Alexandra von Altrock - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Alexandra von Altrock

Tierärztliche Praxis Ausgabe G: Großtiere / Nutztiere, 2022

Objective Milk samples from clinically healthy sows often contain a similar bacterial content as ... more Objective Milk samples from clinically healthy sows often contain a similar bacterial content as samples from mastitic sows. To verify whether contamination during sample collection is a possible reason for this or bacterial content in the mammary gland postpartum is a regular finding, the aim of the present study was to compare the suitability of milk samples and mammary gland biopsies for assessing the bacteriological status of healthy sows. Material and methods Twenty-five clinically healthy sows of different parities were selected. The mammary skin and teats were cleaned and disinfected before biopsies and milk samples were taken from the second mammary gland on the left udder side one day postpartum. Needle biopsies were performed after local anaesthesia. Samples were investigated bacteriologically for aerobic bacteria and a semi-quantitative classification of bacterial growth was carried out. Additionally, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsies from 18 of the healthy sows w...

Berliner und Munchener tierarztliche Wochenschrift, 2013

Skin tumors are rarely observed in pigs, and, in particular, only a few cases of squamous cell ca... more Skin tumors are rarely observed in pigs, and, in particular, only a few cases of squamous cell carcinoma have been reported. The present case report describes the occurrence of a squamous cell carcinoma located in the skin at the center of the udder of a 14-year-old German Landrace sow. The tumor was spherical and 17.0 cm in diameter. The tissue of the distal pole had a cauliflowerlike appearance, was black and ulcerated with a malodorous exudation. The sow did not show any signs of reduced general condition caused by the tumor. No evidence of metastasis was noted in regional lymph nodes and in the lung. The tumor, which weighed 2.4 kg, was surgically removed. The histopathology revealed infiltratively growing pleomorphic tumor cells and cell aggregations with prominent squamous differentiation. Cells were strongly positive for several cytokeratins by immunhistochemistry. The present findings confirmed the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. After surgery, the sow recovered withou...

Berliner und Munchener tierarztliche Wochenschrift, 2015

Multicentric lymphomas, usually of B-cell origin, are rather common neoplasms in pigs, which usua... more Multicentric lymphomas, usually of B-cell origin, are rather common neoplasms in pigs, which usually affect lymph nodes and different organ systems. An uncommon manifestation of malignant lymphoma represents neoplastic peripheral nerve involvement, which has been reported in human medicine. So far, only single cases of lymphoma with manifestation in peripheral nerves (known as neurolymphomatosis) without leukemic conversion have been mentioned in different animal species others than swine. The present case report describes the occurrence of a multicentric T-cell lymphoma in a fattening pig with marked leukocytosis. The pig was presented with symptoms of lethargy, weight loss, and fever. Bone marrow aspirate contained all stages of granulocytic and erythrocytic precursors, and a remarkable large number of eosinophiles and undifferentiated blasts. At necropsy, the carcass showed generalized lymphadenopathy and severe hepatosplenomegaly. Histological findings included neoplastic round ...

Simple Summary Alpacas in central Europe often suffer from vitamin D deficiency due to lower UV r... more Simple Summary Alpacas in central Europe often suffer from vitamin D deficiency due to lower UV radiation. Many alpacas are therefore additionally treated with vitamin D3. As vitamin D3 contents can be given in either µg or IU (international units) and these units had been mixed up in a textbook, several alpacas were poisoned and given 40 times more vitamin D3 than intended. Toxicological levels of vitamin D result in an increase in the level of calcium and phosphate in the blood, thus calcification in various organs, leading to organ dysfunction. In this study, three affected alpaca crias were examined in more detail. Severe changes in the kidneys, lungs and liver were found. In addition, kidney function was evaluated. Abstract Alpacas kept in Central Europe are often deficient in vitamin D3, which is supplemented orally or by injection by the owners or veterinarians. Vitamin D3 can be specified in two different units (IU and µg), which differ by a factor of 40. By mixing up these ...

Animals

Campylobacter (C.) is the most common food-borne zoonosis in humans, which mainly manifests with ... more Campylobacter (C.) is the most common food-borne zoonosis in humans, which mainly manifests with watery to bloody diarrhoea. While C. jejuni is responsible for most cases of infection, C. coli is less frequently encountered. The object of the study was to prove the clinical impact of mono- and co-colonisation of C. coli and C. jejuni on weaned piglets in an infection model and to investigate the impact on transepithelial transport processes in the jejunum and caecum. At an age of eight weeks, eight pigs were infected with C. coli (ST-5777), 10 pigs with C. jejuni (ST‑122), eight pigs with both strains, and 11 piglets served as control. During the four-week observation period, no clinical signs were observed. During dissection, both strains could be isolated from the jejunum and the caecum, but no alteration of the tissue could be determined histopathologically. Mono-infection with C. jejuni showed an impact on transepithelial ion transport processes of the caecum. An increase in the...

Animals

An online survey of llama and alpaca owners was used to collect data on the population, husbandry... more An online survey of llama and alpaca owners was used to collect data on the population, husbandry, feeding, management measures and health problems. A total of 255 questionnaires were evaluated. In total, 55.1% of the owners had started keeping South American camelids within the last six years. The majority managed small farms with fewer than 15 animals (66.4% of 250 farms). More than half of the participants stated that they kept the camelids as hobby animals (64.3%), although they used them for wool production (55.7%) and/or for breeding (51.8%). Vaccination and deworming were carried out on more than 80% of the farms. The most common diseases occurring on the farms were endo- and ectoparasites. A total of 55.3% of the owners estimated their own knowledge of South American camelids as good, 14.5% as very good. In contrast, more than half of the owners agreed little or not at all with the statement that veterinarians generally have sufficient knowledge about South American camelids...

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

Background On farms, the currently approved and most widely practised method of euthanising non-v... more Background On farms, the currently approved and most widely practised method of euthanising non-viable piglets is blunt force trauma to the head followed by exsanguination. However, the use of this method is criticised due to public perceptions and aversion to the methodology by caretakers. Therefore, electrocution after electrical stunning was examined as an alternative approach in 80 hybrid piglets. Initially, electrocution was simulated with finite element analysis using a computer piglet-model, where current density in the heart was visualised and size and position of the electrodes were defined. The following step investigated electrical parameters for electrocution in anaesthetised piglets; first, with a constant voltage power source and then with a constant current power source. The electrical stunning was examined using the constant current supply. Finally, the results of electrical stunning and electrocution were verified in 25 healthy piglets with a body weight between 1 a...

International Conference on the Epidemiology and Control of Biological, Chemical and Physical Hazards in Pigs and Pork

The results of a study on the occurrence of two bacteria that cause zoonoses, Campylobacter spp. ... more The results of a study on the occurrence of two bacteria that cause zoonoses, Campylobacter spp. and Yersmia enterocolilica were presented and the results of bacteriological and serological methods of detection were compared. The study was carried out on 30 fattening herds in Lower Saxony, Germany Bacteriological findings of Campylobacter spp. in the faeces indicated that 69.7% of the fattening pigs were positive, but 81 .2% tested positive serologically. All herds tested here were both bactenolog1cally and serologically positive for Campylobacter spp. Furthermore, only 8.4 % tested pos1t1ve for Yersinia enterocolitica in the faecal samples, but 66.8 % of the animals were serologically positive for that bacterium. At herd level 43.3 % of the herds tested bactenologically positive for Yersinia enterocolitica, whereas serological testing showed that 83.3 % of the units had one or more reacting animal. Although both agents take the same route of Infection there was no statistical correlation between bacteriological and serological findings for Campylobacter spp. and Yersinia enterocolit1ca. The great dtfference between the results of bactenologtcal and serological testing , especially in the case of Yersm1a enteroco/itJca, can be explained by the intermittent intestinal excretion and predominance of this bacterium tn the antmals' tonsils. Low faecal excretion is also the reason for the low detection rate of 3.4 % of Yersinia enterocoliflca in the envtronmental samples, while that of Campylobacter spp. was 33.3 %. These resu lts indicate that the environment plays only a secondary role in the distribution of Yersima enterocolitica in p1g herds.

Tierärztliche Praxis Ausgabe G: Großtiere / Nutztiere

ZusammenfassungBei kleinen Wiederkäuern ist ein Volvulus des Darms ein seltener, in der Literatur... more ZusammenfassungBei kleinen Wiederkäuern ist ein Volvulus des Darms ein seltener, in der Literatur nur vereinzelt dokumentierter Befund. Der Bericht beschreibt den Fall eines Volvulus der Kolonscheibe bei einer Zwergziege. Das Tier zeigte ein hochgradig gestörtes Allgemeinbefinden mit Schockgeschehen und wies ein schmerzhaftes Abdomen sowie eine ballonartige Struktur im rechten dorsalen Abdomen auf. Bei der diagnostischen Laparotomie wurde eine Rotation der Kolonscheibe um 360° nach rechts diagnostiziert. Das Tier starb intraoperativ an einem Herz-Kreislauf-Versagen. Die Ursache des Volvulus bleibt ungeklärt.

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

Colonization of newborn piglets with beneficial and ubiquitous microorganisms in combination with... more Colonization of newborn piglets with beneficial and ubiquitous microorganisms in combination with colostral passive immunity is the prerequisite for development of immunity and gut maturation. In this study living strains of Clostridium perfringens type A (CpA) and non-pathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli strains harvested from healthy piglets were administered to piglets prior to first colostrum intake in order to prevent disease caused by pathogenic variants of the same bacterial species by competitive exclusion. In addition, it was investigated whether these potential beneficial colonizers were able to prevent harmful effects of infection with Cystoisospora (C.) suis as a primary invasive pathogen. In a first trial, half of the piglets from four litters were treated with a bacterial cocktail consisting of two E. coli and four CpA strains immediately after birth on two consecutive days, while the other half of the litters served as control group. In a second trial, piglets were treated following the protocol of the first trial, and additionally all piglets were infected 4 h after the end of littering with ∼1,000 sporulated oocysts of a C. suis laboratory strain. General health, body weight development, fecal consistency and, in the second trial, oocyst excretion were monitored from birth until weaning. No adverse effects of the cocktail on the health status were observed. Treated piglets of the first trial showed a higher average daily weight gain until weaning. In the second trial, no significant differences were found with respect to average daily weight gain, fecal consistency, amount, and duration of oocyst excretion assessed in daily samples. In treatment group 51.1% and in the control group 38.5% of the fecal samples were positive for oocysts in autofluorescence. The average duration of oocyst excretion was longer in treatment group (7.7 days) than in control group (5.6 days). Application of bacterial cocktail could not effectively minimize disease symptoms caused by C. suis. There was a trend toward an increase in severity of disease symptoms in treated pigs, suggesting that the synergism between CpA and C. suis was independent of the bacterial strains, but is exclusively dominated by the pathogenic effect of C. suis.

Gut pathogens, 2017

Shiga toxin (Stx) producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) (STEC) is the most frequent cause of diarr... more Shiga toxin (Stx) producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) (STEC) is the most frequent cause of diarrhoea-positive haemolytic uraemic syndrome (D + HUS) in humans. In 2011, a huge outbreak with an STEC O104:H4 strain in Germany highlighted the limited possibilities for causative treatment of this syndrome. The responsible STEC strain was found to combine Stx production with adherence mechanisms normally found in enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). Pathotypes of E. coli evolve and can exhibit different adhesion mechanisms. It has been shown previously that neonatal gnotobiotic piglets are susceptible for infection with STEC, such as STEC O157:H7 as well as for EAEC, which are considered to be the phylogenetic origin of E. coli O104:H4. This study was designed to characterise the host response to infection with the STEC O104:H4 outbreak strain in comparison to an STEC O157:H7 isolate by evaluating clinical parameters (scoring) and markers of organ dysfunction (biochemistry), as well as immu...

BMC veterinary research, Jan 28, 2017

Actinobacillus (A.) pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia and causes... more Actinobacillus (A.) pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia and causes significant losses in the pig industry worldwide. Early host immune response is crucial for further progression of the disease. A. pleuropneumoniae is either rapidly eliminated by the immune system or switches to a long-term persistent form. To gain insight into the host-pathogen interaction during the early stages of infection, pigs were inoculated intratracheally with A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 and humanely euthanized eight hours after infection. Gene expression studies of inflammatory cytokines and the acute phase proteins haptoglobin, serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein were carried out by RT-qPCR from the lung, liver, tonsils and salivary gland. In addition, the concentration of cytokines and acute phase proteins were measured by quantitative immunoassays in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, serum and saliva. In parallel to the analyses of host response, the impact of the host o...

Table 2. Sensitivity and specificity of abbreviated scheme as compare to the API 20E for biochemi... more Table 2. Sensitivity and specificity of abbreviated scheme as compare to the API 20E for biochemical identification of E. coli. Isolates unidentified by API are not included in analysis.

PROCEEDINGS BOOK

Yersiniosis is the third most frequent zoonosis reported in the European Union with pork as an im... more Yersiniosis is the third most frequent zoonosis reported in the European Union with pork as an important source. Identifying risk factors in swine production which may decrease the risk of pork production contamination during pre-harvest is an important step prior to controlling Yersinia spp.. Therefore, management strategies and production processes which might be associated with fattening pigs testing seropositive for pathogenic Yersinia spp. were investigated on 80 fattening pig farms. Although more than 70 farm characteristics were included in the risk assessment, there were only a few which seemed to be connected with serological prevalence: housing on a fully slatted floor and the use of municipal water were observed in herds with low serological Yersinia prevalence, whereas recurring health problems and a low daily weight gain compared to the mean of the herds included in the study were identified more often in herds with a high prevalence.

Animals

Eight pens (25 pigs/pen; n = 200) provided with an interactive straw-filled rooting tower (experi... more Eight pens (25 pigs/pen; n = 200) provided with an interactive straw-filled rooting tower (experimental group) and five pens (25 pigs/pen; n = 125) with a stationary (fixed) tower without straw (control group) were compared within three fattening periods on a conventional farm with fully slatted flooring. The effectiveness of the tower to trigger favourable behaviour in feeding and outside feeding periods was assessed. The incidence of deep tail injuries was lower in the experimental group (experimental group: Odds Ratio 0.3, p < 0.001) and was influenced by the batch (Odds Ratio: 2.38, p < 0.001) but not by pen and sex. In spring, most pens were excluded due to severe tail biting. Tail injury scores were more severe in the control group in weeks 5, 6 and 7 compared to the experimental group (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). Tower manipulation was more frequent during feeding compared to outside feeding time (p = 0.002). More head than tail manipulation oc...

Archiv Fur Lebensmittelhygiene, 2010

Tierarzthelfer/in konkret, 2009

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2015

Yersiniosis is strongly associated with the consumption of pork contaminated with enteropathogeni... more Yersiniosis is strongly associated with the consumption of pork contaminated with enteropathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica, which is harbored by domestic pigs without showing clinical signs of disease. In contrast to data on Y. enterocolitica isolated from conventionally reared swine, investigations into the occurrence of Y. enterocolitica in wild boars in Germany are rare. The objectives of the study were to get knowledge about these bacteria and their occurrence in wild boars hunted in northern Germany by isolation of the bacteria from the tonsils, identification of the bioserotypes, determination of selected virulence factors, macrorestriction analysis, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and testing of antimicrobial susceptibility. Altogether, tonsils from 17.1% of 111 tested wild boars were positive for Y. enterocolitica by culture methods. All but two isolates belonged to biotype (BT) 1A, with the majority of isolates bearing a ystB nucleotide sequence which was revealed to have 85% identity to internal regions of Y. enterocolitica heat-stable enterotoxin type B genes. The remaining Y. enterocolitica isolates were identified to be BT 1B and did not carry the virulence plasmid. However, two BT 1A isolates carried the ail gene. Macrorestriction analysis and results from MLST showed a high degree of genetic diversity of the isolates, although the region where the samples were taken was restricted to Lower Saxony, Germany, and wild boars were shot during one hunting season. In conclusion, most Y. enterocolitica isolates from wild boars investigated in this study belonged to biotype 1A. Enteropathogenic Y. enterocolitica bioserotypes 4/O:3 and 2/O:9, usually harbored by commercially raised pigs in Europe, could not be identified.

Tierärztliche Praxis Ausgabe G: Großtiere / Nutztiere, 2022

Objective Milk samples from clinically healthy sows often contain a similar bacterial content as ... more Objective Milk samples from clinically healthy sows often contain a similar bacterial content as samples from mastitic sows. To verify whether contamination during sample collection is a possible reason for this or bacterial content in the mammary gland postpartum is a regular finding, the aim of the present study was to compare the suitability of milk samples and mammary gland biopsies for assessing the bacteriological status of healthy sows. Material and methods Twenty-five clinically healthy sows of different parities were selected. The mammary skin and teats were cleaned and disinfected before biopsies and milk samples were taken from the second mammary gland on the left udder side one day postpartum. Needle biopsies were performed after local anaesthesia. Samples were investigated bacteriologically for aerobic bacteria and a semi-quantitative classification of bacterial growth was carried out. Additionally, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsies from 18 of the healthy sows w...

Berliner und Munchener tierarztliche Wochenschrift, 2013

Skin tumors are rarely observed in pigs, and, in particular, only a few cases of squamous cell ca... more Skin tumors are rarely observed in pigs, and, in particular, only a few cases of squamous cell carcinoma have been reported. The present case report describes the occurrence of a squamous cell carcinoma located in the skin at the center of the udder of a 14-year-old German Landrace sow. The tumor was spherical and 17.0 cm in diameter. The tissue of the distal pole had a cauliflowerlike appearance, was black and ulcerated with a malodorous exudation. The sow did not show any signs of reduced general condition caused by the tumor. No evidence of metastasis was noted in regional lymph nodes and in the lung. The tumor, which weighed 2.4 kg, was surgically removed. The histopathology revealed infiltratively growing pleomorphic tumor cells and cell aggregations with prominent squamous differentiation. Cells were strongly positive for several cytokeratins by immunhistochemistry. The present findings confirmed the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. After surgery, the sow recovered withou...

Berliner und Munchener tierarztliche Wochenschrift, 2015

Multicentric lymphomas, usually of B-cell origin, are rather common neoplasms in pigs, which usua... more Multicentric lymphomas, usually of B-cell origin, are rather common neoplasms in pigs, which usually affect lymph nodes and different organ systems. An uncommon manifestation of malignant lymphoma represents neoplastic peripheral nerve involvement, which has been reported in human medicine. So far, only single cases of lymphoma with manifestation in peripheral nerves (known as neurolymphomatosis) without leukemic conversion have been mentioned in different animal species others than swine. The present case report describes the occurrence of a multicentric T-cell lymphoma in a fattening pig with marked leukocytosis. The pig was presented with symptoms of lethargy, weight loss, and fever. Bone marrow aspirate contained all stages of granulocytic and erythrocytic precursors, and a remarkable large number of eosinophiles and undifferentiated blasts. At necropsy, the carcass showed generalized lymphadenopathy and severe hepatosplenomegaly. Histological findings included neoplastic round ...

Simple Summary Alpacas in central Europe often suffer from vitamin D deficiency due to lower UV r... more Simple Summary Alpacas in central Europe often suffer from vitamin D deficiency due to lower UV radiation. Many alpacas are therefore additionally treated with vitamin D3. As vitamin D3 contents can be given in either µg or IU (international units) and these units had been mixed up in a textbook, several alpacas were poisoned and given 40 times more vitamin D3 than intended. Toxicological levels of vitamin D result in an increase in the level of calcium and phosphate in the blood, thus calcification in various organs, leading to organ dysfunction. In this study, three affected alpaca crias were examined in more detail. Severe changes in the kidneys, lungs and liver were found. In addition, kidney function was evaluated. Abstract Alpacas kept in Central Europe are often deficient in vitamin D3, which is supplemented orally or by injection by the owners or veterinarians. Vitamin D3 can be specified in two different units (IU and µg), which differ by a factor of 40. By mixing up these ...

Animals

Campylobacter (C.) is the most common food-borne zoonosis in humans, which mainly manifests with ... more Campylobacter (C.) is the most common food-borne zoonosis in humans, which mainly manifests with watery to bloody diarrhoea. While C. jejuni is responsible for most cases of infection, C. coli is less frequently encountered. The object of the study was to prove the clinical impact of mono- and co-colonisation of C. coli and C. jejuni on weaned piglets in an infection model and to investigate the impact on transepithelial transport processes in the jejunum and caecum. At an age of eight weeks, eight pigs were infected with C. coli (ST-5777), 10 pigs with C. jejuni (ST‑122), eight pigs with both strains, and 11 piglets served as control. During the four-week observation period, no clinical signs were observed. During dissection, both strains could be isolated from the jejunum and the caecum, but no alteration of the tissue could be determined histopathologically. Mono-infection with C. jejuni showed an impact on transepithelial ion transport processes of the caecum. An increase in the...

Animals

An online survey of llama and alpaca owners was used to collect data on the population, husbandry... more An online survey of llama and alpaca owners was used to collect data on the population, husbandry, feeding, management measures and health problems. A total of 255 questionnaires were evaluated. In total, 55.1% of the owners had started keeping South American camelids within the last six years. The majority managed small farms with fewer than 15 animals (66.4% of 250 farms). More than half of the participants stated that they kept the camelids as hobby animals (64.3%), although they used them for wool production (55.7%) and/or for breeding (51.8%). Vaccination and deworming were carried out on more than 80% of the farms. The most common diseases occurring on the farms were endo- and ectoparasites. A total of 55.3% of the owners estimated their own knowledge of South American camelids as good, 14.5% as very good. In contrast, more than half of the owners agreed little or not at all with the statement that veterinarians generally have sufficient knowledge about South American camelids...

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

Background On farms, the currently approved and most widely practised method of euthanising non-v... more Background On farms, the currently approved and most widely practised method of euthanising non-viable piglets is blunt force trauma to the head followed by exsanguination. However, the use of this method is criticised due to public perceptions and aversion to the methodology by caretakers. Therefore, electrocution after electrical stunning was examined as an alternative approach in 80 hybrid piglets. Initially, electrocution was simulated with finite element analysis using a computer piglet-model, where current density in the heart was visualised and size and position of the electrodes were defined. The following step investigated electrical parameters for electrocution in anaesthetised piglets; first, with a constant voltage power source and then with a constant current power source. The electrical stunning was examined using the constant current supply. Finally, the results of electrical stunning and electrocution were verified in 25 healthy piglets with a body weight between 1 a...

International Conference on the Epidemiology and Control of Biological, Chemical and Physical Hazards in Pigs and Pork

The results of a study on the occurrence of two bacteria that cause zoonoses, Campylobacter spp. ... more The results of a study on the occurrence of two bacteria that cause zoonoses, Campylobacter spp. and Yersmia enterocolilica were presented and the results of bacteriological and serological methods of detection were compared. The study was carried out on 30 fattening herds in Lower Saxony, Germany Bacteriological findings of Campylobacter spp. in the faeces indicated that 69.7% of the fattening pigs were positive, but 81 .2% tested positive serologically. All herds tested here were both bactenolog1cally and serologically positive for Campylobacter spp. Furthermore, only 8.4 % tested pos1t1ve for Yersinia enterocolitica in the faecal samples, but 66.8 % of the animals were serologically positive for that bacterium. At herd level 43.3 % of the herds tested bactenologically positive for Yersinia enterocolitica, whereas serological testing showed that 83.3 % of the units had one or more reacting animal. Although both agents take the same route of Infection there was no statistical correlation between bacteriological and serological findings for Campylobacter spp. and Yersinia enterocolit1ca. The great dtfference between the results of bactenologtcal and serological testing , especially in the case of Yersm1a enteroco/itJca, can be explained by the intermittent intestinal excretion and predominance of this bacterium tn the antmals' tonsils. Low faecal excretion is also the reason for the low detection rate of 3.4 % of Yersinia enterocoliflca in the envtronmental samples, while that of Campylobacter spp. was 33.3 %. These resu lts indicate that the environment plays only a secondary role in the distribution of Yersima enterocolitica in p1g herds.

Tierärztliche Praxis Ausgabe G: Großtiere / Nutztiere

ZusammenfassungBei kleinen Wiederkäuern ist ein Volvulus des Darms ein seltener, in der Literatur... more ZusammenfassungBei kleinen Wiederkäuern ist ein Volvulus des Darms ein seltener, in der Literatur nur vereinzelt dokumentierter Befund. Der Bericht beschreibt den Fall eines Volvulus der Kolonscheibe bei einer Zwergziege. Das Tier zeigte ein hochgradig gestörtes Allgemeinbefinden mit Schockgeschehen und wies ein schmerzhaftes Abdomen sowie eine ballonartige Struktur im rechten dorsalen Abdomen auf. Bei der diagnostischen Laparotomie wurde eine Rotation der Kolonscheibe um 360° nach rechts diagnostiziert. Das Tier starb intraoperativ an einem Herz-Kreislauf-Versagen. Die Ursache des Volvulus bleibt ungeklärt.

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

Colonization of newborn piglets with beneficial and ubiquitous microorganisms in combination with... more Colonization of newborn piglets with beneficial and ubiquitous microorganisms in combination with colostral passive immunity is the prerequisite for development of immunity and gut maturation. In this study living strains of Clostridium perfringens type A (CpA) and non-pathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli strains harvested from healthy piglets were administered to piglets prior to first colostrum intake in order to prevent disease caused by pathogenic variants of the same bacterial species by competitive exclusion. In addition, it was investigated whether these potential beneficial colonizers were able to prevent harmful effects of infection with Cystoisospora (C.) suis as a primary invasive pathogen. In a first trial, half of the piglets from four litters were treated with a bacterial cocktail consisting of two E. coli and four CpA strains immediately after birth on two consecutive days, while the other half of the litters served as control group. In a second trial, piglets were treated following the protocol of the first trial, and additionally all piglets were infected 4 h after the end of littering with ∼1,000 sporulated oocysts of a C. suis laboratory strain. General health, body weight development, fecal consistency and, in the second trial, oocyst excretion were monitored from birth until weaning. No adverse effects of the cocktail on the health status were observed. Treated piglets of the first trial showed a higher average daily weight gain until weaning. In the second trial, no significant differences were found with respect to average daily weight gain, fecal consistency, amount, and duration of oocyst excretion assessed in daily samples. In treatment group 51.1% and in the control group 38.5% of the fecal samples were positive for oocysts in autofluorescence. The average duration of oocyst excretion was longer in treatment group (7.7 days) than in control group (5.6 days). Application of bacterial cocktail could not effectively minimize disease symptoms caused by C. suis. There was a trend toward an increase in severity of disease symptoms in treated pigs, suggesting that the synergism between CpA and C. suis was independent of the bacterial strains, but is exclusively dominated by the pathogenic effect of C. suis.

Gut pathogens, 2017

Shiga toxin (Stx) producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) (STEC) is the most frequent cause of diarr... more Shiga toxin (Stx) producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) (STEC) is the most frequent cause of diarrhoea-positive haemolytic uraemic syndrome (D + HUS) in humans. In 2011, a huge outbreak with an STEC O104:H4 strain in Germany highlighted the limited possibilities for causative treatment of this syndrome. The responsible STEC strain was found to combine Stx production with adherence mechanisms normally found in enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). Pathotypes of E. coli evolve and can exhibit different adhesion mechanisms. It has been shown previously that neonatal gnotobiotic piglets are susceptible for infection with STEC, such as STEC O157:H7 as well as for EAEC, which are considered to be the phylogenetic origin of E. coli O104:H4. This study was designed to characterise the host response to infection with the STEC O104:H4 outbreak strain in comparison to an STEC O157:H7 isolate by evaluating clinical parameters (scoring) and markers of organ dysfunction (biochemistry), as well as immu...

BMC veterinary research, Jan 28, 2017

Actinobacillus (A.) pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia and causes... more Actinobacillus (A.) pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia and causes significant losses in the pig industry worldwide. Early host immune response is crucial for further progression of the disease. A. pleuropneumoniae is either rapidly eliminated by the immune system or switches to a long-term persistent form. To gain insight into the host-pathogen interaction during the early stages of infection, pigs were inoculated intratracheally with A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 and humanely euthanized eight hours after infection. Gene expression studies of inflammatory cytokines and the acute phase proteins haptoglobin, serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein were carried out by RT-qPCR from the lung, liver, tonsils and salivary gland. In addition, the concentration of cytokines and acute phase proteins were measured by quantitative immunoassays in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, serum and saliva. In parallel to the analyses of host response, the impact of the host o...

Table 2. Sensitivity and specificity of abbreviated scheme as compare to the API 20E for biochemi... more Table 2. Sensitivity and specificity of abbreviated scheme as compare to the API 20E for biochemical identification of E. coli. Isolates unidentified by API are not included in analysis.

PROCEEDINGS BOOK

Yersiniosis is the third most frequent zoonosis reported in the European Union with pork as an im... more Yersiniosis is the third most frequent zoonosis reported in the European Union with pork as an important source. Identifying risk factors in swine production which may decrease the risk of pork production contamination during pre-harvest is an important step prior to controlling Yersinia spp.. Therefore, management strategies and production processes which might be associated with fattening pigs testing seropositive for pathogenic Yersinia spp. were investigated on 80 fattening pig farms. Although more than 70 farm characteristics were included in the risk assessment, there were only a few which seemed to be connected with serological prevalence: housing on a fully slatted floor and the use of municipal water were observed in herds with low serological Yersinia prevalence, whereas recurring health problems and a low daily weight gain compared to the mean of the herds included in the study were identified more often in herds with a high prevalence.

Animals

Eight pens (25 pigs/pen; n = 200) provided with an interactive straw-filled rooting tower (experi... more Eight pens (25 pigs/pen; n = 200) provided with an interactive straw-filled rooting tower (experimental group) and five pens (25 pigs/pen; n = 125) with a stationary (fixed) tower without straw (control group) were compared within three fattening periods on a conventional farm with fully slatted flooring. The effectiveness of the tower to trigger favourable behaviour in feeding and outside feeding periods was assessed. The incidence of deep tail injuries was lower in the experimental group (experimental group: Odds Ratio 0.3, p < 0.001) and was influenced by the batch (Odds Ratio: 2.38, p < 0.001) but not by pen and sex. In spring, most pens were excluded due to severe tail biting. Tail injury scores were more severe in the control group in weeks 5, 6 and 7 compared to the experimental group (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). Tower manipulation was more frequent during feeding compared to outside feeding time (p = 0.002). More head than tail manipulation oc...

Archiv Fur Lebensmittelhygiene, 2010

Tierarzthelfer/in konkret, 2009

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2015

Yersiniosis is strongly associated with the consumption of pork contaminated with enteropathogeni... more Yersiniosis is strongly associated with the consumption of pork contaminated with enteropathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica, which is harbored by domestic pigs without showing clinical signs of disease. In contrast to data on Y. enterocolitica isolated from conventionally reared swine, investigations into the occurrence of Y. enterocolitica in wild boars in Germany are rare. The objectives of the study were to get knowledge about these bacteria and their occurrence in wild boars hunted in northern Germany by isolation of the bacteria from the tonsils, identification of the bioserotypes, determination of selected virulence factors, macrorestriction analysis, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and testing of antimicrobial susceptibility. Altogether, tonsils from 17.1% of 111 tested wild boars were positive for Y. enterocolitica by culture methods. All but two isolates belonged to biotype (BT) 1A, with the majority of isolates bearing a ystB nucleotide sequence which was revealed to have 85% identity to internal regions of Y. enterocolitica heat-stable enterotoxin type B genes. The remaining Y. enterocolitica isolates were identified to be BT 1B and did not carry the virulence plasmid. However, two BT 1A isolates carried the ail gene. Macrorestriction analysis and results from MLST showed a high degree of genetic diversity of the isolates, although the region where the samples were taken was restricted to Lower Saxony, Germany, and wild boars were shot during one hunting season. In conclusion, most Y. enterocolitica isolates from wild boars investigated in this study belonged to biotype 1A. Enteropathogenic Y. enterocolitica bioserotypes 4/O:3 and 2/O:9, usually harbored by commercially raised pigs in Europe, could not be identified.