60 The Effect of Neomycin Inclusion in Milk Replacer on Gut Health and Development in Preweaned Male Holstein Calves

Neomycin is commonly used in calf milk replacers (MR) to prevent diarrhea, however, antimicrobial exposure in early life may have consequences to gut development. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of neomycin inclusion in MR on calf gut health and development. Thirty-six calves were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: control (CON), non-medicated (MR, n = 12), short-term antimicrobial exposure (ST: 20 mg/kg BW neomycin mixed in MR from d 1–14, n = 12), or long-term antimicrobial exposure (LT: 20 mg/kg BW neomycin in MR from d 1–28, n = 12). Fecal samples were collected weekly to measure total bacteria, and gut permeability was measured in week 2 and 4 by comparing serum recovery of orally dosed lactulose and D-mannitol markers. Calves were dissected at week 5 to collect intestinal tissues, which were used to analyze histology, gene expression and total bacteria abundance. Digesta samples were collected to analyze for total bacteria abundance and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations. No treatment effects were found in the amounts of total bacteria in fecal, digesta, or tissue samples. Marker recovery in serum was higher at week 2 compared to week 4 (P < 0.01), suggesting that calves in early life have higher gut permeability. Histomorphological measures were similar, except for villi length in the distal jejunum, which was longest in ST calves (P = 0.05). Tight-junction, mucus, and inflammatory-associated gene expression was similar overall, although the expression of Tight junction protein-1 in the distal jejunum was lowest in CON calves (P = 0.04). Distal jejunum acetic acid, propionic acid, and total VFA tended to be highest in LT calves (P = 0.09; P = 0.06; P = 0.07, respectively). Although this study found few consequences of neomycin to gut health, the lack of benefits supports the argument that antimicrobials should be used prudently.

Minimally Invasive Elective Surgery as a Treatment of Bowel Invagination in a Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome Case

We present a case of a 24-year-old woman with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, recurrent colic abdominal pain, and lower gastrointestinal bleed for the last 5 years. Colonoscopy showed hamartomas without any dysplasia. In the enteral magnetic resonance imaging, a distal jejunum and ileum invagination, secondary to hamartomas was detected. The patient was referred to the Surgery Department and despite few symptoms, elective surgery was proposed. By laparoscopic surgery approach, the entire bowel was carefully revised, 3 intussusceptions and bowel volvulus were found, 2 in jejunum and 1 in ileum, causing incomplete obstruction and intestinal dilatation, with a diameter of 6 cm. These intussusception areas were marked with a silk filament, after achieving devolvulation and disinvagination. A 5-cm laparotomy was done, to externalize the entire bowel, to explore it manually, to verify the absence of other lesions, and locate silk points. By longitudinal enterotomies on the antimesenteric intestinal border where silk filaments were located, the polyps were removed through their stalk, and the enterotomies were transversely closed. Postoperative evolution was favorable, starting oral tolerance on the fourth day and being discharged from the hospital on the seventh day. Eight months later, the patient was asymptomatic with a better quality of life.

A Grain-Based SARA Challenge Affects the Composition of Epimural and Mucosa-Associated Bacterial Communities throughout the Digestive Tract of Dairy Cows

The effects of a subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) challenge on the composition of epimural and mucosa-associated bacterial communities throughout the digestive tract were determined in eight non-lactating Holstein cows. Treatments included feeding a control diet containing 19.6% dry matter (DM) starch and a SARA-challenge diet containing 33.3% DM starch for two days after a 4-day grain step-up. Subsequently, epithelial samples from the rumen and mucosa samples from the duodenum, proximal, middle and distal jejunum, ileum, cecum and colon were collected. Extracted DNA from these samples were analyzed using MiSeq Illumina sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Distinct clustering patterns for each diet existed for all sites. The SARA challenge decreased microbial diversity at all sites, with the exception of the middle jejunum. The SARA challenge also affected the relative abundances of several major phyla and genera at all sites but the magnitude of these effects differed among sites. In the rumen and colon, the largest effects were an increase in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and a reduction of Bacteroidetes. In the small intestine, the largest effect was an increase in the relative abundance of Actinobacteria. The grain-based SARA challenge conducted in this study did not only affect the composition and cause dysbiosis of epimural microbiota in the rumen, it also affected the mucosa-associated microbiota in the intestines. To assess the extent of this dysbiosis, its effects on the functionality of these microbiota must be determined in future.

Differences in Intestinal Barrier Development between Intrauterine Growth Restricted and Normal Birth Weight Piglets

Intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) piglets are born at term but have low birth mass and a characteristic shape of the head. Impaired general condition, especially in intestinal function, leads to an increase in the occurrence of diarrhoea and high mortality in the first days of life. So far, the mechanical and immunological gut barrier functions in IUGR are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to microscopically evaluate the early postnatal changes in the gut mucosa occurring in IUGR piglets. Whole-tissue small intestine samples were collected from littermate pairs (IUGR and normal) on postnatal day (PD) 7, 14 and 180 and analysed by light microscopy. We found that in the IUGR piglets, the percentage of intraepithelial leukocytes was reduced in the duodenum on PD 7, but it increased in the proximal and middle jejunum both on PD 7 and PD 14, which suggested the development of an inflammatory process. The number of goblet cells was also reduced on PD 14. The average size of the Peyer’s patches in the distal jejunum and ileum showed significant reduction on PD 7 as compared to normal pigs; however, on PD 14, it returned to normal. On PD 180, we did not find any differences in the measured parameters between the IUGR and the normal pigs. In conclusion, we found that in one-week-old IUGR pig neonates, the gut barrier and the immune system structures display signs of retarded development but recover within the second postnatal week of life.

MicroRNAomes of Cattle Intestinal Tissues Revealed Possible miRNA Regulated Mechanisms Involved in Escherichia coli O157 Fecal Shedding

Cattle have been suggested as the primary reservoirs of E. coli O157 mainly as a result of colonization of the recto-anal junction (RAJ) and subsequent shedding into the environment. Although a recent study reported different gene expression at RAJ between super-shedders (SS) and non-shedders (NS), the regulatory mechanisms of altered gene expression is unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether bovine non-coding RNAs play a role in regulating the differentially expressed (DE) genes between SS and NS, thus further influencing E. coli O157 shedding behavior in the animals through studying miRNAomes of the whole gastrointestinal tract including duodenum, proximal jejunum, distal jejunum, cecum, spiral colon, descending colon and rectum. The number of miRNAs detected in each intestinal region ranged from 390 ± 13 (duodenum) to 413 ± 49 (descending colon). Comparison between SS and NS revealed the number of differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs ranged from one (in descending colon) to eight (in distal jejunum), and through the whole gut, seven miRNAs were up-regulated and seven were down-regulated in SS. The distal jejunum and rectum were the regions where the most DE miRNAs were identified (eight and seven, respectively). The miRNAs, bta-miR-378b, bta-miR-2284j, and bta-miR-2284d were down-regulated in both distal jejunum and rectum of SS (log2fold-change: −2.7 to −3.8), bta-miR-2887 was down-regulated in the rectum of SS (log2fold-change: −3.2), and bta-miR-211 and bta-miR-29d-3p were up-regulated in the rectum of SS (log2fold-change: 4.5 and 2.2). Functional analysis of these miRNAs indicated their potential regulatory role in host immune functions, including hematological system development and immune cell trafficking. Our findings suggest that altered expression of miRNA in the gut of SS may lead to differential regulation of immune functions involved in E. coli O157 super-shedding in cattle.

Normal Disaccharidase Activity and Disaccharidase Activity in Patients with Functional Enteropathies

Objective of the Review: To demonstrate the role of changes in disaccharidase activity in aetiology and pathogenesis of functional enteropathies (FEP). Key Points. In mid-20th century, Russian scientists found out that jejunum diseases can be caused by impaired membrane digestion (MD). Not it is known that irritable bowel syndrome and other FEPs can mask enteropathies with impaired MD. Conclusion. Measurements of disaccharidase activity in duodenum mucosa are a method of choice in diagnosing enteropathies with impaired MD. The information on disaccharidase activity in ileum have not been described in any references. It is assumed that disaccharidase measurements in distal jejunum can be of extra diagnostic significance in examination of patients with FEP. Available information will make it possible to propose an up-to-date concept of aetiology, pathogenesis, clinical course, diagnosis and management of disaccharidase deficiency. Keywords: irritable bowel syndrome, disaccharidases, membrane digestion, A. M. Ugolev, Dahlquist method, FODMAP diet, Rebamipide, probiotics.

Case report: multiple gastrointestinal stroma tumors in the background of neurofibromatosis type 1

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. GISTs can occur in the background of neurofibromatosis 1 (NF-1), where chemotherapeutic treatment is not optimal and surgical intervention is the only management option. In this case report, we present a case involving a 61-year-old gentleman with NF-1. The patient presented with acute blood loss anemia that was initially controlled with embolization of a hyper-vascular mass abutting the distal jejunum. The patient was taken to the operating room for excision of the mass. All macroscopic disease was excised and the pathology noted GISTs. Surgical decision making is not clearly delineated in the literature for GISTs in patients with NF-1, where targeted therapy is not a treatment option. Resection of all disease should be considered, since NF-1 associated GISTs generally do not have harbor mutations that can be targeted.

An atypical presentation of a mesenteric Meckel’s diverticulum in a 7-year-old warmblood mare: case report

Background Meckel’s diverticula are a rare cause of small intestinal strangulation, diagnosed at laparotomy or necropsy. This congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract originates from a remnant of the vitelline duct. In reported equine cases, they present as a full-thickness diverticulum on the antimesenteric border of the distal jejunum or proximal ileum. Case presentation On laparotomy a Meckel’s diverticulum positioned at the mesenteric side was found to be the cause of small intestinal strangulation. This position is very uncommon and to the best knowledge of the authors there is no unambiguous description of another case. Conclusions Meckel’s diverticula should be on the list of differential diagnoses in cases of small intestinal strangulation. As in humans, equine Meckel’s diverticula can have the standard antimesenteric as well as a more exceptional mesenteric location. This case adds to the series of anecdotal reports of anomalies with regard to Meckel’s diverticula in the horse.