Chronic Enteritis Research Articles

First identification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in wild ruminants in a zoo in Mexico.

Background and Aim:Paratuberculosis (PTB) is an infectious disease that induces chronic enteritis in ruminants. It is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). In this study, we evaluated the presence of MAP using bacteriological, molecular, and anatomopathological studies, based on the clinical suspicion of PTB in a zoo, in an area housing 10 scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), five giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), and three blue wildebeests (Connochaetes taurinus).Materials and Methods:From November 2016 to June 2017, fecal samples were collected from individuals of the three species on four occasions, resulting in a total of 56 fecal samples. In addition, five small intestine samples were collected from the necropsies of three adult scimitar-horned oryx females and two oryx calves. MAP identification was performed through isolation in Herrold’s medium with egg yolk, mycobactin, and sodium pyruvate, Ziehl–Neelsen staining, IS900 polymerase chain reaction (IS900 PCR), and anatomopathological examination of intestine samples.Results:Diffuse granulomatous enteritis with abundant acid-fast bacilli was found in two out of five intestine samples from adult scimitar-horned oryx females. MAP was isolated in 7/56 (12.5%) of the fecal samples from four scimitar-horned oryx, one giraffe, and two wildebeest samples. Two out of 5 (40%) samples obtained from scimitar-horned oryx tested positive. IS900 PCR yielded five positive samples (two fecal samples and three small intestine samples). MAP isolates were classified as Type C (Cattle) using type-specific PCR.Conclusion:These results demonstrated the presence of MAP in the area evaluated and indicated the importance of both sampling live animals and conducting postmortem examinations. The use of bacteriological and histopathological diagnostic techniques demonstrated in this study will provide insight into the health status and prevalence of paratuberculosis in wild ruminants under human care.

Cerebral Metabolic Analysis of Patients With Colorectal Cancer and Chronic Enteritis: Inquiry Into Gut-Brain Crosstalk.

Gut-brain crosstalk has been demonstrated previously. However, brain metabolic patterns of colorectal cancer and chronic enteritis remain unclear. A better understanding of gut-brain crosstalk from a radiological perspective is necessary. We conducted a retrospective study in which we acquired 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in 45 colorectal cancer cases, 45 age- and sex-matched chronic enteritis patients, and 45 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We calculated a scaled sub-profile pattern based on principal component analysis and metabolic connectivity to explore the brain metabolic model and analyzed correlations between various brain regions and cancer to identify potential neuroimaging markers for non-pharmaceutical therapies. We found a characteristic cerebral metabolic pattern in colorectal cancer patients, which mainly involved visceral sensation and both affective and cognitive psychological processes. The metabolic patterns of patients with colorectal cancer and chronic enteritis were similar but not identical. The metabolic connectivity of the postcentral gyrus and paracentral lobule was found to be significantly different between the controls and patients with colorectal cancer (p < 0.05, false discovery rate correction). The maximal standard uptake value of the cancer focus in colorectal cancer patients was negatively correlated with the dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (p < 0.05). Patients with colorectal cancer may show abnormal glucose cerebral metabolism characterized by “point-line-surface.” This preliminary study revealed the cerebral metabolic characteristics and neurobiological mechanisms of colorectal cancer and chronic enteritis (ChiCTR2000041020; registered December 16, 2020).

Associations between management factors and seroprevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in dromedary camels

Johne’s disease is a chronic infectious granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and mainly infect wild and domestic animals. Although MAP infection has been reported worldwide, observational studies on MAP in camels are very scarce. The objective of the present investigation was to determine the herd- and camel-level seroprevalences and management factors associated with MAP seroprevalence in dromedary camels in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study with two-stage random sampling was conducted. Serum samples from 391 camels in 67 herds were collected and tested for the presence of MAP antibodies using a commercial indirect ELISA test. The average MAP herd- and camel-level seroprevalences were 40.3% (95% CI: 29.10 – 52.60%) and 16.1% (95% CI: 12.78 – 20.11%), respectively. The herd-level factors showed a greater risk of MAP seropositivity in medium (36 − 75) and larger (>75) size herds compared with small (<36) herds. Furthermore, the risk of MAP seropositivity decreased in herds with calving pens compared to herds without calving pens. The camel-level factors indicated a decrease in seroprevalence of MAP with the age of camels. The present study revealed a high prevalence of MAP in dromedary camels in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. The herd-level risk factors for MAP seroprevalence identified in this study will provide the baseline data for developing and implementing a comprehensive control program for MAP in Saudi Arabia.

Herd Prevalence Estimation of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis Burden in the Three Main Dairy Production Regions of Germany (PraeMAP).

Simple SummaryParatuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP), is widely spread among ruminants worldwide. After a long-lasting incubation period, infected animals suffer from chronic granulomatous enteritis. Economic losses are caused by premature culling, reduced milk yield and slaughter value in the dairy and beef industry, triggering attempts to control the disease. Paratuberculosis is a listed disease (category E), according to the European Animal Health Law, and intended to be monitored within the European Union. Evaluation of several herd-level monitoring approaches including the testing of environmental fecal samples to detect the infectious agent have been evaluated, proving environmental sampling to be a useful monitoring tool on herd level. This study comprises the application of environmental sampling within a herd prevalence estimation study in German dairy herds. Based on regional differences in the structure of livestock farming, Germany was divided into three regions where a representative number of farms were visited for sample collection. The results clearly indicate a different regional MAP herd level prevalence. The highest percentage of affected herds is found in the eastern part with large dairy herds, and the lowest in the south with the smallest average herd size. We conclude that the regional differences in MAP prevalence imply different approaches to control the disease.On-farm environmental sampling is an effective method for herd-level diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection and between-herd prevalence estimation. So far, no prevalence study enrolling important livestock-farming regions has been conducted. As the structure of dairy farming differs between main livestock-farming regions in Germany, our objective was to assess the between-herd prevalence of paratuberculosis for these regions in a standardized approach. Methods: In total, 457 randomly selected dairy farms from three regions of Germany (North: 183, East: 170, South: 104) were sampled between 2017 and 2019. Environmental samples (boot-swabs, aggregate feces and/or liquid manure samples) were cultured and analyzed using an IS900-qPCR for MAP determination. Of the 457 selected farms, 94 had at least one MAP-positive environmental sample with significant differences between regions regarding the apparent (North: 12.0%, East: 40.6%, South: 2.9%) or corrected true (North: 14.8%, East: 50.1%, South: 3.6%) between-herd prevalence. In conclusion, regional differences of between-herd prevalence of paratuberculosis are substantial in Germany, indicating the need for control approaches with different aims. Taking into account regional MAP prevalence, MAP-control programs should focus on on-farm prevalence reduction or on mitigating the risk of between-herd transmission, depending on region.

Antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in Cattle of Indore District in Madhya Pradesh

Background: Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease in domestic livestock population is caused by the bacteria, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. The disease in cattle is characterized by chronic granulomatous enteritis leading to diarrhoea (intermittent or continuous) followed by weakness and emaciation in the affected animals. This research aimed to test cattle population, serologically, for detecting level of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection. Methods: In the present study, a total of 180 serum samples from individual cattle of Indore district in Madhya Pradesh tested in a serological test, indigenous enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. Result: A total of 49 cattle (27.2%) were found positive in the test for the bio-presence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection.

Chronic lymphocytic enteritis of cattle

This datasheet on chronic lymphocytic enteritis of cattle covers Identity, Hosts/Species Affected, Diagnosis.

Analysis of mRNA and circRNA Expression Profiles of Bovine Monocyte-Derived Macrophages Infected With Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the pathogen of Johne’s disease (paratuberculosis), which mainly causes chronic infectious granulomatous enteritis in ruminants and has brought huge economic losses to animal husbandry. As a specific intracellular pathogen, when MAP invades the body, it is internalized by macrophages where it is able to replicate by inhibition of the phagosome maturation, escaping the host immune system and surviving, which leads to the spread of the disease. More recent studies have shown that circRNA is involved in many pathological and physiological processes of the body as the molecular sponge of miRNA, the scaffold of RNA binding protein and having the characteristic of being able to translate into protein. In this study, the mRNA and circRNA expression profiles of MAP-infected bovine monocyte-macrophages and uninfected bovine cells were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing. A total of 618 differentially expressed mRNA were screened out, including 322 upregulated mRNA and 296 downregulated mRNA. In addition, the analysis of circRNA differential expression profile showed 39 differentially expressed genes including 12 upregulated and 27 downregulated genes. Moreover, differential genes belonging to cytokine activity, chemokine activity, inflammatory reaction, apoptosis, and other functional groups related to macrophage immune response were significantly enriched in Gene Ontology (GO). Multiple signal pathways including NF-κB, MAPK, Toll-like receptor, IL-17, JAK-STAT, and other signaling pathways related to activating macrophage immune response were significantly enriched in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). In addition, RT-qPCR technology verified the accuracy of the mRNA sequencing results. In this study, we have obtained the transcriptome information of mRNA and circRNA of bovine monocyte-macrophage infected with MAP. These results will provide data support for the further study of mRNA–miRNA–circRNA network and immune escape mechanism of MAP and will enrich the knowledge of the molecular immune mechanisms of Johne’s disease as well.

The digestive microbiome in small animals

In recent years, there has been a higher interest to grow knowledge regarding gastrointestinal microbiota in canine and feline patients. Microbiota gathers more than 500 species of bacteria, viruses, fungus and archaea. This article intends to review and highlight recent research and discoveries regarding the digestive microbiota and its roles in several body functions, such as: metabolism homeostasis, defense against pathogens, education of immunity answer, synthesis or facilitation of a wide range of key nutrients essential for health from food, mental health maintenance, obesity, and dermatology. Through these essential roles, microbiota can directly or indirectly influence the majority of host’s physiological functions. Most studies highlight dysbiosis as a starting point or cofactor in leading to several pathologies, such as inflammatory bowel disease, chronic enteritis, atopy, deficient immunity answer, metabolic syndrome, obesity, depression in humans, or aggressivity in dogs. The preservation of a healthy microbiome proves to be an essential element for health maintenance and disease prevention, or for disease treatment in either humans or pets.

Intestinal Lymphedema and Structural Changes in Crohn's Disease

Background and Aims: In 1954 Warren and Sommers asserted that Crohn’s disease was “essentially an elephantiasis of the intestinal wall”. They described a late phase of Crohn’s disease and did not try to reconstruct the various stages of the disease. The aim of this study is to provide a step-by-step reconstruction of the anatomic changes that lead to “terminal ileitis”, i.e., to define the pathologic process. Methods: A pathologic examination of over 100 surgical specimens of Crohn’s disease was performed. Findings were compared with those of the published literature in order to derive sequential stages in disease evolution. Results: Terminal ileitis occurs in four different steps. The initial event is thought to be the obstruction of the ileal branch of the superior mesenteric lymphatic collector. It leads to progressive lymphatic stasis and lymphangiectasias of all the layers of lymphatics of the intestinal wall, i.e. an intestinal lymphedema (Step 1). Progressive accumulations of protein-rich lymph occur in intestinal wall, that in the mucosa result in aphthous ulcers. The increase in pressure in the intestinal lymphatic network causes rupture of superficial lymphangiectasias (Step 2). These early parietal changes allow bacterial contamination of the lymphedema which, over time, leads to chronic superficial enteritis and granulomatous lymphangitis (Step 3). Finally, fibrosis is reached (Step 4). Conclusions: Crohn’s disease is a lymphedema of the intestinal wall contaminated by intestinal contents, ending in fibrosis. The structural changes defy therapeutic resolution. Keywords: Crohn’s disease, lymphedema, lymphatics

Metabolomic changes in polyunsaturated fatty acids and eicosanoids as diagnostic biomarkers in Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP)-inoculated Holstein–Friesian heifers

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative organism of Johne’s disease, a chronic granulomatous enteritis of ruminants. We have previously used naturally MAP-infected heifer calves to document metabolomic changes occurring in MAP infections. Herein, we used experimentally MAP-inoculated heifer calves to identify biomarkers for MAP infections. At 2-weeks of age, 20 Holstein–Friesian (HF) calves were experimentally inoculated with MAP. These calves, along with 20 control calves, were sampled biweekly up to 13-months of age and then monthly up to 19-months of age. Sera were assessed using flow infusion electrospray high-resolution mass spectrometry (FIE-HRMS) on a Q Exactive hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer for high throughput, sensitive, non-targeted metabolite fingerprinting. Partial least squares-discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) discriminated between MAP-inoculated and control heifer calves. Out of 34 identified metabolites, six fatty acyls were able to differentiate between experimental groups throughout the study, including 8, 11, 14-eicosatrienoic acid and cis-8, 11, 14, 17-eicosatetraenoic acid which were also detected in our previous study and so further suggested their value as biomarkers for MAP infection. Pathway analysis highlighted the role of the alpha-linoleic acid and linoleic acid metabolism. Within these pathways, two broad types of response, with a rapid increase in some saturated fatty acids and some n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and later n-6 PUFAs, became predominant. This could indicate an initial anti-inflammatory colonisation phase, followed by an inflammatory phase. This study demonstrates the validity of the metabolomic approach in studying MAP infections. Nevertheless, further work is required to define further key events, particularly at a cell-specific level.

Pathogenesis of Crohn’s Disease

There was a time when “pathogenesis” meant the genesis of the pathology, patho plus genesis. Today, however, the word is used to introduce topics such as immunodysregulation, alterations in the microbiome, or an imbalance of the two, some sort of disconnect between the patient’s flora and the immune system of the gastrointestinal tract. Pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and etiopathogenesis seem to be buzzwords, introduced to catch the eye of the reader or the editor. Few who use those words have seen any “pathology” since second year medical school, or perhaps they have viewed biopsies of the surface but not cut sections of resection specimens. Dalziel was the first to describe Crohn’s disease. Pathologists, or groups of pathologists, elucidated the pathogenesis, often referring to the granulomas, the obstructed lymphatics of the wall and the edema. Dalziel called this disease “chronic interstitial enteritis”. Those writing about microflora, immune dysregulation, cytokine cascades, fibrosis, and mouse models would do well to study the early pathology that is the essence of Crohn’s disease.

Characterization and Analysis of the Temporal and Spatial Dynamic of Several Enteritis Modeling Methodologies.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a complex disease involving genetic, immune, and microbiological factors. A variety of animal models of IBD have been developed to study the pathogenesis of human IBD, but there is no model that can fully represent the complexity of IBD. In this study, we established two acute enteritis models by oral 3% DSS or intraperitoneal injection of anti-CD3 antibody, and two chronic enteritis models by feeding 3 cycles of 1.5% DSS or 3 months of the high-fat diet, respectively, and then examined the clinical parameters, histological changes, and cytokine expression profiles after the successful establishment of the models. Our results indicated that in 3% DSS-induced acute enteritis, the colorectal injury was significantly higher than that of the small intestine, while in anti-CD3 antibody-induced acute enteritis, the small intestine injury was significantly higher than that of colorectal damage. Besides, in the 1.5% DSS-induced chronic enteritis, the damage was mainly concentrated in the colorectal, while the damage caused by long-term HFD-induced chronic enteritis was more focused on the small intestine. Therefore, our work provides a reference for selecting appropriate models when conducting research on factors related to the pathogenesis of IBD or evaluating the potential diagnosis and treatment possibilities of pharmaceuticals.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Ascaridia columbae in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) and the assessment of its immunological responses

Parasitism is a divesting problem that is frequently overlooked and may result in severe prominent clinical manifestation. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal and sexual prevalence of the gastrointestinal nematode Ascaridia columbae (A. columbae) infection among domestic pigeons in Giza governorate, Egypt, during the period from 2020 to 2021. One hundred and sixty suspected pigeons were clinically investigated. Blood & tissue samples were collected from infected birds to estimate serum zinc concentration, malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide levels. As well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL1β) activity, and histopathological examination were estimated; also, worms were collected for morphological identification using electron microscope (SEM) and molecularly identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), further sequenced, and submitted in GenBank with accession number MZ343369. The average ascarid (length × breadth) were 72.4 ± 3.3 µm (70.5 – 79.9 µm) × 39.9 ± 2.5 µm (37.6 – 42.3 µm). The distinguishing morphological characteristics that have been noticed in ascarid worms were creamy white, cylindrical worm with triradiate lips with wide cephalic alae extending on both the lateral sides and filariform esophagus. In males, spicules were almost equal with the presence of precloacal chitinous-rimmed sucker. The prevalence of A. columbae infection was (63.1%) with a higher incidence in females (79.2%) than males (46.1%). The highest seasonal prevalence was observed in winter (92.5%), followed by summer and spring (87.5% and 55%), respectively while, the lowest prevalence was observed in autumn (17.5%). The intensity of worms in the infected intestine varied from 5 to 120 adult worms. The histopathological examination revealed the presence of chronic diffuse moderate catarrhal enteritis with roundworms in the lumen. Infected birds showed a significant increase in nitric oxide and MDA levels while serum zinc levels were lowered in infected pigeons. Infected pigeons revealed a marked increase in IL1-β and TNFα than apparently healthy ones.

An Escherichia coli carrier vaccine with surface-displayed protein MAP3061c elicits protective immunity against Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in mice

Johne's disease, or paratuberculosis, is a chronic granulomatous enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). This disease occurs worldwide and results in considerable economic losses in the livestock industry. There are no effective treatments for Johne's disease, so there is an urgent need to develop an efficient, economical, and stable vaccine for MAP control. Here, a live Escherichia coli (E. coli) surface display vaccine harboring the MAP3061c gene was developed through an ice nucleation protein (INP) surface display system. The experimental data demonstrated that MAP3061c has strong immunogenicity and that the surface displayed vaccine can stimulate mice to produce high levels of antibodies. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts as well as several cytokines – including IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17A and IL-23 – were significantly increased in the display vaccine group. Post-vaccination challenge with MAP in mice resulted in improved fitness of the mice as demonstrated by a lack of weight loss. Pathological results revealed that the surface display vaccine could reduce the degree of pathological damage and slowed the course of disease. Taken together, our data suggests that the E. coli carrier vaccine with surface-displayed MAP3061c elicits protective immunity against MAP, providing new insights into the development of a MAP vaccine.

Effect of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms in SLC11A1, ANKRA2, IFNG and PGLYRP1 genes on host susceptibility to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in Indian cattle.

Paratuberculosis (PTB) is a chronic infectious enteritis of ruminants, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) that brings huge economic loss to the dairy farmers. The study was conducted to explore the association of selected SNPs in IFNG, SLC11A1, ANKRA2 and PGLYRP1 genes with resistance to PTB disease in Indian cattle population. A case-control resource population was established based on the results of diagnostic tests used for detection of MAP infection status viz. ELISA, Johnin PPD test, faecal microscopy and IS900 blood PCR. The PCR-RFLP method was used for genotyping of SNPs. SNPs rs109453173 in SLC11A1, rs110853455 in IFNG and rs41933863 in ANKRA2 genes were significantly (P<0.05) associated with resistance to MAP infection. For SNP rs109453173, GG genotype and G allele was found to be associated with resistance against MAP infection than CC and CG genotypes and C allele, respectively. For SNP rs110853455, AG genotype was found to be associated with susceptibility to MAP infection than AA and GG genotype. For SNP rs41933863, the AG genotype provided three and six times more resistance against MAP infection than GG and AA genotype. The results of this study are suggestive of SNPs rs109453173, rs110853455 and rs41933863 as potential markers for screening MAP resistant cattle and a breeding programme favouring GG genotype and G allele for rs109453173, AG genotype for rs41933863 and against AG genotype for rs110853455 might confer resistance against MAP infection in Indian cattle. However, investigation of these SNPs in an independent and larger population will warrant the strength of association for resistance against MAP infection in cattle.

Application of the Actiphage® Assay to Detect Viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Cells in Fresh Sheep and Goat Milk and Previously Frozen Milk and In-Line Milk Filters.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is a well-known causative agent of paratuberculosis, a chronic infectious granulomatous enteritis of ruminants contributing to significant economic losses worldwide. Current conventional diagnostic tools are far from being sufficient to manage and control this disease. Therefore, increased attention has been paid to alternative approaches including phage-based assays employing lytic bacteriophage D29 to detect MAP cells. The aim of the present study was to assess the applicability and efficiency of the recently developed phage-based kit termed Actiphage® combined with IS900 real-time PCR (qPCR) for rapid detection and quantification of viable MAP in milk samples. We demonstrated that Actiphage® in combination with IS900 qPCR allows for rapid and sensitive detection and identification of viable MAP in milk samples with a limit of detection of 1 MAP per 50 ml milk. Using this method, the presence of viable MAP cells was successfully determined in 30.77% of fresh goat, sheep and cow milk samples originating from paratuberculosis-affected herds. We further used Actiphage assay to define the time-lapse aspect of testing naturally contaminated milk and milk filters frozen for various lengths of time by phage-based techniques. Viable MAP was detected in 13.04% of frozen milk samples and 28.57% of frozen milk filters using Actiphage-qPCR. The results suggest the ability to detect viable MAP in these samples following freezing for more than 1 year. The obtained results support the views of the beneficial role of this technology in the control or monitoring of paratuberculosis.

Identification of loci associated with pathological outcomes in Holstein cattle infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis using whole-genome sequence data

Bovine paratuberculosis (PTB), caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic granulomatous enteritis that affects cattle worldwide. According to their severity and extension, PTB-associated histological lesions have been classified into the following groups; focal, multifocal, and diffuse. It is unknown whether these lesions represent sequential stages or divergent outcomes. In the current study, the associations between host genetic and pathology were explored by genotyping 813 Spanish Holstein cows with no visible lesions (N = 373) and with focal (N = 371), multifocal (N = 33), and diffuse (N = 33) lesions in gut tissues and regional lymph nodes. DNA from peripheral blood samples of these animals was genotyped with the bovine EuroG MD Bead Chip, and the corresponding genotypes were imputed to whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data using the 1000 Bull genomes reference population. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using the WGS data and the presence or absence of each type of histological lesion in a case–control approach. A total of 192 and 92 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) defining 13 and 9 distinct quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were highly-associated (P ≤ 5 × 10−7) with the multifocal (heritability = 0.075) and the diffuse (heritability = 0.189) lesions, respectively. No overlap was seen in the SNPs controlling these distinct pathological outcomes. The identified QTLs overlapped with some QTLs previously associated with PTB susceptibility, bovine tuberculosis susceptibility, clinical mastitis, somatic cell score, bovine respiratory disease susceptibility, tick resistance, IgG level, and length of productive life. Pathway analysis with candidate genes overlapping the identified QTLs revealed a significant enrichment of the keratinization pathway and cholesterol metabolism in the animals with multifocal and diffuse lesions, respectively. To test whether the enrichment of SNP variants in candidate genes involved in the cholesterol metabolism was associated with the diffuse lesions; the levels of total cholesterol were measured in plasma samples of cattle with focal, multifocal, or diffuse lesions or with no visible lesions. Our results showed reduced levels of plasma cholesterol in cattle with diffuse lesions. Taken together, our findings suggested that the variation in MAP-associated pathological outcomes might be, in part, genetically determined and indicative of distinct host responses.

Analysis and Study on the Degradation of Sarfloxacin Hydrochloride by BiVO4 Synthetic Material

Difloxacin hydrochloride is commonly used in livestock and poultry chronic respiratory diseases, tracheitis, enteritis, pneumonia, avian cholera, Streptococcosis, typhoid and other diseases caused by sensitive bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus and Pasteurella multocida, especially for Chicken Colibacillosis, piglet red, yellow and white dysentery. The prepared BiVO4 synthetic material was used for photodegradation of the target degradation product of salfloxacin hydrochloride. The degradation rate of the sample to salfloxacin hydrochloride was 24.1%; The degradation rate of the composite sample (Polypyrrole/graphene oxide/bismuth vanadate) reached 75.57%. The degradation rate was 5 times that of BiVO4.

BIOMARKERS OF GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASE IN CHEETAHS (ACINONYX JUBATUS).

Gastrointestinal disease is a common clinical problem in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). It is reported that gastritis affects the vast majority of the captive population of cheetahs. Pancreatitis and acute and chronic enteritis have also been reported. These issues pose significant long-term health and welfare implications for cheetahs. Cobalamin, folate, methylmalonic acid (MMA), gastrin, feline pancreatic-specific lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI), and feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI) immunoassays are important biomarkers of gastrointestinal disease in domestic cats. The goal of this study was to determine if these immunoassays validated in domestic cats could be used clinically in cheetahs, by establishing reference intervals (RI) for these biomarkers in cheetahs. A cohort of 40 clinically healthy cheetahs was selected from three zoological institutions on the basis of being free of clinical gastrointestinal disease and extra-gastrointestinal disease that could affect biomarkers, as well as having banked frozen serum. Cheetah biomarker RI, with domestic cat RI for comparison in parentheses, are as follows: cobalamin 470-618 pg/ml (290-1500 pg/ml), folate 2.2-15.7 ng/ml (9.7-21.6 ng/ml), MMA 365-450 nM/L (139-897 nM/L), fPLI 0.5-1.2 µg/L (0-4 µg/L), and gastrin 30-50 pg/ml (<10-39.5 pg/ml). This study shows that RI for gastrointestinal biomarkers can be notably different, even between species that are as closely related as the domestic cat and the cheetah. Additionally, it was found that the fTLI assay does not cross-immunoreact with cheetahs. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of developing species-specific RI for biomarker assays and using caution when extrapolating RI from other species.

Goat Paratuberculosis: Experimental Model for the Evaluation of Mycobacterium Persistence in Raw Milk Cheese.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of chronic proliferative enteritis found in ruminants, known as paratuberculosis (PTB). The spread of PTB is increasing in countries with advanced animal husbandry practices, leading to significant economic losses. Moreover, a supposed zoonotic role of MAP in Crohn’s disease (CD) in humans has been discussed by the scientific community; however, although the association between MAP and CD has generally been accepted, it is still up for debate if MAP is the main cause of CD, a contributing factor, or merely a commensal organism for the development of CD. The aim of this study was to assess the survival of MAP during the entire production process of a traditional Italian goat’s raw milk fresh cheese, the “Robiola di Roccaverano”, assessing the survival rate and persistence of MAP in the final product. A mix of MAP field isolates from goats of the Roccaverano area and a reference ATCC strain were used to carry out milk in experimental inoculation. Samples of milk, curd and cheese were taken in two consecutive batches of production. Microbiological challenge tests, evaluated by f57-qPCR, showed a significant decrease in MAP charge during the cheesemaking process for both batches, suggesting the productive process has an impact on MAP survival.