Management of risk factors associated with chronic oral lesions in sheep

Oral disorders constitute a significant cause of weight loss in sheep. In a study of disorders of the oral cavity of 36, 033 sheep from 60 meat sheep flocks in Spain, we looked for management risk factors associated with chronic oral lesions. Mandibular and maxillary disorders were assessed as an external manifestation of oral lesions by palpation, searching for tissue swellings, fistulae, or open wounds. The prevalence of flocks containing sheep with jaw disorders was 98.3%, with an average individual prevalence of 5.5%. The majority of lesions were located in in the mid-region of the mandible, and the most relevant risk factor was increasing age. Use of acidic diets based on silage and inclusion of hard foods, such as maize straw or hay, was associated with the occurrence of jaw inflammation. It was concluded that hard diets containing plant material with edges and sharp areas, plus acidic foods including silage, are more likely to cause lesions of the gingiva, enabling entry of pathogens to the oral mucosa that eventually establish locally in bony tissues, usually as mandibular osteomyelitis. It was also observed that mineral supplementation appears to prevent the occurrence of these lesions

Comparative study of the use of Doxycycline and Oxytetracycline to treat Anaplasmosis in fattening lambss

Lamb icteric carcasses condemnation due to Anaplasma ovis is causing relevant economic losses. A comparative study was developed on the effects of different antibiotics to treat ovine anaplasmosis in fattening lambs. A total of 100 A. ovis naturally infected lambs were selected and randomly divided into four groups of 25 lambs: Group ID, treated with injectable doxycycline; Group OD, oral doxycycline; Group O, injectable oxytetracycline; and Group C, untreated animals for the control group. Clinical, haematological, and molecular analyses were performed before the treatment and 12 and 45 days after the beginning of the treatments, and carcass condemnation was followed after slaughter. The A. ovis bacterial load was high before the treatments in the four groups and decreased significantly 45 days after treatment in the ID and O Groups (p < 0.001). The parameters that were related to haemolysis showed similar results. At the abattoir, 15 out of the 47 examined carcasses were condemned; 7 of C Group, 6 of OD Group, 2 of O Group, and 0 of ID Group. It can be concluded that injectable doxycycline and oxytetracycline significantly reduce A. ovis bacterial load in blood and carcass condemnation at the abattoir. Further studies are needed in order to confirm these encouraging findings

Distúrbios do trato respiratorio inferior de pequeños ruminantes

O artigo objetiva revisar alguns dos distúrbios do trato respiratório inferior de maior ocorrência em pequenos ruminantes. Sua rele- vância no manejo sanitário está relacionada à queda no desempenho produtivo, mortalidade, redução do ganho de peso e qualidade da carcaça de cordeiros/cabritos produzidos, e aumento da taxa de descarte e reposição. Aqui, apresentamos a pneumonia por aspiração, complexo respiratório ovino (CRO), adenocarcinoma pulmonar ovino (APO), lentiviroses de pequenos ruminantes (LVPR), pneu- monia parasitária e fúngica, assim como as formas pulmonares da linfadenite caseosa (LC) e das micoplasmoses. A pneumonia por aspiração é uma infecção comumente causada pela inalação de materiais estranhos, produzindo inflamação e necrose do parênquima pulmonar. O CRO é um processo que envolve uma variedade de interações hospedeiro-patógeno-ambiente, em que os mecanismos imunológicos e fisiológicos do hospedeiro interagem com vários agentes etiológicos, incluindo vírus, bactérias, além de fatores ambientais ou estressores. A forma pulmonar da LC comumente causa lesões nos linfonodos mediastinais e no parênquima pulmonar, produzindo sinais clínicos respiratórios, principalmente a tosse responsável pela transmissão da doença por aerossol. O APO é um câncer de pulmão, contagioso, causado pelo retrovírus jaagsiekte ovino, que induz a transformação de células epiteliais secretoras do trato respiratório distal. A afecção pulmonar pela LVPR é a forma de doença mais grave na espécie ovina. A infecção ocorre pelo contato direto entre animais e a via de infecção mais importante é pelo trato respiratório. A pneumonia parasitária e fúngica são menos frequentes, mas relevantes dentro do diagnóstico diferencial das enfermidades respiratórias. Dada a natureza multifacetada dessas doenças, as práticas de manejo (por exemplo, melhorias nas habitações, implementação de medidas de biossegurança e abate seletivo de animais infectados) precisam ser consideradas para sua prevenção; como as condições ambientais também desempenham um papel no desenvolvimento dessas doenças, elas devem ser levadas em consideração. Por fim, outras medidas sanitárias adequadas como protocolos vacinais contra alguns agentes visando a melhora na resposta imune animal também ajudam no controle destas doenças. e article aims to review some of the lower respiratory tract disorders of major occurrence in small ruminants. eir relevance within the health management are related to the drop in productive performance, reduction in weight gain and quality of the carcass of lambs/kids produced, and increase in the mortality, culling and replacement rate. Herein we examine the aspiration pneumonia, ovine respiratory complex (ORC), ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA), small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV ), parasitic and fungal pneumonia, as well as the pulmonary form of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) and mycoplasmosis. Aspiration pneumonia is an infection commonly caused by inhalation of foreign materials, producing inflammation and necrosis of the lung parenchyma.e ORC is a process involving a range of host-pathogen-environment interactions,where host immunological and physiological mechanisms interact with multiple etiological agents including viruses, bacteria, plus environmental factors or stressors. Pulmonary form of CLA commonly causes lesions in mediastinal lymph nodes and lung parenchyma, producing respiratory clinical signs, particularly the coughing that is responsible for transmission of the disease by aerosol. OPA is a contagious lung cancer of sheep caused by jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus, which induces the transformation of secretory epithelial cells of the distal respiratory tract. Pulmonary affection due to SRLV is the most severe disease form in sheep species. e infection occurs by direct contact between animals and the most important infection routes are lactogenic and respiratory. Parasitic and fungal pneumonia are less frequent, but relevant in the differential diagnosis of respiratory diseases. Given the multi-faceted nature of these diseases, management practices (e.g., housing improvements, implementation of biosecurity provisions and selective culling of infected animals) need to be considered for their prevention; as environmental conditions also play a role in development of these diseases, they should be taken into account. Lastly, other appropriate health measures, such as vaccine protocols against some agents aiming at improving the animal immune response, also help in the control of these diseases

Comparative study of three different routes of experimental inoculation of the orf virus

Three different methods of inducing experimental infection of lambs with orf virus (ORFV), the cause of Contagious Ecthyma, were examined in nine animals; intradermal inoculation, subcutaneous injection and epithelial scarification. The objective was to identify the most appropriate experimental method to reproduce the disease with lesions of similar severity in all infected animals. Subcutaneous inoculation failed to reproduce orf lesions in two of the three infected animals, whereas both the groups that were inoculated by intradermal and scarification routes, respectively, displayed a significantly higher number of lesions at 12 dpi than the group inoculated subcutaneously. However, the lesions following scarification spread from the inoculation site with no ORFV-associated lesions found in other areas of the mucous membrane or skin. Finally, following intradermal inoculation, ORFV-associated lesions developed homogeneously in all infected animals, with lesions progressing from the point of inoculation in different areas of the skin of the lips, yet also spreading to the interior of the mouth, gums, palate and tongue, as occurs in natural infections. Thus, it was concluded that for studies investigating the efficacy of new approaches to treatment and vaccination for improved welfare of affected animals and control of ORFV transmission, the most appropriate route for experimental ORFV infection is intradermal inoculation.This research was supported by funding from the Australian company Animal Ethics Pty Ltd. The work was also supported by the Aragón Government and the European Social Fund (A15_17R, Construyendo Aragón 2016–20) and Project CONECTIM funded by Gobierno de Navarra (PC052–053).Peer reviewe

Variation in Structure and Process of Care in Traumatic Brain Injury: Provider Profiles of European Neurotrauma Centers Participating in the CENTER-TBI Study.

INTRODUCTION: The strength of evidence underpinning care and treatment recommendations in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is low. Comparative effectiveness research (CER) has been proposed as a framework to provide evidence for optimal care for TBI patients. The first step in CER is to map the existing variation. The aim of current study is to quantify variation in general structural and process characteristics among centers participating in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. METHODS: We designed a set of 11 provider profiling questionnaires with 321 questions about various aspects of TBI care, chosen based on literature and expert opinion. After pilot testing, questionnaires were disseminated to 71 centers from 20 countries participating in the CENTER-TBI study. Reliability of questionnaires was estimated by calculating a concordance rate among 5% duplicate questions. RESULTS: All 71 centers completed the questionnaires. Median concordance rate among duplicate questions was 0.85. The majority of centers were academic hospitals (n = 65, 92%), designated as a level I trauma center (n = 48, 68%) and situated in an urban location (n = 70, 99%). The availability of facilities for neuro-trauma care varied across centers; e.g. 40 (57%) had a dedicated neuro-intensive care unit (ICU), 36 (51%) had an in-hospital rehabilitation unit and the organization of the ICU was closed in 64% (n = 45) of the centers. In addition, we found wide variation in processes of care, such as the ICU admission policy and intracranial pressure monitoring policy among centers. CONCLUSION: Even among high-volume, specialized neurotrauma centers there is substantial variation in structures and processes of TBI care. This variation provides an opportunity to study effectiveness of specific aspects of TBI care and to identify best practices with CER approaches

Variation in structure and process of care in traumatic brain injury: Provider profiles of European Neurotrauma Centers participating in the CENTER-TBI study

Introduction: The strength of evidence underpinning care and treatment recommendations in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is low. Comparative effectiveness research (CER) has been proposed as a framework to provide evidence for optimal care for TBI patients. The first step in CER is to map the existing variation. The aim of current study is to quantify variation in general structural and process characteristics among centers participating in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. Methods: We designed a set of 11 provider profiling questionnaires with 321 questions about various aspects of TBI care, chosen based on literature and expert opinion. After pilot testing, questionnaires were disseminated to 71 centers from 20 countries participating in the CENTER-TBI study. Reliability of questionnaires was estimated by calculating a concordance rate among 5% duplicate questions.Results: All 71 centers completed the questionnaires. Median concordance rate among duplicate questions was 0.85. The majority of centers were academic hospitals (n = 65, 92%), designated as a level I trauma center (n = 48, 68%) and situated in an urban location (n = 70, 99%). The availability of facilities for neuro-trauma care varied across centers; e.g. 40 (57%) had a dedicated neuro-intensive care unit (ICU), 36 (51%) had an in-hospital rehabilitation unit and the organization of the ICU was closed in 64% (n = 45) of the centers. In addition, we found wide variation in processes of care, such as the ICU admission policy and intracranial pressure monitoring policy among centers. Conclusion: Even among high-volume, specialized neurotrauma centers there is substantial variation in structures and processes of TBI care. This variation provides an opportunity to study effectiveness of specific aspects of TBI care and to identify best practices with CER approaches.</p

Variation in general supportive and preventive intensive care management of traumatic brain injury: a survey in 66 neurotrauma centers participating in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study

Abstract Background General supportive and preventive measures in the intensive care management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) aim to prevent or limit secondary brain injury and optimize recovery. The aim of this survey was to assess and quantify variation in perceptions on intensive care unit (ICU) management of patients with TBI in European neurotrauma centers. Methods We performed a survey as part of the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. We analyzed 23 questions focused on: 1) circulatory and respiratory management; 2) fever control; 3) use of corticosteroids; 4) nutrition and glucose management; and 5) seizure prophylaxis and treatment. Results The survey was completed predominantly by intensivists (n = 33, 50%) and neurosurgeons (n = 23, 35%) from 66 centers (97% response rate). The most common cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) target was > 60 mmHg (n = 39, 60%) and/or an individualized target (n = 25, 38%). To support CPP, crystalloid fluid loading (n = 60, 91%) was generally preferred over albumin (n = 15, 23%), and vasopressors (n = 63, 96%) over inotropes (n = 29, 44%). The most commonly reported target of partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) was 36–40 mmHg (4.8–5.3 kPa) in case of controlled intracranial pressure (ICP) < 20 mmHg (n = 45, 69%) and PaCO2 target of 30–35 mmHg (4–4.7 kPa) in case of raised ICP (n = 40, 62%). Almost all respondents indicated to generally treat fever (n = 65, 98%) with paracetamol (n = 61, 92%) and/or external cooling (n = 49, 74%). Conventional glucose management (n = 43, 66%) was preferred over tight glycemic control (n = 18, 28%). More than half of the respondents indicated to aim for full caloric replacement within 7 days (n = 43, 66%) using enteral nutrition (n = 60, 92%). Indications for and duration of seizure prophylaxis varied, and levetiracetam was mostly reported as the agent of choice for both seizure prophylaxis (n = 32, 49%) and treatment (n = 40, 61%). Conclusions Practice preferences vary substantially regarding general supportive and preventive measures in TBI patients at ICUs of European neurotrauma centers. These results provide an opportunity for future comparative effectiveness research, since a more evidence-based uniformity in good practices in general ICU management could have a major impact on TBI outcome

Evaluation of Genetic Resources in a Potato Breeding Program for Chip Quality

The objective of this study was to assess the ability of experimental advanced breeding clones as parental genotypes to transmit agronomic and quality traits to their progenies in breeding programs. A half diallel set of crosses (excluding reciprocals) with six parents was assayed in field trials for three years; four of the parents were Solanumtuberosum subsp. tuberosum cultivars, and two of them were advanced breeding clones that included genes from S. tuberosum subsp. andigenum with immunity to PVY virus and good agronomic performance. However, no information was available about the behavior of these clones as parental materials for quality traits, such as potato chip quality. The diallel mating design allowed us to discover their ability to transmit agronomic and quality traits to their offspring. Significant effects on general combining ability and specific combining ability were found for plant maturity, only general combining ability effects for specific gravity were found, and interactions of both general combining ability and specific combining ability with the environment for the chip color trait were found. However, no genetic effects were detected for yield. Where general combining ability significant effects were found, additive genetic effects are predominant; thus, so for those traits, it would be possible to use these genotypes as parents to obtain improved progenies. Such abilities were not found in the advanced breeding clones

Evaluation of Genetic Resources in a Potato Breeding Program for Chip Quality

The objective of this study was to assess the ability of experimental advanced breeding clones as parental genotypes to transmit agronomic and quality traits to their progenies in breeding programs. A half diallel set of crosses (excluding reciprocals) with six parents was assayed in field trials for three years; four of the parents were Solanumtuberosum subsp. tuberosum cultivars, and two of them were advanced breeding clones that included genes from S. tuberosum subsp. andigenum with immunity to PVY virus and good agronomic performance. However, no information was available about the behavior of these clones as parental materials for quality traits, such as potato chip quality. The diallel mating design allowed us to discover their ability to transmit agronomic and quality traits to their offspring. Significant effects on general combining ability and specific combining ability were found for plant maturity, only general combining ability effects for specific gravity were found, and interactions of both general combining ability and specific combining ability with the environment for the chip color trait were found. However, no genetic effects were detected for yield. Where general combining ability significant effects were found, additive genetic effects are predominant; thus, so for those traits, it would be possible to use these genotypes as parents to obtain improved progenies. Such abilities were not found in the advanced breeding clones