Tactical treatment with copper oxide wire particles and symptomatic levamisole treatment using the FAMACHA(©) system in indigenous goats in South Africa.

Haemonchosis is considered to be the most economically important gastrointestinal disease of small ruminants in the tropics and subtropics. However, chemical anthelmintics, which were the mainstay of control, have been compromised by a high prevalence of resistance worldwide. Copper oxide wire particles (COWP) have been shown to have anthelmintic effects, but few studies have examined their use under field conditions. The use of COWP was therefore evaluated as a tactical anthelmintic treatment in indigenous goats raised under communal farming conditions in Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. At the beginning of the summer rainfall season (October 2007), the faecal egg counts of 172 female goats belonging to 15 farmers were determined and this sampling continued every four weeks until the second week of January 2008. The goats within each of the 15 herds were ranked according to their faecal egg counts for this week. The goats were sequentially paired off within each ranking starting with those goats with the highest counts. One goat from each pair was randomly allocated to a treated or control group. Two weeks later, a 4 g COWP bolus was randomly administered to each goat in the treated group. Faecal egg counts were carried out on the goats two weeks following treatment, and the sampling of the goats then proceeded every four weeks until October 2008. Except for the six-week period prior to the administration of the COWP, the goats were examined according to the FAMACHA(©) system and symptomatically treated with 12 mg/kg levamisole when anaemic. The percentage reduction in faecal egg count due to the COWP treatment was 89.0%. Mean pre- and post-treatment faecal egg counts for the COWP-treated group (n=73) were 2347 eggs per gram of faeces (epg) and 264 epg, respectively. The corresponding values for the untreated controls (n=66) were 2652 epg and 2709 epg. The prevalence of Haemonchus spp. larvae in pre- and post-treatment faecal cultures was 72% and 46%, respectively. Symptomatic anthelmintic treatments in combination with mid-summer tactical treatments with COWP appear to be useful strategies for the control of Haemonchus contortus in indigenous goats in this farming system and this approach could have application in other similar agro-ecological zones.

Benefits of urea-molasses block supplementation and symptomatic and tactical anthelmintic treatments of communally grazed indigenous goats in the Bulwer area, Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

This study was carried out with the cooperation of farmers owning communally grazed indigenous goats in southwestern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, where farmers had identified poor reproductive performance in their herds as one of their major problems. The aim was to quantify the effects of 3 interventions and the interaction between these interventions on goat productivity and gastrointestinal nematode infection. The interventions were: urea-molasses block supplementation during the dry winter seasons of 2004 and 2005, tactical anthelmintic treatment with ivermectin (400 microg/kg) during the wet summer period (on 3 January 2005) and symptomatic treatment with ivermectin (400 microg/kg) of all goats judged anaemic throughout the entire study period. The FAMACHA system was used as a gauge of anaemia. It was noted that goats considered anaemic tended to remain so throughout the study period. The tactical anthelmintic treatment was effective as it markedly reduced (P = 0.066) the summer peak in faecal egg counts and is therefore recommended. By contrast, while the urea-molasses block supplementation appeared to reduce the faecal egg counts immediately following the 2004 supplementation (P < 0.05), this did not hold true in 2005. Interestingly, in the tactically treated anaemic goats, the improvement in the number of kids suckled per doe year-on-year tended to be greater than in the non-anaemic goats. It is considered that the routine symptomatic treatment of anaemic goats may have been a key factor. More detailed investigations into the routine symptomatic treatment of anaemic goats are therefore recommended.

Incidence of Haemonchus spp. and effect on haematocrit and eye colour in goats farmed under resource-poor conditions in South Africa.

The diversity and predominance of nematode genera in goats of resource-poor farmers at Rust de Winter, Gauteng Province, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal Province, and Kraaipan, North-West Province, South Africa, was determined by means of a longitudinal study of the nematode faecal egg counts (FECs) and differential third-stage nematode larvae. The animals were bled for haematocrit determination and scored for pallor of ocular mucous membranes using the FAMACHA( Copyright) method, an assay for clinical evaluation of anaemia caused by Haemonchus spp. Animals considered to be in danger of dying from anaemia caused by haemonchosis were selectively treated with an anthelmintic. Lower haematocrit values were registered during periods of heavier Haemonchus infection, which occurred from December/January to March for Rust de Winter; from December to March/April for Impendle; and from November/December to February or April for Kraaipan. There was agreement too between the lower haematocrits and paler mucous membranes scored according to the FAMACHA( Copyright) method. The use of this system may be recommended as part of an integrated approach to worm control in goats kept in the resource-poor areas studied.

Macromineral composition of kikuyu herbage relative to the requirements of ruminants.

A 2-year study was conducted to determine the macromineral status of kikuyu grass pastures growing on representative soils in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Herbage samples were collected at 25 to 35 day intervals during the growing season from 12 rotationally-grazed camps located on 3 sites. Seasonal mean herbage Ca and P concentrations were within the ranges 0.22 to 0.33% and 0.27 to 0.39%, respectively, while seasonal mean Ca:P ratios ranged from 1.1:1 to 0.63:1. Calcium concentrations and the Ca:P ratios were lowest in the midsummer months, while P concentrations increased in midsummer. In terms of the requirements of various classes of sheep and cattle, Ca concentrations and Ca:P ratios were frequently well below published critical limits. This finding, coupled with reports of kikuyu containing high levels of oxalate which reduce Ca absorption by ruminants, implies a major Ca insufficiency for animals pastured on kikuyu. Herbage Mg concentrations (seasonal mean range: 0.25 to 0.35%) were adequate in terms of the requirements of most classes of ruminants; however, K concentrations (seasonal mean range: 2.64 to 4.46%) were well in excess of animal requirements, and Mg absorption could be severely inhibited by the oversupply of K. In most camps the K:Ca+Mg ratio exceeded the reported safety threshold for grazing animals of 2.2, suggesting a high hypomagnesaemic tetany potential for animals on kikuyu pastures. Sodium concentrations in kikuyu were found to be largely inadequate in terms of animal requirements.

Gadolinium ring enhancement and mass effect in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

A 9-year-old boy presented with a subacute history of optic neuritis followed by brainstem involvement, with fever and a lymphocytic pleocytosis in the cerebrospinal fluid. Gadolinium-enhancing ring lesions were demonstrated in the white matter of the cerebrum, brain-stem and cerebellum on day 17 of the illness, all appearing simultaneously as part of a monophasic illness. A parietal lesion exerted mass effect. Needling and biopsy yielded no evidence of a pyogenic lesion, tumour or tuberculosis and showed vasculitis. There was insufficient material for myelin staining. Dexamethasone therapy lead to rapid improvement of the radiological lesions: MRI and CT on day 34 of the illness showed complete clearing of the lesions except for residual abnormality at the biopsy site.

The influence of film processing temperature and time on mammographic image quality.

High image quality and low radiation levels are essential in mammography. This study investigates the effect of changes in processor temperatures and developing times on sensitometric findings. These findings were matched with the changes in the image quality during similar changes in the developing parameters. Temperatures ranging between 35 degrees C and 40 degrees C and developing times from 20 s and 50 s were investigated. Higher developing temperatures and increased developing times resulted in an increase in film speed and film contrast. A definite pattern of change could be demonstrated in film speed and film contrast during sensitometry. The same pattern of change could, however, not be demonstrated in the quality of phantom images under similar circumstances. The base plus fog level was not adversely affected. Sensitometric findings of film speed can be effectively used as an indicator of radiation exposure to the patient, but cannot be used to establish the developing parameters that will give the best image quality. Both these methods should be used to determine which processing variables should be used to obtain a combination of the best image with radiation as low as possible. Recommendations for optimum processing parameters are made for the films and processing chemistry investigated.

Response to selenium supplementation of sheep grazing cultivated pastures in the Natal Midlands.

The response to selenium supplementation of sheep grazing cultivated pastures was investigated on different farms in the Natal Midlands, Republic of South Africa. Over a period of one year, a significant (P < 0.01) improvement of 18.2% in live mass gain and of 13.7 and 15.8% (P < 0.05) in greasy and clean wool production, respectively, was measured in response to selenium supplementation in young ewes at the Cedara Research Station. In ewes injected with a long-acting barium selenate product, the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the erythrocytes was maintained at elevated levels, above that of the control group, for almost 2 years. On 6 private farms, mature ewes were dosed approximately 6 weeks before mating, with a long-acting intraruminal selenium pellet. On 2 of the farms, a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in fertility of ewes was observed with no response to supplementation in the birth mass, lamb growth rate, or in lamb mortality. The long-acting pellets maintained elevated erythrocyte GSH-Px activity in the ewes for approximately one year. Although sheep on some farms in the Natal Midlands responded to selenium supplementation, it seems advisable to establish the selenium status of a flock before embarking on a supplementation programme. The risk of an excessive selenium intake, through the inadvertent supplying of selenium in different feed sources, has been demonstrated and should be guarded against.

Computed tomography in severe protein energy malnutrition.

Computed tomography of the brain was performed on eight children aged 1 to 4 years with severe protein energy malnutrition. Clinical features typical of kwashiorkor were present in all the children studied. Severe cerebral atrophy or brain shrinkage according to standard radiological criteria was present in every case. The findings of this study suggest considerable cerebral insult associated with severe protein energy malnutrition.

Computed tomography in tuberculosis of the spine.

In a study of the CT appearance of 30 patients with confirmed tuberculosis of the spine, criteria for the diagnosis of tuberculosis of the spine are suggested. From a comparison with plain radiographs it is concluded that bony lesions are more apparent on radiographs than on CT while soft tissue lesions and calcifications are more readily detected on CT. The value of CT in cases who may come to surgery is discussed.

The 'padlock sign' in computed tomography of the head.

In computed tomography (CT) of the head, some lesions may enhance after intravenous injection of contrast material as semisolid or semicystic lesions resembling a padlock. Thirty-five patients whose scans showed padlock-shaped enhancement patterns were followed up and proved to have the following: 12 gliomas, 9 abscesses, 8 metastases, 3 tuberculomas, 1 craniopharyngioma, 1 meningioma and 1 cystic prolactinoma. The sign is probably caused by excentric cavitation in a solid lesion, or partial-volume averaging of the capsule in an irregularly shaped cystic lesion.