Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G H Borst.
Acute idiopathic gastric rupture resulted in sudden death of a 4.5-months-old healthy Friesian foal. No morphological lesions were present which could explain the preceding gastric impaction. In this case hypodypsia may have been (partially) responsible for the impaction as only a mechanical drinking apparatus, unsuitably for horses, was available.
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On a fattening pig farm all 582 animals died of peracute intoxication with hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The accident took place after 6000 litres of lactic acid (41.5 mass %) was dumped in the slurry pit. The volume of released gas was about 575 m3. This resulted in sudden spreading by high pressure of a lethal concentration of hydrogen sulphide to all compartments of the pig house. Analysis of the situation indicated that the level of hydrogen sulphide was 7870 ppm.
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On 6 Dutch dairy farms cows died of an acute, very serious mastitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This happened shortly after drying off with antibiotics. Before drying off the teat ends were cleaned with teat wipes contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Within a 6-month-period, solitary or multiple tumors were observed in 25 young pigs in their first weeks of life in a swine breeding farm. The herd comprised approximately 100 animals, and affected pigs were observed in several litters. The number of affected littermates varied from one to three. Five animals, all from different litters and with a total of 11 tumors, were studied. Histologically the tumors were classified as undifferentiated sarcomas. Electron microscopic examination of the tumors (n = 3) revealed myogenic differentiation, characterized by the presence of numerous cytoplasmic filaments with longitudinal densities and cytoplasmic dense bodies. Immunohistochemically, all 11 tumors were labeled by vimentin and desmin antibodies. Two tumors from which frozen material was available were additionally labeled by a titin antibody but did not show immunoreactivity with antibodies directed against myosin and alpha-sarcomeric actin. The tumors were finally diagnosed as undifferentiated rhabdomyosarcomas. The high incidence of these tumors within a short period of time in multiple young animals in different litters indicates a common causative event. The clinical history suggests a genetic cause.
Complex trapping blocking (CTB) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and indirect ELISAs for the detection of antibodies to canine parvovirus (CPV), canine coronavirus (CCV) and rotavirus in sera of dogs were established. Double antibody sandwich ELISAs for the detection of CPV-, CCV- and rotavirus antigens in fecal samples were also developed. Both the serological and antigen-detection ELISAs were used to screen samples from dogs in The Netherlands, with or without a history of acute diarrhea. It was shown that the results of the respective serological ELISAs correlated well and that CPV was the major cause of virus-induced acute diarrhea in dogs in The Netherlands.
Four sporadic cases of congenital swinepox are described. The pigs were born with pox lesions over their entire bodies. Microscopic examination revealed ballooning degeneration of keratinocytes, cytoplasmic inclusions and intranuclear vacuolisation. Electron microscopy detected poxvirus particles in all four pigs. The virus was isolated from one pig and identified by HindIII restriction endonuclease digestion as swinepox virus.
The concentration of oestrone sulphate was determined in plasma as well as in urine to verify early pregnancy in pigs (within 24-29 days after mating). The threshold level in plasma was 0.70 ngr/ml. and in urine 50 ngr/ml. Accuracy was ninety-nine per cent in samples of plasma and ninety-two per cent in samples of urine respectively.
Twelve dogs died from an outbreak of type-C botulism. The origin of the outbreak was found to consist in feeding the dogs broiler carcasses contaminated with Clostridium botulinum type-C. High concentrations of toxin type-C could be detected in the stomach contents. Botulism in dogs was only fatal when large amounts of toxin had been produced.
The concentration of progesterone in milk was determined in 327 mares to establish pregnancy in an early stage (sixteen days or more). The 5 ng/ml-level of progesterone as a threshold in the EIA-system used resulted in a very useful aid in the diagnosis of early pregnancy in mares. The results of testing were not in accordance with the confirmed reality in fourteen out of 327 mares (4.3 percent). The result of the test was false non-pregnant in five mares (1.5 percent) and false pregnant in nine mares (2.8 percent).
Serum lysozyme activity (SLA) was measured in a turbidimetric assay with a microcentrifugal analyzer. In a control group of 53 healthy dogs of both sexes and ranging in age from 4 to 10 years, SLA had a mean value of 1.2 mg/l with a range (+/- 2 SD) of 0.6 - 1.8 mg/l. In 80 dogs with a variety of neoplastic diseases the histopathological diagnosis was compared with the SLA value. SLA value was increased in 83% of the cases with malignant tumors and in 29% of the cases with benign tumors. Proper clinical examination is essential in differentiating between neoplastic disease and some interfering diseases, e.g. chronic dermatitis, pyometra and chronic nephritis. Measuring of SLA in dogs may be helpful in screening those animals with suspected malignancies.
The results of a retrospective study of 23 goat kids with delayed swayback are reported. Principal clinical signs were ataxia, loss of postural control, spasticity of the hindlimbs, and muscular weakness, often progressing to permanent recumbency. Denervation of skeletal muscles was demonstrated by electromyography in 2 kids. Three kids slowly recovered during hospitalisation. Histopathological changes were characterized by degeneration of selected neuronal populations with their processes within the central and the peripheral nervous system. Affected systems included upper motor neuron, vestibular, general proprioceptive, and lower motor neuron pathways, with additional involvement of the cerebellar cortex in some animals. Our findings, including limited ultrastructural observations, support the notion that the neuraxon rather than the myelin sheath is the prime target of disease in delayed swayback. The available copper values of affected kids and their unaffected herd mates were significantly lower than those of random control goats, which provides further support for a role of copper deficiency in the aetiology of this disease in the goat.
During an outbreak of a herpesvirus infection in juvenile harbor seals, 11 out of 23 seals died. The duration of the disease in these 11 animals varied from 1-6 days. Nasal discharge, inflammation of the oral mucosa, vomiting, diarrhea and fever up to 40 degrees C were observed in the first days of the disease. In later stages coughing, anorexia and lethargy occurred. Severe necrosis of the liver and interstitial pneumonia were the most striking histopathological findings.
Acute typhlohepatitis was diagnosed in two juvenile ostriches (Struthio camelus). Gross pathology and histologic examination revealed a striking resemblance with histomoniasis in Galliformes.
The concentrations of progesterone in milk were determined in twenty-one mares to establish a diagnosis of pregnancy in an early stage (15-19 days). Progesterone levels varied from 0.0 to 4.2 ng/ml in nine non-pregnant mares and from 6.7 to 30.0 ng/ml in twelve pregnant mares. Progesterone levels were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
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