Biomedical subjects

C E Franti

Publications and source records attributed to C E Franti.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed1975

Toxoplasma antibodies among bobcats and other carnivores of norther California.

The prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was investigated among five species of wild carnivores in Norther Ccalifornia. The highest prevalence was among bobcats (Lynx rufus), with 15 of 21 tested being serologically positive. Other results included serological evidence of toxoplasmosis in two of seven raccoons (Procyon lotor), one of three badgers (taxidea taxus) and two of three coyotes (Canis latrans). Two gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) were serologically negative. Oone badger with an indirect hemagglutination antibody titer of 1:8192 was found to harbor T. gondii in its brain tissues.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in free-living African mammals.

Twelve species of free-living African mammals from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia were tested for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii using the indirect hemagglutination test. Of 157 animals sampled, 20 (13%) were seropositive. T. gondii antibodies were detected in Burchell's zebra, (Equus burchelli), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), African elephant (Loxodonta africana), defassa waterbuck (Kobus defassa), lion (Panthera leo), and rock hyrax (Procavia capensis), The highest titers were found in elephants, two having titers of 1:4096 and one of 1:8192. These results are discussed in relation to the maintenance of T. gondii among African wildlife.

Africa↗

PubMed1975

Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) investigations in dairy cattle: persistence of antibodies after vaccination.

The immune response and persistence of antibodies were investigated in dairy cattle vaccinated with formalin-inactivated phase (ph) I Coxiella burnetii vaccine agglutinating antibody geometric mean titer (GMT) of 193.2 at 1 month after vaccination compared to a GMT of 2.0 for nonvaccinated calves. The agglutinating antibodies gradually decreased in vaccinated cattle, but the GMT remained approximately 4 times higher than that for the nonvaccinated group for at least 20 months. Results of serotests at 2 months after revaccination indicated a rapid increase in the GMT to 177.0 with agglutinating titers between 1:64 and 1:512.

Agglutination Tests↗

PubMed1975

Dairy calf mortality rate: characteristics of calf mortality rates in Tulare County, California.

Sixteen dairy farm owners in Tulare County, California, provided data on heifer calf births and deaths. Eleven of these dairymen had maintained records on the calves before this study was done, and 5 agreed to maintain them for 6 months. Basic statistical techniques, including time series analyses and life-table methods, were used to examine the data for temporal and demographic characteristics. Overall, the calf mortality rate on the 16 farms averaged 17.3 to 20.2%. The interfarm variation in mortality rate was large, ranging from 3.7 to 32.1%. Time series studies indicated that the extent of death losses increased during midsummer (June, July, August) and midwinter (November, December, January), with mortality rates in winter months being 20% greater than those in summer. Death losses in October and March were highly variable; however, losses in October usually exceeded the yearly average; those in March did not. Also, 80% of the dairymen recorded the same relative change in mortality rate during each of 2 consecutive winters and 2 consecutive summers. The risk of death for calves was greatest in their 1st week of life on most of the farms; of all deaths in calves less than 5 weeks old, 55% occurred during the 1st week of life, and 27% occurred during the 2nd. In general, the death loss in calves between 5 weeks and 3 months old was less than 2%.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Dairy calf mortality rate: influence of management and housing factors on calf mortality rate in Tulare County, California.

Data on calf mortality, calving site, calf-rearing facilities, and calf-management procedures were collected from 16 dairy farms in Tulare County, California. Discriminant analyses were used to test if any significant differences in these factors existed between farms with higher than average and farms with lower than average death losses. The average mortality rate over a period of at least 2 years on individual farms varied from a low of 3.5 +/- 1.1% to a high of 30.6 +/- 3.1%. Calf management personnel was the only factor significantly related to the mortality rate, with considerably fewer death losses on farms where the owner managed the calves than on farms where employees performed these duties. In general, other factor categories relating to size of the cow herd, calving site, and calf housing were not related significantly to calf deaths. The average number of heifer calves born each year on individual farms was increasing year by year, and on some farms, there seemed to be a concomitant increase in death losses. This, together with the tendency toward greater number of deaths on the larger owner-managed farms, indicated that calf care was diluted under these conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Dairy calf mortality rate: influence of meteorologic factors on calf mortality rate in Tulare County, California.

Monthly calf mortality data for a period of 5.5 years in Tulare County, California, were compared with monthly summarized weather data for that county, using multivariate statistical techniques. In winter, increases in the calf mortality rate (CMR) were significantly associated with cold, wet, windy weather; in summer, greater death losses were associated with hot, dry weather. In general, the calf losses in winter seemed more closely related to weather phenomenon than those in summer. The CMR during a 6-month period (July to December, 1973) were predicted, using equations containing data on the more important weather variables. The predicted CMR significantly differed from the observed death rate during July through September. During October through December, the predicted and observed CMR did not significantly differ. An increase in mortality rate was not predicted for winter, mainly because of low rainfall, and none occurred.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Dairy calf mortality rate: the association of daily meteorological factors and calf mortality.

The number of dairy heifer calves born each day, the number of these calves which died prior to 36 days of age and the actual date of death were recorded and analyzed for possible associations with weather factors. The demographic data on dairy calves were supplied by 16 farms in Tulare County, California for the months of July to December 1973. High temperatures in the summer and low temperatures in the winter were associated with an increased risk of death. Calves born during the periods of extreme temperatures had a higher risk of death than those born on more temperate days, while death, when it occurred was temporally related to days of extreme temperatures. Periods of increased risk of death often were associated with large temperature fluctuations irrespective of the absolute temperature. Nonmeteorological factors specific to invidual farms also appeared to influence daily calf mortality rates.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1975

A field study of persistence of antibodies in California horses vaccinated against western, eastern, and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis.

As a result of the continuing threat of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE), a study was made to determine if revaccination against VEE (TC-83 vaccine) was feasible and if revaccination could be incorporated into other routine vaccination practices. Of the horses given annual vaccination with bivalent western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) and eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) vaccine, 57% retained detectable serum-neutralizing (SN) antiboyd titers for VEE 18 months after the initial VEE vaccination was given. Of horses with no record of WEE-EEE vacinnation, 100% retained detectable VEE SN antibody titers over the same period. The VEE geometric mean titer was 25 times greater for horses not previously vaccinated against WEE-EEE than for horses given annual WEE-EEE vaccination at the time of VEE vaccination. In horses vaccinated against VEE 18 months previously, the geometric mean titer increased from 4 to 70 at 48 days after the intitial WEE-EEE vaccination. This increase indicated that similar antigenic factors for VEE are possibly present in bivalent WEE-EEE vaccine. In horses previously vaccinated against WEE-EEE and VEE, the best SN antibody response to VEE revaccination occurred when VEE vaccine was given simultaneously with the bivalent WEE-EEE vaccine. Of 150 serum samples tested by both the SN and the hemagglutination-inhibiton tests, agreement between positive reactions at greater than or equal to 1:10 was 70% for VEE, 81% for EEE, and 87% for WEE.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Equine toxoplasmosis: a survey for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in horses.

A nationwide sample of horses was tested to determine the prevalence of toxoplasma antibodies in equine animals. Of 1,294 serum samples from horses tested by the microtitration indirect hemagglutin test, 20% were positive. Among the popular breeds of horses, the following antibody prevalences were found: Arabian, 19%; Paint, 22%; Quarter Horses, 13%; Thoroughbred, 24%; and Standardbred, 17%. The antibody prevalence increased from 2% in horses 1 year of age to 18% in 2-year-olds, and rose to 38% in horses 12 years of age. Significant differences were not evident by broad geographic locations across the United States. However, there were differences in prevalence according to premises where the horses were kept. On some ranches, there was no evidence of infection, whereas up to 67% of the horses on other premises were seropositive for toxoplasmosis.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1974