Antifungal effects of the biological agent Pythium oligandrum observed in vitro.

Objectives Dermatophytosis, commonly known as ringworm, is a superficial fungal skin disease and zoonosis. Pythium oligandrum is a micromycete with mycoparasitic properties that is used in agriculture to control fungal infections on plants. Formulations containing P oligandrum were also developed for the treatment of dermatophytoses, but only a small number of case studies have been published.

Tick-borne encephalitis in dogs: application of "nested real-time RT-PCR" for intravital virus detection.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is a tick-transmitted virus causing disorders of the nervous system in humans, monkeys, dogs and horses (rarely). At present the detection of TBE infection in dogs is performed by confirmation of seroconversion in paired samples of serum in clinical practice. The intention of the study was the assessment of the possible application of nested real-time RT-PCR for detection of TBE virus in canine blood.

Combined exposure to cyanobacterial biomass, lead and the Newcastle virus enhances avian toxicity.

Under environmental conditions, wild birds can be exposed to multiple stressors including natural toxins, anthropogenic pollutants and infectious agents at the same time. This experimental study was successful in testing the hypothesis that adverse effects of cyanotoxins, heavy metals and a non-pathogenic immunological challenge combine to enhance avian toxicity. Mortality occurred in combined exposures to naturally occurring cyanobacterial biomass and lead shots, lead shots and Newcastle vaccination as well as in single lead shot exposure.

Stimulation of cell defense mechanism of bovine endometrium by temporal colonization with selected strains of lactobacilli.

The aim of the experiments was to assess the response to topical administration of selected live strains of lactobacilli of the cells responsible for the resistance of bovine endometrium. Experimental cows (n = 8) at 8 to 12 days of the estrous received one intrauterine dose of 20 ml of a suspension of lactobacilli in 1% glucose solution. Group I (n = 4) was treated with the strain Lactobacillus spp.

[An epizootiologic study of an outbreak of equine influenza in the Czech Republic in the fall of 1995].

A mild outbreak of acute respiratory infection was reported in racing horses in the fall of 1995. Four studs were investigated for the sources and routes of infection. In five horses from two herds, virus isolates were obtained which, in preliminary typing experiments, were identified as the influenza A/equi 2 virus.

Development of a disease control programme based on the use of an inactivated vaccine against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis.

Studies to investigate the efficacy of an inactivated vaccine against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) suggest that this vaccine can prevent the in utero infection of calves from experimentally infected dams. In an experimental herd the inactivated vaccine induced a humoral immune response in both seropositive and seronegative cattle and, after subsequent intratracheal infection with IBR (BHV-1) virus, prevented development of symptoms in the cows and protected their fetuses against infection. The calves were all healthy and were born at term.

[Detection of herpesvirus serum antibodies in red deer (Cervus elaphus) imported into the Czech Republic].

Antibodies reacting in the virus-neutralisation test with bovine herpesvirus (BHV-1), the causative agent of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), were demonstrated in a herd of red deer (Cervus elaphus) imported into the Czech Republic. Sera from the same collection were later tested against a homologous virus, termed herpesvirus cervidae 1 (HVC-1), isolated from red deer in Scotland. Out of 165 imported animals, antibodies to BHV-1 were found in 68% and to HVC-1 in 71% of the animals.

The efficacy of an inactivated IBR vaccine in the prevention of intra-uterine infection and its use in a disease-control programme.

The effects of administration of an established, inactivated IBR vaccine were studied in 30 cows from two herds (one seropositive and one seronegative). All acquired immunity which, after subsequent intratracheal infection with IBR virus, prevented development of symptoms in the cows and protected their foetuses against viral infection in utero. The calves were all healthy and were born at normal term.

Differentiation of Salmonella enteritidis and S. typhimurium by plasmid profile analysis and restriction endonuclease analysis of chromosomal DNA.

Infections with Salmonella enteritidis and S. typhimurium are frequent causes of food-borne diseases in man and are responsible for considerable economic losses in the poultry industry (Fantasia et al., 1991; Pohl et al.