Pathogenesis of reticuloendotheliosis virus infection in ducks

A new isolate of reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) from ducks, RU-1, was used to experimentally infect white pekin ducks. Embryonal or neonatal infection usually resulted in persistent viremias, no REV antibody development, and inability to mount antibody responses against bovine serum albumin (BSA) or sheep red blood cells (SRBC). In contrast, infection at 21 days of age resulted in transient viremias, which terminated coincident with REV antibody development. These ducks remained persistently infected, however, based on virus isolations from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Ducks infected at that age were immunologically competent against BSA and SRBC unless they had been embryonally bursectomized, in which case they behaved virologically and immunologically like those infected at an early age. Bursectomy by itself did not prevent responses against the antigens. Total mortality during 4- or 6-month experimental periods ranged from 80 to 100% in REV-infected groups, regardless of age at infection, route of exposure, or whether the ducks were intact or bursectomized. Most deaths were from non-neoplastic conditions (stunting, bacterial infections), but 17 of 69 (25%) infected ducks developed a variety of neoplasms, including lymphosarcomas, histiocytic sarcomas, and spindle-cell sarcomas.

Pseudorabies: experimental studies in raccoons with different virus strains

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) were infected by the nasal/oral route with as little as 10(2) plaque forming units (PFU) of pseudorabies virus (PrV). There was no apparent difference in the susceptibility of raccoons to infection with either of two virulent field strains or with the naturally avirulent K strain which has been used in modified live virus vaccines. Each of these three viruses was transmitted by contact to uninfected raccoons. All raccoons that were infected with virulent field strains died; however only two of 11 (18%) raccoons that were infected with the K strain died. One of four raccoons that survived infection with the K strain survived superinfection with virulent virus. This finding was significant because it could be a mechanism by which virulent PrV can be introduced and persist in the raccoon population. The possibility of this event occurring is increasing because of the widespread prevalence of PrV and the use of modified live virus vaccines for controlling clinical pseudorabies in swine. Virus neutralizing activity was found in five of 47 serums collected from raccoons that were trapped in PrV endemic areas. This observation implies that a herpesvirus, possibly PrV, may be present in the wild raccoon population.

Hemorrhagic enteritis in captive American kestrels (Falco sparverius)

Hemorrhagic enteritis and hepatitis of suspected adenovirus etiology were the apparent cause of death of nine captive American kestrels. Cloacal hemorrhage was the only prominent gross lesion: disseminated hepatocellular necrosis, and intranuclear inclusion bodies were evident microscopically. Electron microscopy revealed numerous adenovirus-like particles associated with the hepatic lesions. Attempts to serologically identify the agent were unsuccessful.

Experimental infection of lambs with bovine respiratory syncytial virus and Pasteurella haemolytica: clinical and microbiologic studies

Four-week-old lambs were inoculated transtracheally with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Pasteurella haemolytica, or RSV and P haemolytica. When given in combination, RSV administration preceded P haemolytica by 3 or 5 days. Lambs inoculated with P haemolytica or RSV developed a mild respiratory tract disease accompanied by a transient pyrexia in a few lambs. By 24 hours after inoculation of bacteria, all lambs inoculated with RSV and P haemolytica were listless, reluctant to move, and exhibited hyperpnea and dyspnea. Most lambs had pyrexia and a few coughed and had serous nasal discharge. These clinical signs persisted for 3 to 4 days and were more pronounced in those inoculated with P haemolytica 5 days after RSV than in those inoculated with P haemolytica 3 days after RSV. Respiratory syncytial virus was isolated from 8 of 15 inoculated lambs and P haemolytica was isolated from 12 of 15 inoculated lambs. All lambs responded serologically to RSV, but none responded to P haemolytica.

Experimental infection of lambs with bovine respiratory syncytial virus and Pasteurella haemolytica: pathologic studies

Nineteen 4-week-old, colostrum-deprived lambs were transtracheally inoculated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Pasteurella haemolytica biotype A serotype 1, or RSV and P haemolytica. Pneumonic lesions were more frequent, more extensive, and more severe in lambs inoculated with RSV and P haemolytica than in lambs inoculated with either agent alone. Lesions were seen in 2 of 4 lambs inoculated with P haemolytica alone, in 3 of 4 lambs inoculated with RSV alone, and in 11 of 11 lambs inoculated with RSV and P haemolytica. Grossly, lambs given P haemolytica alone had fibrinous pleuritis and pneumonic lesions with hemorrhagic and necrotic centers which involved approximately 14% of the lung surface. Lambs inoculated with RSV alone had multifocal areas of consolidation and hemorrhage that involved 5% of the lung surface. Lambs in 2 groups inoculated with RSV and P haemolytica had lesions characteristic of both agents over 15% to 21% of the lung surface. Histologically, P haemolytica alone caused acute fibrinous pneumonia with necrosis of the lung parenchyma and fibrinous pleuritis; RSV alone caused interstitial pneumonitis, bronchiolitis, and hemorrhage. In combination, the agents caused interstitial pneumonitis and severe exudative pneumonia with focal necrosis and hemorrhage. Lesions seen in lambs given RSV and P haemolytica or in lambs given P haemolytica alone were grossly and histologically similar to those seen in naturally occurring cases of acute pneumonic pasteurellosis. Seemingly, the virus caused a lesion that compromised the lungs and thus permitted P haemolytica to become established and to produce a more severe pneumonic lesion than it could produce alone.

Psychological health and factors the court seeks to control in lesbian mother custody trials

The court has repeatedly ruled that a mother will lose custody of and visitation privileges with her children if she expresses her lesbianism through involvement or cohabitation with a female partner, being affiliated with a lesbian community, or disclosing her lesbianism to her children. Associations between expressions of lesbianism for 25 self-identified lesbian mothers and psychological health as measured by three scales on the California Psychological Inventory and by the Affectometer were therefore examined. Psychological health correlated positively with openness to employer, ex-husband, children, and a lesbian community, and with amount of feminist activism. There was no correlation between psychological health and openness to parents, possibly because of parental rejection.

The effects of litter size on the expressiviity of the jaundice genotype in Gunn rats

In 2 studies Gunn rats carrying 2 recessive alleles for jaundice (jj) were compared with their heterozygous littermates (Jj) under varied litter size (4 vs 12 pups) and handling conditions. Handling did not produce long-term effects. Litter size interacted with Genotype to increase the differential response of jj rats by 21, 23, and 50 days of age. A decrease in survival rates and weight gain was found in Jj and especially jj rats from large litters. For jj rats only, being reared in a large litter increased the severity of ataxia. Jaundiced rats from large litters showed less rearing and tended to enter fewer squares than those from small litters whereas Jj littermates showed an equivalent amount of rearing and number of squares entered in large as compared to small litter sizes. Differences between Jj and jj rats in frequency of pivoting were greater in those from large litters than in those from small litters.

Occurrence of Escherichia coli in feces of psittacine birds

The feces of 125 psittacine birds, representing 12 species, were cultured on selective media to determine the presence of Escherichia coli. Only 13.6% (17) of the birds yielded E. coli.

Differential maternal retrieval of jaundiced versus non-jaundiced Gunn rat pups

Gunn rat dams were tested for differential retrieval of their jaundiced versus non-jaundiced offspring in 2 experiments. In Experiment 1, in which testing took place every day from Day 1 to Day 8 postpartum, non-jaundiced pups were retrieved significantly faster than jaundiced pups. In Experiment 2, in which testing took place every other day from Day 1 to Day 15 and the pups were weighed each test day, the order of retrieval of the 4 gender/genotype (jaundiced vs non-jaundiced) classifications as found in the 1st experiment was replicated and the non-jaundiced pups tended to be retrieved faster. Heavier pups were retrieved significantly faster than lighter pups, indicating that weight or size may be a cue to differential retrieval.

Acute cyanide poisoning complicated by lactic acidosis and pulmonary edema

Massive cyanide poisoning occurred in a 21-year-old man who had ingested 600 mg of potassium cyanide. The clinical course was marked by acute pulmonary edema and lactic acidosis. Because the poison was unidentified until nine hours after ingestion, the patient received only supported treatment which included diuresis, oxygen, bicarbonate, and assisted ventilation. A review of the literature shows that many case reports are poorly documented and do not provide a firm basis for evaluating therapy. To our knowledge, only four patients, including ours, have had blood levels of cyanide measured. In the absence of a suitable history, diagnosis of cyanide poisoning is difficult. A simple chemical test which can be performed on gastric aspirate is available. Hydroxocobalamin may be used as a nontoxic specific antidote. Nonspecific supportive therapy is of great importance.

EXPERIMENTAL RABIES IN A GREAT HORNED OWL

A great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) was fed the carcass of an experimentally infected rabid skunk. The bird developed antibody titer to rabies, detected by passive haemagglutination, 27 days after oral inoculation by ingestion. The owl suppressed the infection until corticosteroid administration, after which a maximum antibody titer was attained. Evidence of active rabies viral infection was seen by fluorescent antibody staining of oral swabs, corneal impression smears and histologic tissue smears, by suckling mouse inoculation of oral swab washings, and by transmission electron microcopy. No clinical signs of rabies virus infection were observed.

Standards of morphological development of the quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica, embryo

The morphologic growth of 290 Japanese quail embryos was analyzed to enable an assessment of the developmental status of an organism and permit the evaluation of experimental effects on development. The growth of 36- to 228-hr embryos was analyzed according to Hamburger and Hamilton's (1951) stages of development for the chick; the growth of 240-hr and older embryos was analyzed by correlating age with the length of 5 morphologic structures, toe, leg, beak, wing, and total. A correlation of +.99 was obtained for age-stage relations and a correlation of +.97 was found for age-structure length relations.

Inclusion body disease (herpesvirus infection) of falcons (IBDF)

Inclusion body disease of falcons (IBDF) is caused by a herpesvirus. The clinical course is short, 24 to 72 hours in duration, and is characterized by mild to severe depression and weakness often accompanied by anorexia. The disease is invariably fatal. The virus has a marked affinity for the reticuloendothelial system and hepatocytes,producing focal to diffuse necrosis of infected tissues accompanied by the formation of intranuclear inclusion bodies. The virus is pathogenic for American kestrels (Falco sparverius) and great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) in which typical lesions of IBDF are reproduced. The lesions of IBDF are similar to those produced by some herpesvirus infections in other avian species.

Falcon Herpesvirus, the etiologic agent of inclusion body disease of falcons

A viral agent has been isolated from five fatal cases of naturally occurring inclusion body disease in three different falcon species, namely, the prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus), the red-headed falcon (F. chiquera), and the peregrine falcon (F. peregrinus). The virus has been shown to possess the physical, chemical, and biological properties of a herpesvirus and has been used to reproduce inclusion body disease in the prairie falcon, merlin (F. columbarius), and American kestrel (F. sparverius). A similar disease was also produced with this virus in the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), screech owl (Otus asio), and ring-necked turtle dove (Streptopelia risoria). Serological comparison of the falcon herpesvirus with other known avian herpesviruses revealed that the virus is antigenically closely related to a pigeon herpesvirus and an owl herpesvirus while differing from the former in host range. No antigenic relationship to infectious laryngotracheitis virus, duck virus enteritis, or Marek's disease virus could be demonstrated.