Fifty-eight fecal samples from vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus [Cercopithecus] aethiops) at a sanctuary near Tzaneen, Limpopo Province, South Africa, were collected and analyzed to determine which species of gastrointestinal parasites they harbored, and differences in infection rates were examined. Three parasites were found, including two nematodes (Trichuris trichiura and one tentatively classified as Strongyloides spp.) and one protozoa (Balantidium coli). Rates of B. coil and Strongyloides spp. infection were similar in captive (41.9% and 77.4%, respectively) and wild (35% and 75%, respectively) monkeys, but rates of T. trichiura infection were significantly higher in wild individuals. No captives were infected with T. trichiura, but 15% of wild monkeys were infected. Although humans in other regions of South Africa have already been found to harbor two of these parasites (Strongyloides spp. and T. trichiura), caution should still be taken in areas that experience high rates of human-vervet interaction or conflict. Also, evidence suggests that the vervets may have been exposed to B. coil from a nearby pig farm, indicating that humans may pose as much of a threat to vervet health as vice versa. / Department of Anthropology

Introduction: Hirschsprung’s Disease (HD) is the congenital absence of ganglion cells (GCs) within the distal intestine. Our objectives are to determine if apoptosis of myenteric GCs occurs during human development and to determine if myenteric GC apoptosis or injury contributes to HD. Materials and Methods: Apoptosis of myenteric GCs was assessed in archived fetal intestinal tissue (n = 4; 15-41 weeks gestational age) and in HD at the transition zone (TZ) (n = 6) using anti-cleaved caspase-3. Immunohistochemistry for GFAP, CD68, HLA-DR and APP was used to assess the presence of enteric reactive changes. Results: No activated caspase-3 expression was present in the myenteric GCs of the developing human intestine or the TZ of HD. No significant increase in GFAP, CD68, HLA-DR or APP expression was present. Conclusions: Apoptosis does not appear to occur during the development of the human myenteric plexus or, in conjunction with GC injury, in HD.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe aprašomi Radviliškio rajone auginamų kiaulių užsikrėtimo virškinimo trakto helmintais intensyvumas priklausomai nuo fermos dydžio ir gyvulio amžiaus. Nustatytas kiaulių užsikrėtimas Ascaris suum, Oesophagostomum spp, Strongyloideas spp. helmintais ir Eimeria spp. pirmuonimis. Literatūros apžvalgoje aprašomas šių parazitų vystymasis, klinika, patogenezė ir epizootiniai duomenys. Tyrimams mėginiai buvo imami Radviliškio rajone esančiuose smulkių kiaulių augintojų ūkiuose ir vidutinio stambumo kiaulių komplekse. Tyrimo laikotarpiu buvo paimti 57 mėginiai iš penkių skirtingų smulkių kiaulių augintojų ir 42 mėginiai iš kiaulių komplekso. Mėginiai ištirti LSMU VA Užkrečiamųjų ligų katedros Parazitologijos laboratorijoje. Kiaulės pagal amžių buvo suskirstytos į grupes: 0 – 3 mėn., 4 – 5 mėn., 6 – 8 mėn., 9 – 11 mėn., paršavedės ir kuiliai. Tyrimai buvo atliekami modifikuotu MacMaster metodu. Aukščiausias užsikrėtimas virškinimo trakto parazitais nustatytas Radviliškio rajone esančiuose smulkiuose kiaulių ūkiuose ir teigiamų atvejų skaičius juose siekė 89 proc. Tuo tarpu vidutinio didumo kiaulių komplekse užsikrėtimas siekė 31 proc. Dažniausiai pasireiškę virškinimo trakto parazitai tiek smulkių ūkių, tiek komplekso mėginiuose buvo Oesophagostomum spp. ir A. suum. Be to, nustatyti sporadiniai Strongyloides spp. ir Eimeria spp. užsikrėtimų atvejai. Oesophagostomum spp. ir Ascaris suum skirtingose kiaulių grupėse didžiausias užsikrėtimas buvo paršavedžių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The research project presented in the thesis was designed to investigate the intensity of gastrointestinal parasite infection in pigs in district of Radviliškis caused by Ascaris suum, Oesophagostomum spp, Strongyloideas spp. and Eimeria spp. depending on the size of farm and age of the animal. In addition, the development cycles of these parasites, clinic, pathogenesis and epidemiological data are described. During the study, 57 samples from 5 different small pig farmers and 42 samples from the medium size pig farm were collected. All samples were examined at Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of health Sciences. Pigs were divided according age and sex into 0 – 3 months, 4 – 5 months, 6 – 8 months, 9 – 11 months, sows and boars groups. The samples were examined by modified MacMaster technique. The highest level (89%) of gastrointestinal parasites infection was registered in small pig farms. However, the level of infection in the medium size pig farm was significantly lower i.e. 31%. In our study Oesophagostomum spp. and A. suum were highly distributed and Strongyloides spp. and Eimeria spp were found only as sporadic infection. Most intensive infection level of Oesophagostomum spp. and A. suum was registered in sows, 6 – 8 months and 9 – 11 months pigs. Furthermore, the sporadical cases of infection with Eimeria spp. was found in 4 – 5 months and 6 – 8 months pigs and Strongyloides spp cases in... [to full text]

Non-invasive markers that are clinically useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of canine chronic enteropathies are scarce. The first aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of cobalamin deficiency on a cellular level in dogs with chronic gastrointestinal disease by measuring serum methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations. Hypocobalaminemia has been associated with a negative outcome in dogs with chronic enteropathies, but the prevalence of cellular cobalamin deficiency is unknown. The second aim of this study was to determine the utility of fecal and urinary concentrations of N-methylhistamine (NMH) as a marker of gastrointestinal inflammation and disease activity in dogs with chronic enteropathies. Serum MMA concentrations were measured in healthy control dogs to establish a reference interval, which was calculated to be 415-1,193 nmol/L. Measurement of MMA concentrations in 555 serum samples from dogs with varying cobalamin concentrations showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in dogs with hypocobalaminemia. In a prospective group of 56 dogs with chronic enteropathies, 36% had decreased serum cobalamin concentrations, five of which (9% of 56 dogs) had increased serum MMA concentrations. We conclude that hypocobalaminemia is commonly seen in dogs with chronic gastrointestinal disease, but does not always appear to be associated with cellular cobalamin deficiency. In 47 dogs with chronic enteropathies, fecal and urinary NMH concentrations were increased in 21% and 27%, respectively, indicating that mast cell degranulation plays a role in a subset of dogs with chronic enteropathies. However fecal and urinary NMH concentrations did not correlate with each other, or with the clinical activity index. Urinary NMH concentrations correlated significantly with serum CRP concentrations, and were also significantly associated with severity of duodenal mucosal inflammation (p=0.008). The lack of correlation with the clinical activity index suggests that degranulation of mast cells only plays a role in some dogs with chronic enteropathies. Also, these results suggest that NMH alone may not be a good marker for clinical disease activity in dogs with chronic enteropathies. Due to its linear association with serum CRP and severity of mucosal inflammation, urinary NMH concentrations may be a better marker of intestinal inflammation than fecal NMH concentrations.

Alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha1-PI) has been shown to be a useful marker of gastrointestinal protein loss in some species. The objectives of this study were, first, to develop and analytically validate an ELISA for the measurement of alpha1-PI in feces and serum from cats, and, second, to evaluate fecal alpha1-PI concentrations in healthy cats and cats with chronic gastrointestinal disease. The lower detection limits of the ELISA were 0.02 g/L for serum and 0.04 microgram/gram for feces. The observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios for serial dilutions of serum and fecal samples ranged from 100.0 to 129.7% (mean +/- SD: 112.2 +/- 9.9%) and 103.5 to 141.6% (115.6 +/- 12.8%), respectively. The O/E ratios for samples spiked with seven known concentrations of alpha1-PI ranged from 82.3 to 107.8% (94.7 +/- 7.6%) for serum and 78.5 to 148.7% (96.8 +/- 18.2%) for feces. The coefficients of variation for intra-assay and inter-assay variability were <7.9% and &lt;12.1% for serum, and 5.3%, 11.8%, and 14.2% and 7.7%, 10.2%, and 20.4% for feces, respectively. Reference intervals were 0.6 to 1.4 g/L for serum and up to 1.6 microgram/g for feces. We conclude that this ELISA is sufficiently linear, accurate, precise, and reproducible. For the clinical evaluation, twenty cats with clinical signs of chronic gastrointestinal disease and 20 healthy control cats were enrolled. The diseased cats were grouped into two groups: mild to moderate idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (Group A; n=8) and severe IBD or neoplastic disease (Group B; n=12), based on histopathology results of endoscopic biopsies. Fecal alpha1-PI concentrations and serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, globulin, cobalamin, folate, pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, and trypsin-like immunoreactivity were determined. Nineteen of the 20 diseased cats had increased fecal alpha1-PI concentrations, ranging from 1.9 to 233.6 microgram/g (normal range: <= 1.6 microgram/g). Fecal alpha1-PI concentrations were statistically significantly different between healthy cats and cats of Group A (median: 3.9 microgram/g, range: 1.3 to 9.2 microgram/g, P<0.001) or cats of Group B (median: 20.6 microgram/g, 4.3 to 233.6 microgram/g; P<0.001), and also between cats of Groups A and B (P<0.01). Hypoalbuminemia, hypoproteinemia, and hypocobalaminemia were detected in 88%, 83%, and 56% of the diseased cats, respectively. Our study suggests that increased fecal alpha1-PI concentrations in association with hypoalbuminemia may be a common finding in cats with IBD or GI neoplasia. Furthermore, alpha1-PI concentrations appear to be higher in cats with severe IBD or confirmed GI neoplasia when compared to cats with mild to moderate IBD.

The global threat from antibiotic resistant organisms and the effect on human and animal health is now well acknowledged. One measure to control the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistant organisms is to monitor bacterial populations and examine the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance genes in naturally occurring bacteria. This study examines antibiotic resistant bacteria of human and animal origin and compares resistance gene transfer in the intestinal tract of animal models to that which occurs in vitro. / The study provides information about tetracycline resistance as it occurs in wild-type bacteria within the environment of the normal flora of an animal. The transfer of tetracycline resistance genes in vitro between E. coli isolates from different origins was found to be occurring at lower levels than that which occurred in vitro. The co-transfer of unselected spectinomycin, streptomycin and sulfadiazine resistance in animal models was also demonstrated. / The study has provided important information regarding the nature and epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in naturally occurring strains of E. coli and enterococci from Australia. This should form part of a larger study, which monitors commensal bacteria and collects data regarding antibiotic resistance in natural populations of bacteria. This evidence can then be used to reduce the levels of antibiotic resistance in the environment and reduce the risk to human and animal health. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2006.

Abstract Experiments in this thesis were conducted to investigate the possibility of bestowing lambs with increased resistance to gastrointestinal parasites through maternal protein and copper supplementation. Reproductive outcomes such as birth weight, haematological parameters and faecal egg counts were used as indices of possible foetal programming. This thesis involved 5 experiments. The first three experiments were done using rats as a preliminary study animal on account of their short generational intervals and high fecundity. The final two experiments involved Merino sheep. The first experiment in Chapter 4 investigated the most optimum larval dose to use in order to elicit a measurable immune response. Weaned offspring were infected with a rat nematode, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and their response measured by faecal egg counts, parasite recovery from intestines at sacrifice, spleen weights and leucocyte numbers, especially manifested as eosinophilia. There was no significant difference in parasite rejection for rats infected with 1000 larvae/rat. When rats were infected with variable larval doses to determine the optimum dose rate, eosinophilia and spleen weight were significantly increased as dose rate increased from 500 L3 to 2,000 larvae. Based on these results, it was decided to use 1,000 larvae for each rat in Chapter 6. The experiment in Chapter 5 involved feeding diets with 5 graded concentrations of copper (Cu) ranging from deficient (1 ppm diet) to high (16 ppm diet). Rats were fed for 4 weeks before mating after which half of them were sacrificed to determine liver Cu concentrations and haematological parameters. The rest were mated and maintained on their respective Cu diets into the second trimester of pregnancy. Pregnant females were sacrificed on approximately gestational Day 10 to recover foetuses and determine the incidence of foetal defects, foetal Cu status as well as maternal liver copper status. It was determined that most morphological defects occurred for the 1 ppm foetuses and both 2 ppm and 4 ppm had similar incidences of brain enlargements. The 16 ppm copper diet was excessive evidenced by reduced liver iron status and erythrocyte counts to similar levels as for 2 ppm rats although it had no adverse effect on foetal development. Significant differences were found for liver Cu status, erythrocyte counts and spleen weights due to the copper diets. A deficient copper diet containing 1 ppm Cu (LC) and an adequate diet containing 8 ppm Cu (SC) were used for the last rat experiment in Chapter 6 which was funded by the Science and Innovation Award. The LC diets were fed for 4 weeks prior to mating. Rats were then fed LC throughout pregnancy, for the 1st trimester only or for the 1st and 2nd trimesters. Other pregnant females were fed the SC diet throughout pregnancy. Offspring were challenged with 1000 L3 N. brasiliensis and their immune responses measured. Copper deficiency at variable stages of prenatal development caused significant postnatal mortalities but had no effect on response to parasite resistance. However, significant parasite and sex effects were found for parameters such as spleen weight, eosinophilia and weight loss during infection. The foetal brain enlargement caused by the deficient 1 ppm Cu diet was determined to be reversible in vivo upon exposure to a normal 8 ppm Cu diet during gestation. Chapter 7 involved Merino ewes which were fed either a high protein diet (21%) or adequate protein diet (12%) during the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy. Production parameters measured included pregnancy weight gain, fleece yield, protein content in milk as well as birth weight of lambs but none were significantly different. After weaning, the lambs were experimentally infected with 10,000 Haemonchus contortus larvae. Barber’s pole worm is responsible for millions of dollars in production losses in the sheep industry. Responses measured were eosinophilia, faecal egg count, anaemia (PCV) and weight gain/loss during the infection period. No significant differences were found for any parameter tested except for a parasite effect on erythrocyte numbers and PCV. In Chapter 8 Merino ewes were used which were mildly Cu deficient due to grazing on pasture that was copper deficient. Control ewes were supplemented with copper oxide wire particles at mating and mid-pregnancy. The rest of the experiment was the same as for Chapter 7 in terms of Barber’s pole worm larval dose. There were no significant differences in birth weight, weaning weight or ewe fleece weights due to copper status. There were no differences in parasite resistance in the lambs due to maternal Cu status measured by live weights, eosinophil concentrations or faecal egg counts. In conclusion, foetal programming by maternal nutritional supplements for postnatal parasite resistance appears to be impossible. It may be that if a different organ was targeted, such as the spleen, the results would have been different. The thymus appears to be non-programmable during foetal development in rats and sheep. However, it was a worthwhile attempt at conferring resistance to parasites in lambs due to the urgency in combating the global problem of parasite resistance to anthelmintics and the resultant large economic losses that are experienced by the global sheep industry.

Bibliography: leaves 112-140. / xi, 141, [39] leaves, [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / The aims of this thesis are to determine the initial cleavage sites of purified pepsin in long-R3-IGF-I and assess whether the resulting cleavages affect biological activity, to design and produce analogues of long-R3-IGF-I which contain amino acid substitutions, to characterise the resulting analogues for pepsin resistance and retention of biological activity and to assess the stability of the long-R3-IGF-I analogues under in vivo conditions using luminal stomach flushings. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Biochemistry, 1996

Bibliography: leaves 181-233. / 233 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Investigates pharmacological control of transient lower oesophagal sphincter relaxations as a treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux. Two major classes of pharmaceutical agents were explored; anticholinergic agents and the GABAb agonist, baclofen. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 1999

Some mounted ill. / Bibliography: leaves 203-263 / vii, 263, [52], [29] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 1984