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Biomedical subjects

J N Beasley

Publications and source records attributed to J N Beasley.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Isolation and identification of citrinin produced by Penicillium lanosum.

Penicillium lanosum, when grown on corn, produces a metabolite which increases water intake and excretion by chicks. During a 5-hr test period, chicks fed inoculated corn as the only feed began excreting water within 2 hr and excreted as much as 36 ml, whereas chicks fed untreated corn did not excrete measurable amounts. Chicks fed the inoculated corn drank more water than those fed untreated corn. The metabolite could not be extracted from oven-dried corn but was removed from air-dried corn which had been moistened with acid and extracted with chloroform and then with methanol. It was soluble in 1% sodium bicarbonate and precipitated as yellow cystals when the solution was acidified to pH 1.5. The precipitate was identified as citrinin based on the results of thin layer chromatography, ultraviolet, infrared, mass spectrometer, fluorescence excitation and emission, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra.

Animals↗

An age-related coagulation disorder associated with experimental infection with infectious bursal disease virus.

Specific-pathogen-free White Leghorn chickens were inoculated with a field strain of infectious bursal disease virus. One group (A) was inoculated at 17 days after the chicks were hatched, and the other groups (C and E) were inoculated at posthatch day 42. Blood samples were obtained for determination of clotting times (whole blood recalcification, prothrombin, and activated partial thromboplastin times), virus-neutralizing antibody, and total hemolytic complement. There were significant increases in clotting times for groups C and E at 3 and 5 days after they were inoculated. There were no significant increases in clotting times at 3 days after inoculation in the group A chickens (inoculated at 17 days after hatching). There were no significant decreases in total complement activity in any of these chickens (groups A, C, and E). This study indicates that the mortality and clinical symptoms observed in chickens experimentally infected with infectious bursal disease virus may be associated with a clotting abnormality because it was noted only in chickens that developed severe clinical disease (inoculated at 42 days after hatching) and was not noted in chickens that remained clinically normal (inoculated at 17 days).

Age Factors↗

Transmission of transmissible venereal tumor of the dog to the coyote.

Three coyotes experimentally implanted with cells from a transmissible venereal tumor of a dog developed neoplasms. Histopathologic appearances of the tumors in the coyotes were similar to those described in the dog. Attempts to transmit the tumor to suckling mice, rats, hamsters, kittens, and opossums were not successful.

Animals↗

Ultrastructural characteristics of canine transmissible venereal tumor at various stages of growth and regression.

Ultrastructural study of canine transmissible tumors in developing, mature, and regressing stages from 6 dogs revealed the presence of healthy and degenerating tumor cells in all neoplasms. The total number of neoplastic cells seemed to decrease, and the number of degenerating neoplastic cells seemed to increase in mature tumors. Macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells infiltrated mature and regressing tumors. Alteratons in degenerating tumor cells consisted mainly of cytoplasmic changes in early stages and of both nuclear and cytoplasmic changes in cells in which degeneration was more advanced. Amounts of endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes were decreased. There were swelling and vacuolation of mitochondria. Nuclear chromatin was clumped along the nuclear envelope, and the perinuclear space was widened. Degenerating cells often contained membrane-bound granules and clusters. Lamellar complexes were observed in tumor cells from 2 dogs. Virus particles were not seen.

Animals↗

Pathological response of the chicken embryo to an agent which causes acute leukosis (Marek's disease).

A laboratory test system specific for Marek's disease was developed by using the pathological response of the chicken embryo. Chicken epidermal scales (dander) and feather calami from infected chickens contain an agent(s) which after a 3- to 4-day incubation period caused gross or microscopic pathological changes (or both) in the embryo. A cell-free inoculum was obtained from infectious dander by 5-min sonic treatment, differential centrifugation, and membrane filtering (0.45 mum). Evidence for the cell-free existence of this agent(s) was obtained when membrane filtrates of dander preparations were shown to cause Marek's disease in 10-day-old chickens and in chickens inoculated at 1 day of age.

Acute Disease↗

An outbreak of histomoniasis in turkeys infected with a moderate level of Ascaridia dissimilis but no Heterakis gallinarum.

Histomoniasis was diagnosed in a commercial turkey flock. All morbidity and mortality occurred in one house. Birds exhibited lesions characteristic for histomoniasis, and the diagnosis was confirmed by histopathologic examination. Affected turkeys were infected with moderate levels of Ascaridia dissimilis but not Heterakis gallinarum. Compression smears of hepatic tissues showed typical histotrophic phase Histomonas meleagridis, whereas cecal smears exhibited large numbers of Trichomonas gallinarum. A challenge experiment was conducted in which turkey poults were placed on contaminated litter. Although histomoniasis was not reproduced in the experiment, the birds did become infected with low numbers of A. dissimilis.

Animals↗

Effect of age of maternal flock and strain on the incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia in growing chicks.

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of age of the maternal flock (27 vs. 57 weeks of age at time the eggs were set) and strain of broiler chicks (Cobb 500, Ross, Arbor Acres, and Avian) on the incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in broiler cockerels grown to 3 weeks of age. The chicks were fed a corn/soybean meal-based diet containing 3145 kcal metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen retention (MEn)/kg, 24% protein, and 0.50% available phosphorus. Each treatment was replicated four times with eight chicks per pen. In Expt. 1, chicks from the old parent flock had significantly higher body weights (P < or = 0.05) than those from the young parent flock. There were no significant differences in feed efficiency or incidence of TD. In Expt. 2, body weights, feed efficiency, and TD were unaffected by strain.

Animal Feed↗

High mortality of domestic turkeys associated with Ascaridia dissimilis.

Third- and fourth-stage Ascaridia dissimilis larvae were isolated from commercial white turkey intestinal scrapings from two farms that were experiencing high mortality. Lesions consisted of a necrotic-like enteritis that was most severe in the jejunum. Subsequent bacteriological isolation yielded heavy growth of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens. The rate of mortality declined rapidly when the turkeys were administered 18 ppm fenbendazole for 7 days.

Animals↗

Investigation of a chronic feed-passage problem on a broiler farm in northwest Arkansas.

A commercial broiler farm with a history of poor feed conversion and chronic feed-passage problems was chosen for investigation. Chickens were taken from the broiler flock at specified intervals during growout and tested by virus isolation and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for avian reovirus. Abnormal tissue pathology was first seen in the broilers at 9 days of age and continued sporadically throughout the growout period. Antireovirus antibody levels began to increase at 24 days of age. Avian reovirus and avian adenovirus was recovered at different intervals starting at 17 and 31 days of age, respectively. One-day-old specific-pathogen-free chicks housed in filtered-air positive-pressure isolation units were inoculated with two inocula recovered from the field study. Avian reovirus was recovered from the tissues of both treatment groups using chick kidney cells. Significant weight differences were seen in one of the two treatment groups. This avian reovirus was given the name SS-412.

Animals↗

Use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure antibody levels in turkey breeder hens, eggs, and progeny following natural infection or immunization with a commercial Bordetella avium bacterin.

Twelve large white turkey hens were immunized with a commercially available Bordetella avium bacterin. Hens and eggs were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the response to the bacterin. Three hundred poults were then obtained from two commercial flocks, the hens of one flock having been immunized with the same bacterin used on the group of 12 turkeys. Titers of the poults were monitored for 7 weeks, and poults were challenged by exposure to infected poults at 1, 7, 14, and 21 days post-hatch. Hens produced an antibody response following immunization, with a parallel antibody response being detected in eggs. Maternal antibodies were present in poults from immunized hens. Poult titers declined to near the level of poults from unimmunized hens by 14 days of age. Poults from immunized hens challenged at 1 and 7 days were resistant to development of clinical disease and gross lesions, whereas all poults from unimmunized hens exhibited clinical signs and gross lesions. After 14 days, the resistance of both groups to development of clinical disease, became near equal, neither group being affected as severely as the unimmunized hens challenged at days 1 and 7. Six commercial turkey breeding flocks and their progeny that had not been vaccinated for B. avium and had no history of B. avium infection were evaluated with the B. avium ELISA. There were variations between the flocks, with poult titers reflecting those found in the hens.

Animals↗

Experimental infection of broiler and Leghorn chickens with virulent and avirulent isolates of hemorrhagic enteritis virus.

The effects of virulent and avirulent isolates of hemorrhagic enteritis virus were studied in Leghorn and broiler chickens. The viruses caused subclinical infections in both strains of birds. The avirulent isolate produced enlarged spleens, inclusion bodies, and antibody in all inoculated Leghorns. In broilers the avirulent virus produced infection in only half of the inoculated birds. Inclusion bodies were widely dispersed in the spleens of both types of birds. The virulent virus produced infection in all inoculated birds of both strains. Inclusion bodies were numerous in the spleens of Leghorn birds and were widely scattered in the spleens of broilers.

Adenoviridae Infections↗

In vitro studies with dimethyldithiocarbamate, possible new antimicrobial for use in poultry.

Tests were conducted to determine the in vitro efficacy of the dithiocarbamate analogue, dimethyldithiocarbamate (DmDTC), against selected poultry pathogens. Organisms studied were two bacteria, Pasteurella multocida and Escherichia coli, and a mold, Aspergillus fumigatus. Zone of inhibition and the minimum inhibitory concentration were determined for each organism. DmDTC was effective in vitro against all organisms tested, with A. fumigatus showing greatest overall sensitivity.

Animals↗