Effects of an inactivated vaccine for bovine mycoplasmosis on calves naturally affected with Mycoplasma bovis

Three autogenous vaccine trials were carried out on farms where Mycoplasma bovis had been identified as a major pathogen. The first trial was carried on a veal farm in the Lombardia region of northern Italy. Vaccine, prepared by saponising an M bovis strain taken from the farm some months before, was given as single inoculation to 24 calves on arrival while 19 were left unvaccinated. Six months later calves were sent to the abattoir where lungs were examined for gross pathological lesions. The mean weight of the vaccinated group was higher though not significantly so and mean lesion scores were similar; however the percentage of vaccinated calves with severe lung lesions and pleuritis was lower than in the non vaccinates. A second trial was carried out in northern England on a farm where monthly batches of male calves from a nearby dairy herd were reared under a feedlot system. One group of 27 calves were vaccinated with a saponised strain of M bovis isolated from the lungs of a pneumonic calf on the farm prior to the start of the trial. A second batch of 25 calves was left unvaccinated. The groups of calves were monitored for nine months prior to slaughter and records kept of antibiotic usage and mortality. The mortality rates in the vaccinated calves were about 15% compared to 28% in unvaccinated calves; however there was no difference in the number of times calves were treated for respiratory disease. A third batch of calves, treated with oxytetracycline on arrival because a number were already showing respiratory signs, had a lower mortality rate and fewer subsequent treatments. A third trial was carried out on a milk veal unit in the Veneto region of Italy. A group of 19 calves were vaccinated on arrival with a saponised isolate taken earlier from the farm; a similar number of calves of the same batch were left unvaccinated. After 6 months animals were routinely processed at the abattoir and lungs inspected. Results showed that vaccinated calves had higher mean body weights and although similar mean lung scores there was a smaller percentage of vaccinated calves with severe lung lesions and pleuritis

The Younger Dryas in Scotland : environmental change and the timing of cryospheric response : report on commissioned research project 2K06E007

BGS resurvey of Sheet 46W (Crianlarich) over the period 2003-2006 identified a number of exposures of glacial deposits that were deemed suitable for dating by optically stimulated luminescence. A c. 30 m high section in Coire Chailein preserves a long sequence of diamicton, gravel and sand units that appear to indicate at least three separate glacial events. A 1-2 m thick bedded sand unit within this section was interpreted as subaerial outwash deposited close to an ice margin during a early phase of at least partial deglaciation. Having already established a local stratigraphy, we aimed to date the sand unit in order to constrain the age of the sediments above and below. Our second sample site was at Dalrigh, where ‘hummocky moraine’ are widespread and are thought to relate to the retreat of a glacier lobe embayed in the eastern end of Cononish glen. We sampled sand and silt from one of these moraines in an attempt to obtain a date for deglaciation of this area

Studies on the development and application of an ELISA for the detection of antibody to Salmonella enteritidis in chickens and their eggs

ELISA - enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assayAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX171417 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Environmental survival of Mycoplasma bovis on a white veal farm

Mycoplasma bovis is an emerging cause of bovine respiratory disease (BRD), particularly in intensive feedlots where disease is mainly spread by aerosol route over close distances. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of mycoplasmas in the environment of barns housing white veal calves presenting BRD. The majority of calves seroconverted to M bovis three weeks after arrival; there was little evidence of respiratory virus activity, but Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida were isolated from clinically affected calves. M bovis was detected in nasal swabs of sick animals and also on cages and mangers. The isolates were mostly of the same molecular type, suggesting the possibility of infection from the environment. Environmental resistance conferred by biofilm formation might play a significant role in the continuous circulation of M bovis within the white veal herd, indicating the need for all-in, all-out replacement systems and effective disinfection

Outbreak of bovine clinical mastitis caused by Mycoplasma bovis in a North Italian herd

This report describes an outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis mastitis affecting 45 cows in a herd of 122 dairy cattle in Northern Italy. Clinically, the outbreak was characterized by agalactia, multiple swollen and painless quarters, high milk somatic cell count and unresponsiveness to conventional antibiotic therapy. M. bovis was isolated from the milk samples of all the 32 affected cows tested and from the mammary tissue of three affected cows that underwent necropsy. No other pathogens were isolated from these samples. Lesions in two of the necropsied cows were characterized by mild chronic suppurative mastitis and galactophoritis. The other necropsied cow showed a chronic necrosuppurative and pyogranulamaous galactophoritis, a condition not previously associated with M. bovis. M. bovis was detected immunohistochemically in the lumen of the affected mammary ducts suggesting that ascending infection via the teat canal was the likely route of transmission. No other intralesional pathogens were demonstrated microscopically

Search for OIE-listed ruminant mycoplasma diseases in Afghanistan

Abstract Background Little is known about the occurrence of important diseases of ruminants in Afghanistan because of the conflict affecting the country over the last 40 years. To address this discrepancy, ruminant herds in Afghanistan were screened for OIE-listed mycoplasma diseases, contagious bovine (CBPP) and caprine pleuropneumonias (CCPP). Results Of the 825 samples from 24 provinces tested for serological evidence of CBPP caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp.mycoides, 20 (3.4%) had ELISA values greater than the positive threshold of 50% though all were less than 55%. Repeat testing of these suspect sera gave values below 50. A smaller number of sera (330) from cattle in nine provinces were also tested by the rapid latex agglutination test (LAT) for CBPP, 10 of which were considered suspect. However, no positive bands were seen when immunoblotting was carried out on all sera that gave suspect results. Serological evidence of Mycoplasma bovis was detected in half of 28 herds in eight provinces. The cause of CCPP, M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae was not detected in any of the 107 nasal swabs and lung tissue collected from goats in seven provinces though sample handling and storage were not optimal. However, strong serological evidence was detected in goat herds in several villages near Kabul some of which were over 50% seropositive by LAT and ELISAs for CCPP; immunoblotting confirmed positive results on a selection of these sera. Conclusions The data presented here provide a first assessment of the occurrence of the two OIE listed mycoplasma diseases in Afghanistan. From the results of the testing bovine sera from the majority of provinces there is no evidence of the presence of CBPP in Afghanistan. However the samples tested represented only 0.03% of the cattle population so a larger survey is required to confirm these findings. Serological, but not bacterial, evidence was produced during this investigation to show that CCPP is highly likely to be present in parts of Afghanistan