Influenza viruses are among the most important respiratory pathogens in pigs and humans. They cause seasonal epidemics in pigs and occasional pandemics in humans. Herbal remedies have been regarded as suitable elements to aid in controlling influenza. This study was carried out to analyse the effects of the in-feed administration of glycyrrhizic acid, the best-known component of liquorice (as Viusid-Vet® powder), in pigs suffering an outbreak of influenza. Eighty crossbred Duroc-Landrace pigs, one day post-weaning (22 days old), were included in this trial. Piglets were randomly divided into the following two groups: those treated with glycyrrhizic acid and an untreated control group. Serological measurements to assess viral load and humoral responses were carried out. Blood samples from pigs were obtained every fortnight, starting on week two and ending on week 15. With these samples, haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests were performed, using A/swine/New Jersey/11/76 (H1N1) and A/swine/Minnesota/9088-2/98 (H3N2) as reference viruses. Quantitative RT-PCR tests against the M gene of the influenza virus were also performed to assess viral shedding from nasal swab samples on weeks 1 to 8 after the beginning of the trial. Weight variables were assessed weekly for 18 weeks. In the HI tests, treated animals showed fewer positive responses compared to the control group for H1N1 and H3N2. However, a positive response to viral protection, as assessed by HI tests, was regarded as not conclusive of humoral immune stimulation. qRT-PCR tests for viral spread exhibited a lower rate of excretion for the treated group compared to the untreated one. Hence, it appears that glycyrrhizic acid stimulates, to some extent, immune responses against pig influenza as measured by viral shedding. For mean body weight, the generalized estimating equations show a higher weight gain for pigs treated with glycyrrhizic acid than the control group (P = 0.0001). These effects may assist producers in addressing the aftermath of an influenza outbreak.

Commercial availability of a generic zilpaterol HCl (ZH) premix preparation for beef cattle in Mexico motivated a non-inferiority trial vs the reference preparation. The trial was conducted on zebu-type cattle (Bos indicus) under humid tropical conditions. Meat production and basic meat quality were assessed for 810 zebu bulls, aged 18-22 months and weighing 430 to 490 kg. Bulls were randomly assigned into one of three groups: ZHg, treated with the generic ZH (Zipamix®) preparation; ZHr, treated with the reference ZH (Zilmax®) preparation, and Cg, the untreated control group. Housing, shade surface, feeding and water availability were highly homogeneous between the animals' pens. Results for the measured productive and meat quality parameters showed that both ZH-treated groups had higher values than the Cg (P < 0.05), and differences between the ZHg and ZHr groups were not statistically significant, thus fulfilling the criteria of a non-inferior ZH preparation. In this assay, ZH supplementation did not modify the amounts of moisture, fat, protein or ash in the Longissimus dorsi muscle compared with the meat from non-supplemented animals, and the overall meat acceptability was unaffected (P > 0.05).

Bacterial contamination after hepatic-biliary-enteric bypass (HBEB) in children with biliary atresia requires an effective treatment. Involved bacteria often develops antimicrobial resistance to conventional antibiotics. A longitudinal, randomized, single blind study was done to evaluate a new antibacterial hybrid molecule (β-lactamic-fluoroquinolone) named cephalon after HBEB. Four groups of mongrel dogs were operated on three consecutive periods. During the first intervention cultures of bile and liver were obtained and assessed, followed by obliteration of common bile duct and HBEB to groups A, B and C. Group D was the control group. Ten days later new samples were repeated. Once identified the presence of microorganisms in bile samples and in more than an half of liver cultures, group A received conventional treatment based on ampicillin/gentamicin and groups B and C, received the cephalon in two different doses during 10 days in all cases. Further samples were processed for bacteria and additional liver biopsies were obtained for histopathological analysis. All three treatments reverted bacterial contamination in the liver; more than half of the bile samples were negative or showed a significant decrease in the number of colony forming units ( p = 0.002). None histopathological lesions were proved. Comparison of efficacy among antibacterial treatments revealed undistinguishable efficacy in this short-term assessment of bacterial contamination after HBEB in mongrel dogs. The use of cephalon could be considered as a viable prophylaxis and treatment in bacterial infections occurring in HBEB patients. Additional studies are needed to assess long-term impact of the cephalon in this setting.