Genome-wide association with footrot in hair and wool sheep.

Ovine footrot is an infectious disease with important contributions from and . Footrot is characterized by separation of the hoof from underlying tissue, and this causes severe lameness that negatively impacts animal wellbeing, growth, and profitability. Large economic losses result from lost production as well as treatment costs, and improved genetic tools to address footrot are a valuable long-term goal.

PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF ANAPLASMA INFECTIONS IN EASTERN MOOSE (ALCES ALCES AMERICANA) AND WINTER TICKS (DERMACENTOR ALBIPICTUS) IN MAINE, USA.

Eastern moose (Alces alces americana) are heavily parasitized by winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus), the dominant cause of increased calf mortality in the northeastern US. Although much work has focused on the direct negative effects of winter tick on moose, it remains unknown whether diseases transmitted by ticks may also affect moose health or pose a risk to other species. We explored the role that moose and winter ticks play in transmission of the tick-borne bacterial pathogens, Anaplasma spp.

Echinococcus in wild canids in Québec (Canada) and Maine (USA).

Zoonotic Echinococcus spp. cestodes (E. canadensis and E.

Avian oncogenesis induced by lymphoproliferative disease virus: a neglected or emerging retroviral pathogen?

Lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) is an exogenous oncogenic retrovirus that induces lymphoid tumors in some galliform species of birds. Historically, outbreaks of LPDV have been reported from Europe and Israel. Although the virus has previously never been detected in North America, herein we describe the widespread distribution, genetic diversity, pathogenesis, and evolution of LPDV in the United States.

Short communication: Dairy bedding type affects survival of Prototheca in vitro.

Protothecae are algal pathogens, capable of causing bovine mastitis, that are unresponsive to treatment; they are believed to have an environmental reservoir. The role of bedding management in control of protothecal mastitis has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the growth of either environmental or mastitis-associated Prototheca genotypes in dairy bedding materials that are commonly used in Maine.

An epizootic of eastern equine encephalitis virus, Maine, USA in 2009: outbreak description and entomological studies.

From July to September, 2009, an outbreak of eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEv) occurred in five counties in Maine. The virus was isolated from 15 horses, 1 llama, and pheasants in three separate captive flocks. One wild turkey, screened before translocation, also showed exposure to the virus in January 2010.

Safety of florfenicol in the adult lobster (Homarus americanus).

Aerococcus viridans, the causative agent of the disease gaffkemia, was a major cause of mortality in lobsters (Homarus americanus) held in tidal impoundments during the 1970s and 1980s. Despite reports of an increase in the mortality of lobsters during impoundment, and the widespread prophylactic use of oxytetracycline against A. viridans, this bacterium has not been detected in active disease surveillance of the Maine postcapture lobster population.

Heat shock protein 60 is the major antigen which stimulates delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in the macaque model of Chlamydia trachomatis salpingitis.

Chlamydial delayed-type hypersensitivity antigens were analyzed by using the subcutaneous salpingeal autotransplant model of Macaca nemestrina infected with Chlamydia trachomatis serovar E. Heat shock protein 60 was the only antigen shown to induce delayed-type hypersensitivity among other antigens tested, including UV-inactivated organisms, recombinant major outer membrane protein, purified outer membrane proteins, and heat shock protein 10.

Vaginal myeloperoxidase and flora in the pig-tailed macaque.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme in neutrophils and monocytes which reacts with H2O2 and chloride to kill microbes after phagocytosis. Instillation of MPO into the vagina may augment vaginal defenses against sexually transmitted diseases, since the normal vaginal flora is characterized by the presence of H2O2-producing lactobacilli. We assessed the menstrual cycle stage, vaginal flora, pH, macroscopic appearance, and endogenous MPO in the adult female pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) at baseline (n = 26; 60 observations) and at 0, 4, and 24 hours in untreated animals (n = 6) or in animals treated with intravaginal MPO gel at time 0 (n = 5).

Antibody response to the chlamydial heat-shock protein 60 in an experimental model of chronic pelvic inflammatory disease in monkeys (Macaca nemestrina).

A primate model of chlamydial pelvic inflammatory disease was used to characterize serum antibody responses to the 60 kDa chlamydial heat shock protein (CHSP60). Forty monkeys were infected in the fallopian tubes with Chlamydia trachomatis and then were treated. Twenty-three (58%) monkeys developed antibodies against CHSP60, of whom 6 (15%) had CHSP60 responses that persisted throughout the study and 17 (42.

Evidence of genetic susceptibility to Chlamydia trachomatis-induced pelvic inflammatory disease in the pig-tailed macaque.

The macaque model of chlamydial pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) demonstrates individual variability in the time of onset of intrapelvic adhesions. Some animals develop adhesions rapidly, within 2 weeks after a single tubal inoculation with Chlamydia trachomatis, while in others, adhesions are not observed until 2 weeks after a second tubal inoculation. To test whether this variability correlates with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I haplotype, we used macaque alloantisera and mouse anti-HLA monoclonal antibodies to determine the MHC class I haplotypes of 44 C.

Seminal collection, seminal characteristics and pattern of ejaculation in llamas.

Semen was collected from 10/10 llamas during 26/30 (87%) collection attempts using an artificial vagina mounted inside a surrogate female. For the 26 semen collections, the duration of copulation (mount to dismount) with the artificial vagina was 31.7 +/- 12.

Ejaculatory pattern of llamas during copulation.

The objective of this study was to use transrectal digital palpation of urethral pulses to define the ejaculatory pattern of llamas during copulation. Five male llamas were palpated during 5 to 6 copulations each with receptive female llamas (n = 28 copulations). The time from first exposure of a male to a female until mounting was 0.

Corpus luteal function in nonpregnant mares following intrauterine administration of prostaglandin E(2) or estradiol-17beta.

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that intrauterine administration of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) or estradiol-17beta (E-17beta) would prolong CL function in nonpregnant mares. Nonpregnant mares were continuously infused with 240 mug/d of PGE(2), 6 mug/d of E-17beta, or vehicle (sham-treated) on Days 10 to 16 post ovulation (ovulation = Day 0), using osmotic minipumps surgically placed into the uterine lumen on Day 10 (n = 11 per group). Nonpregnant and pregnant mares served as negative and positive controls, respectively (n = 11 per group).

Uterine transport of prostaglandin E(2)-releasing simulated embryonic vesicles in mares.

Transrectal ultrasonography was used to test the hypothesis that prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) would increase the uterine transport of simulated embryonic vesicles in mares. Uterine transport of PGE(2)-releasing (PGE) vesicles, vehicle-releasing (sham) vesicles, and equine embryos was contrasted on Day 12 or Day 13 post ovulation. In Experiment 1, there was no difference (P>0.

Distribution of bovine cysticercosis in Washington.

Data from slaughter plants (n = 3) and feedlots (n = 18) in eastern Washington were analyzed to characterize occurrence patterns of cysticercosis in Washington during 1984. Three concurrent peaks in cysticercosis rates (0.6/1,000 to 5/1,000 slaughtered cattle) were detected at 3 slaughter plants.