A complicated case of concurrent canine babesiosis and canine ehrlichiosis

Canine babesiosis and canine ehrlichiosis are the major tick-borne diseases throughout the world. The concurrent infection between canine babesiosis and canine ehrlichiosis can occur in endemic regions. This report showed the clinical pathology and treatment outcome of concurrent infection in a dog admitted to a veterinary hospital. Based on the history, physical examination, and laboratory finding, the dog was diagnosed with neurological disorders induced by babesiosis and ehrlichiosis concurrent infection. The dog presented with moderate normocytic normochromic anemia, severe thrombocytopenia and moderately increased alkaline phosphatase. The symptoms were more complicated with high fever, seizure, and cardiopulmonary arrest. The condition was specifically treated with doxycycline and diminazene aceturate, but the dog died 2 days after admission. In conclusion, concurrent infection of canine babesiosis and canine ehrlichiosis can cause complicated clinical neurological compromise and result in mortality in dogs.     

A retrospective study of the therapeutic efficacy of doxycycline on concurrent canine ehrlichiosis and babesiosis in a veterinary hospital population

Doxycycline has a well known broad spectrum activity against bacteria and rickettsia, as well as Ehrlichia spp. However, the use of doxycycline for the treatment of concurrent ehrlichiosis and babesiosis has rarely been evaluated, especially in veterinary hospital populations. A retrospective study of 70 canine ehrlichiosis and 12 canine babesiosis concurrent infections from Out Patient Department patients at Chulalongkorn Small Animal Teaching Hospital, admitted during 2001–2003, were studied. The results showed a complete curative effect of doxycycline on both canine ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis concurrent infections. The red blood cell indices after treatment were significantly higher in canine ehrlichiosis (P < 0.05). The platelet cell counts after treatment were significantly higher in concurrent canine ehrlichiosis and babesiosis infections (P < 0.05). Doxycycline can be recommended as the drug of choice for both canine ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis and concurrent infections of both conditions in veterinary hospitals.     

Variable Regions 1 and 2 (VR1 and VR2) in JSRV gag Are Not Responsible for the Endogenous JSRV Particle Release Defect

Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) is a betaretrovirus causing ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a transmissible lung tumor of sheep. A very closely related endogenous retrovirus (enJSRV) occurs as 15 to 20 copies in the genome of all sheep, and is not known to be linked to pathogenesis. We previously localized a particle release defect of the full-length endogenous-derived expression construct pCMV2enJS56A1 to the amino-terminal region of gag that incorporates the two variable regions VR1 and VR2, which harbor the main sequence differences between endogenous and exogenous JSRV in this part of gag. Here, we tested the hypothesis that either or both of these variable regions are responsible for the observed particle release defect in enJS56A1. We found that the PPPPPPPS motif of the exogenous VR1 is neither necessary nor sufficient for particle release. Furthermore, the precise substitution of VR1 and VR2 in the exogenous JSRV expression plasmid pCMV2JS ₂₁, using their enJS56A1-derived counterparts, did not abrogate the ability of the resulting constructs to release particles. The particle release defect of enJS56A1 is therefore not determined exclusively by either VR1 or VR2. These results point to a small number of amino acids lying outside of VR1 and VR2 that may be responsible for the particle defect of enJS56A1 Gag.     

Effects of enclomiphene and zuclomiphene on basal and gonadotrophin-stimulated progesterone secretion by isolated subpopulations of small and large ovine luteal cells

We examined the effects of enclomiphene and zuclomiphene, aloneand in combination with oestradiol, on basal and gonadotrophin-stimulatedprogesterone secretion by isolated subpopulations of both large(granulosa-lutein) and small (theca-lutein) ovine luteal cells.Isolated large and small luteal cells derived from intact, enucleatedovine corpora lutea were incubated for 48–120 h with orwithout 22R-hydroxycholesterol or pregnenolone (2.5 µM)and a range of enclomiphene, zuclomiphene, and/or oestradiolconcentrations (3–100 µM), both with and withoutovine Iuteinizing hormone (100 ng/ml). Spent media were assayedin duplicate for progesterone content by radioimmunoassay. Enclomiphene,zuclomiphene, and oestradiol exhibited equivalent dose-dependentinhibitory effects on basal and gonadotrophin-stimulated smalland large ovine luteal cell progesterone secretion under allsubstrate conditions. Both cell types became more sensitiveto clomiphene inhibition with increasing time in culture. Incombined treatments, the effects of oestradiol and either enclomipheneor zuclomiphene became additive in longer-term cultures andwere never antagonistic In this model system, (i) clomiphene,like oestradiol, appears to inhibit 3-hydroxysteroid dehy-drogenaseactivity, (ii) both stereoisomers act as oestrogen agonists,(iii) neither demonstrates any anti-oestrogenic properties,and (iv) both large and small luteal cells become more sensitiveto clomiphene inhibition with increasing duration of exposure.     

昆明地区巴贝西虫病一例分析

该文报道了在昆明地区发现的一例人巴贝西原虫病例的诊断与治疗过程.依据光镜和透射电镜形态学观察,初步判断该病例系巴贝西虫感染,并使用抗原虫、抗感染联合治疗获得了良效.     

Protection in lambs vaccinated with Haemonchus contortus antigens is age related, and correlates with IgE rather than IgG1 antibody

The involvement of mucosal mast cells (MMC) in protection against infection with the murine nematode parasite Trichuris muris was studied in genetically mast cell-deficient WBB6F1-W/Wv mice and their normal littermates WBB6F1-+/+ mice. Expulsion of T. muris worms occurred in infected +/+ mice, whereas no worm expulsion was observed in infected W/Wv mice where the infection persisted until at least day 46 postinfection. No MMC responses were induced in either infected W/Wv or +/+ mice. Specific IgG1and IgG2a antibodies to T. muris excretory/secretory antigens were observed in infected W/Wv and +/+ mice, and antibody production showed similar kinetics. Interleukin 4 production by concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated mesenteric lymph node cells (MLNC) was induced preferentially in infected +/+ mice. T. muris infection increased the levels of IFN-gamma produced by Con A-stimulated MLNC of infected W/Wv and +/+ mice, with the levels of IFN-gamma in infected W/Wv mice being higher than those in infected +/+ mice. Taken together, these results indicate that W/Wv and +/+ mice are susceptible and resistant to T. muris infection, respectively, and that MMC responses are not required for protective immunity.