Clinical veterinary science
Comparative examination
of percussional and echocardiographic determination of the cardiac dullness area in
healthy horses. Z. Bakos and K. Vörös ......... 277
Evaluation
of the effect of ketoprofen and carprofen on platelet function in dogs studied by PFA-100
point-of-care analyser. T. Gaál, Dóra Halmay, R. Kocsis and Zs. Abonyi-Tóth
.......... 287
Effects
of haemolysis, lipaemia and bilirubinaemia in canine C-reactive protein and haptoglobin
determination by time-resolved fluorometry: Short communication. María Dolores Parra and J. J. Cerón .........
295
Closed
reduction of coxofemoral luxation in a goat: Case report. J.
L. Khol and
Theresia F. Licka ......... 301
Genetics
Application of arm-specific painting probes of horse X
chromosome for karyotype analysis in an infertile Hutsul mare with 64,xx/65,xx
+ xp karyotype: Case report. Monika Bugno and Ewa Słota ......... 309
Pathology
Experimental study on the role of Brachyspira
alvinipulli in intestinal
spirochaetosis of geese. Éva Ivanics, M. Dobos-Kovács, R. Glávits,
Éva Kaszanyitzky, Cs. Nemes, L. Szeredi, Anikó Beregszászi and L. Dencső ......... 315
First
occurrence of periosteal chondroma (juxtacortical chondroma) in Uromastyx maliensis
(Reptilia: Sauria: Agamidae). J. Gál, Cs. Jakab, B. Balogh,
T. Tóth and B.
Farkas .........
327
Physiology
Oestrogens in the mammalian brain: from conception to
adulthood – A review. A. Zsarnovszky, Éva G. Földvári, Zsuzsanna
Rónai, T. Bartha and L. V. Frenyó ......... 333
Evaluation
of goose serum amyloid A acute phase response by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Beáta
Marianna Kovács, Mathilda J. M. Toussaint, E. Gruys, Ibolya B. Fábián, L. Szilágyi, J.
Janan and
P. Rudas ......... 349
Phytoestrogens
alter cortisol and androstenedione secretion by porcine adrenocortical cells. Barbara
Kamińska, M. Opalka and Luiza
Dusza .........
359
Reproduction
Piezo-actuated zona-drilling improves the fertilisation of OPS
vitrified mouse oocytes. Qinggang Meng, Xiuwei Li, Tongyi Wu, A. Dinnyés
and Shien Zhu ......... 369
Short-term
effects of prepubertal ovariohysterectomy on skeletal, physical and behavioural
development of dogs up to 24 weeks of age. B. H. Sontas and H.
Ekici .........
379
Virology
First description of postweaning multisystemic wasting
syndrome (PMWS) in wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Croatia and
phylogenetic analysis of partial PCV2 sequences. Z. Lipej,
J. Segalés, Lorena Jemeršić, A. Olvera, Besi Roić, D. Novosel, Ž. Mihaljević and L. Manojlović
......... 389
Diagnostic
potential of recombinant protein of hexahistidine tag and infectious bursal disease virus vpx expressed in Escherichia
coli. S. D. Hosseini, A. R. Omar, I. Aini and A. M. Ali ......... 405
COMPARATIVE
EXAMINATION OF PERCUSSIONAL AND ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF THE CARDIAC DULLNESS
AREA IN HEALTHY HORSE
SZ. Bakos1 and K. Vörös2
1Clinic for Large
Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, 2225 Üllő, Dóra
major, Hungary; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary
Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary
(Received 25 September 2006; accepted 11 January 2007)
Since percussion
started to be a method forgotten and not trusted by many practitioners, the aim of the
study was to demonstrate whether this procedure could deliver exact data if done
accurately and by a practised examiner. The trial presented here included 31 healthy
warm-blooded horses. Percussion of the area of cardiac dullness and then echocardiographic
imaging of the same region were performed. To obtain the relevant measurement points, the
4th and 5th intercostal spaces (ICS) were used on the left and the 4th ICS on the right
side. On the left side, the dorsal border of cardiac dullness was determined in the 4th
ICS (1st point). Then the ventral border of the cardiac dullness was determined at the
same place (2nd point). This was followed by the examination of the same points in the 5th
ICS (3rd and 4th points). The following step was to measure the distance of these points
from the ventral border of the thorax, and also that between the 2nd and the 4th points.
On the right side the same procedure was used in the 4th ICS only. Mean values/standard
errors (in cm) of absolute values of differences between percussional and
echocardiographic measurements were as follow. Left side, 4th ICS, dorsal border: 0.8/0.1;
ventral border: 0.7/0.1; 5th ICS, dorsal border: 0.8/0.1, ventral border: 0.9/0.2; right
side, 4th ICS, dorsal border: 0.8/0.2; ventral border: 0.7/0.1. Due to the close
correlation between the results of the two techniques, it is reasonable to consider
cardiac percussion as an integrated part of the physical examination.
Key
words: Horse, percussion, echocardiography, cardiac dullness
EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF KETOPROFEN AND CARPROFEN ON
PLATELET FUNCTION IN DOGS STUDIED BY PFA-100 POINT-OF-CARE ANALYSER
T. Gaál1, Dóra
Halmay1, R. Kocsis1 and Zs. Abonyi-Tóth2
1Department of Internal
Medicine and 2Department of Biomathematics and Informatics, Faculty of
Veterinary Science, Szent István University, H-1078 Budapest, István u. 2, Hungary
(Received 14 August 2006; accepted 11
January 2007)
The effect of two
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (carprofen and ketoprofen) on platelet adhesion and
aggregation functions was evaluated by the PFA-100® analyser (Dade-Behring, CA, USA) using its collagen-adenosine
diphosphate (ADP) and collagen-epinephrine (EPI) cartridges. The function of platelets was
evaluated in 55 healthy dogs, in 7 dogs treated with ketoprofen and in 31 dogs treated
with carprofen in a therapeutic dose for minimum 5 days. The therapeutic doses of
carprofen had no effect on the closure time of PFA-100 (which is the marker of platelet
function) but ketoprofen caused a significant increase when using collagen-EPI stimulation
The closure times for both the healthy (control) and the treated dogs using EPI cartridges
were often longer than the upper default cut-off point (300 sec) of the device. The
PFA-100 analyser with collagen-ADP cartridges could be a useful tool for veterinary
applications including the evaluation of platelet aggregation in dogs treated with NSAIDs.
The upper cut-off point of PFA-100 might be extended.
Key
words: PFA-100, carprofen, ketoprofen, platelet function, dogs
EFFECTS OF HAEMOLYSIS, LIPAEMIA AND BILIRUBINAEMIA IN CANINE
C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND HAPTOGLOBIN DETERMINATION BY TIME-RESOLVED FLUOROMETRY: SHORT
COMMUNICATION
María Dolores Parra and J. J. Cerón
Department of Animal Medicine and
Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Espinardo
Campus, Spain
(Received 3 August 2006; accepted 11
January 2007)
C-reactive protein
(CRP) and haptoglobin (Hp) are well-known acute phase proteins in the dog. Currently, a
commercial ELISA and a colorimetric assay are the methods of choice for measuring CRP and
Hp, respectively; however, these assays showed interference when using haemolysed,
lipaemic or hyperbilirubinaemic samples. Recently, time-resolved immunofluorometric assays
(TR-IFMAs) have been developed for measuring canine CRP and Hp. The aim of the present
study was to evaluate the effect of increasing concentrations of haemoglobin, lipids and
bilirubin in CRP and Hp serum measurements using these new fluoroimmunoassays. Haemolysis
was produced by freezing blood cells at –20 °C. The haemolysate was
added to pooled sera at final concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40 g/L. A commercial
emulsion of triglycerides was added to homologous pooled sera at 0, 0.35, 0.7, 1.4, 2.8,
5.6 and 11.2 mmol/L. Bilirubin, initially dissolved in dimethyl sulphoxide, was added to
pooled sera at 0, 64.2, 128.4, 256.8, 513.7 and 1027.4 µmol/L. Addition of fresh
haemolysate, triglycerides or bilirubin to serum samples did not affect either CRP or Hp
concentrations (P > 0.18), so the TR-IFMAs could be an alternative to the
traditional tests for measuring canine CRP and Hp in those laboratories where
immunofluorometric assays are available.
Key
words: TR-IFMA, CRP, Hp, haemolysis, lipaemia, bilirubinaemia
CLOSED REDUCTION OF COXOFEMORAL LUXATION IN A GOAT: CASE
REPORT
J. L. Khol1 and Theresia F. Licka2
1Department for Farm
Animals and Herd Management, Clinic for Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210
Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, Austria; 2Clinical Department of Small Animals and
Horses, Clinic of Orthopaedics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
(Received 15 August 2006; accepted 11
January 2007)
Hip luxations have been
reported in many ruminants, and several treatments have been described for them. However,
successful closed reduction of hip joint luxation has not been reported in goats to date.
This case report describes the closed reduction of coxofemoral luxation in a
three-month-old male Saanen dairy goat. The goat showed non-weightbearing lameness and
abnormal mobility of the proximal right hindlimb. Luxation of the right coxofemoral joint
in craniodorsal direction was diagnosed by radiography. The femoral head was repositioned
under sedation, and physiotherapy including non-weightbearing hindlimb movement and
supported walking exercise was performed. Fifteen days after closed reduction the animal
was discharged from the clinic. At that time the animal was sound at a slow walk but
lameness was still present at faster gaits. Follow-up examinations revealed normal
development of the animal, which subsequently showed no lameness and served successfully
as a breeding goat.
Key
words: Goat, caprine, luxation, coxofemoral joint, closed reduction, physiotherapy
APPLICATION OF ARM-SPECIFIC PAINTING PROBES OF HORSE X
CHROMOSOME FOR KARYOTYPE ANALYSIS IN AN INFERTILE HUTSUL MARE WITH 64,XX/65,XX + XP
KARYOTYPE: CASE REPORT
Monika Bugno and
Ewa Słota
Department of Immuno- and
Cytogenetics, National Research Institute of Animal Production, 32-083 Balice, Krakowska
1, Poland
(Received 3 October 2006; accepted 11
January 2007)
A 5-year-old infertile
Hutsul mare was subjected to cytogenetic analysis. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) using the equine Xp
and Xq chromosome painting probes was carried out on chromosome preparations obtained
after blood lymphocyte culture. These probes were generated by chromosome microdissection
and a large number of spreads was analysed (525). The karyotype formula of the analysed
mare was 64,XX/65,XX+Xp with the ratio of the two lines being 99.4 and 0.6, respectively.
The goal of the study was to apply chromosome microdissection and the FISH technique for
cytogenetic diagnostics.
Key
words: Horse, mosaicism, Xp trisomy
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE ROLE OF BRACHYSPIRA ALVINIPULLI IN INTESTINAL
SPIROCHAETOSIS OF GEESE
Éva Ivanics1, M. Dobos-Kovács2, R. Glávits1, Éva Kaszanyitzky1, Cs. Nemes3, L. Szeredi1, Anikó Beregszászi4
and L. Dencső1
1Central Veterinary
Institute, H-1149 Budapest, Tábornok u. 2, Hungary; 2Department of Pathology
and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University,
Budapest, Hungary; 3Veterinary Institute of Kaposvár of the Central Veterinary
Institute, Kaposvár, Hungary; 4Waterfowl Breeding Unit of Bábolna Co. Ltd.,
Bábolna, Hungary
(Received 20 November 2006; accepted 11 January 2007)
Ten one-day-old
goslings were inoculated orally with a Brachyspira
alvinipulli strain isolated from the large intestine of geese that had died of
intestinal spirochaetosis (Group A), 10 day-old goslings were inoculated orally with a B. hyodysenteriae strain (Group B), and a third
group of 10 goslings (Group C) served as uninfected control. The goslings were observed
daily for clinical signs. They were sacrificed on days 7, 14, 21 and 35 days postinfection
(PI), and necropsied. Segments of the large intestine were subjected to histopathological,
immunohistochemical, electron microscopic (TEM, SEM) and microbiological examinations.
Mortality did not occur during the experimental period. However, in both groups the caecum
of the goslings killed by bleeding was slightly dilated, in its lumen there was a watery,
yellowish and frothy content, and the mucous membrane was slightly swollen. By
histopathological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic examination, B. alvinipulli and B. hyodysenteriae could be detected in the caecum
or colon, in the lumen of the glands and sometimes among the glandular epithelial cells in
goslings of the respective groups, and could be reisolated from these organs by culturing.
A mild inflammation of the intestinal mucosa was also noted. In transverse section of the
brachyspirae, numerous (16–22) periplasmic flagella could be detected inside the outer
sheath, also depending on the plane of section.
Key
words: Brachyspira alvinipulli, Brachyspira
hyodysenteriae, intestinal spirochaetes, goose, experimental study
FIRST OCCURRENCE OF PERIOSTEAL CHONDROMA (JUXTACORTICAL
CHONDROMA) IN UROMASTYX MALIENSIS (REPTILIA:
SAURIA: AGAMIDAE)
J. Gál1, Cs. Jakab1, B. Balogh2, T. Tóth3 and B. Farkas4
1Department of
Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István
University, H-1078 Budapest, István u. 2, Hungary; 2Balogh Company, Vác,
Hungary; 3Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, Budapest, Hungary; 4Herpetologist,
Gyúró, Hungary
(Received 28 July 2006; accepted 19
April 2007)
The occurrence of a
periosteal chondroma (juxtacortical chondroma) in an adult male Uromastyx maliensis is documented for the first
time. The chondroma developed near the right shoulder joint from the periosteal membrane,
causing partial atrophy in the surrounding skeletal muscles. In the chondroma tissues
widespread central necrosis and secondary calcium salt deposition were observed.
Monomorphic chondrocytes were irregularly spread in the chondromucin matrix. The lizard
had locomotor problems due to irritation of the periosteum and reduced movement of the
bones constituting the shoulder joint caused by the chondroma.
Key
words: Uromastyx maliensis, juxtacortical
chondroma
OESTROGENS IN THE MAMMALIAN BRAIN: FROM CONCEPTION TO
ADULTHOOD – A REVIEW
A. Zsarnovszky, Éva
G. Földvári, Zsuzsanna Rónai, T. Bartha and L. V. Frenyó
Department of Physiology and
Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, H-1078 Budapest, István u. 2, Hungary
(Received 23 August 2006; accepted 11
January 2007)
Environmental and plant
oestrogens have been identified as compounds that when ingested, disrupt the physiological
pathways of endogenous oestrogen actions and thus, act as agonists or antagonists of
oestrogen. Although the risks of exposure to exogenous oestrogens (ExEs) are subject to
scientific debate, the question of how ExE exposure affects the central nervous system
remains to be answered. We attempt to summarise the mechanisms of oestrogenic effects in
the central nervous tissue with the purpose to highlight the avenues potentially used by
ExEs. The genomic and rapid, non-genomic cellular pathways activated by oestrogen are
listed and discussed together with the best known interneuronal mechanisms of oestrogenic
effects. Because the effects of oestrogen on the brain seem to be age dependent, we also
found it necessary to put the age-dependent oestrogenic effects in parallel to their
intra- and intercellular mechanisms of action. Finally, considering the practical risks of
human ExE exposure, we briefly discuss the human significance of this matter. We believe
this short review of the topic became necessary because recent data suggest new fields and
pathways for endogenous oestrogen actions and have generated the concern that the hidden
exposure of humans and domestic animal species to ExEs may also exert its beneficial
and/or adverse effects through these avenues.
Key
words: Oestrogen, exogenous oestrogens, mechanism of action, age-dependent effects,
risk of exposure, brain
EVALUATION OF GOOSE SERUM AMYLOID A ACUTE PHASE RESPONSE BY
ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY
Beáta Marianna Kovács1, Mathilda J. M. Toussaint2, E. Gruys2, Ibolya B. Fábián3, L. Szilágyi4, J. Janan5 and P.
Rudas 1
1Department
of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, H-1078 Budapest, István u. 2, Hungary; 2Department
of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The
Netherlands; 3Department of Biomathematics and Informatics, Faculty of
Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary; 4Department of
Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; 5Department
of Applied Ethology, Institute of Environmental Management, Szent István University,
Gödöllő, Hungary
(Received 25 October 2006; accepted 11
January 2007)
Serum amyloid A (SAA)
is of interest as the circulating precursor of amyloid A protein, the fibrillar component
of AA (secondary) amyloid deposits, and also as an extremely sensitive and rapid major
acute phase protein. Serum concentrations of acute phase proteins (APPs) provide valuable
information about the diagnosis and prognosis of various diseases, and thus the relevance
of APPs for monitoring the health status of domestic animals is widely accepted. More
importantly, the measurement of SAA concentration assists in assessing the prognosis in
secondary amyloidosis, which is a common disease of geese, affecting an increasing number
of animals. In the present study we introduce a highly sensitive goose-specific ELISA
method for measuring SAA concentration in goose serum or plasma samples. Samples were
taken from geese of the Landes Grey and Hungarian White breeds, which were stimulated for
an acute phase reaction by administration of a commercially available fowl cholera vaccine
containing inactivated Pasteurella multocida.
Strong and characteristically rapid acute phase responses were measured in both breeds,
peaking at approximately 24 h after inoculation. The maximum SAA concentration was 1200
µg/ml. At 72 h post-inoculation, the concentrations returned to pre-inoculation values.
There was significantly (p = 0.004) less intense response in the control groups; however,
a very mild increase of SAA levels was detected due to the stress inevitably caused by the
sampling procedure.
Key
words: Waterfowl, goose, acute phase
response, serum amyloid A, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Corresponding author; E-mail: kovacs.beata.marianna@aotk.szie.hu;
Phone: 0036 (1) 478-4163; Fax: 0036 (1) 478-4165
PHYTOESTROGENS ALTER CORTISOL AND ANDROSTENEDIONE SECRETION BY
PORCINE ADRENOCORTICAL CELLS
Barbara Kamińska, M. Opalka and
Luiza Dusza
Department of Animal Physiology,
Faculty of Biology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-718 Olsztyn,
Oczapowskiego 1A, Poland
(Received 2 August 2006; accepted 11
January 2007)
The effect of
plant-derived, nonsteroidal estrogens (genistein, daidzein and biochanin A) on cortisol
and androstenedione secretion by porcine adrenocortical cells was examined. Adrenals were
harvested from locally slaughtered mature gilts on days 5–9 of the oestrous cycle.
Adrenocortical cells were incubated with or without genistein, daidzein, biochanin A (0.5,
5, 10 or 50 µM), oestradiol (10, 50, 100 or 500 pg/mL) and ACTH (5 nM – positive
control). All incubations were performed for 8 h (95% air and 5% CO2, 37 °C).
ACTH increased cortisol and androstenedione secretion. Genistein, daidzein and biochanin A
suppressed cortisol output, whereas androstenedione secretion was enhanced by these
phytoestrogens. In contrast, oestradiol did not alter steroid secretion by porcine
adrenocortical cells, which may suggest that phytoestrogens have a non-oestrogenic
mechanism of action. Therefore, phytoestrogens present in commercial forage may influence
adrenocortical function in pigs by decreasing cortisol and increasing androstenedione
secretion.
Key
words: Phytoestrogens, isoflavones, adrenocortical cells, pig
PIEZO-ACTUATED ZONA-DRILLING IMPROVES THE FERTILISATION OF OPS
VITRIFIED MOUSE OOCYTES
Qinggang Meng1,2, Xiuwei Li1#, Tongyi Wu1,
A. Dinnyés2 and Shien Zhu1*
1Laboratory of Animal
Reproduction Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural
University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan Xilu, Haidian, Beijing 100094, People’s Republic of
China; 2Genetic Reprogramming Group, Agricultural Biotechnology Center,
Gödöllő, Hungary
(Received 27 November 2006; accepted 11 January 2007)
The present study was
designed to investigate fertilisation of open pulled straw (OPS) vitrified mouse oocytes
drilled with piezo-micromanipulation method and their subsequent in vitro and in
vivo developmental capacity. Ovulated mouse oocytes were vitrified using the OPS
method. After warming, the zona pellucida of a group of vitrified-warmed oocytes was
drilled by piezo-micromanipulation. Groups of (a) vitrified, (b) vitrified/drilled and
(c) fresh control oocytes were fertilised in vitro.
The fertilisation rate of vitrified-warmed oocytes was significantly lower than that of
fresh oocytes (45.0 ± 12.6% vs. 85.2 ± 6.8%, P < 0.05), and was significantly
improved by zona-drilling (85.4 ± 7.3%). However, blastocyst formation rates of the
vitrified and vitrified/drilled groups were significantly lower than those of the fresh
controls (65.7 ± 7.0% and 66.4 ± 2.5% vs. 86.6 ± 4.3%, respectively, P < 0.05). The
cell number of blastocysts from the vitrified/drilled or the vitrified group was not
different from that of the controls. Embryo transfer resulted in pregnancy in all three
groups, but the rate of development to term was lower in the vitrified/drilled or
vitrified groups than in the controls (16.6 ± 0.7% or 36.0 ± 2.4% vs. 51.3 ± 2.9%,
respectively). Our results demonstrated that zona-drilling with piezo-micromanipulation
could improve fertilisation in OPS vitrified mouse oocytes but did not increase the
overall number of vitrified oocytes developing to term.
Key
words: Oocyte, vitrification, piezo, zona-drilling, mouse
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF PREPUBERTAL OVARIOHYSTERECTOMY ON
SKELETAL, PHYSICAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DEVELOPMENT OF DOGS UP TO 24 WEEKS OF AGE
B. H. Sontas and H.
Ekici
Department of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, Avcilar Campus, 34850
Avcilar, Istanbul, Turkey
(Received 20 March 2006; accepted 11
January 2007)
This study investigated
the effects of ovariohysterectomy performed at 10 weeks of age on body weight,
behaviour, bone length, serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations and gonadal hormone
(progesterone and oestradiol) levels until 24 weeks of age in 31 clinically healthy
mixed-breed female puppies. The littermates were randomly assigned to three groups. Group
I (n = 11) was completely ovariohysterectomised, Group II (n = 10) was incompletely
ovariohysterectomised with one ovary left intact, and Group III (n = 10) was sham
operated. No significant differences were found between the groups for any of the
parameters evaluated. It was determined that, except for two measurements of two animals
in Group II at 20 and 24 weeks of age, all animals had undetectable concentrations of
oestradiol 17-ß. These findings suggest that an ovariohysterectomy performed on a
mixed-breed dog at 10 weeks of age does not affect her skeletal, behavioural or physical
development in the period studied, i.e. until 24 weeks of age.
Key
words: Dog, early-age spaying, bone, behaviour, growth
FIRST DESCRIPTION OF POSTWEANING MULTISYSTEMIC WASTING
SYNDROME (PMWS) IN WILD BOAR (SUS SCROFA) IN CROATIA AND PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF PARTIAL PCV2 SEQUENCES
Z. Lipej1, J. Segalés2, Lorena Jemeršić1, A. Olvera2, Besi Roić1, D. Novosel1, Ž. Mihaljević1 and L. Manojlović3
1Croatian Veterinary
Institute, Zagreb, Savska 143, Croatia; 2Departament de Sanitat I d’Anatomia
Animals, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Facultat de Veterinaria, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; 3Hunting Estate Moslavina, Zagreb,
Croatia
(Received 27 December 2005; accepted 11 January 2007)
This report describes
the first case of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in wild boar in Croatia. During the winter season of 2004, eight
wild young piglets (of approximately 2 to 5 months of age) were found dead in a fenced
hunting area. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out on mesenteric lymph nodes
and all animals yielded positive results. In one of these animals diagnosis of PMWS was
established based on the three key diagnostic criteria including the clinical
manifestation, moderate lymphoid lesions consisting of lymphocyte depletion and
granulomatous inflammation, and detection of the presence of PCV2 genome within the
lymphoid lesions by in situ hybridisation (ISH).
Three additional wild piglets had also mild PMWS-like lesions and a low amount of PCV2 was
also found. No PMWS-like lesions or PCV2 genome were detected in the rest of the wild
piglets studied. Three PCR-positive isolates were partially sequenced, which confirmed the
diagnosis of PCV2 and demonstrated that the three sequences were genetically identical.
The phylogenetic analysis of a representative PCV2 isolate indicated that its sequence
(DQ875444) is grouped in a separate branch with Hungarian isolate (AY256460) and differs
from any of the annotated sequences.
Key
words: Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), wild boar (Sus scrofa), porcine circovirus type 2,
phylogenetic analysis, Croatia
DIAGNOSTIC POTENTIAL OF RECOMBINANT PROTEIN OF HEXAHISTIDINE
TAG AND INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUS VPX EXPRESSED IN ESCHERICHIA COLI
S. D. Hosseini1,2, A. R. Omar2,3, I. Aini2,3 and A. M. Ali3,4
1Razi Research
Institute, Arak, Iran; 2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3Institute
of BioScience, 4Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, University
Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
(Received 4 December 2006; accepted 19
April 2007)
The current method to
detect antibody titre against infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) in chickens is based
on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using whole virus as coating antigen. Coating
the ELISA plates requires a purified or at least semi-purified preparation of virus as
antigen, which needs special skills and techniques. In this study, instead of using whole
virus, recombinant protein of hexahistidine tag
(His 6 tag) and VPX protein of IBDV expressed in E.
coli was used as an alternative antigen to coat the ELISA plates. There was a good
correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.972) between the results of the ELISA using
plates coated with monoclonal antibody against His 6 tag and those of the commercial IBDV
ELISA kit. Hence, His 6 tag and VPX recombinant protein expressed in E. coli has the potential for the development of
ELISA for the measurement of IBDV-specific antibody.
Key
words: Infectious bursal disease virus, recombinant VPX protein, enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay
