Tijdschr Diergeneesk
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Tijdschr Diergeneesk · Dec 2004
Review[Avian influenza: eradication from commercial poultry is still not in sight].
Avian influenza viruses are highly infectious micro-organisms that primarily affect birds. Nevertheless, they have also been isolated from a number of mammals, including humans. Avian influenza virus can cause large economic losses to the poultry industry because of its high mortality. ⋯ From the perspective of human health, it is essential to eradicate the virus from poultry; however, the large number of small-holdings with poultry, the lack of control experience and resources, and the international scale of transmission and infection make rapid control and long-term prevention of recurrence extremely difficult. In the Western world, the renewed interest in free-range housing carries a threat for future outbreaks. The growing ethical objections to the largescale culling of birds require a different approach to the eradication of avian influenza.
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Tijdschr Diergeneesk · Jan 2002
Review[Biotechnology for the benefit of vaccination against viral diseases: a review].
This review deals briefly with some key developments in veterinary viral vaccinology, lists the types of vaccines that are used for vaccinations commonly performed in food animals as well as in companion animals, and indicates that the practising veterinarian can select the best vaccine by comparing the results of efficacy studies. Diva (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals; also termed marker) vaccines and companion diagnostic tests have been developed that can be used for progam aimed to control or eradicate virus infections. Vaccine-induced herd immunity, which can be measured relatively easily when diva vaccines are used, is a crucial issue in such programmes. ⋯ The lack of (in vitro) correlates of vaccine protection markedly hampers progress in vaccine research. Various characteristics of an 'ideal' vaccine are listed, such as multivalency and the induction of lifelong immunity after one non-invasive administration in animals with maternal immunity. Future research should he aimed at developing vaccines that approach the ideal as closely as possible and which are directed against diseases not yet controlled by vaccination and against newly emerging diseases.
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Tijdschr Diergeneesk · Sep 2001
Review[Human health aspects of antibiotic use in food animals: a review].
Antibiotic use not only selects for resistance in pathogenic bacteria, but also in the commensal flora of exposed individuals. Veterinary surgeons regularly prescribe antibiotics for food animals to treat bacterial infections just as doctors do for human patients. In addition, however, animal feeds contain added antibiotics not for therapy but for economic reasons: to enhance the growth rate of these animals. ⋯ As a result of this high exposure to antibiotics, the prevalence of resistant bacteria in the faecal flora of these animals is high. These resistant bacteria can be directly and indirectly, via foods of animal origin, transferred to humans and either colonize the human intestinal tract or exchange their resistance genes with commensal bacteria of humans. As the intestinal flora functions as a reservoir of resistance genes for pathogenic bacteria and because many bacterial species of the intestinal flora are potential pathogens, the efficacy of antibiotic therapy in human medicine may be jeopardized.
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Tijdschr Diergeneesk · Feb 1989
Review[Medical hemostasis. II. Systemic hemostatics, a critical evaluation].
The control of spontaneous and traumatic haemorrhage is a matter of constant concern to veterinary practitioners. In some instances, the control of bleeding may be relatively simple using some topical therapeutic procedure, but when haemostatic defects are present, treatment with topical agents alone might not be sufficient, and more radical and life-saving procedures are indicated: replacement therapy with blood or blood products. As this is not easy to perform in most veterinary clinical situations, any therapeutic agent, which facilitates control of haemorrhage is a welcome addition to the therapeutic armament. ⋯ Double-blind prospective trials with quantitation of loss of blood showed that antifibrinolytic agents such as tranexamic acid are clinically effective in certain conditions in humans. Because of their mode of action, it might reasonably be expected that these drugs might have positive results in veterinary medicine. Therefore, clinical trials with antifibrinolytic agents are urgently indicated to evaluate the effectiveness and side-effects of these drugs in animals showing severe bleeding or in the prevention of peroperative haemorrhage.