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Limited data are available regarding the influence of thiamine supplementation on the incidence of polioencephalomalacia (PEM) in lambs fed diets containing increased concentrations of S in the diet (>0.7%). Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the influence of thiamine supplementation on feedlot performance, carcass quality, ruminal hydrogen sulfide gas concentrations, and incidence of PEM in lambs fed a finishing diet containing 60% distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS; DM basis). Two studies were conducted using completely randomized designs to evaluate the influence of concentration of thiamine supplementation. Study 1 used 240 lambs fed in 16 pens, whereas study 2 used 55 individually fed lambs. Lamb finishing diets contained 60% DDGS, which resulted in a dietary S concentration of 0.73% (DM basis). Treatments diets were based on the amount of supplemental thiamine provided: 1) no supplemental thiamine (CON), 2) 50 mg/animal per day (LO), 3) 100 mg/animal per day (MED), or 4) 150 mg/animal per day (HI). Additionally, in study 2, a fifth treatment was included, which contained 0.87% S (DM basis; increased S provided by addition of dilute sulfuric acid) and provided 150 mg of thiamine/animal per day (HI+S). In study 1, ADG decreased quadratically (P= 0.04), with lambs fed the CON, LO, and MED diets gaining BW at a greater rate than lambs fed the HI diet. In study 1, DMI responded quadratically (P< 0.01), whereas G:F tended to differ linearly (P= 0.08) to concentration of thiamine supplementation, with MED lambs having greater DMI and decreased G:F. No differences (P≥ 0.17) in lamb performance were observed in study 2. In both studies, most carcass characteristics were unaffected, with the exception of a tendency for decreased carcass conformation (study 1; P= 0.09) and greater flank streaking (study 2; P= 0.03). No differences in ruminal hydrogen sulfide concentration (P> 0.05) among treatments were apparent until d 10, at which point lambs fed the LO diet had less hydrogen sulfide concentrations than all other treatments. Lambs fed HI had the greatest concentrations of hydrogen sulfide on d 31 (1.07 g of hydrogen sulfide /m3; P< 0.009). Ruminal pH did not differ (P= 0.13) and averaged 5.6 ± 0.06. No clinical cases of PEM were observed during the course of either study. The use of thiamine as a dietary additive to aid in the prevention of PEM in finishing lambs does not appear to be necessary under the conditions of this study.

Objectives:To evaluate the occurrence, serotypes, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonellae from domestic animals and humans in North Dakota. Materials and methods:Salmonellosis data (2000–2005) in humans (n 286) and animals (n 258) were extracted from the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) and North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NDSU-VDL), and analyzed for temporal and spatial trends, and for other associations. Additionally, random samples of 35, 30, and 15 Salmonellaisolates from NDSU-VDL, NDDoH, and North Dakota healthy cattle, respectively, were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Results:Most animal salmonellosis occurred in cattle (64.7) sheep (12), pigs (10.9), and bison (0.4) with SalmonellaTyphimurium (45.7) as the predominant serotype; SalmonellaArizona (10.9) and Dublin (10.5) were host specific in sheep and cattle respectively. In humans, SalmonellaTyphimurium (32.5) and SalmonellaNewport (11.2) were predominant. Season influenced human (p 0.027) and animal (p 0.014) salmonellosis with cases peaking in the spring and summer for animals and humans, respectively. SalmonellaTyphimurium case reports in humans were not seasonally related to domestic animals (p 0.001) nor cattle (p 0.001). Over time, case reports increased in humans but decreased in domestic animals. Most serotypes from domestic animals were multidrug resistant compared to human isolates. Conclusions and applications:Many Salmonellaserotypes (17) were involved in North Dakota human and animal salmonellosis with case reports closely related in fall and winter, but not during warmer months. Spatial clustering of human and animal cases was similar. Antimicrobial resistance was widespread but lower in human isolates. These data are helpful in determining future policy, research, and control strategies for salmonellosis in humans and domestic animals.

Severe nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis associated with Aleutian mink disease parvovirus (ADV) infection was observed in adult ranch mink. Brain lesions included severe, locally extensive to coalescing lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis with accompanying gliosis, satellitosis, and mild extension of inflammation into the leptomeninges. ADV was identified in mesenteric lymph node, spleen, brain, and liver of affected mink by polymerase chain reaction techniques. Sequences of the ADV isolate (TH5) revealed 2 unique residues in the region of the viral genome that determines pathogenicity. These findings suggest that certain strains of ADV may preferentially cause disease in the nervous system. ADV infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neurologic disorders in mink.

Sixty-three patients with Crohn's disease showed a high incidence of nutritional deficiencies as judged by laboratory tests. Malabsorption of fat (33 per cent) and vitamin B12(60 per cent) was not sufficiently severe to account for the malnutrition. Malnutrition was especially severe in unoperated patients with active disease, whereas malabsorption was prominent in patients with recurrent disease after resection although they had less active disease and less severe nutritional deficits. Surgery should not be withheld from a malnourished patient for fear of inducing further malnutrition; excision of toxic inflammatory disease will not only improve the immediate outlook but will also reduce the severity of further recurrences. Xylose-excretion tests give a spurious impression of malabsorption in Crohn's disease, possibly as a result of occult renal impairment, and should be abandoned.

A patient developed the rare complication of pulmonary eosinopbilia whilst receiving sulpbasalazine. A review of the world literature on sulpbasalazine‐induced lung disease is presented.

A high incidence of hypocholesterolaemia was found in 44 cases of Crohn's disease. It occurred at all sites of the disease and correlated with the degree of activity of the disease but not with the amount of ileal resection or the amount of faecal fat excretion. The results were independent of age and sex. It is suggested that impaired dietary intake is a major factor in reducing serum cholesterol and that the measurement could be used as a sensitive index of nutrition and disease activity. Serum cholesterol measurement should not be used as a screening test of ileal function.

Films from barium follow-through examination of 50 cases of Crohn's disease, 25 cases of various malabsorption syndromes and 25 cases of unexplained diarrhoea (as controls) were reviewed independently by two radiologists. The agreed incidence and observer variation in interpreting radiological signs was studied.Examination of commonly accepted signs of Crohn's disease showed that contraction and rigidity were the most reliable. Cobblestone mucosa, longitudinal streaks of barium in the wall, and ulceration (marked mucosal irregularity and clefts) were occasionally reported in controls or cases of malabsorption. When the cases of Crohn's disease were considered on their own the most frequent and reliable signs were contraction, rigidity, clefts and marked surface irregularity. These all had an incidence of more than 25 per cent with an observer variation of less than half the agreed incidence. Cobblestone mucosa and stenosis also occurred frequently but showed frequent observer variation. Skip lesions, featureless mucosa, slight surface irregularity, longitudinal streaks in the wall and fistulae ococcurred infrequently and had an incidence of observer disagreement that was usually more than twice the agreed incidence. Stippling or flocculation of barium occurred in 40 per cent of cases of Crohn's disease, but was less frequent and less severe than in the malabsorption syndrome. With careful technique the terminal ileum could be demonstrated in 70 per cent-of cases of Crohn's disease.Assessment of mucosal fold thickness and separation in duodenum and jejunum showed that the cases of Crohn's disease of the ileum were similar to controls and differed from patients with malabsorption. Jejunal loop width in these patients with Crohn's disease was intermediate between the width found in the other two groups.

Necropsies were performed on 2 American bison (Bison bison) cows, 1 of which died acutely and the other that died after a week of illness. Gross and microscopic lesions were consistent with severe mycotic infection of the forestomachs. Both animals had been abruptly placed on a breeder ration 1 month after calving, and had developed acidosis and subsequent fungal invasion of tissues. History and lesions in this case indicate that bison are susceptible to rumen acidosis and its sequelae.

Immunoperoxidase assays were performed on 21 archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from from American bison (Bison bison) with bronchopneumonia. Seven of the 21 bison had positive staining for Haemophilus somnusin alveolar exudate, visceral pleura, lung parenchyma, and chronic necrotic lesions, and H. somnuswas isolated from tissues from 1 of these 7 animals. Results suggest that H. somnusis a respiratory pathogen in bison.

An adult Chinese red panda (Ailurus fulgens styani) transported by airplane from Florida to a North Dakota zoo died 1 week after arrival. Grossly, an interscapular abscess, subcutaneous inflammation, lymphadenitis, and pulmonary abscesses were observed. Microscopic findings included necrotizing inflammation in liver, lung, lymph node, and spleen. Chromobacterium violaceumwas cultured from the interscapular abscess, liver, lung, and spleen and was injected into Swiss Webster mice. These mice died 18 hours postinoculation, and C. violaceum was cultured from liver, lung, and spleen. Chromobacterium violaceumis a sporadically reported but highly virulent pathogenic bacterium of both animals and humans typically found as a soil and water inhabitant of tropical and subtropical regions.

To the Editor:—I read with interest "Use of Carbamazepine in Epilepsy" by Livingston et al (200: 204, 1967) and noted their reports of further cases of hematopoietic disturbance following the administration of this drug.The authors refer to a nonfatal case of hypoplastic anemia attributed to carbamazepine by me and my colleagues.1 This case was subsequently described in more detail,2 and in the discussion of the then documented cases attention was drawn to the long duration of treatment and large total dose administered. However, I have never believed that these factors were solely responsible, as many sufferers from trigeminal neuralgia have been treated in the United Kingdom with similar quantities of the drug without developing bone marrow failure. Therefore, individual susceptibility or some other factor must be involved. I know of no published studies on the mechanism of the hematopoietic disturbance.As these blood dyscrasias have been

Intracranial hemorrhage is a frequent finding at autopsy in very immature infants. Because of the possibility of therapy in whom DIC seems to be present, it was thought important to be able to time the intracranial bleed to see if it had already occurred before therapy could have been initiated. Infants at high risk for intracranial bleeding have been transfused as early in the course of their illness as possible with red cells tagged with 50chromium. 50Cr is a stable tracer which can be activated in vitro to 51Cr and counted. If the infant died and had an intraventricular clot in which >70% of the red cells were tagged, it was assumed that bleeding occurred after tagging. If the clot contained <30% tagged cells as compared to the sample of blood taken at tagging or just prior to death, it was assumed that bleeding had occurred prior to tagging. 28 such tagged infants have died and had intracranial clots analyzed for 50Cr. 16 infants had HMD, 7 extreme immaturity, the remainder died of other disorders. 18 were <1250 g. B.Wt., 23 were <32 wks. gestation. Median age of tagging was 6.3 hrs. while median age at death was 33.2 hrs. 50Cr concentrations in clot samples indicated that 25 infants had clearly bled after tagging and only 2 had already had their major bleed before tagging. 4 infants presumably had some bleeding before tagging, but continued to bleed afterwards. Investigations of the possible exchange of 50Cr tag after clot formation did not indicate significant exchange between tagged circulating red cells and those in the clot. 12 infants had clear-cut DIC, 11 possible, and 5 had no evidence of DIC. All but 1 without DIC had grossly abnormal second stage clotting values. It is concluded that most of these infants' intracranial hemorrhages occurred after birth and after their disease process was clearly established.

Sixty-three patients admitted to hospital with an exacerbation of Crohn's disease were investigated. Anaemia was found in 79 per cent of males and 54 per cent of females. Low levels of serum iron (65 per cent), total iron-binding capacity (22 per cent), serum vitamin B12, (16 per cent), serum folate (64 per cent), and red-cell folate (35 per cent) were also present. With the exception of the serum vitamin B12, these levels were directly related to the severity of the disease and were less reduced in patients with post-operative recurrences. There was a poor correlation with the site of disease. The serum iron, iron-binding capacity, and transferrin saturation were unreliable in the diagnosis of iron deficiency. An increased TIBC usually indicated iron deficiency and a subnormal TIBC suggested chronic inflammation but did not exclude iron deficiency. Based on the examination of bone marrow iron stores, evidence of iron deficiency was found in 18 (39 per cent) of 46 patients. The incidence of iron deficiency may have been over emphasized in the past because bone marrow iron stores have not always been examined. Of the 46 patients who had bone marrow aspirated, 18 (39 per cent) were megaloblastic. Folate deficiency was implicated as the underlying cause in 11 and vitamin B12 deficiency in six patients; one patient had both deficiencies. Vitamin B12, deficiency was usually associated with ileal resection, while folate deficiency was probably due to dietary deficiency and/or increased folate requirements. Vitamin B12, or folate deficiency should not be implicated as the cause of anaemia on the basis of serum levels alone. Moreover, the finding of megaloblastic change in the marrow should not obscure the importance of coexisting iron deficiency or the effects of the inflammatory disease process on erythropoiesis. When there is clear evidence of iron, folate, or B12-deficiency anaemia this should be treated with appropriate haematinics, although the response may be suboptimal until the inflammatory process is suppressed. As the disease process itself aggravates the severity of the anaemia, there will probably be a partial response to any treatment which reduces the activity of the disease.