Sample-based assessment of the microbial etiology of bovine necrotic vulvovaginitis.

A semiquantitative evaluation of potential bacterial pathogens was correlated to the severity of lesions during an outbreak of bovine necrotic vulvovaginitis (BNVV) on an Israeli dairy herd. Bacteriologic examination of 287 vaginal swabs from 104 post-calving heifers showed a highly significant correlation between Porphyromonas levii colony forming unit numbers and the clinical scores of the lesions, when assessed by an ordinal regression statistical model. No such correlation was found for the other bacteria included in the study. Nineteen samples taken for virological examinations resulted negative for bovine herpes viruses 1, 2, 4 and 5. Thus the results of this study substantiate the essential role of P. levii in the etiology of BNVV and indicate that BHV4 is not required as a predisposing factor to the syndrome.

Economic aspects of outbreaks of dermatophilosis in first-calving cows in nine herds of dairy cattle in Israel.

Outbreaks of dermatophilosis in nine herds of dairy cattle in Israel were studied retrospectively. The outbreaks might have been associated with the exposure of the animals to intense showering during the spring and summer months of May to October, in addition to calving and postcalving stress. The acute exudative form of dermatophilosis occurred in the first-calving cows during the six weeks after they calved. The morbidity rate ranged from 10.0 to 66.6 per cent and the period of morbidity ranged from eight to 19 days. Mortality or culling occurred in four of the herds and ranged from 1.6 to 17.1 per cent. The disease also resulted in a gradual loss of condition, a decrease in milk production and marked increases in the somatic cell counts in milk.

A technique for global assessment of respiratory muscle performance at different lung volumes.

A system for noninvasive assessment of an all-inclusive function of respiratory muscles at different lung volumes is presented. The apparatus was based on the interrupter technique and facilitated simultaneous measurements of mouth pressure and airflow rate during dynamic or quasistatic manoeuvres. In this study, mouth pressure values were continuously acquired during and after interruption of a forced inspiratory or expiratory manoeuvre for as long as the subject could sustain an elevated mouth pressure against the obstructed opening. These measurements provided information on both muscle strength and power. A total of 420 forced maximal inspiratory and expiratory manoeuvres performed by six healthy subjects were monitored at different lung volumes. The pattern of maximal pressure-time curves was consistent for the same subject regardless of lung volume. Similar values of maximal mouth pressure can be generated by healthy subjects by using either a flange-style mouthpiece or facial mask. For both methods mouth pressure shows a significant (p < 0.05) second order dependency on lung volume for both inspiration and expiration. The standard deviation of measurements from a single subject about a second order curve is of the order of 5-15%. The findings of interchangeability between methods of measurement may be useful in allegedly non-compliant patients.