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The effects of different food types on the gut microbiome in dogs
No full textDiploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024Background: The composition of the diet is one of the major factors influencing the gut microbiome. Household-kept dogs often show great inter-individual variation in their gut microbiome, due to the different environmental exposures to microbes and food composition. Therefore, in this diploma thesis, the effect of the food type (commercial dry diet, commercial wet diet and self-made diet) on the fecal microbiome and microbial metabolites in household-kept dogs was investigated and the taxa predominantly affected by the food were discussed.
Methods: The fecal samples of 16 privately owned dogs were collected by the dog owners and delivered for microbiome analysis through DNA-sequencing. The dogs were provided with three different diets: commercial dry food, commercial wet food or self-made food. The compositional abundances were compared after 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing using the Illumina Novaseq 6000 platform. Bioinformatics were performed using DADA2, phyloseq and vegan packages in R. Moreover, the concentration of short-chain fatty acids in feces as major fermentation metabolites were compared. The residuals of the data were checked for normal distribution in SAS before performing an ANOVA. Diet was considered as a fixed effect, while weight was considered as a random effect. Pairwise comparisons between least square means were performed using the probability of difference option in SAS. Data were expressed as least squares means ± standard error of the mean. Differences with P ≤ 0.05 were considered significant and 0.05 < P ≤ 0.1 was set as a trend.
Results: The self-made food allowed a significantly higher intake of digestible parts per g/meal in terms of crude protein (P = 0.006) and ether extract (P = 0.018) than the commercial food types. In addition, the digestibility of crude ash was higher in the self-made food than in the commercial food (P = 0.043). The permutation analysis of variance (beta diversity) showed that the different food types strongly influenced the structure of the microbiome (P = 0.031). Significant differences were found between the dry, wet and the self-made food at both family and genus levels. The genus Blautia was highly abundant in the commercial food types, especially dry food. However, this taxon was hardly found in feces of doges fed the self-made food (P = 0.044). The genus Ligilactobacillus, on the other hand, was more abundant in feces of dogs fed the self-made food compared to those fed the dry or wet food (P = 0.05).
Conclusions: Significant differences were found between the food types, particularly with regard to individual microbial communities in feces. The results showed that there are specific microbes that only occur in commercial food types or in self-made food. Especially due to its results in digestibility, the recommendation speaks in favor of individual, self-made food.Diplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024Hintergrund: Die Zusammensetzung der Nahrung ist einer der wesentlichen Einflussfaktoren auf das Darmmikrobiom. Bei Haushunden wurden große interindividuelle Schwankungen des Darmmikrobioms bemerkt, welche auf die Exposition gegenüber verschiedenen Mikroben und die Nahrungszusammensetzung zurückzuführen ist. Daher wurden in dieser Diplomarbeit die Auswirkung der Art des Futters (kommerzielles Trockenfutter, kommerzielles Nassfutter und selbst gemachtes Futter) auf das Mikrobiom und die mikrobiellen Metaboliten bei Haushunden untersucht und die Taxa, die überwiegend durch das Futter beeinflusst wurden, beschrieben.
Methoden: Die Kotproben von 16 Privathunden wurden von den Hundebesitzern sowie Hundebesitzerinnen gesammelt und zur Mikrobiomanalyse mittels DNA-Sequenzierung übergeben. Die Hunde wurden mit drei verschiedenen Diäten gefüttert: handelsübliches Trockenfutter, handelsübliches Nassfutter oder selbst gemachtes Futter. Die Zusammensetzungshäufigkeiten wurden nach 16S-rRNA-Amplikonsequenzierung unter Verwendung der Illumina MiSeq-Plattform verglichen. Bioinformatische Untersuchungen wurden unter Verwendung der R-Pakete DADA2-, phyloseq- und vegan durchgeführt. Darüber hinaus wurde die Konzentration kurzkettiger Fettsäuren im Kot als Hauptmetaboliten der Fermentation verglichen. Die Residuen der Daten wurden vor der Durchführung einer ANOVA auf ihre Normalverteilung in SAS überprüft. Die Ernährung wurde als fester Effekt betrachtet, während das Gewicht als zufälliger Effekt betrachtet wurde. Paarweise Vergleiche zwischen den Mittelwerten der kleinsten Quadrate wurden unter Verwendung der Differenzwahrscheinlichkeitsoption in SAS durchgeführt. Die Daten wurden als Mittelwerte der kleinsten Quadrate ± Standardfehler des Mittelwerts ausgedrückt. Unterschiede mit P ≤ 0,05 wurden als signifikant angesehen und 0,05 < P ≤ 0,1 wurde als Trend festgelegt.
Ergebnisse: Das selbst gemachte Futter ermöglichte eine deutlich höhere Aufnahme an verdaulichen Nährstoffen pro g/Mahlzeit in Bezug auf Rohprotein (P = 0.006) und Rohfett (P = 0.018) als die kommerziellen Futtertypen. Außerdem war die Verdaulichkeit von Rohasche bei der Gruppe der Hunde, die selbst gemachtes Futter bekommen haben, höher als bei denen, die kommerzielles Futter bekommen haben (P = 0.043). Die Permutations-Varianzanalyse (beta-Diversität) zeigte, dass die unterschiedlichen Futtertypen die Struktur des Mikrobioms stark beeinflusst haben (P = 0.031). Sowohl auf Familien-, als auch auf Gattungsebene wurden deutliche Unterschiede zwischen Trocken-, Feucht- und dem selbst gemachten Futter gefunden. So war die Gattung Blautia bei den kommerziellen Futtertypen,
insbesondere beim Trockenfutter, sehr stark vertreten, jedoch beim selbst gemachten Futter kaum zu finden (P = 0.044). Die Gattung Ligilactobacillus hingegen wurde signifikant häufiger bei selbst gekochtem Futter als bei Trocken- oder Feuchtfutter gefunden (P = 0.05).
Schlussfolgerungen: Es wurden deutliche Unterschiede zwischen den Futtermitteln festgestellt, insbesondere hinsichtlich der einzelnen mikrobiellen Gemeinschaften im Kot. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass es spezifische Mikroben gibt, die nur bei kommerziellen Futtertypen bzw. bei selbst gemachtem Futter auftreten. Besonders unter dem Aspekt der besseren Verdaulichkeit bei Verfütterung des selbst gemachten Futters spricht die Empfehlung für eine individuelle, selbst zusammengestellte Fütterung.Diploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024Background: The composition of the diet is one of the major factors influencing the gut microbiome. Household-kept dogs often show great inter-individual variation in their gut microbiome, due to the different environmental exposures to microbes and food composition. Therefore, in this diploma thesis, the effect of the food type (commercial dry diet, commercial wet diet and self-made diet) on the fecal microbiome and microbial metabolites in household-kept dogs was investigated and the taxa predominantly affected by the food were discussed.
Methods: The fecal samples of 16 privately owned dogs were collected by the dog owners and delivered for microbiome analysis through DNA-sequencing. The dogs were provided with three different diets: commercial dry food, commercial wet food or self-made food. The compositional abundances were compared after 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing using the Illumina Novaseq 6000 platform. Bioinformatics were performed using DADA2, phyloseq and vegan packages in R. Moreover, the concentration of short-chain fatty acids in feces as major fermentation metabolites were compared. The residuals of the data were checked for normal distribution in SAS before performing an ANOVA. Diet was considered as a fixed effect, while weight was considered as a random effect. Pairwise comparisons between least square means were performed using the probability of difference option in SAS. Data were expressed as least squares means ± standard error of the mean. Differences with P ≤ 0.05 were considered significant and 0.05 < P ≤ 0.1 was set as a trend.
Results: The self-made food allowed a significantly higher intake of digestible parts per g/meal in terms of crude protein (P = 0.006) and ether extract (P = 0.018) than the commercial food types. In addition, the digestibility of crude ash was higher in the self-made food than in the commercial food (P = 0.043). The permutation analysis of variance (beta diversity) showed that the different food types strongly influenced the structure of the microbiome (P = 0.031). Significant differences were found between the dry, wet and the self-made food at both family and genus levels. The genus Blautia was highly abundant in the commercial food types, especially dry food. However, this taxon was hardly found in feces of doges fed the self-made food (P = 0.044). The genus Ligilactobacillus, on the other hand, was more abundant in feces of dogs fed the self-made food compared to those fed the dry or wet food (P = 0.05).
Conclusions: Significant differences were found between the food types, particularly with regard to individual microbial communities in feces. The results showed that there are specific microbes that only occur in commercial food types or in self-made food. Especially due to its results in digestibility, the recommendation speaks in favor of individual, self-made food
Retrospektive Studie über Pferde mit equiner rezidivierender Uveitis (ERU), die im Zeitraum von 2001 - 2020 an der Universitätsklinik für Pferde in Wien vorstellig wurden
No full textDiplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024Ziel dieser retrospektiven Studie war die Einschätzung der Prävalenz und der Prognose der equinen rezidivierenden Uveitis auf die erkrankten Pferde und deren Eigentümer in Österreich durch Bewertung des Signalements, der vorherrschenden Typen der inneren Augenentzündung, des jeweiligen Erkrankungsstadiums einschließlich des Sehvermögens zum Zeitpunkt der Erstvorstellung sowie der gewählten Therapieform (konservativ vs chirurgisch) unter Einbeziehung der erhobenen (intraokularen) Leptospirenbefunde. Dazu wurden medizinische Aufzeichnungen von Pferden, unterschiedlicher Rassezugehörigkeit, Altersstufe, Geschlechts und Fellfarbe, die im Zeitraum von Jänner 2001 bis einschließlich Dezember 2020 mit der klinischen Diagnose einer Uveitis, im Speziellen einer equinen rezidivierenden Uveitis, an der Pferdeklinik der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität (VMU) in Wien vorstellig wurden, ausgewertet. Die Auswertung des Datensatzes für den angegebenen Untersuchungszeitraum hat eine Prävalenz der ERU an der VMU Wien und schlussfolgernd in ganz Österreich von 0,64 % ergeben, wobei sich die Anzahl der im Zeitraum von 2011 bis inklusive 2020 erstmalig aufgrund einer ERU präsentierten Patienten (0,9 %) im Vergleich zu den zehn Jahren zuvor (0,4 %) mehr als verdoppelt hat. Darüber hinaus war die ERU mit einem Anteil von 39,8 % die mit Abstand am häufigsten diagnostizierte Form der endogenen Uveitis bei Pferden. Die Analyse von Kammerwasser- und/oder Glaskörperproben mittels MAT und/oder ELISA zum Nachweis spezifischer Ak gegen L. interrogans lieferte bei 77,2 % der an ERU erkrankten Augen ein positives Ergebnis, verglichen mit nur 6,3 % der Augen ohne Entzündungssymptomen und 33,3 % der Augen mit Residuen einer abgelaufenen Uveitis und ERU im kontralateralen Auge. Der am häufigsten detektierte Ak in der Augenflüssigkeit war gegen das Serovar Grippotyphosa (n=26) gerichtet, gefolgt von den Serovaren Pomona (n=13) und Bratislava (n=7). In 15 Fällen konnte eine Mehrfachexposition gegenüber verschiedenen Serovaren festgestellt werden. Es gab keinen statistisch signifikanten Zusammenhang zwischen dem Sehvermögen oder der Erkrankungsdauer zum Zeitpunkt der Probenentnahme und einem positiven oder negativen intraokularen Leptospirenbefund. Es konnte ein statistisch signifikanter Zusammenhang zwischen negativen intraokularen Leptospirenbefunden und der Fellfarbe („Tigerschecke“, p=0,008), dem Geschlecht (Hengst, p=0,004) sowie der Rasse („Appaloosa“, p=0,026) verzeichnet werden. Jüngere Pferde wiesen signifikant häufiger (p=0,013) positive intraokulare Ak-Titer gegen L. interrogans auf als ältere Tiere. Der Vergleich zur Altersverteilung in der Kontrollpopulation zeigte jedoch, dass Pferde am häufigsten im Alter von 8-11 Jahren aufgrund einer ERU an der Klinik vorstellig wurden, während 0-3-jährige Patienten statistisch hoch signifikant unterrepräsentiert waren (p20 Jahre) Pferde wurden keiner Vitrektomie oder CsA-Implantation unterzogen. Im Verhältnis zu den im Vergleichszeitraum erreichten Langzeitergebnissen nach Durchführung einer PPV (58,3 % Nicht-Rezidive, 75 % Visuserhalt) oder einer CSI (53,8 % Nicht-Rezidive, 77 % Visuserhalt), erscheinen die mittels low-dose IVGI erzielten Erfolgsraten (60,8 % Nicht-Rezidive, 78,4 % Visuserhalt) geringgradig überlegen. Entgegen den Erkenntnissen vorangegangener Studien, konnte die herausragende Erfolgsquote nach Implantation eines CsA-Depots mit verzögerter Wirkstofffreisetzung bei Vertretern der Rasse „Appaloosa“ in der eigenen Arbeit nicht bestätigt werden. Im Verhältnis zur Anzahl der Probanden (n>5) zeigten „Isländer“ nur einen mäßigen Therapierfolg. Lediglich 33,3 % der Vertreter dieser Rasse blieben rezidivfrei, davon 50 % der Augen mit nachgewiesener Leptospireninfektion und keines der Augen mit negativem Ak-Titer.The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the prevalence and prognosis of equine recurrent uveitis on affected horses and their owners in Austria by evaluating the signalment, the predominant types of inner eye inflammation, the respective stage of the disease including vision at the time of initial presentation and the chosen form of therapy (conservative vs surgical) considering the (intraocular) leptospira findings. For this purpose, medical records of horses of different breeds, ages, genders and coat colours that were presented to the Equine Clinic of the University of Veterinary Medicine (VMU) in Vienna between January 2001 and February 2021 with a clinical diagnosis of uveitis, specifically equine recurrent uveitis, were evaluated and then compared with specific literature records. The evaluation of the data set for the specified study period showed a prevalence of ERU at the VMU Vienna and, by extension, throughout Austria of 0,64 %, with the number of patients presented for the first time due to an ERU in the period from 2011 to 2020 inclusive (0,9 %) more than doubling compared to the ten years before (0,4 %). In addition, ERU was by far the most frequently diagnosed form of endogenous uveitis in horses, accounting for 39,8 %. Analysis of aqueous humour and/or vitreous samples by MAT and/or ELISA to detect specific antibodies against L. interrogans yielded a positive result in 77,2 % of the eyes affected by ERU, compared with only 6,3 % of the eyes without inflammatory symptoms and 33,3 % of the eyes with residual uveitis and ERU in the contralateral eye. The most frequently detected antibody in the eye fluid was directed against serovar Grippotyphosa (n=26), followed by serovars Pomona (n=13) and Bratislava (n=17). In 15 cases, multiple exposure to different serovars was detected. There was no statistically significant association between vision or disease duration at the time of sampling and positive or negative intraocular leptospira findings. A statistically significant correlation was found between negative intraocular leptospira findings and coat colour („leopard “, p=0,008), gender (stallion, p=0,004) and breed („Appaloosa“, p=0,026). Younger horses had significantly more frequently (p=0,013) positive intraocular antibody titres against L. interrogans than older animals. However, the comparison with the age distribution in the control population showed that horses most frequently presented to the clinic due to ERU at the age of 8-11 years, while 0-3-year-old patients were statistically significantly underrepresented (p20 years) horses were not subjected to vitrectomy or CsA implantation. In relation to the long-term results achieved in the comparison period after PPV (58,3 % non-recurrence, 77 % visual preservation) or CSI (53,8 % non-recurrence, 77 % visual preservation) the success rates achieved using low-dose IVGI (60,8 % non-recurrence, 78,4 % visual preservation) appear slightly superior. Contrary to the findings of previous studies, the outstanding success rate after implantation of a CsA-depot with delayed release in representatives of the „Appaloosa“ breed could not be confirmed in the own work. In relation to the number of subjects (n>5) „Icelandic horses“ showed only moderate therapeutic success. Only 33,3 % of the representatives of this breed remained free of recurrence, including 50 % of the eyes with proven leptospira infection and none of the eyes with a negative antibody titre
"Purplish Blue" or "Greenish Grey"? Indigo Qualities and Extraction Yields from Six Species
No full textIndigo quality is determined by its indigotin content. Another quality indicator is colour. For an evaluation of species, indigo samples from Indigofera tinctoria, Indigofera suffruticosa, Indigofera arrecta, Persicaria tinctoria, Strobilanthes cusia and Wrightia laevis cultivated in Austria and China were visually classified and analysed spectrophotometrically and using a L*a*b* measuring device. In addition to a standardised hot-extraction method without lime, some samples were extracted simulating traditional methods at ambient temperatures using lime. The highest indigotin contents were achieved with Indigofera arrecta (55%, Austria) and Strobilanthes cusia (56%, China). There were no statistically significant differences between the indigo extraction yields of the species cultivated in Austria, but Indigofera arrecta and Persicaria tinctoria had statistically significantly higher indigotin extraction yields than Indigofera tinctoria and Indigofera suffruticosa. From the species extracted in China, Strobilanthes cusia showed higher values in all parameters than Indigofera tinctoria, Indigofera suffruticosa and Wrightia laevis. Compared with the standardised method, the method simulating local practice yielded more indigo but had a lower indigotin content; the indigotin extraction yields did not differ greatly. L*a*b* values enabled precise estimations of the indigotin content, making it an interesting option for quality control, as inexpensive, easy-to-handle L*a*b* measuring instruments have become available
Dr. Klemens Tschermak – eine tierärztliche Karriere zwischen Schlachthof, Veterinäramt und akademischer Lehre
No full textKlemens Tschermak (1891–1975) begann das Studium der Veterinärmedizin 1911 in Wien und schloss dieses nach Kriegsdienstleistung im Jahr 1923 als Dr. med. vet. ab. Er arbeitete ab 1923 als amtlicher Tierarzt der Stadt Wien, wurde 1939 zwangspensioniert, dann als Vertretungstierarzt in Schlesien notdienst- verpflichtet und 1945 als politisch unbelastet wieder in den Gemeindedienst übernommen, zuerst als provi- sorischer, dann als definitiver Veterinäramtsdirektor. Im Zeitraum 1939–1945 waren Tschermak und seine Familie Repressalien ausgesetzt. Einerseits war seine Frau Jüdin, anderseits war Tschermak durch Aktivitäten in sozialdemokratischen Vereinen und als Freimaurer (1925–1931) exponiert. Er war an zahlreichen Initiativen zur Erhaltung der Tiergesundheit beteiligt, vor 1939 vor allem im Rahmen der sozialdemokratischen Siedler- und Kleingartenbewegung, nach 1945 im Wiener Tierschutzverein. Nach 1945 lagen die Organisation der Versorgung der Tierärzte mit Medikamenten und Instrumenten sowie die Wiederinstandsetzung des Schlacht- hofes St. Marx in seinem Verantwortungsbereich. Von 1948–1964 lehrte er als Honorardozent für Schlachthofkunde an der Tierärztlichen Hochschule Wien. Initiativen zur Schaffung einer Tierkrankenkasse oder einer Wirtschaftsgenossenschaft der Tierärzte waren letztlich nicht erfolgreich, zeigen aber Dr. Tschermaks soziales Verantwortungsbewusstsein. Neben seinem fachlichen Engagement war Tschermak auch als Schriftsteller tätig und veröffentlichte zwei Dramen und drei Gedichtbände.Klemens Tschermak (1891–1975) begann das Studium der Veterinärmedizin 1911 in Wien und schloss dieses nach Kriegsdienstleistung im Jahr 1923 als Dr. med. vet. ab. Er arbeitete ab 1923 als amtlicher Tierarzt der Stadt Wien, wurde 1939 zwangspensioniert, dann als Vertretungstierarzt in Schlesien notdienst- verpflichtet und 1945 als politisch unbelastet wieder in den Gemeindedienst übernommen, zuerst als provi- sorischer, dann als definitiver Veterinäramtsdirektor. Im Zeitraum 1939–1945 waren Tschermak und seine Familie Repressalien ausgesetzt. Einerseits war seine Frau Jüdin, anderseits war Tschermak durch Aktivitäten in sozialdemokratischen Vereinen und als Freimaurer (1925–1931) exponiert. Er war an zahlreichen Initiativen zur Erhaltung der Tiergesundheit beteiligt, vor 1939 vor allem im Rahmen der sozialdemokratischen Siedler- und Kleingartenbewegung, nach 1945 im Wiener Tierschutzverein. Nach 1945 lagen die Organisation der Versorgung der Tierärzte mit Medikamenten und Instrumenten sowie die Wiederinstandsetzung des Schlacht- hofes St. Marx in seinem Verantwortungsbereich. Von 1948–1964 lehrte er als Honorardozent für Schlachthofkunde an der Tierärztlichen Hochschule Wien. Initiativen zur Schaffung einer Tierkrankenkasse oder einer Wirtschaftsgenossenschaft der Tierärzte waren letztlich nicht erfolgreich, zeigen aber Dr. Tschermaks soziales Verantwortungsbewusstsein. Neben seinem fachlichen Engagement war Tschermak auch als Schriftsteller tätig und veröffentlichte zwei Dramen und drei Gedichtbände.Klemens Tschermak (1891-1975) started his studies of veterinary medicine in Vienna in 1911. After his service in the first World War, he completed his studies and received his doctoral degree in 1923. From 1923, he worked as an official veterinarian in Vienna until forced to retire in 1939 but he was soon activated again and working in Silesia. He was not involved in any national socialist organizations. After the end of World War two, he returned to the administrative staff of the Vienna municipality, first as provisional, then as outright director of veterinary services. In 1939-1945, Tschermak and his family suffered from reprisals. His wife was Jewish and he had a record of activities in social-democratic organizations and in freemasonry (1925-1931). Tschermak was involved in numerous activities related to assuring animal health, before 1939 largely in the social-democratic "Siedler- und Kleingartenbewegung" and after 1945 in Vienna\u27s animal welfare organization. After 1945, he actively helped secure the supply of instruments and pharmaceuticals to veterinarians in Vienna and in the reconstruction of the St Marx abattoir. He was appointed honorary lecturer of slaughterhouse management at the Veterinary School in Vienna and held lectures from 1948 to 1964. Initiatives towards an animal insurance and an economic cooperative for veterinarians were not successful but indicated his high level of social engagement. He was also active as a writer and published two plays and three volumes of lyrics
GoFish: a foray into open-source, aquatic behavioral automation
No full textAs the most species-rich vertebrate group, fish provide an array of opportunities to investigate the link between ecological interactions and the evolution of behavior and cognition, yet, as an animal model, they are relatively underutilized in studies of comparative cognition. To address this gap, we developed a fully automated platform for behavioral experiments in aquatic species, GoFish. GoFish includes closed-loop control of task contingencies using real-time video tracking, presentation of visual stimuli, automatic food reward dispensers, and built-in data acquisition. The hardware is relatively inexpensive and accessible, and all software components of the platform are open-source. GoFish facilitates experimental automation, allowing for customization of high-throughput protocols and the efficient acquisition of rich behavioral data. We hope this platform proves to be a useful tool for the research community, facilitating refined, reproducible behavioral experiments on aquatic species in comparative cognition, behavioral ecology, and neuroscience
Hazard characterization of Alternaria toxins to identify data gaps and improve risk assessment for human health
No full textFungi of the genus Alternaria are ubiquitous plant pathogens and saprophytes which are able to grow under varying temperature and moisture conditions as well as on a large range of substrates. A spectrum of structurally diverse secondary metabolites with toxic potential has been identified, but occurrence and relative proportion of the different metabolites in complex mixtures depend on strain, substrate, and growth conditions. This review compiles the available knowledge on hazard identification and characterization of Alternaria toxins. Alternariol (AOH), its monomethylether AME and the perylene quinones altertoxin I (ATX-I), ATX-II, ATX-III, alterperylenol (ALP), and stemphyltoxin III (STTX-III) showed in vitro genotoxic and mutagenic properties. Of all identified Alternaria toxins, the epoxide-bearing analogs ATX-II, ATX-III, and STTX-III show the highest cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic potential in vitro. Under hormone-sensitive conditions, AOH and AME act as moderate xenoestrogens, but in silico modeling predicts further Alternaria toxins as potential estrogenic factors. Recent studies indicate also an immunosuppressive role of AOH and ATX-II; however, no data are available for the majority of Alternaria toxins. Overall, hazard characterization of Alternaria toxins focused, so far, primarily on the commercially available dibenzo-α-pyrones AOH and AME and tenuazonic acid (TeA). Limited data sets are available for altersetin (ALS), altenuene (ALT), and tentoxin (TEN). The occurrence and toxicological relevance of perylene quinone-based Alternaria toxins still remain to be fully elucidated. We identified data gaps on hazard identification and characterization crucial to improve risk assessment of Alternaria mycotoxins for consumers and occupationally exposed workers
New insights into neuropathology and pathogenesis of autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein meningoencephalomyelitis
No full textAnti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) meningoencephalomyelitis (autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy) is a new autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) disease diagnosable by the presence of anti-GFAP autoantibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid and presents as meningoencephalomyelitis in the majority of patients. Only few neuropathological reports are available and little is known about the pathogenic mechanisms. We performed a histopathological study of two autopsies and nine CNS biopsies of patients with anti-GFAP autoantibodies and found predominantly a lymphocytic and in one autopsy case a granulomatous inflammatory phenotype. Inflammatory infiltrates were composed of B and T cells, including tissue-resident memory T cells. Although obvious astrocytic damage was absent in the GFAP-staining, we found cytotoxic T cell-mediated reactions reflected by the presence of CD8+/perforin+/granzyme A/B+ cells, polarized towards astrocytes. MHC-class-I was upregulated in reactive astrocytes of all biopsies and two autopsies but not in healthy controls. Importantly, we observed a prominent immunoreactivity of astrocytes with the complement factor C4d. Finally, we provided insight into an early phase of GFAP autoimmunity in an autopsy of a pug dog encephalitis that was characterized by marked meningoencephalitis with selective astrocytic damage with loss of GFAP and AQP4 in the lesions.Our histopathological findings indicate that a cytotoxic T cell-mediated immune reaction is present in GFAP autoimmunity. Complement C4d deposition on astrocytes could either represent the cause or consequence of astrocytic reactivity. Selective astrocytic damage is prominent in the early phase of GFAP autoimmunity in a canine autopsy case, but mild or absent in subacute and chronic stages in human disease, probably due to the high regeneration potential of astrocytes. The lymphocytic and granulomatous phenotypes might reflect different stages of lesion development or patient-specific modifications of the immune response. Future studies will be necessary to investigate possible implications of pathological subtypes for clinical disease course and therapeutic strategies
Food quality and food safety aspects during meat product processing
No full textPhD Arbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024Die Hauptbedenken hinsichtlich der Sicherheit und Qualität von Fleisch betreffen bakterielle Krankheitserreger sowie Verunreinigungen, die durch den Herstellungsprozess entstehen. Diese Bedenken resultieren aus der Anfälligkeit von Fleischprodukten für Kontaminationen und der damit verbundenen Verderblichkeit. Diese Arbeit verwendete kulturelle Untersuchungsmethoden, um die Hygiene in der Geflügelproduktion und bei der Herstellung von gekochtem Schinken zu bewerten. Sie überprüfte die Anzahl von verschiedenen Mikroorganismen im Geflügeltrinkwasser vor und nach der Reinigung der Wasserleitungen. Die Ergebnisse zeigten unzureichende Reinigung der Wasserleitungen auf Geflügelfarmen, was zu hohen mikrobiellen Belastungen und dem Vorhandensein von opportunistischen Pathogenen wie Pseudomonas spp., Stenotrophomonas spp. und Ochrobactrum spp. führte. Diese Bakterien stellen potenzielle Gesundheitsrisiken für Menschen, Tiere und die Fleischsicherheit dar. Die eindeutige Identifizierung von Wasser als Hauptquelle für Kolonisierung von Campylobacter spp. in der Herde blieb aufgrund methodischer Einschränkungen unklar. Bei Analysen der Produktionsumgebung, um die Faktoren zu ermitteln, die die Mindesthaltbarkeit von gekochtem Schinken beeinflussen, wurde festgestellt, dass Milchsäurebakterien eine Schlüsselrolle spielen, indem sie keine äußerlich erkennbaren Anzeichen von Verderb verursachen. Leuconostoc carnosum und Latilactobacillus sakei waren dominante Bakterienarten im Schinken, während Untersuchungen auf Stammenebene zeigten, dass die während der Lagerung vorherrschenden Stämme sowohl im rohen Fleisch als auch in der Verarbeitungsanlage nach dem Kochen vorhanden waren. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse wurden genutzt, um die Wasserreinigung und Schinkenverarbeitung zu verbessern und wissenschaftliche Grundlage für behördliche Belastung zu verbessern. Sie tragen dazu bei, das Verständnis der Mikrobiota bei der Lebensmittelverarbeitung und zur Minimierung von Kontaminationen in verschiedenen Produktionsumgebungen bei.PhD theses - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024The meat products are susceptible to contamination due to their inherent perishability. Therefore, the primary concerns regarding meat safety and quality concerns revolve around bacterial pathogens and process-related contaminants. This concern extends to assessing bacterial environmental quality and safety indicators arising from environmental and process-related aspects along the meat production chain. This thesis utilized culture-based methods to assess the hygiene status of meat production environments at distinct stages: primary poultry production and cooked ham processing. The assessment included examining aerobic mesophilic counts, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Campylobacter spp. in poultry drinking water before and after sanitation of waterlines. The results revealed inadequate waterline management practices at poultry farms leading to high microbial loads and presence of opportunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas spp., Stenotrophomonas spp., and Ochrobactrum spp. These bacteria pose potential health risks to humans, animals, and meat safety. Campylobacter jejuni was detected in one sample before waterline cleaning. It is possible that Campylobacter spp. may be present in poultry drinking waterlines in a viable but non-cultivable state, necessitating the use of special detection methods. Investigations into the processing environment of cooked ham, in conjunction with limitations on the shelf-life of cooked ham, identified lactic acid bacteria as a primary constraint with no observable spoilage effects. Specifically, Leuconostoc carnosum and Latilactobacillus sakei were dominant species in cooked ham. Further strain-level investigation confirmed that prevalent strains during cooked ham storage were present in raw meat and the post-cooking area of the processing facility. The insights gained during present thesis has been used to educate both poultry farmers and cooked ham production facilities, improving water management practices and cooked ham processing hygiene. The findings in this thesis trespass specific contexts and are applicable across diverse meat production settings. They contribute to our understanding of food processing microbiota, aiding in minimizing contamination by spoilage organisms and potential pathogens across various food production environments.PhD Arbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024Die Hauptbedenken hinsichtlich der Sicherheit und Qualität von Fleisch betreffen bakterielle Krankheitserreger sowie Verunreinigungen, die durch den Herstellungsprozess entstehen. Diese Bedenken resultieren aus der Anfälligkeit von Fleischprodukten für Kontaminationen und der damit verbundenen Verderblichkeit. Diese Arbeit verwendete kulturelle Untersuchungsmethoden, um die Hygiene in der Geflügelproduktion und bei der Herstellung von gekochtem Schinken zu bewerten. Sie überprüfte die Anzahl von verschiedenen Mikroorganismen im Geflügeltrinkwasser vor und nach der Reinigung der Wasserleitungen. Die Ergebnisse zeigten unzureichende Reinigung der Wasserleitungen auf Geflügelfarmen, was zu hohen mikrobiellen Belastungen und dem Vorhandensein von opportunistischen Pathogenen wie Pseudomonas spp., Stenotrophomonas spp. und Ochrobactrum spp. führte. Diese Bakterien stellen potenzielle Gesundheitsrisiken für Menschen, Tiere und die Fleischsicherheit dar. Die eindeutige Identifizierung von Wasser als Hauptquelle für Kolonisierung von Campylobacter spp. in der Herde blieb aufgrund methodischer Einschränkungen unklar. Bei Analysen der Produktionsumgebung, um die Faktoren zu ermitteln, die die Mindesthaltbarkeit von gekochtem Schinken beeinflussen, wurde festgestellt, dass Milchsäurebakterien eine Schlüsselrolle spielen, indem sie keine äußerlich erkennbaren Anzeichen von Verderb verursachen. Leuconostoc carnosum und Latilactobacillus sakei waren dominante Bakterienarten im Schinken, während Untersuchungen auf Stammenebene zeigten, dass die während der Lagerung vorherrschenden Stämme sowohl im rohen Fleisch als auch in der Verarbeitungsanlage nach dem Kochen vorhanden waren. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse wurden genutzt, um die Wasserreinigung und Schinkenverarbeitung zu verbessern und wissenschaftliche Grundlage für behördliche Belastung zu verbessern. Sie tragen dazu bei, das Verständnis der Mikrobiota bei der Lebensmittelverarbeitung und zur Minimierung von Kontaminationen in verschiedenen Produktionsumgebungen bei
Animals´ understanding of their partner´s role in cooperative tasks
No full textPhD thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024
The full text is only available to university members. Please log in!Humans stand out for the scale and flexibility of their cooperation, potentially because they understand the role, intentions, and goals of their partners. However, functionally cooperative outcomes can be obtained despite a lack of understanding of the importance of their partner´s contributions to the task when, for example, subjects independently act towards the same goal. Thus, investigating the extent to which non-human animals understand the role of their partner is crucial for unveiling the mechanisms underlying cooperative behaviors and its evolutionary origins. Given the hypothesis that dogs possess human-like socio-cognitive abilities due to domestication, they might be a telling model for such studies. In this thesis we tested whether and how pet dogs adjusted their behavior to their partners in different cooperative tasks. First, we tested twenty-one dogs with human partners (their owner) in a cooperative task in which they were requested to push a button at the same time as their partner. We found that dogs took into account their partner´s actions in the task and refrained from pressing the button until their partners did. Second, we tested pairs of pet dogs in the Assurance game, to assess whether they coordinate for higher rewards when they have an alternative choice to secure a lower-value reward individually. Our findings indicate that dogs aligned their choices with each other, although only four out of eleven pairs consistently achieved the maximum payoff. Finally, we piloted a computer-based Joint Simon task, to explore whether brown capuchin monkeys have a mental representation of the role of their partner in a joint task. Our aim was to later replicate the task with pet dogs. Ultimately, we did not proceed with that plan, as we found methodological issues in the design of the task in both our study and previous studies with non-human primates that prevented us from interpreting the results in social terms. Considering all the evidence, dogs coordinated in both of our experiments. This coordination probably emerged from mechanisms such as behavioral matching, and we could not conclude that they understood the role of their cooperative partners. We discuss what our results tell about dogs’ socio-cognitive skills and propose several avenues for future research.PhD Arbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024
Aus rechtlichen Gründen sind nicht alle Teile dieser Arbeit frei zugänglich. Der Zugriff auf den elektronischen Volltext ist auf Angehörige der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität Wien beschränkt. Bitte einloggen!PhD thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024
The full text is only available to university members. Please log in!Humans stand out for the scale and flexibility of their cooperation, potentially because they understand the role, intentions, and goals of their partners. However, functionally cooperative outcomes can be obtained despite a lack of understanding of the importance of their partner´s contributions to the task when, for example, subjects independently act towards the same goal. Thus, investigating the extent to which non-human animals understand the role of their partner is crucial for unveiling the mechanisms underlying cooperative behaviors and its evolutionary origins. Given the hypothesis that dogs possess human-like socio-cognitive abilities due to domestication, they might be a telling model for such studies. In this thesis we tested whether and how pet dogs adjusted their behavior to their partners in different cooperative tasks. First, we tested twenty-one dogs with human partners (their owner) in a cooperative task in which they were requested to push a button at the same time as their partner. We found that dogs took into account their partner´s actions in the task and refrained from pressing the button until their partners did. Second, we tested pairs of pet dogs in the Assurance game, to assess whether they coordinate for higher rewards when they have an alternative choice to secure a lower-value reward individually. Our findings indicate that dogs aligned their choices with each other, although only four out of eleven pairs consistently achieved the maximum payoff. Finally, we piloted a computer-based Joint Simon task, to explore whether brown capuchin monkeys have a mental representation of the role of their partner in a joint task. Our aim was to later replicate the task with pet dogs. Ultimately, we did not proceed with that plan, as we found methodological issues in the design of the task in both our study and previous studies with non-human primates that prevented us from interpreting the results in social terms. Considering all the evidence, dogs coordinated in both of our experiments. This coordination probably emerged from mechanisms such as behavioral matching, and we could not conclude that they understood the role of their cooperative partners. We discuss what our results tell about dogs’ socio-cognitive skills and propose several avenues for future research
Comparative genomic analysis of Mycoplasma agalactiae strain GM139 highlights unique surface architecture and pathogenic determinants
No full textMycoplasma agalactiae causes one of the most serious forms of mycoplasmosis in small ruminants that is notifiable to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Possessing a plastic genome, its Vpma and other surface antigenic variations play important roles in its pathogenesis and systemic spread within the goat or sheep host, as well as its ability to jump to wild animals. The Vpma phenotypic profile of strain GM139 was recently compared to that of the type strain PG2, whereby GM139 predominantly exhibited stable expression of a single VpmaV protein in comparison with the high-frequency variable expression of all six Vpma proteins in PG2. The complete genome sequence of GM139 was generated, annotated for detailed analysis of the vpma locus and compared with the finished genomes of three distinct M. agalactiae strains (PG2, 5632, and GrTh01). Interestingly, GM139 presented a longer distinct vpma locus with ten genes, one of which is a chimera between the vpmaV and vpmaZ genes of PG2, which correlates very well with previous immunoblotting results and was confirmed here by nanoLC-MS/MS analysis; five vpmas are completely unique, whereas the other four share similarities with the vpmas of 5632, one of which is also partially homologous to vpmaZPG2. Additionally, features such as a larger spma locus, an intact gsmA known to encode a phase-variable glucan affecting serum resistance, and the presence of integrative and conjugative element (ICE) and transposases might have also influenced the pathogenicity and host range of these strains, segregating them into two well-separated phylogenetic clusters on the basis of a newly developed cgMLST scheme. This study highlights the plasticity and dynamic evolution of the M. agalactiae genome, especially its surface antigenic architecture