Laura Hungerford | University of Maryland Baltimore (original) (raw)
Papers by Laura Hungerford
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 1995
Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, 2014
A nested case-control study was performed to determine nonmedical risk factors associated with fe... more A nested case-control study was performed to determine nonmedical risk factors associated with feather picking in psittacine birds. Forty-two case birds, reported by their owners to pick their feathers, and 126 unaffected birds were compared. The odds of feather picking were higher in 2 species categories, African grey parrots (Psitticus erithacus, adjusted odds ratio [ORadj = 8.4, P < .001) and cockatoos (Cacatua species, ORadj = 12.7, P < .001). The odds of feather picking also were higher for birds that were out of their cages more than 8 hours per day (ORadj = 7.4, P < .001) and for birds that had been taken in by the owner as a "rescue" (ORadj = 4.7, P < .01). The odds of feather picking decreased by almost 90% (ORadj = 0.1, P < .005) for birds that interacted with people at least 4 hours a day. These findings identify characteristics that practitioners may want to include when asking bird owners about behavioral history and may be useful in focusing future research regarding this behavior.
Journal of food protection
This study was designed to describe the percentage of cattle shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7 in... more This study was designed to describe the percentage of cattle shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Midwestern U.S. feedlots and to discover relationships between the point prevalence of cattle shedding the organism and the characteristics of those cattle or the conditions of their pens. Cattle from 29 pens of five Midwestern feedlots were each sampled once between June and September 1999. Feces were collected from the rectum of each animal in each pen. Concurrently, samples of water were collected from the water tank, and partially consumed feed was collected from the feedbunk of each pen. Characteristics of the cattle and conditions of each pen that might have affected the prevalence of cattle shedding E. coli O157:H7 were recorded. These factors included the number of cattle; the number of days on feed; and the average body weight, class, and sex of the cattle. In addition, the temperature and pH of the tank water were determined, and the cleanliness of the tank water and the condition of the pen floor were subjectively assessed. The samples of feces, feed, and water were tested for the presence of E. coli O157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from the feces of 719 of 3,162 cattle tested (23%), including at least one animal from each of the 29 pens. The percentage of cattle in a pen shedding E. coli O157:H7 did not differ between feedyards, but it did vary widely within feedyards. A higher prevalence of cattle shed E. coli O157:H7 from muddy pen conditions than cattle from pens in normal condition. The results of this study suggest that E. coli O157:H7 should be considered common to groups of feedlot cattle housed together in pens and that the condition of the pen floor may influence the prevalence of cattle shedding the organism.
Journal of food protection
Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing bacteria are important human pathogens that have been linked with cat... more Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing bacteria are important human pathogens that have been linked with cattle and associated food products. We recovered Stx-producing bacteria from 27.5% of cattle, 6.8% of water, and 2.3% of wildlife samples from a cattle production area during an 11-month period. Positive samples were found during every month and on 98% of sampling days. We recovered isolates from all cattle operations sampled, and prevalence within operations ranged from approximately 5 to 33%. Cattle prevalence was associated with the presence of Stx-producing bacteria in water and the production group and environment of cattle, with an interaction between production group and environment. Odds of recovering isolates from cattle were highest for groups of adult cows and their unweaned calves in pasture environments. Overall, 49 O serogroups were identified from 527 isolates. Seventy of the isolates contained virulence genes that encoded intimin and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli hemol...
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, Jan 31, 2015
Molecular identification of the invasion plasmid antigen-H (ipaH) gene has been established as a ... more Molecular identification of the invasion plasmid antigen-H (ipaH) gene has been established as a useful detection mechanism for Shigella spp. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) identified the etiology and burden of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia using a case-control study and traditional culture techniques. Here, we used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to identify Shigella spp. in 2,611 stool specimens from GEMS and compared these results to those using culture. Demographic and nutritional characteristics were assessed as possible risk factors. The qPCR identified more cases of shigellosis than culture; however, the distribution of demographic characteristics was similar by both methods. In regression models adjusting for Shigella quantity, age, and site, children who were exclusively breast-fed had significantly lower odds of MSD compared with children who were not breast-fed (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47, 95% confidence inte...
Virology journal, 2004
Mortality rates have differed during distemper outbreaks among free-ranging raccoons (Procyon lot... more Mortality rates have differed during distemper outbreaks among free-ranging raccoons (Procyon lotor) living around a large Chicago-area zoo, and appeared higher in year 2001 than in 1998 and 2000. We hypothesized that a more lethal variant of the local Canine distemper virus (CDV) lineage had emerged in 2001, and sought the genetic basis that led to increased virulence. However, a more complex model surfaced during preliminary analyses of CDV genomic sequences in infected tissues and of virus isolated in vitro from the raccoons. Phylogenetic analyses of subgenomic CDV fusion (F) -, phosphoprotein (P) -, and complete hemagglutinin (H) - gene sequences indicated that distinct American CDV lineages caused the distemper epizootics. The 1998 outbreak was caused by viruses that are likely from an old CDV lineage that includes CDV Snyder Hill and Lederle, which are CDV strains from the early 1950's. The 2000 and 2001 viruses appear to stem from the lineage of CDV A75/17, which was isol...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1994
From the medical records of 124 dogs, patellar luxations were classified as congenital or acquire... more From the medical records of 124 dogs, patellar luxations were classified as congenital or acquired, medial or lateral, and unilateral or bilateral; were graded 1 to 4; and were subdivided according to size of dog. The 4 breed-size categories were based on guidelines from American Kennel Club standards for adult height and weight. Findings from these records were compared with the results from dogs with other orthopedic problems. A majority of dogs had congenital (91; 82%), as opposed to acquired (17; 15%) patellar luxations. Distribution of dogs with patellar luxations according to breed size included 54 (98%) with medial patellar luxations (MPL) and 1 (2%) with lateral patellar luxation (LPL) in small breeds, 17 (81%) with MPL and 4 (19%) with LPL in medium breeds, 35 (83%) with MPL and 7 (17%) with LPL in large breeds; and 4 (67%) with MPL and 2 (33%) with LPL in giant breeds. Medial patellar luxation was observed in 110 dogs and 14 dogs had LPL. Cases of MPL and LPL in the same s...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1995
Risk factors for development of pleuropneumonia were determined by reviewing medical records of 4... more Risk factors for development of pleuropneumonia were determined by reviewing medical records of 45 horses with pleuropneumonia and 180 control horses examined between Jan 1, 1980 and Jan 1, 1990. Factors considered included age, breed, sex, occupation, transport farther than 500 miles within the previous week, racing within the previous 48 hours, viral respiratory tract infection or exposure to horses with viral respiratory tract disease within the previous 2 weeks, and vaccination against influenza or rhinopneumonitis within the previous 6 months. Results indicated that Thoroughbreds were at a greater risk of developing pleuropneumonia than were other horses, and Standardbreds were at a reduced risk. Transport farther than 500 miles and viral respiratory tract disease or exposure to horses with respiratory tract disease were determined to be risk factors for the development of pleuropneumonia.
Frontiers in public health, 2013
Emergence of avian influenza viruses with high lethality to humans, such as the currently circula... more Emergence of avian influenza viruses with high lethality to humans, such as the currently circulating highly pathogenic A(H5N1) (emerged in 1996) and A(H7N9) cause serious concern for the global economic and public health sectors. Understanding the spatial and temporal interface between wild and domestic populations, from which these viruses emerge, is fundamental to taking action. This information, however, is rarely considered in influenza risk models, partly due to a lack of data. We aim to identify areas of high transmission risk between domestic poultry and wild waterfowl in China, the epicenter of both viruses. Two levels of models were developed: one that predicts hotspots of novel virus emergence between domestic and wild birds, and one that incorporates H5N1 risk factors, for which input data exists. Models were produced at 1 and 30 km spatial resolution, and two temporal seasons. Patterns of risk varied between seasons with higher risk in the northeast, central-east, and w...
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2004
A total of 112 out of 5,709 Salmonella enterica isolates from domestic animal species exhibited d... more A total of 112 out of 5,709 Salmonella enterica isolates from domestic animal species exhibited decreased susceptibilities to ceftiofur and ceftriaxone, and each possessed the bla CMY gene. Ten Salmonella serotypes were significantly more likely to include resistant isolates. Isolates from turkeys, horses, cats, and dogs were significantly more likely to include resistant isolates.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2008
To evaluate supplementary cueing as a technique to increase recall of sex partners in the year be... more To evaluate supplementary cueing as a technique to increase recall of sex partners in the year before the interview. Recall of partners beyond those freely recalled. We asked volunteers at a clinic in Brazil to freely recall all regular and casual sex partners in the year before the interview. Then, we used a name generator developed by Brewer et al. in the United States, in which volunteers were prompted with 4 types of cues: location, alphabetic, social role, and network. We calculated different measures to evaluate the technique and analyzed the associations between reporting any additional partner and demographic characteristics. Among volunteers reporting 2 or more sexual partners (n = 590), 41 (7%) recalled 1 or more additional partners by using the supplementary technique, with 105 partners of 2090 (5%) recalled only after using the cues. For volunteers reporting 4 or more sexual partners (n = 193), 34 (18%) recalled 1 or more additional partners by using the supplementary technique, and 98 of 1177 (8%) of their sexual partners were recalled after using the cues. Men were less likely than women to report sex partners after prompting with the social role cues (OR 0.09), and overall the combined techniques were slightly less effective for older individuals (OR 0.95). The cue technique can improve sexual partners' recall in cultural contexts different than the United States, mainly for individuals already reporting several partners before the cue.
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2015
Pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract exist within a vast population of microbes. We examined a... more Pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract exist within a vast population of microbes. We examined associations between pathogens and composition of gut microbiota as they relate to Shigella spp./enteroinvasive Escherichia coli infection. We analyzed 3,035 stool specimens (1,735 nondiarrheal and 1,300 moderate-to-severe diarrheal) from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study for 9 enteropathogens. Diarrheal specimens had a higher number of enteropathogens (diarrheal mean 1.4, nondiarrheal mean 0.95; p<0.0001). Rotavirus showed a negative association with Shigella spp. in cases of diarrhea (odds ratio 0.31, 95% CI 0.17-0.55) and had a large combined effect on moderate-to-severe diarrhea (odds ratio 29, 95% CI 3.8-220). In 4 Lactobacillus taxa identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the association between pathogen and disease was decreased, which is consistent with the possibility that Lactobacillus spp. are protective against Shigella spp.-induced diarrhea. Bacterial diversity of gut microbiota was associated with diarrhea status, not high levels of the Shigella spp. ipaH gene.
Tuberculosis Research and Treatment, 2013
Objective. Data on pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex... more Objective. Data on pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex in Nigeria are limited. We investigated species of MTB complex in TB cases from northern Nigeria. Methods. New TB suspects were enrolled, screened for HIV and their sputum samples were cultured after routine microscopy. Genotypes MTBC and MTBDRplus were used to characterize the MTB complex species and their resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin. Results. Of the 1,603 patients enrolled, 375 (23%) had MTB complex infection: 354 (94.4%) had Mycobacterium tuberculosis; 20 (5.3%) had Mycobacterium africanum; and one had Mycobacterium bovis (0.3%). Cases were more likely to be male (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI : 1.42-2.46; ≤ 0.001), young (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI : 1.56-2.65; ≤ 0.001) and have HIV (AOR = 1.43, 95% CI : 1.06-1.92; = 0.032). In 23 patients (6.1%), the mycobacterium was resistant to at least one drug, and these cases were more likely to have HIV and prior TB treatment (AOR = 3.62, 95% CI : 1.51-8.84; = 0.004; AOR : 4.43; 95% CI : 1.71-11.45 = 0.002 resp.), compared to cases without any resistance. Conclusion. Mycobacterium tuberculosis remained the predominant specie in TB in this setting followed by Mycobacterium africanum while Mycobacterium bovis was rare. The association of TB drug resistance with HIV has implications for TB treatment.
American journal of …, 1991
Assay procedures for determining serum haptoglobin concentration and ceruloplasmin oxidase activi... more Assay procedures for determining serum haptoglobin concentration and ceruloplasmin oxidase activity in dogs were validated, and reference values were established. Serum haptoglobin concentration is reported as milligrams per deciliter of cyanmethemoglobin ...
Veterinary Research Communications, 2000
The modified card agglutination test (MCAT) was used to detect antibodies to Anaplasma marginale ... more The modified card agglutination test (MCAT) was used to detect antibodies to Anaplasma marginale in 4994 samples collected from market cattle through the Brucellosis Eradication Program in Illinois. The MCAT reactor rate in the sample was 6.4%. The statewide prevalence estimate increased to between 7.1% and 10.7% when corrected for sampling distribution and test sensitivity and specificity. While the sample reactor rate measures the proportion of infected cattle moving through the market system and into new herds, consideration of the sampling proportions and test characteristics is important when estimating the overall prevalence. Cows were found to be at decreased risk relative to male cattle in lower-prevalence areas, but the risk was similar in higher-prevalence areas. In both higher- and lower-prevalence areas, the risk for seropositivity increased from 1 year of age onwards, but the rate of increase with age was greater in the higher-prevalence areas. Calves, however, had higher seroprevalence levels than 1-2-year-old animals. The risk was highest for Angus and Angus-Hereford cross cattle, while dairy cattle showed a decreased risk in the whole sample, but not when the analyses were stratified by prevalence level. There was a higher concentration of dairy cattle in areas with lower prevalence levels.
Veterinary Parasitology, 1995
The bioequivalence of Strongid C and generic pyrantel tartrate was determined in a controlled stu... more The bioequivalence of Strongid C and generic pyrantel tartrate was determined in a controlled study using 30 horses with naturally acquired endoparasitic infections. Three horses were randomly allocated to each of ten replicates based on quantitative nematode and ascarid egg counts and fecal larvae culture results. Horses within each replicate were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. Horses in Treatment Group 1 received only oats; horses in Treatment Group 2 received generic pyrantel tartrate pellets (2.65 mg pyrantel tartrate kg-1) mixed with oats; horses in Treatment Group 3 were fed Strongid C pellets (2.65 mg pyrantel tartrate kg-1) mixed with oats. Horses were treated daily for a 30 day continuous treatment period. At the termination of the study the horses were necropsied and endoparasites recovered, identified, and enumerated. In all instances, no significant difference (P > 0.05) in mean numbers of parasites recovered existed between horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate and Strongid C. Numbers of gastrointestinal parasites recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate or Strongid C were shown to be significantly different (P < 0.05) from numbers of gastrointestinal parasites recovered from non-treated controls for the large strongyles (Strongylus vulgaris, S. edentatus, and Triodontophorus spp.), small strongyles (Cyathostomum spp., Cylicocyclus spp., and Cylicostephanus spp.) and fourth-stage Parascaris equorum. Numbers of adult P. equorum recovered from horses treated with Strongid C were also significantly different (P < 0.05) from those from non-treated controls. Numbers of adult P. equorum recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate were not significantly different (P = 0.0761) from those from non-treated controls. The determination of bioequivalence was based upon the 95% confidence interval of the difference between the mean number of parasites recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate and the mean number of parasites recovered from horses treated with Strongid C. For all instances in which the numbers of parasites recovered from horses treated with either Strongid C or generic pyrantel tartrate were significantly different from the numbers of parasites recovered from non-treated controls, bioequivalence was demonstrated.
Small Ruminant Research, 1997
... This proportion remained fairly stable across years, rang ing from 3.3 to 5.0. Overall postna... more ... This proportion remained fairly stable across years, rang ing from 3.3 to 5.0. Overall postnatal mortality averaged 15 of lambs bom with annual fluctua tions ranging from 12 to 19 (Nash et al., 1996). ... The Hosmer and Lemeshow goodnessoffit 58 ML. AWi e( fl . ...
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2003
Pregnant heifers are undesirable in the feedyard. We applied simulation modeling to a partial-bud... more Pregnant heifers are undesirable in the feedyard. We applied simulation modeling to a partial-budget model to compare alternative strategies for managing pregnant heifers in feedyards. The model was developed with input costs (cattle, preventive medical care, morbidity, mortality, treatments, and performance), input benefits (sales of poorly performing heifers, baby calves, open (non-pregnant) heifers, recently calved heifers, and pregnant heifers), and net returns as the output. Predicted mean net returns for feeding either open heifers or aborted heifers were greater than $ 100 (live-basis sales) to $ 200 (rail-basis sales) higher than for pregnant heifers. However, there was substantial variability in net returns for all three types of heifers. Net returns were compared among three decision choices made upon arrival of the cattle at the feedyard: (1) palpate all heifers and inject with abortifacient only those pregnant (PALABT), (2) inject all heifers with abortifacient without determining pregnancy status (ABTALL), and (3) do not palpate or administer abortifacient to any of the heifers (NOTHING). Predicted returns for PALABT and ABTALL were equivalent when estimated pregnancy prevalence was 43% (median net returns=$44.92 and $ 50.46, respectively). For heifer lots with pregnancy prevalences &amp;amp;amp;lt;/=36%, PALABT yielded higher net returns than ABTALL but the opposite was true when the pregnancy prevalence was &amp;amp;amp;gt;/=49%. Net returns for PALABT and NOTHING were equivalent when the estimated prevalence of pregnancy was 2% on a live-basis sales (median net return=$50.05) and approximately 0.9% on a rail-basis sales (median net returns=$58.36 (PALABT) and $ 58.30 (NOTHING)) (with PALABT yielding positive net returns at the higher pregnancy prevalences). NOTHING yielded a positive net return relative to PALABT when the pregnancy prevalence was &amp;amp;amp;lt;1.5% (live-basis sales) and &amp;amp;amp;lt;0.5% (rail-basis sales).
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 1995
Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, 2014
A nested case-control study was performed to determine nonmedical risk factors associated with fe... more A nested case-control study was performed to determine nonmedical risk factors associated with feather picking in psittacine birds. Forty-two case birds, reported by their owners to pick their feathers, and 126 unaffected birds were compared. The odds of feather picking were higher in 2 species categories, African grey parrots (Psitticus erithacus, adjusted odds ratio [ORadj = 8.4, P &amp;amp;amp;lt; .001) and cockatoos (Cacatua species, ORadj = 12.7, P &amp;amp;amp;lt; .001). The odds of feather picking also were higher for birds that were out of their cages more than 8 hours per day (ORadj = 7.4, P &amp;amp;amp;lt; .001) and for birds that had been taken in by the owner as a &amp;amp;amp;quot;rescue&amp;amp;amp;quot; (ORadj = 4.7, P &amp;amp;amp;lt; .01). The odds of feather picking decreased by almost 90% (ORadj = 0.1, P &amp;amp;amp;lt; .005) for birds that interacted with people at least 4 hours a day. These findings identify characteristics that practitioners may want to include when asking bird owners about behavioral history and may be useful in focusing future research regarding this behavior.
Journal of food protection
This study was designed to describe the percentage of cattle shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7 in... more This study was designed to describe the percentage of cattle shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Midwestern U.S. feedlots and to discover relationships between the point prevalence of cattle shedding the organism and the characteristics of those cattle or the conditions of their pens. Cattle from 29 pens of five Midwestern feedlots were each sampled once between June and September 1999. Feces were collected from the rectum of each animal in each pen. Concurrently, samples of water were collected from the water tank, and partially consumed feed was collected from the feedbunk of each pen. Characteristics of the cattle and conditions of each pen that might have affected the prevalence of cattle shedding E. coli O157:H7 were recorded. These factors included the number of cattle; the number of days on feed; and the average body weight, class, and sex of the cattle. In addition, the temperature and pH of the tank water were determined, and the cleanliness of the tank water and the condition of the pen floor were subjectively assessed. The samples of feces, feed, and water were tested for the presence of E. coli O157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from the feces of 719 of 3,162 cattle tested (23%), including at least one animal from each of the 29 pens. The percentage of cattle in a pen shedding E. coli O157:H7 did not differ between feedyards, but it did vary widely within feedyards. A higher prevalence of cattle shed E. coli O157:H7 from muddy pen conditions than cattle from pens in normal condition. The results of this study suggest that E. coli O157:H7 should be considered common to groups of feedlot cattle housed together in pens and that the condition of the pen floor may influence the prevalence of cattle shedding the organism.
Journal of food protection
Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing bacteria are important human pathogens that have been linked with cat... more Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing bacteria are important human pathogens that have been linked with cattle and associated food products. We recovered Stx-producing bacteria from 27.5% of cattle, 6.8% of water, and 2.3% of wildlife samples from a cattle production area during an 11-month period. Positive samples were found during every month and on 98% of sampling days. We recovered isolates from all cattle operations sampled, and prevalence within operations ranged from approximately 5 to 33%. Cattle prevalence was associated with the presence of Stx-producing bacteria in water and the production group and environment of cattle, with an interaction between production group and environment. Odds of recovering isolates from cattle were highest for groups of adult cows and their unweaned calves in pasture environments. Overall, 49 O serogroups were identified from 527 isolates. Seventy of the isolates contained virulence genes that encoded intimin and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli hemol...
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, Jan 31, 2015
Molecular identification of the invasion plasmid antigen-H (ipaH) gene has been established as a ... more Molecular identification of the invasion plasmid antigen-H (ipaH) gene has been established as a useful detection mechanism for Shigella spp. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) identified the etiology and burden of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia using a case-control study and traditional culture techniques. Here, we used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to identify Shigella spp. in 2,611 stool specimens from GEMS and compared these results to those using culture. Demographic and nutritional characteristics were assessed as possible risk factors. The qPCR identified more cases of shigellosis than culture; however, the distribution of demographic characteristics was similar by both methods. In regression models adjusting for Shigella quantity, age, and site, children who were exclusively breast-fed had significantly lower odds of MSD compared with children who were not breast-fed (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47, 95% confidence inte...
Virology journal, 2004
Mortality rates have differed during distemper outbreaks among free-ranging raccoons (Procyon lot... more Mortality rates have differed during distemper outbreaks among free-ranging raccoons (Procyon lotor) living around a large Chicago-area zoo, and appeared higher in year 2001 than in 1998 and 2000. We hypothesized that a more lethal variant of the local Canine distemper virus (CDV) lineage had emerged in 2001, and sought the genetic basis that led to increased virulence. However, a more complex model surfaced during preliminary analyses of CDV genomic sequences in infected tissues and of virus isolated in vitro from the raccoons. Phylogenetic analyses of subgenomic CDV fusion (F) -, phosphoprotein (P) -, and complete hemagglutinin (H) - gene sequences indicated that distinct American CDV lineages caused the distemper epizootics. The 1998 outbreak was caused by viruses that are likely from an old CDV lineage that includes CDV Snyder Hill and Lederle, which are CDV strains from the early 1950's. The 2000 and 2001 viruses appear to stem from the lineage of CDV A75/17, which was isol...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1994
From the medical records of 124 dogs, patellar luxations were classified as congenital or acquire... more From the medical records of 124 dogs, patellar luxations were classified as congenital or acquired, medial or lateral, and unilateral or bilateral; were graded 1 to 4; and were subdivided according to size of dog. The 4 breed-size categories were based on guidelines from American Kennel Club standards for adult height and weight. Findings from these records were compared with the results from dogs with other orthopedic problems. A majority of dogs had congenital (91; 82%), as opposed to acquired (17; 15%) patellar luxations. Distribution of dogs with patellar luxations according to breed size included 54 (98%) with medial patellar luxations (MPL) and 1 (2%) with lateral patellar luxation (LPL) in small breeds, 17 (81%) with MPL and 4 (19%) with LPL in medium breeds, 35 (83%) with MPL and 7 (17%) with LPL in large breeds; and 4 (67%) with MPL and 2 (33%) with LPL in giant breeds. Medial patellar luxation was observed in 110 dogs and 14 dogs had LPL. Cases of MPL and LPL in the same s...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1995
Risk factors for development of pleuropneumonia were determined by reviewing medical records of 4... more Risk factors for development of pleuropneumonia were determined by reviewing medical records of 45 horses with pleuropneumonia and 180 control horses examined between Jan 1, 1980 and Jan 1, 1990. Factors considered included age, breed, sex, occupation, transport farther than 500 miles within the previous week, racing within the previous 48 hours, viral respiratory tract infection or exposure to horses with viral respiratory tract disease within the previous 2 weeks, and vaccination against influenza or rhinopneumonitis within the previous 6 months. Results indicated that Thoroughbreds were at a greater risk of developing pleuropneumonia than were other horses, and Standardbreds were at a reduced risk. Transport farther than 500 miles and viral respiratory tract disease or exposure to horses with respiratory tract disease were determined to be risk factors for the development of pleuropneumonia.
Frontiers in public health, 2013
Emergence of avian influenza viruses with high lethality to humans, such as the currently circula... more Emergence of avian influenza viruses with high lethality to humans, such as the currently circulating highly pathogenic A(H5N1) (emerged in 1996) and A(H7N9) cause serious concern for the global economic and public health sectors. Understanding the spatial and temporal interface between wild and domestic populations, from which these viruses emerge, is fundamental to taking action. This information, however, is rarely considered in influenza risk models, partly due to a lack of data. We aim to identify areas of high transmission risk between domestic poultry and wild waterfowl in China, the epicenter of both viruses. Two levels of models were developed: one that predicts hotspots of novel virus emergence between domestic and wild birds, and one that incorporates H5N1 risk factors, for which input data exists. Models were produced at 1 and 30 km spatial resolution, and two temporal seasons. Patterns of risk varied between seasons with higher risk in the northeast, central-east, and w...
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2004
A total of 112 out of 5,709 Salmonella enterica isolates from domestic animal species exhibited d... more A total of 112 out of 5,709 Salmonella enterica isolates from domestic animal species exhibited decreased susceptibilities to ceftiofur and ceftriaxone, and each possessed the bla CMY gene. Ten Salmonella serotypes were significantly more likely to include resistant isolates. Isolates from turkeys, horses, cats, and dogs were significantly more likely to include resistant isolates.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2008
To evaluate supplementary cueing as a technique to increase recall of sex partners in the year be... more To evaluate supplementary cueing as a technique to increase recall of sex partners in the year before the interview. Recall of partners beyond those freely recalled. We asked volunteers at a clinic in Brazil to freely recall all regular and casual sex partners in the year before the interview. Then, we used a name generator developed by Brewer et al. in the United States, in which volunteers were prompted with 4 types of cues: location, alphabetic, social role, and network. We calculated different measures to evaluate the technique and analyzed the associations between reporting any additional partner and demographic characteristics. Among volunteers reporting 2 or more sexual partners (n = 590), 41 (7%) recalled 1 or more additional partners by using the supplementary technique, with 105 partners of 2090 (5%) recalled only after using the cues. For volunteers reporting 4 or more sexual partners (n = 193), 34 (18%) recalled 1 or more additional partners by using the supplementary technique, and 98 of 1177 (8%) of their sexual partners were recalled after using the cues. Men were less likely than women to report sex partners after prompting with the social role cues (OR 0.09), and overall the combined techniques were slightly less effective for older individuals (OR 0.95). The cue technique can improve sexual partners&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; recall in cultural contexts different than the United States, mainly for individuals already reporting several partners before the cue.
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2015
Pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract exist within a vast population of microbes. We examined a... more Pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract exist within a vast population of microbes. We examined associations between pathogens and composition of gut microbiota as they relate to Shigella spp./enteroinvasive Escherichia coli infection. We analyzed 3,035 stool specimens (1,735 nondiarrheal and 1,300 moderate-to-severe diarrheal) from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study for 9 enteropathogens. Diarrheal specimens had a higher number of enteropathogens (diarrheal mean 1.4, nondiarrheal mean 0.95; p<0.0001). Rotavirus showed a negative association with Shigella spp. in cases of diarrhea (odds ratio 0.31, 95% CI 0.17-0.55) and had a large combined effect on moderate-to-severe diarrhea (odds ratio 29, 95% CI 3.8-220). In 4 Lactobacillus taxa identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the association between pathogen and disease was decreased, which is consistent with the possibility that Lactobacillus spp. are protective against Shigella spp.-induced diarrhea. Bacterial diversity of gut microbiota was associated with diarrhea status, not high levels of the Shigella spp. ipaH gene.
Tuberculosis Research and Treatment, 2013
Objective. Data on pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex... more Objective. Data on pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex in Nigeria are limited. We investigated species of MTB complex in TB cases from northern Nigeria. Methods. New TB suspects were enrolled, screened for HIV and their sputum samples were cultured after routine microscopy. Genotypes MTBC and MTBDRplus were used to characterize the MTB complex species and their resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin. Results. Of the 1,603 patients enrolled, 375 (23%) had MTB complex infection: 354 (94.4%) had Mycobacterium tuberculosis; 20 (5.3%) had Mycobacterium africanum; and one had Mycobacterium bovis (0.3%). Cases were more likely to be male (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI : 1.42-2.46; ≤ 0.001), young (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI : 1.56-2.65; ≤ 0.001) and have HIV (AOR = 1.43, 95% CI : 1.06-1.92; = 0.032). In 23 patients (6.1%), the mycobacterium was resistant to at least one drug, and these cases were more likely to have HIV and prior TB treatment (AOR = 3.62, 95% CI : 1.51-8.84; = 0.004; AOR : 4.43; 95% CI : 1.71-11.45 = 0.002 resp.), compared to cases without any resistance. Conclusion. Mycobacterium tuberculosis remained the predominant specie in TB in this setting followed by Mycobacterium africanum while Mycobacterium bovis was rare. The association of TB drug resistance with HIV has implications for TB treatment.
American journal of …, 1991
Assay procedures for determining serum haptoglobin concentration and ceruloplasmin oxidase activi... more Assay procedures for determining serum haptoglobin concentration and ceruloplasmin oxidase activity in dogs were validated, and reference values were established. Serum haptoglobin concentration is reported as milligrams per deciliter of cyanmethemoglobin ...
Veterinary Research Communications, 2000
The modified card agglutination test (MCAT) was used to detect antibodies to Anaplasma marginale ... more The modified card agglutination test (MCAT) was used to detect antibodies to Anaplasma marginale in 4994 samples collected from market cattle through the Brucellosis Eradication Program in Illinois. The MCAT reactor rate in the sample was 6.4%. The statewide prevalence estimate increased to between 7.1% and 10.7% when corrected for sampling distribution and test sensitivity and specificity. While the sample reactor rate measures the proportion of infected cattle moving through the market system and into new herds, consideration of the sampling proportions and test characteristics is important when estimating the overall prevalence. Cows were found to be at decreased risk relative to male cattle in lower-prevalence areas, but the risk was similar in higher-prevalence areas. In both higher- and lower-prevalence areas, the risk for seropositivity increased from 1 year of age onwards, but the rate of increase with age was greater in the higher-prevalence areas. Calves, however, had higher seroprevalence levels than 1-2-year-old animals. The risk was highest for Angus and Angus-Hereford cross cattle, while dairy cattle showed a decreased risk in the whole sample, but not when the analyses were stratified by prevalence level. There was a higher concentration of dairy cattle in areas with lower prevalence levels.
Veterinary Parasitology, 1995
The bioequivalence of Strongid C and generic pyrantel tartrate was determined in a controlled stu... more The bioequivalence of Strongid C and generic pyrantel tartrate was determined in a controlled study using 30 horses with naturally acquired endoparasitic infections. Three horses were randomly allocated to each of ten replicates based on quantitative nematode and ascarid egg counts and fecal larvae culture results. Horses within each replicate were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. Horses in Treatment Group 1 received only oats; horses in Treatment Group 2 received generic pyrantel tartrate pellets (2.65 mg pyrantel tartrate kg-1) mixed with oats; horses in Treatment Group 3 were fed Strongid C pellets (2.65 mg pyrantel tartrate kg-1) mixed with oats. Horses were treated daily for a 30 day continuous treatment period. At the termination of the study the horses were necropsied and endoparasites recovered, identified, and enumerated. In all instances, no significant difference (P > 0.05) in mean numbers of parasites recovered existed between horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate and Strongid C. Numbers of gastrointestinal parasites recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate or Strongid C were shown to be significantly different (P < 0.05) from numbers of gastrointestinal parasites recovered from non-treated controls for the large strongyles (Strongylus vulgaris, S. edentatus, and Triodontophorus spp.), small strongyles (Cyathostomum spp., Cylicocyclus spp., and Cylicostephanus spp.) and fourth-stage Parascaris equorum. Numbers of adult P. equorum recovered from horses treated with Strongid C were also significantly different (P < 0.05) from those from non-treated controls. Numbers of adult P. equorum recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate were not significantly different (P = 0.0761) from those from non-treated controls. The determination of bioequivalence was based upon the 95% confidence interval of the difference between the mean number of parasites recovered from horses treated with generic pyrantel tartrate and the mean number of parasites recovered from horses treated with Strongid C. For all instances in which the numbers of parasites recovered from horses treated with either Strongid C or generic pyrantel tartrate were significantly different from the numbers of parasites recovered from non-treated controls, bioequivalence was demonstrated.
Small Ruminant Research, 1997
... This proportion remained fairly stable across years, rang ing from 3.3 to 5.0. Overall postna... more ... This proportion remained fairly stable across years, rang ing from 3.3 to 5.0. Overall postnatal mortality averaged 15 of lambs bom with annual fluctua tions ranging from 12 to 19 (Nash et al., 1996). ... The Hosmer and Lemeshow goodnessoffit 58 ML. AWi e( fl . ...
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2003
Pregnant heifers are undesirable in the feedyard. We applied simulation modeling to a partial-bud... more Pregnant heifers are undesirable in the feedyard. We applied simulation modeling to a partial-budget model to compare alternative strategies for managing pregnant heifers in feedyards. The model was developed with input costs (cattle, preventive medical care, morbidity, mortality, treatments, and performance), input benefits (sales of poorly performing heifers, baby calves, open (non-pregnant) heifers, recently calved heifers, and pregnant heifers), and net returns as the output. Predicted mean net returns for feeding either open heifers or aborted heifers were greater than $ 100 (live-basis sales) to $ 200 (rail-basis sales) higher than for pregnant heifers. However, there was substantial variability in net returns for all three types of heifers. Net returns were compared among three decision choices made upon arrival of the cattle at the feedyard: (1) palpate all heifers and inject with abortifacient only those pregnant (PALABT), (2) inject all heifers with abortifacient without determining pregnancy status (ABTALL), and (3) do not palpate or administer abortifacient to any of the heifers (NOTHING). Predicted returns for PALABT and ABTALL were equivalent when estimated pregnancy prevalence was 43% (median net returns=$44.92 and $ 50.46, respectively). For heifer lots with pregnancy prevalences &amp;amp;amp;lt;/=36%, PALABT yielded higher net returns than ABTALL but the opposite was true when the pregnancy prevalence was &amp;amp;amp;gt;/=49%. Net returns for PALABT and NOTHING were equivalent when the estimated prevalence of pregnancy was 2% on a live-basis sales (median net return=$50.05) and approximately 0.9% on a rail-basis sales (median net returns=$58.36 (PALABT) and $ 58.30 (NOTHING)) (with PALABT yielding positive net returns at the higher pregnancy prevalences). NOTHING yielded a positive net return relative to PALABT when the pregnancy prevalence was &amp;amp;amp;lt;1.5% (live-basis sales) and &amp;amp;amp;lt;0.5% (rail-basis sales).