Preliminary evaluation of two commercial ear solutions in the treatment of canine otitis externa.

OBJECTIVES: Preliminary evaluation of the efficacy of two commercial ear solutions composed of (1) chlorhexidine-Tris-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or (2) medical grade honey, for the treatment of otitis externa in dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dogs affected with otitis externa housed in an animal shelter were eligible for inclusion. Treatment was applied daily for 10 days and effect was measured by otitis clinical scores and microbiological counts. One of the treatments was applied to affected left ears, while the other was applied to affected right ears. RESULTS: A total of 24 ears from 13 dogs were included in the study. During the treatment period, with both treatments it was observed an improvement in clinical scores and a decrease in microbiological counts. At the end of the study 22 of 24 ears were deemed to have mild (4 ears), or no (18 ears) pain, with only two ears still showing pruritus. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The application of ear solutions composed of chlorhexidine-Tris-EDTA or medical grade honey, in the absence of antimicrobial treatment, might be effective for the control of clinical signs and microbial colonisation in dogs with otitis externa. Additional randomised studies on clinical patients are required to validate these findings.

Adhesion to brown trout skin mucus, antagonism against cyst adhesion and pathogenicity to rainbow trout of some inhibitory bacteria against Saprolegnia parasitica .

Biological control of saprolegniosis with bacteria might be an alternative to the use of chemical compounds. Among criteria for the selection of such bacteria are their absence of pathogenicity to fish and their ability to prevent adhesion of the pathogen to the skin mucus. The pathogenicity to rainbow trout of 21 bacterial isolates with in vitro inhibitory activity against Saprolegnia parasitica was studied. Fifteen of the isolates, identified as Aeromonas sobria, Pantoea agglomerans, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Serratia fonticola, Xanthomonas retroflexus and Yersinia kristensenii, were non-pathogenic when injected into rainbow trout. Their capacity to adhere to the skin mucus of male and female brown trout and to reduce the adhesion of S. parasitica cysts under exclusion, competition and displacement conditions was tested. The 15 bacterial isolates showed a low adhesion rate, ranging between 1.7% (for an A. sobria isolate) and 15.3% (a P. fluorescens isolate). This adhesion was greater in the case of mucus from male brown trout than from females. Similarities in the adhesion to male mucus and other substrates and correlation to that observed to polystyrene suggest that adhesion to skin mucus does not depend on the substrate. A high percentage (88.9%) of the S. parasitica cysts adhered to the skin mucus of male brown trout. Almost all of the bacteria reduced this adhesion ratio significantly under exclusion and competition conditions. However, only half of the isolates displaced cysts from skin mucus, and more bacterial cells were necessary for this effect. A novel method to study the adhesion of S. parasitica cysts to skin mucus of trout and their interactions with inhibitory bacteria is described.

Bacterial skin flora variation and in vitro inhibitory activity against Saprolegnia parasitica in brown and rainbow trout.

Variations in the number and diversity of bacteria from the skin of brown trout Salmo trutta L. and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum were surveyed from different rivers and fish farms in northern Spain. In addition to determining bacterial populations in skin samples of healthy fish, bacterial populations were determined from skin lesions (of brown trout only) infected with Saprolegnia parasitica, the causal agent of saprolegniosis. Mean bacterial counts from skin lesions of brown trout suffering from saprolegniosis were nearly 1000 times greater than from the skin of uninfected brown and rainbow trout. More than 20 different genera of bacteria were identified, with isolates of Aeromonas and Iodobacter being the predominant genera associated with saprolegniosis lesions. The in vitro inhibitory activity of 72 of these skin isolates was tested against S. parasitica using 3 different assays. These included (1) assessing the inhibition by bacteria of colony growth on agar media, (2) the inhibition of colony growth from colonized hemp seeds in liquid media and (3) the inhibition of cyst germination in liquid media. Finally, the fungicidal effect of the 24 most inhibitory bacterial species, and the inhibitory activity of their culture supernatants, was tested in the same way. Isolates identified as Aeromonas piscicola, A. sobria, Pantoea agglomerans and Pseudomonas fluorescens achieved the highest inhibition against S. parasitica. Many of these inhibitory isolates were obtained primarily from skin lesions of fish with saprolegniosis. It is suggested that some of these isolates might be useful in the biological control of saprolegniosis.

Cross-sectional sero-epidemiological survey of sarcoptic mange in sheep of Western Castile and Leon, Spain.

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Sarcoptes scabiei-infection of ovine livestock in three provinces (Leon, Zamora and Salamanca) in the Western part of the Castile and Leon region in Spain, and to determine the association between different variables and seropositivity. A total of 3730 sheep sera from 373 flocks (10 sera from each flock) collected from May to September over the course of the years 2006 and 2007 were individually analysed by an indirect antibody ELISA validated for diagnosing sarcoptic mange in sheep. The overall flock-level true prevalence was 22.6% (95% CI: 17.8-27.4), the overall individual-level true prevalence within the total flocks was 7.2% (95% CI: 6.1-8.3) and the overall individual-level true prevalence within the seropositive flocks was 31.3% (95% CI: 27.2-35.4). The apparent prevalences, at flock-level and at individual-level within the total flocks and within the seropositive flocks, were not statistically different (p > 0.05) when the primary production objective of the flock is milk vs. meat, or in smaller (< or = 276 sheep, 50th percentile) vs. larger flocks (> 276 sheep). The apparent prevalences, at flock-level and at individual-level within the seropositive flocks, were, likewise, not statistically different between the three provinces, but the individual-level apparent prevalence within the total flocks showed significant variation from one province to another (p < or = 0.05). Sheep maintained in the Provinces of Zamora and Salamanca had greater odds (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.6; OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.8, respectively) of being seropositive than those located in Leon Province (OR = 1.0). The findings of the present study clearly show the need to implement in this region effective control measures against sarcoptic mange in sheep.

Development and evaluation of an antibody ELISA for sarcoptic mange in sheep and a comparison with the skin-scraping method.

In this work an indirect ELISA for detecting serum-specific IgG antibodies in sheep was developed using a crude saline extract from Sarcoptes scabiei var. ovis mites and then the repeatability of the ELISA outcomes was estimated. Subsequently, its diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis using a sample collected from the entire sheep population of western Castile and Leon region in Spain, and then compared with that of the skin-scraping method. The reference method used was a combination of clinical examination, skin-scraping analysis and epidemiological surveys, but it introduced selection and probably information biases. Furthermore, we attempted to identify biological factors useful to predict the sensitivity or specificity of the ELISA as determined by comparison with the reference method. Additionally, conventional latent-class analysis [Hui, S.L., Walter, S.D., 1980. Estimating the error rates of diagnostic tests. Biometrics 36, 167-171] was also used to estimate accuracy parameters. The between-run coefficient of variation (CV) for a standard serum was 8.8% and the within-run CV 4.3%. No significant deviation between the OD% means and strength positive correlation between the OD% values (r=0.98) were found for the results from two different batches of antigen. When compared to the reference method, the Area Under the ROC curve (AUC) for the reference population was 0.967 (95% CI: 0.949-0.985) for the ELISA and 0.915 (95% CI: 0.863-0.968) for the skin-scraping method. By logistic regression analysis, one explanatory biological factor-result to the skin-scraping method-and four explanatory biological factors-Tyroglyphidae individual status, Trichophyton verrucosum individual status, Oestrus ovis status of the flock and presence of adjacent animals with a clinical disease neighbour to S. scabiei infection-were found for diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA, respectively, although this depended on the OD% cut-off value used. Latent-class analysis, carried out for the ELISA at 17.8 OD% cut-off value (mean plus 3 SDs of sheep considered negative to anti-S. scabiei antibodies), showed a marked difference between the estimated diagnostic sensitivity of the ELISA (87.6%) and the skin-scraping method (62.8%), but closer diagnostic specificities (95.9% vs. 100%, respectively). These results demonstrate that the developed ELISA is valid for different applications in clinical as well as in epidemiological contexts.

Clinical evaluation and antibody responses in sheep after primary and secondary experimental challenges with the mange mite Sarcoptes scabiei var. ovis.

In this work the clinical evolution and the specific serum IgG and IgE antibody responses in sheep after primary (n=10) and secondary (n=4) experimental challenges with the mange mite Sarcoptes scabiei var. ovis were studied. The primary infection was characterized by the development of mange lesions in all sheep, a detection of live S. scabiei mites in 70% skin scrapings taken in week 10 post-challenge (PC), strongly raised and sustained specific IgG levels and a more moderate but continuous rise in specific IgE levels. Seroconversion was detected for IgG and IgE by ELISA in 90% and 60% of the sheep in week 8 PC, respectively. By Western-blotting (WB), ten IgG-reactive bands (36-120 kDa) and four IgE-reactive bands (90-180 kDa) were observed in week 8 PC. Following the secondary challenge the ewes developed a smaller area of mange lesion than that seen following primary challenge and live S. scabiei mites were not detected in skin scrapings collected in week 8 PC, suggesting that sheep had developed immunity to re-infection. Compared to primary infection, the specific IgG secondary antibody levels were transient, but in contrast there was an anamnestic IgE response, resulting in an elicitation of specific serum IgE levels in week 2 PC significantly higher than those demonstrated after primary infection. WB analysis revealed one additional IgG-reactive band (180 kDa) and no additional IgE-reactive bands. Determining the immunodiagnostic or vaccination value of the IgG-reactive antigens and IgE-reactive allergens detected requires further studies.

Prevalence of serum antibodies against Saprolegnia parasitica in wild and farmed brown trout Salmo trutta.

The prevalence of serum antibodies against Saprolegnia parasitica in wild and farmed brown trout Salmo trutta from the province of Le6n (NW Spain) was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Blood samples from healthy and Saprolegnia-infected brown trout were collected over 2 yr with a seasonal periodicity (January, April, July and October) from a hatchery and river with frequent presence of saprolegniosis (River Porma) and from a river in which the disease was rarely observed (River Omaña). The individual prevalence was 30.1%, but statistically significant differences were observed between the prevalence in trout from the hatchery (43.0%), from River Porma (31.8%) and from River Omaña (6.4%) and also between the prevalence observed in October (42.9%) and the values obtained in January (24.8%), April (22.7%) and July (27.5%). There was no difference between the seroprevalence in females (34.8%) and males (38.2%), but a positive correlation between raised serum antibody levels and larger (older) fish was found. The low prevalence of antibodies observed in Saprolegnia-infected trout (18.0%) suggests possible immune suppression and the lack of an effective specific immune response in fish with saprolegniosis.

Antibody response of rainbow trout with single or double infections involving viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus and infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus.

Juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were experimentally infected by immersion with viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV), infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) or with both viruses. The presence of neutralizing antibodies in the sera of infected fish were analysed by 50% plaque neutralization tests (50%PNT). In Group 1 (infected with VHSV) and Group 2 (infected with IHNV) neutralizing antibodies were found in 41% and 21% of the serum samples, respectively. No cross-reacting antibodies were found in these 2 groups. In Group 3 (infected with both viruses) 30% of the samples showed neutralizing antibodies against VHSV, 21% against IHNV and 12% against both viruses. Fish in Group 3 developed a double specific antibody reaction whose kinetics and intensity (mean of log10 titres) were similar to the antibody response of the single infected groups.

Antibody response of brown trout Salmo trutta injected with pathogenic Saprolegnia parasitica antigenic extracts.

Brown trout Salmo trutta injected with antigenic extracts from a pathogenic isolate of Saprolegnia parasitica developed specific antibodies that were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence (IF) and Western blotting (WB), but not by immunodiffusion (ID). Three groups of five 2 yr old brown trout were injected intraperitoneally with 3 different antigenic extracts: small hyphal fragments (HF) and soluble extracts from sonicated mycelia grown in medium with or without beta-sytosterol (SEB and SE, respectively). In the 2 groups injected with SE and SEB, antibodies were found in 66.7 % of the serum samples by ELISA, 54.5% by IF and 48.5% by WB. In the group injected with HF, only 1 trout survived the experiment, and in this fish only 1 sample was positive by ELISA. The results obtained by ELISA and IF were similar and show that there is cross-reaction between the antigens used. By WB, the proteins most frequently recognised were 2 proteins of 25 and 29 kDa. No significant differences were found in the groups injected with SE or SEB.

Detection of rainbow trout antibodies against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) by neutralisation test is highly dependent on the virus isolate used.

Three serological tests, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 50% plaque neutralisation test (50%PNT) and Western blotting (WB), were used to detect antibodies against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) in 50 rainbow trout broodstock from a rainbow trout farm endemically infected with VHS but with no clinical signs of infection. When the sera were examined by 50%PNT using the VHSV reference isolate DK-F1 or the heat attenuated DK-F25 mutant strain, no neutralizing antibodies were found. In contrast, when one of the virus isolates from the farm (homologous virus) was used in the 50%PNT, 90% of the fish were found to be positive. By examining a panel of different VHSV isolates in 50%PNT, it was demonstrated that the virus isolate used as test antigen could significantly affect the sensitivity and titre determination in 50%PNT for detection of rainbow trout antibodies against VHSV. When the sera were examined for the presence of VHSV antibodies by ELISA or WB, 61% were found to be positive. When conducting WB analysis, the viral glycoprotein was the protein most frequently recognized, followed by the viral nucleoprotein.

[Mastitis by Aspergillus fumigatus in sheep]. / Mastitis por Aspergillus fumigatus en ganado ovino.

Several outbreaks of sheep mastitis by Aspergillus fumigatus in Castilla y Leon (Spain), were studied. Only sheep that were treated intramammarily with antibacterial antibiotics during the dry period suffered this mastitis. Mastitis was acute with a morbidity up to 14 % and mortality near 100 %. The udder was markedly enlarged in size, fibrotic, haemorrhagic and with multiple compact nodules, some with purulent material inside; after 30-50 days postpartum, cheesy abscess of several centimetres in diameter were present. Some sheep had granulomatous nodules in the lung. Microscopy and culture shown the presence of A. fumigatus in milk, udder and lung. The route of infection was by intramammary via as a consequence of unhygienic intramammary treatment in the dry period.