Experimental Study on Treatment of SIV Infection by Zhongyan No. II In Monkeys

Objective: To investigate the curative effect of Zhongyan No. II (ZY II ) in treating SIVmac251 infection in macaques monkeys and evaluate the anti-viral effect of the drug as well as its protection on organism. Methods: Using SIVmac251 infected monkey model to detect the plasma SIVP 27 antigen level by viral isolation and ELISA; determine the T-lymphocyte subsets CD4 and CD8 by indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, and investigate the serum content of neopterin and B2-mi-croglobulin B2-MG)by ELISA. The pathological examination was conducted as well. Results: ZY II

Canine Herpesvirus Latent Infection in Experimentally Infected Rabbits

An experimental inoculation of canine Herpesvirus (HVC), strain H17, was performed in rabbits previously and simultaneously treated with dexamethasone, the behavior of the leukocyte count was followed prior and during the experimental phase. Upon death or euthanasia of the animals, a necropsy and evaluation of various organs was performed by histopathology and by nested PCR against the Herpesvirus Polymerase gene. All animals inoculated with dexamethasone showed leukopenia (p < 0.05), animals inoculated with HVC and treated with dexamethasone did not show significant histological lesions, but showed amplification of the Herpesvirus Polymerase gene in various organs despite not showing clinical signs of the illness. A dolphin Herpesvirus isolate was used as a positive control as rabbits developed fatal systemic disease and lesions typical of active (lytic) infection in various organs within 72 hours post-inoculation. The absence of clinical signs, significant histological lesions, and the presence of viral DNA in some organs suggested a state of latency due to canine Herpesvirus. Dexamethasone allowed HVC infection, but did not promote viral reactivation in rabbits contrary to that observed in canines experimentally induced to the lytic cycle by HVC.

Comparison of the Efficacy of Two Commercial Coccidicidal Compounds on Experimentally Infected Dogs

The aim of the present study was to compare the coccidicidal efficacy of two commercial compounds for artificially infected dogs. Eighteen cocccidia-free dogs, male and female aged between 2 and 4 months old, were infected each with 20,000 Cystoisospora oocists cultured under laboratory conditions. When the poppies showed high counts of oocysts per gramm (OPG) (McMaster method), they were divided into 3 groups (G). G1 was treated with a compound named One&reg (Lab. Bio Zoo) containing 150 mg of toltrazuril/tablet, administered daily/5days dosing 1 tablet per 10 kg b.w. G2 received Giacoccide&reg (Pet’s Pharma) containing 250 mg of sulfadimetoxine and 165 mg of dimetridazole dosing 1 tablet per 10 kg b.w. twice a day for 10 days. G3 served as an untreated control. The puppies were coprologically monitored on Days 0, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 to determine the percentage of OPG. Efficacy was measured based on the OPG reduction on treated animals relative to the untreated control. The results indicated an efficacy for compound One of 78.4%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 100%, for Days 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25, respectively and for Giacoccide 40.6%, 45.5%, 47.4%, 65.9%, 90.4% and 92.7%, for Days 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25, respectively. No statistical difference was observed on the weight of the treated puppies (p < 0.764), but the control group was statistically different to the treated ones (p < 0.014). It was concluded that compound One showed greater efficacy than Giacoccide for the treatment of canine coccidiosis in artificially infected dogs.

OCCURRENCE OF THE LUNG FLUKE, PARAGONIMUS HETEROTREMUS IN MANIPUR, INDIA

Objectives.To determine the natural crustacean host,the Paragonimus species,and to investigate the potential host-parasite relationship between Manipur Paragonimus and some of the laboratory animals.Methods. The laboratory animals such as puppies,albino rats and Swiss mice were infected orally with metacercariae isolated from the fresh water crabs,Potamiscus manipurensis. The fecal specimens of the experimentally infected animals were examined microscopically for Paragonimus eggs at regular intervals. The animals were autopsied on days 35～328 after infection and the isolated worms were flattened between glass slides and fixed in 70% alcohol. The worms were stained with carmine and mounted with Canada balsam for morphological studies. The eggs were collected in 5% formol saline solution for microscopy. The flukes were classified into 4 developmental stages.Results. A total of 11 worms,5 mature,5 immature and 1 pre-adult were recovered. The morphological features of the metacercariae,worms and eggs were similar to those of Paragonimus heterotremus.Conclusion. Manipur is one of the rare areas in the world where Paragonimus heterotremus is prevalent and the puppies are ideal experimental animal host. This species may be one of the important causes of paragonimiasis in animals and humans in Manipur.

A prokaryotic mycoplasma-like organism infection in the scallop Argopecten irradians

Intracytoplasmic infection with a prokaryotic mycoplasma-like organism （MLO） were characterized in the scallop Argopecten irradians, and the first report of such infection in this scallop was represented. Ultrastructurally these microorganisms are usually pleomorphic and variable in morphology and size, and appear in several cell types such as small spherical body, rod-shaped bodies and longer filament-shaped body. They lack a cell wall. These observations revealed that these types of the prokaryote showed some characteristics of a mycoplasma-like organism （MLO）. MLO reproduced in two ways： binary fission and budding. The results of isolation and purification showed that a large number of MLOs existed in the tissues of diseased scallops. The results of experimental infection revealed that the MLO is pathogenic to the scallop Argopecten irradians.

Observation on Experimental Infection of Periodic Brugia Malayi in Man.

We described the results of ten-year obsevations on the clinical manifestarions,pathology,immunity to filariasis and aetiological bioloay of filariae in three volunteers（first author and his family members） who were inoculated experimentally with infective larvae of periodic Brugia malayi in 1981 and wthout use of any anti-filariasis drugs．