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The aim of the study was to assess the relation between the direct smear observations and bacteriological results carried out on equine tracheal secretions. A total of 304 cases comprising both the direct smear (Gram stain) and the bacteriological culture, over a period of 8 years, were submitted to this retrospective study. Most of the specimens (78%) were obtained using tracheal washings while the rest (22%) originated from tracheal brushings. A total of 96 specimens (32%) were negative for both direct smear and culture. The positive predictive value of direct smears appeared high (81-96%) while the negative predictive value was lower (48-79%). Sensitivity of direct smear was considered as low and varied from 24 to 46% for tracheal brushings and from 41 to 46% for tracheal washings. Specificity of direct smear was high for both types of specimens. Results of this study indicate that the use of Gram-stained smear examination, carried out on tracheal secretions, is a technique which is specific but not very sensitive for the prediction of bacteriological culture results. Moreover, the use of tracheal washing, more than tracheal brushing, seems to increase the sensitivity of the test.

Salmonella Give infection was investigated in 2 adjacent dairy herds because of the impact of milk contamination on public health. Once the status of the infection in a herd was established by fecal analyses, consecutive fecal testings, in conjunction with preventive measures, appeared to be consistent and cost-effective tools for the monitoring and control of salmonellosis in dairy herds.

This study was designed to evaluate 4 preoperative skin preparations, that is, more specifically, to compare the efficacy of chlorhexidine gluconate (CG) and povidone-iodine (PI), as well as 2 hair removal techniques (clipper alone or clipper followed by razor) for preoperative skin preparation in cattle. The 4 protocols resulted in a significant decrease in the number of bacterial colony-forming units (cfu). Group 4 (clipping + shaving + CG) had a significantly lower number of preoperative cfu per gel plate compared with groups 1 (clipping + PI) and 3 (clipping + shaving + PI). Skin reaction frequency was significantly higher in groups 3 and 4 (47.8% for both protocols) than in groups 1 and 2 (clipping + PI or CG) (8.7% for both). Wound infection frequency was 4.3% (4/92) and no significant difference was observed between the 4 treatment groups. The 4 protocols tested were equivalent as to efficacy and satisfactorily decreased skin microflora. Clipping alone was shown to be preferable to clipping plus shaving as a method of hair removal in cattle, with fewer skin reactions and no more wound infections.

A list of the different bacterial and fungal agents isolated from marine mammals in different parts of the world is presented. Importance is given to some of the most recently identified bacterial agents, including Actinobacillus delphinicola, A. scotiae, and Brucella spp. A list, in alphabetical order, of bacteria recovered from different tissues or organs from marine mammals is presented for the integumentary, respiratory, digestive, genitourinary, and reticuloendothelial systems. Infectious bacterial agents associated with abscesses and with cases of septicemia are also listed. Information about the different fungal agents recovered from marine mammals is summarized. A section covering some of the zoonotic infectious agents recovered from marine mammals is included.

A Labrador retriever was examined for sudden lameness and cellulitis of the right forelimb. Bacterial culture of the dermis yielded a large number of Staphylococcus intermedius. The association of this bacterium with toxic shock is discussed.

Three dogs from different locations with acute renal failure were hospitalized in autumn 1996 and 1997. Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona was detected by the microscopic agglutination test. All dogs recovered after antibiotic treatment. The importance of the development of vaccines adapted to emerging serovars in dogs should be addressed.

Salmonellosis due to Salmonella Give involving cows, a goat, and an ostrich over a 6-month period was investigated. Cases were found in 4 different regions. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, phagetyping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analyses confirmed that all isolates belonged to the same clone. A common source of infection was suspected.

Raccoons may represent a source of leptospires for humans and domestic animals. We describe a case of severe interstitial nephritis associated with the serovar bratislava of Leptospira interrogans (1st report in wildlife), and the seroprevalence to 4 leptospire serovars in a recreational area in Quebec.

Of a total of 561 isolates of Streptococcus suis recovered from various tissues of diseased pigs, 464 were from veterinary laboratories in Quebec and 97 were from western Canada, particularly Alberta (84). Almost 83% of all these isolates belonged to the 23 known S. suis capsular types. There was no marked difference between the two groups of isolates. Capsular type 2 was the most prevalent and represented 32% of all isolates. The other important capsular types were, in decreasing order, 3, 1/2, 8 and 4. Lungs, brain, and meninges were the source of the majority of isolates. More than 40% of all S. suis isolates were found in pure culture. The number of isolations of this microorganism was higher in piglets aged five to eight weeks than in any other age group.

Bacterial isolations were reviewed from equine trachea, guttural pouch, uterus, wounds, abscesses, blood, synovial fluid, and abdominal fluid submitted to the Clinical Bacteriology Laboratory of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal for aerobic bacterial culture from 1986 to 1988. Of the 733 samples submitted, 324 (44%) were positive for bacterial growth, and 233 antimicrobial sensitivity tests were performed. Seventy-six percent of all positive samples yielded one bacterial species and two were isolated from 22% of positive samples. Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Escherichia coli, and Actinobacillus spp. were isolated from 39%, 18%, and 15% of the samples, respectively.Bacterial growth was most common from guttural pouches, wounds and abscesses, and transtracheal washes (TTW), but was less common from uterus, blood, abdominal fluid, and synovial fluids. Streptococcus zooepidemicus was the most common bacterium recovered from guttural pouches, TTW, uterus, and wounds and abscesses. Escherichia coli predominated in abdominal fluids, blood, and synovia. Bacterial sensitivities to common antimicrobials are presented.

The prevalence of antibodies to three etiological agents involved in swine pneumonia was determined in Quebec pig farms which had experienced problems of mild to severe respiratory problems. Of the 350 sera collected from adults pigs, 67.0%, 18.3% and 46.6% had antibody titers to Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae type 1 and/or 5, to porcine adenovirus type 4 and to swine influenza virus, respectively. Comparatively, the serological prevalence rates for Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae, porcine adenovirus and swine influenza virus were 43.7%, 0% and 3.3% in farms not experiencing respiratory problems.

The clinical, pathological and bacteriological findings related to ovine mastitis caused by Histophilus ovis are described. A high proportion of the ewes belonging to a flock were infected, but the source of the contamination could not be determined.

Dermatophilus congolensis infection in a dairy cow in QuebecA case of infection by Dermatophilus congonlensis is described for the first time in the Province of Quebec, in a dairy cow. Dermatophilosis was diagnosed in the area of Saint-Hyacinthe in October 1978. It was not possible to find the source of the infection. The isolation of the microorganism was successful and the three techniques used are described. The death of the animal was attributed to complications following invasion by a secondary pathogen. All the other animals in the herd were free from clinical signs of infection. Moreover, no other case of infection by D. congolensis was found in other animal species or humans in the area.