Association between teat-end hyperkeratosis and mastitis in dairy cows: A systematic review.

A systematic review was conducted to elucidate the role of teat-end hyperkeratosis (THK) as a risk factor for clinical mastitis (CM) or subclinical mastitis (SCM). Scientific papers on the subject were identified by means of a database search. All types of peer-reviewed analytical studies, observational or experimental and published in English, could be included in the review, regardless of publication year. Of 152 identified records, 18 articles were selected, of which 8 were prospective cohort studies, 9 were cross-sectional, and 1 was a hybrid case-control study. Internal validity of studies was assessed using a score system ranging from 0 to 6, based on design, risk of bias, and statistical methods. The most frequent study limitation was improper use of statistical methods to avoid confounding of associations between THK and CM or SCM. The 3 studies that used CM as outcome (all with high validity scores) showed positive associations with THK (especially severe), although the magnitude and statistical significance of the estimates differed among them. Most studies that used SCM as the primary outcome (based on microbiological examination of milk) reported that only severe THK was associated with SCM. Two studies with high validity scores reported moderate to strong associations between severe THK and incidence or prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus intramammary infection. Two studies with high validity scores reported that only severe THK was associated with the risk of somatic cell count (SCC) ≥200,000 cells/mL and increased mean SCC, respectively. Although 4 cross-sectional studies reported positive associations between THK and SCC, these associations were possibly spurious because confounding factors, such as parity, were not considered in the analyses. Results of the reviewed studies suggest that severe THK is a risk factor for both CM and SCM, as defined by microbiological examination of milk, SCC thresholds, or mean SCC. The effect of severe THK on both contagious (especially Staphylococcus aureus) and environmental CM or SCM emphasizes the importance of teat health for mastitis control. Four studies demonstrated that quarters with mild THK had lower prevalence of intramammary infection or lower mean SCC than quarters with no THK, suggesting that development of mild THK, as a physiological response to milking, can have a protective effect. Dairy consultants should focus on monitoring and minimizing occurrence of severe THK to prevent CM and SCM.

Diagnostic accuracy of Somaticell, California Mastitis Test, and microbiological examination of composite milk to detect Streptococcus agalactiae intramammary infections.

The objectives of this study were to estimate the accuracy of Somaticell (Idexx Laboratories Inc., Westbrook, ME), California Mastitis Test (CMT), and microbiological examination of composite milk (MEC) to diagnose Streptococcus agalactiae intramammary infections (IMI), and to assess the agreement between Somaticell and CMT to detect these infections. A secondary objective was to estimate quarter- and cow-level prevalence of S. agalactiae IMI in the herds included in the study. Seven farms were included in the study. The CMT was performed and aseptic milk samples were collected from all quarters of all lactating cows. Composite milk samples were produced in the laboratory by mixing milk from all quarters of each sampled cow. The Somaticell test was performed on a subset of S. agalactiae-positive (n = 167) and S. agalactiae-negative (n = 152) quarter milk samples. Microbiological examination of quarter milk samples (MEQ) was considered the reference test for diagnosing S. agalactiae IMI. The accuracy of all tests at various thresholds was estimated using Bayesian latent class models. Apparent prevalence of S. agalactiae IMI was 15.8% (n = 184/1,164) at the quarter level (based on MEQ) and 28.5% (n = 83/291) at the cow level (based on MEC). True prevalence, as determined by Bayesian models, was 13.0% [95% credible interval (CR): 6.4-24.4%] at the quarter level, and 25.6% (95% CR: 15.3-39.5%) at the cow level. At the cow level (n = 285), sensitivity and specificity of MEC were 95.6 and 99.5%, respectively. The accuracy of Somaticell (n = 319 quarters) to identify S. agalactiae-infected quarters was 75.4, 86.4, 88.9, 89.4, and 91.0% at thresholds of 98,000, 147,000, 205,000, 244,000, and 282,000 cells/mL, respectively. The accuracy of CMT was 87.6, 90.7, 90.8, and 87.4% at thresholds of trace, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for Somaticell and CMT were 94.5% (95% confidence interval: 91.8-97.2%) and 92.0% (88.6-95.4%), respectively. At the tested thresholds, the sensitivity of Somaticell ranged from 94.9 to 99.5% to detect S. agalactiae IMI, and specificity ranged from 48.1 to 87.1%. The sensitivity of Somaticell at the lowest threshold (69,000 cells/mL; sensitivity = 99.9%; 95% CR: 98.2-100%) was higher than that of CMT at any tested threshold. Results of this study could be used at the farm level to reduce the use of antimicrobials and reach specific goals in S. agalactiae eradication programs.

Dried, ground banana plant leaves (Musa spp.) for the control of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis infections in sheep.

To evaluate the anthelmintic effect of Musa spp. leaves, 12 animals were artificially infected with Haemonchus contortus, and another 12 animals were infected with Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Then, both treatment groups were offered 400 g of dried ground banana plant leaves, and the control animals were offered only 1000 g of coast cross hay. During the trials, the animals received weekly physical examinations. The methods used to evaluate the efficiency of this treatment were packed cell volume, total plasma protein and faecal egg counts, and egg hatchability tests were performed on days -2, +3, +6, +9, +13 and +15. Coproculture tests were performed on day -2 to confirm monospecific infections. In the FEC and EHT, a statistically significant difference (0.04, 0.005; p < 0.05) was noted for T. colubriformis. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) for Haemochus contortus group in all tests. Our results confirmed previous findings suggesting that dried ground banana plant leaves possess anthelmintic activity.

The effect of prepartum intravaginal bacteriophage administration on the incidence of retained placenta and metritis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of prepartum intravaginal administration of an anti-Escherichia coli bacteriophage cocktail on uterine health and reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows. The study was conducted on a commercial dairy farm located near Ithaca, New York, from March to September 2012, and 107 cows were enrolled. The cows were divided randomly into 2 groups (treatment and control); treatment group cows were submitted to 3 intravaginal administrations of 20 mL of a bacteriophage cocktail including 10 different phages in a lysate with titration of approximately 10(9) plaque-forming units, on d 230, 260, and 275 of gestation. Control cows were not treated with a placebo, and physical examination and sample collection was conducted equally for both groups. Vaginal swabs were collected at d 230, 260, and 275 d of gestation, cervical swabs were collected at 3±1 d in milk, and blood was collected at 275 d of gestation for nonesterified fatty acids and interleukin (IL)-6 serum level measurements and at 10 DIM for ß-hydroxybutyrate and IL-6 serum level measurements. The bacteriophage cocktail significantly increased the incidence of retained placenta and metritis. Swab samples were cultured for E. coli and no difference was found between treatment and control groups. The lysate contained 6×10(9) IU of lipopolysaccharide/mL and could have caused prepartum overstimulation of toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4)-chemokine pathway, leading to a weaker immune response. However, IL-6 was not affected by treatment, although sample size was insufficient to prove a treatment effect on the suppression of the chemokine cascade and innate immune system. Bacteriophage treatment had an excellent bactericidal effect in previous in vitro trials; however, special attention must be given to production of the cocktail to obtain a purified solution free of E. coli bacterial products and fragments, particularly lipopolysaccharide.

Endometrial expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in non-cyclic mares treated only with long-acting progesterone.

Administration of progesterone (P4) after estradiol is usually performed to prepare non-cyclic mares as embryo recipients. However, there are successful pregnancy reports after embryo transfer in non-cyclic mares treated only with progestins. The objective of this study was to evaluate endometrial gene expression and immunostaining for estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), beta (ERß) and progesterone receptor (PR) in seasonal anestrous mares treated with long acting P4 (LA P4). Endometrial tissue from eight seasonal anestrous mares was collected immediately before administration of 1.5 g of LA P4 and five days after. The receptors protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and the percentage of the immunostained area was determined by ImageJ software. Transcripts abundance for ERα, ERß and PR were determined by RT-qPCR. Blood samples were collected daily to measure plasma P4 concentrations. Protein expression for ERα was greater (p < 0.05) after LA P4 administration, although gene expression was not affected by treatment (p > 0.05). There was no difference for ERß protein expression (p = 0.07) and ERß gene expression was reduced (p < 0.05) after treatment. Gene and protein expression for PR was not altered (p > 0.05). In conclusion, endometrial PR and ERα expression patterns after LA P4 administration were similar to those previously found in protocols using estradiol prior to LA P4 to prepare non-cyclic mares as embryo recipients.

[Vacuum-assisted breast biopsy for diagnosis of non-palpable lesions: experience with 226 cases]. / Biopsia mammaria "vacuum-assisted" per la diagnosi di lesioni non palpabili: descrizione dei primi 226 casi.

Vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) is now available for non-palpable lesions. The present study describes the results obtained from 226 consecutive VABBs performed at "L. Sacco" Hospital, Milan, from November 2005 to July 2007 (198 stereotactic and 28 ultrasonographic procedures). Adequate tissue samples for histopathological evaluation were obtained in 225 cases (99.6%). The diagnoses were as follows: 9 normal tissues (4%), 97 benign (43%), 25 "probably benign" (11%), 4 "suspicious for malignancy" (2%) and 90 malignant (40%, 53 in situ and 37 infiltrating carcinoma). Of the 90 malignant cases, 38 (42.2%) underwent subsequent surgical excision in our Unit; 84.2% (32/38) had concordant histopathological findings. In conclusion, VABB is an accurate and safe technique for diagnosis of non-palpable lesions, and in experienced hands avoids unnecessary surgical procedures.

Pesquisa de anticorpos contra maedi visna em ovinos nas microregiões de Botucatu, Campinas, Piedade e São Paulo, Estado de São Paulo / Survey for antibodies against maedi-visna virus in sheep in the regions of Botucatu, Campinas, São Paulo and Piedade, State of São Paulo, Brazil

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a ocorrência da infecção pelo vírus Maedi-Visna em ovinos criados nas microrregiões de Botucatu, Campinas, Piedade e São Paulo do Estado de São Paulo. As amostras de soro sanguíneo foram colhidas de 226 ovinos e foi realizada a técnica de imunodifusão em gel de ágar para a detecção de anticorpos antivírus Maedi-Visna e verificou-se que nenhuma das amostras testadas foi sororeagente. Dessa forma, faz-se necessário um estudo mais amplo no estado, a fim de se confirmar a baixa ocorrência e importância da enfermidade no estado.

Survey for antibodies against maedi-visna virus in sheep in the regions of Botucatu, Campinas, São Paulo and Piedade, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of infection with maedi-visna virus in sheep raised in the regions of Botucatu, Campinas, Piedade and São Paulo, state of São Paulo, Brazil, that showed symptoms of the disease. Blood serum samples collected from 226 sheep were submitted to the agar gel immunodiffusion technique for detection of antibodies against maedi-visna virus, and none of the samples tested was serum reactive. In conclusion, the maedi-visna virus has low frequency in animals raised in the regions studied.

Randomised study of systematic lymphadenectomy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer macroscopically confined to the pelvis.

No randomised trials have addressed the value of systematic aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy (SL) in ovarian cancer macroscopically confined to the pelvis. This study was conducted to investigate the role of SL compared with lymph nodes sampling (CONTROL) in the management of early stage ovarian cancer. A total of 268 eligible patients with macroscopically intrapelvic ovarian carcinoma were randomised to SL (N=138) or CONTROL (N=130). The primary objective was to compare the proportion of patients with retroperitoneal nodal involvement between the two groups. Median operating time was longer and more patients required blood transfusions in the SL arm than the CONTROL arm (240 vs 150 min, P<0.001, and 36 vs 22%, P=0.012, respectively). More patients in the SL group had positive nodes at histologic examination than patients on CONTROL (9 vs 22%, P=0.007). Postoperative chemotherapy was delivered in 66% and 51% of patients with negative nodes on CONTROL and SL, respectively (P=0.03). At a median follow-up of 87.8 months, the adjusted risks for progression (hazard ratio [HR]=0.72, 95%CI=0.46-1.21, P=0.16) and death (HR=0.85, 95%CI=0.49-1.47, P=0.56) were lower, but not statistically significant, in the SL than the CONTROL arm. Five-year progression-free survival was 71.3 and 78.3% (difference=7.0%, 95% CI=-3.4-14.3%) and 5-year overall survival was 81.3 and 84.2% (difference=2.9%, 95% CI=-7.0-9.2%) respectively for CONTROL and SL. SL detects a higher proportion of patients with metastatic lymph nodes. This trial may have lacked power to exclude clinically important effects of SL on progression free and overall survival.

Chromogranin A and B and secretogranin II in prostatic adenocarcinomas: neuroendocrine expression in patients untreated and treated with androgen deprivation therapy.

BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine (NE) expression in prostatic adenocarcinomas (PACs) has been related to an adverse clinical course, but the reported data are not unequivocal. METHODS: We immunostained a series of 64 PACs with three monoclonal antibodies raised against chromogranin A (CgA), chromogranin B (CgB), and secretogranin II (SgII). The patients were followed up for 18-88 months (mean 43 months, standard deviation +/- 20 months); 58 of them received preoperative androgen deprivation therapy for 3-6 months. RESULTS: Of the 64 PACs under study, 39 (approximately 61%) were immunoreactive to CgA, 51 (approximately 80%) to CgB, and 38 (approximately 59%) to SgII. We found a strict correlation between pronounced neuroendocrine differentiation and the most poorly differentiated tumors (P = 0.01 for CgA, P = 0.03 for CgB, and P = 0.05 for SgII), and relationship (approaching statistical significance only for CgB, P = 0.07) between Cgs/Sg expression and advanced (C and D) clinical stage. However, we failed to detect any correlation between chromogranin expression and clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that NE differentiation is a frequent event in PACs, especially in the most poorly differentiated. Nevertheless, as Cgs/Sg expression is not clearly related to advanced clinical stage and poor prognosis, our findings suggest that clinical staging and grading, rather than NE differentiation, remain the most powerful prognostic indicators in PACs.