Serological response of cattle to infection with Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis in southern Africa

The indirect fluorescent antibody test was used to measure the antibody response of cattle for 8 weeks after infection with either Babesia bigemina or Babesia bovis, or a combination of both species. Serological crossreactions were observed between the 2 species, but these were most marked when B. bigemina antigen was used. In animals infected with both Babesia spp., the B. bigemina reaction appeared to suppress the B. bovis reaction.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

Immunization against bovine besnoitiosis with a live vaccine prepared from a blue wildebeest strain of Besnoitia besnoiti grown in cell cultures. 1. Studies on rabbits

The immunizing potency of a live vaccine prepared from a strain of Besnoitia besnoiti isolated from blue wildebeest and stored frozen as a low passage stabilate was studied in adult male rabbits. The vaccine consisted of parasites that were grown in primary lamb kidney or an established line of green monkey kidney cell (Vero) cultures and suspended in serum-free Hanks' or Eagle's medium respectively. Freshly prepared doses containing from 1 x 10 to 2 x 10⁵ parasites of the 14th to 34th culture passages were injected subcutaneously. The blue wildebeest strain was pathogenic in rabbits at all the dosage levels tested and 24, 6 per cent died as result of vaccination. The survivors were challenged one to six months after vaccination by subcutaneous inoculation with a bovine strain of B. besnoiti grown in lamb or Vero cells from a low passage level frozen stabilate. Immunized rabbits were protected against challenge doses that were 10 to 100 000 times greater than those of the vaccine. Immunized rabbits did not show any evidence of infection, whereas all the controls developed typical reactions (patent parasitaemia, scrotal oedema, orchitis) and 58 per cent died. It was therefore not possible to calculate an ID₅₀ for vaccinated and control rabbits in this investigation, but one experiment revealed that more than 5 logs of protection had been induced by the vaccine. Rabbits injected with Vero cells only were not protectedThe articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 300dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

Some protozoan parasites of tragelaphine antelopes in South Africa with special reference to a Babesia sp. in a bushbuck and a Trypanosoma Theileri-like parasite in a nyala

The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590;300dpi. adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

Immunization of guinea-pigs and cattle with a reduced dose Clostridium chauvoei vaccine produced in a semi-synthetic medium

A semi-synthetic culture medium and method are described for the production of a reduced dose Clostridium chauvoei vaccine. The vaccine gave excellent results in guinea-pigs, and 2 injections of 2,0 ml protected cattle against challenge with 2 M.L.D. of a virulent culture for at least 12 months. The suitability of C. chauvoei Strain OP64 as a vaccine strain was confirmed.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

Distribution of endocrine cells in the gut of the impala (Aepyceros melampus)

Immunocytochemical methods were employed to demonstrate endocrine cells, containing peptides and serotonin, in the gut of the impala. Cells immunoreactive to serotonin, somatostatin, gastrin, cholecystokinin, glucagon, neurotensin, secretin, glucose-dependant insulinotropic peptide and motilin were detected. Antisera raised to substance P and pancreatic polypeptide failed to stain any cells. The distribution of these peptide-containing cells is more in line with the situation in sheep than other ruminants. In contrast, the distribution and abundance of serotonin cells in the gut of the impala parallels the situation seen in game herbivores.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat X Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

Fatal disseminated toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent cat

A 10-year-old domestic short hair cat was referred for investigation of anorexia and polydipsia of 3 days’ duration. Clinically the cat was obese, pyrexic (39.8 °C), had acute abdominal pain and severe bilirubinuria. Haematology and serum biochemistry revealed severe panleukopenia, thrombocytopenia, markedly elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and five-fold increased pre-prandial bile acids. Ultrasonographic evaluation of the abdomen did not identify any abnormalities. Serum tests for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) were negative. Broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment for infectious hepatitis was to no avail; the cat deteriorated and died 72 h after admission. Necropsy revealed mild icterus and anaemia, severe multifocal hepatic necrosis, serofibrinous hydrothorax, pulmonary oedema and interstitial pneumonia. Histopathology confirmed the macroscopic findings and revealed multifocal microgranulomata in the brain and myocardium, as well as areas of necrosis in lymph nodes and multifocally in splenic red pulp. Long bone shaft marrow was hyperplastic with a predominance of leukocyte precursors and megakaryocytes and splenic red pulp showed mild extramedullary haemopoiesis. Immunohistochemical staining for Toxoplasma gondii was strongly positive, with scattered cysts and tachyzoites in the liver, lymph nodes, spleen, lungs, brain, salivary glands and intracellularly in round cells in occasional blood vessels. Immunohistochemical staining for corona virus on the same tissues was negative, ruling out feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on formalin-fixed paraffin-wax embedded tissues was positive for Toxoplasma sp., but attempts at sequencing were unsuccessful. This was the first case report of fulminant disseminated toxoplasmosis in South Africa, in which detailed histopathology in an apparently immunocompetent cat was described.S.S.N. (University of Pretoria) managed the clinical case and collected the clinical data under the supervision of J.P.S. (University of Pretoria). J.H.W. (University of Pretoria) performed the postmortem, collected specimen samples, undertook the histological examination and took the photographs. S.S.N. and J.H.W. wrote the manuscript, to which J.P.S. gave valuable input.Dr J.P. Dubey (United States Department of Agriculture) is gratefully acknowledged for preparing the wax-embedded formalin-fixed samples, performing the PCR and the attempted sequencing of the samples. Dr Dubey also wrote the PCR method and findings and helped to edit the manuscript. Dr M. Griggs and Dr N. Sundar of the Molecular Parasitology Unit, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, USA are thanked for their willingness to extract DNA from wax blocks of this cat, and to attempt the sequencing. Mrs Marie van Rensburg–Smit is gratefully acknowledged for the IMH staining of the tissues and she and Mrs Elma Vorster are thanked for assisting with the transport arrangements of the wax-blocks. Mrs C. Vermeulen is also thanked for assisting with formatting of the photographs.http://www.jsava.co.zaam2013mn201

The oesophagus and stomach of the African elephant : a histological, immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence study

Histological, immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence methods were employed to study the oesophagus and stomach of the elephant. The histological findings were in line with the situation in monogastric species like swine and man. In the mucosa of the stomach, endocrine cells were immunoreactive to gastrin, somatostatin, chromogranin A and serotonin. Nerve cells immunoreactive to somatostatin, bombesin, VIP, PHI and CGRP were detected in the submucosal and myenteric plexus of the stomach. In the stomach, the absence of glucagon cells and the presence of endocrine cells immunoreactive to PYY, are in contrast to the situation in mammals and need further investigation. Small gastric ulcers were observed in some of the specimens.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

The intestine and endocrine pancreas of the African elephant: a histological, immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence study

Histological, immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence methods were employed to study the intestine and endocrine pancreas of the elephant. The histological findings were in line with those in monogastric mammals. In the mucosa of intestine, endocrine cells were immunoreactive to somatostatin, gastrin, CCK, GIP, secretin, motilin, glucagon and NPY. Nerve cells immunoreactive to somatostatin, substance P, VIP, PHI, NPY, bombesin and CGRP were detected. No immunoreactivity to neurotensin was observed. Islets of the pancreas had insulin cells in their cores and glucagon and somatostatin cells in their mantles. The antisera employed failed to demonstrate PP cells in the pancreas, but NPY immunoreactive cells were present.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat X Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.PJ. de Villiers Booksellers, Bloemfontein.mn201

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 84.7%) were from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 62.8%), followed by strabismus (n = 429 10.2%) and proptosis (n = 309 7.4%). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 95% CI, 12.94-24.80, and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 95% CI, 4.30-7.68). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs. © 2020 American Medical Association. All rights reserved

Generational accounting : a comparison between various taxes' incidence on the young and old in South Africa

This article focuses on the applicability of intergenerational accounting to contribute towards more effective fiscal policy for the correction of wealth imbalances in South Africa. Three scenarios are tested using a general equilibrium model with overlapping generations. An increase in the tax on capital income has a positive effect on the distribution of personal wealth between rich and poor, but it decreases total production. An estate tax improves the current distribution of wealth with much more positive results. Both total consumption and the total capital stock increase. The welfare position of the rich is largely unaffected while that of the poor increases substantially. Lastly, it is shown that an increase in indirect taxes produces negative results. The welfare of the poorer group decreases and at the same time there is a decline in the general level of welfare due to lower levels of production and consumption in the economy