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Biomedical subjects

P J McParland

Publications and source records attributed to P J McParland.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A comparison of Doppler flow velocity waveforms, amniotic fluid columns, and the nonstress test as a means of monitoring post-dates pregnancies.

Five hundred thirty-four pregnancies exceeding 294 days were monitored by weekly sonographic estimations of amniotic fluid columns, daily maternal recordings of fetal movements, and thrice-weekly nonstress tests. In addition, each woman received twice-weekly studies of the uteroplacental and umbilical circulations by means of Doppler ultrasound. There were no fetal deaths in the study. Of the individual methods of fetal surveillance, absence of end-diastolic frequencies in the umbilical artery was the most sensitive, predicting 91% of fetuses who developed fetal distress in the first stage. Combining the test with sonographic estimation of amniotic fluid columns improved the prediction to 100%, with only a minimal fall in the specificity. These results strongly suggest that a combination of umbilical artery Doppler waveforms and amniotic fluid determinations is an adequate method of monitoring the post-dates pregnancy.

Adult↗

Isolation of leptospires from the genital tract and kidneys of aborted sows.

Twenty sows were examined as part of an investigation into the relative importance of the genital and urinary tracts as sites of leptospiral persistence in pigs. The sows had previously either aborted leptospire-infected fetuses or aborted on farms where leptospire infection had been demonstrated in other litters. Leptospires belonging to the Australis serogroup were recovered from the upper genital tract of all the sows. In contrast, leptospires were only recovered from 75 per cent of their kidneys. Isolates from 10 of the sows were identified to serovar level: six were serovar muenchen and four were bratislava. Persistence was observed in renal and genital tissues for up to 147 days after abortion.

Abortion, Veterinary↗

Pathological changes in the pericardium and meninges of cattle associated with Clostridium chauvoei.

Twenty-nine cases of Clostridium chauvoei infection in cattle were investigated over a two-year period. Fourteen had lesions of myositis only, eight had lesions of both myositis and fibrinous pericarditis, six had lesions of fibrinous pericarditis only and one had lesions of purulent meningitis only. Cl chauvoei was identified in all the lesions using the fluorescent antibody technique.

Animals↗

Prevalence of Leptospira infection in aborted pigs in Northern Ireland.

During an investigation of pig abortions and stillbirths in Northern Ireland, leptospires were isolated from 55 of the 78 litters examined. Strains belonging to four serogroups (Australis, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Hebdomadis and Autumnalis) were recovered but leptospires of the Australis serogroup accounted for 91 per cent of the isolates. Two serovars of the Australis group bratislava and muenchen, were identified.

Abortion, Veterinary↗

Vaccination against Aujeszky's disease: field experiences.

Twelve herds were investigated where outbreaks of clinical Aujeszky's disease had occurred. Clinical Aujeszky's disease was eliminated from all farms following vaccination. After vaccination was stopped in two of the six fattening herds virus was also apparently eradicated, judging from serological examination. These two herds were the smallest of the six fattening farms and size and the throughput of pigs may have contributed to apparent eradication of virus. In two of six breeding farms where controlled vaccination is still practised unvaccinated gilts and boars were seronegative. In this case possible eradication of infection may have resulted from either no excretion or insufficient production of virus from vaccinates to infect susceptible non-vaccinates. It is postulated that a properly controlled and monitored vaccination and culling programme may result in the eradication of disease and perhaps also infection from breeding herds experiencing Aujeszky's disease.

Animals↗