Content page of the issue June 2008




BOVINE
P. Elek, R. Karcagi, J. Newbold, T. Gaál, L. Wágner, F. Husvéth: Relationship between blood parameters and lipid content of liver in dairy cows of high performance / 323

POULTRY
R. Glávits, É. Ivanics: Epidemiological and clinico-pathological observances relating to certain immunosuppressive viral diseases / 328

SMALL ANIMALS
K. Vörös, Z. Dudás Györki, Cs. Hetyey: Newer knowledge about canine dilated cardiomyopathy. Part 1. Occurrence, etiology, pathogenesis / 336
P. Watson: Feline and canine pancreatitis: when, what and how to feed? / 343
B. Rösch: Mycosis fungoides in dogs and cats – clinical comparison / 346

PET ANIMALS
Cs. Géczy, B. Balogh: Dehydration due to improper keeping and consequent gout in burrowing python (Calabaria reinhardtii). Case report / 353

VIROLOGY
B. Lomniczi: Relationships and history of live Newcastle disease vaccine strains / 361

FOOD SAFETY
M. Kopecsnik, I. Baghy, A. Lukács: Dioxins in the foods. Part 2. Dioxin contamination in 2007. Case report / 374

ACADEMIC REPORTS, 2008
Veterinary research in 2007, in the light of academic reports. Part 2 / 380

P. Elek – R. Karcagi – J. Newbold – T. Gaál – L. Wágner – F. Husvéth:
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BLOOD PARAMETERS AND LIPID CONTENT OF LIVER IN DAIRY COWS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the parameters of lipid metabolism in plasma (non esterified fatty acids, ß-hydroxy-butyrate, total cholesterol and triglyceride) and in liver (total lipid and triglyceride) of high producing dairy cows during the periparturient period. The data were obtained from two dairy herds with high lactation performance (over 9000 kg/lactation). Liver and blood samples were taken from 25 days before calving until 60th day of lactation. Plasma non esterified fatty acid levels showed a positive correlation with plasma ß-hydroxy-butyrate level and total lipid and triglyceride concentration. Plasma non esterified fatty acid to total cholesterol ratio positively correlated with ß-hydroxy-butyrate level and total lipid and triglyceride content of liver (correlation coefficients: 0.618; 0.698; 0.691). The understanding of correlations between the metabolites of lipid metabolism provides the opportunity to develop a regression equation between plasma values and liver fat content. This regression and regular, representative metabolic profiling may serve as a simple and economical tool in identification of subclinical liver lipidosis.

R. Glávits – É. Ivanics:
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL OBSERVANCES RELATING TO CERTAIN IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE VIRAL DISEASES

The authors review on the basis of their diagnostic data and observances the occurrence of immunosuppressive viral diseases in Hungary and their yearly prevalence.
They support by their pathomorphological examinations that the cell lines (usually lymphoid cell lines) taking part in the functioning of the immune system are damaged during the pathogenesis of the mentioned diseases.
Marek’s disease virus, entering into the birds’ body causes first the atrophy of lymphoid organs, damage of the lymphocytes. In 2–4 weeks old birds it causes the so-called transient paralysis with the paralysis of the neck and wings (lymphocytic encephalomyelitis in the central nervous system). In older, 1–6 months old birds neoplastic transformation of the (T-dependent) lymphocytes originating from the thymus („neoplastic” form) can be seen, while in adult fowls inflammation of the peripheral nerves, classical fowl paralysis.
Avian leucosis viruses and reticuloendotheliosis virus belonging to the group of retroviruses cause the neoplastic transformation of (B-dependent) lymphocytes originating from the bursa of Fabricius, while J-subtype avian leucosis virus that of myeloblasts and myelocytes of bone marrow origin. Lymphoid and myeloid leucosis were observed mainly in fowls, while reticuloendotheliosis in geese, turkeys and pheasants.
Infectious bursitis occurred in Hungary in the seventies in the form of mild diarrhoea, atrophy of the bursa of Fabricius and 2–3 weeks later accumulation of diseases caused by different facultative pathogenic microorganisms. Highly pathogenic bursitis virus strains occurred from the second part of the eighties caused deaths already at the development of viraemia, severe acute haemorrhagic bursitis and haemorrhages in the body (mainly under the serous membranes and in the skeletal muscles, occasionally in the mucous membrane of the stomach) and hepatosis and nephrosis.
Chicken anaemia was again detected in Hungary in 2004–2006 in more flocks, after a 15 year epidemic free period. The virus damage beside the erythroid and myeloid cell lines of the bone marrow, the lymphoid tissues.
In turkey flocks got over adenovirus caused haemorrhagic enteritis because of the damage of spleen, and in goose and duck flock infected by circovirus because of the changes of bursa of Fabricius severe immunosupression (and consequent accumulation of diseases caused by facultative pathogenic microorganisms) can be observed.
The authors attach great importance in the losses due to immunosuppressive viral diseases beside the damage of organs caused directly by viraemia and indirectly by neoplastic tissue proliferation to the losses due to secondary infections relating to the weakening of immune system and moreover to the risks of non-properly developed immunity, heterogenic at flock level following the vaccinations.

K. Vörös – Z. Dudás Györki – Cs. Hetyey:
NEWER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CANINE DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY. PART 1. OCCURRENCE, ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a known cardiac disease in dogs, and its basic clinical information can be found in Hungarian textbooks, as well. Due to recent research results and clinical studies, a significant amount of new data have been accumulated. The aim of this two-part review is to summarize the latest knowledge, regarding etiology, diagnostic methods – especially echocardiography-, as well as therapeutic and prognostic aspects of the disease, using own illustrations. In this first part, occurrence, etiology, and pathogenesis are discussed.

Cs. Géczy – B. Balogh:
DEHYDRATION DUE TO IMPROPER KEEPING AND CONSEQUENT GOUT IN BURROWING PYTHON (CALABARIA REINHARDTII). CASE REPORT

A suddenly died, subadult African burrowing python (Calabaria reinhardtii) was presented for necropsy to the authors’ clinic. The examination revealed severe dehydration and consequent gout, as the cause of death. This report emphasizes the importance of the high humidity in captive environment and the continuous provision of fresh drinking water for snakes originating from tropical rainforests.

B. Lomniczi:
RELATIONSHIPS AND HISTORY OF LIVE NEWCASTLE DISEASE VACCINE STRAINS
 
Formerly, NDV (Newcastle disease virus) strains were classified solely on the basis of virulence, but recently grouping based on genetic relationships of strains are the method of choice. Live vaccine strains belong to mild (lentogenic) or moderately virulent (mesogenic) categories, as opposed to the highly pathogenic epidemic viruses of the velogenic group. Using their genetic properties and lineage, the placement of vaccine strains in ‘the NDV world’ can be viewed as described below (Figure 1). 1. Lentogenic vaccine strains are found in two of the dozen or so genotypes of NDV resident in chickens. One of them is the American group II (comprising vaccine strains B-1, LaSota and F), the other is genotype I (with strains Ulster 2C, V4/Queensland and NDV-6/10) also residing in wild water-birds. 2. Mesogenic strains too, are present in only two genotypes: group II (strains Roakin and Komarov) and the Asian genogroup III (strains H and Mukteswar). 3. While vaccine strains of groups I and II are of natural origin, strains H, Mukteswar and Komarov were artificially attenuated as claimed by reports in the 1940s. However, discrepancies were discerned between the actual genetic identity and the postulated origin of mesogenic vaccine strains (Figure 2). a) Since the mesogenic strain H is unrelated to the virulent Herts’33, its ostensible parent, the reduced virulence of H can not be attributed to the egg passage procedures performed in England and even the presence of this strain there is a riddle. b) Strains H and Mukteswar with less than 0.3% nucleotide distance between them must have been derived from the same isolate therefore can not be the result of independent developments in England and India. c) The reduced virulence (mesogenic) of strain H/Mukteswar can not be associated with attenuation either; most likely it is a naturally occurring Indian field isolate. d) The mesogenic strain Komarov, which is said to be attenuated through the intracerebral passage in ducklings of a local velogenic virus in Palestine, is identical with the American (genotype II) vaccine strain Roakin, for which no scientific explanation can be given.

M. Kopecsnik – I. Baghy – A. Lukács:
DIOXINS IN THE FOODS. PART 2. DIOXIN CONTAMINATION IN 2007. CASE REPORT

In the first part of the article the history, chemistry, origin, biological effects and laboratory detection of dioxins were reviewed. In the second part a concrete Hungarian case of 2007 and its consequences are analysed. Altogether 83 guar gum lots contaminated with dioxin and/or PCP were imported to Hungary. 324 establishments were concerned in the legal obligation to recall their products or report to the authorities, primarily the producers of ice-cream, bakery products, instant drinks, fruit products, dairy products and food supplements. Most of the establishments, 267 of them, co-operated with the authorities. 24 businesses recalled their raw materials, semi-finished or finished products. This was the first time that the Hungarian food chain safety authority was involved in a nationwide series of actions. Some lots of contaminated food additives were processed, but the dioxin or PCP content of most finished products was below the maximum limit due to dilution.