Godelieve Meulemans

Adhesion of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis isolates to chicken isthmal glandular secretions.

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.

Inclusion body disease in snakes: a review and description of three cases in boa constrictors in Belgium

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.

Tolerance and safety evaluation of N , N -dimethylglycine, a naturally occurring organic compound, as a feed additive in broiler diets

N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) is a tertiary amino acid that naturally occurs as an intermediate metabolite in choline-to-glycine metabolism. The objective of the present trial was to evaluate tolerance, safety and bioaccumulation of dietary DMG in broilers when supplemented at 1 g and 10 g Na-DMG/kg. A feeding trial was conducted using 480 1-d-old broiler chicks that were randomly allocated to twenty-four pens and fed one of three test diets added with 0, 1 or 10 g Na-DMG/kg during a 39 d growth period. Production performance was recorded to assess tolerance and efficacy of the supplement. At the end of the trial, toxicity was evaluated by means of haematology, plasma biochemistry and histopathology of liver, kidney and heart (n 12), whereas bioaccumulation was assessed on breast meat, liver, blood, kidney and adipose tissue (n 8). Carcass traits were similar between the control and 1 g Na-DMG/kg feed groups (P>0·05), but the feed:gain ratio was significantly improved at 1 g Na-DMG/kg feed compared with the control or the 10-fold dose (P=0·008). Histological examinations showed no pathological effects and results of haematology and plasma biochemistry revealed similar values between the test groups (P>0·05). Bioaccumulation occurred at the 10-fold dose, but the resulting DMG content in breast meat was comparable with, for instance, wheat bran and much lower than uncooked spinach. In conclusion, DMG at 1 g Na-DMG/kg improved the feed:gain ratio in broilers without DMG being accumulated in consumer parts. Furthermore, dietary supplementation with DMG up to 10 g Na-DMG/kg did not induce toxicity or impaired performance in broilers.