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Biomedical subjects

V W Smith

Publications and source records attributed to V W Smith.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

Response of merino sheep to inoculation with a caprine retrovirus.

Maedi-visna has never been recorded in Australia. However, caprine retroviruses have been isolated which cause clinical disease similar to caprine arthritis-encephalitis and produce antibodies in goats similar to those caused by maedi-visna virus. Merino lambs in close contact for up to 109 weeks with three goats experimentally infected with a caprine retrovirus did not seroconvert or show any significant pathological lesions. No viruses were isolated from any of these sheep though the goats seroconverted and two out of the three developed a non-suppurative bursitis and arthritis. Merino lambs inoculated with a caprine retrovirus showed no significant clinical signs or pathological lesions over a period of 140 weeks though nine out of the 12 seroconverted and viraemia was demonstrated in seven.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Intervention and alcoholism.

It is difficult for some alcoholics to admit their illness and recognize their need for help. From experience a process called intervention has evolved. Basically it consists of a well planned and rehearsed scenario, devoid of coercion and criticism, in which the alcoholic can find no acceptable alternative to treatment. He is given every opportunity to begin his recovery with dignity.

Alcoholics Anonymous↗
PubMed1984

Preparation and evaluation of antigens used in serological tests for caprine syncytial retrovirus antibody in sheep and goat sera.

Methods used to prepare antigens from caprine syncytial retrovirus (CSR) for use in the agarose gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) or an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are described. Caprine and ovine sera were tested for antibody to CSR using the AGID test and ELISA incorporating a caprine system (CSR antigen and rabbit anti-goat IgG) or an ovine system (maedi-visna virus antigen and rabbit anti-sheep IgG). Good correlation was achieved in the results of the 3 tests when sera were devoid of antibody or were strongly positive. Variations in the results on weakly positive sera were considered to be more a matter of interpretation than due to basic differences in the reagents employed.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Serological studies of Australian and Papua New Guinean cattle and Australian sheep for the presence of antibodies against bluetongue group viruses.

Following isolation of a virus (CSIRO19) from insects in Australia and its identification as bluetongue virus serotype 20 (BTV20), a nationwide survey of antibodies in cattle and sheep sera was undertaken. Initial studies using the serum neutralization (SN) test showed that the distribution of BTV20 antibodies in cattle was confined to the northern part of Australia. Group-reactive antibody tests (agar gel diffusion precipitin, AGDP, and complement-fixation, CF) showed group-reactive cattle sera south of the BTV20 zone (northern Australia), and southwards from Queensland to New South Wales. Very few group-reactive sheep sera (45 out of 16213) were found and these were of doubtful epidemiological significance. Some of these BTV group-reactive, BTV20-negative, sera were tested in SN tests against BTV1 to 17 and Ibaraki (IBA) virus. The results indicated that BTV1, or a closely related orbivirus, was active in cattle in Queensland, northern Western Australia, and New South Wales, and that antibody to BTV15 was present in some of the cattle sera in northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Antibody to IBA virus was present in some cattle sera in Queensland, northern Western Australia and New South Wales. SN antibody titres greater than or equal to 60 were also found to a number of other BTV serotypes in cattle sera in northern Western Australia and Queensland (principally, BTV2 and BTV7). Low level reactions were commonly observed against these and a number of other BTV serotypes, often in the same serum samples. Further, 22% of the group-reactive cattle sera did not react with any of the viruses in the SN tests. Such results were difficult to interpret in terms of known Australian BTV or BTV-related isolates.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

A possible bovine polyomavirus.

A virus with the characteristics of a polyomavirus was isolated from tissue cultures prepared from the kidneys of a healthy new-born calf.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

A serological survey for bluetongue virus antibody in Western Australia.

A serological survey was carried out to detect specific (serotype 20) and a group bluetongue virus antibody in cattle and sheep serums collected in Western Australia during the period January 1 1978 to June 30 1979. Of 18,849 cattle serums examined by the gel diffusion precipitin test (GDPT), 9.7% were positive and 6.1% gave doubtful results. All 1949 sheep serums tested were negative. Precipitin antibody was demonstrated in 22.5% of serums from Kimberley cattle and 3.6% of cattle serums from the Northwest. Serums collected from cattle in the South were consistently negative in GDPT. When 915 serums that reacted in the GDPT were further tested by the complement fixation test (CFT), 164 were positive. The percentage of CFT positive serums increased as the GDPT reaction became stronger. 2467 serums collected from cattle in Kimberley and Northwest areas and tested by the CFT, 175 (7.1%) were positive. These 175 positive serums were also examined by GDPT and 164 doubtful or positive reactions were obtained. The virus neutralisation (VNT) using serotype 20 virus was carried out on 3804 serums, including all serums that reacted in the GDPT, and 57 were positive. When the VNT positive serums were examined in the other 2 tests, 47 serums were either positive or doubtful in the GDPT and 8 were positive in the CFT. The presence of bluetongue virus group antibody in cattle serums closely followed the suggested distribution pattern of Culicoides brevitarsis but specific serotype 20 neutralising antibody was limited to cattle serums from stations situated north of latitude 17 degrees S in an area of mean annual rainfall higher than 700 mm.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

The serological response of chickens to an avian influenza A virus administered by various routes.

An avian influenza A virus (Hav7 Neq2) isolated from a feral duck in Western Australia was transmitted to groups of broiler chickens by cloaca, mouth, eye drop or spray. No disease or deaths occurred. Serum samples were examined by haemagglutination inhibition test and enzyme linked immunosorbent assays and the results gave reasonable correlation. Chickens infected by cloaca or spray gave the best overall seroconversions.

Animals↗