biology & biochemistry》2008,40(6):1306-1321

Factors determining C turnover and microbial succession at the small scale are crucial for understanding C cycling in soils. We performed a microcosm experiment to study how soil moisture affects temporal patterns of C turnover in the detritusphere. Four treatments were applied to small soil cores with two different water contents (matric potential of ?0.0063 and ?0.0316 MPa) and with or without addition of ¹³C labelled rye residues (δ¹³C=299‰), which were placed on top. Microcosms were sampled after 3, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 84 days and soil cores were separated into layers with increasing distance to the litter. Gradients in soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, extracellular enzyme activity and microbial biomass were detected over a distance of 3 mm from the litter layer. At the end of the incubation, 35.6% of litter C remained on the surface of soils at ?0.0063 MPa, whereas 41.7% remained on soils at ?0.0316 MPa. Most of the lost litter C was mineralised to CO₂, with 47.9% and 43.4% at ?0.0063 and ?0.0316 MPa, respectively. In both treatments about 6% were detected as newly formed soil organic carbon. During the initial phase of litter decomposition, bacteria dominated the mineralisation of easily available litter substrates. After 14 days fungi depolymerised more complex litter compounds, thereby producing new soluble substrates, which diffused into the soil. This pattern of differential substrate usage was paralleled by a lag phase of 3 days and a subsequent increase in enzyme activities. Increased soil water content accelerated the transport of soluble substrates, which influenced the temporal patterns of microbial growth and activity. Our results underline the importance of considering the interaction of soil microorganisms and physical processes at the small scale for the understanding of C cycling in soils.  相似文献   

Testicular blood flow and plasma concentrations of testosterone and total estrogen in the stallion after the administration of human chorionic gonadotropin     

Bollwein H  Schulze JJ  Miyamoto A  Sieme H 《The Journal of reproduction and development》2008,54(5):335-339

The goal of this study was to investigate for the first time a possible association between plasma concentrations of testosterone and total estrogen and testicular blood flow in the stallion. Correlations between these variables were calculated before and after administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Eight mature warmblood stallions received 5,000 IU hCG intravenously, and four stallions received solvent only. Testicular blood flow in the left and right testicular arteries was assessed using colour Doppler sonography by measuring blood flow volume (BFV) and pulsatility index (PI) immediately before (time 0) and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 72, 120 and 168 h after hCG administration. EDTA blood samples were collected after each examination from a jugular vein to measure plasma testosterone and total estrogen concentrations. After treatment, the BFV increased and was elevated at 1 h and between 12 and 24 h. The profile of the PI was contrary to that of the BFV throughout the study period. Following hCG, there was a biphasic increase in testosterone concentration with maxima between 1 and 3 h and between 24 and 72 h, and there was a monophasic increase in the total estrogen concentration with a maximum between 6 and 24 h. At time 0, the total estrogen concentration correlated significantly with BFV (r=0.90; P<0.05) but the testosterone concentration did not (P>0.05). The testosterone and total estrogen concentrations did not correlate with PI (P>0.05). The total estrogen concentration, but not testosterone, correlated well with BFV after injection of hCG (P<0.05). The results of this study indicated that the testicular blood flow volume of the stallion may be regulated by estrogens, but additional studies are necessary to investigate whether there is a causal relationship.  相似文献   

Inflammatory cytokine and C‐reactive protein concentrations in dogs with systemic inflammatory response syndrome          下载免费PDF全文

Kris Gommeren DVM  PhD  DECVIM  Isabelle Desmas DVM  DACVIM  Alexandra Garcia DVM  Natalie Bauer DVM  PhD  DECVCP  Andreas Moritz DVM  PhD  DECVIM  Joachim Roth DVM  PhD  Dominique Peeters DVM  PhD  DECVIM 《Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care》2018,28(1):9-19

  相似文献   

Policy impacts on regulating ecosystem services: looking at the implications of 60 years of landscape change on soil erosion prevention in a Mediterranean silvo-pastoral system     

Carlos A. Guerra  Marc J. Metzger  Joachim Maes  Teresa Pinto-Correia 《Landscape Ecology》2016,31(2):271-290

  相似文献   

Serological evidence for Babesia canis infection of horses and an endemic focus of B. caballi in Hungary     

Hornok S  Edelhofer R  Földvári G  Joachim A  Farkas R 《Acta veterinaria Hungarica》2007,55(4):491-500

In order to evaluate the seroconversion of horses to Babesia caballi and B. canis in Hungary, blood samples were collected from 371 animals on 23 different locations of the country. The presence of antibodies to B. caballi was screened with a competitive ELISA. All 29 positive samples came from one region (the Hortobágy). The prevalence of infection did not show correlation with sexes, and reached 100% in the age group of 2-5 years. Babesia canis-specific antibodies were demonstrated by IFAT in 6.74% of animals kept in 7 regions. The titres were low or medium level (1:40 to 1:160), indicating that the horses had previously been exposed to this piroplasm, but their infection must have been limited. The highest seropositivity rate was observed in the age group of 3-4 years, and males (stallions and geldings) were significantly more frequently infected than females. However, neither B. caballi nor B. canis could be identified in the peripheral blood samples of infected horses by PCR. Since most of the B. caballi-positive horses remained negative in the B. canis IFAT, whereas seroconversion solely to B. canis was detected in several regions of the country, serological cross-reaction between the two species can be discounted. This is the first serological evidence of horses being naturally infected with B. canis, supporting the view that piroplasms are less host specific than previously thought.  相似文献   

Molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC     

Pilo P  Frey J  Vilei EM 《Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)》2007,174(3):513-521

Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC, the aetiological agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), is considered the most pathogenic of the Mycoplasma species. Its virulence is probably the result of a coordinated action of various components of an antigenically and functionally dynamic surface architecture. The different virulence attributes allow the pathogen to evade the host's immune defence, adhere tightly to the host cell surface, persist and disseminate in the host causing mycoplasmaemia, efficiently import energetically valuable nutrients present in the environment, and release and simultaneously translocate toxic metabolic pathway products to the host cell where they cause cytotoxic effects that are known to induce inflammatory processes and disease. This strategy enables the mycoplasma to exploit the minimal genetic information in its small genome, not only to fulfil the basic functions for its replication but also to damage host cells in intimate proximity thereby acquiring the necessary bio-molecules, such as amino acids and nucleic acid precursors, for its own biosynthesis and survival.  相似文献