Observation of Seven Astrophysical Tau Neutrino Candidates with IceCube.

We report on a measurement of astrophysical tau neutrinos with 9.7 yr of IceCube data. Using convolutional neural networks trained on images derived from simulated events, seven candidate ν_{τ} events were found with visible energies ranging from roughly 20 TeV to 1 PeV and a median expected parent ν_{τ} energy of about 200 TeV. Considering backgrounds from astrophysical and atmospheric neutrinos, and muons from π^{±}/K^{±} decays in atmospheric air showers, we obtain a total estimated background of about 0.5 events, dominated by non-ν_{τ} astrophysical neutrinos. Thus, we rule out the absence of astrophysical ν_{τ} at the 5σ level. The measured astrophysical ν_{τ} flux is consistent with expectations based on previously published IceCube astrophysical neutrino flux measurements and neutrino oscillations.

UTI assessment tool for intermittent catheter users: a way to include user perspectives and enhance quality of UTI management.

BACKGROUND: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are among the most severe complications for users of intermittent catheterisation (IC), with numerous risk factors contributing to their occurrence. The aim of this study was to develop a tool to assess UTI risk factors among IC users in a systematic way that considers the perspective of the individual user. METHODS: The Design Thinking Process was used to guide the development of the content and format of the tool. The UTI Risk Factors model by Kennelly et al. was used as a basis for developing the content. Insights on the appropriate content and format were collected via the Coloplast Nurse Advisory Boards and by conducting a qualitative evidence synthesis on user perspectives and practices in relation to UTIs. RESULTS: The literature search identified a total of 3544 articles, out of which 22 met the inclusion criteria. Additionally, three rounds of meetings were conducted with approximately 90 nurses from the Nurse Advisory Boards across Europe. The qualitative evidence synthesis showed that users describe their UTI symptoms in different terms and that personal needs and priorities impact their adherence and catheter selection. Furthermore, some users lack relevant and updated knowledge about IC and UTIs. The nurses described that correct UTI diagnosis is essential. They pointed that they would assess the user's general condition, adherence, technique, and catheter type as potential areas of risk factors and emphasised the importance of adequate support for users. The study resulted in the development of the UTI assessment tool for intermittent catheter users, which comprises three elements: a guide for healthcare professionals, a dialogue board, and a notepad. The tool starts with a confirmation of the UTI incidence, and then assesses risk factors via questions on health, adherence, technique, and catheter, and concludes with a support section. CONCLUSIONS: The UTI assessment tool for intermittent catheter users is designed to help healthcare professionals assess UTI risk factors in a systematic way, while engaging users and taking their perspective into account. By identifying the relevant risk factors, the use of this tool has the potential to reduce the occurrence of UTIs for the individual IC user.

The feeding of heather (Calluna vulgaris) to Teladorsagia circumcincta infected lambs reduces parasitism but can detrimentally impact performance.

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections impact small ruminant health, welfare, and production across farming systems. Rising anthelmintic resistance and regulation of synthetic drug use in organic farming is driving research and development of sustainable alternatives for GIN control. One alternative is the feeding of plants that contain secondary metabolites (PSMs) e.g., proanthocyanidins (PA, syn. condensed tannins) that have shown anthelmintic potential. However, PSMs can potentially impair performance, arising from reduced palatability and thus intake, digestibility or even toxicity effects. In this study, we tested the trade-off between the antiparasitic and anti-nutritional effects of heather consumption by lambs. The impact of additional feeding of a nematophagous fungus (Duddingtonia flagrans) on larval development was also explored. Lambs infected with Teladorsagia circumcincta or uninfected controls, were offered ad libitum heather, or a control chopped hay for 22 days during the infection patent period. Eight days into the patent period, parasitised lambs were supplemented (or remained unsupplemented) with D. flagrans for a 5-day period. Performance and infection metrics were recorded, and polyphenol levels in the heather and control hay were measured to investigate their association with activity. The lambs consumed heather at approximately 20% of their dry matter intake, which was sufficient to exhibit significant anthelmintic effects via a reduction in total egg output (P = 0.007), compared to hay-fed lambs; the magnitude of the reduction over time in heather fed lambs was almost 10-fold compared to control lambs. Negative effects on production were shown, as heather-fed lambs weighed 6% less than hay-fed lambs (P < 0.001), even though dry matter intake (DMI) of heather increased over time. D. flagrans supplementation lowered larval recovery in the faeces of infected lambs by 31.8% (P = 0.003), although no interactions between feeding heather and D. flagrans were observed (P = 0.337). There was no significant correlation between PA, or other polyphenol subgroups in the diet and egg output, which suggests that any association between heather feeding and anthelmintic effect is not simply and directly attributable to the measured polyphenols. The level of heather intake in this study showed no antagonistic effects on D. flagrans, demonstrating the methods can be used in combination, but provide no additive effect on overall anthelmintic efficacies. In conclusion, heather feeding can assist to reduce egg outputs in infected sheep, but at 20% of DMI negative effects on lamb performance can be expected which may outweigh any antiparasitic benefits.

Sensitivity of broiler performance, organ weights and plasma constituents to amino acid supplementation and reused litter exposure using ideal protein-formulated rations.

Effects of amino acid supplementation to ideal protein (IP) formulated rations were investigated on growth performance, plasma metabolites and organ weights of broilers placed on 100% recycled (reused) litter. Day-old Ross308 male broilers were raised on either clean or reused litter and fed for three weeks on one of five isoenergetic diets, where an IP-based control diet (C) was compared with diets containing threonine (T) or arginine (A) at 25% above requirements, or with 1% supplemented glutamine (G), or with each amino acid added (TAG). Litter and diet treatments did not strongly interact on outcomes. Reused litter placement resulted in greater weight gain, smaller feed conversion ratio and heavier bursal weights (P < 0.05) compared to clean litter placement. Relative to C and T birds, TAG birds reduced weight gain and feed intake (P < 0.05). Plasma uric acid levels in G birds were greater than in C, T and A birds (P < 0.001). Collectively, since the outcomes of placement on reused litter increased performance and the control diet was IP formulated, the absence of increased growth performance in response to amino acid supplementation would be consistent with amino acids tested being excess to requirements.

Observation of high-energy neutrinos from the Galactic plane.

The origin of high-energy cosmic rays, atomic nuclei that continuously impact Earth's atmosphere, is unknown. Because of deflection by interstellar magnetic fields, cosmic rays produced within the Milky Way arrive at Earth from random directions. However, cosmic rays interact with matter near their sources and during propagation, which produces high-energy neutrinos. We searched for neutrino emission using machine learning techniques applied to 10 years of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. By comparing diffuse emission models to a background-only hypothesis, we identified neutrino emission from the Galactic plane at the 4.5σ level of significance. The signal is consistent with diffuse emission of neutrinos from the Milky Way but could also arise from a population of unresolved point sources.

The effect of dietary sainfoin ( Onobrychis viciifolia) on local cellular responses to Trichostrongylus colubriformis in sheep.

The effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) hay consumption on the pathophysiology and local cellular responses of growing lambs during infection with Trichostrongylus colubriformis was investigated. Thirty-two lambs, 16 weeks of age, were allocated to 1 of 4 treatment groups (n=8) that were offered either grass (G) or sainfoin (S) hay while concurrently either infected (+), or not (-) with 12,000 L3 T. colubriformis larvae per week for 6 weeks. Liveweight gains were affected by diet (P=0.002) and reduced by infection (P<0.05). Faecal egg count was reduced in S+compared to G+ from days 35 to 42 (P=0.001); however, total egg output, worm burdens at day 42 and worm fecundity were similar between diets (P>0.05).Feeding sainfoin appeared to enhance immune cell development with tissue eosinophils, mast cells and pan T cells present in greater concentrations in S+ than in G+ animals. However, further studies are required to determine if the enhanced immune cell development is a consequence of a greater nutrient supply or a direct influence of sainfoin metabolites on local inflammatory responses to the gastrointestinal nematode T. colubriformis.

Ubiquitous parasites drive a 33% increase in methane yield from livestock.

Of anthropogenic methane emissions, 40% can be attributed to agriculture, the majority of which are from enteric fermentation in livestock. With international commitments to tackle drivers of climate change, there is a need to lower global methane emissions from livestock production. Gastrointestinal helminths (parasitic worms) are globally ubiquitous and represent one of the most pervasive challenges to the health and productivity of grazing livestock. These parasites influence a number of factors affecting methane emissions including feed efficiency, nutrient use, and production traits. However, their effects on methane emissions are unknown. This is to our knowledge the first study that empirically demonstrates disease-driven increases in methane (CH4) yield in livestock (grams of CH4 per kg of dry matter intake). We do this by measuring methane emissions (in respiration chambers), dry matter intake, and production parameters for parasitised and parasite-free lambs. This study shows that parasite infections in lambs can lead to a 33% increase in methane yield (g CH4/kg DMI). This knowledge will facilitate more accurate calculations of the true environmental costs of parasitism in livestock, and reveals the potential benefits of mitigating emission through controlling parasite burdens.

The consequences of short-term grazing of bioactive forages on established adult and incoming larvae populations of Teladorsagia circumcincta in lambs.

The objective of this study was to investigate the consequences of short-term grazing on bioactive forages on (i) the viability and fecundity of established adult Teladorsagia circumcincta population and (ii) the establishment and development of incoming T. circumcincta infective larvae. Forty-eight, parasite naive, 3-month old, grazing lambs were artificially infected with 8000 infective larvae of T. circumcincta on day 1 of the experiment. On day 21 p.i., lambs were allocated to one of three bioactive forage grazing treatments; chicory (Cichorium intybus), sulla (Hedysarum coronarium), lotus (Lotus pedunculatus), and the control grass/clover (Lolium perenne/Trifolium repens) forage. On day 28 of the experiment a second dose of 8000 T. circumcincta infective larvae was administered to the lambs to investigate the effects of forages on the ability of infective larvae to establish within the host. All animals were slaughtered for worm recovery on day 35, while liveweight gain, feacal egg counts (FEC) and total worm egg output were monitored regularly throughout the experiment. Although FEC or total egg output were similar among the groups, adult worm burdens at slaughter were significantly affected (P<0.05) by forage treatment during the 2 week grazing period. Lambs grazing chicory had the lowest adult worm burdens and significantly lower numbers of male worms compared to those grazing on grass/clover (P<0.01), while the lambs grazing on sulla or lotus had similar adult populations to grass/clover fed animals. The results from the worm recoveries of the second dose (immature worm burdens) were affected by physiologically and/or immunologically mediated mechanisms, which reduced larval establishment in all treatments. Nevertheless, immature worm burdens at slaughter were similar between chicory, sulla and grass/clover group, while the immature worm recoveries from the lotus group were significantly higher (P<0.05) compared to those from lambs grazing grass/clover. Overall, the results of the present study support the view that chicory can be a promising candidate species in pasture management practices to control T. circumcincta burdens.

Testing for direct anthelmintic effects of bioactive forages against Trichostrongylus colubriformis in grazing sheep.

The aim of the present study was to investigate potential direct anthelmintic effects of forages that contain plant secondary metabolites (PSM) towards the intestinal nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis. For this purpose, we introduced an experimental design, which enabled us to investigate the direct anthelmintic effects of PSM-rich forages, without significant interference of possible indirect immunological effects of PSM. Sixty parasite naive sheep were infected with 8000 T. colubriformis L(3) on day 1 of the experiment. On day 28, sheep entered one of the experimental plots, which consisted of four PSM-rich forages and one control: Lotus pedunculatus (lotus), Hedysarium coronarium (sulla), Onobrychis viciifolia (sainfoin), Cichorium intybus (chicory) and Lolium perenne/Trifolium repens (grass/clover). On day 35 of the experiment, all sheep were re-infected with 8000 T. colubriformis L(3) and were killed on day 42. By day 42, all parasites of the primary infection would have been recovered as adults, whereas those of the secondary challenge would have only developed to the fourth stage larvae within a week (i.e. days 35-42). The first batch of larvae would enable us to investigate possible direct anthelmintic effects of PSM-rich forages against adult T. colubriformis, whereas the second one whether grazing on the PSM-rich forages could affect the establishment of the incoming infective larvae. Sheep grazing on lotus tended to have a lower FEC compared to sheep grazing on grass/clover (P = 0.06), whereas daily faecal output was higher in sheep grazing lotus compared to those grazing on the other forages (P < 0.05). As a consequence, daily egg output was similar in all sheep. Grazing on the PSM-rich forages for a period of 2 weeks did not affect the immature and adult parasite populations. Although the present experimental design enabled us to test the experimental hypothesis, the lack of evidence on a direct anthelmintic effect of PSM-rich forages can not be considered conclusive, as the composition of PSM-rich forages is variable within and across grazing seasons.

Genome wide transcriptomic analysis identifies pathways affected by the infusion of Clostridium perfringens culture supernatant in the duodenum of broilers in situ.

Clostridium perfringens type A is the main etiological factor for necrotic enteritis, a multifactorial enteric disease that penalizes performance, health, and welfare of poultry. Lack of knowledge of host responses and disease pathogenesis is slowing down progress on developing therapies for disease control. A combined genomewide and targeted gene approach was used to investigate pathways and biological functions affected by the infusion of C. perfringens culture supernatant in the duodenum of broilers in 2 experiments. An in situ isolated loop of duodenum was prepared in anesthetized broilers of 3 wk of age (Exp. 1) and was infused either with crude C. perfringens culture supernatant (n = 7; treated), positive for necrotic enteritis B-like toxin (NetB) as determined by a cytotoxicity assay, or with a control preparation (n = 6; control). Birds were maintained alive for 1 h and then euthanized for tissue recovery. The use of the Affymetrix chicken genome array on RNA samples from loop tissue showed top biological functions affected by culture supernatant infusion included cell morphology, immune cell trafficking, and cell death; pathways affected included death receptor signaling, inflammatory response, and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling. In a second in situ study (Exp. 2), broilers were maintained alive for 4 h to monitor temporal expression patterns of targeted genes. Duodenal tissue was removed at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h post-infusion with culture supernatant (n = 9) or a control preparation (n = 5) for histology and gene expression analysis. Genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines, such as interferon γ (IFNγ), cell trafficking, such as neuroblastoma 1 (NBL1) and B cell CLL/Lymphoma 6 (BCL6), and cell death, such as Fas cell surface death receptor (FAS) and GTPase IMAP family member 8 (GIMAP8), were differentially expressed in the duodenum of treated and control broilers (P < 0.05). We have demonstrated that C. perfringens culture supernatant (NetB positive) infusion resulted in histological and gene expression changes consistent with necrotic enteritis in the duodenum of broilers. In the absence of live bacteria, crude culture supernatant resulted in early immunomodulation, inflammation, and cell death in the duodenum. The pathways identified here can be targeted for the development of new drugs, vaccines, and novel therapies for necrotic enteritis in broilers.

Consequences of long-term feeding with condensed tannins on sheep parasitised with Trichostrongylus colubriformis.

Naive wethers were used to investigate the long-term effects of dietary condensed tannins from Quebracho extract, during an intestinal parasitic infection in sheep. Sheep were allocated to eight groups; seven groups were daily infected with 3000 L(3) Trichostrongylus colubriformis for 10 weeks and the eighth group was the uninfected control. The 10-week experiment was divided into two periods; Period 1 (P(1), week 1-5) corresponded to high worm establishment and acquisition of immunity, whereas Period 2 (P(2), week 6-10) to the established worm population and expression of host immunity. Three experimental foods with similar composition were formulated: Q0, Q3 and Q6. Their difference was in the content of Quebracho extract which was 0, 30 and 60 g per kg fresh matter, respectively. All foods were offered at an allowance of 3.5% of sheep liveweight. During P(1), parasitised sheep were offered one of the three experimental foods and during P(2) they either remained on the same food or changed food according to the design (P(1)-P(2)): Q0-Q0, Q0-Q3, Q0-Q6, Q3-Q0, Q3-Q3, Q6-Q0, Q6-Q6. Control sheep were offered the allowance of Q0 throughout. Sheep that consumed Q3 and Q6 reduced their faecal egg counts (FEC) compared to sheep offered Q0, during both periods (P<0.05). No differences were observed in the FEC between sheep offered Q3 and Q6. The changeover from Q0 in P(1) to either Q3 or Q6 during P(2), was accompanied by a reduction in FEC (P<0.05), whereas an increase in FEC was observed when food changed from Q3 or Q6 to Q0 (P<0.05). Worm burdens and fecundity at the end of the experiment were reduced in sheep offered foods Q3 and Q6 compared to sheep offered Q0. A significant decrease in liveweight gain and in food conversion efficiency of parasitised sheep offered Q3 and Q6 compared to sheep offered Q0, was observed in P(1) (P<0.05) but not in P(2). By the end of the experiment control sheep had achieved higher liveweight and converted food more efficiently than parasitised sheep (P<0.05). In conclusion, evidence for a long-term effect of Quebracho extract, during both the initial establishment and on the established T. colubriformis population in sheep, was provided by the present study. It is suggested that the effect observed was a direct anthelmintic effect of the condensed tannins included in sheep diets.

Interdigitating Reticulum Cell Sarcoma Positive immunohistochemistry for HLA-DR and two other activation antigens, CD30(Ki-1) and CD25(IL2R).

This communication reports a case of the rare interdigitating reticulum cell (IDRC) sarcoma of lymph nodes in a 46-year-old man. Extensive immunophenotypic analysis on paraffin and frozen sections revealed positivity on the neoplastic cells for protein S-100 as well as for antigens CD1, HLA-DR, CD4, CD25 (IL2R) and CD30 (Ki-1). The simultaneous positivity for the three activation antigens CD30, HLA-DR, and IL2R, a phenomenon mostly described in H and S-R cells of Hodgkin's disease, is discussed in particular.

Autoantibodies in Greek juvenile chronic arthritis patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate sera of Greek patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) for the presence of autoantibodies and correlate these antibodies with the clinical picture and disease activity. Sera from 69 JCA patients and sera from 66 healthy children matched for sex and age, were tested for antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), antibodies to extractable cellular antigens (ENAs), rheumatoid factor (RF), immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM), antibodies to double stranded (ds) DNA and anticardiolipin (CL). Our results indicate that: (a) autoantibodies to dsDNA are a not uncommon finding in JCA sera; (b) these autoantibodies have a low affinity for the antigen since they are found in low titers only by ELISA, while the Farr assay and Crithidia lucilliae immunofluorescence assay (IF) are negative; and (c) active JCA patients express many autoantibodies.

Determination of anti-ds-DNA antibodies by three different methods: comparison of sensitivity, specificity and correlation with lupus activity index (LAI).

Ninety-seven sera, 58 from patients with SLE and 39 from patients with other autoimmune rheumatic diseases were tested for anti-ds-DNA antibody activity by ELISA, Farr, and Crithidia Lucilliae assays. Fifty-six per cent of the sera were positive by at least one method. Eighty per cent of the SLE population was positive by ELISA, 39% by Farr Assay and 33% by the Crithidia assay. Crithidia assay exhibited the greater specificity (100%) followed by the Farr Assay (97%) and the ELISA (80%). Sera positive by all methods showed a significantly higher mean value of the ELISA rates, than sera positive only by ELISA (p less than 0.001). When the SLE sera were analyzed according to disease activity, it was shown that ELISA and Farr Assay correlated well with the lupus activity index (LAI) (r less than 0.001). The SLE sera with the higher anti-ds-DNA concentration (sera positive by all 3 methods) did not correlate with LAI when tested by the Farr Assay (0.05 less than p less than 01) in contrast to the ELISA values, which correlated very well (p less than 0.01). Our results indicated that the ELISA is the most sensitive method with reasonable specificity as well. In addition, the ELISA anti-DNA values correlate with the clinical activity of lupus, independently of the anti-ds-DNA levels in the sera. The latter should be attributed to the fact that this method detects all the heterogenous population of anti-ds-DNA.

Direct anthelmintic effects of condensed tannins towards different gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep: in vitro and in vivo studies.

In vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to determine possible direct anthelmintic effects of condensed tannins towards different ovine gastrointestinal nematodes. A larval development/viability assay was used to investigate the effect of a condensed tannin extract (Quebracho) towards larvae of Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus vitrinus. The development to infective larvae and their viability was assessed in all three species and LD 50 values were calculated. The presence of Quebracho extract in the cultures decreased the viability of L3 in all species; the LD 50 were not significantly different for the different species. Forty-eight sheep were allocated to one of eight groups and were infected with a single dose of either 4000 L3 H. contortus (groups 1 and 2) or 5000 L3 T. colubriformis and 5000 L3 Nematodirus battus simultaneously (groups 3-6) or 10,000 L3 of T. circumcincta (groups 7 and 8). From day 28 until day 31 of the experiment, sheep infected with the intestinal species were drenched with Quebracho extract at 4, 8 or 16% w/w of food intake, or remained as undrenched controls; sheep infected with the abomasal species were either drenched with Quebracho extract at 8% w/w of food intake or remained as undrenched controls. All sheep were slaughtered 4 days after the end of the drenching period. Sheep infected with the intestinal species and drenched with 16% w/w Quebracho had lower FEC compared to sheep drenched with 8% w/w (P<0.05), which in turn were lower than in sheep either drenched with 4% Quebracho or which remained undrenched (P<0.05). The lowest intestinal worm burden was recovered from sheep drenched with 8% w/w Quebracho extract (P<0.05). The administration of Quebracho extract at 8% of food intake for 3 days did not affect FEC or worm burdens in sheep infected with the abomasal species compared to controls.

Effects of short-term exposure to condensed tannins on adult Trichostrongylus colubriformis.

Twelve parasite-naive sheep were used to study the possible direct anthelmintic effect of a condensed tannin extract (quebracho) on the population and fecundity of the intestinal nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis. The sheep were infected with a single dose of 20,000 L3 of T colubriformis. Twenty-eight days later, six of them were drenched daily for a week with quebracho extract at 8 per cent by weight of their food intake. All lambs were then slaughtered, and their small intestines removed to estimate the worm burdens and the numbers of eggs in utero. Two days after the first drench with tannin extract the faecal egg counts of the treated sheep were approximately 50 per cent of those of the control sheep (P<0.01), but there was no further reduction with continued drenching. In the treated sheep the worm burdens and number of eggs per gram faeces per worm were reduced by 30 per cent compared with the controls (P<0.05), but the sex ratios, the number of eggs in utero and length of the worms were not affected by drenching with tannin.

[A case of multifocal neurinoma of the femoral nerve associated with chronic myeloblastic dysplasia]. / Un cas de neurinome étagé ancien du nerf crural, associé à une dysplasie myéloblastique chronique.

A large multiple lobulated painless mass in the inguinal fossa, was investigated and removed, in a 58 years old patient with undiagnosed chronic myelodysplasia. The patient was initially referred to the urologic clinics for recurrent bleeding from the urinary tract, when the above mentioned and few smaller masses were palpated on the anterior aspect of the thigh. Clinical, laboratory and imaging investigation revealed enlargement of the spleen and the liver accompanied by relatively large and well separated tumors under the inguinal ligament extending to the upper thigh. From clinical history the patient had recurrent episodes of spontaneous bleeding from the nose and the bladder. He underwent open biopsy under general anesthesia where the inguinal tumor was found to be well encapsulated, firmly attached to a branch of the femoral nerve and loosely connected with the next mass that had similar characteristics. Intraoperative decision was made to excise the entire lesion which consisted of thirteen lobules of varying size, connected to each other as a chain. Histological examination revealed multifocal ancient neurilemona from a sensory branch of the femoral nerve. Further investigation of the patient for the episodes of hemorrhage and the enlargement of the spleen and the liver gave the diagnosis of chronic myelodysplasia. The patient was doing well one year after the excision of the tumor, and had an area with hypoesthesia above the knee. The concurrence of the two distinct neoplasms is discussed.

Nutritional deficiencies and parasitic disease: lessons and advancements from rodent models.

The dissection of the molecular interactions between nutrition and immunity to nematodes is of strategic importance to predict the risk of infection, define disease predisposition and develop sustainable measures for parasite control in ruminants. Despite the evidence on the effects of nutrition on the manifestations of immunity to gastrointestinal parasites at phenotypic level, the lack of progress on the characterisation of the molecular interactions is directly related to the current lack of appropriate tools for such advancements, including fully sequenced and annotated genomes and immunological tools for small ruminants. To overcome such constraints and achieve rapid progress in exploring the molecular interactions between nutrition and immunity to nematodes, it is proposed here that we capitalise more on the advancements in small mammal models. In this paper, first the literature deriving from growing animals is reviewed, where most evidence originates from primary infection models. The focus is then shifted on peri-parturient animals; the immunomodulatory effects of nutrition are investigated during re-infection. Finally, an approach is suggested on how advancements made in the rodent models, can be utilised in order to expand our understanding in sheep and provide specific examples on how this should work to address sustainable parasite control in ruminants.

Sensitivity of periparturient breakdown of immunity to parasites to dietary protein source.

Effects of increased MP supply on the degree of periparturient relaxation of immunity (PPRI) in sheep may be dependent on quality of supplied MP. Here we tested the hypothesis that additional MP supply from rations based on xylose-treated soybean meal would be more effective than from rations based on faba beans in reducing the degree of PPRI, as indicated by nematode egg excretion. Twenty-four multiple-bearing ewes were trickle infected with Teladorsagia circumcincta larvae from d -56 to d 31 relative to start of lactation (d 0). From d -26 onwards, ewes were fed at either 0.8 (LP) or at 1.2 times their respective calculated MP requirements using either xylose-treated soybean (HPS) or faba beans (HPB). Litter size was adjusted to 2 lambs at parturition. Feeding treatments did not affect nematode egg excretion, ewe BW or BCS during late pregnancy (P > 0.10), but HPS and HPB ewes had reduced plasma pepsinogen concentrations (P = 0.003). During lactation, HPS and HPB feeding increased ewe BW gain (P < 0.001) and BCS (P = 0.017), and reduced plasma pepsinogen concentrations (P = 0.008) to the same extent, compared with LP feeding. However, only HPS feeding increased litter weight gain (P = 0.017) and reduced nematode egg excretion (P = 0.015), which were both similar between HPB and LP (P > 0.10). The results support the view that extra MP supply from xylose-treated soybean based rations is more effective in reducing parasitism than MP from faba bean-based rations, suggesting that protein source and/or quality are important factors to consider for the nutritional control of parasitism.