Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation最新文献

A 9-y-old, spayed female, non-brachycephalic mixed-breed dog was presented with progressive abdominal distension and diarrhea of <24 h duration. An echocardiogram revealed nodular masses in the pericardium and myocardium, particularly near the auricles. Diagnostic and therapeutic pericardiocentesis failed to improve the dog's status, and the owner elected euthanasia. The autopsy revealed numerous nodules within the pericardium, heart base, and myocardium of the left and right ventricles. Histopathology revealed the presence of a neuroendocrine tumor, immunopositive for chromogranin A and negative for synaptophysin and calcitonin, supporting the diagnosis of aortic body tumor with intracardiac metastasis.

Detecting calves that are persistently infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is essential to disease prevention. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded ear-notch samples is commonly used for surveillance detection of BVDV antigens. However, due to the low percentage of positive samples in most submissions, the current workflow often entails considerable time reviewing negative results. Herein we aimed to utilize digital pathology and whole-slide imaging, coupled with advanced image analysis software, to enhance the efficiency of positive IHC detection in surveillance. Despite some challenges encountered during the implementation phase, the benefits of the reduced potential for human error and significant time savings for technicians and pathologists are evident. The screening of 518 slides, containing 2,884 ear notches, reached 97.4% sensitivity and 89.4% specificity compared to the gold standard of direct human assessment. The time taken for the personnel to operate the software and organize results was significantly shorter than the time needed for technicians and pathologists to manually examine the slides. Future refinements in software integration, staining protocols, and QC measures promise to further optimize this approach.

Here we report the isolation of Streptococcus hillyeri from a thoracic sample from a horse. A 17-y-old Hungarian Sport Horse mare was referred to the equine clinic of the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Hungary, with suspected pleuritis. Upon arrival, the horse was febrile and had tachycardia, severe inspiratory dyspnea, and tachypnea. Thoracic ultrasonography revealed severe bilateral pleural effusion, and a large area of lung consolidation. After sampling of both hemithoraces, 66 L of turbid exudate were drained. Based on these findings, a tentative diagnosis of septic pleuritis was made, and the horse was immediately started on a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics, a NSAID, an anticoagulant, and intravenous fluids. Despite intensive care, the clinical parameters deteriorated, and the horse was euthanized 6 d later. Cytology confirmed septic pleuritis, with short chains or groups of coccoid bacteria. Anaerobic culture yielded gram-positive cocci from both hemithoraces in almost pure culture, which we identified as S. hillyeri by 16S rDNA and whole-genome analysis. Additionally, we identified 4 previously unassigned Streptococcus sp. sequences as S. hillyeri. Of these, 3 were obtained from aborted equine fetuses and a fourth from a donkey mastitis case, supporting the pathogenic nature of S. hillyeri in these host species.

A 13-y-old, spayed female dog had regenerative anemia, lymphopenia, hypoalbuminemia, and elevated hepatic biochemical parameters. Liver biopsy revealed hepatic peliosis (hepatic sinusoidal angiectasis), frequently associated with perisinusoidal fibrosis. The dog was seroreactive to Bartonella antigens by indirect fluorescent antibody assays, and quantitative PCR from blood identified Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genotype II. The dog was euthanized 9 mo later because of acute decompensation. Autopsy revealed icteric adipose tissues, end-stage liver, and abdominal effusion. Microscopically, there was marked mixed-cell chronic hepatitis with hepatocellular loss, nodular hepatocellular regeneration, and capillary proliferation. Retrospective molecular testing documented B. koehlerae and B. rochalimae DNA in the dog's blood at 2 or more times during liver disease progression. B. koehlerae DNA was also amplified and sequenced from the autopsy sample of liver. Our case emphasizes that Bartonella infection may be associated with hepatic peliosis and end-stage liver in dogs and expands the spectrum of Bartonella species that potentially play a role in canine hepatic diseases.

Enzootic nasal tumor virus 2 (ENTV2), the etiologic agent of enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma (ENA) in goats, is highly prevalent in China and causes significant economic losses to the goat industry. Here we describe the occurrence of ENA on a Dazu black goat farm in Chongqing City. At autopsy, nasal cavity masses were observed within the nose of an affected goat; histologically, the tumor was a nasal adenocarcinoma. The qPCR results demonstrated unequivocally that ENTV2 was the primary pathogen responsible for the tumor in this goat. We also collected nasal swab samples from all 180 goats on the farm; 9 goats tested positive for ENTV2. We generated the sequence of the full-length genome of ENTV2 (named ENTV2CQ, GenBank OR024676) with 7,469 nucleotides from nasal tumors from our case. ENTV2CQ shared the highest nucleotide identity with a previously sequenced isolate, ENTV2FJ (GenBank MK559457.1). ENTV2CQ and ENTV2FJ are located in the same major phylogenetic branch, mainly related to isolates from China from 2015 to 2022, and their phylogeny may be clustered geographically.

A 2-y-old, intact male roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) was submitted for routine postmortem investigation after a prolonged history of diarrhea and weight loss. The abomasal mucosa was diffusely thickened and corrugated. Abomasal gland hyperplasia was associated with abundant apical organisms consistent with Cryptosporidium spp. Genomic DNA was extracted from abomasal and intestinal contents and subjected to PCR using primers specific for the 18S rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium spp., followed by Sanger sequencing. The sequence was >99% homologous to Cryptosporidium andersoni. C. andersoni-associated proliferative abomasitis has not been reported previously in a captive hippotraginid, to our knowledge.

A 2-y-old, intact female, mixed-breed dog was presented to the veterinary hospital with abdominal distension, anemia, and lethargy following a chronic history of nonspecific gastrointestinal signs. CBC and serum biochemistry revealed moderate nonregenerative anemia with neutrophilia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, hypoglycemia, decreased urea and creatinine, and hypercholesterolemia. Abdominal radiographs and ultrasound revealed a large heterogeneous mesenteric mass and ascites. Abdominocentesis confirmed septic peritonitis with filamentous bacteria. Fine-needle aspiration of the mass yielded pyogranulomatous inflammation and hyphae. An exploratory laparotomy revealed a large cranial abdominal mass with granulomas present throughout the abdominal cavity. Due to the poor prognosis and disseminated disease, the owner elected euthanasia. Postmortem and histologic examinations detected intralesional mycetomas and bacterial colonies within the mesenteric masses. 16S ribosomal RNA gene PCR and sequencing using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections identified Nocardia yamanashiensis, Nocardioides cavernae, and Nocardioides zeicaulis. Fungal culture, PCR, and sequencing confirmed Scedosporium apiospermum. Our report highlights the importance of molecular methods in conjunction with culture and histologic findings for diagnosing coinfections caused by infrequent etiologic agents. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive literature review of Scedosporium apiospermum infections in dogs.

The incidence of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), a type of B-cell lymphoma, is increasing in Japan. EBL is caused by bovine leukemia virus (BLV; Retroviridae, Deltaretrovirus bovleu) infection and is diagnosed by detecting antibodies against BLV in milk and blood or BLV DNA in blood. We assessed the feasibility of using stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) as a sampling tool to assess BLV infection status in cattle herds. First, we collected blood from 3 cattle herds and, based on the measurement of BLV-proviral load (PVL) by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), identified 1) a BLV-free herd, 2) a herd with a low prevalence of BLV-infected cattle and low PVL, and 3) a herd wherein half of the cattle were BLV-infected with low-to-high PVLs. Next, we collected stable flies from the 3 herds, extracted DNA from their blood meals, analyzed it for BLV DNA, and measured the BLV PVL. Cattle DNA and BLV DNA, but not other mammalian DNA, were successfully detected by digestion of the flies. Based on fly blood meal qPCR, we identified one herd as BLV-free and the other 2 herds as having <50% prevalence of BLV-infected cattle with low PVLs. Our fly results were not consistent with preliminary BLV-PVL measurements on cattle blood. Our pilot study indicated that, to assess the feasibility of a stable fly blood meal test as an alternative technique for evaluating BLV infection status in dairy and beef cattle, additional investigations involving more cattle herds and stable flies are needed.

Cases of sodium toxicosis (ST), although reported infrequently, can result in acute morbidity and mortality and extensive losses in affected poultry. We analyzed the clinical, pathologic, and toxicologic findings of 7 diagnosed cases of ST in chicken autopsy submissions at the California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, from 2014 to 2023. We also evaluated the brain sodium concentrations in 10 clinically normal broiler chickens to elucidate potential differences with salt-intoxicated chickens, and reviewed the literature of field cases of ST in chickens and turkeys. Lesions of anasarca described in the 7 ST cases (66 chickens) identified from the CAHFS database included: ascites (62 of 66; 6 of 7 cases); hydropericardium and cardiomegaly (54; 6 of 7); edematous, congested lungs (24; 6 of 7); enlarged, pale kidneys (24; 6 of 7); subcutaneous edema (17; 4 of 7); cystic testes (14; 6 of 7); and cerebral edema (7; 4 of 7). Brain sodium concentrations exceeded 1,800 ppm in only 4 of 24 brains analyzed in our case series. In the feed samples analyzed from 5 ST cases, sodium concentrations exceeded the recommended 2,000 ppm; concentrations detected were 2,500-12,000 ppm. In brains from the 10 clinically normal chickens evaluated, brain sodium concentrations were 1,500-1,700 ppm.