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Biomedical subjects

D E Jacobs

Publications and source records attributed to D E Jacobs.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Epidemiology of Nematodirus species infections of sheep in a subarctic climate: development and persistence of larvae on herbage.

As part of a study on the epidemiology of Nematodirus species of sheep in subarctic Greenland, the development and persistence of eggs and larvae were investigated by experimentally contaminating plots of pasture with infected faeces and by placing tubes containing a suspension of eggs on to or into the soil. Despite low ambient temperatures, infective larvae appeared within a month during the summer. The greatest numbers of larvae were recovered from herbage in August and September. Eggs did not develop synchronously as development beyond the morula stage could be delayed for up to two years. Larvae were found on herbage for up to 37 months after faecal deposition. In the sheep rearing area of Greenland, therefore, Nematodirus species larvae can be present on herbage throughout the whole summer but peak numbers occur late in the grazing season.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Comparative study of early-season prophylaxis using ivermectin with lungworm vaccination in the control of parasitic bronchitis and gastroenteritis in cattle.

Twenty-four first-season calves were randomly allocated to three similar groups (1-non-treated controls; 2 - vaccinated against lungworm; 3 - treated with ivermectin 21, 56 and 91 days after turnout) and set-stocked on separate pastures. Parasitic bronchitis became evident in the controls and signs of parasitic gastroenteritis were seen later in the vaccinates, but the ivermectin-treated calves remained healthy. After autumn housing, all were kept as a single group for the winter. The following summer, six of the ivermectin-treated animals and their matching vaccinates were grazed together, without further prophylaxis, along with six first-season calves. The latter displayed evidence of mild but debilitating pulmonary and gastrointestinal parasitic disease while both groups of yearlings remained healthy (with the exception of one diarrhoeic vaccinate). Thus, the immune status of the ivermectin-treated animals appeared to be comparable to that of the vaccinates. This conclusion was supported by parasitological observations and by artificial challenge at the end of the second grazing season.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Chemoprophylaxis and immunity to parasitic bronchitis in cattle--a field experiment comparing topical ivermectin and an oxfendazole intraruminal device.

Seeder calves infected with Dictyocaulus viviparus were used to contaminate a field divided into three similar paddocks. Twenty-four autumn-born calves were allocated to three matched groups; one group was given topical ivermectin treatments (0.5 mg/kg) at 3, 8 and 13 weeks after turnout (Day 0); each member of a second group was given an oxfendazole pulse-release intraruminal device (OPRB) at turnout; while a third group was kept as untreated controls to monitor the natural epidemiological pattern of events. Severe pasteurella pneumonia exacerbated by lungworm infection occurred in the controls after Day 24. Two died and repeated doses of antibiotic and anthelmintic therapy were necessary to save the remainder. Clinical signs were much milder in the ivermectin and OPRB groups and resolved with only a single dose of antibiotic. The OPRB group excreted some lungworm larvae at this time, but none was detected in the faeces of the ivermectin group during the grazing season. At housing, five calves from each group and four lungworm-naive calves were challenged with D. viviparus larvae. The infection became patent in all challenge-control calves, but no larvae were passed by any of the trial animals. Post-mortem worm-counts revealed percentage takes for the challenge controls, trial controls, ivermectin and OPRB groups of 16.7, 0.01, 0.9 and 0.2, respectively. All trial groups had therefore developed a substantial immunity.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1989

Ostertagia ostertagi infection in the calf: effects of a trickle challenge on appetite, digestibility, rate of passage of digesta and liveweight gain.

The effects of a trickle challenge with the equivalent of 10,000 infective Ostertagia ostertagi larvae per day on appetite, digestibility, rate of passage of digesta and liveweight gain were investigated in 12 calves assigned to infected, pair-fed control and ad libitum-fed control groups. Digestibility of cellulose, nitrogen, organic matter and dry matter was determined using insoluble acid detergent fibre as a marker on two occasions during the study: (i) Between days 31 and 38, when abomasal dysfunction was greatest; and (ii) between days 52 and 58, beginning approximately one week after anthelmintic treatment (day 46). Rate of passage of digesta was measured using chromium mordanted hay, fed to each calf after each digestibility study period. Voluntary feed intake of the infected group was significantly reduced from day 37 with the greatest depression (77 per cent) occurring just before anthelmintic treatment. The drop in appetite was responsible for nearly 73 per cent of the difference in liveweight gain between the infected and ad libitum fed control groups. The apparent digestibility coefficient of nitrogen was significantly depressed (22 per cent) in the infected group though was restored to control levels by anthelmintic treatment. The rate of passage of digesta was significantly reduced in both pair-fed control (50 per cent) and infected (74 per cent) groups. Anthelmintic treatment increased the latter though only to pair-fed control group levels. It is suggested that the marked hypergastrinaemia seen in the infected calves may have been in part responsible for the decreased rate of passage of digesta and in turn for the drop in appetite.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Ostertagia ostertagi infection in the calf: effects of a trickle challenge on the hormonal control of digestive and metabolic function.

Metabolic effects of a trickle challenge with the equivalent of 10,000 infective Ostertagia ostertagi larvae per day were investigated in 12 calves allocated to infected, pair-fed control or ad libitum-fed control groups. Changes in hormone levels reflecting abomasal, pituitary and pancreatic function were monitored using radioimmunoassay techniques previously validated for use in cattle. A range of metabolic profile parameters and blood metabolites was also measured. Feed intake of the infected calves began to decline as blood gastrin and pepsinogen levels reached a peak. The depression in appetite recorded in this group was responsible for significant increases in plasma urea and non-esterified fatty acid levels and associated with an increase in growth hormone/insulin ratio. No significant difference in glucagon levels was recorded between groups. A decline in blood albumin values was also shown in the infected group and associated with a drop in nitrogen digestibility. A significant depression in circulating calcium levels was related to either the hypoalbuminaemia or impaired mineral absorption in the intestine. A decrease in plasma cholesterol values in the infected group was associated with changes in digestive function.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Effect of omeprazole treatment on feed intake and blood gastrin and pepsinogen levels in the calf.

Previous work has shown blood gastrin levels to be elevated and appetite depressed in ostertagia-infected calves. A possible relationship between raised blood gastrin values and feed intake was investigated in worm-free animals using the human gastric acid secretion inhibitor, omeprazole. An initial dose-titration experiment established that administration of the drug by intravenous injection at 1.95 mg kg-1 (four times the recommended human dose rate) resulted in a marked (5.2-fold) increase in blood gastrin levels in the calf. Daily administration of omeprazole by intravenous injection at 2 mg kg-1 for four days in a subsequent experiment resulted in a significant depression in feed intake (up to 40.4 per cent) which was accompanied by a significant rise in blood gastrin levels (peak 940 pg ml-1; 6.5-fold increase over control values). It is suggested that such a rise in hormone levels would reduce reticuloruminal and abomasal motility, slow down the passage of ingesta and, in turn, lead to a reduction in appetite.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1988

Netobimin in drinking water for treatment of bovine parasitic bronchitis: a field experiment.

Lungworm-infected seeder calves were used on four 1.41 ha paddocks to ensure that groups of 11 calves would be exposed to a heavy challenge with Dictyocaulus viviparus. By the 39th day after turnout there was a serious episode of respiratory disease and a diagnosis of parasitic bronchitis was confirmed by post mortem and faecal examination. One group of trial calves was treated with netobimin administered in the drinking water at 2.8 mg/kg/day for seven consecutive days; another group received the same treatment supplemented with flunixin meglumine at 2.2 mg/kg/day for three days; a third group was given a single oral dose of 7.5 mg netobimin/kg; only emergency treatments were given to calves in the control group. The clinical response to the drinking water treatments was highly satisfactory and better than the response to the single oral treatment.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1988

Exposures to carbon dioxide in the poultry processing industry.

The use of dry ice has increased dramatically in poultry processing plants because of changes in the fast food industry. Concentrations of carbon dioxide in four such plants were measured and were found to exceed the Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health Level (50,000 ppm) inside holding coolers where ventilation is poor. In other areas, where dry ice is delivered to poultry packages, time-weighted average exposures can exceed the threshold limit value of 5000 ppm by substantial margins, even if local exhaust ventilation systems are present. Reports of adverse health effects from carbon dioxide exposure and various control measures are reviewed. Recommendations regarding sampling and analytical techniques also are presented. Operators of poultry plants where dry ice is used need to recognize the occupational hazards of exposure to carbon dioxide.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Blood gastrin and pepsinogen responses to subclinical infection with Ostertagia ostertagi in adult dairy cattle.

Blood gastrin and pepsinogen responses to a single infection with 100,000 Ostertagia ostertagi infective larvae in lactating dairy cows were investigated. None of the infected cows showed signs of clinical ostertagiasis, nor was there any difference in live weight gain, milk yield or faecal egg count between groups. Pepsinogen levels of the infected group were significantly elevated between days 3 and 24 after infection (peak 1041 mU tyrosine; day 14). In contrast, there was no significant difference in blood gastrin levels between infected and control animals suggesting that few adult worms had become established in the former group. These data are compared with the increases in both gastrin and pepsinogen levels recorded in susceptible calves exposed to the same level, pattern and strain of ostertagia infection in a previous experiment. It is suggested that gastrin assay may be of value in adult cattle for indicating when elevated pepsinogen levels are merely associated with a rise in larval intake and not with the establishment of large adult worm burdens.

Animals↗