Michał Czopowicz | Warsaw University of Life Sciences (original) (raw)

Papers by Michał Czopowicz

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica, Jan 2, 2017

Haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are considered as the major acute phase proteins (APPs... more Haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are considered as the major acute phase proteins (APPs) in goats. These APPs have been investigated in several studies during the last decade. In most studies, a colorimetric assay for Hp and a solid phase sandwich ELISA for SAA have been used for quantification. In 2015, reference intervals for APPs were determined using a new type of assay, the competitive ELISA (cELISA). Results obtained by the cELISA differed significantly from results obtained by previously used assays. The present study aimed to assess the agreement between so far used assays and cELISAs. Sera of 152 female dairy goats of two Polish national breeds were analysed. The concentration of Hp was determined using a colorimetric assay (Hp-CA) and the cELISA (Hp-cELISA), while a solid phase sandwich ELISA (SAA-sELISA) and the cELISA (SAA-cELISA) were used to measure SAA. Agreement between test results was assessed by preparing Bland-Altman plots, and analyzing 95% limits of a...

BMC veterinary research, Jan 7, 2017

Equine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies ... more Equine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies as well as economic issues associated with potential decrease in value of affected horses. The scale of the problem is significant but difficult to precisely define because epidemiological data is limited and lacks consistency in presentation. To date, no retrospective studies specifically investigating Arabian horses have been published. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of ocular lesions and define the ocular diseases present in Arabian horses from breeding farms in Poland. Clinical and ophthalmic examination of 615 Arabian horses at Polish breeding farms (15% of Arabian population in Poland) were performed and medical history from the previous 5 years was analyzed. Data was obtained from review of veterinary archives and epidemiological interview of the resident veterinarian at each farm. The prevalence of ocular diseases was 9.75%. The following ...

PloS one, 2018

Cytology is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive method used for pre-operative diagnosis of canine ma... more Cytology is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive method used for pre-operative diagnosis of canine mammary tumors (CMTs) in veterinary practice. Studies related to human breast cancer showed the Robinson's grading system-established for invasive ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified (IDC, NOS) and used on cytological material-to not only closely correspond to the histopathological grading but also be helpful in assessing prognosis and selecting most suitable treatments before surgery. The objectives of this study were: to evaluate the accuracy of cytological diagnosis and cytological Robinson's grading system compared to the histopathological examination of CMTs; to compare of cytological features and cytomorphometric parameters with tumor behavior, as well as cytological and histological grading; and to determine an association of the Robinson's grading system and cytological background details with metastases, and patients' survival. We report substantial diagnosti...

Annals of parasitology

Fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test with albendazole and egg hatch test (EHT) with thiabendazol... more Fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test with albendazole and egg hatch test (EHT) with thiabendazole (TBZ) were performed in a dairy goat herd suspected of anthelmintic resistance to benzimidazoles. The herd had been regularly dewormed with fenbendazole for 5 previous years and despite that it remained infected with several species of gastrointestinal nematodes (Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Teladorsagia circumcincta, and Haemonchus contortus). Albendazole was administered per os at dose of 20 mg/kg to 10 goats (treated group), while 10 other goats remained untreated (control group). Fecal egg count (FEC) was determined using McMaster egg counting method before and 7 days after the treatment in the treated group, and once (at the latter moment) in the control group. EHT was performed on the pooled rectal sample collected from treated goats. EHT comprised the negative control and 7 consecutive concentrations of TBZ (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 μg/ml) according to the standard ...

Research in veterinary science, 2018

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on heart diameters and function in goats. Tra... more The study aimed to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on heart diameters and function in goats. Transthoracic echocardiography of 12 female dairy goats of two Polish regional breeds was performed. A Mindray M7 diagnostic ultrasound system with Phased Array transducer was used. Simultaneously, electrocardiography was recorded. All animals were examined four times - at mating season, at the end of the first trimester, at the end of the second trimester and just before kidding. Eleven measurements were taken each time: aortic and left atrial diameter (AoD and LAD), right and left ventricular internal diameter in diastole (RVIDd and LVIDd), left ventricular internal diameter in systole (LVIDs), inter-ventricular septum thickness in diastole and systole (IVSd and IVSd) and left ventricular posterior wall in diastole and systole (LVPWd and LVPWs), maximum left and right ventricular outflow tract velocity (RVOT Vmax and LVOT Vmax). Nine consecutive measurements were derived: the ratio of the...

Veterinary parasitology, Jan 30, 2018

In adult cattle Fasciola hepatica infection usually follows a chronic subclinical course, and red... more In adult cattle Fasciola hepatica infection usually follows a chronic subclinical course, and reduces both the milk yield and milk quality, resulting in considerable financial losses. Effective control of the disease is based on reliable identification of asymptomatically infected individuals, which now requires special parasitological or serological diagnostic tests. It is also known that F. hepatica infection induces alterations in some serum biochemical parameters. Therefore, the study was conducted to develop a model based on serum biochemical parameters allowing to identify cows at higher risk of chronic fascioliasis. Six hundred sixty eight adult dairy cows from 97 herds located in central and northeastern Poland were clinically examined, and blood and fecal samples from them were collected for a routine monitoring of fascioliasis and metabolic profile. Using the combination of fecal sedimentation test and indirect ELISA based on excretory/secretory products 203 cows, apparent...

BMC veterinary research, Jan 17, 2018

Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi infections are widespread in cattle population of Euro... more Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi infections are widespread in cattle population of Europe, however data on their prevalence in Poland are only fragmentary. Therefore, the cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the herd-level seroprevalence of F. hepatica and O. ostertagi infection in dairy cattle population in the central and north-eastern provinces Poland, and to identify basic local risk factors for these infections. In total, 598 herds were enrolled, 394 (65.9%) in the north-eastern province and 204 (34.1%) in the central province. In each herd the questionnaire survey was conducted and bulk-tank milk (BTM) sample was collected and screened using two indirect immunoenzymatic tests. Optical density ratio (ODR) was regarded as the quantitative proxy of exposure to either of the two parasites. Both Fasciola and Ostertagia ELISA ODR in the north-eastern province was significantly higher than ODR in the central province. At the cut-off value of ODR = 0.27 the tru...

PloS one, 2018

Arterial blood pressure (BP) can be measured directly using an invasive intra-arterial method. Th... more Arterial blood pressure (BP) can be measured directly using an invasive intra-arterial method. This method is considered a gold standard, however it is potentially hazardous and requires expensive equipment and professional skills. Therefore, two non-invasive methods-Doppler ultrasonic sphygmomanometry and oscillometry-have been introduced in veterinary medicine. Their accuracy has so far been reliably evaluated in various animal species, however only one study included a small group of goats. Therefore, we carried out a large-scale study which aimed to evaluate agreement between the two non-invasive methods and invasive intra-arterial BP measurement in anesthetized goats at various age. The study included 122 goats of two Polish local breeds (Polish White Improved and Polish Fawn Improved): 67 adult females, 35 adult males, and 20 two-month-old female kids. Goats were anesthetized with the intravenous mixture of xylazine and ketamine. BP was measured simultaneously with the three m...

Animal science journal = Nihon chikusan Gakkaiho, Jan 6, 2018

We carried out this study to determine for how long small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV)-specific ant... more We carried out this study to determine for how long small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV)-specific antibodies can be detected by three commercial ELISA kits in goat kids after suckling infected does in field conditions. Forty-one kids born to SRLV-seropositive asymptomatic does were blood sampled prior to colostrum consumption, and then weekly for 6 months in total. The sera were screened with three commercial ELISA kits: whole-virus ELISA (wELISA), recombinant transmembrane and capsid antigen ELISA (TM/CA-ELISA), and surface antigen ELISA (SU-ELISA). All but one kid were seronegative in all three ELISAs right after birth. At the age of 1 week all kids turned seropositive in wELISA, 39 kids (95%) in TM/CA-ELISA, and 35 kids (85%) in SU-ELISA. All seropositive kids turned seronegative in wELISA by the 15th week, and in SU-ELISA by the 19th week (median of 8 weeks in both ELISA), whereas in TM/CA-ELISA five kids (13% of 39 initially seropositive) were still seropositive at the age of 6 mon...

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

Mycobacterium spp. and Rhodococcus equi are generally regarded as the main causes of lymphadeniti... more Mycobacterium spp. and Rhodococcus equi are generally regarded as the main causes of lymphadenitis in pigs and wild boars. In Poland, mycobacterial submandibular lymphadenitis was first diagnosed in a wild boar in 2012 but Mycobacterium spp. infections are also present in the Polish population of European bison (Bison bonasus). The prevalence of lymphadenitis in Polish wild boars has been found to 8.4% (95% CI 6.2-11.3%) and it has been proved that R. equi is not an important cause of purulent lesions in these animals. The current study was carried out to assess the prevalence of mycobacterial lymphadenitis in the Polish wild boar population. Submandibular lymph nodes with purulent lesions collected from 38 wild boars in 2010/2011 and negative for R. equi were included. Calculations based on the hypergeometric approximation were used to determine the probability that at least one positive individual would be detected if the infection had been present at a prevalence greater than or equal to the design prevalence. All 38 samples were negative for Mycobacterium spp. [0% (95% CI 0, 9.2%)]. Epidemiological analysis showed that the true prevalence was 95% likely to be lower than 10%. In conclusion, mycobacterial lymphadenitis seems to occur rarely in wild boars in Poland. Due to the presence of Mycobacterium spp. infections in other wildlife, the surveillance of mycobacterial infections in wild animals in Poland remains an important issue.

Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation

We documented changes in serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) concentration in goats during... more We documented changes in serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) concentration in goats during pregnancy, as measured by competitive ELISAs. Fifteen does (pregnant group) and 20 castrated males (control group) were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected on the same day from all 35 goats, 7 times throughout the study period: at mating, then once every month, during the week preceding kidding, and 1 mo after kidding. Baseline SAA and Hp concentrations at mating were identical in the 2 groups. In the pregnant group, SAA concentration rose significantly in the second month and remained elevated until the end of pregnancy, with the peak concentration at kidding. In the control group, SAA concentration remained unchanged compared to the baseline concentration throughout the study. SAA concentration was significantly higher in the pregnant than control group only at the end of the fourth month of pregnancy and at kidding. Hp concentration did not change during pregnancy or between groups. SAA concentration at kidding was affected only by parity of does - it was highest in does in the third and fourth pregnancy and gradually lower in older does.

Preventive Veterinary Medicine

The study was conducted to evaluate influence of the true within-herd prevalence of small ruminan... more The study was conducted to evaluate influence of the true within-herd prevalence of small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection on agreement beyond chance between three different types of commercial serological ELISAs. Blood samples were collected from 865 goats from 12 dairy goat herds. Serum samples were tested using three commercial ELISA kits: whole-virus indirect ELISA (wELISA), indirect ELISA based on recombined TM and CA antigens (TM/CA-ELISA), and competitive-inhibition ELISA based on SU antigen (SU-ELISA). Herds were classed into three prevalence strata of high (>50%), moderate (10-50%) and low (<10%) true within-herd prevalence of SRLV infection. The latter was estimated on the basis of results of wELISA adjusted by its sensitivity and specificity. Agreement beyond chance between the three ELISAs was assessed at two levels. First, the general agreement was determined using two coefficients corrected for chance-agreement: Cohen's kappa and Gwet's AC. Then, agreement between tests was evaluated using Gwet's AC separately in the three prevalence strata and compared between them by computing 95% confidence intervals for differences with a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. The general agreement between the three tests was very good: wELISA and TM/CA-ELISA - Cohen's kappa of 81.8% (CI 95%: 77.9% to 85.7%), Gwet's AC of 82.7% (CI 95%: 79.0% to 86.4%); wELISA and SU-ELISA - Cohen's kappa of 83.2% (CI 95%: 79.4% to 86.9%), Gwet's AC of 83.9% (CI 95%: 80.4% to 87.5%); TM/CA-ELISA and SU-ELISA - Cohen's kappa of 86.0% (CI 95%: 82.6% to 89.5%), Gwet's AC of 86.9% (CI 95%: 83.6% to 90.1%). However, agreement between ELISAs was significantly related to the within-herd true prevalence - it was significantly lower (although still high) when within-herd true prevalence was moderate (Gwet's AC between 67.2% and 78.7%), whereas remained very high, when true within-herd prevalence was either >50% (Gwet's AC between 91.9% and 98.8%) or <10% (Gwet's AC between 94.7% and 98.4%). Concluding, the three different commercial ELISAs for SRLV infection in goats available on the market yield highly consistent results. However, their agreement is affected by the true within-herd prevalence in a tested population, and the worse (although still high) agreement should be expected, when the percentage of infected goats is moderate.

PLOS ONE

To determine references intervals for echocardiographic measurements in adult dairy goats. 125 cl... more To determine references intervals for echocardiographic measurements in adult dairy goats. 125 clinically healthy, adult dairy goats aged 2-9 years, belonging to two breeds-Polish Fawn Improved (PFI, n = 64, weight range from 46 to 73, median of 58.5kg) and Polish White Improved (PWI, n = 61, weight range from 48 to 80 kg, median of 67.9kg), closely related to French Alpine and Saanen, respectively. Non-invasive transthoracic echocardiography examination was performed in unsedated goats in a standing position. Two-dimensional, M-mode and pulsed wave Doppler measurements were obtained. A non-parametric method was applied for determination of reference intervals. Measurements for the two breeds were compared using an analysis of covariance to control for their body weight. Repeatability was assessed using a between-day coefficient of variation and a coefficient of repeatability. Following reference intervals were determined: aortic diameter in diastole 2.2-3.3, left atrial diameter in systole 2.5-4.3cm cm, the ratio of the left atrial diameter to the aortic diameter 0.96-1.5, right ventricular internal diameter in diastole 0.4-1.7cm, left ventricular internal diameter in systole and diastole 1.8-3.2 and 3.2-5.6 cm, respectively, inter-ventricular septum thickness in systole and diastole 0.7-1.5 and 0.5-1.1cm, respectively, left ventricular posterior-wall in systole and diastole 0.8-1.6 and 0.5-1.2cm, respectively, E-point to septal separation 0.3-0.8cm, left ventricular fractional shortening 28-54%, left ventricular ejection fraction 55-86%, maximum Left and Right Ventricular Outflow Tract velocity 80-140 cm/s and 70-130 cm/s, respectively Left and Right Ventricular Outflow Tract pressure gradient 2.5-8.9mmHg and 1.9-6.5mmHg, respectively. Most of the differences between the two breeds could be attributed to different body weight. The study provides echocardiographic reference intervals determined on the highest sample of apparently healthy goats so far enrolled.

PLOS ONE

Enterococcus cecorum (EC) is known as a commensal in the intestines of mammals and birds. However... more Enterococcus cecorum (EC) is known as a commensal in the intestines of mammals and birds. However, it has been described as an emerging pathogen in poultry industry worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare EC isolated from clinical material collected from poultry groups with different production purposes. The genetic diversity among pathogenic EC in relation to each specific poultry type was examined. In total, 148 isolates from independent infection outbreaks (2011-2016) were used: 76 broiler chickens (CB), 37 broiler breeders (BB), 23 layers (CL), 7 waterfowl (W) and 5 turkey (T) flocks (1 isolate/1 flock). We provided age ranges at diagnosis of EC-infection for 5 poultry groups. Isolates obtained from CB were significantly more frequently retrieved from bone marrow, joints, spine, and contrary to BB, CL less frequently retrieved from respiratory system. The study showed differences between EC of various poultry types in relation to 10/32 (31.3%) biochemical parameters. EC isolates from CB were significantly more often positive for βGAL, βNAG, MLZ, and less often positive for PAL and βMAN than isolates from other poultry types. However, BB and W isolates showed higher ability to metabolise mannitol than CB, CL, and T. CB isolates showed lower ability to survive at 60°C. Only chicken EC-isolates harbored virulence genes: CB (8.1%) > BB (3.4%) > CL (2%). No specific pulsotype of EC was associated with a specific poultry. One or several various (up to 6) genetic types of EC may be involved in outbreaks in CB flocks within one year in one region. Outbreaks reported in following years in the same region were usually caused by a distinct set of EC-genetic types. PFGE results indicated at the genetic heterogeneity among pathogenic isolates involved in outbreaks in relation to each poultry type. To our best knowledge, this is the first study which provides a comparison between clinical EC from 5 poultry groups. The study provides a new insight into EC as pathogen of different bird species. The obtained data may be useful in further studies on EC-infections more focused on a specific type of poultry.

Biologia

The study evaluated shape of the foramen magnum (FM) in dog with regard to its constitutional typ... more The study evaluated shape of the foramen magnum (FM) in dog with regard to its constitutional type (small, medium and large breeds) and morphotype (brachycephalic, mesaticephalic and dolichocephalic dogs). We used multi-slice CT scanner to examine occipital area of 138 purebreds dogs. Two studied groups could be distinguished – living animals undergoing standard diagnostic CT procedure (

Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation

Roughly one-fourth of goats infected with small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) develop caprine arthri... more Roughly one-fourth of goats infected with small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) develop caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE). We compared the profile of antibody response to surface glycoprotein (SU), and combined transmembrane glycoprotein and capsid protein (TM/CA) in SRLV-infected arthritic and asymptomatic goats, and determined the ability of 2 commercial ELISAs to distinguish between arthritic and asymptomatic goats. We used sera from 312 SRLV-seropositive dairy goats in a whole-virus ELISA; 222 were collected from arthritic goats and 90 from apparently healthy goats. Sera were screened with a competitive inhibition ELISA based on SU antigen (SU-ELISA) and an indirect ELISA based on TM and CA antigens (TM/CA-ELISA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were prepared for both ELISAs, and areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were compared. The proportion of goats with antibody response stronger to SU antigen than to TM/CA antigen was significantly higher among arthritic than asymptomatic goats (58.1% vs. 28.9%; p < 0.001). Antibody response to SU antigen was a good predictor of the arthritic form of CAE: AUC for SU-ELISA was 89.7% (95% CI: 85.2%, 94.2%), compared to 59.3% (95% CI: 51.9%, 66.8%) for TM/CA-ELISA ( p < 0.001). With the cutoff set at percentage of inhibition of 56%, SU-ELISA had sensitivity of 86.9% (95% CI: 81.9%, 90.7%) and specificity of 84.4% (95% CI: 75.6%, 90.5%) in discriminating between arthritic and asymptomatic goats.

Parasites & Vectors, 2017

Medycyna Weterynaryjna, 2017

The aim of the present study was to analyse epidemiological, cytological, laboratory and clinical... more The aim of the present study was to analyse epidemiological, cytological, laboratory and clinical data from canine acute leukemia (AL) cases. The study was conducted from 2009 to 2015, and included 2384 dogs undergoing cytological examination in two veterinary practices in Warsaw. The analysis included dogs in which bone marrow cytology revealed acute leukemia, regardless of its subtype. Data on breed, age, sex, as well as clinical signs and results of haematological examination were collected for every dog. Breed predisposition to acute leukemia was calculated by statistical methods on the basis of the theoretical distribution of canine breeds in Poland. Acute leukemia was diagnosed in 31 dogs (24.7%) undergoing bone marrow cytology, that is, in 1.3% of all the dogs examined by cytology during the study period. The disease was diagnosed mainly in adults, and a strong predisposition was found particularly in German shepherds and Golden retrievers. The median duration of clinical sig...

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica, Jan 2, 2017

Haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are considered as the major acute phase proteins (APPs... more Haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are considered as the major acute phase proteins (APPs) in goats. These APPs have been investigated in several studies during the last decade. In most studies, a colorimetric assay for Hp and a solid phase sandwich ELISA for SAA have been used for quantification. In 2015, reference intervals for APPs were determined using a new type of assay, the competitive ELISA (cELISA). Results obtained by the cELISA differed significantly from results obtained by previously used assays. The present study aimed to assess the agreement between so far used assays and cELISAs. Sera of 152 female dairy goats of two Polish national breeds were analysed. The concentration of Hp was determined using a colorimetric assay (Hp-CA) and the cELISA (Hp-cELISA), while a solid phase sandwich ELISA (SAA-sELISA) and the cELISA (SAA-cELISA) were used to measure SAA. Agreement between test results was assessed by preparing Bland-Altman plots, and analyzing 95% limits of a...

BMC veterinary research, Jan 7, 2017

Equine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies ... more Equine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies as well as economic issues associated with potential decrease in value of affected horses. The scale of the problem is significant but difficult to precisely define because epidemiological data is limited and lacks consistency in presentation. To date, no retrospective studies specifically investigating Arabian horses have been published. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of ocular lesions and define the ocular diseases present in Arabian horses from breeding farms in Poland. Clinical and ophthalmic examination of 615 Arabian horses at Polish breeding farms (15% of Arabian population in Poland) were performed and medical history from the previous 5 years was analyzed. Data was obtained from review of veterinary archives and epidemiological interview of the resident veterinarian at each farm. The prevalence of ocular diseases was 9.75%. The following ...

PloS one, 2018

Cytology is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive method used for pre-operative diagnosis of canine ma... more Cytology is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive method used for pre-operative diagnosis of canine mammary tumors (CMTs) in veterinary practice. Studies related to human breast cancer showed the Robinson's grading system-established for invasive ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified (IDC, NOS) and used on cytological material-to not only closely correspond to the histopathological grading but also be helpful in assessing prognosis and selecting most suitable treatments before surgery. The objectives of this study were: to evaluate the accuracy of cytological diagnosis and cytological Robinson's grading system compared to the histopathological examination of CMTs; to compare of cytological features and cytomorphometric parameters with tumor behavior, as well as cytological and histological grading; and to determine an association of the Robinson's grading system and cytological background details with metastases, and patients' survival. We report substantial diagnosti...

Annals of parasitology

Fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test with albendazole and egg hatch test (EHT) with thiabendazol... more Fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test with albendazole and egg hatch test (EHT) with thiabendazole (TBZ) were performed in a dairy goat herd suspected of anthelmintic resistance to benzimidazoles. The herd had been regularly dewormed with fenbendazole for 5 previous years and despite that it remained infected with several species of gastrointestinal nematodes (Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Teladorsagia circumcincta, and Haemonchus contortus). Albendazole was administered per os at dose of 20 mg/kg to 10 goats (treated group), while 10 other goats remained untreated (control group). Fecal egg count (FEC) was determined using McMaster egg counting method before and 7 days after the treatment in the treated group, and once (at the latter moment) in the control group. EHT was performed on the pooled rectal sample collected from treated goats. EHT comprised the negative control and 7 consecutive concentrations of TBZ (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 μg/ml) according to the standard ...

Research in veterinary science, 2018

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on heart diameters and function in goats. Tra... more The study aimed to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on heart diameters and function in goats. Transthoracic echocardiography of 12 female dairy goats of two Polish regional breeds was performed. A Mindray M7 diagnostic ultrasound system with Phased Array transducer was used. Simultaneously, electrocardiography was recorded. All animals were examined four times - at mating season, at the end of the first trimester, at the end of the second trimester and just before kidding. Eleven measurements were taken each time: aortic and left atrial diameter (AoD and LAD), right and left ventricular internal diameter in diastole (RVIDd and LVIDd), left ventricular internal diameter in systole (LVIDs), inter-ventricular septum thickness in diastole and systole (IVSd and IVSd) and left ventricular posterior wall in diastole and systole (LVPWd and LVPWs), maximum left and right ventricular outflow tract velocity (RVOT Vmax and LVOT Vmax). Nine consecutive measurements were derived: the ratio of the...

Veterinary parasitology, Jan 30, 2018

In adult cattle Fasciola hepatica infection usually follows a chronic subclinical course, and red... more In adult cattle Fasciola hepatica infection usually follows a chronic subclinical course, and reduces both the milk yield and milk quality, resulting in considerable financial losses. Effective control of the disease is based on reliable identification of asymptomatically infected individuals, which now requires special parasitological or serological diagnostic tests. It is also known that F. hepatica infection induces alterations in some serum biochemical parameters. Therefore, the study was conducted to develop a model based on serum biochemical parameters allowing to identify cows at higher risk of chronic fascioliasis. Six hundred sixty eight adult dairy cows from 97 herds located in central and northeastern Poland were clinically examined, and blood and fecal samples from them were collected for a routine monitoring of fascioliasis and metabolic profile. Using the combination of fecal sedimentation test and indirect ELISA based on excretory/secretory products 203 cows, apparent...

BMC veterinary research, Jan 17, 2018

Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi infections are widespread in cattle population of Euro... more Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi infections are widespread in cattle population of Europe, however data on their prevalence in Poland are only fragmentary. Therefore, the cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the herd-level seroprevalence of F. hepatica and O. ostertagi infection in dairy cattle population in the central and north-eastern provinces Poland, and to identify basic local risk factors for these infections. In total, 598 herds were enrolled, 394 (65.9%) in the north-eastern province and 204 (34.1%) in the central province. In each herd the questionnaire survey was conducted and bulk-tank milk (BTM) sample was collected and screened using two indirect immunoenzymatic tests. Optical density ratio (ODR) was regarded as the quantitative proxy of exposure to either of the two parasites. Both Fasciola and Ostertagia ELISA ODR in the north-eastern province was significantly higher than ODR in the central province. At the cut-off value of ODR = 0.27 the tru...

PloS one, 2018

Arterial blood pressure (BP) can be measured directly using an invasive intra-arterial method. Th... more Arterial blood pressure (BP) can be measured directly using an invasive intra-arterial method. This method is considered a gold standard, however it is potentially hazardous and requires expensive equipment and professional skills. Therefore, two non-invasive methods-Doppler ultrasonic sphygmomanometry and oscillometry-have been introduced in veterinary medicine. Their accuracy has so far been reliably evaluated in various animal species, however only one study included a small group of goats. Therefore, we carried out a large-scale study which aimed to evaluate agreement between the two non-invasive methods and invasive intra-arterial BP measurement in anesthetized goats at various age. The study included 122 goats of two Polish local breeds (Polish White Improved and Polish Fawn Improved): 67 adult females, 35 adult males, and 20 two-month-old female kids. Goats were anesthetized with the intravenous mixture of xylazine and ketamine. BP was measured simultaneously with the three m...

Animal science journal = Nihon chikusan Gakkaiho, Jan 6, 2018

We carried out this study to determine for how long small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV)-specific ant... more We carried out this study to determine for how long small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV)-specific antibodies can be detected by three commercial ELISA kits in goat kids after suckling infected does in field conditions. Forty-one kids born to SRLV-seropositive asymptomatic does were blood sampled prior to colostrum consumption, and then weekly for 6 months in total. The sera were screened with three commercial ELISA kits: whole-virus ELISA (wELISA), recombinant transmembrane and capsid antigen ELISA (TM/CA-ELISA), and surface antigen ELISA (SU-ELISA). All but one kid were seronegative in all three ELISAs right after birth. At the age of 1 week all kids turned seropositive in wELISA, 39 kids (95%) in TM/CA-ELISA, and 35 kids (85%) in SU-ELISA. All seropositive kids turned seronegative in wELISA by the 15th week, and in SU-ELISA by the 19th week (median of 8 weeks in both ELISA), whereas in TM/CA-ELISA five kids (13% of 39 initially seropositive) were still seropositive at the age of 6 mon...

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

Mycobacterium spp. and Rhodococcus equi are generally regarded as the main causes of lymphadeniti... more Mycobacterium spp. and Rhodococcus equi are generally regarded as the main causes of lymphadenitis in pigs and wild boars. In Poland, mycobacterial submandibular lymphadenitis was first diagnosed in a wild boar in 2012 but Mycobacterium spp. infections are also present in the Polish population of European bison (Bison bonasus). The prevalence of lymphadenitis in Polish wild boars has been found to 8.4% (95% CI 6.2-11.3%) and it has been proved that R. equi is not an important cause of purulent lesions in these animals. The current study was carried out to assess the prevalence of mycobacterial lymphadenitis in the Polish wild boar population. Submandibular lymph nodes with purulent lesions collected from 38 wild boars in 2010/2011 and negative for R. equi were included. Calculations based on the hypergeometric approximation were used to determine the probability that at least one positive individual would be detected if the infection had been present at a prevalence greater than or equal to the design prevalence. All 38 samples were negative for Mycobacterium spp. [0% (95% CI 0, 9.2%)]. Epidemiological analysis showed that the true prevalence was 95% likely to be lower than 10%. In conclusion, mycobacterial lymphadenitis seems to occur rarely in wild boars in Poland. Due to the presence of Mycobacterium spp. infections in other wildlife, the surveillance of mycobacterial infections in wild animals in Poland remains an important issue.

Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation

We documented changes in serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) concentration in goats during... more We documented changes in serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) concentration in goats during pregnancy, as measured by competitive ELISAs. Fifteen does (pregnant group) and 20 castrated males (control group) were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected on the same day from all 35 goats, 7 times throughout the study period: at mating, then once every month, during the week preceding kidding, and 1 mo after kidding. Baseline SAA and Hp concentrations at mating were identical in the 2 groups. In the pregnant group, SAA concentration rose significantly in the second month and remained elevated until the end of pregnancy, with the peak concentration at kidding. In the control group, SAA concentration remained unchanged compared to the baseline concentration throughout the study. SAA concentration was significantly higher in the pregnant than control group only at the end of the fourth month of pregnancy and at kidding. Hp concentration did not change during pregnancy or between groups. SAA concentration at kidding was affected only by parity of does - it was highest in does in the third and fourth pregnancy and gradually lower in older does.

Preventive Veterinary Medicine

The study was conducted to evaluate influence of the true within-herd prevalence of small ruminan... more The study was conducted to evaluate influence of the true within-herd prevalence of small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection on agreement beyond chance between three different types of commercial serological ELISAs. Blood samples were collected from 865 goats from 12 dairy goat herds. Serum samples were tested using three commercial ELISA kits: whole-virus indirect ELISA (wELISA), indirect ELISA based on recombined TM and CA antigens (TM/CA-ELISA), and competitive-inhibition ELISA based on SU antigen (SU-ELISA). Herds were classed into three prevalence strata of high (>50%), moderate (10-50%) and low (<10%) true within-herd prevalence of SRLV infection. The latter was estimated on the basis of results of wELISA adjusted by its sensitivity and specificity. Agreement beyond chance between the three ELISAs was assessed at two levels. First, the general agreement was determined using two coefficients corrected for chance-agreement: Cohen's kappa and Gwet's AC. Then, agreement between tests was evaluated using Gwet's AC separately in the three prevalence strata and compared between them by computing 95% confidence intervals for differences with a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. The general agreement between the three tests was very good: wELISA and TM/CA-ELISA - Cohen's kappa of 81.8% (CI 95%: 77.9% to 85.7%), Gwet's AC of 82.7% (CI 95%: 79.0% to 86.4%); wELISA and SU-ELISA - Cohen's kappa of 83.2% (CI 95%: 79.4% to 86.9%), Gwet's AC of 83.9% (CI 95%: 80.4% to 87.5%); TM/CA-ELISA and SU-ELISA - Cohen's kappa of 86.0% (CI 95%: 82.6% to 89.5%), Gwet's AC of 86.9% (CI 95%: 83.6% to 90.1%). However, agreement between ELISAs was significantly related to the within-herd true prevalence - it was significantly lower (although still high) when within-herd true prevalence was moderate (Gwet's AC between 67.2% and 78.7%), whereas remained very high, when true within-herd prevalence was either >50% (Gwet's AC between 91.9% and 98.8%) or <10% (Gwet's AC between 94.7% and 98.4%). Concluding, the three different commercial ELISAs for SRLV infection in goats available on the market yield highly consistent results. However, their agreement is affected by the true within-herd prevalence in a tested population, and the worse (although still high) agreement should be expected, when the percentage of infected goats is moderate.

PLOS ONE

To determine references intervals for echocardiographic measurements in adult dairy goats. 125 cl... more To determine references intervals for echocardiographic measurements in adult dairy goats. 125 clinically healthy, adult dairy goats aged 2-9 years, belonging to two breeds-Polish Fawn Improved (PFI, n = 64, weight range from 46 to 73, median of 58.5kg) and Polish White Improved (PWI, n = 61, weight range from 48 to 80 kg, median of 67.9kg), closely related to French Alpine and Saanen, respectively. Non-invasive transthoracic echocardiography examination was performed in unsedated goats in a standing position. Two-dimensional, M-mode and pulsed wave Doppler measurements were obtained. A non-parametric method was applied for determination of reference intervals. Measurements for the two breeds were compared using an analysis of covariance to control for their body weight. Repeatability was assessed using a between-day coefficient of variation and a coefficient of repeatability. Following reference intervals were determined: aortic diameter in diastole 2.2-3.3, left atrial diameter in systole 2.5-4.3cm cm, the ratio of the left atrial diameter to the aortic diameter 0.96-1.5, right ventricular internal diameter in diastole 0.4-1.7cm, left ventricular internal diameter in systole and diastole 1.8-3.2 and 3.2-5.6 cm, respectively, inter-ventricular septum thickness in systole and diastole 0.7-1.5 and 0.5-1.1cm, respectively, left ventricular posterior-wall in systole and diastole 0.8-1.6 and 0.5-1.2cm, respectively, E-point to septal separation 0.3-0.8cm, left ventricular fractional shortening 28-54%, left ventricular ejection fraction 55-86%, maximum Left and Right Ventricular Outflow Tract velocity 80-140 cm/s and 70-130 cm/s, respectively Left and Right Ventricular Outflow Tract pressure gradient 2.5-8.9mmHg and 1.9-6.5mmHg, respectively. Most of the differences between the two breeds could be attributed to different body weight. The study provides echocardiographic reference intervals determined on the highest sample of apparently healthy goats so far enrolled.

PLOS ONE

Enterococcus cecorum (EC) is known as a commensal in the intestines of mammals and birds. However... more Enterococcus cecorum (EC) is known as a commensal in the intestines of mammals and birds. However, it has been described as an emerging pathogen in poultry industry worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare EC isolated from clinical material collected from poultry groups with different production purposes. The genetic diversity among pathogenic EC in relation to each specific poultry type was examined. In total, 148 isolates from independent infection outbreaks (2011-2016) were used: 76 broiler chickens (CB), 37 broiler breeders (BB), 23 layers (CL), 7 waterfowl (W) and 5 turkey (T) flocks (1 isolate/1 flock). We provided age ranges at diagnosis of EC-infection for 5 poultry groups. Isolates obtained from CB were significantly more frequently retrieved from bone marrow, joints, spine, and contrary to BB, CL less frequently retrieved from respiratory system. The study showed differences between EC of various poultry types in relation to 10/32 (31.3%) biochemical parameters. EC isolates from CB were significantly more often positive for βGAL, βNAG, MLZ, and less often positive for PAL and βMAN than isolates from other poultry types. However, BB and W isolates showed higher ability to metabolise mannitol than CB, CL, and T. CB isolates showed lower ability to survive at 60°C. Only chicken EC-isolates harbored virulence genes: CB (8.1%) > BB (3.4%) > CL (2%). No specific pulsotype of EC was associated with a specific poultry. One or several various (up to 6) genetic types of EC may be involved in outbreaks in CB flocks within one year in one region. Outbreaks reported in following years in the same region were usually caused by a distinct set of EC-genetic types. PFGE results indicated at the genetic heterogeneity among pathogenic isolates involved in outbreaks in relation to each poultry type. To our best knowledge, this is the first study which provides a comparison between clinical EC from 5 poultry groups. The study provides a new insight into EC as pathogen of different bird species. The obtained data may be useful in further studies on EC-infections more focused on a specific type of poultry.

Biologia

The study evaluated shape of the foramen magnum (FM) in dog with regard to its constitutional typ... more The study evaluated shape of the foramen magnum (FM) in dog with regard to its constitutional type (small, medium and large breeds) and morphotype (brachycephalic, mesaticephalic and dolichocephalic dogs). We used multi-slice CT scanner to examine occipital area of 138 purebreds dogs. Two studied groups could be distinguished – living animals undergoing standard diagnostic CT procedure (

Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation

Roughly one-fourth of goats infected with small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) develop caprine arthri... more Roughly one-fourth of goats infected with small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) develop caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE). We compared the profile of antibody response to surface glycoprotein (SU), and combined transmembrane glycoprotein and capsid protein (TM/CA) in SRLV-infected arthritic and asymptomatic goats, and determined the ability of 2 commercial ELISAs to distinguish between arthritic and asymptomatic goats. We used sera from 312 SRLV-seropositive dairy goats in a whole-virus ELISA; 222 were collected from arthritic goats and 90 from apparently healthy goats. Sera were screened with a competitive inhibition ELISA based on SU antigen (SU-ELISA) and an indirect ELISA based on TM and CA antigens (TM/CA-ELISA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were prepared for both ELISAs, and areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were compared. The proportion of goats with antibody response stronger to SU antigen than to TM/CA antigen was significantly higher among arthritic than asymptomatic goats (58.1% vs. 28.9%; p < 0.001). Antibody response to SU antigen was a good predictor of the arthritic form of CAE: AUC for SU-ELISA was 89.7% (95% CI: 85.2%, 94.2%), compared to 59.3% (95% CI: 51.9%, 66.8%) for TM/CA-ELISA ( p < 0.001). With the cutoff set at percentage of inhibition of 56%, SU-ELISA had sensitivity of 86.9% (95% CI: 81.9%, 90.7%) and specificity of 84.4% (95% CI: 75.6%, 90.5%) in discriminating between arthritic and asymptomatic goats.

Parasites & Vectors, 2017

Medycyna Weterynaryjna, 2017

The aim of the present study was to analyse epidemiological, cytological, laboratory and clinical... more The aim of the present study was to analyse epidemiological, cytological, laboratory and clinical data from canine acute leukemia (AL) cases. The study was conducted from 2009 to 2015, and included 2384 dogs undergoing cytological examination in two veterinary practices in Warsaw. The analysis included dogs in which bone marrow cytology revealed acute leukemia, regardless of its subtype. Data on breed, age, sex, as well as clinical signs and results of haematological examination were collected for every dog. Breed predisposition to acute leukemia was calculated by statistical methods on the basis of the theoretical distribution of canine breeds in Poland. Acute leukemia was diagnosed in 31 dogs (24.7%) undergoing bone marrow cytology, that is, in 1.3% of all the dogs examined by cytology during the study period. The disease was diagnosed mainly in adults, and a strong predisposition was found particularly in German shepherds and Golden retrievers. The median duration of clinical sig...