PCR-based detection reveals no causative role for Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma in feline lower urinary tract disease.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
D J Houwers
Publications and source records attributed to D J Houwers.
Molecular characterizations of human and animal group a rotaviruses in the Netherlands.
To gain more insight into interspecies transmission of rotavirus group A, human and animal fecal samples were collected between 1997 and 2001 in The Netherlands. A total of 110 human stool samples were successfully P and G genotyped by reverse transcriptase PCR. All strains belonged to the main human rotavirus genotypes G1 to G4, G9, [P4], [P6], [P8], and [P9]. [P8]G1 was predominant, and 5.5% belonged to the G9 genotype. Eleven percent of all P[8] genotypes could be genotyped only by a recently published modified primer. Rotavirus-positive fecal samples from 28 calf herds were genotyped by DNA sequencing. Genotypes G6 and G10 predominated; G6 and G10 were detected in 22 (78.6%) and 16 (57.1%) of the rotavirus-positive calf herds, respectively. In 12 (42.9%) calf herds, we found mixed infections. Genotype G8 was not found. Genotype G6 bovine rotaviruses were divided into three clusters: UK-like, VMRI-29-like, and Hun4-like. DNA sequencing of a part of the VP7 gene was shown to be useful as a quick determination of uncommon or novel strains of which the genotyping cannot be done by genotyping PCR. Of equine strains, both VP4 and VP7 genes could be used for genotyping: two [P12]G3 and four [P12]G14 equine rotaviruses were determined. We did not find indications for rotavirus interspecies transmissions, although the recently published human G6-Hun4 is genetically related to our G6 bovine isolates. All bovine, porcine, and equine rotaviruses were within genotypes previously reported for these animal species.
Animals↗
Borrelia burgdorferi infections with special reference to horses. A review.
This review discusses the literature on B. burgdorferi infections in view of the rising incidence of this infection in general and the increasing concerns of horse owners and equine practitioners. Lyme disease, the clinical expression of Borrelia infections in man is an important health problem. The geographic distribution of B. burgdorferi infections in equidae should resemble that of human cases because the vector tick involved, Ixodes ricinus, feeds on both species and, indeed, the infection has been established many times in horses. However, a definite diagnosis of the disease "Lyme borreliosis" in human beings as well as in horses and other animals is often difficult to accomplish. Although a broad spectrum of clinical signs has been attributed to B. burgdorferi infections in horses, indisputable cases of equine Lyme borreliosis are extremely rare so far, if they exist at all.
Animals↗
Cystocentesis is essential for reliable diagnosis of urinary tract infections in cats.
Urine samples were taken from 79 cats with clinical signs of acute feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) by means of cystocenthesis, catheterization, or at voiding and were cultured. No bacteria were cultured from 79% of the samples taken by cystocenthesis, 55% of the samples obtained by catheterization, and 17% of the samples obtained at voiding. Samples obtained by cystocenthesis most often yielded pure cultures, whereas the voided samples were often contaminated, yielding mixed cultures. Therefore, it is difficult to interpret culture results for voided or catheterized urine samples, which may lead to overdiagnosis of urinary tract infections. E. coli was the most prevalent bacterial species. Numbers of bacteria were low (10(2) to 10(3)/ml) in three out of eight culture-positive samples taken by cystocenthesis, indicating that the number of bacteria present in the bladder of cats with urinary tract infections may be low. This may lead to underdiagnosis of urinary tract infections when interpreting culture results for voided and catheterized samples, because bacterial counts lower than 10(3) colony-forming units/ml of urine are generally considered not clinically relevant. In conclusion, cystocenthesis is the preferred method of sampling for the evaluation of cats with suspected urinary tract infection.
Animals↗
[Autochthonous babesiosis in dogs in the Netherlands?].
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Animals↗
Simultaneous presence of multiple Campylobacter species in dogs.
The prevalence of coinfection of Campylobacter species in dogs was determined using four isolation methods. In 26% of the positive-testing stools, multiple Campylobacter species were identified. The use of multiple isolation methods as well as the time lapse between sampling and processing are important for detection of coinfection.
Animals↗
[Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in a dog in the Netherlands].
In the Netherlands, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are regularly isolated from humans. We present the first isolation of MRSA from animal origin in the Netherlands. A coagulase positive staphylococcus was cultured from an infected wound in a Dutch dog that recently underwent surgery abroad. The staphylococcus was resistant to methicillin, ampicillin, amoxycillin + clavulanic acid, cephalexin, erythromycin, lincomycin, tetracycline, gentamicin and enrofloxacin. It was identified as S. aureus by fermentation of mannitol and Martineau-PCR. The presence of mecA was confirmed by PCR.
Animals↗
Antimicrobial susceptibilities of salmonella strains isolated from humans, cattle, pigs, and chickens in the Netherlands from 1984 to 2001.
We monitored antimicrobial susceptibility data for Salmonella strains isolated from humans, cattle, pigs, and chickens in The Netherlands from 1984 to 2001 in order to provide insight into the dynamics of resistance over time. The strains were tested for their susceptibilities to seven antimicrobial agents by the agar diffusion method. Resistance was most common in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium. Among the strains from humans, pigs, and chickens, it was found that the level of resistance of serovar Typhimurium strains to tetracycline, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole increased from 1984 to 2001. This increase could be attributed to the emergence of multidrug-resistant serovar Typhimurium DT 104. Among the strains from cattle, it was found that the level of resistance of serovar Typhimurium strains, which was already very high in the 1980s, declined during the study period to the same levels as those for the strains from the other species from 1996 to 2001. Serovar Enteritidis isolates remained susceptible during the entire survey period. Among serovar Paratyphi B variation Java strains isolated from chickens, resistance to furazolidone, flumequine, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ampicillin emerged, although furazolidone was not used after 1990. Together, the data indicate that the levels and patterns of resistance differed considerably between Salmonella serovars isolated from one host species.
Animals↗
Sero types, phage types and antibiotic susceptibilities of Salmonella strains isolated from horses in The Netherlands from 1993 to 2000.
We studied 232 Salmonella strains from horses with salmonellosis in The Netherlands, isolated in the period from 1993 to 2000 in order to provide insight in the dynamics of sero-, phage types (pt) and antibiotic susceptibilities over time. The strains were tested for susceptibility to seven antimicrobial agents using the agar diffusion method. In addition, the isolates were sero typed and Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica Typhimurium and Enteritidis strains were further phage typed. S. Typhimurium strains of phage type 506 and 401 (both classified as DT 104 in the English phage typing system) were additionally tested for their susceptibility to chloramphenicol (C), streptomycin (S) and sulfonamides (Su). Resistance was common against tetracycline and ampicillin. Most strains were susceptible to enrofloxacin (Enr) and ceftiofur (Cef). Resistance to tetracycline (T), kanamycin (K), ampicillin (A) and trimethoprim/sulfonamide (Sxt) combinations decreased from 1993 to 2000, whereas the resistance to gentamicin (G), ceftiofur and enrofloxacin was stable over time. S. Typhimurium was the predominant serovar and showed more (multiple) resistance compared to other Salmonella serovars. Sixteen different resistance patterns were found, with resistance to T alone and the combination of ACSSuT and AKSxtT being the most common. The multiresistant S. typhimurium phage type 506 (DT 104) was the most common phage type isolated from horses and most of these strains showed the pentadrug resistance pattern ACSSuT. The S. Typhimurium phage type 401 (DT 104) was also found frequently with an ASSuT resistance pattern. The most common S. Typhimurium phage types in horses corresponded with those found in humans, pigs and cattle in the same period in The Netherlands.
Animals↗
Serotype and phage type distribution of salmonella strains isolated from humans, cattle, pigs, and chickens in the Netherlands from 1984 to 2001.
We studied serotypes and phage types of Salmonella strains isolated from humans and animals in The Netherlands over the period 1984 to 2001. All human strains (n = 59,168) were clinical isolates. The animal strains (n = 65,567) were from clinical and nonclinical infections. All isolates were serotyped, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and serovar Enteritidis strains were further phage typed. The most prevalent serotypes were as follows: in humans, serovars Typhimurium and Enteritidis; in cattle, serovars Typhimurium and Dublin; in pigs, serovar Typhimurium; and in chickens, serovars Enteritidis, Infantis, and Typhimurium. Serovar Enteritidis phage type 4 (pt 4) was the most common phage type in humans and chickens. Serovar Typhimurium pt 510 was the most prevalent serovar Typhimurium phage type in humans and pigs, pt 200 was the most prevalent serovar Typhimurium phage type in cattle, and pt 150 was the most prevalent serovar Typhimurium phage type in chickens. Analysis of the distribution of sero- and phage types during the study period indicated that types shifted over time in humans and animals. Serovar Typhimurium DT 104 emerged in 1991 in humans, cattle, pigs, and chickens and became the most common serovar Typhimurium phage type in 2001. In general, similar sero- and phage types were found in humans and animals, although distinct types were more common in animals. Between the animal species, the sero- and phage type distributions varied considerably.
Animals↗
[Antibiotics for uncomplicated Salmonella enteritis: are they useful? A critical consideration of the literature].
This article, a version of an earlier publication (6), reviews the human and veterinary literature on the effect of anti-microbials on uncomplicated Salmonella enteritis. The main conclusion is that there is no evidence for the widely held belief that anti-microbials prolong the time that salmonellae are shed.
Animals↗
[Diarrhea, pup mortality and Cystoisospora species (coccidiosis)].
A review of coccidiosis in dogs is given on the basis of an autopsy of a puppy from a kennel in which other puppies had diarrhoea and stunted growth. Coccidiosis especially affects puppies from kennels and leads to poor growth, diarrhoea, and even death. Its occurrence is probably underestimated.
Animals↗
A critical assessment of antimicrobial treatment in uncomplicated Salmonella enteritis.
The human and veterinary literature on the effect of antimicrobials on the clinical and bacteriological cure in uncomplicated Salmonella gastroenteritis is reviewed. Comparison of data on the efficacy of conventional antimicrobials (chloramphenicol, neomycin, ampicillin, amoxycillin, tetracycline, trimethoprim/sulfonamide combinations) and the newer fluoroquinolones indicate that quinolones may shorten the course of clinical disease in contrast to the conventional antimicrobials. Postconvalescent excretion of Salmonella was not affected by the conventional antimicrobials whereas the data on the fluoroquinolones in this respect are conflicting. The fluoroquinolones are the drugs of choice in human medicine for severe Salmonella infections and for the elimination of the carrier state. These drugs have not been evaluated in this respect in veterinary medicine. Well designed prospective placebo-controlled studies regarding the effect of antimicrobials, especially the fluoroquinolones, on the clinical cure and the postconvalescent shedding of Salmonella in animals are imperative to develop optimal therapeutic strategies.
Aminoglycosides↗
Antibodies against specific proteins of and immobilizing activity against three strains of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato can be found in symptomatic but not in infected asymptomatic dogs.
In an area where Lyme disease is endemic in The Netherlands all dogs had positive titers by whole-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and appeared to be naturally infected by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. To compare the antibody responses of symptomatic dogs and asymptomatic controls, we performed Western blots and in vitro immobilization assays to study antibody-dependent bactericidal activity. Strains from three different genospecies were employed as the antigen source: B. burgdorferi strain B31, Borrelia garinii strain A87S, and Borrelia afzelii strain pKo. Antibodies against flagellin (p41) and p39 for three strains were found in sera from both symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs and were therefore considered to be markers of exposure. Antibodies against p56 and p30 of strain B31, against p75, p58, p50, OspC, and p<19 of strain A87S, and against p56, p54, p45, OspB, p31, p26, and p<19 of strain pKo were found significantly more frequently in sera from symptomatic dogs younger than 8 years when the first symptoms were observed than in those from age-matched controls (P<0.01). These antibodies were not found in preclinical sera and appeared during development of disease. Antibodies against OspA of strains B31 and A87S were only seen in acute-phase and convalescent sera from three dogs that recovered from disease. Incubation with 25% normal canine serum did not result in the immobilization of strains B31 and pKo, but partial immobilization of strain A87S (61%+/-24% [standard deviation] at 5 h) occurred. Seven of 15 sera from symptomatic dogs but none of the sera from 11 asymptomatic dogs had antibody-dependent immobilizing activity against one of the strains. Consecutive sera from one of these dogs immobilized two different strains. Antibody-mediated bactericidal serum was not seen before onset of disease, was strongest in the acute phase of disease, and fluctuated during chronic disease. From seven out of eight symptomatic dogs Borrelia DNA was amplified by PCR; in three of them the bactericidal activity was directed against one of the genospecies amplified from that dog; however, four PCR-positive dogs lacked bactericidal activity. In conclusion, dogs with symptomatic canine borreliosis have more-extensive antibody reactivity against Borrelia, as shown by both Western blotting and immobilization assays.
Animals↗
Giardiasis in a white stork in The Netherlands.
Giardia sp. was found in the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) in The Netherlands for the first time. The Giardia sp. trophozoites that were found in the feces of a 6-wk-old white stork, were examined by light microscopy. The parasites closely resembled Giardia ardeae that had been isolated by others from several species of wading birds belonging to the order Ciconiiformes, sharing a deeply notched adhesive disk, a single caudal flagellum, and a single round median body. Serologically, the parasites did not react with anti-Giardia intestinalis monoclonal antibodies. Although no signs of intestinal disease were observed in the stork chick, the presence of parasites in all stages of development and the huge number of parasites show that the stork chick was experiencing an active infection with G. ardeae type parasites.
Animals↗
[Giardia, a potential cause of diarrhea].
Diarrhoea is a common problem in young animals living in densely populated surroundings, such as kennels and catteries. One possible causative agent is Giardia. The aim of this article is to increase awareness of this parasite.
Animals↗
[Capnocytophaga canimorsus infections: a possibly fatal complication of bite wounds].
Practising veterinarians and their assistants run the risk of being bitten by their patients, mostly cats and dogs, and many have experienced that bites and bite-wound infections can have unpleasant consequences. In recent years, more insight has been gained into a 'new' bacterial infection of bite wounds that not only has severe local effects but also potentially fatal systemic consequences. The bacterium involved is Capnocytophaga canimorsus. All bite wounds should be treated adequately, but this is especially so when wounds are infected with C. canimorsus. In this article, dog and cat bites are briefly described and then an overview is given of current knowledge of C. canimorsus and appropriate prophylactic measures.
Animal Technicians↗
A serological study of cohorts of young dogs, naturally exposed to Ixodes ricinus ticks, indicates seasonal reinfection by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.
Thirty-three family dogs were monitored for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato over a 3-year period. Serum samples were collected before and during the season of high tick activity. Antibody levels were measured with an ELISA based on whole-cell antigens and an ELISA with a purified recombinant flagellin (r410). Antibody levels measured with the whole-cell ELISA increased after the first exposure to ticks. Following the first seasonal period of tick quiescence, antibody levels decreased, and subsequently increased again in the second tick season. Thereafter whole-cell ELISA titres persisted at moderate levels and did not decrease between tick seasons. The recombinant flagellin ELISA did not show a strong response in the first tick season, but did in the second tick season and levels of antibodies continued to fluctuate thereafter. We conclude that most dogs in this study developed an antibody response against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato after their first tick infestation and were thereafter repeatedly immunologically stimulated, probably reinfected, during the consecutive tick seasons.
Animals↗