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A weapon in the fight against tuberculosis
The discovery of a unique copper-repressing protein in the bacterium that causes tuberculosis in humans may pave the way toward eradicating the disease. Dr. Adel Talaat of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine discovered the protein and says researchers may now be able to find ways to deactivate it, thereby neutralizing its defense mechanism against healthy human immune cells and stopping the spread of TB. For more information, contact Tania Banak at (608) 263-6717 or banakt@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu.
Finding a way to "whip" Crohn's disease
A Michigan State University veterinarian is studying how the pig whipworm can benefit human patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Dr. Linda Mansfield, with the help of a $500,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health, is conducting research to identify new molecules and compounds derived from the whipworm parasite that could be used as oral treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Dr. Mansfield has developed a mouse model of IBD that can be used to study the effects of different treatments. She and other MSU researchers are using an extensive database of known bacteria to determine the types of bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract and how they might be treated. For more information, contact Linda Chadderdon at (517) 355-5165 or chadderd@cvm.msu.edu.
Indiana welcomes radiation therapy facility for pets and people
The Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine is now home to Indiana's first radiation therapy facility that will treat cancer in pets and help faculty members conduct research that will lead to better understanding, treatment and prevention of cancer in humans. Specific forms of cancer in pets, according to Purdue researchers, can very closely mimic the same forms of cancer in humans, making the Linda and William Fleischhauer Radiation Therapy Facility a valuable addition to the Purdue Comparative Oncology Program. For more information, contact Maggie Morris at (765) 494-2432 or maggiemorris@purdue.edu.
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Public health news
Veterinarians and veterinary students are serving some of the poorest people in the nation by caring for animals and safeguarding public health on our nation's reservations and in Appalachia. One such endeavor, the Navajo Nation Veterinary & Livestock Program, serves the Native American population in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, where veterinarians and their charges deworm and dehorn livestock, often times moving cattle through the use of Navajo commands. They also vaccinate, spay and neuter family pets, check deer meat for food safety and conduct disease surveillance. The program, which was recently profiled in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, serves the roughly 250,000 people living on Navajo Nation tribal lands and in bordering towns. For more information, contact Dr. Scott Bender at scottbender@navajo.org or (928) 674-2069.
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A sampling of interesting upcoming events and pet-related campaigns ...
American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture Annual Meeting, March 9, 2007 – March 11, 2007: This year's meeting, which will host veterinary acupuncturists from around the country, will be held in Albuquerque, N.M. For more information go to www.aava.org.
Veterinary Orthopedic Society Annual Meeting, March 3, 2007 – March 10, 2007: This year's meeting of specialists in veterinary orthopedic medicine, from large animal practitioners to those in the exotic field, will be held in Sun Valley, Idaho. For more information go to www.vosdvm.org.
National Animal Poison Prevention Week, March 18, 2007 – March 24, 2007: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is educating the public about the importance of pet safety and how to avoid accidental poisonings in the home. For more information go to www.aspca.org.
Professional Pet Sitters Week, March 4, 2007 – March 10, 2007: Pet Sitters International is honoring faithful pet sitters around the world during this year's event, which will involve more than 7,400 pet sitters from around the world. For more information go to www.petsit.com.
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