Jyh-Mirn Lai

Emergence of Salmonella enterica serovar Potsdam as a major serovar in waterfowl hatcheries and chicken eggs.

Abstract Salmonellosis is a common food-borne illness in humans caused by Salmonella-contaminated poultry and their products. In hatcheries, 110 Salmonella isolates were identified, mostly from first enrichment, and few from delayed enrichment. The Salmonella prevalence in goose and duck hatcheries was higher when measured by four multiplex PCR methods than by traditional culture (73.8% vs. 44.35%, P < 0.05); 97.3% of 110 isolates were Salmonella Potsdam of serogroup C1 and other isolates were Salmonella Montevideo of C1 and Salmonella Albany of C2. Plasmid and pulsed field gel electrophoresis genetic analysis revealed that isolates from duck hatcheries were more diverse than those from goose hatcheries. In Salmonella Potsdam, host species-specific genotypes were observed in geese for genotypes 3, 4, and 5 and in ducks for genotypes 7, 8, and 9, suggesting that Salmonella Potsdam may evolve into goose- and duck-specific isolates. An examination of 1121 eggs found that only Salmonella Potsdam was identified in 1.8% (7/591) of eggs from chickens fed on the ground, not housed in cages, and in egg content (6/7) as well as eggshell membrane (1/7). In conclusion, Salmonella Potsdam may be a major Salmonella infection in waterfowl and chicken eggs.

THE MINIMUM INHIBITORY CONCENTRATION OF ANTIBIOTICS AGAINST NOCARDIA SERIOLAE ISOLATION FROM DISEASED FISH IN TAIWAN

Nocardia seriolae infections pose a significant economic threat to Taiwan’s aquaculture. It is therefore important to find the most effective antibiotics to treat these infections. However, a standardized method to determine the most suitable minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of antibiotics againist N. seriolae has not yet to be agreed. This study tested 7 antibiotics on 80 N. seriolae isolates, using the disk diffusion and broth diffusion methods described by Alderman and Smith to find their MIC values. All the isolates were found to be sensitive to trimethoprim and oxytetracycline, which showed that these drugs could treat nocardiosis in fish. Among the seven drugs tested, amoxicillin was found to have very high MIC90 value, which was >128μg/mL and flumequine had the highest MIC50 value, which was 51.06μg/mL. MIC50 and MIC90 values were very low in erythromycin, which was <0.12 and 0.41μg/mL, respectively. N. seriolae isolates were sensitive to florfenicol (98.8%), erythromycin (97.5%), thiamphenicol (68.8%), amoxicillin (8.8%) and flumequin (0%), separately. This study has found that oxytetracycline, trimethoprim or erythromycin, florfenicol, thiamphenicol are good drugs to treat N. seriolae infection in fish.

Rapid Identification of Staphylococcal Infection in Dairy Goat Raw Milk by a Multiplex PCR Assay

To improve the diagnosis accuracy of staphylococcal infection in dairy goat with mastitis, we develops a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay by targeting specific regions of staphylococcal 16S rRNA for identification of staphylococcal infection, using specific nuc gene of S. aureus to distinguish S. aureus and the coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS), and mecA gene responsible for oxacillin or methicillin resistance to determine methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The Analytical Profile Index (API) method, and PCR method were used to examine 3,427 milk samples from subclinically infected herds with traditional culture, and revealed 41.4% bacterial infection. E. coli, coagulase-negative staphylococci and S. aureus were the predominant bacteria and their prevalence differed among farms. Genotype Al S. aureus was clonally disseminated on most farms, except farms A, B, D, and E.

URINARY RETENTION CAUSED BY A BOTCHED CASTRATION IN A GOAT

Urinary retention in goats is usually associated with dietary problems. So far there have been no reports of this issue being the result of a botched castration. A 9-month-old, male castrated Nubia goat suffered from urinary retention after undergoing castration six months ago. Although the owner tried a remedy to the problem by removing part of the goat’s penis, ventral subcutaneous oedema remained and the goat was sent to a hospital for further examination. Physical, hematological and biochemical examinations, X-ray, and ultrasound images revealed azotemia, an enlarged bladder (over 12cm) and ventral cutaneous oedema. Urethrectomy was performed two days after the goat was hospitalized, and caseous was observed during the procedure in the areas surrounding the scrotum and spermatic cord; the caseous was believed to press the urinary tract to cause urine retention in the urinary bladder. The goat was healthy, without signs of azotemia, after the urethral tract was sutured on the perineal skin. This case demonstrated that urinary retention in goats can also be caused by an inappropriately administered castration, which causes caseous to allow the urinary tract to be blocked from outside.

CASE REPORT: AN INFECTIOUS KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS OUTBREAK CAUSED BY MYCOPLASMA CONJUNCTIVAE IN A DAIRY GOAT FARM

Although infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) has occurred worldwide, no report has mentioned an IKC case in a dairy goat farm in an indoor management system. Moreover, few clinicians follow the I...

CASE REPORT: TREATMENT OF AN ELDERLY DOG WITH CONCURRENT HEART DISEASE AND ACUTE UREMIA BY HEMODIALYSIS

A 15-year-old mixed-breed dog that was presented with anorexia and lethargy for four months was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiac disease. The patient was presented clinically in poor physical condition showing stupor and acute vomiting. Complete blood count (CBC) and serum biochemical analysis showed severe anemia and blood urea nitrogen (BUN, 145 mg/dL), creatinine (3.9 mg/dL) and phosphorus (17.2 mmol/L) were also elevated. Hemodialysis was performed after fluid therapy did not improve the condition of the patient. Hemodialysis successfully treated the acute-phase CKD and improved the kidney compensation function.