Diagnosis and therapy of retained fetal membranes, puerperal metritis and clinical endometritis in cattle: Results of the Online-survey among Swiss practitioners. II. Puerperal metritis and clinical endometritis

The aim of the study was to obtain the diagnostic and therapeutic approach among Swiss practitioners in cows with puerperal metritis and clinical endometritis (part 2). All members of the Association for ruminant health were contacted per email via the newsletter. The survey was completed by 128 veterinarians, partially responded by 140 veterinarians. The following main symptoms of puerperal metritis were stated by the practitioners: purulent vaginal discharge, fever and reduced appetite. A vaginal and rectal examination was performed to diagnose the disease. Usually, an intrauterine treatment with tetracycline or cefapirin was done. Parenteral administration of tetracycline or penicillin was often combined with PGF(2α), NSAIDS or cortisone. Clinical endometritis was also diagnosed by vaginal and rectal examination and the main symptom indicated was purulent vaginal discharge. The therapy consisted of the administration of PGF(2α), uterine infusions predominantly with cefapirin, and rarely with parenteral administration of antibiotics. Further diagnostic tools were not used and normally cows were not rechecked. The success of the therapy of puerperal metritis and clinical endometritis was judged to be satisfactory to excellent.

Diagnosis and therapy of retained fetal membranes, puerperal metritis and clinical endometritis in cattle: Results of the Online-survey among Swiss practitioners. I Retained fetal membranes

The aim of this study was to obtain the diagnostic and therapeutic approach among Swiss practitioners in cows with retained fetal membranes (RFM) (part 1). All members of the Association for ruminant health were contacted per email via the newsletter. The survey was completed by 128 veterinarians, partially responded by 140 veterinarians. The manual removal of the fetal membranes is practiced by 129 of the responding veterinarians. Cows with/without fever are treated usually with intrauterine antibiotics. Cows with RFM with/without fever are most commonly treated parenterally with tetracycline or penicillin. The use of cephalosporins and quinolones in cows with fever is more common than in cows without fever. With the present results of the survey veterinarians should critically question the supposed benefits of the manual removal of the placenta and the use of antibiotics in cows with RFM.

The growing spectrum of antibody-associated inflammatory brain diseases in children.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical spectrum, diagnostic evaluation, current management, and neurologic outcome of pediatric antibody-associated inflammatory brain diseases (AB-associated IBrainD). METHODS We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients aged ≤18 years diagnosed with an AB-associated IBrainD at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, between January 2005 and June 2013. Standardized clinical data, laboratory test results, neuroimaging features, and treatment regimens were captured. RESULTS Of 169 children (93 female, 55%) diagnosed with an IBrainD, 16 (10%) had an AB-associated IBrainD. Median age at presentation was 13.3 years (range 3.1-17.9); 11 (69%) were female. Nine patients (56%) had anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, 4 (25%) had aquaporin-4 autoimmunity, 2 (13%) had Hashimoto encephalitis, and 1 (6%) had anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) encephalitis. The key presenting features in children with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, Hashimoto encephalopathy, and anti-GAD65 encephalitis included encephalopathy, behavioral symptoms, and seizures; patients with aquaporin-4 autoimmunity showed characteristic focal neurologic deficits. Six patients (38%) required intensive care unit admission at presentation. Median time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 55 days (range 6-358). All but 1 patient received immunosuppressive therapy. One child with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis died due to multiorgan failure. At last follow-up, after a median follow-up time of 1.7 years (range 0.8-3.7), 27% of the children had function-limiting neurologic sequelae. CONCLUSIONS Children with AB-associated IBrainD represent an increasing subgroup among IBrainD; 1 in 4 children has function-limiting residual neurologic deficits. Awareness of the different clinical patterns is important in order to facilitate timely diagnosis and initiate immunosuppressive treatment.

National competence center for wildlife diseases in Switzerland: Mandate, development and current strategies.

The need for wildlife health surveillance has become increasingly recognized. However, comprehensive programs which cover a wide spectrum of species, pathogens and geographic areas are still lacking in most European countries and practical examples of systems in place remain scarce. This article provides an overview of the organization of wildlife health surveillance in Switzerland, with a focus on the development, current strategies and the activities of the national program carried out by the Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI), University of Bern. This documentation may stimulate on-going discussions on the design and development of national wildlife health surveillance programs in other countries. Investigations into wildlife health in Switzerland date back to the 1950s. The FIWI acts as a national competence center for wildlife diseases on mandate of the Swiss federal authorities. The mandate includes four main activities: disease diagnostics, research, consulting and teaching. In line with this, the FIWI has made continuous efforts to strengthen a national network of field partners and implemented strategies to facilitate long-term and metastudies.

Use of a modified Delphi panel to identify and weight criteria for prioritization of zoonotic diseases in Switzerland

Zoonotic diseases have a significant impact on public health globally. To prevent or reduce future zoonotic outbreaks, there is a constant need to invest in research and surveillance programs while updating risk management strategies. However, given the limited resources available, disease prioritization based on the need for their control and surveillance is important. This study was performed to identify and weight disease criteria for the prioritization of zoonotic diseases in Switzerland using a semi-quantitative research method based on expert opinion. Twenty-eight criteria relevant for disease control and surveillance, classified under five domains, were selected following a thorough literature review, and these were evaluated and weighted by seven experts from the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office using a modified Delphi panel. The median scores assigned to each criterion were then used to rank 16 notifiable and/or emerging zoonoses in Switzerland. The experts weighted the majority of the criteria similarly, and the top three criteria were Severity of disease in humans, incidence and prevalence of the disease in humans and treatment in humans. Based on these weightings, the three highest ranked diseases were Avian Influenza, Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis, and Bovine Tuberculosis. Overall, this study provided a preliminary list of criteria relevant for disease prioritization in Switzerland. These were further evaluated in a companion study which involved a quantitative prioritization method and multiple stakeholders.

Experiences with a voluntary surveillance system for early detection of equine diseases in Switzerland

Clinical observations made by practitioners and reported using web- and mobile-based technologies may benefit disease surveillance by improving the timeliness of outbreak detection. Equinella is a voluntary electronic reporting and information system established for the early detection of infectious equine diseases in Switzerland. Sentinel veterinary practitioners have been able to report cases of non-notifiable diseases and clinical symptoms to an internet-based platform since November 2013. Telephone interviews were carried out during the first year to understand the motivating and constraining factors affecting voluntary reporting and the use of mobile devices in a sentinel network. We found that non-monetary incentives attract sentinel practitioners; however, insufficient understanding of the reporting system and of its relevance, as well as concerns over the electronic dissemination of health data were identified as potential challenges to sustainable reporting. Many practitioners are not yet aware of the advantages of mobile-based surveillance and may require some time to become accustomed to novel reporting methods. Finally, our study highlights the need for continued information feedback loops within voluntary sentinel networks.

Delivery of the p67 sporozoite antigen of Theileria parva by using recombinant Salmonella dublin: secretion of the product enhances specific antibody responses in cattle

The p67 sporozoite antigen of Theileria parva has been fused to the C-terminal secretion signal of Escherichia coli hemolysin and expressed in secreted form by attenuated Salmonella dublin aroA strain SL5631. The recombinant p67 antigen was detected in the supernatant of transformed bacterial cultures. Immunization trials in cattle revealed that SL5631 secreting the antigen provoked a 10-fold-higher antibody response to p67 than recombinant SL5631 expressing but not secreting p67. Immunized calves were challenged with a 80% lethal dose of T. parva sporozoites and monitored for the development of infection. Two of three calves immunized intramuscularly with the p67-secreting SL5631 strain were found to be protected, whereas only one of three animals immunized with the nonsecreting p67-expressing SL5631 strain was protected. This is the first demonstration that complete eukaryotic antigens fused to the C-terminal portion of E. coli hemolysin can be exported from attenuated Salmonella strains and that such exported antigens can protect cattle against subsequent parasite challenge.

Medicinal plants - prophylactic and therapeutic options for gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases in calves and piglets? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases in calves and piglets lead to significant economic losses in livestock husbandry. A high morbidity has been reported for diarrhea (calves ≤ 35 %; piglets ≤ 50 %) and for respiratory diseases (calves ≤ 80 %; piglets ≤ 40 %). Despite a highly diverse etiology and pathophysiology of these diseases, treatment with antimicrobials is often the first-line therapy. Multi-antimicrobial resistance in pathogens results in international accordance to strengthen the research in novel treatment options. Medicinal plants bear a potential as alternative or additional treatment. Based on the versatile effects of their plant specific multi-component-compositions, medicinal plants can potentially act as 'multi-target drugs'. Regarding the plurality of medicinal plants, the aim of this systematic review was to identify potential medicinal plant species for prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases and for modulation of the immune system and inflammation in calves and piglets. RESULTS Based on nine initial sources including standard textbooks and European ethnoveterinary studies, a total of 223 medicinal plant species related to the treatment of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases was identified. A defined search strategy was established using the PRISMA statement to evaluate 30 medicinal plant species starting from 20'000 peer-reviewed articles published in the last 20 years (1994-2014). This strategy led to 418 references (257 in vitro, 84 in vivo and 77 clinical trials, thereof 48 clinical trials in veterinary medicine) to evaluate effects of medicinal plants and their efficacy in detail. The findings indicate that the most promising candidates for gastrointestinal diseases are Allium sativum L., Mentha x piperita L. and Salvia officinalis L.; for diseases of the respiratory tract Echinacea purpurea (L.) MOENCH, Thymus vulgaris L. and Althea officinalis L. were found most promising, and Echinacea purpurea (L.) MOENCH, Camellia sinensis (L.) KUNTZE, Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Origanum vulgare L. were identified as best candidates for modulation of the immune system and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Several medicinal plants bear a potential for novel treatment strategies for young livestock. There is a need for further research focused on gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases in calves and piglets, and the findings of this review provide a basis on plant selection for future studies.

Apoptosis in Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV)-induced mucosal disease lesions: a histological, immunohistological, and virological investigation

Cattle persistently infected with a noncytopathic Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) are at risk of developing fatal "mucosal disease" (MD). The authors investigated the role of various apoptosis pathways in the pathogenesis of lesions in animals suffering from MD. Therefore, they compared the expression of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and Bcl-2L1 (Bcl-x) in tissues of 6 BVDV-free control animals, 7 persistently infected (PI) animals that showed no signs of MD (non-MD PI animals), and 11 animals with MD and correlated the staining with the localization of mucosal lesions. Caspase-3 and -9 staining were markedly stronger in MD cases and were associated with mucosal lesions, even though non-MD PI animals and negative controls also expressed caspase-9. Conversely, caspase-8 was not elevated in any of the animals analyzed. Interestingly, Bcl-x also colocalized with mucosal lesions in the MD cases. However, Bcl-x was similarly expressed in tissues from all 3 groups, and thus, its role in apoptosis needs to be clarified. This study clearly illustrates ex vivo that the activation of the intrinsic, but not the extrinsic, apoptosis pathway is a key element in the pathogenesis of MD lesions observed in cattle persistently infected with BVDV. However, whether direct induction of apoptosis in infected cells or indirect effects induced by the virus are responsible for the lesions observed remains to be established.

Epidermolysis bullosa in Danish Hereford calves is caused by a deletion in LAMC2 gene.

BACKGROUND Heritable forms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) constitute a heterogeneous group of skin disorders of genetic aetiology that are characterised by skin and mucous membrane blistering and ulceration in response to even minor trauma. Here we report the occurrence of EB in three Danish Hereford cattle from one herd. RESULTS Two of the animals were necropsied and showed oral mucosal blistering, skin ulcerations and partly loss of horn on the claws. Lesions were histologically characterized by subepidermal blisters and ulcers. Analysis of the family tree indicated that inbreeding and the transmission of a single recessive mutation from a common ancestor could be causative. We performed whole genome sequencing of one affected calf and searched all coding DNA variants. Thereby, we detected a homozygous 2.4 kb deletion encompassing the first exon of the LAMC2 gene, encoding for laminin gamma 2 protein. This loss of function mutation completely removes the start codon of this gene and is therefore predicted to be completely disruptive. The deletion co-segregates with the EB phenotype in the family and absent in normal cattle of various breeds. Verifying the homozygous private variants present in candidate genes allowed us to quickly identify the causative mutation and contribute to the final diagnosis of junctional EB in Hereford cattle. CONCLUSIONS Our investigation confirms the known role of laminin gamma 2 in EB aetiology and shows the importance of whole genome sequencing in the analysis of rare diseases in livestock.

Stem cell-based therapeutic applications in retinal degenerative diseases

Retinal degenerative diseases that target photoreceptors or the adjacent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) affect millions of people worldwide. Retinal degeneration (RD) is found in many different forms of retinal diseases including retinitis pigmentosa (RP), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. Effective treatment for retinal degeneration has been widely investigated. Gene-replacement therapy has been shown to improve visual function in inherited retinal disease. However, this treatment was less effective with advanced disease. Stem cell-based therapy is being pursued as a potential alternative approach in the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases. In this review, we will focus on stem cell-based therapies in the pipeline and summarize progress in treatment of retinal degenerative disease.

Prevalence and genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in feline faeces (oocysts) and meat from sheep, cattle and pigs in Switzerland

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii infects almost all warm blooded animal species including humans, and is one of the most prevalent zoonotic parasites worldwide. Post-natal infection in humans is acquired through oral uptake of sporulated T. gondii oocysts or by ingestion of parasite tissue cysts upon consumption of raw or undercooked meat. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of oocyst-shedding by cats and to assess the level of infection with T. gondii in meat-producing animals in Switzerland via detection of genomic DNA (gDNA) in muscle samples. In total, 252 cats (44 stray cats, 171 pet cats, 37 cats with gastrointestinal disorders) were analysed coproscopically, and subsequently species-specific identification of T. gondii oocysts was achieved by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Furthermore, diaphragm samples of 270 domestic pigs (120 adults, 50 finishing, and 100 free-range animals), 150 wild boar, 250 sheep (150 adults and 100 lambs) and 406 cattle (47 calves, 129 heifers, 100 bulls, and 130 adult cows) were investigated by T. gondii-specific real-time PCR. For the first time in Switzerland, PCR-positive samples were subsequently genotyped using nine PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) loci (SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico) for analysis. Only one of the cats shed T. gondii oocysts, corresponding to a T. gondii prevalence of 0.4% (95% CI: 0.0-2.2%). In meat-producing animals, gDNA prevalence was lowest in wild boar (0.7%; 95% CI: 0.0-3.7%), followed by sheep (2.0%; 95% CI: 0.1-4.6%) and pigs (2.2%; 95% CI: 0.8-4.8%). The highest prevalence was found in cattle (4.7%; 95% CI: 2.8-7.2%), mainly due to the high prevalence of 29.8% in young calves. With regard to housing conditions, conventional fattening pigs and free-range pigs surprisingly exhibited the same prevalence (2.0%; 95% CI: 0.2-7.0%). Genotyping of oocysts shed by the cat showed T. gondii with clonal Type II alleles and the Apico I allele. T. gondii with clonal Type II alleles were also predominantly observed in sheep, while T. gondii with mixed or atypical allele combinations were very rare in sheep. In pigs and cattle however, genotyping of T. gondii was often incomplete. These findings suggested that cattle in Switzerland might be infected with Toxoplasma of the clonal Types I or III, atypical T. gondii or more than one clonal Type.