Isolation of Abiotrophia spp. with Staphylococcus aureus in a case of mastitis in a cow.
Isolation of Streptococcus suis from a young wild boar C treptococcus suis is an important pathogen of pigs, which has also been recognized as a zoonotic agent (1). Streptococcus suis has been associated with sporadic infections in a variety of mammalian species, such as, cattle, bison, horses, sheep, goats, dogs, and cats (2). It has recently been isolated from psittacine birds, zebrafinches, canaries, bullfinches, and a duck (2). A 20-day-old, wild boar from a 30-sow herd was submitted to the Faculte de medecine vet6rinaire of the Universit6 de Montr6al with signs of pneumonia and diarrhea. The animal was alert and did not show any neurological signs. The boar was euthanized; at necropsy, the cranial lobes of the lung, particularly on the the right side, were firm textured. The caudal lobes of the lung were not affected. There was no evidence of arthritis. Microscopic examination of the lung revealed suppurative bronchopneumonia with hemorrhagic foci and fibrinous exudation. A moderate number of coccidia were seen in sections of the small intestine. Bacteriological cultures of lungs yielded Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 colonies in large numbers, as well as a comparable number of colonies of Escherichia coli. The E. coli isolated from the intestines did not possess any of the enteropathogenicity virulence factors, and tests for rotavirus and coronavirus were negative. A total of 3 litters in this herd showed signs of infection with Streptococcus suis. Marked clinical improvement was noted after pigs from these litters were injected with 300,000 units of procaine penicillin G. The origin of the infection was not determined, but there is speculation that it spread from a swine herd on the same farm.
Isolation and characterization of nutritionally variant streptococci from animal sources.
Ten nutritionally variant streptococci were recovered from clinical specimens submitted to the Kansas State University Veterinary Clinical Bacteriology laboratory over a 4-year period. Isolates were recognized visually on primary blood agar plates by their satellite growth around a previously overlaid Staphylococcus aureus culture. All isolates grew within 24 hours in Todd-Hewitt and heart infusion broths supplemented with 5% bovine fetal serum and 5% S aureus filtrate. They also grew anaerobically in supplemented broths within 48 hours. However, isolates did not grow aerobically or anaerobically in the absence of supplements up to a 7-day postinoculation period. As determined by the standard Kirby-Bauer technique, the isolates were highly susceptible to antimicrobial agents commonly recommended in veterinary medicine. The isolates did not react with the corresponding Lancefield group-specific antisera, as tested by the capillary precipitin test.
Lupin alkaloids from teratogenic and nonteratogenic lupins. II. Identification of the major alkaloids by tandem gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in plants producing crooked calf disease.
The major alkaloids of lupin plants producing crooked calf disease were identified by tandem gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and infrared analysis. The gas chromatography peak invariably present in teratogenic plants proved to be anagyrine. A minor but irregular contaminant of the peak was α-isolupanine. Other alkaloids present but apparently not associated with crooked calf disease were lupanine and two others that were probably epimethoxylupanine and 5,6-dehydrolupanine.