| 1. |
- Hellander Edman, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Corneal cross-linking in 9 horses with ulcerative keratitis
- 2013
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Ingår i: BMC Veterinary Research. - London, United Kingdom : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1746-6148. ; 9, s. 128-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Corneal ulcers are one of the most common eye problems in the horse and can cause varying degrees of visual impairment. Secondary infection and protease activity causing melting of the corneal stroma are always concerns in patients with corneal ulcers. Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL), induced by illumination of the corneal stroma with ultraviolet light (UVA) after instillation of riboflavin (vitamin B2) eye drops, introduces crosslinks which stabilize melting corneas, and has been used to successfully treat infectious ulcerative keratitis in human patients. Therefore we decided to study if CXL can be performed in sedated, standing horses with ulcerative keratitis with or without stromal melting.Results: Nine horses, aged 1 month to 16 years (median 5 years) were treated with a combination of CXL and medical therapy. Two horses were diagnosed with mycotic, 5 with bacterial and 2 with aseptic ulcerative keratitis. A modified Dresden-protocol for CXL could readily be performed in all 9 horses after sedation. Stromal melting, diagnosed in 4 horses, stopped within 24 h. Eight of nine eyes became fluorescein negative in 13.5 days (median time; range 4-26 days) days after CXL. One horse developed a bacterial conjunctivitis the day after CXL, which was successfully treated with topical antibiotics. One horse with fungal ulcerative keratitis and severe uveitis was enucleated 4 days after treatment due to panophthalmitis.Conclusions: CXL can be performed in standing, sedated horses. We did not observe any deleterious effects attributed to riboflavin or UVA irradiation per se during the follow-up, neither in horses with infectious nor aseptic ulcerative keratitis. These data support that CXL can be performed in the standing horse, but further studies are required to compare CXL to conventional medical treatment in equine keratitis and to optimize the CXL protocol in this species.
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| 2. |
- Lundberg, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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Udder infections with Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and Streptococcus uberis at calving in dairy herds with suboptimal udder health
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Dairy Science. - : Elsevier. - 0022-0302 .- 1525-3198. ; 99:3, s. 2102-2117
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Udder infections with Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and Streptococcus uberis are common causes of bovine mastitis. To study these pathogens in early lactation, a 12-mo longitudinal, observational study was carried out in 13 herds with suboptimal udder health. The aims of the study were to investigate the occurrence of these pathogens and to identify if presence of the 3 pathogens, and of genotypes within the pathogens, differed with respect to herd, season, and parity. Quarter milk samples, collected at calving and 4 d in milk (DIM), were cultured for the 3 pathogens. Genotyping of staphylococcal and streptococcal isolates was performed using spa typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, respectively. For each of the 3 pathogens, cows with an udder infection at calving or 4 DIM were allocated to 1 of 4 infection types: cleared (pathogen present only at calving), persistent (pathogen present in the same quarter at calving and 4 DIM), new (pathogen present only at 4 DIM), or cleared/new (pathogen present in 1 quarter at calving and in another quarter at 4 DIM). Associations between season or parity and overall occurrence of pathogens or infection types were determined using univariable mixed-effect logistic-regression models and the Fisher's exact test, respectively. The most commonly occurring pathogen was Staph. aureus, followed by Strep. dysgalactiae and Strep. uberis. Persistent infections were the most common infection type among Staph. aureus-infected cows, whereas cleared infections were the most common among Strep. dysgalactiae- and Strep. uberis-positive cows. The proportion of cows with persistent Staph. aureus infections and the proportion of cows having a Strep. uberis infection at calving or 4 DIM were higher in the multiparous cows than in primiparous cows. Infections with Strep. dysgalactiae were less common during the early housing season than during the late housing or pasture seasons, whereas persistent Strep. uberis infections were less common during the pasture season than during the late housing season. The relative occurrence of the 3 pathogens, infection types of each pathogen, and genotype diversity of each pathogen throughout the year or in different seasons and parities varied among the herds, indicating that underlying factors predisposing for udder infections at calving differ between herds. Genotyping of bacterial isolates gave important insight into how such infection patterns differed within and between herds. These findings emphasize the need to choose preventive strategies for each individual herd.
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| 3. |
- Rota, A, et al.
(författare)
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Misuse of antimicrobials and selection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strains in breeding kennels : genetic characterization of bacteria after a two-year interval
- 2013
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Ingår i: Reproduction in domestic animals. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0936-6768 .- 1439-0531. ; 48:1, s. 1-6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) strains have been isolated from dogs with increasing frequency; prolonged or excessive use of antimicrobials is associated with the selection of MRSP, and misuse of antimicrobials is frequent in breeding kennels. This study was carried out in two breeding kennels (A and B) in which we had isolated MRSP in 2008: the aim was to assess colonization of previously positive bitches and of other bitches sharing the same environment and to assess the genetic profile of both the old and the new strains [spa typing, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing and Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE)]. Six animals from Kennel A (two from 2008) and eight from Kennel B (one from 2008) were tested: 16 MRSP strains were isolated only from bitches housed in Kennel B. Old and new isolates were mecA positive, resulted spa type t02 and carried SSCmec II-III. PGFE showed that all isolates were related and belonged to the main clone lineage dominating in Europe, ST71-J-t02-II-III. Kennels A and B differ in the use of antimicrobials, which has been reduced over time in Kennel A, while has remained excessive in Kennel B, where many agents belonging to different classes (third-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, macrolids) are administered to dogs, without veterinary supervision, especially around parturition. Misuse of antimicrobials is the key factor for the selection of MRSP strains in healthy dogs and for their persistence over time. Dog breeders should be aware that infections caused by multiresistant bacteria have very limited therapeutical options and represent a huge challenge for animal health.
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| 4. |
- Wilhelm, Franziska R., et al.
(författare)
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Iohexol-based measurement of intestinal permeability in birds
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine. - : Elsevier. - 1557-5063. ; 34, s. 18-23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Iohexol has been successfully used as a marker to assess intestinal permeability in humans and various other mammals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of oral iohexol as an intestinal permeability marker in four anatomically and nutritionally diverse bird species.Methods: Three dosages (1 ml/kg, 2 ml/kg, 4 ml/kg) of iohexol (755 mg/ml) were administered orally to each six clinically healthy pigeons and chickens at two-week intervals. Iohexol plasma concentration was determined 45, 90 and 180 minutes after administration. A comparative study was performed by administering iohexol twice to each six clinically healthy cockatiels and falcons, and determining iohexol plasma concentration at 45 or 90 minutes after administration.Results: The recommended iohexol dosage for permeability testing in birds was determined to be 1 ml/kg. Median plasma iohexol concentrations were 27.77 µg/ml in pigeons, 12.97 µg/ml in chickens, 14.24 µg/ml in cockatiels, and 47.81 µg/ml in falcons, 45 minutes after this dosage was administered. At 90 minutes after administration, median plasma iohexol concentrations were 40.68 µg/ml in pigeons, 21.59 µg/ml in chickens, 32.03 µg/ml in cockatiels, and 55.96 µg/ml in falcons.Conclusions and clinical relevance: Oral iohexol was a safe and feasible marker for intestinal permeability assessment in birds. Further investigations are warranted to establish species-specific reference intervals in larger numbers of healthy birds, and to examine the use of iohexol as a permeability marker in birds with disorders associated with altered intestinal permeability.
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| 5. |
- Anjum, Muna F, et al.
(författare)
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The potential of using E. coli as an indicator for the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment
- 2021
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Ingår i: Current Opinion in Microbiology. - : Elsevier. - 1369-5274 .- 1879-0364. ; 64, s. 152-158
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- To understand the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), in a One-Health perspective, surveillance play an important role. Monitoring systems already exist in the human health and livestock sectors, but there are no environmental monitoring programs. Therefore there is an urgent need to initiate environmental AMR monitoring programs nationally and globally, which will complement existing systems in different sectors. However, environmental programs should not only identify anthropogenic influences and levels of AMR, but they should also allow for identification of transmissions to and from human and animal populations. In the current review we therefore propose using antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli as indicators for monitoring occurrence and levels of AMR in the environment, including wildlife.
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| 6. |
- Arinell, Karin, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) Seem Resistant to Atherosclerosis Despite Highly Elevated Plasma Lipids during Hibernation and Active State
- 2012
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Ingår i: Clinical and Translational Science. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1752-8054 .- 1752-8062. ; 5:3, s. 269-272
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hibernation is an extreme physiological challenge for the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in which metabolism is based mainly on lipids. The study objective was to compare plasma lipids in hibernating and active free-ranging brown bears and relate them to arterial histopathology. Blood was drawn from seven immobilized free-ranging brown bears (three females, 23 years old) during hibernation in February and from the same bears while active in June and analyzed by enzymatic and automated hematology methods within 48 hours of sampling. Left anterior descending coronary arteries and aortic arches from 12 bears (six females, 1.512 years old) killed in hunting were examined by histopathology. Total plasma cholesterol decreased from hibernation to the active period (11.08 +/- 1.04 mmol/L vs. 7.89 +/- 1.96 mmol/L, P= 0.0028) as did triglyceride (3.16 +/- 0.62 mmol/L vs. 1.44 +/- 0.27 mmol/L, P= 0.00012) and LDL cholesterol (4.30 +/- 0.71 mmol/L vs. 2.02 +/- 1.03 mmol/L, P= 0.0075), whereas HDL cholesterol was unchanged. No atherosclerosis, fatty streaks, foam cell infiltration, or inflammation were seen in any arterial samples. Brown bears tolerate elevated cholesterol levels, obesity, physical inactivity, and circulatory slow flow during hibernation without signs of -atherosclerosis. This species might serve as a reverse translational model for atherosclerosis resistance.
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| 7. |
- Chi, Xiaohui, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of Clinically Relevant Strains of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Occurring in Environmental Sources in a Rural Area of China by Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
- 2019
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-302X. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen, and a common cause of healthcare-associated infections such as pneumonia, septicemia, and urinary tract infection. The purpose of this study was to survey the occurrence of and characterize K. pneumoniae in different environmental sources in a rural area of Shandong province, China. Two hundred and thirty-one samples from different environmental sources in 12 villages were screened for extended-spectrum β-lactamase-(ESBL)-producing K. pneumoniae, and 14 (6%) samples were positive. All isolates were multidrug-resistant and a few of them belonged to clinically relevant strains which are known to cause hospital outbreaks worldwide. Serotypes, virulence genes, serum survival, and phagocytosis survival were analyzed and the results showed the presence of virulence factors associated with highly virulent clones and a high degree of phagocytosis survivability, indicating the potential virulence of these isolates. These results emphasize the need for further studies designed to elucidate the role of the environment in transmission and dissemination of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae and the potential risk posed to human and environmental health.
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| 8. |
- Davey, Gareth, et al.
(författare)
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‘Feeding a cat that isn’t yours? Think again!’ : an intervention protocol for reducing the feeding of free-roaming cats by residents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- 2020
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Ingår i: Pacific Conservation Biology. - : CSIRO Publishing. - 1038-2097 .- 2204-4604. ; 26:4, s. 420-426
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Free-roaming cats negatively affect wildlife, human health, and society, and anthropogenic food sources partly maintain their populations. There is a dearth of theory-informed interventions to change people’s beliefs about feeding animals. Here, we outline a behavioural change intervention protocol to modify Malaysians’ key beliefs (i.e. the most influential beliefs) about feeding free-roaming cats. Our protocol serves as a novel, timely, and potentially valuable tool for addressing a significant conservation and societal issue. The Theory of Planned Behaviour is the theoretical framework of the intervention, underpinning its targets (i.e. behavioural beliefs, normative beliefs), content, delivery, and evaluation. The prescriptive intervention consists of one full-day workshop (duration = 5 h) with three sessions each attempting to alter one key belief using behavioural change strategies. A two-armed parallel-group prospective-cluster randomised controlled trial will be used to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention. The protocol can be easily delivered for the public and adapted for other types of locations, human–animal interactions, and contexts. It also complements animal management and policy change approaches.
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| 9. |
- Davey, Gareth, et al.
(författare)
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Key beliefs underlying public feeding of free-roaming cats in Malaysia and management suggestions
- 2019
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Ingår i: Human Dimensions of Wildlife. - : Routledge. - 1087-1209 .- 1533-158X. ; 24:1, s. 1-13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Public feeding of free-roaming cats subsidizes their population growth, and has consequences in highly interconnected ecosystems including predation of native wildlife and alteration of their behavior and populations. Research is needed to explain, predict, and possibly curb public feeding. We conducted a theoretically informed analysis of key beliefs underlying intentions to feed free-roaming cats in Malaysia, offering new insights as well as management suggestions. Normative beliefs had the strongest associations with behavioral intentions. Management strategies should consider social influences from families and friends of those who feed free-roaming cats, especially cat owners and their significant others. Our results also suggest key behavioral beliefs regarding disadvantages of feeding free-roaming cats could be strengthened through education and other initiatives. The findings are particularly important for Malaysia, which is biodiversity-rich but has a large free-roaming cat population and a high incidence of public feeding.
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| 10. |
- Evans, Alina L., et al.
(författare)
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Capture, Anesthesia, and Disturbance of Free-Ranging Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) during Hibernation
- 2012
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 7:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We conducted thirteen immobilizations of previously collared hibernating two-to four-year-old brown bears (Ursus arctos) weighing 21-66 kg in central Sweden in winter 2010 and 2011 for comparative physiology research. Here we report, for the first time, an effective protocol for the capture and anesthesia of free-ranging brown bears during hibernation and an assessment of the disturbance the captures caused. Bears were darted in anthill, soil, or uprooted tree dens on eleven occasions, but two bears in rock dens fled and were darted outside the den. We used medetomidine at 0.02-0.06 mg/kg and zolazepam-tiletamine at 0.9-2.8 mg/kg for anesthesia. In addition, ketamine at 1.5 mg/kg was hand-injected intramuscularly in four bears and in six it was included in the dart at 1.1-3.0 mg/kg. Once anesthetized, bears were removed from the dens. In nine bears, arterial blood samples were analyzed immediately with a portable blood gas analyzer. We corrected hypoxemia in seven bears (PaO2 57-74 mmHg) with supplemental oxygen. We placed the bears back into the dens and antagonized the effect of medetomidine with atipamezole. Capturing bears in the den significantly increased the risk of den abandonment. One of twelve collared bears that were captured remained at the original den until spring, and eleven, left their dens (mean +/- standard deviation) 3.2 +/- 3.6 (range 0.5-10.5) days after capture. They used 1.9 +/- 0.9 intermediate resting sites, during 6.2 +/- 7.8 days before entering a new permanent den. The eleven new permanent dens were located 730 +/- 589 m from the original dens. We documented that it was feasible and safe to capture hibernating brown bears, although they behaved differently than black bears. When doing so, researchers should use 25% of the doses used for helicopter darting during the active period and should consider increased energetic costs associated with den abandonment.
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