Animal welfare
Verification of the technical
parameters of head-only electrical stunning of pigs under commercial conditions. Ákos Végh, Zsolt Abonyi-Tóth and Pál Rafai ..... 147
Clinical
veterinary science
Therapeutic
efficacy of botulinum toxin in the treatment of urinary incontinence in female dogs. Sylwia Lew,
Mariusz Majewski, Piotr Radziszewski and Zygmunt Kuleta ..... 157
Effect
of dietary calcium deficiency on the cardiac function of broiler chickens based on
electro- and echocardiography. Abdol
Karim Zamani Moghaddam, Hossein Hassanpour, Sarang
Soroori, Mehrdad Yadegari and
Ghodsieh Tajeri ..... 167
Physiology
and physiological chemistry
Distribution
and possible origin of neuropeptide-containing nerve elements in the mammalian liver. Éva Pongor, Nóra
Ledó, Károly Altdorfer, Gabriella Lengyel and Erzsébet Fehér ..... 177
Distribution
pattern and chemical coding of neurons of the sympathetic chain ganglia supplying the
descending colon in the pig. Cezary
Skobowiat, Jarosław Calka, Krzysztof Wasowicz and
Mariusz Majewski ..... 189
Renal
regulation of sodium, potassium and chloride balance in single- and twin-pregnant goats. Katarzyna
Michałek, Dorota Jankowiak, Małgorzata Ożgo and
Wiesław F. Skrzypczak ..... 199
Effect
of delayed feed access on production and blood parameters of layer-type chicks. Adjovi
Gaglo-Disse, Kokou Tona, Sakibou Aliou, Marian Debonne, Kodjo Aklikokou,
Messanvi Gbeassor and
Eddy Decuypere ..... 211
Partial
pressure of carbon dioxide in the venous blood of young birds as a predictor of ascites
susceptibility in broiler chickens. Mohammad
Hassanzadeh, Mohammad Sadege Maddadi, Sarra Mirzaie, Keramat Assasie and
Hamid Moayyedian ..... 221
Parasitology
Potential
infectivity of Anaplasma phagocytophilum
strains in Ixodes
ricinus ticks from Serbia. Sneľana Tomanović, ®eljko Radulović,
Toshiyuki Masuzawa, Marija Milutinović and Ljubiąa Stanisavljević ..... 231
Pathology and
pathophysiology
Morphological and apoptotic changes
in the intestinal mucosa and lung parenchyma after ischaemic/reperfusion injury of the
jejunum. Ján Varga, Pavel Staąko,
©tefan Tóth, Zuzana Pristáąová, Zuzana Jonecová, Jarmila Veselá and Mikuláą Pomfy ..... 243
Virology
Optimisation of reverse transcription
can improve the sensitivity of RT-PCR for detection of classical swine fever virus. Katarzyna Podgórska and Tomasz Stadejek ..... 257
Detection
of porcine circovirus in rodents – Short communication.
Márta Lőrincz, Attila Cságola, Imre Biksi, Levente Szeredi, Ádám Dán and
Tamás Tuboly ..... 265
Partial
genome analysis of Siberian sturgeon alloherpesvirus suggests its close relation to
AciHV-2 – Short communication. Andor
Doszpoly and
Igor S. Shchelkunov .....
269
DISCRIMINATION
BETWEEN BACTEROIDES, DICHELOBACTER, FUSOBACTERIUM, PORPHYROMONAS AND PREVOTELLA ISOLATED FROM CAPRINE FOOTROT BY
PCR-RFLP – SHORT COMMUNICATION
Ángela Lacombe-Antoneli1, Segundo Píriz1, Alberto Quesada2 and Santiago Vadillo1
1Unit of Microbiology,
Department of Animal Health and 2Department of Biochemistry, Veterinary
Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
(Received 12 September 2007; accepted 1 October 2008)
Footrot is widely considered the most severe and
most common foot pathology in small ruminants. This study tested the ability of a
molecular typing system based on polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length
polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay of the 16S rRNA gene to discriminate between the strict
anaerobe genera most commonly isolated from footrot (Bacteroides,
Dichelobacter, Fusobacterium, Porphyromonas and Prevotella) in goats in Extremadura (Spain), with a
view to facilitating identification for diagnostic purposes and thus providing a useful
tool for future epidemiological studies. Although the electrophoretic patterns obtained
with the enzyme Tru1I were more readily
interpreted, and may thus be the best initial option, results may be confirmed by a second
enzyme (RsaI). The PCR-RFLP assay of the 16S
rRNA gene may therefore prove a useful addition to conventional biochemical identification
techniques, providing taxonomic information at genus level.
Key
words: Footrot, caprine, Gram-negative
anaerobe, discrimination, PCR-RFLP
VERIFICATION OF THE TECHNICAL PARAMETERS OF HEAD-ONLY
ELECTRICAL STUNNING OF PIGS UNDER COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS
Ákos Végh1, Zsolt Abonyi-Tóth2 and Pál Rafai3
1Fejér County
Agricultural Office Food-chain Safety and Animal Health Directorate, Csíkvári u. 15,
H-8000 Székesfehérvár, Hungary; 2Department of Biomathematics and
Informatics and 3Department of Animal Hygiene, Herd Health and Veterinary
Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary
(Received 11 June 2009; accepted 23
September 2009)
The European Food Safety
Authority recommends a minimum current of 1.3 Amps for the electrical head-only stunning
of pigs. However, it is stated as well that ‘the technical reference data for head-only
electrical stunning of pigs such as 1.3 Amps are either rather old or worked out under
experimental laboratory conditions’. This study was carried out to verify the electrical
parameters of pig stunning under commercial conditions. Altogether 145 fattener pigs (body
weight range: 30–150 kg, median 109 kg) were tested at four different private slaughterhouses in Hungary where head-only electrical stunners were
used with different constant voltage settings. In each case the following data were
recorded: individual liveweight (kg), current (A) and voltage (V) (measured with an
individually developed analogue device placed in the circuit), current duration (s),
effectiveness of stunning, grading of carcass. Correlations between these parameters and
effectiveness were examined. Besides that, any correlation between the test parameters and
impedance of head was examined. In 128 out of the 145 cases the stunning was effective
(88.3%). Effectiveness was significantly related to current but not to other parameters
such as voltage and duration of load. Impedance of head was not correlated with the size
of the animal and the meat grading scores. Generally,
it was concluded that the use of a single electrical parameter (e.g. a minimum current of 1.3 A) as a prerequisite of good stunning is not ideal.
Key
words: Pig, electrical stunning, stunning parameters
THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF BOTULINUM
TOXIN IN THE TREATMENT OF URINARY INCONTINENCE IN FEMALE DOGS
Sylwia Lew1, Mariusz Majewski2, Piotr Radziszewski3 and Zygmunt Kuleta1
1Department of Internal
Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn,
PL-10-719 Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 14, Poland; 2Department of Human Physiology,
Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland; 3Department
and Clinic of Urology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
(Received 22 June 2009; accepted 23
September 2009)
Urinary incontinence in
animals poses a growing therapeutic problem. Satisfactory results in the treatment of
incontinence are not reported despite the wide availability of pharmaceuticals addressing
the problem. The growing number of side effects and the need for sustained pharmacotherapy
have prompted a search for new treatment methods. The experiment described in this study
was performed on 11 bitches with clinical symptoms of urinary incontinence. The dogs
underwent cystoscopy during which botulinum toxin solution was injected into the wall of
the urinary bladder (50–100 botulinum toxin units were given per animal in 10
injections), causing changes in its innervation. Positive therapeutic effects lasting for
5 months in average were noted in 70% of the treated animals.
Key
words: Dog, botulinum toxin, urinary incontinence, cystoscopy
EFFECT OF DIETARY CALCIUM
DEFICIENCY ON THE CARDIAC FUNCTION OF BROILER CHICKENS BASED ON ELECTRO- AND
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
Abdol Karim Zamani
Moghaddam1,
Hossein Hassanpour2, Sarang Soroori3, Mehrdad Yadegari4 and Ghodsieh Tajeri1
1Department of Clinical Sciences, 2Department
of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord,
Iran; 3Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Tehran, Iran; 4Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord Branch, Shahrekord, Iran
(Received 23 November 2008; accepted 23 September 2009)
To determine the effects
of dietary calcium deficiency on the heart function of broiler chickens based on electro-
and echocardiography, chicks were reared for 42 days and fed rations with different
amounts of calcium. At 28 and 42 days of age, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic
parameters were assessed. There were significant reductions of R wave amplitude (leads II
and aVR) in the Ca-deficient group II at 42 day of age as compared to the control. S wave
amplitudes were decreased in most leads but the decrease was significant (P < 0.05)
only at 28 days (lead aVL, Ca-deficient group I) and 42 days (leads III, aVR, aVF,
Ca-deficient groups I and II). T wave amplitudes were significantly (P < 0.05)
decreased at 42 days (leads II, aVR and aVF) in the Ca-deficient group II compared to the
control group. Variations in QT, ST and RR intervals were insignificant in the
Ca-deficient groups compared with the control. There was a significant (P < 0.05)
increase in left ventricular diameter at end-systole and a reduction of left ventricular
fractional shortening in the Ca-deficient group II at 28 and 42 days as compared to the
controls. Right ventricular fractional shortening was significantly (P < 0.05)
decreased only in the Ca-deficient group II at 42 days of age. These results suggest that
dose-dependent dietary calcium deficiency alters variations in electro- and
echocardiographic parameters which could reflect decreased cardiac function in growing
broiler chickens.
Key
words: Echocardiography,
electrocardiography, broiler chicken, calcium deficiency
DISTRIBUTION
AND POSSIBLE ORIGIN OF NEUROPEPTIDE-CONTAINING NERVE ELEMENTS IN THE MAMMALIAN LIVER
Éva Pongor1, Nóra Ledó1, Károly Altdorfer1, Gabriella Lengyel2 and Erzsébet Fehér1
1Department of Anatomy,
Histology and Embryology, Tűzoltó u. 58, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary, 2II
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest,
Hungary
(Received 17 February 2009; accepted 23 September 2009)
The intrahepatic
distribution of nerve fibres is highly species dependent, therefore we searched for a
species where the innervation pattern is similar to that of the human liver. Livers of
rats, cats, guinea pigs and humans were used. The different nerve elements were identified
by ABC immunohistochemistry and analysed semiquantitatively. Large numbers of neuropeptide
Y (NPY) and dopamine-ß-hydroxylase immunoreactive (IR) nerve fibres were observed in the
human and guinea pig liver, and they were in close contact with portal triads, central
veins and ran parallel with liver sinuses. A few substance P, somatostatin and vasoactive
intestinal polypeptide IR nerve fibres were also detected intralobularly, while galanin
nerve fibres were only observed around portal triads. In the rat liver only a few
NPY-positive nerve fibres were found, exclusively in portal tracts. Some nerve cell bodies
(IR for NPY and somatostatin) were also found in the liver of guinea pigs, young cats and
humans, therefore some of the nerve terminals might originate from these intrinsic
ganglia. It can be concluded that the innervation pattern of the guinea pig liver shows
the highest similarity to that of the human liver.
Key
words: Neuropeptides, liver innervation, comparative histology, human, guinea pig
DISTRIBUTION
PATTERN AND CHEMICAL CODING OF NEURONS OF THE SYMPATHETIC CHAIN GANGLIA SUPPLYING THE
DESCENDING COLON IN THE PIG
Cezary Skobowiat1, Jarosław Calka1,
Krzysztof Wasowicz2
and Mariusz Majewski1
1Division of Clinical
Physiology, 2Division of Animal Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 13, 10-718 Olsztyn, Poland
(Received 22 June 2009; accepted 23
September 2009)
Sympathetic chain
ganglia (SChG) neurons projecting to the descending colon of the pig were studied by means
of retrograde tracing (Fast Blue, FB) and double-labelling immunofluorescence methods. FB
was injected into the gut wall and after three weeks survival time the animals were
transcardially perfused with paraformaldehyde and the bilateral sympathetic trunks were
collected. The FB-positive neurons were localised only in the lumbar (L1–L5)
ganglia of the sympathetic trunk and appeared either as small (30–50 µm in diameter)
round-shaped perikarya forming clusters localised in caudal-ventral area or, rarely, as
bigger (50–80 µm) and dispersed solitary irregular perikarya. Immunohistochemical
staining revealed the catecholaminergic (tyrosine
hydroxylase-/dopamine ß-hydroxylase-immunoreactive) character of the great
majority of FB-positive neurons which preferentially co-expressed neuropeptide Y. In
addition, none of the FB-positive perikarya was immunopositive to galanin, somatostatin,
choline acetyltransferase, vasoactive intestinal peptide, pituitary adenylate
cyclase-activating peptide, leu5-enkephalin, nitric oxide synthase, substance P
and calcitonin-gene-related peptide.
Key
words: Sympathetic chain ganglia, descending colon, Fast Blue, immunohistochemistry,
pig
RENAL REGULATION OF SODIUM,
POTASSIUM AND CHLORIDE BALANCE IN SINGLE- AND TWIN-PREGNANT GOATS
Katarzyna Michałek, Dorota Jankowiak, Małgorzata Ożgo and
Wiesław F. Skrzypczak
Department of Animal Physiology
and Cytobiology, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Dr Judyma 6, 71-466
Szczecin, Poland
(Received 24 April 2009; accepted 23
September 2009)
The aim of these studies
was to analyse and compare changes in selected parameters of renal function in terms of
water-electrolyte balance regulation in single- and twin-pregnant goats. Clearance
analyses were carried out on 16 pregnant White Improved goats (8
in single and 8 in twin gestation). Blood plasma and urine samples were analysed for the
concentration of inulin, endogenous creatinine, sodium, potassium, and chlorides. It has
been demonstrated that glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the goat kidney does not change
significantly during gestation. GFR recorded from the 1st week until the 20th week of
gestation in twin-pregnant goats was only slightly higher compared to those observed in
single-pregnant does. Blood plasma concentrations of major electrolytes, i.e. sodium,
potassium and chloride ions, did not differ significantly in pregnant and non-pregnant
goats, and remained within the reference values. From the very beginning of gestation, the
single-pregnant goats showed increased renal potassium clearance; however, the level of
sodium clearance remained stable. On the other hand, sodium clearance increased from the
2nd month of gestation in the twin-pregnant goats, while the load of excreted potassium
did not change. These changes had probably resulted from varied levels of aldosterone and
progesterone and their mutual proportions differing between the groups.
Key
words: Kidney, clearance, sodium, potassium,
chlorides
EFFECT
OF DELAYED FEED ACCESS ON PRODUCTION AND BLOOD PARAMETERS OF LAYER-TYPE CHICKS
Adjovi Gaglo-Disse1, Kokou Tona1, Sakibou Aliou, Marian Debonne2, Kodjo Aklikokou2, Messanvi Gbeassor1 and Eddy Decuypere3
1Laboratory of Poultry
Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lome, B. P. 1515 Lome, Togo; 2Laboratory
of Pharmacology of Natural Substances, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lome, Lome,
Togo; 3Laboratory for Physiology and Immunology of Domestic Animals, Department
of Biosystems, K. U. Leuven, Belgium
(Received 13 March 2009; accepted 23
September 2009)
A total of 684 Hisex
Brown day-old chicks were studied. The chicks were randomly assigned into three groups as
follows: (1) chicks with immediate feed access; (2) chicks with 48 h delay in feed access,
and (3) chicks with 72 h delay in feed access. For each group, chicks were assigned into 4
replications of 57 birds each. Prior to feed access, the chicks were weighed. Samples of
chicks were used to weigh yolk sac at 1, 3 and 7 days and to collect blood at 1, 3, 7, 14
and 56 days. Also, reared chicks were weighed weekly. The results indicated that chick
weights decreased during the holding period. Yolk sac utilisation was similar between
groups, while morbidity and mortality increased linearly with the duration of delay in
feed access. At 56 days, chicks having delayed access to feed were lighter than those
without delay in feed access. Serum concentration of glucose up to 14 days and of total
protein and triglycerides until 56 days decreased with the increasing duration of delay in
feed access. It can be concluded that delayed feed access is detrimental to the juvenile
performance of layer-type chicks and has a negative age-related effect on the serum
concentrations of glucose, triglycerides and total protein.
Key
words: Layer-type chick, early feeding, juvenile performance, blood metabolites, yolk
utilisation
PARTIAL PRESSURE OF CARBON DIOXIDE
IN THE VENOUS BLOOD OF YOUNG BIRDS AS A PREDICTOR OF ASCITES SUSCEPTIBILITY IN BROILER
CHICKENS
Mohammad Hassanzadeh1, Mohammad Sadege Maddadi2, Sarra Mirzaie1, Keramat Assasie3 and Hamid Moayyedian3
1Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6453, Tehran, Iran; 2Department
of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabrize, Tabrize, Iran;
3Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of
Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran
(Received 11 May 2009; accepted 23
September 2009)
In order to investigate
the relationship between carbon dioxide tensions in the venous blood of young chickens and
ascites susceptibility, one hundred day-old chickens from two pure broiler breeder lines
differing in susceptibility to ascites syndrome were obtained and reared at low
environmental temperature. Weekly, blood samples were taken for the determination of blood
gas parameters and plasma thyroid hormone levels. Dead birds were examined for lesions of
ascites daily and all survived birds were autopsied at the end of the trials. In cold
conditioning, the cumulative incidence of right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and ascites
was 78% (39/50) in fast-growing (line A) and 50% (25/50) in slow-growing (line B)
chickens, confirming that line A chickens had higher susceptibility to ascites than line B
chickens. At 12 days of age, the mean pCO2 tension was significantly (P <
0.01) higher in the venous blood of line A than line B chickens. During the experiment,
the majority of line A and line B chickens showing RVH
and ascites exhibited pCO2 tensions equal to, or exceeding 50 mmHg at 12
days of age. Additionally, fast-growing chickens showed significantly lower plasma T3 and
T4 concentrations than slow-growing chickens. In conclusion, our data indicate that carbon
dioxide pressure in the venous blood of early postnatal broiler chickens could be used as
a valuable predictor in the selection of birds susceptible to pulmonary hypertension and
ascites. The function of thyroid hormones should also be taken into consideration in
further selection procedures for meat-type chickens.
Key
words: Ascites, broiler chicken, carbon dioxide, thyroid hormones
POTENTIAL
INFECTIVITY OF ANAPLASMA PHAGOCYTOPHILUM STRAINS IN IXODES RICINUS
TICKS FROM SERBIA
Sneľana Tomanović1, ®eljko Radulović1, Toshiyuki Masuzawa2, Marija Milutinović1 and Ljubiąa Stanisavljević3
1Laboratory for Medical Arachnoentomology, Centre for
Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical
Research, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotića 4, P.O. Box 102, 11129 Belgrade,
Serbia; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Chiba Institute of Science (CIS), Chiba, Japan; 3Institute of
Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
(Received 13 April 2009; accepted 23
September 2009)
Anaplasma phagocytophilum strains from different
geographical regions are characterised by diverse potential infectivity for humans and
domesticated animals. We investigated the potential pathogenicity of A. phagocytophilum strains in Ixodes ricinus ticks from 11 geographically
different localities in Serbia.
Sequences obtained in this study showed a high variability of p44 paralogues. Some of them, however, formed
groups with similarities greater than 86% (‘similarity groups’). Previous studies showed that ‘similarity
groups’ were nearly always country specific. Our results correlated with this
observation, and we also observed significant clustering of paralogues according to vector
and reservoir origin of A. phagocytophilum
strains. According to the high genetic similarity of sequences isolated from ticks
collected in four localities, namely Avala, Batrovci, Hajdučka česma and Ljubovija, with
paralogues with proven pathogenicity isolated from human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA)
patients and A. phagocytophilum infected sheep,
we could assume that strains with potential infectivity for humans and domestic animals
were present in Serbia.
Key
words: Anaplasma phagocytophilum,
pathogenicity, Ixodes ricinus, ticks, sheep,
human
MORPHOLOGICAL
AND APOPTOTIC CHANGES IN THE INTESTINAL MUCOSA AND LUNG PARENCHYMA AFTER
ISCHAEMIC/REPERFUSION INJURY OF THE JEJUNUM
Ján Varga, Pavel Staąko, ©tefan Tóth, Zuzana Pristáąová, Zuzana Jonecová, Jarmila Veselá and Mikuláą Pomfy
Department of Histology and
Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. ©afárik University, ©robárova
2, SK-04001 Koąice, Slovakia
(Received 26 January 2009; accepted 11
February 2010)
Ischaemic/reperfusion
(IR) injury of the small intestine may lead to the development of multiple organ failure.
Little is known about the morphological changes occurring in the organs during the
subacute course of this syndrome. The objective of this study was to observe
histopathological features and the role of apoptosis in the jejunal mucosa and lung
parenchyma after intestinal IR injury in a long-term experiment. Wistar rats (n = 36) were
divided into 4 experimental groups (IR10, IR20,
IR30, S). Groups IR10, IR20 and IR30 (each n =
10) were subjected to 1-hour ischaemia of the cranial mesenteric artery followed by
10, 20 or 30 days of reperfusion, respectively. The control group S (n = 6) was not
subjected to ischaemia. The jejunal mucosa remained intact after all periods of
reperfusion. Apoptotic cells were found particularly in the lamina propria, with the most
significant difference observed in the IR30 group (P < 0.01). The lung
parenchyma had lower regenerative capacity, which was confirmed by a high index of
histological damage after 30 days of reperfusion (P < 0.01) and by the presence of an
increased number of apoptotic cells, especially in the pulmonary interstitium. The number of apoptotic cells was ten times higher than in the
control group (P < 0.001).
Key
words: Ischaemic/reperfusion injury, jejunum, lungs, apoptosis
OPTIMISATION
OF REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION CAN IMPROVE THE SENSITIVITY OF RT-PCR FOR DETECTION OF CLASSICAL
SWINE FEVER VIRUS
Katarzyna Podgórska and Tomasz Stadejek
Swine Diseases Department,
National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
(Received 17 August 2009; accepted 11
February 2010)
Classical swine fever is
a highly contagious, notifiable disease of pigs and wild boars listed by the World
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Therefore, methods employed in the diagnosis of CSF
should be fast, sensitive and specific. The aim of this study was optimisation of the
reverse transcription reaction to increase the sensitivity of real-time RT-PCR for the
detection of classical swine fever virus, the aetiological agent of the disease. The
efficiency of reverse transcription reaction was compared including a range of reverse
transcriptases, thermal conditions and priming methods based on results obtained in the
following real-time PCR. Depending on catalysis and the priming method used in the study a
significant diversity of results was observed. The best efficacy of reverse transcription
was obtained using SuperScript II reverse transcriptase and priming with random nonamers
and reverse, gene-specific primer. This combination improved the sensitivity of RT-PCR
nearly 1000 times as compared to the method with AMV reverse transcriptase coupled with
random hexamers. In summary, this study has demonstrated that the optimisation of reverse
transcription can contribute to a higher sensitivity of RT-PCR diagnostic methods.
Key
words: Classical swine fever virus, CSFV, optimisation, reverse transcription, RT-PCR
DETECTION
OF PORCINE CIRCOVIRUS IN RODENTS – SHORT COMMUNICATION
Márta Lőrincz1, Attila Cságola1, Imre Biksi2, Levente Szeredi3,
Ádám Dán3 and Tamás Tuboly1
1Department of
Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Hungária
krt. 23–25, H-1143 Budapest, Hungary; 2Large Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent
István University, Üllő, Hungary; 3Central Agricultural Office –
Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, Budapest, Hungary
(Received 4 February 2010; accepted 11
February 2010)
Porcine circoviruses
(PCV) are present worldwide, infecting domestic pigs and wild boars alike. Studies under
laboratory conditions indicated that PCV can be taken up by mice and the virus can
replicate in these animals. The possible role of rodents in maintaining and transmitting
PCV2 infection in the field has not been investigated yet. The present study reports the
detection of PCV2, the pathogenic form of the virus, in mice and rats. A number of
rodents, such as mice, rats and voles, were collected at PCV2-infected farms and also
outside pig herds and tested for the presence of the virus by polymerase chain reaction
(PCR). The results indicated that PCV2 can be present both in mice and rats (65.0% and
23.8% positivity, respectively) on the infected premises, but those rodents that were
collected outside pig farms remained negative for PCV2.
Key
words: PCV2, rodents, reservoir
PARTIAL
GENOME ANALYSIS OF SIBERIAN STURGEON ALLOHERPESVIRUS SUGGESTS ITS CLOSE RELATION TO
ACIHV-2 – SHORT COMMUNICATION
Andor Doszpoly1* and Igor S. Shchelkunov2
1Veterinary
Medical Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungária krt. 21,
H-1143 Budapest, Hungary; 2All Russia Research Institute
for Veterinary Virology and Microbiology, Pokrov 601120, Russia
(Received 12 January 2010; accepted 11
February 2010)
Partial genome sequence
of a herpes-like virus, isolated from Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri), was determined and subjected to
phylogenetic analysis. The virus (SbSHV) has been shown to be the causative agent of an
acute disease with high mortality in farmed juvenile sturgeons in Russia. Two fragments (of 7000 and 300 base pairs
in length) encompassing 3 complete and 3 partial ORFs
were amplified by PCR. Sturgeon herpesvirus strains, classified into species Acipenserid herpesvirus 2 (AciHV-2), have been
isolated and partially sequenced from several regions (California, Idaho, Oregon and Canada) of North America from
white (A. transmontanus) and shortnose sturgeons
(A. brevirostrum). The sequence of the SbSHV
strain shared highest identity with that of the Canadian strain originating from shortnose
sturgeon. The phylogenetic analysis also confirmed that SbSHV is closely related to
AciHV-2 and could also be classified into this virus species. This is the first report on
the occurrence of AciHV-2 in Europe. Previously, only another virus species,
AciHV-1 has been detected in farmed white sturgeons in Italy. The size and position of ORFs in the examined gene block confirmed that
this genomic region is highly conserved in members of the genus Ictalurivirus.
Key
words: Acipenserid herpesvirus, Siberian sturgeon, Alloherpesviridae, PCR
