Biomedical subjects

W A Charleston

Publications and source records attributed to W A Charleston.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

A model for study of lungworm (Dictyocaulus sp.) and gastrointestinal nematode infection in young red deer (Cervus elaphus).

A model of sub-clinical parasitism in young red deer, using concurrent trickle infections of lungworm (Dictyocaulus sp.) and mixed gastro-intestinal (GI) nematodes of deer-origin was evaluated. 20 parasite-free deer calves were artificially reared indoors from 4 days of age. A further five calves were naturally reared on pasture with their dams, treated with anthelmintic and brought indoors at 3-4 months. At 4-4.5 months of age they were individually housed and allocated to five groups (n=5). Groups were dosed 3 x per week, for 9 weeks with 0, 100 and 500, 200 and 1000 (2 groups), 400 and 2000 infective larvae of lungworm and mixed GI nematodes, respectively, cultured from deer faeces. Liveweight and voluntary feed intake measurements and faecal and blood samples were taken weekly. In the fourth week following cessation of trickle infection, deer were euthanased and lung and GI nematodes recovered. Both lungworm and GI nematode infections became patent at Week 4 of infection. Maximum group arithmetic mean faecal egg counts were 100-190 epg. Maximum group arithmetic mean faecal lungworm larval counts were 58-123 lpg. Group arithmetic mean nematode counts at slaughter ranged from 439-806 for GI nematodes and 31-73 for lungworm, respectively. Despite low nematode counts, reduced liveweight gain, voluntary feed intake and serum albumin concentration, elevated serum pepsinogen, gastrin and globulin concentrations and elevated peripheral eosinophil counts and slight haemoconcentration, but no clinical signs, were observed. The reduction in liveweight gain was related to the reduction in voluntary feed intake (r2=0.83; p<0.088). Naturally-reared deer had similar liveweight gains, voluntary feed intake and nematode counts to artificially-reared deer. Thus, methods of infection to produce concurrent sub-clinical lungworm and GI nematode burdens for study of sub-clinical parasitism in young deer have been defined.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Effect of forage legumes containing condensed tannins on lungworm (Dictyocaulus sp.) and gastrointestinal parasitism in young red deer (Cervus elaphus).

To investigate the effect of feeding forage legumes containing condensed tannins (CT) on internal parasitism, red deer calves were fed either lucerne (Medicago sativa; 0.1 per cent CT), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus; 1.9 per cent CT) or sulla (Hedysarum coronarium; 3.5 per cent CT) and trickle-infected with deer-origin gastrointestinal nematode and lungworm (Dictyocaulus sp.) larvae for 5 weeks, then slaughtered at 7 weeks. There was a significant negative linear relationship between dietary CT concentration and abomasal nematode burdens. No significant differences in faecal egg counts, lungworm burdens or voluntary feed intake were found. Deer fed sulla had higher liveweight gain, carcass weight and carcass dressing-out percentage, higher serum total protein and albumin concentration and lower serum gastrin concentration and faecal lungworm larval count, compared with lucerne-fed deer. Inclusion of sulla in diets for young red deer may reduce the impact of internal parasites and/or reduce the dependence on anthelmintic treatment.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed1999

Serological study of a dairy herd with a recent history of Neospora abortion.

UNLABELLED: HERD HISTORY: A cluster of 19 abortions occurred in April and May 1994 on a seasonal dairy farm of 277 cows in Taranaki. Lesions consistent with neosporosis were seen in several foetuses. The age of the aborting cows ranged from 2 to 12 years. Pregnant rising 2-year-old heifers had been grazed off the main farm on a run-off' until returning in May, when they were replaced on the run-off by the rising l-year-old calves. None of these pregnant heifers aborted. METHODS: Sera were obtained from all calves (n = 32), 32 of 33 pregnant heifers, 59 of 60 3-4 year-old cows and 101 of 150 older cows, plus all cows that had aborted. Sera were tested using an indirect fluorescent antibody assay. Non-aborting cattle sera were screened at 1:400, and further dilutions were tested from 15 aborted cows. RESULTS: The percentages of seropositive cattle were: 32% of the calves, 3% of the heifers, 31% of the younger cows and 27% of the older cows. The proportion of seropositive heifers was significantly lower (p< 0.01) than in the other age classes. There was no significant difference in the proportion of seropositive animals between these other age classes (p >0.05). Of the 15 cows that aborted, and for which further dilutions were tested, nine had titres of 1: 12,800, four had titres of 1:6400, one had a titre of 1: 1600 and one had a titre of 1:400. Twenty cows were the dams of pregnant heifers. Six of these cows were seropositive but all their offspring were seronegative. Fifteen aborting cows were held over to the following year when 13 became pregnant and calved normally. There were only two to three abortions in the whole herd in this following year. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that either a point-infection occurred sometime in early 1994 with an infective period short enough so that the heifers did not get infected when they returned to the main farm, or some factor precipitated a recrudescence of latent infection with a subsequent rise in titres in about 29% of the animals on. the main farm only. Although neither hypothesis can be proven or disproven in this observational study, the former hypothesis seems more likely.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1998

Production, faecal egg counts and worm burdens of ewe lambs which grazed six contrasting forages.

Lambs were grazed on monospecific swards of one of six forages, some containing condensed tannins (CT); sulla (Hedysarum coronarium), Lotus corniculatus and L. pedunculatus and some without CT (lucerne (Medicago sativa), plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and a ryegrass/white clover pasture (Lolium perenne/Trifolium repens)) to evaluate effects of forage type on gastrointestinal nematode burdens, faecal egg count as well as liveweight gain (LWG), wool growth and dag formation over a 42-day period. A new allotment of feed was provided at seven-day intervals, and feed was available ad libitum. Total worm burdens in a pre-treatment slaughter group were ca. 22000 of which ca. 5000 were in the abomasum. Within each forage type, 10 of the 25 lambs (NP) were given an anthelmintic drench at 14-day intervals and the remaining 15 lambs (P) were not drenched. Daily gains of the NP lambs were double that of P lambs which grazed either L. corniculatus, lucerne or pasture, but parasitism had a lesser effect on performance of lambs which grazed sulla and L. pedunculatus. Plantain was not palatable and all lambs performed poorly. Highest daily gains in P lambs were for those which grazed sulla (175 g/day) and L. pedunculatus (160 g/day) with total worm burdens of 13100 and 23000 for the respective treatment groups. The other forages resulted in lower daily LWG in P lambs, and performance was not related to either worm burdens or worm species. This experiment has shown that, when sulla is fed, there is a reduction in worm burdens and faecal egg count (FEC), but with Maku lotus which also contains CT, the good level of performance was achieved despite in high worm burdens and FEC. The mechanisms by which these forages enable high levels of productivity in the face of a parasitism appear to differ, but both could be incorporated into forage feeding systems to reduce dependence on anthelmintic drenches.

Abomasum↗

PubMed1998

Establishment and fecundity of Ostertagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis in lambs fed lotus (Lotus pedunculatus) or perennial ryegrass.

Forty four 12-14 week old Polled Dorset ram lambs, raised helminth free from birth, were used to investigate the effects of condensed tannins (CT) in lotus (Lotus pedunculatus) on lamb growth and gastrointestinal nematode establishment and fecundity. Condensed tannins bind to proteins in the rumen and increase the flow of protein to the intestines. Lambs were allocated to either a ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or lotus diet fed ad libitum, with or without twice daily drenching of polyethylene glycol (PEG) which binds with and deactivates the CT. One week after allocation to the diets, each lamb was infected per os with 10,000 Ostertagia circumcincta and 10,000 Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae and slaughtered 28 or 29 days later. Lambs fed lotus had lower faecal egg counts (P < 0.0001) and lower O. circumcincta burdens (P < 0.001), fewer female O. circumcincta (P < 0.0001) and higher faecal dry matter (P < 0.001) than lambs fed ryegrass, but numbers of T. colubriformis nematodes were not affected. This trial did not ascribe beneficial effects of L. pedunculatus to CT per se and the use of PEG does not seem appropriate to studies of parasitology.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Effect of plant species on the larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes which parasitise sheep.

Faeces containing Trichostrongylus colubriformis and/or Ostertagia circumcincta eggs were used to provide four contaminations in each of 2 years on plots of browntop, Yorkshire fog, ryegrass, tall fescue, lucerne, chicory, cocksfoot, white clover, and prairie grass and in the second year a mixed sward of ryegrass/white clover. Third stage larvae were recovered from faeces and from four strata of herbage, 0-2.5, 2.5-5, 5-7.5 and > 7.5 cm above the soil surface at 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, and 14 weeks after faeces were deposited on the swards. Herbage species had a significant (P < 0.0001) effect on the number of larvae recovered. Greatest numbers of larvae, as indicated by ranking analysis, were recovered from Yorkshire fog, ryegrass, and cocksfoot and lowest numbers from white clover and lucerne. The difference between herbages in numbers of larvae recovered was due to the "development success", the ability of larvae to develop to the infective stage and migrate on to herbage, rather than "survival", the rate of population decline once on the herbage. Faecal degradation was most rapid from white clover and browntop, intermediate from tall fescue, lucerne, prairie grass, cocksfoot, and ryegrass, and slowest from Yorkshire fog swards. The numbers of larvae recovered from herbages were related (r2 = 0.59, P < 0.05) with the faecal mass remaining. A greater proportion of the total larvae recovered from the herbage was recovered from the bottom stratum of Yorkshire fog and prairie grass than from white clover, with the other herbages intermediate, indicating that larvae had greater difficulty migrating up Yorkshire fog and prairie grass than the other herbage species. In most herbage species, despite more larvae being recovered from the lowest stratum, larval density (L3/kg herbage DM) was highest in the top stratum. This study has demonstrated that herbage species can have a significant impact on the population dynamics and vertical migration of T. colubriformis and O. circumcincta larvae.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Variation between hosts in the developmental success of the free-living stages of trichostrongyle infections of sheep.

Variation between hosts of different ages and genotypes in the developmental success of trichostrongylid parasite eggs from sheep was investigated in two trials. The percentage development to infective third-stage larvae of eggs collected from lambs and adult ewes infected with Ostertagia circumcincta was compared in an indoor trial. In addition, sheep previously bred for either high or low faecal egg count and grazed outdoors on parasite contaminated pasture were sampled; egg development, faecal egg count, generic profile and faecal dry matter were measured. In both trials, development to L3 was significantly lower in eggs derived from adult ewes than from lambs and, in the field trial, from animals selected for low faecal egg count. The observed differences could not be accounted for by variations in faecal egg count, faecal dry matter content nor by differences in the generic composition of worm egg output. Although not shown conclusively, the results are consistent with an immune mechanism influencing the development of free-living stages of gastrointestinal nematodes outside the host. These results have significant implications for our understanding of parasite epidemiology, particularly as it relates to sources of pasture contamination.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1997

Evaluation of a larval development assay for the detection of anthelmintic resistance in Ostertagia circumcincta.

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate a larval development assay for the detection of anthelmintic resistance in O. circumcincta. In Experiment I, the dose responses to levamisole (LEV), thiabendazole (TBZ) and ivermectin (IVM) of 8 isolates of O. circumcincta were measured 34 days after infection (DAI). Four of these isolates were shown to be resistant to 1 or more anthelmintics. With 2 exceptions, all isolates considered to be resistant had higher LD50 values than the susceptible isolates for that anthelmintic. One exception was isolate RM8, which was considered to be resistant to all 3 anthelmintics based on faecal egg count reduction tests in goats, but the LD50 value for LEV did not differ from that for the susceptible isolates. The other exception was an isolate considered to be susceptible to TBZ which had a relatively high LD50 value. In an unrelated trial that was prompted by this finding, this isolate was confirmed to be benzimidazole-resistant. Isolate RM8 and an isolate susceptible to all 3 anthelmintics (SK2) were used in the second experiment, which was conducted to monitor changes in the LD50 values of LEV, TBZ and IVM over time following a single infection of 35,000 infective larvae in young sheep. Faecal samples were collected weekly from 24 to 115 DAI. With all 3 anthelmintics, the LD50 values increased with time to a peak around 50-60 DAI, and then declined to levels similar to those observed soon after patency. This trend was consistent for both isolates. The highest mean LD50 values for isolates SK2 for IVM and TBZ and RM8 for IVM and RM8, respectively, were 1.7 and 1.8 times, and 2.2 and 2.9 times higher than the initial mean LD50 values. There was a clear distinction in LD50 values between isolates at each sampling day for both IVM and TBZ. However, as a consequence of the changes in LD50 values with time, the peak LD50 values of IVM for isolate SK2 were higher than the minimum LD50 values of isolate RM8. As there was no apparent difference in LEV efficacy between these 2 isolates, the data were pooled. The highest mean LD50 value was 2.3 times higher than the initial LD50 value.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Protozoal encephalomyelitis of dogs involving Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in New Zealand.

In a retrospective study of 15 cases of encephalomyelitis in dogs, three cases of Neospora caninum and two cases of Toxoplasma gondii infection were identified using immunohistochemical staining of central nervous system sections. All cases of neosporosis showed ataxia and progressive hind limb paralysis due to multifocal non-suppurative meningoencephalomyelitis which was most severe in the spinal cord and base of the brain stem. Neospora tissue cysts could not be distinguished morphologically from those of T. gondii using light microscopy, but electron microscopy confirmed their characteristic features. Although Neospora abortion in cattle has only recently been recognised in New Zealand, this study has shown that neosporosis has been present in dogs since at least 1972.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1995

Evaluation of the efficacy of doramectin against an artificial infection of Dictyocaulus viviparus in calves.

Three groups of eight Friesian calves, reared parasite-free, were experimentally infected with 1000 infective larvae of Dictyocaulus viviparus. Two groups were injected subcutaneously with 1% doramectin at 0.2 mg/kg body weight, one group 5 days after infection and the other 25 days after infection. A third group served as untreated controls. Faecal samples were examined for lungworm larvae on days 28, 32, 33, 34 and 35 after infection; the calves were killed and necropsied 39 or 40 days after infection and any lungworms present recovered and counted. Doramectin proved 100% effective against both 5-day-old and mature D. viviparus infections.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1995

Efficacy of ivermectin against benzimidazole-resistant Nematodirus spathiger in sheep.

Eighteen helminth-free lambs were randomly allocated to six groups of three. Each lamb was dosed with 3300 infective larvae pooled from two isolates of Nematodirus spathiger known to be benzimidazole resistant. One lamb from each group was treated with oral ivermectin, one with oral oxfendazole and one left untreated 21 days after infection. All lambs were humanely killed 14 days later and small intestine worm counts performed. No Nematodirus were found in the ivermectin-treated lambs. Nematodirus numbers were reduced by 13% in oxfendazole-treated lambs relative to the control lambs.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1994

The outdoor survival of Sarcocystis gigantea sporocysts.

Sporocysts of Sarcocystis gigantea in cat faeces were placed in vented polystyrene tubes and superficially buried in both open and shaded sites. Their survival, as measured by their ability to excyst in vitro, was then monitored during the course of two separate experiments extending over 12-month periods. The results showed that the viability of these sporocysts declined most rapidly over the summer months and suggested that they were unlikely to remain infective for more than 1 year.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Resistance against Taenia hydatigena in sheep after passive transfer of serum or colostrum.

The role of antibody in the resistance of sheep to infection with Taenia hydatigena metacestodes was examined using passive transfer of immunoglobulin. The immunoglobulin either was experimentally transferred in serum, or was transferred from immune ewes to their new-born lambs in colostrum. Pooled serum from donor lambs which had received one, light, oral infection did not protect recipients although the donors themselves were immune. However, transfer of pooled serum from donors which had either received three oral infections, or three immunizations with solubilized T. hydatigena oncospheres in a water-in-oil adjuvant, resulted in 70-80% fewer cysts in the recipients. Colostrum from ewes infected with three high or low doses of T. hydatigena eggs was transferred to their lambs. A short acting protection (one to three weeks) was observed in the lambs. Comparisons by ELISA and Western blot, of the anti-T. hydatigena oncosphere antibody content of the donor sera, the sera of the recipients collected 24 h and seven days after transfer, the sera of the lambs and ewes, and the colostrum of the ewes, indicated that resistance to the challenge infection depends upon a critical level of antibody.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

The survival of Sarcocystis gigantea sporocysts following exposure to various chemical and physical agents.

Using in vitro excystation as a measure of viability, it was found that at 4 degrees C Sarcocystis gigantea sporocysts survived considerably better in tap water (85% excystation after 174 days) than in either 2.5% potassium dichromate (15% excystation after 174 days) or 2% sulphuric acid (0% excystation after 5 days). Although they were able to resist 48 h suspension at room temperature in most laboratory reagents and disinfectants tested, six (sulphuric acid, ammonia, methanol, ethanol, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, Medol) had substantial sporocysticidal properties. Further investigation with three of these showed that sporocyst excystation was reduced from 65% to less than 10% following contact with 2.5% sulphuric acid for 1 h or with 2% ammonia or 4% Medol for 4 h. Sporocysts were either killed or had their ability to excyst severely impaired by heating to 60 degrees C and 55 degrees C for 5 and 60 min, respectively, by exposure to ultraviolet radiation at a dose of 4000 ET, or by prolonged storage in water at 24 degrees C. Sporocysts exposed to either constant or intermittent freezing at -18 degrees C suffered a comparatively slow decline in excystation rate with time, as did those subjected to desiccation. The duration of survival of desiccated sporocysts was inversely related to relative humidity and after 245 days at 33% relative humidity and temperatures of 15 degrees C or 24 degrees C, 60% of such sporocysts excysted.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Evaluation of moxidectin for the treatment of internal parasites of cattle.

Two groups of eight yearling Hereford cattle were used to assess the efficacy of injectable moxidectin in removing internal parasites. At 0.2 mg/kg liveweight, moxidectin was effective in ridding all eight treated animals of internal parasites in the abomasum, small and large intestines. The difference in worm counts between treated and control animals was highly significant (P<0.001) for all worm species present in sufficient numbers for evaluation. No adverse side-effects were observed in the treated animals.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1991

The in vivo excystation of Sarcocystis gigantea and S. tenella sporocysts.

In vivo studies on the excystation of Sarcocystis gigantea and S. tenella sporocysts indicated that this process was, as in vitro, a diphasic one involving both pretreatment and treatment phases. The studies also tended to support in vitro observations that the requirements for the excystation of these two species are quite different. The results suggested that for neither species was the pretreatment stimulus likely to be provided by conditions in the rumen alone. However, exposure to abomasal conditions only induced moderate levels of excystation in both when they were subsequently treated with trypsin and bile. For S. gigantea, 0.25 to 4 h abomasal exposure was most effective; for S. tenella, 24 hours. The stimuli necessary to complete the excystation process could, apparently, be provided by 1 h placement in the duodenum for S. gigantea but not for S. tenella.

Abomasum↗

PubMed1991

A survey of the prevalence of Toxoplasma infection in goats in New Zealand and a comparison of the latex agglutination and indirect fluorescence tests.

Anti-Toxoplasma antibody titres in 185 sera from clinically normal goats from 14 farms were assayed by both the latex agglutination and the indirect fluorescent antibody tests. The animals were of various breeds including Angora, New Zealand feral, Angora x feral, Saanen and Toggenburg. A high level of agreement between the two tests was obtained with 83.8% of titres corresponding to within one dilution and 96.8% to within two dilutions. In both tests, titres of 1:64 and above were considered positive. A total of 298 goat sera from clinically normal kids (n = 88), yearlings (n = 65) and adults (n = 145) from 17 farms were examined by the latex agglutination test. The prevalence of positive sera was 7% in kids, 23% in yearlings and 37% in adults. There was a significantly higher prevalence of positive sera in dairy than in fibre breeds.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

The in vitro excystation of Sarcocystis gigantea sporocysts.

Studies on the in vitro excystation of Sarcocystis gigantea sporocysts revealed that pretreatment before exposure to trypsin and bile was an essential prerequisite. However, in contrast to Sarcocystis tenella and Sarcocystis capracanis, incubation in cysteine hydrochloride under CO2 was largely unsuccessful for excysting Sarcocystis gigantea: of the pretreatments tested, only exposure to sodium hypochlorite proved effective. Excystation from sodium hypochlorite-pretreated S. gigantea sporocysts took place in trypsin and bile between temperatures of 30 and 43 degrees C and occurred rapidly at 39 degrees C. While the presence of bile or bile salts was essential for this process, that of trypsin was not, although more sporocysts excysted in its presence than in its absence. Excystation occurred in the presence of all bile types tested but not when Tween 80 was substituted for bile. The highest levels of excystation were recorded when cattle or sheep bile or sodium taurocholate were used and the lowest when chicken or pig bile were employed. Neither the concentration of sheep bile above 2.5%, nor hydrogen ion concentration (pH range 5.0-10.0) appeared to have any marked effect on the level of excystation obtained.

Animals↗