NOVÁK, M., HLINKA, D., MAGIC, D.:
Fast diagnostics of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE): A present situation in Slovakia and in the world.
After finding that fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle - bovine spongiform encephalopathy is transmissible to man, the actual and global question of fast and reliable diagnostics of BSE has been raised. The Commission of European Union approved three immunochemical tests for the postmortal diagnostics of BSE (there is not an intravital test): Prionics(r)-Check test, Platelia(r) BSE test a Enfer(r) TSE test). These tests bare capable to differentiate healthy cattle from that affected by BSE, under condition that it is older than 30 months. Prionics(r)-Check test, according to information of the manufacturer, can be also used for diagnostics of scrapie in sheep. These test reach the diagnostic differentiation between infectious and non-infectious prions by means of the enzyme - "protease K". This enzyme is capable to "cut" the protein chain of a non-infectious prion to the last bit into short fragments - oligopeptides. Unlike the healthy prion protein, processing of an infectious prion by protease K leaves diagnostically significant non-fissible remnant (so-called "protease K resistant nucleus"), also termed as PrPBSE fragment. This fragment is 27-30kDA large and is visualized by means of a monoclonal antibody. The State Veterinary Administration SR worked out a 3-degree system of the BSE diagnostics. The autohorized diagnostic institutions dispose of all three test approved by EU. The development of new diagnostic test for BSE in the world, especially intravital, is thoroughly monitored in our workplaces.
Key words: bovine spongiform encephalopathy; postmortal diagnostics; diagnostic tests
We investigated 1523 breed rams (breeds of Slovak autochthonous Valachian and Slovak Tsigaja) for the auction markets of Slovak republic in 2001. The analysis of PrP gene polymorphism in codons 136, 154, 171 was carried out to determine the high risk of PrP allelic variant 136V, 154R, 171Q (VRQ). The methods of Belt et al. (1995) modified in the cooperation with the Institute of Animal Science and Health - Lelystad, Netherland was used.
The results of this work was the determination of the highest risk of PrP alelic variant in 103 rams (6.76 %), of which homozygous genotype (VRQ/VRQ) was in 6 rams (0.39 %).
Key words: scrapie; breed rams; PrP gene; susceptibility; genotyping
Hepatic encephalopathy occurs in both animals and humans as a result of the liver failure or portocaval shunts. Despite intensive research, the neurochemical basis of the disorder has not been defined. Current theories of pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy essentially fall into one of four major areas: 1) ammonia - a primary neurotoxin, 2) alteration of monoamine neurotransmission - perturbed aromatic amino acid metabolism, 3) an inbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, 4) an increased cerebral concentration of endogenous benzodiazepine-like substances. Diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy is based on clinical signs and results of laboratory examination. The treatment in dairy cows should support the liver, however, in severe cases is expensive and mostly not effective.
Key words: dairy cows; hepatic encephalopathy
Pesticides are the chemical substances used to prevent, destroy and regulate various harmful agents in plants, animals, foods, feed. In Slovakia the most frequently used pesticide herbicide preparations are on the basis of: MCPA, MCPB, atrazine, bentazone, chloridazone, acetochlor, terbuthryne, terbuthylazine, oxadixyl, mancozeb, oxychloride-Cu, alachlor, diquat, trifluraline, dimethipine, promethryne, dimetachlor, pendimethaline, cyanazine.
The risks of chemical substances are evaluated in all components of the environment - soil, water, air. The significant problem of these compounds consists in latent, clinically non-manifested effects on the human and animal organism induced by the chronic exposure of the organism to low doses of pesticide substances.
Key words: herbicides; farm animals; ecosystem
The work discusses the influence of the magnetic field with the intenzity of 0.07 T on the hatching of the ROSS 208 chicken hybrid. The eggs were hatched in the BIOS MONO 06 hatcheries in which the chicken embryos were exposed to a varying magnetic field. While in control groups no magnetic field was applied, the egg sets in experimental groups were exposed to the magnetic field for ten minutes a day from the first incubation day. The magnetic field did not have any influence on the beginning of beakclapping, the beakclapping time or the hatching time, but it had a negative effect on the hatchability. The hatchability in experimental groups reached 66.15 ± 4.21 % and 67.52 ± 3.59 %, respectively. In comparison with control groups, the difference is conclusive (P < 0.001). The negative influence of the magnetic field was also manifested in the decrease in weight of the chickens, hatched in experimental groups (34.53 ± 1.05 g and 36.74 ± 0.98 g). The results were conclusive (P < 0.005) in comparison with control groups with average weight 41.25 ± 0.89 g and 43.82 ± 1.12 g.
Key words: chickens; hatching; magnetic field; weigh of chickens
Four clinical samples (20 % suspension of lung, lymph nodes and spleen homogenates, and 20 % suspension from intestine) from two dead calves originating from a farm with health problems were investigated for BVDV. The specific BVDV antigen was detected by ELISA kit in two samples analysed. Pestivirus RNA was also detected by RT-PCR method (using pan-pestivirus primers selected from 5´-UTR of the pestivirus genome) in all four samples. Sequencing of PCR products and computer-assisted phylogenetic analysis revealed new pestivirus genotyp BVDV-2, which was discovered on the American continent in 1994. The results indicate the first laboratory confirmation of BVDV-2 not only in Slovakia but also in Central-European region.
Key words: bovine viral diarrhoea virus; BVDV-2; RT-PCR; sequencing; phylogenetic analysis