High Prevalence of Anaplasma spp. in Small Ruminants in Morocco.

The prevalence of infection by Anaplasma spp. (including Anaplasma phagocytophilum) was determined using blood smear microscopy and PCR through screening of small ruminant blood samples collected from seven regions of Morocco. Co-infections of Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp, Theileria spp. and Mycoplasma spp. were investigated and risk factors for Anaplasma spp. infection assessed. A total of 422 small ruminant blood samples were randomly collected from 70 flocks. Individual animal (breed, age, tick burden and previous treatment) and flock data (GPS coordinate of farm, size of flock and livestock production system) were collected. Upon examination of blood smears, 375 blood samples (88.9%) were found to contain Anaplasma-like erythrocytic inclusion bodies. Upon screening with a large spectrum PCR targeting the Anaplasma 16S rRNA region, 303 (71%) samples were found to be positive. All 303 samples screened with the A. phagocytophilum-specific PCR, which targets the msp2 region, were found to be negative. Differences in prevalence were found to be statistically significant with regard to region, altitude, flock size, livestock production system, grazing system, presence of clinical cases and application of tick and tick-borne diseases prophylactic measures. Kappa analysis revealed a poor concordance between microscopy and PCR (k = 0.14). Agreement with PCR is improved by considering microscopy and packed cell volume (PCV) in parallel. The prevalence of double infections was found to be 1.7, 2.5 and 24% for Anaplasma-Babesia, Anaplasma-Mycoplasma and Anaplasma-Theileria, respectively. Co-infection with three or more haemoparasites was found in 1.6% of animals examined. In conclusion, we demonstrate the high burden of anaplasmosis in small ruminants in Morocco and the high prevalence of co-infections of tick-borne diseases. There is an urgent need to improve the control of this neglected group of diseases.

Lack of transplacental transmission of Bartonella bovis.

Transplacental transmission of Bartonella spp. has been reported for rodents, but not for cats and has never been investigated in cattle. The objective of this study was to assess vertical transmission of Bartonella in cattle. Fifty-six cow-calf pairs were tested before (cows) and after (calves) caesarean section for Bartonella bacteremia and/or serology, and the cotyledons were checked for gross lesions and presence of the bacteria. None of the 29 (52%) bacteremic cows gave birth to bacteremic calves, and all calves were seronegative at birth. Neither placentitis nor vasculitis were observed in all collected cotyledons. Bartonella bovis was not detected in placental cotyledons. Therefore, transplacental transmission of B. bovis and multiplication of the bacteria in the placenta do not seem likely. The lack of transplacental transmission may be associated with the particular structure of the placenta in ruminants or to a poor affinity/agressiveness of B. bovis for this tissue.

Identification of Bartonella strains isolated from wild and domestic ruminants by a single-step PCR analysis of the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region.

Of the 20 species or subspecies of Bartonella currently known, 7 cause various diseases in humans with many being zoonotic. However, some Bartonella species appear only to cause asymptomatic bacteraemia in their hosts. In ruminants, three Bartonella species (B. bovis, B. capreoli and B. schoenbuchensis) have recently been described. However, limited or no information has yet been published concerning their mode of transmission and their possible pathogenicity for domestic cattle. The phylogenetic relationship of these species with other bacteria of the Bartonella genus has only been recently investigated. It is therefore necessary to develop appropriate tools that will easily allow identification of these ruminant strains for epidemiological and clinical studies. A single-step PCR assay, based on the amplification of a fragment of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer (ITS), was evaluated for identification of Bartonella isolated from domestic cattle and from free-ranging or captive cervids. For each Bartonella species tested, the PCR assay led to a product that was unique either for its length or its sequence. All ruminant isolates tested could be easily differentiated among themselves and from the other Bartonella species. Furthermore, sequence analysis of the PCR products revealed a close relationship between all ruminant Bartonella strains. Therefore, ITS PCR testing appears to be a convenient tool for a quick diagnosis of ruminant Bartonella species.

[Chronic limping due to calcification in a subureteric Macroplastique(®) implant]. / Boiterie chronique secondaire à la calcification d'un implant de Macroplastique(®) para-urétéral.

Endoscopic subureteric implantation of polydimethylsiloxane (Macroplastique(®)) to treat vesico-ureteric reflux is known to be safe and efficient, but long-term complications of this technique are often unknown. A 15-year-old patient was admitted to several hospital services with abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant and chronic limping. After multiple examinations, the diagnosis of renal colic due to the calcification of a Macroplastique(®) implant was made. Calcification of an implant after endoscopic subureteral injection has already been described in the literature, but the clinical presentation of this complication is poorly reported, which can delay the diagnosis. The treatment can consist in an exeresis of the implanted material or even in ureteral reimplantation.

The effect of a non-starch polysaccharide-hydrolysing enzyme (Rovabio® Excel) on feed intake and body condition of sows during lactation and on progeny growth performance.

A total of 200 (Large White × Landrace) sows were used in a 39-day study to evaluate the effects of feeding a non-starch polysaccharide (NSP)-hydrolysing enzyme multicomplex (Rovabio(®) Excel) in conjunction with a high- or reduced nutrient-density diet during lactation on sow body condition, feed intake and progeny performance. Eight sows were selected each week for 25 weeks, blocked by parity and BW into groups of four, and within the block randomly assigned to one of the four treatments (n = 50/treatment). Treatments were: (1) LND: low energy (13.14 MJ of DE/kg), low CP (15%) diet; (2) LND + RE: LND with 50 mg/kg NSP-hydrolysing enzyme; (3) HND: high energy (14.5 MJ of DE/kg), high CP (16.5%) diet; and (4) HND + RE: HND with 50 mg/kg NSP-hydrolysing enzyme. Sows were fed treatment diets from day 109 of gestation until the day of subsequent service. Between weaning and re-service, Rovabio(®) Excel addition to LND diets resulted in an increase in energy intake; however, a reduction was observed when supplemented to the HND diet (P < 0.05). The inclusion of Rovabio(®) Excel increased feed and energy intake during week 3 (days 15 to 21) of lactation (P < 0.05). Sows fed diets supplemented with Rovabio(®) Excel had greater back-fat depth at weaning and service (P < 0.05); however, the magnitude of change in back-fat depth during lactation and from farrowing to service was not different between treatments. Feeding the HND diet increased energy intake before farrowing, throughout lactation and during the weaning to service interval (P < 0.01); however, overall, average daily feed intake tended to be reduced (P < 0.10). At service, sows fed the HND diet were heavier than sows fed the LND diet (P < 0.05); however, the magnitude of change in BW between treatments was not different. Feeding the HND diet to sows resulted in a tendency for heavier piglets at birth (P = 0.10) that tended to grow at a faster rate and be heavier at weaning than piglets from sows fed the LND diet (P = 0.06). These results indicate that NSP-degrading enzymes offer minimal benefit to sows and their progeny when fed before and during lactation; however, increasing energy intake of sows during lactation may beneficially affect progeny.

Bartonella endocarditis: a pathology shared by animal reservoirs and patients.

Bartonellae were first recognized to cause endocarditis in humans in 1993 when cases caused by Bartonella quintana, B. elizabethae, and B. henselae were reported. Since the first isolation of Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii from a dog with endocarditis, this organism has emerged as an important pathogen in dogs and an emerging pathogen in people. Subsequently, four types of B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii have been described, all of which have been associated with endocarditis in dogs. A limited number of dog endocarditis cases have also been associated with B. clarridgeiae, B. washoensis, B. quintana, and B. rochalimae. The second canine B. clarridgeiae endocarditis case is presented. The clinical and pathological characteristics of Bartonella endocarditis in dogs are similar to disease observed in humans, more often affecting the aortic valve, presenting with highly vegetative lesions with accompanying calcification, and in most instances high antibody titers. Pathological features in dogs include a combination of fibrosis, mineralization, endothelial proliferation, and neovascularization with variable inflammation. Endocarditis has also been described in animal species, which are the natural reservoir of specific Bartonella species, once thought to be solely healthy carriers of these pathogens. A few Bartonella endocarditis cases, including B. henselae, have been reported in cats in the USA and Australia. The second case of B. henselae type Houston I identified in the USA is presented. Furthermore, two cases of B. bovis endocarditis were recently described in adult cows from France. Finally, on-going investigation of valvular endocarditis in free-ranging Alaskan sea otters suggests the involvement of Bartonella species.

Effects of cow age and pregnancy on Bartonella infection in a herd of dairy cattle.

Bartonella spp. are small hemotropic bacteria infecting mammals. Four Bartonella species have been recently described in cattle and wild ruminants. To date, the biology and possible pathogenic role of Bartonella species isolated from ruminants are poorly understood. Therefore, a dairy herd of 448 cows and heifers was surveyed in order to establish the prevalence of Bartonella bovis and B. chomelii infections, the level of bacteremia, and the relationship between bacteremia and age or pregnancy status. The putative impact of Bartonella infection on production performance (individual milk cell count, milk yield) and reproductive status (success of artificial insemination [AI], placental retention, embryonic death, and abortion) was also assessed. The overall mean prevalence of B. bovis bacteremia was 59%, with the highest prevalence in heifers (92.5%). No B. chomelii was isolated, and 95% (114/120) of the B. bovis strains isolated and tested by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism belonged to type I. The level of bacteremia was higher in pregnant cows than in nonpregnant cows (P = 0.05), and the level of bacteremia rose during the last two-thirds of gestation (P < 0.001). There was no correlation between bacteremia and milk yield, individual milk cell count, success of first AI, interval between two calvings, or incidence of abortion and embryonic death. The interval from calving to first AI was shorter and the incidence of placental retention was lower in bacteremic animals than in nonbacteremic ones (P = 0.03 and P = 0.01, respectively).

Digestibilities of amino acids in soyabean, sunflower and groundnut meals, determined with intact and caecectomised cockerels.

1. Three isonitrogenous diets were formulated in which soyabean (dehulled), sunflower (hulled) and groundnut (dehulled) meals were the sole protein sources. 2. 50 g of each diet was tube-fed to each of 24 intact and 24 caecectomised cockerels, which had been previously starved for 48 h. Excreta were collected, individually, for 48 h. The concentrations of amino acids in the diets and excreta were determined, and digestibility coefficients calculated. 3. Differences between intact and caecectomised birds for true digestibility evaluations reached significance for threonine, glycine and lysine only. Deamination of threonine and glycine, and synthesis of lysine, in the caeca was implied. 4. Neither the true digestibility of nitrogen, nor that of the sum of the amino acids differed between protein sources. 5. True digestibilities of most essential amino acids, considered individually, in sunflower and groundnut meals were similar to or greater than, those of soyabean meal. Exceptionally, lysine was more digestible in soyabean (0.879) than in sunflower (0.722) or groundnut (0.788) meals.

Digestibilities of amino acids in maize, wheat and barley meals, determined with intact and caecectomised cockerels.

1. Maize, wheat and barley meals, and a protein-free diet were each force-fed to 24 intact and 24 caecectomised adult cockerels. For each test, birds were starved of solid food for 48 h, fed, and then excreta collected for 48 h. 2. Quantities of nitrogen (N) and amino acids excreted after feeding the protein-free diet did not differ between intact and caecectomised birds. 3. True digestibility coefficients of N and amino acids did not differ between intact and caecectomised birds. 4. Differences between cereals in apparent digestibility of amino acids were inconsistent and more readily attributed to differences between amino acid intake than bioavailability. 5. Differences between cereals in true digestibility of amino acids were confined to higher values for N, aspartic acid, alanine and leucine in maize than in barley or wheat meals.