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Biomedical subjects

J Vercruysse

Publications and source records attributed to J Vercruysse.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Identification and purification of Cooperia oncophora-specific antigens to improve serological diagnosis.

Cooperia oncophora total adult extracts were examined by Western blotting with sera from C. oncophora- and O. ostertagi-infected calves to determine species-specific antigens. It was shown that two antigens with apparent molecular weights of 14.2 and 14.9 kDa were only recognized by calves which received a Cooperia infection and not by Ostertagia mono-infected calves or parasite-naive animals. The partial purification of these two antigens was achieved by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed based on the fractions containing these two antigens and no cross-reactivity could be noticed with serum from Ostertagia mono-infected calves. In contrast, the ELISA with total worm extracts showed strong cross-reactivity with heterologous serum. It was concluded that the 14.2 and 14.9 kDa Cooperia adult antigens have diagnostic potential, at least to differentiate C. oncophora and O. ostertagi.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Characterisation of Ostertagia ostertagi antigens by the different bovine immunoglobulin isotypes.

Antigenic differences between the developmental stages of Ostertagia ostertagi were studied by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Gel electrophoresis showed a complex protein pattern different for every stage with the O ostertagi fourth stage larvae (L4) showing an intermediate protein pattern between the third stage larvae (L3) and the adult stage. Immunoblotting showed that IgG1, IgG2 and IgM immunoglobulins present in serum from uninfected calves identified several O ostertagi antigens at every stage. When using serum from O ostertagi infected calves, O ostertagi specific IgG1 was the predominant bovine immunoglobulin. Specific IgG2 and IgM responses were also observed, while specific IgA antibodies were hardly detectable. Severe IgG1 cross reactivity was demonstrated when using anti-Cooperia oncophora serum.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The presence of an early L4 larvae population in relation to the immune response of calves against Ostertagia ostertagi.

The influence of different levels of infection with Ostertagia ostertagi on the development of a protective immune response in calves was investigated. Four groups of calves were infected with either 5000 (Group A), 10,000 (Group B), 20,000 (Group C) or 40,000 (Group D) infective larvae (O. ostertagi L3) weekly until treatment began. Group E functioned as controls. All animals were treated with oxfendazole (9 mg ml-1) at Week 17 (Groups A, B and E) or Week 18 (Groups C and D). Sixteen days post-treatment all calves received a challenge infection of 150,000 O. ostertagi L3 spread over 10 consecutive days. Faeces and blood were collected weekly for egg counts and to assess levels of pepsinogen, gastrin and IgG1 and IgG2 Ostertagia antibodies. All calves were necropsied 31 days post-challenge for worm counts. Egg counts and pepsinogen levels were proportional to the infection level during the first few weeks of the experiment. Only in the high-dosed Group D was a gastrin response evoked. Ostertagia IgG1 antibodies increased between Day 25 and Day 95, and in the non-infected control group an antibody rise was observed from Day 67 onwards. All measured parameters except Ostertagia antibodies showed a gradual decrease from Day 70 until the day of treatment. At necropsy there was no significant difference between the groups in the total worm populations. Only the composition of the worm populations differed, with 35% early L4 (EL4) larvae in the previously infected Groups A, B, C and D and only 5% in the control Group E. The results indicate a slow immune response against O. ostertagi in cattle and question the possible role of the EL4 stage in developing immunity.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Evaluation of pepsinogen, gastrin and antibody response in diagnosing ostertagiasis.

Ostertagia ostertagi is widely distributed and is one of the most important parasites affecting young bovine livestock. There is, therefore, a substantial need for sensitive and specific parameters in support of diagnosis of ostertagiasis, especially for subclinical disease related to production losses. In this review, the value and application of pepsinogen, gastrin and antibody response as diagnostic tools are discussed. These three parameters are useful and comparable for confirming clinical disease in calves during their first grazing season. However, their value for detecting subclinical parasitism is questionable. Differences in the course of gastrin and pepsinogen late in the grazing season can be correlated with larval inhibition and the possibility of ostertagiasis Type II. Relatively few serological methods have been developed for the immunodiagnosis of Ostertagia and until now the indirect antibody-detecting enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been the method of choice. Antibody measuring methods have several disadvantages, most notably a lack of sensitivity and specificity, which limits their use in longitudinal epidemiological studies. Considering the necessity of cost effectiveness and ease of use, it is anticipated that additional work will result in the enhancement and quality of current immunodiagnostic methods.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Efficacy of doramectin in the prevention of gastrointestinal nematode infections in grazing cattle.

Two studies were performed to investigate the efficacy of doramectin in the prevention of infection with Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora in grazing calves. In each study, 24 parasite-naive calves were randomly allotted to two equal groups and treated with either doramectin at 200 micrograms kg-1 or saline prior to mid-season turnout (Day 0) onto contaminated pasture. Faecal egg counts were carried out twice weekly from 15 to 64 days after turnout and the cumulative faecal egg count was calculated for each group of calves. In the doramectin-treated animals, eggs first appeared in the faeces 19 days and 22 days later than in controls for Studies 1 and 2, respectively. Mean cumulative faecal egg counts over the 64 days were reduced in the doramectin-treated groups by 71% and 87% for Studies 1 and 2, respectively (P < 0.01). The potential utility of injectable doramectin in the seasonal control of gastrointestinal nematode infestations in relation to these findings is discussed.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Pharmacokinetics and anthelmintic efficacy of febantel in the racing pigeon (Columba livia).

This paper reports on the pharmacokinetics and the efficacy of febantel against Capillaria obsignata and Ascaridia columbae in the racing pigeon. Febantel was rapidly cleared from the circulation and highly metabolized. The efficacy of febantel against Capillaria and Ascaridia was studied on lightly and heavily infected pigeons. The efficacy against Ascaridia was 100% for the faecal egg count reduction (FECR) as well as for the worm reduction in all treated pigeons. After two treatments with febantel against Capillaria in heavily infected pigeons the FECR amounted to 96.7% and worm reduction was 95%. In order to effectively remove both parasites from the host, repeated treatments with febantel at a short interval could be the treatment of choice.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The influence of Ostertagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis infections on the pharmacokinetics of febantel in lambs.

Plasma concentrations of febantel and its major metabolites fenbendazole, oxfendazole and oxfendazole sulphone were determined after oral administration of 7.5 mg/kg febantel in lambs before and 28 days after infection with 50,000 L3 larvae of Ostertagia circumcincta or Trichostrongylus colubriformis. The febantel concentrations were always very low and only in a few samples higher than the detection limit. The mean decrease in AUC for the three metabolites for the infected sheep in comparison to the parasite naïve sheep was 13.9% +/- 4.1% (mean +/- SEM) and 23.7% +/- 5.3% in the O. circumcincta infected and the T. colubriformis infected lambs respectively. This reduction was only significant for the T. colubriformis infected group. In order to determine a more complete pharmacokinetic profile, febantel was injected intravenously at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg in a further study.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1993

[The serological diagnosis of gastrointestinal nematode infections in cattle].

Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora are widely distributed and are the most important parasites affecting young bovine livestock. Therefore, there is a substantial need for sensitive and specific parameters in support of their diagnosis, especially for sub-clinical disease correlated to production loss. In this review, the value and the application as a diagnostic tool of pepsinogen, gastrin and antibody response are discussed. An increase in pepsinogen or gastrin reflects mucosal damage caused by an Ostertagia infection. Some controversy exists about the level of pepsinogen and gastrin, which may be considered indicative for the diagnosis of clinical and sub-clinical ostertagiasis. Pepsinogen levels between 3,000 tot 4,000 mU tyrosine are regarded indicative for subclinical disease, values in excess of 5,000 mU tyrosine are considered significant for diagnosing clinical disease. For gastrin, it is suggested that based on group means, values of 400 pg/ml are indicative for subclinical parasitic disease in calves with reduced daily weight gain, while threshold levels of > or = 1000 pg/ml gastrin are representative for clinical ostertagiasis. Antibody responses to Ostertagia and Cooperia can be assessed using the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Until now, mainly crude worm extracts have been used as antigen source in the EIA. They are not species-specific as discussed experiments provide evidence of a close relationship between the onset of parasitic disease and the evolution of the group mean parameters. However, data demonstrate serious variations between animals, which impede a reliable individual diagnosis. For longitudinal epidemiological studies especially pepsinogen and gastrin have proven their value, exhibiting fast fluctuations induced by infection or as a result of treatment. Conversely antibody levels were found to be more stable and therefore are useful in large cross-sectional studies, enabling a rough assessment of the degree of infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Antigenic differences between the life cycle stages of Cooperia oncophora.

The antigenic differences among the life cycle stages of Cooperia oncophora were studied by SDS-gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. Sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the different life cycle stages of C oncophora revealed a complex protein pattern with a decreasing number of protein bands towards the adult stages. Several bands of the fourth stage larvae were in common with both the third stage and the adult nematode. Western blotting with sera from C oncophora monoinfected calves showed that the antigens of the fourth stage larvae were recognised predominantly and the presence of stage specific antigens in all stages. Strong cross reactivity was demonstrated when serum from Ostertagia ostertagi infected calves was used.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Efficacy of the morantel sustained release trilaminate bolus against gastrointestinal nematodes and its influence on immunity in calves.

An experiment was conducted in calves to investigate the efficacy of a morantel sustained release trilaminate bolus (MSRT) to control gastrointestinal parasitism and to assess the development of immunity during the use of MSRT. Two groups (M and U) of four calves each were infected three times a week with a mixed Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora infection for 12 weeks. Calves of Group M received an MSRT at the start of the experiment. Twenty weeks after the start of the experiment, all animals, including a previously uninfected control group (C), received a challenge with 100,000 Ostertagia and 100,000 Cooperia. After a further 4 weeks all calves were necropsied for worm counts. During the trial calves were weighed and faecal egg counts, larval differentiation and pepsinogen concentrations were determined. The results demonstrated the high level of efficacy of the MSRT in reducing the faecal egg output and preventing parasitic gastroenteritis under conditions of a continuous high rate of infection. Efficacy of treatment was higher for Cooperia than for Ostertagia. Post-mortem worm counts suggested a partially impaired immunity build-up in Group M, at least for Cooperia.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Diagnostic value of gastrin for clinical bovine ostertagiosis.

Gastrin values were evaluated in 130 parasite naive calves, in 61 first season grazing calves during six field trials and in 8 experimentally infected adult immune cows. The gastrin values were linked to pepsinogen levels and daily weight gain. Also the influence of an anthelmintic treatment on pepsinogen and gastrin values was assessed during a clinical outbreak of ostertagiosis in a group of first season grazing calves. Mean gastrin levels in parasite naive calves were 106 pg/ml. Results show that a group mean of 400 pg/ml gastrin in first season grazing calves indicates a reduced daily weight gain but with no obvious clinical signs. During clinical outbreaks mean gastrin levels frequently reached 1,000 pg/ml with a severe weight loss and a mean pepsinogen level of 5,000 mU tyr. The serum gastrin concentration was strongly reduced 4 days post treatment. No gastrin response was noted following an Ostertagia challenge in adult immune cows. The value of gastrin as a diagnostic aid for ostertagiosis is discussed in relation to pepsinogen, the adult worm burden, larval inhibition and the technique involved in assessing gastrin.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Studies of the relationships between Schistosoma nasale and S. spindale and their snail host Indoplanorbis exustus.

Infectivity and cercarial production of Indoplanorbis exustus related to variation of miracidial dose (1, 4, 10 or 20) with Schistosoma nasale and S. spindale from Sri Lanka were studied. The intermediate host-parasite relationships of the two schistosome species showed marked differences under the conditions of observation recorded in this study. Prepatent death rates (PDR) were on average higher for S. spindale (30%) than for S. nasale (10%). The size of the miracidial dose to which snails had been exposed had no effect on PDR. The infection rates (IR) were on average higher for S. nasale (41%) compared with S. spindale (27%). Highest IR occurred after exposure to 4 miracidia in S. nasale infections (79%) and after exposure to 10 miracidia in S. spindale infections (60%). The highest daily average cercarial production per snail was recorded for S. nasale at a level of 4 miracidia (1311), and for S. spindale at a level of 10 miracidia (1615). At low level (1 or 4 miracidia) of exposure, I. exustus showed a better compatibility with S. nasale than with S. spindale. An opposite tendency was observed at higher levels (10 or 20 miracidia) of exposure. Unsuccessful infections of Lymnaea luteola with either S. nasale or S. spindale indicate that this species is not involved in transmission.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The epidemiology of Schistosoma spindale Montgomery, 1906 in cattle in Sri Lanka.

During 1988 and 1989, the mesenteric veins of 901 cattle were examined for the presence of schistosomes at the Kandy slaughterhouse (Sri Lanka). The overall prevalence of infection was 31.2%. Animals younger than 2 years were less infected (21.3%) than those older than 5 years (47.9%). Based on the number of paired worms counted, three intensities of infection were recognized: low (1-20 pairs), moderate (21-100 pairs) and heavy (greater than 100 pairs). Intensities increased with the age of the animals but remained low (average 10 worm pairs). The worm burden increased by approximately 20% for each step in age group. The number of miracidia/100 g faeces was measured in 85 animals of all age groups and intensities of infection; 77% of the samples contained less than 100 miracidia. Miracidia counts decreased with age; moderately and heavily infected animals in each age group had the highest and the lowest counts, respectively. This may be due to a host immune response. The results raise questions on the sensitivity of faecal egg counts as a diagnostic method for visceral schistosomiasis in cattle.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1991

Gastrin and pepsinogen changes during an Ostertagia ostertagi challenge infection in calves.

Daily changes in serum gastrin and pepsinogen concentration have been studied during two types of infection with Ostertagia ostertagi in calves. In a first experiment two calves were trickle infected (10 times 10,000 L3 Ostertagia) and two animals received a single infection of 100,000 L3 Ostertagia. Gastrin and pepsinogen changes are discussed in relation to adult wormburdens. The second experiment involved 8 calves and was designed to investigate pepsinogen and gastrin changes following a challenge infection in previously sensitized calves. The high dosed group was infected with 5,000 L3 O. ostertagi during 30 days, the low dosed group received 500 L3 O. ostertagi and group 3 served as uninfected control. At day 41 post infection all animals were treated with oxfendazole and on day 61 challenged with 100,000 L3 O. ostertagi. Only in the high dosed group a distinct pepsinogen and gastrin reaction was noticed. Both parameters dropped to almost preinfection levels after treatment. Two days post challenge a moderate rise (+/- 1,000 mU tyr) of the pepsinogen concentration was observed in the previously infected animals and gastrin showed a temporary slight increase in several animals 8 to 10 days post challenge. The effect of treatment and challenge infection is discussed in relation to gastrin and pepsinogen changes and immunity.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Prevention of gastrointestinal nematodes in calves in Belgium].

The prevention of infections with gastrointestinal nematodes has become an indispensable part of modern farm management in Belgium. It is important that for the choice of the correct preventive strategy the epidemiological situation on the farm is considered. Anthelmintics are mainly used in Belgium for the prevention of gastrointestinal nematodes. The mid-summer rise of the herbage infections can be avoided by either the continuous use or the regular administration of anthelmintics at the beginning of the grazing season. During the last 10 years controlled released devices (CRD) have been developed and made it possible to treat animals before they are turned-out. There are two types of CRD: the pulse and slow release devices, with the oxfendazole pulse release bolus (OPRB) and the morantel slow release trilaminate device (MSR) being used respectively in Belgium. In 9 field trials on commercial farms the effects of different preventive methods were studied. The most efficient preventive methods were the OPRB at turn-out or ivermectin at 3, 8 and 13 weeks post turn-out. Although the MSRT at turn-out and levamisole at 3, 6 and 9 weeks post turn-out apparently has less effect on the parasitological (faecal egg-counts) and serological (pepsinogen, gastrin and Ostertagia ELISA-antibody titers) parameters examined, both systems prevented clinical symptoms. However, the constant use of preventive methods could interfere with the development of immunity against gastrointestinal parasites and/or increase the development of resistance against anthelmintics.

Animals↗