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Biomedical subjects

A Mayr

Publications and source records attributed to A Mayr.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

[Herpesvirus infections in animals].

Eighty different types of animal herpesviruses are known that affect mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles and molluscs. During evolution the viruses adapted to each animal species, and thus interspecies transmission of an infection does not occur. An exception is the Aujeszky virus, which has a wide host spectrum. In addition to morphology and a typical virus-host relationship herpesviruses of man and animals possess such common characteristics that their overall aspects can be viewed. On this basis, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, immunology, therapy and prophylaxis are discussed.

Animals↗

[The hygiene of keeping dogs in city apartments].

16 family households with school-aged children and 15 elderly couples without children were questioned about their views on the hygienics of holding dogs in their apartment. The dogs of each household were clinically treated three times at intervals of four weeks. Samples were taken of dog feces and smears were made of the oral mucosa, skin, feeding dishes, water bowls and of their resting places for parasitological, bacteriological and mycological examinations. Families with children had a more positive attitude towards keeping a dog in the household than did elderly couples who had no children. At the beginning of the investigation all dogs were clinically healthy; most dogs had been dewormed and had received the usual vaccinations. On checking for ectoparasites, there were only two cases of dogs with fleas. An examination for endoparasites and the mycological examination were negative except for two unrelated and insignificant cases of dogs with Toxocara canis. The bacteriological examination demonstrated that among the majority of healthy dogs the very low concentration of bacteria of test areas remained unchanged. There was no difference between the two groups of households as far as the concentration of bacteria was concerned. In outbreaks of diseases such as occasional diarrhea and dermatitis there was a large concentration of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus in all test samples. The lack of adequate hygiene leads to an increase of bacteria and to an extreme increase of pathogenic bacteria (staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). During the study no one became sick (including children) and there was no food poisoning with staphylococcus although the dogs' feeding dishes and water bowls stood in the kitchen. Salmonellae could not be demonstrated. An assessment of the results of the study confirms that keeping dogs in city households does not pose a danger to the health of humans when hygienic conditions are good.

Age Factors↗

[Creatine content and lipid analysis in radiosensitive organs after whole body x-irradiation of mice--a contribution to the further development of biological radiation dosimetry].

The authors intended to test the suitability of creatine level and/or certain criteria of lipid analysis in radiosensitive organs for an individual (i.e. considering biologic variations of radiosensitivity), qualitative and quantitative demonstration of an irradiation damage. It was found that creatine determination and several criteria of lipid peroxidation are not suitable for a biologic radiation dosimetry due to the absence of organ dependent, radiation dose dependent, and time dependent changes. The reasons are discussed.

Animals↗

[Use of paramunization in raising pigs].

The fundamentals of paramunization are briefly discussed to provide better understanding of paramunization of pigs. Veterinary practice and experimental studies demonstrate the usefulness, efficacy and harmlessness of paramunization of pigs. Mortality, morbidity as well as weight gain in piglets are used to evaluate the effect of the inducers PIND-AVI and/or PIND-ORF on piglets which have been treated shortly after birth. The therapeutic effect of paramunization has been studied in herds with enzootic pneumonia. Paramunization is especially suitable in stimulating the immune system, in treating immune deficiencies, in the prophylaxis of the stress syndrome (e.g. induced by transport, weaning, changing stalls, etc.) and in treating pluricausal, multifactorial infectious diseases such as enzootic pneumonia, rhinitis atrophicans, "crowding" disease. Paramunization of pigs is discussed, using PIND-ORF as an example of a biological inducer. Paramunization as a biological method to stimulate immunity provides a new concept of prophylaxis and therapy opposed to the uncontrolled use of chemicals in pig production.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

[Vaccination of animals and human health].

Prophylactic immunization of animals against obligat and nonobligat pathogenic zoonoses benefit human health in many ways both directly and indirectly. Typical examples of a direct protective effect are the vaccinations of dogs, cats and foxes against rabies as well as the vaccinations against respiratory diseases in cows, horses, dogs and cats to which the most varied species of pathogens of noncompulsory zoonoses contribute. A considerable contribution to the protection of human health is made by the vaccination against salmonellosis and leptospirosis, against vesicular stomatitis, American equine encephalitis and against other zoonoses spread by arthropods, against ecthyma and stomatitis papulosa as well as against brucellosis, anthrax, Q-fever, Newcastle disease and foot-and-mouth disease. The indirect effects of prophylactic vaccination of animals on human health are very complex and still need investigation. An example of this are the vaccinations of animals against human and animal influenza A viruses which can inhibit hybridisation and recombination between human and animal influenza viruses in an ecological system. Occasionally prophylactic vaccinations of animals can do harm to human health. This is invariably a rare incidence in immuno-suppressed persons caused by live vaccines i.e. prophylactic vaccination against Newcastle disease in fowl or against orthopox in animals by the use of the common vaccinia strains, after compulsory vaccination for humans had been cancelled. Prophylactic vaccinations of animals must be constantly followed up and their action on human health must be checked. In the case of positive results prophylactic vaccinations must be carried out selectively and in a wide range.

Animals↗

[Development of a numerically additive combined vaccine against tetanus and smallpox].

Mandatory vaccination against smallpox was abolished on the account of smallpox-eradication proclaimed by the WHO and the postvaccinal complications detected after smallpox vaccination. At the same time vaccine banks with the vaccinia virus strain "Elstree" were organized. Should mass vaccinations with this vaccinia virus strain be carried out in a case of emergency, severe postvaccinal diseases and complications can arise in overaged and immunosuppressed vaccinees after primovaccination. Therefore attenuated vaccinia virus strains should be used for vaccine banks, which cannot be activated, or increase in virulence in impaired vaccinees after primovaccination. For these individuals the vaccinia virus strain "MVA", among other attenuated vaccinia strains, is recommended. The MVA virus strain can be applied parenterally without complications. From the scientific and field-relevant point of view it was tried to combine the vaccinia virus strain "MVA" with tetanus toxoid and to develop a combination vaccine "tetanus-smallpox". In immunization experiments using mice, piglets and monkeys, safety and efficacy of the vaccine were investigated. Efficacy was demonstrated by means of postvaccinal antibody determination and by the mouse protection test. Tetanus antitoxin was measured by ELISA and indirect hemagglutination test, antibody levels to vaccinia virus were investigated employing the neutralization test and hemagglutination inhibition test. No significant differences in potency could be demonstrated between the combination vaccine and the corresponding monovalent vaccines in mice, piglets and monkeys. The combination vaccine consisted of 12 Lf tetanus toxoid and 10 TCID50 vaccinia virus "MVA" preserved with gelatine and glucosamine. The double intramuscular immunization of monkeys stimulated average tetanus antitoxin titers of 1:310 and average vaccinia virus titers of 1:195 2 weeks p. revacc. Similar results were obtained in mice and piglets. Side reactions were not observed in mice and piglets. Except for occasional local reactions of short duration at the injection site of the monkeys, similarly no adverse reactions were observed after intramuscular vaccination with the combination vaccine.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

[Danger to the human caused by animal poxvirus following discontinuation of mandatory vaccination against smallpox].

The discontinuation of smallpox vaccination will lead to a gradual decrease or disappearance of immunity to poxviruses of the genus Orthopoxvirus. It is discussed whether orthopoxviruses of animals may then constitute a potential danger to man, with respect to their mutagenic and adaptation capabilities as well as their possible genetic interactions. Infection of man with these viruses is generally possible, but at present, not of acute importance. Monkeypox and cowpox viruses, as well as their variants occurring in carnivores and rodents, are of primary interest for individuals who have not been vaccinated against smallpox. Suggestions are put forward on how the human population, as well as domestic and laboratory animals, may be protected against infection with orthopoxviruses originating from animals. In particular, it is recommended that endangered groups of people should receive voluntary vaccination with genetically stable, attenuated vaccinia virus strains.

Animals↗

[The economic evaluation of vaccination against infectious cough in horses using the cost-benefit analysis].

Approximately 40% of all horses in the Federal Republic of Germany had infectious respiratory disease in 1982. Although an expert vaccine prophylaxis confers a reliable protection, conventional therapy is preferred over vaccination because of the cost. The cost/effect analysis carried out in this investigation demonstrates that vaccination should be favoured also for economic reasons. Based on the individual animal immune prophylaxis saves the horse owner at least 415 DM per year. This analysis did not take into account the danger of a transmission to man and related infection chains of viruses primarily responsible for respiratory disease in horses.

Animals↗

[Efficacy of the paramunity inducers PIND-AVI and PIND-ORF as radioprotective agents].

A significant reduction of mortality after lethal irradiation (7,8 and 9 Gy X-ray total-body irradiation) was achieved by continuous therapeutic subcutaneous application of the biologic inducers PIND-AVI and PIND-ORF. This was obtained by a stimulation of the investigated spleen parameters and a stimulation of leucocytes and phagocytosis. The inducers had no significant influence on the radiogenic reduction of blood cells and bone marrow cells, of the relative spleen and thymus weight and of the DNA and protein level of spleen and thymus. The regeneration of blood leucocytes (preponderantly by PIND-AVI) and of the spleen (preponderantly by PIND-ORF) was accelerated, but not the thymus regeneration which was already rather low. The leucocyte phagocytosis which increased generally after irradiation was markedly stimulated by paramunization. This stimulation was also observed after a latent time in animals submitted to sham irradiation. Its temporal appearance and its quantitative and qualitative properties corresponded to the effects of inducers after X-ray irradiation. Both inducers were found to be harmless in all experiments.

Animals↗

[Current virus diseases in horses. Diseases in foals and respiratory tract infections].

At the moment, horse praxis is confronted by two disease complexes which are difficult to fight against as well in prophylaxis as in therapy, but which get an increasing importance. First they concern virus infections of the foals and second primary virus-caused respiratory diseases. Foals get infected during the embryonal/fetal development, in the perinatal or postnatal period. Normally the infection is caused by latent infected, clinical healthy mares, or in the postnatal period by ubiquitous, normally opportunistic socalled problem-viruses, i.e. equine herpes-viruses 1 and 2, rota-, corona- and adenoviruses. Primary responsible for the virus infections of the respiratory tract are the rhinopneumonitis- and influenza-A-virus, the reo- and rhinoviruses and the arteritis-virus.

Adenoviridae Infections↗