J. L. Rodríguez

Respiratory and digestive lesions caused by Salmonella arizonae in two snakes

Cases of diphtheritic necrotizing gastritis in a Rosy Boa (Lichanura trivirgata) and of necrotizing tracheitis in a double-headed Kingsnake (Lampropeltis hondurensis), both associated with Salmonella arizonae, are described. An immunoperoxidase technique indicated that S. arizonae played a role in the causation of the lesions. In addition, the study showed the value of the technique for the detection of S. arizonae in the tissues of infected snakes.

Systemic mycosis caused by Penicillium griseofulvum in a Seychelles giant tortoise (Megalochelys gigantea)

Radiological assessment of the severity of canine nasal tumours and relationship with survival AN objective scoring system was devised to assess the severity of canine nasal tumours from radiographs. The principal characteristics considered were whether the tumour was unilateral or bilateral, the extent of the increased soft tissue opacity on both sides, in terms of the number of cheek teeth involved, whether the frontal sinus was affected, and whether the nasal septum was involved. The system was applied to 35 dogs with malignant tumours, and showed that the dogs with lower scores, that is less severe radiological changes, survived longer and had longer intervals without disease. MORRIS, J. S., DUNN, K. J., DOBSON, J. M. & WHITE, R. A. s. (1996) Journal ofSmall Animal Practice 37, 1 Ketoprofen as an antipyretic in cats FOURTEEN cats with a variety of bacterial and viral infections were treated either with a broad-spectrum antibiotic (amoxycillin/clavulanic acid) or with antibiotic plus ketoprofen. They had body temperatures ranging from 39-5 to 41-0°C. The antibiotic was given twice a day for seven days and the ketoprofen once a day for five days. The mean temperature of the group which received ketoprofen and antibiotic returned to normal within eight hours, although the effect wore off in less than 24 hours, but the temperature of the group receiving only antibiotic returned to normal only after 48 hours. In addition, the appetite and demeanour of the cats receiving ketoprofen returned to normal within three days compared with five days for the cats treated only with antibiotic. GLEW, A., AVIAD, A. D., KEISTER, D. M. & MEO, N. J. (1996) Canadian Veterinary Journal 37, 222 296

A pathological and immunohistochemical study of caprine pleuropneumonia induced by subspecies of Mycoplasma mycoides

In a population of 700 goats, 150 died; of these, 29 were necropsied. Ten of the 29 goats had pleuropneumonia. Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (Large Colony) (MmmLC), Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri (Mmc), and Pasteurella multocida were isolated from five of the pleuropneumonic goats. Gross and microscopical lesions were typical of caprine pleuropneumonia (CPP), with bronchopneumonia, fibrinopurulent or fibrinonecrotic pleuropneumonia and dilatation of the interlobular septa and pleura. Immunohistochemical examination with antisera against MmmLC and Mmc showed mycoplasma antigens in all 10 goats with CPP. In all cases, both MmmLC and Mmc antigens were detected together. Mycoplasma antigens were present in the lumina of the airways and alveoli, mainly inside the cytoplasm of neutrophils and macrophages, but extracellular antigen was demonstrated in areas of necrosis. Pasteurella antigens were detected in four of the 10 animals with CPP. From the histological, immunohistochemical and microbiological results it was concluded that the two mycoplasmas, acting together, caused the pleuropneumonia, with P. multocida playing a subsidiary synergistic role.

Association of cilia-associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus with natural chronic tracheitis in goats.

A histological, histochemical and immunohistological study of the respiratory tract of 83 slaughtered goats (50 adults and 33 kids) is described. Cilia-associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus was detected by means of the Warthin Starry method in the tracheal epithelium of seven (21.2%) of the kids and 16 (32%) of the adult goats. A chronic diffuse tracheitis characterized by mixed lymphocyte and plasma-cell infiltration was found in all seven kids and in 17 adults, including the 16 infected with the CAR bacillus. Although not proved, it is possible that the CAR bacillus caused the chronic tracheitis. Immunohistochemical results suggested that the caprine CAR bacillus was closely related to the rabbit CAR bacillus.

Rhodococcus equi Infection in Goat: Apropos of Two Cases

Abstract Rodriguez, J.L., Acosta, B., Navarro, R. and Gutierrez, C. 2000. Rhodococcus equi infection in goat: Apropos of two cases. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 18:149–151. Two cases of Rhodococcus equi infection in Spanish goats have been described. Clinical signs were chronic weight loss, agalactia, fever, prone position and apparent abdominal pain in one of them. Multifocal well encapsulated scattered abscess were observed in liver. Stress, sanitary deficiencies and moderate cold environment few months ago could have caused the establishment of infection.

Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum in caprine abortion: A case report

Described in this study are the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings in a case of caprine abortion due to the experimental infection of the dam with strain GM13 of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum. Mycoplasma antigens were seen mainly in choriallantoic trophoblasts and in the lumen of blood vessels in the allantoic membrane. Examination with an electron microscope showed that the chorioallantoic trophoblasts were filled with typical mycoplasma organisms. No other bacteria were observed in any of the samples. Our results confirm by immunohistochemical and electron microscopic techniques that Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum can cause caprine abortion and that the process can occur without premonitory signs.

Clinicopathological and Haematological Study of Experimentally Infected Goat Kids with Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum

Abstract Rodriguez, J.L., Gutierrez, C., Gonzalez, J. and Brooks, D.L. 1999. Clinicopathological and haematological study of experimentally infected goat kids with Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 15: 169–174. Goat kids experimentally infected with Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum showed anorexia, high fever, swollen-painful joints, lameness, dyspnea, depression, cellulitis and septicaemia. They exhibited anemia, leukocytosis with neutrophilia at early stage and a leukopaenia at later stage of infection, increase in prothrombin time, thrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrinogen, and decrease of antithrombin III. No pulmonary changes of caprine pleuropneumonia were seen in the kids, but they had diffuse interstitial pneumonia, congestion and oedema. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was not found.

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in the mammary gland tissue of goats affected with caprine contagious agalactia

Caprine contagious agalactia is a syndrome most frequently caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae. The pathogenic mechanisms that allow M. agalactiae to persist in the mammary gland tissues following infection, despite a prominent inflammatory response, are yet to be fully established. The aim of the present study was to investigate cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in the mammary gland of goats during M. agalactiae infection. COX-2 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in the inflammatory lesions of 10 goats affected with M. agalactiae-induced mastitis (five naturally infected and five experimentally infected). Epithelial cells, macrophages, endothelial cells, fibroblasts and, to a lesser extent, neutrophils demonstrated positive immunostaining for COX-2, associated with areas of mastitis and with the presence of M. agalactiae antigen. These research findings suggest that COX-2 is involved in the inflammatory response that occurs in caprine contagious agalactia.

Mitochondrial structures during seed germination and early seedling development in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract Mitochondrial morphology and evolution have been observed during seed germination and early seedling development in Arabidopsis thaliana line 43a9 (ecotype Columbia) expressing green fluorescent protein in these organelles. Fluorescence, confocal and electronic microscopy images reveal that mitochondrial development goes through different stages, and that the organelle structure varies with cell types during these processes. Mitochondria develop from larger, isodiametric structures pre-existent in the dry seed called promitochondria. After germination, variations in mitochondrial morphology occur synchronously with cell differentiation and cell division in the course of early root development. Some promitochondria develop into intermediate structures resembling the syncytial organelles. These structures have been described in certain plants under hypoxia as intermediates for the formation of mature mitochondria. On the other hand, other promitochondria temporarily remain in the cells of the root apex