Clinically Relevant Campylobacter jejuni Subtypes Are Readily Found and Transmitted within the Cattle Production Continuum but Present a Limited Foodborne Risk.

Increasing evidence exists for the role that cattle play in the epidemiology of campylobacteriosis. In this study, the prevalence and distribution of Campylobacter jejuni were longitudinally examined at the subspecies level in the beef cattle production continuum. Animals were subdivided into two groups: those that were not administered antibiotics and those that were administered the antimicrobial growth promoter chlortetracycline and sulfamethazine (AS700). Samples were longitudinally collected throughout the confined feeding operation (CFO) period and during the slaughter process, and C. jejuni was isolated and genotyped to assess subtype richness and to elucidate transmission dynamics from farm to fork. The bacterium was frequently isolated from cattle, and the bacterial densities shed in feces increased over the CFO period. Campylobacter jejuni was also isolated from digesta, hides, the abattoir environment, and carcasses. The administration of AS700 did not conspicuously reduce the C. jejuni densities in feces or within the intestine but significantly reduced the bacterial densities and the diversity of subtypes on abattoir samples. All cattle carried multiple subtypes, including clinically relevant subtypes known to represent a risk to human health. Instances of intra-animal longitudinal transmission were observed. Although clinically relevant subtypes were transmitted to carcasses via direct contact and aerosols, the bacterium could not be isolated nor could its DNA be detected in ground beef regardless of treatment. Although the evidence indicated that beef cattle represent a significant reservoir for C. jejuni, including high-risk subtypes strongly associated with the bovine host, they do not appear to represent a significant risk for direct foodborne transmission. This implicates alternate routes of human transmission.IMPORTANCE Limited information is available on the transmission of Campylobacter jejuni subtypes in the beef production continuum and the foodborne risk posed to humans. Cattle were colonized by diverse subtypes of C. jejuni, and the densities of the bacterium shed in feces increased during the confined feeding period. Campylobacter jejuni was readily associated with the digesta, feces, and hides of cattle entering the abattoir, as well as the local environment. Moreover, C. jejuni cells were deposited on carcasses via direct contact and aerosols, but the bacterium was not detected in the ground beef generated from contaminated carcasses. We conclude that C. jejuni bacterial cells associated with beef cattle do not represent a significant risk through food consumption and suggest that clinically relevant subtypes are transmitted through alternate routes of exposure.

Antibiotics versus no treatment for toxoplasma retinochoroiditis.

BACKGROUND: Acute toxoplasma retinochoroiditis causes transient symptoms of ocular discomfort and may lead to permanent visual loss. Antibiotic treatment aims primarily to reduce the risk of permanent visual loss, recurrent retinochoroiditis, and the severity and duration of acute symptoms. There is uncertainty about the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of antibiotic treatment versus placebo or no treatment for toxoplasma retinochoroiditis. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision group Trials Register) (2016, Issue 1), Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE Daily, Ovid OLDMEDLINE (January 1946 to February 2016), EMBASE (January 1980 to February 2016), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature Database (LILACS) (January 1982 to February 2016), the ISRCTN registry (www.isrctn.com/editAdvancedSearch), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov), and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 22 February 2016. We searched the reference lists of identified articles and contacted pharmaceutical companies for unpublished trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials that compared any antibiotic treatment against placebo or no treatment. We excluded trials that included immunocompromised participants. We considered any antibiotic treatment known to be active against Toxoplasma gondii. Antibiotic treatment could be given in any dose orally, by intramuscular injection, by intravenous infusion, or by intravitreal injection. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The primary outcomes for this review were visual acuity at least three months after treatment and risk of recurrent retinochoroiditis. Secondary outcomes were improvement in symptoms and signs of intraocular inflammation, size of lesion, and adverse events. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS: Four trials that randomised a total of 268 participants met the inclusion criteria. In all four studies antibiotic was administered orally.One study conducted in Brazil in both adults and children compared trimethoprim-sulfamexacocol over 20 months to no treatment and was judged to be at high risk of performance, detection, and attrition bias. The other three studies compared antibiotic treatment to placebo. We judged these three studies to be at a mixture of low or unclear risk of bias due to poor reporting. One study conducted in the US in adults studied pyrimethamine-trisulfapyrimidine for eight weeks; one study conducted in the UK in children and adults evaluated pyrimethamine for four weeks; and one study conducted in Brazil in adults investigated trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 12 months. In the last study, all participants had active retinochoroiditis and were treated with antibiotics for 45 days prior to randomisation to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole versus placebo.Only the study in Brazil of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole over 12 months, in participants with healed lesions, reported the effect of treatment on visual acuity. People treated with antibiotics may have a similar change in visual acuity compared with people treated with placebo at one year (mean difference -1.00 letters, 95% confidence interval (CI) -7.93 to 5.93 letters; 93 participants; low-quality evidence).Treatment with antibiotics probably reduces the risk of recurrent retinochoroiditis compared with placebo (risk ratio (RR) 0.26, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.63; 227 participants; 3 studies; I(2) = 0%; moderate-quality evidence); similar results were seen for acute and chronic retinochoroiditis.The UK study of pyrimethamine for four weeks reported an improvement in intraocular inflammation in treated compared with control participants (RR 1.76, 95% CI 0.98 to 3.19; 29 participants; low-quality evidence). The study in Brazil of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 12 months stated that the severity of inflammation was higher in the comparator group when compared to the antibiotic-treated group but did not provide further details. In the US study of pyrimethamine-trisulfapyrimidine for eight weeks intraocular inflammation had almost completely resolved by eight weeks in all participants, however in this study all participants received steroid treatment.Two studies (UK and US studies) reported an increased risk of adverse events in treated participants. These were a fall in haemoglobin, leucocyte, and platelet count, nausea, loss of appetite, rash, and arthralgia. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with antibiotics probably reduces the risk of recurrent toxoplasma retinochoroiditis, but there is currently no good evidence that this leads to better visual outcomes. However, absence of evidence of effect is not the same as evidence of no effect. Further trials of people with acute and chronic toxoplasma retinochoroiditis affecting any part of the retina are required to determine the effects of antibiotic treatment on visual outcomes.

Sulfamethazine-based pH-sensitive hydrogels with potential application for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization therapy.

UNLABELLED: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the most common palliative therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The conventional TACE technique, which employs the Lipiodol® emulsion, has been widely used for human cancer treatments. However, this delivery system seems to be inconsistent and unstable in maintaining a high concentration of drugs at tumor sites. An alternative approach for TACE is loading drugs into a liquid embolic solution that exists as an injectable solution and can exhibit a sol-to-gel phase transition to form a solidified state once delivered to the tumor site. Here, we develop a novel sulfamethazine-based anionic pH-sensitive block copolymer with potential application as a radiopaque embolic material. The copolymer, named PCL-PEG-SM, and comprised of poly(ε-caprolactone), sulfamethazine, and poly(ethylene glycol), was fabricated by free radical polymerization. An aqueous solution of the developed copolymer underwent a sol-to-gel phase transition upon lowering the environmental pH to create a gel region that covered the physiological condition (pH 7.4, 37°C) and the low pH conditions at tumor sites (pH 6.5-7.0, 37°C). The release of doxorubicin (DOX) from DOX-loaded copolymer hydrogels could be sustained for more than 4weeks in vitro, and the released DOX retained its fully bioactivity via inhibition the proliferation of hepatic cancer cells. The radiopaque embolic formulations that were prepared by mixing copolymer solutions at pH 8.0 with Lipiodol®, a long-lasting X-ray contrast agent, could exhibit the gelation inside the tumor after intratumoral injection or intraarterial administration using a VX2 carcinoma hepatic tumor rabbit model. These results suggest that a novel anionic pH-sensitive copolymer has been developed with a potential application as a liquid radiopaque embolic solution for TACE of HCC. STATE OF SIGNIFICANCE: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been widely used as a palliative treatment therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Conventional TACE technique, which usually employs emulsion of DOX-in-Lipiodol®, followed by an embolic agent, has significant limitation of inconsistency and lack of controlled release ability. To address these limitations of conventional TACE material system, we introduced a novel liquid radiopaque embolic material from our pH-sensitive hydrogel. The material has low viscosity that can be injected via a microcatheter, rather biocompatibility, and drug controlled release ability. Importantly, it can form gel in the tumor as well as tumoral vasculature in response to the lowered pH at the tumor site, which proved the potential for the use to treat HCC by TACE therapy.

Evaluation of furazolidone, sulfadimidine and amprolium to treat coccidiosis in Beetal goats under field conditions.

Coccidiosis is a protozoal and occasionally fatal diarrheic disease of goats imposing heavy economic losses to farming community. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacies of Furazolidone, Sulfadimidine and Amprolium against coccidiosis in Beetal goats. Twenty-four (24) Beetal goats naturally infected with coccidiosis were randomly divided into four groups of 6 (A-D). Goats in groups A, B and C were treated orally with Furazolidone (10 mg/Kg), Sulfadimidine (100 mg/Kg) and Amprolium (55 mg/Kg), respectively for 7 days. Goats in-group D served as positive control. Oocysts per gram (OPG) of feces counts of individual goats in each group were performed on Days; 0 (pre-treatment) 7, 14 and 21 (post-treatment). OPG counts amongst goats in all groups at day 0 were not significant (P>0.05). On days 7, 14 and 21, OPG values decreased significantly (P<0.05) in groups A, B and C compared to group D. The efficacy of Furazolidone, Sulfadimidine and Amprolium was 98.6, 98.0 and 99.6 percent, respectively on Day 21 (end of trial). Statistically, the efficacies of three drugs were not significantly different (P>0.05). In conclusion, Furazolidone, Sulfadimidine and Amprolium are well-tolerated and any one of these may be recommended to effectively treat coccidiosis in Beetal goats.

Reduction of the abortion rate due to Toxoplasma in 3 goat herds following administration of sulfadimidine.

The efficacy of sulfadimidine (4 doses of 33 mg/kg body weight, IM, q48h) against Toxoplasma abortion was assessed in 3 dairy goat herds suffering from Toxoplasma abortions during the 4th month of gestation. This protocol was very effective for the control of Toxoplasma abortions (P < 0.01).

Réduction des taux d'avortements causés parToxoplasmadans 3 troupeaux de chèvres après l'administration de sulfadimidine. L'efficacité de la sulfadimidine (4 doses de 33 mg/kg poids corporel, IM, q48h) contre les avortements causés par Toxoplasma a été évaluée dans 3 troupeaux de chèvres laitières souffrant d'avortements causés par Toxoplasma durant le quatrième mois de gestation. Ce protocole a été très efficace pour le contrôle des avortements causés par Toxoplasma (P < 0,01).(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Toltrazuril and sulphonamide treatment against naturally Isospora suis infected suckling piglets: is there an actual profit?

A study was carried out to assess the efficacy and the economic profit of prophylactic treatment against Isopsora suis with toltrazuril or with a sulfamethazine/trimethoprim combination in piglets from an intensive pig farm. Thirty-one litters were included in study. Eight litters were treated once with toltrazuril (20 mg/kg b.w.) at 3 days of age (Toltra group); 8 litters were treated with 2 ml/animal of a [corrected] sulphonamide combination (sodium sulfamethazine 250 [DOSAGE ERROR CORRECTED] mg and trimethoprim 50 [DOSAGE ERROR CORRECTED] mg/kg b.w.) for 3 consecutive days starting at 3 days of age (Sulfa group), and 15 litters were untreated (control group). Counts of oocyst per gram on pooled feces sampled from each litter were carried out on Days 7, 14, 21 and 28 and diarrhea was registered daily from pooled samples. Piglets were weighed on Days 1, 7 and 28 and mean weight gain (WG) and daily weight gain (DWG) were evaluated. The economic profit of treatment was evaluated comparing the WG of piglets of each treatment group from the day of birth to Day 28. On Days 14, 21 and 28, toltrazuril showed a better efficacy in controlling fecal oocyst output, diarrhea and weight gain compared with sulphamidic treatment (P<0.001). The budgeting analysis showed a return of economic benefit of euro 0.915 per toltrazuril-treated piglets and an additional cost of euro 1.155 per sulphonamide-treated piglets.

Efficacy of various anticoccidials against experimental porcine neonatal isosporosis.

The efficacies of 20 mg/kg body weight (BW) of toltrazuril (Toltra) 2 days post-infection (dpi), 2 mg/kg BW of diclazuril 2 and 3 dpi and 200 mg/kg BW of sulphadimidine 2, 3 and 4 dpi were compared in a model for piglet isosporosis. Weight gain (first 4 weeks of life) and diarrhoea and oocyst excretion from 4 to 11 dpi were evaluated (10-12 piglets/group). Additionally, animals were killed and examined for pathohistological changes of the small intestines 5, 7, 11 and 14 dpi (n = 3 per group and time point) and lengths of the intestinal villi. Diarrhoea (semi-liquid or liquid faeces) was seen from 5 dpi in all groups except Toltra, and the differences in prevalence and intensity of diarrhoea were statistically significant (p < 0.05) between Toltra and the other groups, which were similar (trial 1). Oocyst excretion was greatly reduced in the Toltra group, which was also statistically significant for the mean and median excretion rates and the percentage of excreting piglets between Toltra and the other groups (p < 0.05). Weight gain was highest in Toltra (p < 0.05). Histopathology revealed mostly villous necrosis and atrophy in the small intestines except the duodenum, which peaked at 7 dpi, in all groups except Toltra. Between 5 and 11 dpi, the Toltra group had significantly longer villi than the other groups. Reduced weight gain and diarrhoea caused by Isospora suis was controlled by a single application of Toltra in the pre-patent period, while neither diclazuril nor sulphadimidine improved the clinical picture of isosporosis.

Prevalence and control of bovine cryptosporidiosis in German dairy herds.

In a 5-year survey regarding its prevalence and importance in five German state veterinary laboratories Cryptosporidium was diagnosed annually in 19-36% of faecal samples either submitted to the laboratories or taken post mortem. In approximately half of the cases no other enteropathogens were detected. However, only 73% of 30 laboratories participating in a questionnaire survey routinely tested for this parasite, and the majority of researchers considered cryptosporidiosis to be of minor importance. In a placebo-controlled field study 152 suckling calves were treated daily against cryptosporidiosis either with sulfadimidine or with halofuginone (Halocur, Intervet) over 1 week. Treatment by oral drench started at the onset of diarrhoea in the herd. Oocyst excretion, faecal consistency and health status were recorded five times for a 3-week period. Oocyst excretion peaked 7-14 days in the placebo group after the onset of diarrhoea, and during that period prevalence and intensity of excretion were significantly lower in the halofuginone-treated group compared to the sulfadimidine and the placebo control groups. The health status (diarrhoea, dehydration) declined in all groups but was significantly (P<0.05-0.001) better in the halofuginone group in the first 2 weeks. Halofuginone effectively (P<0.05-0.001) reduced oocyst excretion and improved the health status of the treated animals, while sulfadimidine had no effect against Cryptosporidium.

[Comparative study of combined local treatment (sulfadimidine, metronidazole and nystatin) and the standard monotherapy in uncomplicated bacterial vaginosis]. / Szövódménymentes bakteriális vaginosis kombinált hüvelyi kezelésének (szulfadimidin, metronidazol és nystatin) és a standard monoterápiák összehasonlító vizsgálata.

Comparative, in vivo, human, prospective, single blind, clinical and microbiological diagnoses based and randomised study of the treatment of uncomplicated bacterial vaginosis with two forms of combined (metronidazole + nystatin + sulfadimidin) vaginal suppositories (laminated and mixed containing the same ingredients) and the standard preparations available in the Hungarian market (Dalacin vaginal cream and Klion vaginal suppository). The examinations involved 60 volunteers and were performed in the Gynecological Outpatient Clinic of the Council of Erd, the microbiological samples were examined at Saint Rókus Hospital in Budapest. The combined treatment was better tolerated and resulted in normal vaginal pH significantly more often at the same rate of recovery. The combined treatment is simultaneously effective in cases of the most prevalent coinfections too.

Luminous vibriosis in rock lobster Jasus verreauxi (Decapoda: Palinuridae) phyllosoma larvae associated with infection by Vibrio harveyi.

Studies were conducted to determine the cause of outbreaks of luminous vibriosis in phyllosoma larvae of the packhorse rock lobster Jasus verreauxi reared in an experimental culture facility. On 2 separate occasions mortalities of up to 75% over a period of 4 wk were observed in 4th to 5th and 8th to 10th instar phyllosomas at water temperatures of 20 and 23 degrees C, respectively. Affected larvae became opaque, exhibited small red spots throughout the body and pereiopods, and were faintly luminous when viewed in the dark. Histopathology showed that the gut and hepatopancreas tubules of moribund phyllosomas contained massive bacterial plaques. The hepatopancreas tubules of moribund larvae were atrophic and some contained necrotic cells sloughed into the lumen. Dense, pure cultures of a bacterium identified as Vibrio harveyi were isolated from moribund larvae. The disease syndrome was reproduced by in vivo challenge and V. harveyi was successfully reisolated from diseased larvae after apparently healthy larvae were exposed by immersion to baths of more than 10(4) V. harveyi ml(-1) at 24 degrees C. Injured larvae were more susceptible to infection than were healthy larvae. Survival of larvae experimentally and naturally exposed to V. harveyi was improved when antibiotics were administered via bath exposures.

Homeopathy versus antibiotics in metaphylaxis of infectious diseases: a clinical study in pig fattening and its significance to consumers.

CONTEXT: Due to the conditions of modern industrial pig fattening in intensive livestock farms, 24% to 69% of the animals become ill. The antibiotic metaphylaxis that is routinely administered leads to several problems in animals, human health, and the environment. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a homeopathic metaphylaxis is effective and potentially useful for replacing antibiotic metaphylaxis. DESIGN: Animal subjects were divided into groups of 10 per pen, 2 pens sharing 1 trough. Twenty pigs were randomly assigned within a stall and were administered either antibiotics, homeopathy, or placebo. SETTING: A typical intensive livestock farm in Northern Germany. PARTICIPANTS: 1440 piglets. INTERVENTION: Homeopathic metaphylaxis is compared with placebo, the routine low-dose antibiotic metaphylaxis, and an antibiotic metaphylaxis in therapeutic dosage. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of diseases in general and of diseases of the respiratory tract. RESULTS: Homeopathic metaphylaxis is significantly effective compared with placebo and routine low-dose antibiotic metaphylaxis for incidence of disease and rate of disease of the respiratory tract among the animals studied. Only by increasing the dosage of antibiotics to a therapeutic level does antibiotic metaphylaxis surpass homeopathic metaphylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: An unacceptably high percentage of pigs in modern livestock management become ill, suffering mainly from diseases of the respiratory tract. The routine antibiotic dosage of metaphylaxis is too low to be effective. As a result, the problems of resistance and danger to human health and the environment are increasing. To confirm whether antibiotic metaphylaxis may be replaced by homeopathic metaphylaxis, this study should be repeated independently.

Pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and dosage regimen of sulphadimidine in camels (Camelus dromedarius) under hot, arid environmental conditions.

A two-way crossover study was conducted in young Bikaneri camels (aged between 12 and 18 months) during the hot summer season to determine the bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and dosage regimens of sulphadimidine (SDM). A dose of 100 mg.kg-1 of SDM was used to study both the intravenous and oral pharmacokinetics of the drug. Analysis of the intravenous data according to a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model revealed that SDM was well distributed in the body (Vd(area):0.862 L.kg-1), had an overall body clearance of 0.035 +/- 0.019 L.h-1.kg-1 and the elimination of half-lives was in the range of 14.2 to 20.6 h. The mean maximum plasma SDM concentration following oral administration was 63.23 +/- 2.33 micrograms.mL-1, which was achieved 24 h after the oral administration. The mean bioavailability of SDM following oral administration was approximately 100%. To achieve and maintain the therapeutically satisfactory plasma sulphadimidine levels of > or = 50 micrograms.mL-1, the optimum dosage regimen for camels following either intravenous or oral administration would be 110 mg.kg-1 as the priming dose and 69 mg.kg-1 as the maintenance dose, to be repeated at 24 h intervals.

Prevention of Eimeria alabamensis coccidiosis by a long-acting baquiloprim/sulphadimidine bolus.

Twelve calves aged 6-10 months, and 12 calves aged 10-16 months were turned out onto a permanent pasture known to have been contaminated with oocysts of Eimeria alabamensis during the previous year. Two days after turnout, six of the older calves and six of the younger were each treated with one bolus per 200 kg bodyweight containing 1.6 g baquiloprim and 14.4 g sulphadimidine. The other 12 calves were left untreated. The excretion of Eimeria oocysts, the faecal dry matter and the weight gain of treated and untreated calves within each age group were compared during the first 3 weeks on pasture to assess the efficacy of the bolus in preventing E. alabamensis coccidiosis. All the older of the untreated calves and four of the younger developed gruel-like to watery diarrhoea 4-7 days after turnout. The faecal consistency of the treated calves remained firm and they lost significantly less weight than the control calves during the first 13 days on pasture. The treated calves also excreted significantly fewer oocysts during the first 20 days of grazing; their oocyst excretion remained low during days 8-10 when all but one of the diarrhoeic control calves excreted more than 850,000 oocysts per gram faeces (OPG). Starting on days 12 to 14 the oocyst excretion of 8 of the treated calves increased to 20,000-65,000 OPG and of 2 calves to 210,000-240,000 OPG. There was no difference in oocyst output between treated and untreated calves from the fourth week of grazing and no difference in weight gain among the younger calves. In the older calves there was a tendency for the untreated calves to gain more weight than treated calves.

Pharmacokinetics of ampicillin and sulfadimidine in pigs infected experimentally with Streptococcus suum.

Twenty-three hybrid pigs (23 +/- 3 kg body wt) were assigned to three groups to investigate the pharmacokinetics of ampicillin (APC, 10 mg/kg) administered intravenously (i.v.) and intramuscularly (i.m.), and sulfadimidine (SDM, 50 mg/kg) administered intravenously as a bolus injection. In the first series of experiments the animals remained healthy. Subsequently, the pigs were infected with Streptococcus suum by subcutaneous (s.c.) inoculation and the experiments were repeated. The total apparent distribution volume of APC given intravenously was increased from 0.512 +/- 0.026 L/kg in uninfected pigs to 0.68 +/- 0.06 L/kg (P < 0.01) in infected pigs, whereas there were no significant changes in the same parameter for SDM (P > 0.05). The clearance of APC was increased markedly from 0.52 +/- 0.07 L/kg/h in uninfected pigs to 0.62 +/- 0.10 L/kg/h in infected pigs. In contrast, SDM clearance was decreased markedly from 0.023 +/- 0.003 L/kg/h to 0.017 +/- 0.003 L/kg/h (P < 0.05). As a result, the biological half-lives of the drugs were altered to varying degrees in infected pigs. The half-life of SDM was increased from 15.0 +/- 3.0 h in uninfected pigs to 20 +/- 7h in infected pigs (P < 0.05), but differences in APC half-lives between uninfected and infected animals were not observed (P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters of APC administered by intramuscular injection between the healthy and the diseased status, although its half-life was shortened from 0.76 +/- 0.22 h in the healthy to 0.57 +/- 0.23 h in the diseased. The results suggest that blood concentrations of APC and SDM are affected differently by the same disease due to its specific effects on their distribution and elimination.

The relation between toxoplasmosis and pityriasis lichenoides chronica.

Pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC) is a rare skin disease of uncertain aetiology. Many infectious agents have been incriminated as the cause of the disease. One of these agents is toxoplasmosis. The aim of this work was to find out if there is a relationship between toxoplasmosis and PLC. Twenty two patients (17 males and 5 females) diagnosed clinically and histopathologically as PLC were chosen for this study. Also twenty apparently healthy individuals free from skin lesions were included as a control group. Patients and controls were examined clinically for signs of toxoplasmosis and submitted for indirect haemagglutination (IHA) and indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) tests in our Parasitology laboratory for serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis was diagnosed in 8 (36.36%) and 3 (15%) in PLC patients and controls respectively by both tests. Using pyrimethamine and trisulfapyrimidine in treating PLC patients, showed subsidence of skin lesions in five patients with toxoplasmosis within two months from the beginning of therapy. The remaining patients showed no response to treatment. On conclusion, toxoplasmosis appears to play a role in the aetiology of PLC and serological tests for diagnosing toxoplasmosis should be performed in all PLC patients.

Eimeria alabamensis coccidiosis in grazing calves: control by a long-acting baquiloprim/sulphadimidine bolus.

The excretion of Eimeria oocysts, the faecal dry matter and the weight gain of three groups of 12 calves, were compared during their first 20 days of grazing on a pasture known to have been contaminated with oocysts of Eimeria alabamensis during the previous year. On the day of turnout (day 0) the calves in group 1 were each treated with one bolus per 200 kg bodyweight containing 1.6 g baquiloprim and 14.4 g sulphadimidine. The calves of group 2 received the same treatment on day 3, and the calves of group 3 were left untreated. Eleven of the untreated calves developed clinical coccidiosis due to E. alabamensis and excreted more than 850,000 oocysts/g of faeces 8-10 days after turnout. Seven of the calves in group 1 and five of those in group 2 developed diarrhoea, but it was milder and/or less persistent than in the untreated calves. The treated calves excreted significantly fewer oocysts and lost significantly less weight than the untreated calves. On day 21 all the calves were housed and on day 27 they were challenged with 10 million sporulated oocysts of E. alabamensis and turned out on to the same pasture. Only minor clinical signs were observed in some of the calves, indicating development of immunity in all groups. However, there was a tendency for the calves treated on day 3 to excrete more oocysts and to gain less weight than the other calves.

Prevention and treatment of cilia-associated respiratory bacillus in mice by use of antibiotics.

The effects of continuous oral administration of antibiotics in mice were investigated. Sulfamerazine, ampicillin, and chlortetracycline were tested at a rate of 500 mg/L of drinking water. Mice were infected by intranasal inoculation with 10(6) bacilli of the SMR strain of cilia-associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus. The mice were treated with the antibiotics starting 1 week before, 1 week after, or 4 weeks after the inoculation, for 5, 3, or 4 weeks respectively, then were examined. The infected mice lost body weight, and this loss was prevented or regained by all of the antibiotic treatments. Serologically no antibodies were detectable in the mice administered sulfamerazine starting 1 week before the inoculation. Mice administered sulfamerazine starting 1 week after the inoculation and ampicillin or chlortetracycline starting 1 week before or after the inoculation yielded a low titer of antibodies compared with nontreated infected mice. Mice administered antibiotics starting 4 weeks after the inoculation yielded the same titer of antibodies as nontreated infected mice. No pathologic respiratory tract lesions were observed in mice administered sulfamerazine starting 1 week before the inoculation. Mice administered sulfamerazine starting 1 week after the inoculation or ampicillin starting 1 week before or after the inoculation had slight peribronchitis without CAR bacillus colonization. Mice administered chlortetracycline, starting either 1 week before or after inoculation, developed peribronchitis, with colonization of the bacillus on the airway mucosa. In mice medicated starting 4 weeks after the inoculation, respiratory tract lesions developed, but their severity was reduced. The airway mucosa in mice treated with chlortetracycline was associated with the CAR bacillus but not in mice treated with sulfamerazine and ampicillin. These findings suggest that prevention and eradication of CAR bacillus infection is possible by treatment with sulfamerazine.

Retropharyngeal lymph node infection in horses: 46 cases (1977-1992).

A retrospective study of 46 horses with retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) infection presented to the Rural Veterinary Centre between 1977 and 1992 was undertaken. Horses aged less than one year were most commonly represented (46%). Thirty-nine percent of cases had been exposed to horses with confirmed or suspected strangles (Streptococcus equi subsp equi infection) within the previous 8 weeks. Most frequent signs were unilateral or bilateral swelling of the throat region (65%), respiratory stertor/dyspnoea (35%), purulent nasal discharge (20%), inappetence and signs of depression (15%), and dysphagia (9%). All horses had a soft tissue density in the retropharyngeal region on radiographs. Rhinopharyngoscopy, ultrasonography, haematology as well as cytological and microbial analysis of material aspirated from the soft tissue swelling facilitated diagnosis in some horses. Fifteen horses (33%) were treated with procaine penicillin intramuscularly for 4 to 7 days followed by oral trimethoprim-sulphadimidine for 7 to 14 days. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were administered to 6 horses. Four required tracheostomy for severe respiratory distress. The 15 horses treated medically responded to treatment and were discharged from hospital. Three horses (6%) with mild signs received no treatment and recovered uneventfully. Twenty-eight horses (61%) underwent general anaesthesia and surgical drainage of a RPLN abscess. Nineteen received procaine penicillin G for 4 to 7 days. Four of the nine horses that did not receive antibiotic treatment after surgery required further surgical drainage 10 days to 7 weeks after the initial surgery. Limited follow-up information was available for 37 horses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Efficacy of a feed-additive antibacterial combination for improving feedlot cattle performance and health.

The effectiveness of a feed-additive antimicrobial combination for improving feedlot performance and health was tested using 4325 high-risk feeder calves randomly allocated to a control group or an experimental group. The experimental group received the conventional ration plus a feed additive containing 700 mg per head/day of chlortetracycline and sulfamethazine from arrival at the feedlot to day 56 of the feeding period. The inclusion of the feed additive to the ration significantly improved average daily gain for days 0-28 (P = 0.0163) and 0-56 (P = 0.0001), and the feed conversion for days 0-28 (P = 0.0061) and 0-56 (P = 0.0004). Additionally, the use of the feed additive significantly reduced the rate of bovine respiratory disease morbidity for days 0-28 (P = 0.0014) and 0-56 (P = 0.0001), the rate of relapses and mortality for days 0-56 (P = 0.0151 and P = 0.0209, respectively), and the rate of animals diagnosed with chronic respiratory disease for days 0-28 and 0-56 (P = 0.0009 and P = 0.0002, respectively). Performance and health improvements produced by the use of the feed additive were cost-effective.