Use of L-arginine and salts thereof in drinking water for the prevention and/or treatment of pulmonary hypertension syndrome in avians

Describes a method of treating or preventing pulmonary hypertension syndrome in avians, generally including administering a drinking water containing L-arginine

In ovo use of L-arginine and salts thereof in the prevention and/or treatment of pulmonary hypertension syndrome in avians

Describes a method of treating an avian egg, including the step of administering a sufficient amount of an L-arginine compound to prevent pulmonary hypertension syndrome in an avian to be hatched from the egg

Intra-vascular administration of particles to induce pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary hypertension syndrome, and ascites in animals

The invention relates to a new process for inducing pulmonary hypertension (elevated blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries) in animals, with the objective of identifying and/or eliminating susceptible individuals or families to achieve genetic improvement in agriculturally important breeds of poultry (broiler chickens and turkeys), and cattle. The invention will also be useful for animal research directed toward understanding pulmonary hypertension and its sequelae in human patients as well as in animals. Sustained pulmonary hypertension leads to pulmonary hypertension syndrome, which adversely impacts poultry production throughout the world, as well as cattle production when cattle are kept at latitudes sufficiently high to challenge blood oxygenation. In poultry, the pathophysiological progression of pulmonary hypertension syndrome leads to terminal ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity) followed by death of the animal

Bone Circulatory Disturbances in the Development of Spontaneous Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis: A Translational Model for the Pathogenesis of Femoral Head Necrosis

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the vascularization of the avian growth plate and its subsequent role in the pathogenesis of bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO, femoral head necrosis). BCO sporadically causes high incidences of lameness in rapidly growing broiler (meat-type) chickens. BCO is believed to be initiated by micro-trauma to poorly mineralized columns of cartilage cells in the proximal growth plates of the leg bones, followed by colonization by hematogenously distributed opportunistic bacteria. Inadequate blood flow to the growth plate, vascular occlusion, and structural limitations of the microvasculature all have been implicated in the pathogenesis of BCO. Treatment strategies have been difficult to investigate because under normal conditions the incidence of BCO typically is low and sporadic. Rearing broilers on wire flooring triggers the spontaneous development of high incidences of lameness attributable to pathognomonic BCO lesions. Wire flooring imposes persistent footing instability and is thought to accelerate the development of BCO by amplifying the torque and shear stress imposed on susceptible leg joints. Wire flooring per se also constitutes a significant chronic stressor that promotes bacterial proliferation attributed to stress-mediated immunosuppression. Indeed, dexamethasone-mediated immunosuppression causes broilers to develop lameness primarily associated with avascular necrosis and BCO. Prophylactic probiotic administration consistently reduces the incidence of lameness in broilers reared on wire flooring, presumably by reducing bacterial translocation from the gastrointestinal tract that likely contributes to hematogenous infection of the leg bones. The pathogenesis of BCO in broilers is directly relevant to osteomyelitis in growing children, as well as to avascular femoral head necrosis in adults. Our new model for reliably triggering spontaneous osteomyelitis in large numbers of animals represents an i