Influence of diet on the shedding of Candida glabrata by experimentally infected preweaned calves.

The influence of three diets, comprising dam's milk (DM) from the same farm, commercial milk replacer with (CMRL) or without 3.2% lactose (CMR), on the duration and intensity of Candida glabrata shedding in the faeces of preweaned calves following experimental oral infection was examined. Shedding of other potential enteric pathogens was also monitored. The duration and intensity of C. glabrata shedding in DM-fed calves were reduced significantly compared with the calves fed the two diets based on milk replacers. Consequently, feeding calves with DM might disrupt the infective cycle, resulting in the yeast's elimination from a farm. In the CMR and CMRL groups, the periods of intensive shedding of C. glabrata and rotavirus overlapped but no diarrhoea was associated with the shedding of either microorganism. There was no evidence that lactose diminished colonization in vivo.

Yeasts in the gastrointestinal tract of preweaned calves and possible involvement of Candida glabrata in neonatal calf diarrhea.

To examine the possibility of a mycotic involvement in neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD) the presence of fungi was assessed in (a) the intestinal contents of dead calves and fecal samples submitted for routine laboratory examination, (b) fecal specimens, sampled once in winter and once in summer, of calves raised on 2 farms with different management systems, and (c) mucosal scrapings of various segments of the digestive tract of a diarrheic calf, massively shedding Candida glabrata. C. glabrata was the most prevalent fungal species isolated from the routine samples. It was the only fungus which was shed by the calves on the 2 farms, for continuous, more or less prolonged periods, but exclusively in the winter months. Diarrhea and C. glabrata shedding seemed to be associated. C. glabrata colonized the abomasum (the functional equivalent of the monogastric stomach) but not the other segments of the digestive tract of the euthanized calf. Based on the findings of this study it seems that while some yeast species may be considered as commensals of the digestive tract of calves, and consequently their isolation from intestinal contents or fecal samples has no clinical significance, others, such as C. glabrata may be involved in enteric pathogenic processes. Moreover, characteristics of the culture, previous chemotherapeutic treatments, the animal's age and possibly climatic conditions should be taken into account before deciding on the fungal isolate's clinical relevance. Determination of mycotic involvement in NCD by routine mycological examination of intestinal contents and fecal samples of diarrheic calves may be useful to avoid unnecessary and potentially harmful antibacterial therapy.

Isolation of Corynebacterium group D2 from two dogs with urinary tract infections.

Corynebacterium group D2 was isolated from two dogs with urinary tract infections. The isolates were resistant in vitro to all tested antibacterial drugs except vancomycin. One dog was successfully treated with this antibiotic, while the other died before treatment could be initiated.

Neisseria cuniculi in ruminants: epidemiological aspects.

Neisseria cuniculi was isolated, between March 1987 and March 1989, from 38 cases of respiratory disease in small and large ruminants. In all but five cases N. cuniculi was cultured together with other potential respiratory pathogens. A survey was conducted to assess the prevalence of N. cuniculi in the pharyngeal region of Merino and Awassi purebred sheep, Awassi/East-Friesian and Merino/Romanov crossbred sheep and one exotic cross breed (goat/ibex). N. cuniculi was isolated from 80-88% of the animals under 1 month of age. Among older animals, the microorganism was isolated from 20.5% of the pure bred animals and 79.3% of the crossbred ones. This difference was significant (P less than 0.001) by the chi 2 test. The prevalence of N. cuniculi in the second age group coincides with the susceptibility of the breeds to respiratory pathology. This, we believe, is the first report of N. cuniculi involved in multiple cases of respiratory pathology and of a survey assessing the prevalence of this microorganism in small ruminants.