ABSTRACT
Various tissues, nasal swabs, urine and blood samples were collected from 376 feral swine at two federally inspected abattoirs in Texas during six separate sampling periods in 2015. Samples were tested for Brucella spp. by culture and serology. Brucella spp. were cultured from 13.0% of feral swine, and antibodies were detected in 9.8%. Only 32.7% of culture-positive feral swine were also antibody positive, and 43.2% of antibody-positive feral swine were culture positive. Approximately, the same number of males (14.0%) and females (12.1%) were culture positive, and slightly more males (10.5%) than females (8.7%) were antibody positive. Our results indicate that serology likely underestimates the prevalence of feral swine infected, and that those who come in contact with feral swine should be aware of the symptoms of infection with Brucella spp. to ensure prompt treatment.
Subject(s)
Abattoirs , Brucellosis/veterinary , Swine Diseases/microbiology , Animals , Antibodies, Bacterial/isolation & purification , Bacteriological Techniques , Brucellosis/epidemiology , Brucellosis/pathology , Female , Male , Serologic Tests , Swine , Swine Diseases/epidemiology , Texas/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The tight-skin (TSK) mouse has unusual structural skin properties. These include increased thickness of the dermis, increased tensile strength, and increased adherence to subcutaneous tissues. We have investigated several physical and biochemical characteristics of skin from the TSK mouse and compared them to the normal mouse. An increase in thickness, wet weight, and hydroxyproline content was found in the skin of the TSK mouse. In addition, there was an increase in the ratio of soluble to insoluble collagen in the TSK mouse when compared to the normal mouse. These findings in the skin of the TSK mouse are similar to the changes found in the skin of patients with progressive systemic sclerosis.
