Presence of Ureaplasma diversum in the Australian cattle population

In cattle, Ureaplasma diversum has been associated with decreased fertility, granular vulvovaginitis, endometritis, salpingitis and spontaneous abortion in cows and seminal vesiculitis, balanoposthitis and changes in bull sperm. The presence of U. diversum within the Australian cattle population has not been established. One of the aims of this study was to determine if U. diversum was present in Australian cattle, using culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), both of which are considered to be gold standards for bacterial identification. Of 100 samples collected from 66 male and 34 female cattle, 15 were positive for U. diversum. Therefore, Australia can no longer be considered free of U. diversum. Further studies should be conducted to ascertain the effects of U. diversum within Australian cattle herds and, if warranted, to investigate prevention, treatment and eradication protocols.     

Polymerase chain reaction for detection of Ureaplasma diversum from urogenital swabs in cattle in Australia

Background Ureaplasma diversum has been associated with various reproductive problems in cattle, including granular vulvovaginitis, endometritis, salpingitis, early embryonic death, weak calves, decreased conception rates, balanoprosthitis, impaired spermatozoids and seminal vesiculitis in bulls. Methods This study briefly outlines the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the rapid detection of U. diversum directly from urogenital swabs collected from Australian beef cattle. Results The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences obtained from the PCR products of the clinical samples were closely related to U. diversum strain A417. Conclusion The present test enabled detection of the organism directly from clinical swabs collected from animals with or without lesions.     

Prevalence of Cysticercus bovis in Australian cattle

Objective The first national abattoir survey of Cysticercus bovis (‘beef measles’) in cattle was conducted in February 2008. Methods During the data collection period, 493,316 cattle were subjected to standard postmortem procedures, including incision of the masseter and heart muscles. On-site veterinarians were asked to record the location of any C. bovis cysts, as well as the National Livestock Identification System ear tag numbers of infected animals. Veterinarians were asked to submit samples for laboratory confirmation by histology and polymerase chain reaction testing. Results Of the 23 samples submitted, none was positive for C. bovis by either diagnostic method. Conclusions Occasional, isolated diagnoses of beef measles are still made in most states of Australia, but since the last regional surveys were conducted 30 years ago, when the estimated prevalence was 50 to 200 per 100,000 cattle slaughtered, the parasite has become extremely rare.     

Effects of injectable vitamins A, D, E and C on the health and growth rate of feedlot cattle destined for the Australian domestic market

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of injectable vitamins A, D and E at feedlot entry on health and growth rate and the effects of injectable vitamin C at the time of treatment for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) on cattle health. DESIGN: Systematic allocation of 2465 cattle at feedlot entry to: a commercial vitamin A, D and E preparation at the label dose rate; commercial vitamin A, D and E at twice the label dose rate; a formulation with no vitamin D, a lower concentration of vitamin A and a higher concentration of vitamin E; and the oil-based carrier alone at volumes corresponding to the above treatments. Comparisons of growth rate, disease and mortality were made between the groups at the conclusion of the feeding period. In a separate experiment, 176 cattle were alternately administered injectable vitamin C at the time of treatment for BRD, or were not injected with vitamin C, and mortality was compared between the groups. RESULTS: There were no differences between cattle administered vitamin A, D and E at feedlot entry and the controls in growth rate (P=0.11), all diseases (P=0.99), BRD (P=0.60) or mortalities (P=0.95). Cattle treated with the higher vitamin E and lower vitamin A preparation had a higher (P=0.02) incidence of anorexia than the other groups. Fewer cattle treated with 5 g of vitamin C by intramuscular injection at the time of treatment with antibiotics for BRD subsequently died (P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The routine injection of cattle with vitamins A, D and E at feedlot entry is unlikely to result in improvements in health and growth rate where cattle are provided with these vitamins in their diets at concentrations equal to the National Research Council recommendations. Mortality rate in cattle diagnosed with BRD may be reduced by intramuscular injection of vitamin C at the time of treatment with antibiotics.     

用PCR对鸡毒支原体感染的检测

应用已建立的检测 MG和 MS的 PCR方法 ,对人工接种鸡毒支原体后 2～ 2 0 d的 SPF鸡气管棉拭样品和气管、肺、肝、脾、胸肌、腿肌等器官和组织进行了检测 ;对现场采集的样品同样作 PCR检测。结果表明 ,上述人工样品均检测到病原 ,以气管棉拭样品检出最多 ;现场样品PCR的阳性检出率为 1 0 .2 8% ,分离培养的阳性率为 2 .8% ,敏感性前者高于后者。     

Predicting bovine respiratory disease outcome in feedlot cattle using latent class analysis

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most significant disease affecting feedlot cattle. Indicators of BRD often used in feedlots such as visual signs, rectal temperature, computer-assisted lung auscultation (CALA) score, the number of BRD treatments, presence of viral pathogens, viral seroconversion, and lung damage at slaughter vary in their ability to predict an animal’s BRD outcome, and no studies have been published determining how a combination of these BRD indicators may define the number of BRD disease outcome groups. The objectives of the current study were (1) to identify BRD outcome groups using BRD indicators collected during the feeding phase and at slaughter through latent class analysis (LCA) and (2) to determine the importance of these BRD indicators to predict disease outcome. Animals with BRD (n = 127) were identified by visual signs and removed from production pens for further examination. Control animals displaying no visual signs of BRD (n = 143) were also removed and examined. Blood, nasal swab samples, and clinical measurements were collected. Lung and pleural lesions indicative of BRD were scored at slaughter. LCA was applied to identify possible outcome groups. Three latent classes were identified in the best model fit, categorized as non-BRD, mild BRD, and severe BRD. Animals in the mild BRD group had a higher probability of having visual signs of BRD compared with non-BRD and severe BRD animals. Animals in the severe BRD group were more likely to require more than 1 treatment for BRD and have ≥40 °C rectal temperature, ≥10% total lung consolidation, and severe pleural lesions at slaughter. Animals in the severe BRD group were also more likely to be naïve at feedlot entry and the first BRD pull for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus, Bovine Parainfluenza 3 Virus, and Bovine Adenovirus and have a positive nasal swab result for Bovine Herpesvirus Type 1 and Bovine Coronavirus. Animals with severe BRD had 0.9 and 0.6 kg/d lower overall ADG (average daily gain) compared with non-BRD animals and mild BRD animals (P < 0.001). These results demonstrate that there are important indicators of BRD severity. Using this information to predict an animal’s BRD outcome would greatly enhance treatment efficacy and aid in better management of animals at risk of suffering from severe BRD.     

Detection of Ureaplasma diversum in cattle using a newly developed PCR-based detection assay

Ureaplasma diversum has been associated with different clinical manifestations including bovine vulvitis, endometritis, salpingitis, spontaneous abortion and infertility. Because the isolation of this ureaplasma from clinical samples is difficult, there is a need for improved detection methods. We developed a PCR assay based on amplification of a region of the gene encoding 16S rRNA. The specificity of the amplification was verified by sequence analysis. Female bovine vaginal swabs (n=168) were collected and the presence of U. diversum evaluated by both culture methods and by the PCR assay. Culture was positive for 60 samples (35.7%), and PCR-specific amplification was obtained for 89 samples (52.9%). These results indicated a high prevalence of U. diversum in the selected animals and the higher sensitivity of this PCR assay as compared to culture.     

Randomized field trial comparing the efficacy of florfenicol and oxytetracycline in a natural outbreak of calf pneumonia using lung reaeration as a cure criterion

BackgroundRespiratory infections are the main indication for antimicrobial use in calves. Optimal treatment duration currently is unknown, but shorter duration would likely decrease selection for antimicrobial resistance.Hypothesis/ObjectivesDetermine differences in cure rate and healing time between animals treated with florfenicol and oxytetracycline in a natural outbreak of respiratory disease using reaeration observed on thoracic ultrasound examination as healing criterion.AnimalsCommercial farm housing 130, 3 to 9 month old Belgian blue beef calves.MethodsRandomized clinical trial during an outbreak of respiratory disease. Metaphylactic treatment was initiated, randomly treating animals with either florfenicol or oxytetracycline. Ultrasonographic follow‐up was done the first day and every other day for a 14‐day period. At the individual animal level, treatment was discontinued when reaeration of the lungs occurred. Differences in cure rate and healing time were determined.ResultsOf the 130 animals studied, 67.7% developed a lung consolidation ≥0.5 cm. The mean ultrasonographic healing time was 2.5 days in the florfenicol group compared to 3.1 days in the oxytetracycline group (P = .04). After single treatment, 80.6% and 60.3% had no consolidations in the florfenicol and oxytetracycline groups, respectively (P = .01). A Mycoplasma bovis strain was genetically and phenotypically determined to be susceptible to both antimicrobials.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceUltrasonographic lung reaeration shows potential as a cure criterion to rationalize antimicrobial use for outbreaks of pneumonia. In our study, florfenicol resulted in a faster cure and higher reduction in antimicrobial usage than did oxytetracycline.     

重庆市某肉牛场牛支原体肺炎的诊断

重庆市某肉牛场新进育肥牛群发生以呼吸系统感染为主的传染性疾病,为确诊病因,对表现明显临床症状的病牛进行迫杀,无菌采集肺脏、肝脏、血液和心肌进行病原分离,共分离到4株菌,分别编号为CQ1、CQ2、CQ3、CQ4.经16S rRNA序列比对,CQ1与牛支原体同源性达99.9％,CQ2与羊创伤球菌同源性达99.8％,CQ3、CQ4分别与大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌同源性达99％.通过培养特性、菌落形态观察、牛支原体特异性引物PCR扩增,确定CQ1为牛支原体;药物敏感性试验和动物试验表明,该分离株对环丙沙星、氧氟沙星、四环素、壮观霉素敏感,不致死小白鼠.按牛支原体肺炎临床用药后,疫情很快得到控制,结合实验室检测结果,确认该场爆发的是以牛支原体感染为主的牛支原体肺炎.     

Potential associations between fecal shedding of Salmonella in feedlot cattle treated for apparent respiratory disease and subsequent adverse health outcomes

A prospective cohort study was used to assess whether Salmonella fecal shedding in commercial feedlot cattle treated with antimicrobials for respiratory disease was associated with subsequent adverse health outcomes. Feces were collected per rectum from cattle that were examined for apparent respiratory disease, had a rectal temperature > or = 40 degrees C, and subsequently received antimicrobial treatment. Salmonella were recovered from 918 (73.7%) of 1 245 fecal samples and weekly prevalence estimates ranged from 49 to 100% over the 3-month study. Genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of Salmonella strains in the population were determined. Serogroup E Salmonella were most common (73.3%), followed by C1 (11.0%), C3 (8.6%), and B (1.1%). Predominant serotypes were Orion (46.5%), Anatum (19.8%), Kentucky (8.7%), Montevideo (7.5%), and Senftenberg (4.9%). Few isolates (36/918) were positive for antimicrobial resistance-associated integron gene intI1. Phenotypic susceptibility was associated with isolate intI1 status. Crude re-pull, re-treatment and case fatality risks were higher for cattle that were Salmonella-positive versus -negative at initial treatment, but not statistically different on multivariable analysis. However, case fatality risk was higher for cattle shedding Group B Salmonella than for cattle shedding other serogroups. Lots (groups) with a higher Salmonella prevalence at first treatment had a higher proportion of mortalities occur in a hospital pen, higher overall re-treatment risks, and were more likely to be sampled later in the study. Results indicate a high prevalence of Salmonella in this population of cattle treated for apparent respiratory disease, but that effects associated with clinical outcomes may depend on the Salmonella strain.     

Risk factors for bovine respiratory disease in Australian feedlot cattle: Use of a causal diagram-informed approach to estimate effects of animal mixing and movements before feedlot entry

A nationwide longitudinal study was conducted to investigate risk factors for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in cattle in Australian feedlots. After induction (processing), cattle were placed in feedlot pens (cohorts) and monitored for occurrence of BRD over the first 50 days on feed. Data from a national cattle movement database were used to derive variables describing mixing of animals with cattle from other farms, numbers of animals in groups before arrival at the feedlot, exposure of animals to saleyards before arrival at the feedlot, and the timing and duration of the animal's move to the vicinity of the feedlot. Total and direct effects for each risk factor were estimated using a causal diagram-informed process to determine covariates to include in four-level Bayesian logistic regression models. Mixing, group size and timing of the animal's move to the feedlot were important predictors of BRD. Animals not mixed with cattle from other farms prior to 12 days before induction and then exposed to a high level of mixing (≥4 groups of animals mixed) had the highest risk of developing BRD (OR 3.7) compared to animals mixed at least 4 weeks before induction with less than 4 groups forming the cohort. Animals in groups formed at least 13 days before induction comprising 100 or more (OR 0.5) or 50–99 (OR 0.8) were at reduced risk compared to those in groups of less than 50 cattle. Animals moved to the vicinity of the feedlot at least 27 days before induction were at reduced risk (OR 0.4) compared to cattle undergoing short-haul transportation (<6 h) to the feedlot within a day of induction, while those experiencing longer transportation durations (6 h or more) within a day of induction were at slightly increased risk (OR 1.2). Knowledge of these risk factors could potentially be used to inform management decisions to reduce the risk of BRD in feedlot cattle.     

Affinity of microorganisms of the genus Ureaplasma to the reproductive organs of cattle

The purpose of this work was to define more precisely the role of Ureaplasma organisms in the aetiology of granular vulvovaginitis and balanoposthitis (GVVBP) of cattle. To contribute to this question the frequency and degree of infection with Ureaplasmas in two main groups of cattle was taken into account: (a) in cattle with symptoms of the mentioned disease, (b) in cattle without clinical symptoms. The samples of semen from 301 sires with symptoms of GVVBP and from 43 healthy sires as also vaginal mucus swabs from 96 cows with GVVBP and from 40 cows mated by the sire infected with Ureaplasma organisms and from 50 cows inseminated with semen which contained Ureaplasma organisms were taken for bacteriological examinations. The control group in relation to the above mentioned cows constituted of 22 heifers free from symptoms of GVVBP and neither inseminated nor mated naturally. It has been shown that on an average 78.1% of sires with pathological changes in the mucosa of the penis or prepuce and only 25.6% of healthy sires were infected with Ureaplasma organisms. The concentration of Ureaplasma organisms was also significantly higher in material obtained from sires with symptoms of the disease than in that from healthy animals. Ureaplasma organisms were demonstrated more frequently (72.7%) in cows with GVVBP than in cows without these symptoms (13.3%). Similarly, as in the material obtained from sires, in the material taken from cows with symptoms of the disease the concentration of Ureaplasma organisms was significantly higher than that in the material originating from the healthy cows. The obtained findings may indicate that Ureaplasma organisms play a role in the aetiology of GVVBP.     

牛呼吸道疾病综合征病例的病原分析

本试验旨在查清广西某牛场1起牛呼吸道疾病综合征(BRDC)病例的病原,指导牛场进行疾病防控。采取现场调查、临床症状与病理变化、病原分离鉴定等方法对病例病原进行分析,根据病原药敏试验结果进行治疗。从病例的肺脏组织中分离到1株支原体和1株革兰氏阴性致病杆菌。支原体分离株在PPLO固体培养基上可见典型的"煎蛋样"菌落,PCR扩增出牛支原体oppF基因特异性的448 bp目的片段,其oppF基因序列与美国分离的牛支原体国际标准株PG45的核苷酸序列同源性为98.4%。革兰氏阴性细菌分离株生化特性符合黏质沙雷氏菌特性,其16S rRNA基因PCR扩增出1 400 bp的目的片段,测序结果与GenBank上登录的黏质沙雷氏菌的核苷酸序列同源性达到99.0%,对小鼠具有致病性。牛支原体和黏质沙雷氏菌分离株均对壮观霉素、阿奇霉素、阿米卡星、庆大霉素和新霉素高度敏感,用高敏药物壮观霉素联合地塞米松等相关措施进行治疗,收到良好效果。结果表明,引起这次牛呼吸道疾病综合征的病原为牛支原体和黏质沙雷氏菌。     

Pathogen Analysis of Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex

To investigate the pathogen of bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) of a dairy farm in Guangxi, a strain of Mycoplasma and a strain of gram-negative pathogenic bacterium were isolated and identified by the means of field surveys, clinic observation, pathological examination, isolation studies and so on.Treatments were taken according to drug sensitivity test results.The Mycoplasma strain, growing on PPLO medium, formed typical "fried egg" colonies.A 448 bp of oppF fragment was amplified by PCR from the strain and had 98.4% nucleotide identity with Mycoplasma bovis reference isolate PG5 of USA.The biochemical features of the gram-negative bacterial isolate were same with Serratia marcescens.The PCR amplified 16S rDNA of the gram-negative pathogenic bacterium strain was 1 400 bp.It shared 99.0% nucleotide identity with other Serratia marcescens reference strains obtained from GenBank.Animal experiment showed that the gram-negative pathogenic bacterium isolate could cause the mice to die.The drug sensitivity tests showed all isolates were sensitive to spectinomycin, azithromycin, amikacin, gentamicin and neomycin.It was effective to treat with dexamethasone and spectinomycin.Pathogen analysis and drug treatment showed that the BRDC was caused by Mycoplasma bovis and Serratia marcescens.     

牛支原体和牛病毒性腹泻病毒二重二温式PCR检测方法的建立

为建立一种牛支原体(Mycoplasma bovis,MB)和牛病毒性腹泻病毒(Bovine viral diarrhea virus,BVDV)的快速鉴别诊断方法,针对MB的uvr C基因和BVDV的5'端非编码区(5'-UTR)保守基因序列,分别设计两对特异引物,并将三温式PCR扩增程序简化为二个温度梯度,建立了鉴别MB和BVDV的二重二温式PCR方法。该方法能同时扩增MB和BVDV,扩增产物大小分别为412和170 bp。特异性试验结果显示,该方法对参试的所有毒株只扩增MB和BVDV基因组,对其它牛病原体无扩增;敏感性试验结果显示,该方法最低能同时检测到104拷贝的两种目的核酸;干扰性试验结果显示,该方法能同时检测两个模板不同浓度的组合,试验结果不受模板影响。综上,本研究所建立的二重二温式PCR方法特异、敏感、快速、简便,可应用于MB和BVDV临床鉴别诊断和流行病学调查。     

鸡毒支原体PCR检测试剂盒的研制与应用

根据基因库中鸡毒支原体 1 6SrRNA的序列研制PCR检测试剂盒 ,用于检测鸡毒支原体 (MG)。结果表明该MG PCR检测试剂盒对不同MG参考菌株和地方分离株均能特异性地扩增出 732bp条带 ,而对其他禽支原体和禽病病原体的扩增结果为阴性。该MG PCR试剂盒最低能检测出 1 0 0fg的MGDNA模板。保存期测定结果表明 ,该MG PCR试剂盒在 - 2 0℃条件下保存至 1 ,3 ,6和 9个月时 ,其敏感性无明显变化 ,仍能检测到 1 0 0fg至 1pg的MGDNA模板。保存至 1 2个月时其敏感度虽降低了 1个滴度 ,但仍能 1 0 0 %检出人工感染鸡的临床样品