Coxiella burnetii: Serological reactions and bacterial shedding in primiparous dairy cows in an endemically infected herd-impact on milk yield and fertility.

Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) is the causative agent of Q fever both in humans and animals. The objectives of this study were to investigate seropositivity and bacterial shedding in heifers and primiparous cows in an endemically infected herd and to assess the effects on post-partum diseases, fertility and milk production. At the age of 9 months, 96 Holstein heifers were included. Sampling was performed reproduction-orientated: at the beginning of the study, at detection of first pregnancy, 3 weeks before expected calving date (blood serum), at parturition and after 21, 42, 100 and 150 days in milk (DIM) (blood serum, vaginal swabs and milk). Serum samples were investigated by a commercial ELISA for the presence of specific antibodies and vaginal swabs and milk samples by PCR to detect C. burnetii DNA. Individual animal data (calving ease, stillbirth, retained foetal membranes, puerperal metritis, endometritis after 42 DIM, presence of corpus luteum after 42 DIM, interval calving-first service, interval calving-conception, number of inseminations until 150 DIM, proportion of pregnant cows until 100 and 150 DIM, proportion of pregnant cows after first service and data of the dairy herd improvement test) were documented. All heifers were seronegative at the age of 9 months and 3 weeks before the expected calving date. Subsequently, the proportion of seropositive animals and the antibody score increased significantly towards 42 and 100 DIM, respectively. Vaginal C. burnetii shedding was highest at parturition (30.9%), while the most positive milk samples were detected after 100 DIM (15.3%). Coxiella burnetii seropositivity and shedding had no impact on parameters of reproduction. However, milk fat yield was declined in puerperal vaginal shedders and cows which seroconverted during their first 42 DIM, respectively.

[Cowpox virus infection in an alpaca (Vicugna pacos) - clinical symptoms, laboratory diagnostic findings and pathological changes]. / Kuhpockenvirusinfektion bei einem Alpaka (Vicugna pacos) - klinische Symptomatik, Diagnostik und pathologische Befunde.

Orthopoxvirus infections appear to be rare in South American Camelids, because only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Based on a generalized infection with cowpox virus in an alpaca, the clinical symptoms, laboratory diagnostic findings and the pathological changes are described. The case history showed a long treatment because of chronic skin lesions. The main clinical symptom was miliary papules over the entire skin. Furthermore, a bilateral mucopurulent conjunctivitis occurred as well as excessive salivation due to a severe erosive-ulcerative stomatitis. Although the animal received intensive treatment, it died 8 days after admission to the clinic. During necropsy, an erosive-ulcerative laryngitis as well as a necrotising pneumonia and lymphadenitis were observed. Histopathological examination of representative organ samples led to the diagnosis of a suspected orthopoxvirus infection. Electron microscopy and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of tissue samples confirmed this diagnosis. The virus could be isolated in tissue culture and a PCR with subsequent nucleotide sequencing identified cowpox virus as the causative agent for this generalised infection.

Herpesviral, but no papovaviral sequences, are detected in cloacal papillomas of parrots.

Internal papillomatosis of parrots (IPP) is a tumour disease with unknown etiology, characterised by progressive development of papillomas in the oral and cloacal mucosa. Based on epidemiologic data, infectious agents, particularly DNA tumour viruses, are considered to be involved. In this study, cloacal papillomas were investigated by PCR for the presence of herpesvirus, papillomavirus and avian polyomavirus genomes, respectively. Using consensus and specific primers, 5 out of 12 papillomas were tested positive for herpesvirus; all papillomas were tested negative for papillomavirus and avian polyomavirus. The DNA sequence of one of the PCR products showed 86.5% homology to the corresponding region of the psittacine herpesvirus 1 DNA polymerase gene. Using a PCR with primers based on this sequence, additional 4 papillomas were tested positive. By in situ hybridisation, herpesviral sequences were detected in epithelial cells of the papilloma, but not in surrounding tissues. As 75% of the tumours proved to be positive, these data suggest an involvement of a herpesvirus in the etiology of IPP; the distinct role, however, needs to be investigated.