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Biomedical subjects

V Bergmann

Publications and source records attributed to V Bergmann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Genetic and ultrastructural characterization of a European isolate of the fatal endotheliotropic elephant herpesvirus.

A male Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) died at the Berlin zoological gardens in August 1998 of systemic infection with the novel endotheliotropic elephant herpesvirus (ElHV-1). This virus causes a fatal haemorrhagic disease in Asian elephants, the so-called endothelial inclusion body disease, as reported from North American zoological gardens. In the present work, ElHV-1 was visualized ultrastructurally in affected organ material. Furthermore, a gene block comprising the complete glycoprotein B (gB) and DNA polymerase (DPOL) genes as well as two partial genes was amplified by PCR-based genome walking and sequenced. The gene content and arrangement were similar to those of members of the Betaherpesvirinae. However, phylogenetic analysis with gB and DPOL consistently revealed a very distant relationship to the betaherpesviruses. Therefore, ElHV-1 may be a member of a new genus or even a new herpesvirus subfamily. The sequence information generated was used to set up a nested-PCR assay for diagnosis of suspected cases of endothelial inclusion body disease. Furthermore, it will aid in the development of antibody-based detection methods and of vaccination strategies against this fatal herpesvirus infection in the endangered Asian elephant.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Epizootiology of fowls adenoviruses].

Fowl adenoviruses of the serotype 4 from Germany were characterised by restriction enzyme analysis in comparison to isolates from Asia, South America and the FAV4 reference strain KR5. Only strain Da60 which was isolated from a psittacine aviary was identical with the reference strain KR5. None of the isolates was identical with the highly pathogenic strains from India and Ecuador. One-day-old chicks were infected orally and intramuscularly with the reference strain KR5, the psittacine isolate Da60 and isolate K1013 from Ecuador. Whereas no mortality was seen with the two strains KR5 and Da60, the mortality with K1013 was 100%. The main pathological signs were a swollen liver with necrosis and a lymphocyte depletion with a loss of the follicle structure. To investigate a second subject of avian adenovirus epizootiology several FAVs were characterized serologically and with PCR which was combined with the digestion of the PCR products. Including the reference strains, both methods were compared. It was shown that the digestion of the PCR products allows a clear attribution to a specific serotype, which underlines the usefulness of this method for diagnostic purposes.

Adenoviridae Infections↗
PubMed1998

The prognostic significance of AgNOR counts and PCNA-positive cell counts in canine malignant lymphomas.

The behaviour of canine malignant lymphomas is difficult to predict on the basis of histomorphology alone, but the majority of such tumours are "high-grade" by most classifications. The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic significance of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) counts and of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive cell counts in canine malignant lymphomas; and to relate the results to the histological grade (Kiel classification) and to the survival time of treated and untreated dogs. Low- and high-grade malignant lymphomas differed significantly in having mean AgNOR counts of 3.3 and 5.7 respectively. Untreated dogs with a mean AgNOR count higher than 5.5 did not survive more than 85 days; the median survival time for this group was 38.5 days. Untreated dogs with a mean AgNOR count lower than 4.0 survived at least 82 days and one dog more than 300 days; the median survival time for this group was 154 days. Treated dogs with a mean AgNOR count higher than 5.5 did not survive more than 126 days; the median survival time for this group was 73.5 days. Treated dogs with a mean AgNOR count lower than 4.0 had a median survival time of 205.5 days and one dog survived 367 days. The mean AgNOR count would seem to be a valuable prognostic marker for canine malignant lymphomas, but PCNA counts had no prognostic significance in relation to the median survival time in treated or untreated dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of skeletal muscle characteristics in chicken bred for meat or egg production. I. Histopathological and electron microscopic examination.

A comparative histopathological and electron microscopic study based on selected skeletal muscle in layer-type and meat-type chickens was carried out to detect possible effects of selection for rapid growth and increased muscularity on muscle health. Disseminated fibre degeneration and other myopathological changes occurred more frequently in muscles of meat-type chickens than in layer-type chickens of the same age. The breast region of meat-type chickens--highly developed as a breeding aim--was particularly affected. Experimental exertion demonstrated the limited adaptability of skeletal muscle to psychomotor stress in meat-type chickens. Meat-type chickens showed a higher increase of histopathological muscular lesions after repeated wing exercise than layer-type chickens. Ultrastructural lesions caused by experimental exertion were classified as adaptive-reversible in layer-type chickens. As opposed to this, irreversible destruction of myofibrillar architecture in meat-type chickens are an indication for muscle ischaemia after exertion. Significant changes of structural, metabolic and functional parameters of skeletal muscle related to breeding aims in meat type chickens contribute to finding an explanation for their increased susceptibility to pathological reactions.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of skeletal muscle characteristics in chicken bred for meat or egg production: II. Histochemical and morphometric examination.

Comparative histochemical and morphometric examinations of layer-type and meat-type chickens were carried out to detect the effects of growth selection on metabolic and structural characteristics of skeletal muscle. A combined histochemical method (NADHOX/mATPase) was used to compare the fibre type profiles of the supracoracoideus muscle in layer-type and meat-type chickens of the same age. A significantly higher percentage of glycolytic fibres was found in the line selected for rapid growth. Very similar results were obtained in studies comparing the supracoracoideus and flexor cruris medialis muscles of layer-type and meat-type chickens with approximately the same body weight. These results indicate that the oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle in meat-type chickens is significantly reduced by a lower proportion of oxidative fibres. The morphometric analysis demonstrates that selective changes of fibre diameters additionally reduce the oxidative capacity. Adverse effects on capillarity and oxygen supply are known to be connected with a reduced oxidative capacity of muscle tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

[Skin diseases as a reason for condemnation of broiler carcasses].

The analysis of losses in slaughtered broilers based on the results of poultry meat inspection in a poultry slaughterhouse in 1991-1993 has shown that skin diseases are the main reason for condemnation of carcasses, followed by polyserositis and aerosacculitis, underdevelopment, skeletal diseases, and ascites syndrome. The incidence of skin diseases increased continuously between 1991 and 1993. Amongst the skin diseases eight separate diagnoses were differentiated. Dermatitis with cellulitis, dermal carcinomatosis, skin tears, scabby hip, and breast blisters are the most frequent ones. However, the permanent increasing dermatitis with cellulitis as well as the frequency rank following dermal carcinomatosis are of utmost importance.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1990

[The pathomorphology and pathogenesis of acute cardiovascular failure in swine. 1. Histopathologic findings in the myocardium of swine of different age groups].

Myocardia were histologically examined for the presence of pathomorphological processes in 143 pigs of varying age groups (one, three, seven to nine, and 24 months). Some of them had been slaughtered in clinically intact condition. Others had died of non-cardial diseases. Numerous alterations were recorded, with the following among them being more suitable than others for quantitative assessment and thus objective appraisal of the myocardium: inflammatory infiltrations, granular or hyaline disintegration of fibres, fibre necrosis, dystrophic calcification of fibres, degenerative fat infiltration, and sarcosporidiosis. These parameters were increasingly detectable along with growing age of animals. Inflammatory infiltrations were among the most common findings from pigs for slaughter, aged seven to nine months (40.4 percent of myocardial samples or 58 percent of hearts), followed by muscle fibre necroses (26.4 or 42.0 percent). Most of these disorders were but slightly manifest and were considered to be indicators of catabolic or reparative processes in the myocardium. Attention should be given to them, whenever it comes to pigs with cardiac or circulatory disturbances.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

[The pathomorphology and pathogenesis of acute cardiovascular failure in swine. 2. Histopathologic findings in the myocardium of swine of different populations].

Histopathological alterations of the myocardium (inflammatory processes, fibrolysis, fibronecrosis, dystrophic calcification, fatty degeneration of fibres, sarcosporidia) were recorded for quantitative evaluation from 200 hearts which had been collected from clinically intact pigs for slaughter of different populations (Leicoma, land race, Schwerfurt breed, Belgian land race). Both incidence and severity of myocardial damage in pigs of stress-sensitive populations were higher with significance than those in the less stress-sensitive Leicoma population oriented to breeding. The highest rate of pathological processes was recorded from hearts of the Schwerfurt breed. These alterations were interpreted as objectively measurable expressions of breed-dependent differences in cardiovascular stability. In this context, rates of damage were higher in hearts of low absolute mass.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

[The pathomorphology and pathogenesis of acute cardiovascular failure in swine. 3. Histopathologic findings in the myocardium of swine with transport-related cardiovascular insufficiency].

Quantitative pathohistological investigations were performed on 300 samples of five different myocardial regions from 50 pigs with had suffered stress-related myocardial insufficiency on their transport to the slaughterhouse (transport exhaustion). The findings were compared to 1,200 myocardial samples from 200 clinically intact pigs for slaughter. Animals with transport-related damage exhibited with significance more and more severe inflammatory and degenerative myocardial alterations, such as round-cell infiltration, fiber necrosis, calcification, and fat infiltration. Many of these lesions had been manifest already prior to transport. Myocardially predamaged pigs were less capable than others of sustaining transport stress and were more predisposed to cardiac failure. Stress-related cardiovascular insufficiency, consequently, depended not only on direct stress but also on the general health condition of the myocardium. Causes and pathogenetic relevance of these alterations are discussed in some detail.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

[Change in cardiopulmonary function following surgery].

45 patients were subjected to pre- and postoperative radio-cardiographic examinations and 52 patients to respiratory function tests. Vital capacity, one-second capacity, maximum breathing capacity and peak flow decreased significantly, the oscillatory resistance increased significantly. During extra-abdominal interventions, the difference to the initial value appeared to be essentially lower. These findings are to be related to bronchial irritation and concurrent anaesthesia-induced bronchospasm as well to pain-dependent restriction of lung function due to elevation and relieving posture of the diaphragm. Not significant was the change in cardiac function which was determined by age and predigitalization of the test persons rather than by the site of the surgical intervention.

Adult↗