Diagnostic accuracy of Wisconsin and California scoring systems to detect bovine respiratory disease in preweaning dairy calves under subtropical environmental conditions.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a multifactorial disease which causes short- and long-term negative effects. Early detection is crucial for a prompt response to therapy, as well as to decrease mortality risk. Clinical scoring systems have been developed mostly in North America for screening calves at risk or suspected of having BRD, and these tools have also been applied in subtropical and tropical countries. However, it has been unknown whether these scoring systems had the same accuracy in tropical environmental conditions. Therefore, this study evaluated the accuracy of 4 different field techniques, as well as serum haptoglobin (HAP), to diagnose BRD in Holstein dairy calves in subtropical conditions. The tests used to diagnose BRD were thoracic ultrasound (TUS; positive if consolidation depth ≥1 cm), thoracic auscultation (AUSC; positive if crackles, wheezes, or silent areas were present), Wisconsin score (WISC; ≥2 categories with scores of ≥2), and California score (CALIF; positive if total score ≥5). Also, HAP was measured and classified as positive if ≥15 mg/dL. Heifers between 30 d of age and weaning (n = 482), residing on 17 commercial dairies in São Paulo state, were enrolled in this study. Bayesian latent class models were used with informative priors to evaluate the accuracy of TUS, AUSC, and HAP, and noninformative priors for the accuracy of WISC and CALIF. The percentage of calves positive for each test on each farm ranged from 0 to 56% for WISC, 11-51% for CALIF, 0-72% for TUS, 0-32% for AUSC, and 0-100% for HAP. The sensitivity (Se; 95% credible interval) and specificity (Sp) for WISC were 77.9% (64.8-90.2) and 81.9% (76.3-88.2). For CALIF, the Se was 67.1% (53.6-80.1) and Sp 79.1% (73.9-84.6). For TUS Se was 59.8% (46.5-73.1) and Sp was 84.8% (80.0-89.5), and for AUSC, Se was 58.8% (41.3-79.8) and Sp was 98.6% (95.7-99.9). The Se and Sp of HAP was 67.6% (55.3-78.8) and 46.7% (41.4-52.2), respectively. The performance of the scoring systems was similar to, or better than, the performance found in North American studies, despite the fact that calves were in a tropical environment.

Hepatic lesions in captive owl monkeys (Aotus infulatus) with ultrasonographic "starry sky" liver.

BACKGROUND: The "starry sky" (SK) liver is ultrasonographic pattern characterized by multiple hyperechogenic foci in hepatic parenchyma. The study aimed to characterize the microscopic hepatic lesions in captive owl monkeys with SK liver. METHODS: Thirty-seven clinically healthy owl monkeys had their liver scanned and 18 of them had liver biopsy. Animals with SK and peliosis hepatis (PH) were subjected to immunohistochemical and molecular screening for Bartonella spp. RESULTS: SK liver occurred in 59.4% (22/37) of the owl monkeys. Biopsied animals showed steatosis, hydropic degeneration, hemosiderosis, PH, and multifocal granulomatous hepatitis. Two monkeys had SK, granulomatous hepatitis, and PH which were negative for Bartonella spp. CONCLUSIONS: PH and granulomatous hepatitis associated with hepatocellular degenerative lesions may present as hyperechoic nodular liver lesions consisted of SK liver; therefore, concomitant occurrence of two lesions or more contributed to the hepatic SK pattern among owl monkeys and such cases might be clinically monitored.

Comparative study between radiology and ultrasound in the evaluation of extracardiac thoracic diseases in dogs and cats / Estudo comparativo entre radiologia e ultrassonografia na avaliação de doenças torácicas extracardíacas em cães e gatos

ABSTRACT:This study compared radiographic and B-mode and Doppler ultrasound exams of the thoracic cavity, excluding the heart, in canine and feline species, in which the radiographs revealed the formation of a potential acoustic window. The objectives were to demonstrate the advantages and limitations of each technique and to determine whether the additional information influenced the differential diagnosis as well as the outcome of each case. The advantages of B-mode ultrasonography included: better qualitative and quantitative evaluation of pleural effusions, an improved ability to determine whether a nodule was solid or cystic and easier determination of the location in the pulmonary parenchyma. The Power Doppler ultrasound evaluated the blood supply pattern of the nodules and masses and differentiated between vessels and fluid bronchogram. A limitation of the ultrasound examination was the need to be guided by the previous radiography. The advantages of the radiographic examination included the possibility of localizing pulmonary lesions at any depth in the absence of a pleural effusion and providing a panoramic view of the extent of the thoracic disease. The ultrasound examination influenced the differential diagnosis in 18 (62.06%) cases and influenced the outcome of 8 (27.58%) cases.

RESUMO:Este estudo comparou os exames radiográficos e ultrassonográficos modo-B e Doppler da cavidade torácica, excluindo o coração, em animais da espécie canina e felina, nos casos em que as radiografias torácicas revelaram formação de janela acústica em potencial. O objetivo foi demonstrar as vantagens e limitações de cada técnica e determinar se as informações adicionais influenciaram o diagnóstico diferencial, bem como no desfecho de cada caso. As vantagens do modo B incluíram: melhor avaliação qualitativa e quantitativa de efusão pleural; determinação da natureza sólida ou cística de nódulos, bem como a definição de sua localização no parênquima pulmonar. O ultrassom Doppler de Amplitude permitiu a avaliação do padrão de irrigação sanguínea de nódulos e massas e a diferenciação entre vasos e broncogramas fluidos. Uma limitação do exame de ultrassom foi a necessidade de se guiar pela radiografia prévia. As vantagens do exame radiográfico foram: possibilidade de localização de lesões pulmonares em qualquer profundidade na ausência de efusão pleural e proporcionar uma visão panorâmica do acometimento da cavidade torácica. O exame ultrassonográfico proporcionou impacto no diagnóstico diferencial de 18 (62,06%) dos casos e influiu no desfecho de 8 (27,58%).

Metabolic profile and ruminal and abomasal pH in sheep subjected to intravenous ranitidine / Perfil metabólico ruminal e pH abomasal em ovinos tratados com ranitidina por via intravenosa

Brazilian sheep production has intensified, predisposing sheep to an increased incidence of digestive disorders, such as abomasal ulcers. Ranitidine is used to prevent and treat this disease; however, there is little information on the parenteral use of this drug in adult ruminants. Few data exist on the concomitant metabolic changes and the behavior of the digestive system associated with its use. For this study, five healthy male sheep with ruminal and abomasal cannulas were used. A 5x5 Latin square experiment with a 2x2+1 factorial arrangement of the treatments was performed. Sheep treated with drug doses of 1 or 2mg/kg ranitidine administered intravenously every 8 or 12 hours were compared with the control group, was treated intravenously with 1 mL of physiological solution per 25 kg every 12 hours. Higher total protein concentrations, hemoglobin levels, as well as increased aspartate aminotransferase activity and increased abomasal pH for up to 150 min following drug administration were observed in all animals that received the drug, regardless of dose and frequency. The animals treated every 12 hours showed a decrease in leukocyte number compared with the control group and with the animals treated every 8 hours. Increased serum creatinine concentrations were observed in the animals treated every 8 hours. Treatments of 1mg/kg every 8 hours and 2mg/kg every 12 hours increased the red blood cell count and decreased the serum pepsinogen. All protocols studied were safe for healthy sheep, but 1mg/kg ranitidine every 8 hours and 2mg/kg ranitidine every 12 hours were the most effective protocols for gastric protection.(AU)

A ovinocultura brasileira tem se intensificado, o que predispõe os animais à maior incidência de transtornos digestivos, como a úlcera de abomaso. A ranitidina é utilizada na prevenção e tratamento desta afecção, no entanto há pouca informação sobre a indicação parenteral deste fármaco para ruminantes adultos. São escassas as informações a respeito das alterações metabólicas e do comportamento do sistema digestório associados ao seu uso. Para este estudo foram utilizados cinco ovinos, machos, hígidos, providos de cânula ruminal e abomasal. O delineamento foi Quadrado Latino 5x5 com arranjo fatorial de tratamentos 2x2+1. Os ovinos tratados com as doses de 1 e 2mg/kg de ranitidina administrada por via intravenosa a cada 8 ou 12 horas foram comparados aos animais do grupo controle, tratados por via intravenosa com 1mL de solução fisiológica por 25 kg a cada 12 horas. Maiores concentrações de proteína total e hemoglobina, maiores atividades de AST e aumento do pH abomasal por até 150 minutos foram observados em todos os animais que receberam o fármaco, independentemente de dose e frequência. Os animais tratados a cada 12 horas mostraram diminuição do número de leucócitos comparados aos animais tratados a cada 8 horas e aos animais do grupo controle. Observou-se aumento das concentrações de creatinina nos animais tratados a cada 8 horas. Os tratamentos 1mg/kg a cada 8 horas e 2mg/kg a cada 12 horas aumentaram o número de hemácias e diminuíram as concentrações séricas de pepsinogênio. Todos os protocolos estudados foram seguros para ovinos sadios, porém 1mg/kg de ranitidina a cada 8 horas e 2mg/kg a cada 12 horas mostraram-se mais eficientes quanto à proteção gástrica.

Ultrasonography as an ancillary method for the positioning of markers in equine motion analysis / Utilização da ultrassonografia como método auxiliar no posicionamento de marcadores em análise de movimento de equinos

Kinematic motion analysis is based on the reconstruction of selected bony anatomical landmarks identified by surface markers. Anatomical landmarks generally do not correspond to points but rather to relatively large and curved areas and their identification by palpation is not easy. Precise placement of surface markers is even more difficult and there is great variability between operators. In this study 16 examiners were asked to identify the lateral border of the left ischial tuberosity in a horse using palpation and ultrasonography for placement of a corresponding skin surface marker. Images of each marking procedure were captured using two video cameras and processed using the DVideow videogrammetry. A custom-written Matlab code was used to determine the position of the respective vectors. The positions of the markers were then compared to assess inter-examiner variability and the precision of the methods employed using the Bartlett test and the paired t-test respectively. Ultrasonography significantly improved the location of the anatomical landmark by each examiner (p = 0.04) and reduced the variability in the position of the surface marker when compared to palpation (p = 0.0028). The variability of the calculated distances (mean ± SD) was 2.89 ± 2.24 cm and 1.63 ± 0.98 cm using palpation and ultrasonography respectively. Ultrasound guidance reduced inter-examiner variability and allowed visualization of the corresponding bony anatomical landmark.

A análise cinemática do movimento é baseada na reconstrução de pontos anatômicos específicos identificados por marcadores de superfície. Esses pontos de referência geralmente não correspondem a pontos, mas a áreas relativamente grandes e curvas de difícil identificação pela palpação. A colocação precisa dos marcadores de superfície é ainda mais difícil e há grande variabilidade entre examinadores. Neste estudo, 16 examinadores foram submetidos à identificação da borda lateral da tuberosidade isquiática esquerda de um cavalo usando a palpação e a ultrassonografia para colocar um marcador de superfície. Imagens de cada procedimento de marcação foram adquiridas utilizando-se duas câmeras de vídeo digital e processadas através o sistema de videogrametria DVideow. O software Matlab foi usado para determinar a posição dos respectivos vetores. As posições dos marcadores foram comparadas para avaliar a variabilidade entre os examinadores e a precisão do método empregado através do teste de Bartlett e teste t pareado, respectivamente. A ultrassonografia melhorou significativamente a localização dos pontos anatômicos de cada examinador (p=0,04) e variabilidade das distâncias calculadas (média +-dp) foi de 2,89 +- 2,24 cm e 1,63 + - 0,98 cm usando a palpação e a ultrassonografia, respectivamente. A ultrassonografia reduziu a variabilidade entre examinadores e permitiu a visualização do ponto anatômico corresponde.

Experimental infection with Neospora caninum in pregnant bitches.

In this study, transplacental transmission of Neospora caninum in bitches at different stages of pregnancy was evaluated. Three bitches were inoculated in the 3rd week and three in the 6th week of gestation with 10(8) tachyzoites of N. caninum (Nc-1 strain). All the infected bitches and at least one of their offspring presented anti-N. caninum antibodies according to the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT > 400). The pups and their mothers were sacrificed and tissues from the central nervous system (CNS), popliteal lymph nodes, skeletal muscle, brain, lungs, heart and liver were analyzed for the presence of N. caninum using the nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The parasite was found in the pups in lymph node, CNS, heart and liver tissues using nested PCR. There was no difference in perinatal mortality between the offspring from bitches infected in the 3rd week of gestation (60%) and in the 6th week (53.8%).

Experimental infection with Neospora caninum in pregnant bitches / Infecção experimental com Neospora caninum em cadelas prenhes

In this study, transplacental transmission of Neospora caninum in bitches at different stages of pregnancy was evaluated. Three bitches were inoculated in the 3rd week and three in the 6th week of gestation with 10(8) tachyzoites of N. caninum (Nc-1 strain). All the infected bitches and at least one of their offspring presented anti-N. caninum antibodies according to the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT > 400). The pups and their mothers were sacrificed and tissues from the central nervous system (CNS), popliteal lymph nodes, skeletal muscle, brain, lungs, heart and liver were analyzed for the presence of N. caninum using the nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The parasite was found in the pups in lymph node, CNS, heart and liver tissues using nested PCR. There was no difference in perinatal mortality between the offspring from bitches infected in the 3rd week of gestation (60%) and in the 6th week (53.8%).

Neste estudo a transmissão transplacentária de Neospora caninum foi avaliada em fêmeas em diferentes estágios de gestação. Três cadelas foram inoculadas na 3ª semana e três na 6ª semana de gestação com 10(8) taquizoítos de N. caninum (cepa Nc-1). Todas as cadelas infectadas, e pelo menos um de seus filhotes, apresentaram anticorpos anti-N. caninum por imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI > 400). Os filhotes e suas mães foram sacrificados e tecidos de sistema nervoso central (SNC), linfonodo poplíteo, músculo esquelético, cérebro, pulmões, coração e fígado foram analisados para a presença de N. caninum pela reação em cadeia da polimerase (nested PCR), polimorfismo de comprimento de fragmentos de restrição (RFLP) e imunoistoquímica (IHQ). O parasita foi encontrado em filhotes em linfonodo, SNC, coração e fígado pela nested PCR. Mortalidade perinatal não apresentou diferença entre os filhotes das cadelas infectadas na 3ª semana (60%) ou na 6ª semana de gestação (53,8%).

Development of osteochondrosis in Lusitano foals: a radiographic study.

This study aimed to detect, by radiographic examination, the evolution of osteochondral lesions in the tarsocrural and femoropatellar joints of Lusitano foals. Within 1 month of age, 76.08% of foals had radiographic signs of osteochondrosis, but only 16.20% had lesions at 18 months. The radiographic signs resolved by 5 mo of age in most foals, but some cases that involved either joint, were not resolved until 12 mo of age. It is thought that the "age of no return" is 5 mo for the tarsocrural and 8 mo for the femoropatellar joint but this study demonstrated regression of osteochondral lesions in both joints of Lusitano foals up to 12 months of age.

Développement de l'ostéochondrose chez les poulains Lusitaniens : une étude radiographique. Cette étude visait à détecter, par examen radiographique, l'évolution des lésions ostéochondrales dans les articulations tarso-crurale et fémoro-patellaire des poulains Lusitaniens. À l'âge de 1 mois, 76,08 % des poulains présentaient des signes radiographiques d'ostéochondrose, mais seulement 16,20 % avaient des lésions à l'âge de 18 mois. Les signes radiographiques se résorbaient à l'âge de 5 mois chez la plupart des poulains, mais, dans certains cas qui touchaient l'une ou l'autre des articulations, ils n'étaient pas résolus jusqu'à l'âge de 12 mois. On croit que l'«âge de non-retour¼ est de 5 mois pour l'articulation tarso-crurale et de 8 mois pour l'articulation fémoro-patellaire, mais cette étude a démontré la régression des lésions ostéochondrales chez les poulains Lusitaniens jusqu'à l'âge de 12 mois.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).