Retroviral association with ovarian adenocarcinoma in laying hens.

The laying hen has been used as a model for ovarian adenocarcinoma (OAC) in women. Previous work has shown an association between expression of endogenous retroviral proteins and elevated envelope mRNA and occurrence of OAC in humans, but causality has not been demonstrated. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a similar association between retrovirus presence and OAC in a commercial laying hen flock at the University of Illinois Poultry Research facility with a history of a high OAC prevalence in older hens.

Temporal and spatial distribution of blastomycosis cases among humans and dogs in Illinois (2001-2007).

Objective: To compare the temporal and spatial distribution of cases of blastomycosis among humans and dogs in Illinois.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional survey.

Sample: Human and canine populations in Illinois from 2001 through 2007.

Determination of enrofloxacin stability and in vitro efficacy against Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in four ear cleaner solutions over a 28 day period.

Chemical stability and in vitro bactericidal efficacy of 0.9% enrofloxacin-compounded solutions were evaluated following storage at room temperature for 28 days. Chemical stability of enrofloxacin was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in five compounded solutions, including sterile water.

A public-policy practicum to address current issues in human, animal, and ecosystem health.

There are recognized needs for cross-training health professionals in human, animal, and ecosystem health and for public health policy to be informed by experts from medical, science, and social science disciplines. Faculty members of the Community Health and Preventive Medicine Section at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, have offered a public-policy course designed to meet those needs. The course was designed as a practicum to teach students the policy-making process through the development of policy proposals and to instruct students on how to effectively present accurate scientific, demographic, and statistical information to policy makers and to the public.

West Nile virus seroconversion in penguins after vaccination with a killed virus vaccine or a DNA vaccine.

To investigate the serologic response of penguins to West Nile virus (WNV) vaccines, four species of exclusively indoor-housed penguins, negative for WNV by serology, were evaluated: Humboldt (Spheniscus humboldti), Magellanic (Spheniscus magellanicus), Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua), and Rockhopper (Eudyptes chrysoscome) penguins. Birds were inoculated with either a killed virus vaccine or a plasmid-mediated DNA WNV vaccine, and postinoculation serology was evaluated. Both vaccines induced seroconversion in all four species, and no adverse reactions were noted.

Considerations when using discriminant function analysis of antimicrobial resistance profiles to identify sources of fecal contamination of surface water in Michigan.

The goals of this study were to (i) identify issues that affect the ability of discriminant function analysis (DA) of antimicrobial resistance profiles to differentiate sources of fecal contamination, (ii) test the accuracy of DA from a known-source library of fecal Escherichia coli isolates with isolates from environmental samples, and (iii) apply this DA to classify E. coli from surface water. A repeated cross-sectional study was used to collect fecal and environmental samples from Michigan livestock, wild geese, and surface water for bacterial isolation, identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using disk diffusion for 12 agents chosen for their importance in treating E.

Economic implications of bovine leukemia virus infection in mid-Atlantic dairy herds.

Objective: To determine the baseline costs of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection, including costs of clinical disease and subclinical infection, in a dairy herd representative of the mid-Atlantic region and compare these costs with the cost of a test-and-manage BLV control program.

Design: Stochastic spreadsheet model.

Sample Population: A commercial Holstein dairy herd with 100 milking cows.

Comparison of culling rates among dairy cows grouped on the basis of serologic status for bovine leukemia virus.

Objective: To determine the association between serologic status for bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and culling rates by use of survival times in a commercial Holstein dairy herd.

Design: Longitudinal study.

Animals: 593 milking cows.

The development and validation of a geographic information system database for the poultry industry on the Delmarva Peninsula.

A geographic information system (GIS) database of the poultry industry on the Delmarva Peninsula was developed through a cooperative agreement between the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. The purpose of this database was to facilitate disease surveillance and assist in managing the response to outbreaks and other emergencies.

Potential uses for geographic information system-based planning and decision support technology in intensive food animal production.

Although geographic information systems (GIS) have been used in many disciplines, the available technology in planning and decision support has only recently begun to be used in intensive animal production, in areas such as confined animal feeding operations. GIS-based planning and decision support systems have the potential to enhance many aspects of intensive animal production, such as disease monitoring and prevention, emergency management and nutrient waste disposal. Current uses of GIS in animal production are reviewed.

A survey of biosecurity practices as risk factors affecting broiler performance on the Delmarva Peninsula.

A 10-page questionnaire on biosecurity practices was mailed to 187 growers on the Delmarva Peninsula in October 2000. The growers were selected by three broiler integrators on the basis of flock performance and were classified as cases (bottom 10% performers) and controls (top 10% performers). After two mailings, 71 growers (38%) responded to the survey, of which 47 (66.