Veterinary Pathology最新文献

There are no previous publications on diseases of Japanese isopods (Bathynomus doederleinii) or giant deep-sea isopods (Bathynomus giganteus). Halioticida noduliformans is a pathogenic oomycete that infects external tissues of abalone, mantis shrimp, and European lobsters, and has not been previously reported in isopods. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical presentation, gross findings, and histologic lesions caused by H. noduliformans in B. doederleinii and B. giganteus kept in a public aquarium in California. Oomycetes caused inflammation and necrosis in the body wall, gills, hepatopancreas, eyes, and gut. Our study demonstrates that this pathogen occurs in a previously unreported geographic location and in previously unpublished hosts. H. noduliformans infected both external and internal viscera, the latter of which has not been previously reported in any host species. H. noduliformans has variable pathogenicity depending on the host species and was considered the cause of death in these isopods.

Rumen acidosis (RA) is one of the most prevalent alimentary diseases of ruminants and is caused by excessive fermentation of feedstuff in the reticulorumen. This retrospective study aimed to characterize the microscopic lesions of acute and subacute cases of RA in cattle older than 6 months. Fifty-two RA cases with rumen fluid pH ≤5.5 at the time of necropsy were selected. Cases were classified as acute or subacute RA based on their clinical histories; 7 animals were included as controls. In rumen histologic sections, the number, length, and width of ruminal papillae and the thickness of the mucosal epithelium and stratum corneum were measured. Univariable linear mixed models were used to compare groups. Eleven of 28 acute cases (39%) had small (<150 µm in diameter) pustules within the ruminal epithelium. Histomorphometry of acute cases differed from control cases only by shorter ruminal papillae, highlighting the scant morphologic changes in this group. In cases of subacute RA (n = 24), the rumen papillae were shorter and wider than in control animals, and there was epithelial hyperplasia, parakeratotic hyperkeratosis, and, in 19/24 cases (79%), there were numerous intraepithelial pustules (150-500 µm in diameter). There was a higher number of ruminal papillae in subacute RA cases when compared with acute RA cases. Subacute RA cases had wider rumen papillae and thicker epithelium than acute RA cases. Our study highlights the distinctive lesions and histomorphometry of the rumen in cattle with acute and subacute RA.

Canine anal sac adenocarcinoma (ASAC) is an aggressive malignancy with high metastatic potential. Histologic and proliferation parameters such as mitotic count and Ki67 scores have limited prognostic value according to the published literature. Using pathologist-supervised digital image analysis methods with the image analysis software QuPath, we analyzed 58 cases of ASAC to evaluate mitotic count (MC) and Ki67 indices, explore relationships between different Ki67 indices [semi-automatic Ki67 digital hotspot score (Ki67-saHDS), Ki67 global digital score (Ki67-GDS), and fully automatic Ki67 digital hotspot score (Ki67-faHDS)] and MC, and to verify which method carries the most significant prognostic value. The MC did not impact median tumor-related survival (TRS) time. Although high correlation coefficients were observed between the 3 Ki67 scores, Ki67-GDS had more prognostic relevance than hotspot-based scores (Ki67-saHDS and Ki67-faHDS). Dogs with Ki67-GDS ≥ 26 had significantly shorter survival times (175, days 95%, confidence interval (95% CI) = 123-540) compared to dogs with Ki67-GDS< 26 (median survival time (MST) 650 days, 95% CI = 503->1579). No association was observed between TRS and Ki67-faHDS or Ki67-saHDS. On multivariate analysis, anisokaryosis and Ki67-GDS, but not tumor size, lymphovascular invasion, or MC, were independent prognostic markers for survival. These results demonstrate the advantage of Ki67 GDS over hotspot-based scores; however, these data need to be validated in a larger cohort of cases before clinical implementation.

Nasal biopsies from 21 dogs diagnosed with chondro-osseous respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartomas or respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartomas were reviewed. Associated lesions included angiomatous tissue (4/21), seromucinous gland proliferation (2/21), and polyps (3/21), and all had chronic inflammation. Dogs had epistaxis (14/21), sneezing (9/21), decreased airflow (8/21), congestion (6/21), and discharge (5/21). In addition to a mass lesion, computed tomography findings (n = 19) included turbinate lysis (10/19), cribriform plate and orbit erosion (4/19), and contralateral extension (8/19). In 16 dogs with outcome data collected 0-49 months after diagnosis, 13 had continued respiratory symptoms, 11 of which received medical management; 2 of the 3 dogs with improvement had radiotherapy/radiofrequency procedures after biopsy. Eight dogs were alive, 5 were euthanized due to the hamartoma (median survival 9.3 months), 2 died from unknown causes, and 1 died from a seizure. Nasal hamartomas are often locally destructive mass lesions that cause recurrent upper respiratory symptoms and may require more aggressive therapeutic interventions for disease control. Diagnosing nasal hamartomas requires integrating the clinical history, imaging results, adequate biopsy sampling of the mass, and the presence of characteristic histologic features.

Variables in the fixation and processing of histological specimens and storage of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues affect the outcomes of morphological and molecular examinations. The present study investigated the influence of unbuffered formalin fixation and prolonged fixation on histomorphology, immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, and DNA quality in FFPE tissues, which are essential issues in veterinary diagnostic pathology. Fixation of tissues with 10% unbuffered formalin resulted in increased intercellular spaces and decreased color contrast in hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections, attenuated Ki-67 immunolabeling, advanced DNA fragmentation, and lower PCR amplification efficiency compared with 10% neutral-buffered formalin. Prolonged fixation resulted in attenuated immunolabeling for multiple antigens, advanced DNA fragmentation, and lower PCR amplification efficiency. Preserving formalin-fixed tissue in 70% ethanol prevented loss of immunolabeling by prolonged fixation. Regarding storing FFPE tissues, coating FFPE blocks with paraffin prevented chronological DNA fragmentation. Based on the results obtained in this study and previous publications, the authors propose a standard preanalytic tissue handling guideline for histology and molecular examinations using FFPE tissues in veterinary medicine. In particular, fixation with 10% neutral-buffered formalin within 72 hours is recommended to obtain high-quality FFPE samples widely applicable for precision molecular diagnostics in routine veterinary histological examinations.

Hamartomas are benign proliferations of disorganized tissues normally present in a given site. This study aimed to characterize histopathological features of alimentary tract hamartomas in dogs, focusing on their classification and diagnostic methods. Samples collected from 2 veterinary archives were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Masson's trichrome (MT), Gomori, and Luxol fast blue stains. Immunohistochemistry was performed for α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), neurofilament, GFAP, neuron-specific enolase, von Willebrand factor, and c-kit. Sixteen hamartomas were identified: 6 neuromuscular and vascular hamartomas, 9 neurovascular hamartomas, and 1 vascular hamartoma. Locations included the oral cavity (6/16) and the gastrointestinal tract (10/16). Most dogs were mixed breeds (8/16) with a median age of 10.5 years. These findings suggest that hamartomas should be included in the differential diagnosis of oral and gastrointestinal masses in dogs. For accurate classification and diagnosis, MT in combination with α-SMA and neurofilament immunohistochemistry is recommended, in addition to routine HE.

Inflammatory myopathy (IM) and myocarditis are relevant complications of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. IM has also been reported in adult cats with experimental feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection. The present study investigated naturally FIV-infected cats for IM and myocarditis and further characterized the inflammatory processes and their potential pathogenesis. Snap-frozen skeletal muscle (quadriceps femoris (QF) and triceps brachii (TB) muscles) and myocardial samples from naturally FIV-infected cats and controls were examined histologically and by immunohistochemistry for leukocytes and FIV-p24-gag, and by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) for the relative transcription of inflammatory mediators. Sera from FIV antibody-positive cats were tested for anti-skeletal muscle autoantibodies by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). Inflammatory infiltrates were observed in 9/31 (35%) QF and TB muscles and 11/30 (37%) myocardial samples from FIV-infected cats, frequently in combination. The infiltrates were dominated by T-cells, with rare B-cells and macrophages; several leukocytes harbored FIV-p24-gag. The T-cell count in the QF was positively correlated with the T-cell count in TB and myocardium. Skeletal muscle of FIV-positive animals showed significantly higher transcription of interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-17, and transforming growth factor-beta than the controls, whereas the myocardium exhibited significantly higher IL-17 and lower IL-13 mRNA levels. IIF showed anti-skeletal muscle autoantibodies in sera of FIV positive cats up to a dilution of 1:1000. The results show that natural FIV infection is frequently associated with IM and myocarditis and driven by T-cells, with Th1/Th17 polarization of the response. The presence of circulating anti-muscle autoantibodies suggests an underlying autoimmune pathogenesis.

Natural language processing (NLP), a branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on the interaction between computers and human language, has potential in advancing veterinary pathology through its ability to source knowledge efficiently from vast data sets, generate high-quality text rapidly, and enhance data searchability. This review explores the applications of NLP in veterinary pathology, emphasizing its potential role in diagnostics, training pathologists, and research. NLP might offer many advantages, such as accuracy, speed, and cost reduction, especially for routine tasks including text summarization and report generation. These benefits make NLP a promising technology for achieving precision, adding value, and driving innovation in health care. However, caution is warranted, as NLP models may introduce biases and errors due to the quality of the data they are trained on, have limitations in interpreting nuanced or context-specific information, and lead to private data leakage. Furthermore, the multifaceted nature of veterinary pathology data may require specifically trained and expert-validated algorithms for accurate interpretation. To ensure the credibility and validity of research findings, pathologists must critically evaluate and complement obtained outputs with human expertise and judgment. This article highlights the transformative potential of NLP in veterinary pathology, underscores the importance of integrating this technology into the field for enhanced diagnostic accuracy and research advancements, and gives real-life examples from pathologists for pathologists, which illustrate how NLP can be applied in veterinary pathology.