The relationship between serum cytokine profile and vitamin D in calves with neonatal diarrhea.

It is important to know the characteristics of the immunological response in newborn calf diarrhea, which is often caused by bacterial, viral and protozoal pathogens. Cytokinesare proteins that serve as chemical messengers to regulate theinnate and adaptive arms of theimmune response. Changes in circulatory cytokine levels provide valuable information for understanding the pathophysiological process and monitoring disease progression and inflammation. Vitamin D has important immunomodulatory effects, which include enhancing the innate immune system and inhibiting adaptative immune responses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum cytokine profile and vitamin D level in neonatal calves with diarrhea. The study population was comprised of 40 neonatal calves, 32 of which had diarrhea and 8 of which were healthy calves. The calves with diarrhea were allocated to four groups according to bacterial (Escherichia coli), viral (Rotavirus, Coronavirus) and protozoal (Cryptosporidium parvum) etiologies. Circulatory vitamin D metabolites (25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D) and cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13 and IL-17) in the calves were determined. There was no statistically significant difference among the groups in 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels were higher in Coronavirus and E. coli groups compared to the controls. Serum levels of all cytokines except for IL-13, were higher in E. coli group than those of the control group. As a result, differences in serum cytokines and vitamin D levels according to etiological factors in calf diarrhea indicate that vitamin D may play a role in the immune response in the disease.

Increased Circulatory Extrarenal 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 in Bilaterally Nephrectomized Rats.

BACKGROUND: Extrarenal 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-D) locally produced by immune cells plays crucial roles in the regulation of the immune system. However, in vivo status of extrarenal 1,25-D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-D) in acute inflammatory conditions are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the extrarenal 1,25-D level in circulation in bilaterally nephrectomized rats, induced by low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS: Renal 1,25-D synthesis was terminated through bilateral nephrectomy in rats. The rats received intraperitoneal LPS (50 µg/kg BW) three times and the experiment was ended 24 hours after nephrectomy. Serum 1,25-D, 25-D, calcium, phosphorus, intact parathyroid hormone, and calcitonin levels were measured and immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the sources of extrarenal 1,25- D synthesis. RESULTS: Circulatory 1,25-D concentration remarkably increased in both LPS-treated and non-treated bilaterally nephrectomized rats. Elevated circulatory 1,25-D did not have hypercalcemic endocrinal effects. The increased 1,25-D level also resulted in a concurrent rapid and dramatic depletion of circulatory 25-D. CONCLUSION: Extrarenal 1,25-D could enter into the systemic circulation and, therefore, might have systemic effects besides its autocrine and paracrine functions.

Case report: systemic tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis in a cat.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of previous cases of feline tuberculosis in Turkey has been made based solely on pathological changes without isolation of the causative agent. This case report details the first case of feline tuberculosis in Turkey for which the causative agent (Mycobacterium bovis) was confirmed with microbiological isolation, morphological evaluation, molecular (PCR) characterization and antibiotic sensitivity. CASE PRESENTATION: Systemic tuberculosis was diagnosed via postmortem examination of a 5-year-old stray male cat. Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from the lungs, bronchial and gastrointestinal lymph nodes, kidney and liver. The isolate was defined as M. bovis using the Genotype MTBC assay (Hain Lifescience, Germany), which allows differentiation of species within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex with an easy-to-perform reverse hybridization assay. Pathological changes were characterized by multifocal to coalescing granulomatous inflammation in the lungs, liver, lymph nodes and kidneys. Further pathological changes included severe, diffuse, hepatocytic atrophy, periportal fibrosis with lymphohistiocytic infiltration, multifocal lymphohistiocytic interstitial nephritis, mild focal pulmonary anthracosis and mild renal and hepatic amyloidosis. Infection by immunosuppressive viral pathogens including feline herpes virus-1, feline immunodeficiency virus and feline parvovirus virus were ruled out by polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR). The isolated mycobacteria were susceptible to isoniazid, ethambutol, rifampicin or streptomycin. CONCLUSION: Disseminated M. bovis is a rare infection in cats. Involvement of submandibular lymph nodes suggested that primary transmission might have been the oral route in the present case.

Serum iron as an indicator of acute inflammation in cattle.

The aim of this study was to assess the value of serum iron concentration in the diagnosis of acute inflammation in cattle. The diagnostic value of this approach was compared with that of various other hematological tests, including commonly used techniques that measure the levels of various other acute-phase proteins. The study population comprised 10 cows with acute traumatic reticuloperitonitis (RPT group) and 10 cows with acute mastitis (mastitis group) admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Firat University (Elazig, Turkey). Ten cows from local barns, kept and fed under same conditions as the diseased animals, were used as controls. After the clinical examination, blood samples were collected for biochemical, hematological, and acute-phase protein (haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, α-1 acid glycoprotein, and fibrinogen) analyses. The mean levels of serum iron in the RPT, mastitis, and control groups were 6.00, 7.82, and 26.78 µmol/L, respectively. Serum iron level was significantly reduced in the RPT and mastitis groups. The results of this study indicate that serum iron analysis, preferably in combination with other markers of inflammation, may be a useful diagnostic tool for acute inflammation in cattle. Because serum iron measurement is individually available and easily applicable, it may be used for clinical cases as well as the determination of herd health.

Increased plasma cardiac troponin I concentration in lambs with myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a blood biomarker of myocardial injury. A human cTnI assay may be useful for measuring cTnI concentrations in lambs with naturally occurring myocarditis. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to evaluate the utility of a commercially available human chemiluminescent microparticle cTnI immunoassay for measuring plasma cTnI concentrations in lambs with naturally occurring myocarditis from infection with foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV), and to determine cTnI expression in cardiac muscle of affected lambs. METHODS: Ten lambs with myocarditis and 10 clinically healthy lambs (control group) were included. Clinical signs, gross and histologic necropsy findings, and immunoreactivity for cTnI in cardiac tissue were evaluated. Plasma cTnI concentration was determined using the commercial human immunoassay system. RESULTS: All lambs with myocarditis died within 1 day of clinical signs. Infection with FMDV was confirmed by PCR analysis. Gross cardiac lesions were evident and histologic examination revealed myocarditis. Immunoreactivity for cTnI was absent in cardiac myocytes that were degenerative or necrotic, but was strong in cardiac myocytes from unaffected areas of the myocardium and in all cardiac myocytes of healthy lambs. The geometric mean plasma concentrations of cTnI for lambs in the myocarditis and control groups were 146.78 µg/L (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.90-348.06) and 0.013 µg/L (95% CI, 0.010-0.017), respectively (t-value 19.27; P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: A commercial human cTnI assay may be used to detect plasma cTnI concentrations in sheep, and cTnI may be used as a blood-based biomarker of myocarditis in this species.

Vitamin D status in cattle with malignant catarrhal fever.

The aim of the present study was to determine the vitamin D status in cattle with malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). Twelve cattle diagnosed as MCF and 6 healthy cattle (controls) were used in the study. Serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25-D), 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25-D), calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were determined as 96.83 pg/ml, 30.0 ng/ml, 2.19 mmol/l, 1.57 mmol/l and 15.21 pg/ml in MCF group and 42.33 pg/ml, 37.0 ng/ml, 2.43 mmol/l, 1.96 mmol/l and 36.08 pg/ml in controls, respectively. Although serum 1,25-D level in the MCF group was increased (P<0.01), serum calcium (P<0.01) and PTH (P<0.05) levels were decreased compared to the controls. The results suggest that there might be an interaction between vitamin D status and MCF.

Thiamine status of feedlot cattle fed a high-concentrate diet.

As thiamine status of ruminants is adversely affected by rumen acidity, this study investigated whether or not thiamine deficiency occurs in feedlot cattle fed a high concentrate diet. Fifty 1- to 2-year-old feedlot cattle fed a high concentrate diet (75% barley) for at least 3 mo (high concentrate diet group) and 15 healthy feedlot cattle of similar ages (control group) that were fed a low concentrate diet (30% barley) were used. Rumen fluid samples were obtained by rumenocentesis and their pH was determined with a portable pH meter. Blood samples taken from all animals from a jugular vein were used to determine erythrocyte transketolase enzyme activity, and hence thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) effect. Odor and mean pH values of ruminal fluid samples from the high concentrate diet and control group were acidic (pH 5.3) and aromatic (pH 6.1), respectively. The mean TPP effect % in the high concentrate diet group (47.2 ± 3.2) was significantly higher than in the control group (19.53 ± 2.5) (P < 0.001). The study provides evidence of a TPP effect in feedlot cattle fed a high concentrate diet.

Hemorrhagic syndrome-like disease in calves with bovine viral diarrhea and mucosal disease complex.

BACKGROUND: Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection is one of the causes of hemorrhagic diathesis in cattle but there have been limited field studies about that condition. HYPOTHESIS: To identify the cause of hemorrhagic diathesis in calves and describe its clinical findings. ANIMALS: Five calves from a farm with 150 dairy cows. METHODS: Clinical examination of the calves was performed. After blood samples were obtained from 2 calves, whole blood, sera, and leukocyte samples were used for hematologic and hemostatic examinations, neutralization tests, virus isolation, and viral genome sequencing. RESULTS: The calves had moderate pyrexia, dullness, serous or mucous nasal discharge, and petechial and ecchymotic hemorrhages on mucosal surfaces. Severe thrombocytopenia and anemia were identified on hematologic examinations. All calves died within 10 days of the onset of clinical signs. Virologic examinations identified BVDV as the causative agent of the disease. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: This paper identifies a hemorrhagic syndrome-like disease in calves with bovine viral diarrhea and mucosal disease complex in Turkey.