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Box-Cox-transformation for various classes of (generalized) linear (mixed effects) models : Version 1.0 (2025-11)
No full textThe R-script contains a function that performs, depending on the data, either bcPower- or yiPower-transformations of the dependent variable over a set range of lambda values in various classes of linear models (i.e., including generalized and mixed effects models of the classes lm, glm, gls, lme, lmerMod, glmerMod, and negbin), identifies the optimal lambda value for transformation and returns the accordingly transformed dependent variable.The R-script contains a function that performs, depending on the data, either bcPower- or yiPower-transformations of the dependent variable over a set range of lambda values in various classes of linear models (i.e., including generalized and mixed effects models of the classes lm, glm, gls, lme, lmerMod, glmerMod, and negbin), identifies the optimal lambda value for transformation and returns the accordingly transformed dependent variable.Das R-Skript enthält eine Funktion, die über einen definierten Bereich an Lambda-Werten, in Abhängigkeit der Daten, entweder bcPower- oder yiPower-Transformationen der abhängigen Variable in unterschiedlichen Klassen von linearen Modellen durchführt (einschließlich generalisierter und gemischter linearer Modelle der Klassen lm, glm, gls, lme, lmerMod, glmerMod und negbin), den optimalen Lambda-Wert identifiziert und die mit diesem Wert transformierte anhängige Variable des Modells ausgibt
Eine retrospektive Studie über die in der Tierklinik Mitterndorf angewendete Kastrationsmethode und deren peri- und postoperativen Komplikationen bei Hengsten
No full textDiploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2025The retrospective study reviews the castration method of the veterinary clinic Mitterndorf and the resulting effects on the complication rate of stallion castration. The study includes 105 stallion castrations that were carried out at the veterinary clinic Mitterndorf in the period from January 2018 to December 2022. The study excluded cryptorchid stallions and patients in which another surgical intervention was carried out during the same general anesthesia. The patient data and complications were evaluated from the medical histories. The castration method used in the veterinary clinic Mitterndorf under general anesthesia is a semi-closed castration with scrotal access and final wound closure. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument LigaSure™ (LigaSure™ Blunt Tip Open and laparoscopic sealing/dividing instrument with nano-layering, Medtronic Österreich GmbH, Austria) is used for hemostasis and for tissue separation. There were no perioperative complications in the 105 castrations, in 18/105 (17.1 %) castrations postoperative complications were recorded and 1/105 (1 %) patients suffered an anesthesia-related complication. The most common postoperative complications were swellings (15.2 %). 9/16 swellings were low-grade. The infection rate was 2.9 %. 1.9 % suffered postoperative bleeding. 1/105 horses developed a seroma and a scirrhous cord. The anesthesia-related complication was an impaction of the caecum and the small colon. In this study, no correlation between age and the occurrence of a postoperative complication was found.Diplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2025Die retrospektive Studie analysiert die Kastrationsmethode der Tierklinik Mitterndorf und den daraus resultierenden Auswirkungen auf die Komplikationsrate der Hengstkastration. Die Studie beinhaltet 105 Hengstkastrationen, die in dem Zeitraum von Jänner 2018 bis Dezember 2022 an der Tierklinik Mitterndorf durchgeführt wurden. Von der Studie ausgeschlossen wurden kryptorchide Hengste sowie Patienten, bei welchen unter der gleichen Vollnarkose ein weiterer chirurgischer Eingriff vorgenommen wurde. Die Auswertung der Patientendaten sowie Komplikationen erfolgte aus den Krankengeschichten. Die in der Tierklinik Mitterndorf unter Generalanästhesie angewendete Kastrationsmethode ist eine halb-bedeckte Kastration mit skrotalem Zugang und abschließendem Wundverschluss. Das bipolare elektrochirurgische Instrument LigaSureä (LigaSure™ Blunt tip offenes und laparoskopisches Versiegelungs-/Trenninstrument mit Nanobeschichtung, Medtronic Österreich GmbH, Österreich) wird sowohl für die Hämostase als auch für die Gewebetrennung eingesetzt. Bei den 105 durchgeführten Kastrationen sind keine perioperativen Komplikationen aufgetreten, bei 18/105 (17,1 %) Kastrationen kam es zu postoperativen Komplikationen und bei 1/105 (1 %) Patienten trat eine anästhesiebedingte Komplikation auf. Die häufigsten postoperativen Komplikationen waren Schwellungen (15,2 %). 9/16 Schwellungen waren geringgradig. Die Infektionsrate lag bei 2,9 % und bei 1,9 % kam es zu postoperativen Blutungen. 1/105 Pferden erlitt ein Serom und in der Folge eine Samenstrangfistel. Die anästhesiebedingte Komplikation war eine Obstipation des Caecum und des kleinen Kolon. In dieser Studie wurde keine Korrelation zwischen dem Alter und dem Auftreten einer postoperativen Komplikation festgestellt
Stopover behaviour of migratory songbirds at a small desert oasis in Southern Morocco
No full textDiplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2025Jedes Jahr ziehen Millionen von Zugvögeln von ihren Brutstätten in Europa über das Mittelmeer und die Sahara Wüste zu den Überwinterungsstätten in Subsahara-Afrika und zurück. Im Frühjahr folgt auf die Migration die Paarungszeit, sodass ein engergie-effizienter Zug oder ein möglichst frühesr Ankunftsdatum im Brutgebiet entscheidende Fitness-Vorteile für ein Individuum bringen können. Je nach Spezies und Individuum nutzen die Vögel verschiedene Zugstrategien. Die meisten davon beeinhalten mindestens einen intermediären Aufenthalt, einen sogenannten Stopover, um zu rasten und aufgebrauchte Energiereserven aufzufüllen. Je nach Jahreszeit, Spezies, Zugstrategie und individuellen Faktoren nutzen Vögel verschiedene Stopover Sites und verhalten sich dort unterschiedlich. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Diplomarbeit war es, das Stopover-Verhalten von ziehenden Singvögeln in einer Oase in der Sahara Wüste zu dokumentieren und zu ermitteln, welche Strukturen sie nutzen und welchen Einfluss externe Faktoren auf das Verhalten haben. Dafür führten wir im Frühjar 2024 Verhaltensbeobachtungen in der Yasmina Oase nahe Merzouga im Süden Marokkos durch. Wir beobachteten zufällig ausgewählte Tamarisken in der Oase und notierten alle Vögel, die sich im Beobachtungszeitraum im Baum aufhielten sowie deren Verhalten. Das Auftreten der einzelnen Spezies und unserer drei Verhaltenskategorien (Nahrungssuche, Bewegung und Rasten) verglichen wir mit Daten zu Temperatur, Windstärke, Datum, Tageszeit und Eigenschaften des Baumes. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen die Funde von Maggini et. al. (1) – wir beobachteten die Zugvögel am meisten bei der Nahrungssuche, aber sie ruhten vermehrt während der Mittagszeit, hohen Umgebungstemperaturen oder bei starkem Wind. Ausserdem nutzten sie bevorzugt hohe Bäume mit hoher Blattdichte.Diploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2025Every year millions of migratory birds travel from their breeding grounds in Europe across the Mediterranean Sea and Sahara Desert to their wintering grounds in Sub-Saharan Africa and back. In spring, breeding season follows the northward migration, so an energy-efficient migration or early arrival date at the breeding grounds can prove advantageous for an individual to ensure a successful breeding season. Depending on species and individual factors birds use different migration strategies. Most of these strategies include at least one stationary period, a stopover, to rest and refuel depleted energy reserves. The goal of this thesis was to determine the stopover behaviour of migratory songbirds at a small desert oasis in the Sahara Desert, what structures of the local vegetation they used and to investigate how external factors affected this behaviour. To do so we conducted behavioural observations at the Yasmina oasis near Merzouga in Southern Morocco during the spring of 2024. We surveyed randomly selected tamarisks in the oasis and noted all birds that stayed in this tree during our observation session as well as their behaviour. We compared the occurrences of the different species and our three behavioural categories (Foraging, Movement or Resting) with data on temperature, wind, date, daytime and the characteristics of the tree. The results confirmed findings from Maggini et. al. (1) – we observed the most birds foraging, but they showed more resting behaviour during midday, at high temperatures or strong winds. Additionally, they preferably used high trees with a dense foliage cover
Differences in dogs\u27 and wolves\u27 human-directed greeting behaviour: facial expressions, body language, and the problem of human biases
No full textDogs and wolves communicate effectively with humans, yet differences in their human-directed facial expressions and the role of relationship strength in shaping these behaviours remain poorly understood. This study explored the facial expressions of human-socialized wolves and dogs when greeting a bonded or familiar human through a fence. We hypothesised that differences would arise due to the domestication process, shaped further by the strength of their relationship. Additionally considering the bidirectionality integral to greeting interactions, we explored whether humans show different facial displays toward dogs versus wolves, expecting stronger differences in less bonded human partners due to unconscious biases. There was little overall difference between wolves’ and dogs’ facial expressions. However, wolves mainly displayed attentive, forward-directed ears, whereas dogs exhibited more ear positions associated with ambivalence or submission, such as rotated and downward-pushed ears. Dogs spent more time in proximity, gazing and tail wagging towards the human than wolves while both species showed more displacement behaviours (paw lift, whining, yawn) with bonded than familiar human partners. Interestingly, humans displayed more frequent, intense, and positive facial expressions toward dogs than wolves, suggesting implicit biases in human attitudes that were only partially influenced by familiarity. These results highlight the complexity of (studying) human-animal interactions. To what extent dogs’ submissive yet human-seeking behaviour is indeed species-specific, or rather results from biased human treatment during their life, and which specific mechanisms drove the likely bidirectional influence remains to be explored
Cross-Modality Diagnostic Agreement in Canine Medial Coronoid Disease in a Screening Population: Radiographs vs. CT in 424 Elbow Joints
No full textDiagnostic imaging is a crucial non-invasive tool for evaluating canine elbow joints, particularly for screening and treatment planning of medial coronoid disease (MCD). Radiography remains the most accessible and widely used screening modality, but its diagnostic accuracy varies significantly. Sensitivity values reported in previous studies vary depending on factors such as study population, imaging technique, and interpretation criteria. This study compared four measures (sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value) of radiography with a more advanced imaging method, computed tomography (CT), which provides more detailed images of bones. The results showed that radiography correctly identified 65% of the cases (17/26), while missing some of the affected joints. Furthermore, 7% of the healthy joints (29/398) were misdiagnosed as diseased, leading to a specificity of 93% (369/398). For a disease prevalence of 6% (26/424), the positive and negative predictive value of radiography were 37% (17/46) and 98% (369/378), respectively. Overall, when CT is available, it is the preferred technique for screening. In cases where it is not available, it is important to have an idea of the sensitivity and specificity, but also of the positive and negative predictive value, especially at low prevalences. These results help veterinarians make better decisions when screening for elbow problems in dogs
Improvement in the Usability of Meat Inspection Findings for Swine Herd Health Management
No full textData from post-mortem inspections conducted using official controls on the meat production of slaughtered pigs are generally considered valuable for identifying herd health issues and ensuring meat safety. However, several studies highlighted that a multi-stage assessment of lung changes would provide more useful information on animal health than the implemented binary (yes/no) recording. For this purpose, a new scheme was developed and subsequently used by trained official veterinarians at four slaughterhouses in Austria. Implementation of the multi-stage assessment was carried out in parallel with the conventional assessment, and data collected from both schemes were analyzed and compared to evaluate effectiveness. The analysis of the data (n = 20,345) showed that the most common alteration was low-grade (28.4%), followed by moderate-grade (11.3%,) and then high-grade pneumonia (5.2%). In the case of pleurisy, 88.9% of the carcasses showed no alterations of the pleura, and 11.1% had pathological changes (low-grade pleurisy = 4.7%, moderate-grade pleurisy = 2.7%, high-grade pleurisy = 3.7%). Analysis of the results showed a strong heterogeneity of the frequency of alterations between the batches reflecting various underlying animal health issues. Among the influencing factors, the origin of the pigs had the greatest influence. The project demonstrated that the new evaluation can be carried out easily with no extra time effort once staff are trained and the technological platform for reporting is adapted. The more detailed information ensures more useful feedback is provided to the farmers and supervising veterinarians, thereby ensuing animal welfare and contributing to sustainable, improved animal husbandry
Comparison of thoracic computed tomography and surgical reports in dogs and cats
No full textIntroduction:
This retrospective study compared computed tomography (CT) and surgical reports in 41 dogs and 23 cats undergoing thoracic surgery (50 thoracotomies, 14 thoracoscopies).
Objectives:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the agreement between imaging and surgical findings in dogs and cats undergoing thoracic surgery and to access sensitivity of imaging for major surgical finding.
Methods:
Patients were included if they had an in-house CT study performed within 8 days prior to surgery, had a finalized CT report available before surgery, and if the corresponding surgical report was sufficiently detailed to allow meaningful comparison with CT findings. Imaging and surgical findings were extracted and categorized as complete agreement, partial agreement (regarding type, number, or site of lesion), no agreement, or equivocal. Short-term outcome (discharged or deceased) was recorded.
Results:
Agreement between primary imaging and surgical findings was achieved in 55 of 64 patients (86%): 33 dogs (33/41; 80%) and 22 cats (22/23; 96%). No agreement was found in 6 of 64 patients (9%): bullae were not detected in 3 dogs and 1 cat, a foreign body was missed in 1 dog, and pericarditis was missed in 1 dog. Partial agreement was found in one patient with several bullae (2%). Based on the available data, 2 of 64 patients could not be classified (3%). Surgical reports documented that the most common lesions were pleural effusion (12 dogs, 15 cats) and pulmonary mass/nodule (14 dogs, 5 cats). Fifty-two patients were discharged, while twelve (12/64; 19%) died before discharge (six patients died and six were euthanized). Significant association between categories of pathology and agreement was observed (p < 0.001). The categories of pathology with the highest number of cases (lung mass (n = 19) and pleural effusion (n = 27)) showed only complete agreement between primary imaging and surgical findings. Differences in agreement were associated with perception (n = 4), cognitive error (n = 2) and discrepancy (n = 1).
Conclusion:
Small and camouflaged pathologies, such as low-contrast foreign bodies and ruptured bullae in the atelectatic lung, were most frequently missed or wrongly interpreted in CT reports
Proteomic and genomic characterisation of Mycoplasma felis isolated from cats, wild Felinae and horses
No full textDiploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2025Mycoplasma (M.) felis is a globally distributed, opportunistic pathogen primarily associated with infections in domestic cats. It has been implicated in various clinical manifestations including conjunctivitis, respiratory tract disease, arthritis, and serosal inflammation. Although commonly considered a commensal organism of feline mucosal surfaces, accumulating evidence highlights its pathogenic potential under certain host or environmental conditions. This thesis investigated the relatedness of M. felis isolates obtained from domestic cats, wild Felinae, and horses. A total of 49 M. felis isolates including two different colony morphotypes (opaque, lucent) of seven isolates, and the type strain of M. felis (COT) were analyzed using genomic and proteomic typing methods. A newly established core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme was employed to construct phylogenetic relationships among M. felis strains. For the proteomic characterization matrix assisted laser desorption ionization – time of flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry was used to generate protein mass spectra from which a dendrogram reflecting spectral distances was created. The newly developed cgMLST scheme encompassing 454 target genes revealed high diversity of the studied M. felis strains separated into two major clusters, with some evidence of hostspecific clustering of equine isolates. Interestingly, the colony variants of M. felis isolates (opaque or lucent) each clustered together or even showed an identical cgMLST profile, suggesting that the colony morphotype is driven by genes that are not part of the core genome. In contrast, although the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry also grouped the isolates into two main clusters, no correlations were found between clustering and epidemiologic data or phylogenetic grouping based on cgMLST. Overall, the newly established cgMLST appears to be a suitable method for investigating the epidemiology of M. felis infection and gaining insights into the population structure of this underestimated pathogen.Diploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2025Mycoplasma (M.) felis is a globally distributed, opportunistic pathogen primarily associated with infections in domestic cats. It has been implicated in various clinical manifestations including conjunctivitis, respiratory tract disease, arthritis, and serosal inflammation. Although commonly considered a commensal organism of feline mucosal surfaces, accumulating evidence highlights its pathogenic potential under certain host or environmental conditions. This thesis investigated the relatedness of M. felis isolates obtained from domestic cats, wild Felinae, and horses. A total of 49 M. felis isolates including two different colony morphotypes (opaque, lucent) of seven isolates, and the type strain of M. felis (COT) were analyzed using genomic and proteomic typing methods. A newly established core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme was employed to construct phylogenetic relationships among M. felis strains. For the proteomic characterization matrix assisted laser desorption ionization – time of flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry was used to generate protein mass spectra from which a dendrogram reflecting spectral distances was created. The newly developed cgMLST scheme encompassing 454 target genes revealed high diversity of the studied M. felis strains separated into two major clusters, with some evidence of hostspecific clustering of equine isolates. Interestingly, the colony variants of M. felis isolates (opaque or lucent) each clustered together or even showed an identical cgMLST profile, suggesting that the colony morphotype is driven by genes that are not part of the core genome. In contrast, although the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry also grouped the isolates into two main clusters, no correlations were found between clustering and epidemiologic data or phylogenetic grouping based on cgMLST. Overall, the newly established cgMLST appears to be a suitable method for investigating the epidemiology of M. felis infection and gaining insights into the population structure of this underestimated pathogen.Diplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2025Mycoplasma (M.) felis ist ein weltweit verbreiteter, opportunistischer Erreger, der primar mit Infektionen bei Hauskatzen in Verbindung gebracht wird. Der Erreger wird mit verschiedenen klinischen Krankheitsbildern assoziiert, darunter Bindehautentzundung, Atemwegserkrankungen, Arthritis und Serositis. Obwohl M. felis haufig als harmloser Bewohner der Schleimhaute von Katzen angesehen wurde, gibt es zunehmend Hinweise auf sein pathogenes Potenzial. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden die Verwandtschaftsverhaltnisse zwischen M. felis-Isolaten untersucht, die von Hauskatzen, wilden Kleinkatzen (Felinae) und Pferden stammten. Insgesamt wurden 49 M. felis-Isolate, darunter zwei unterschiedliche Koloniemorphotypen (opak, transparent) von sieben Isolaten, und der Typstamm COT mittels genomischer und proteinanalytischer Typisierungsmethoden untersucht. Fur die genotypische Charakterisierung wurde ein neuentwickeltes Kerngenom-Multilokus- Sequenztypisierungsschemas (cgMLST) eingesetzt, um die phylogenetischen Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen zwischen den M. felis-Stammen darzustellen. Fur die proteinanalytische Charakterisierung wurde die Matrix-unterstutzte Laser-Desorption- Ionisation mit Flugzeitanalyse (MALDI-ToF) Massenspektrometrie angewandt und Distanzwerte der dabei generierten Protein-Massenspektren als Dendrogramm abgebildet. Mithilfe des neuetablierten cgMLST-Schemas, welches 454 Zielgene umfasste, konnte eine hohe Diversitat der untersuchten M. felis-Stamme ermittelt werden, die in zwei Hauptcluster unterteilt wurden. Hinweise auf eine wirtsspezifische Gruppierung waren durch die Ausbildung eines aus equinen M. felis-Isolaten bestehenden Subclusters erkennbar. Interessanterweise gruppierten sich die Kolonievarianten von M. felis-Isolaten (opake oder durchscheinende Kolonien) jeweils zusammen oder zeigten sogar ein identes cgMLST Profil, was darauf hindeutet, dass der Koloniemorphotyp von Genen gesteuert wird, die nicht zum Kerngenom gehoren. Im Gegensatz dazu gruppierte die MALDI-TOF-Massenspektrometrie die Isolate zwar auch in zwei Hauptcluster, es konnten jedoch keine Zusammenhange zwischen der Clusterbildung und den epidemiologischen Daten sowie der phylogenetischen Gruppierung mittels cgMLST festgestellt werden. Insgesamt erscheint die neuetablierte cgMLST eine geeignete Methode zu sein, um die Epidemiologie von M. felis-Infektionen darzustellen und Einblicke in die Populationsstruktur dieses unterschatzten Erregers zu gewinnen
Fremdkörper des Magen-Darmtraktes beim Pferd. Retrospektive Auswertung von Patienten der Pferdeklinik der Vetmeduni Wien in den Jahren 2001 – 2023
No full textDiplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2025Die Aufnahme von Fremdkörpern (=FK) in den Verdauungstrakt (=VT) von Pferden kann schwerwiegende gesundheitliche Folgen haben, wobei die Diagnose aufgrund der variablen Symptome oft schwierig ist. Abhängig von der Art und Lage des FK können lebensbedrohliche Verletzungen auftreten. Diese retrospektive Studie analysierte die Krankenakten von 37 Pferden, die zwischen 2001 und 2023 aufgrund eines FK im oberen oder unteren Verdauungstrakt (OVT bzw. UVT) an der Pferdeklinik der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität Wien behandelt wurden. Die untersuchten Fälle betrafen überwiegend metallische FK, die sich häufiger im OVT fest- setzten, insbesondere in der Zunge. Nahezu alle Pferde zeigten eine Kombination mehrerer ver- schiedener Symptome. Der Diagnoseerfolg hing stark von der FK-Lokalisation ab und war im UVT schwieriger. Die Behandlungsergebnisse waren im OVT deutlich besser, während die Prognose im UVT schlechter ausfiel. Tierärzte sollten FK bei unspezifischen Symptomen stets als mögliche Ursache in Betracht zie- hen, wobei eine rasche Diagnose und schnelle chirurgische Intervention entscheidend für die Genesung der Pferde sind. Weitere Forschungen sind notwendig, um die präoperative diagnos- tische Genauigkeit, insbesondere im UVT, zu verbessern und FK-Lokalisationen und Symp- tome genauer zu untersuchen.Diploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2025The ingestion of foreign bodies (=FB) into the gastrointestinal tract (=GIT) of horses can have severe health consequences, with diagnosis often being challenging due to variable clinical signs. Depending on the type and location of the FB, life-threatening injuries may occur. This retrospective study analyzed medical records of 37 horses treated for FB in the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract (=UGIT and LGIT, respectively) at the Equine Clinic of the Univer- sity of Veterinary Medicine Vienna between 2001 and 2023. The examined cases predominantly revealed metallic FB, which were more frequently lodged in the UGIT, particularly in the tongue. Nearly all horses presented with a combination of va- rious clinical signs. The diagnostic success was strongly dependent on FB location and proved more challenging in the LGIT. Treatment outcomes were significantly better in the UGIT, while prognosis was less favorable in the LGIT. Veterinarians should consider FB as a potential cause in cases with non-specific clinical signs, as prompt diagnosis and rapid surgical intervention are crucial for equine recovery. Further research is needed to improve preoperative diagnostic accuracy, particularly in the LGIT, and to investigate FB locations and clinical manifestations in greater detail.Diplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2025Die Aufnahme von Fremdkörpern (=FK) in den Verdauungstrakt (=VT) von Pferden kann schwerwiegende gesundheitliche Folgen haben, wobei die Diagnose aufgrund der variablen Symptome oft schwierig ist. Abhängig von der Art und Lage des FK können lebensbedrohliche Verletzungen auftreten. Diese retrospektive Studie analysierte die Krankenakten von 37 Pferden, die zwischen 2001 und 2023 aufgrund eines FK im oberen oder unteren Verdauungstrakt (OVT bzw. UVT) an der Pferdeklinik der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität Wien behandelt wurden. Die untersuchten Fälle betrafen überwiegend metallische FK, die sich häufiger im OVT fest- setzten, insbesondere in der Zunge. Nahezu alle Pferde zeigten eine Kombination mehrerer ver- schiedener Symptome. Der Diagnoseerfolg hing stark von der FK-Lokalisation ab und war im UVT schwieriger. Die Behandlungsergebnisse waren im OVT deutlich besser, während die Prognose im UVT schlechter ausfiel. Tierärzte sollten FK bei unspezifischen Symptomen stets als mögliche Ursache in Betracht zie- hen, wobei eine rasche Diagnose und schnelle chirurgische Intervention entscheidend für die Genesung der Pferde sind. Weitere Forschungen sind notwendig, um die präoperative diagnos- tische Genauigkeit, insbesondere im UVT, zu verbessern und FK-Lokalisationen und Symp- tome genauer zu untersuchen
Challenges and Lessons Learned from a Field Trial on the Understanding of the Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex
No full textBackground/Objectives:
The porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) is a multifaceted, polymicrobial syndrome resulting from a combination of environmental stressors, primary infections (e.g., PRRSV) and secondary infectious agents (viruses and bacteria). PRDC causes severe lung pathology, leading to reduced performance, increased mortality rates, and higher production costs in the global pig industry. Our goal was to conduct a comprehensive study correlating both the anti-PRRSV immune response and 21 secondary infectious agents with PRDC severity.
Methods:
To this end, PRRSV-negative weaners were vaccinated with a PRRSV-2 MLV and put into a farm with a history of PRDC. Subsequently, anti-PRRSV cellular and antibody responses were monitored pre-vaccination, at 28 days post vaccination (dpv) and during PRDC outbreak (49 dpv). NanoString was used to quantify 21 pathogens within the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) at the time of necropsy (51 dpv). PRRSV-2 was present in 53 out of 55 pigs, and the other five pathogens (PCMV, PPIV, B. bronchiseptica, G. parasuis, and M. hyorhinis) were detected in BAL samples.
Results:
Although the uncontrolled settings of field trials complicated data interpretation, multivariate correlation analyses highlighted valuable lessons: (i) high weaning weight predicted animal resilience to disease and high weight gains correlated with the control of the PRRSV-2 field strain; (ii) most pigs cleared MLV strain within 7 weeks, and the field PRRSV-2 strain was the most prevalent lung pathogen during PRDC; (iii) all pigs developed a systemic PRRSV IgG antibody response which correlated with IgG and IgA levels in BAL; (iv) the induction of anti-field strain-neutralizing antibodies by MLV PRRSV-2 vaccination was both late and limited; (v) cellular immune responses were variable but included strong systemic IFN-γ production against the PRRSV-2 field strain; (vi) the most detected lung pathogens correlated with PRRSV-2 viremia or lung loads; (vii) within the six detected pathogens, two viruses, PRRSV-2 and PCMV, significantly correlated with the severity of the clinical outcome.
Conclusions:
While a simple and conclusive answer to the multifaceted nature of PRDC remains elusive, the key lessons derived from this unique study provide a valuable framework for future research on porcine respiratory diseases