Fatal perinatal sarcocystosis in a lamb

A 3-wk-old lamb died because of neurological disease. The predominant microscopic lesions were in the brain and spinal cord and consisted of nonsuppurative encephalomyelitis with severe gliosis throughout the gray and white matter. Immature and mature schizonts, 15.7 x 10.6 microns (8-30 x 6-18 microns), occurred in capillaries and were structurally similar to those of Sarcocystis tenella.     

The ossification centers in the lower end of tibiotarsus in domestic fowl.

The morphogenesis of lower end of tibia in chick is studied commonly but the process of ossification of the same has received very little attention so far. The present study is directed to throw some light on the appearance of ossification centers in the lower end of tibiotarsus of chick. The histology of lower end of tibiotarsus was studied by procuring developing tibiotarsi from chick embryos (20) of 6th day incubation till hatching and 3 post hatched chicks. The transparancies of chick embryos at different incubation periods and post hatched chicks were prepared by Dawson's Alizarin staining method. Three cartilage center (tibial, fibulare and intermedium) appeared in 6...9 days of incubation period in the tarsal region. These gradually fused with the lower end of tibia. Three ossification centres developed in the lower end of tibiotarsus. One for intermedium appeared on 16th day and two fotibial and fibulare on 20th day. All these three centres could be located in the transparancies of the chick embryos in tarsal region. The present study proves that the three cartilages centres maintain their individuality during the ossification process even though those fuse completely with the lower end of tibia in chick. The centers for tibial and fibulare are similar to epiphyseal centres of mammals in histological details.     

Effects of NaCl and iso-osmotic PEG stress on growth,osmolytes accumulation and antioxidant defense in cultured sugarcane cells

In order to discriminate between the ionic and osmotic components of salt stress, sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L. cv. Co 86032) calli were cultured on media containing NaCl or polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000 that exerted the same osmotic pressure (−0.7 MPa). PEG stress exposure for 15 days led to significant growth reduction and loss in water content than salt stressed and control tissues. Osmotic adjustment (OA) was observed in callus tissues grown on salt, but was not evident in callus grown on PEG. Oxidative damage to membranes, estimated in terms of accumulation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances-TBARS and electrolytic leakage was significantly higher in both the stressed calli than the control however, the extent of damage was more in the PEG stressed calli. The stressed callus tissues showed inhibition of ascorbate peroxidase activity, while catalase activity was increased. These results indicate sensitivity of cells to PEG-mediated stress than salt stress and differences in their OA to these two stress conditions. The sensitivity to the osmotic stress indicate that expression of the stress tolerance response requires the coordinated action of different tissues in a plant and hence was not expressed at the cellular level.     

The isolation and immunolocalization of iron-binding compounds produced by Gloeophyllum trabeum

Summary Low molecular weight iron-binding compounds are produced by the brown-rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum. These chelators may function in scavenging transition metals for fungal metabolism and extracellular enzyme production. Because of the low molecular mass of the chelate-metal complex (below 1000 Da), and the oxidizing potential of the bound transition metals, certain chelating compounds could also play a role in the early stages of cellulose depolymerization by brown-rot fungi. High-affinity iron-binding compounds were isolated and partially purified from both liquid cultures of the brown-rot Gloeophyllum trabeum and from infected wood. Chelating compounds purified by thin-layer chromatography were used to prepare specific antibodies. These antibodies were shown to detect the chelator in infected wood and liquid fungal cultures by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and could be used in immunotransmission electron microscopy to visualize the high-affinity iron-binding compounds in situ. Elucidating the physiological roles of fungal chelate-metal complexes and determining their function in lignocellulose depolymerization will help us to better understand the mechanism of wood biodegradation.Publication no. 1549 Maine Agricultural Experiment Station Offprint requests to: J. Jellison     

An unusual structure in the primary cyst wall of Sarcocystis hemionilatrantis

Disc-shaped plaques were found in the primary cyst wall of sarcocysts of Sarcocystis hemionilatrantis in mule deer in Montana. Ultrastructurally, the plaques were 190.5 nm in diameter, 161.6 nm thick and consisted of six distinct layers with microfilaments arising from the innermost layer. These unusual plaques have not been reported previously for any species of Sarcocystis.     

Toxoplasma gondii: Microassay to differentiate toxoplasma inhibiting factor and interleukin 2

Using a sensitive, economical, and reproducible microassay, the relationship of toxoplasma inhibiting factor to interleukin 2 has been examined. The assay developed took advantage of the observation that (1) Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites replicated efficiently in the murine monocytic cell line, RAW 264; (2) treatment of RAW 264 cells with toxoplasma inhibiting factor prevented intracellular replication of the parasite to an extent similar to that observed with identical treatment of freshly isolated murine peritoneal exudate cells; and (3) [³H]uracil incorporation was an efficacious means to quantify replication (or inhibition of replication) of tachyzoites within the cell line. Although toxoplasma inhibiting factor and interleukin 2 were both present in the same lectin -and antigen-stimulated splenocyte supernatant fluids, results from microassays strongly suggested that the molecules were two distinct entities.     

Effect of high temperature on infectivity of Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts in pork

To study the effect of high temperature on infectivity of Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts, pork from infected pigs was mixed with infected mouse brains and homogenized thoroughly. Twenty-gram samples of infected homogenized meat were sealed in plastic pouches, pressed to a uniform thickness of 2 mm, and subjected to water-bath temperatures of 49, 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, and 67 C for 0.01, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, and 96 min. Treated samples were digested in HCl-pepsin solution and bioassayed in mice. Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts remained viable at 52 C for 9.5 min but not for 9.5 min at 58 C; tissue cysts were generally rendered nonviable by heating to 61 C or higher temperature for 3.6 min. Tissue cysts survived once at 64 C for 3 min. These data demonstrate that T. gondii tissue cysts are less heat resistant than encysted Trichinella spiralis larvae.     

Neospora caninum (Apicomplexa) in an aborted equine fetus

Tachyzoites of Neospora caninum were found in sections of lung of an equine fetus aborted 2 mo before term. Individual tachyzoites were approximately 3-5 x 2-3 microns, divided by endodyogeny, and stained positively with anti-N. caninum serum but not with anti-Toxoplasma gondii serum. Toxoplasma gondii antibody was not found in the mare's serum. This is the first report of N. caninum in a horse and indicates that N. caninum can be transmitted transplacentally in equids.     

Enzootic toxoplasmosis in sheep in north-central United States

Of 1,564 serum samples from adult ewes from 33 farms in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska where toxoplasmosis-induced ovine abortions had been diagnosed, 65.5% were found positive for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using the modified agglutination test. Toxoplasma gondii antibody titers of ewes were: less than 64 (34.5%), 64 (14.9%), 256 (22.0%), 1,024 (14.5%), and greater than 4,096 (13.8%). Thus, 28.3% of sheep had high titers (greater than 1,024) indicating recently acquired T. gondii infection. On certain farms, up to 95% of ewes were seropositive. Prevalence of T. gondii antibodies increased with age of the ewe. Of 665 ewes, 53.6% of 1-yr-old ewes were seropositive (titers greater than 64) versus 75% of 5-yr-old ewes. Results indicate that T. gondii infection in sheep in the United States is widespread.     

Evaluation of anti-coccidial drugs' inhibition of Neospora caninum development in cell cultures

Eight anti-coccidial drugs were examined for their efficacies in preventing development of Neospora caninum in bovine monocyte cell cultures. Lasalocid sodium (0.05 microgram/ml), monensin sodium (0.05 microgram/ml), piritrexim (0.01 microgram/ml), pyrimethamine (0.05 microgram/ml), and trimethoprim (5.0 micrograms/ml) were effective in preventing development of intracellular N. caninum tachyzoites (P less than 0.05). No differences (P greater than 0.05) in mean numbers of infected cells compared to controls were observed in cultures treated with amprolium hydrochloride (10.0 micrograms/ml), sulfadiazine (200.0 micrograms/ml), and sulfamethoxazole (200.0 micrograms/ml).