New lactic acid bacteria for skin health via oral intake of heat‐killed or live cells

Lactic acid bacteria play an essential role in the food industry in the manufacture of many fermented products (cheese, yogurt, fermented vegetables, etc.). Application of these organisms is now being extended to the area of health improvement, as their probiotic activities become known. Probiotics are defined as viable microorganisms that exert a beneficial effect on the health of the host when they are ingested in sufficient quantity. Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria isolated from the human intestine are the most common probiotics used for human consumption. The development of new probiotics with new beneficial effects is eagerly awaited in the food industry. This review introduces Lactococcus, which are one of the genera of lactic acid bacteria and are mainly isolated from dairy products and fermented vegetables, as new probiotics, focusing especially on Lactococcus lactis H61, which improves skin status in Japanese women with oral intake of heat‐killed or live cells. The deduced mechanisms associated with the beneficial effects of strain H61 are also discussed.     

An unusual case of feline acute corneal hydrops: atypical disease presentation and possible in vivo detection of Descemet's membrane detachment in the cat's unaffected eye

A 1‐year‐old, female spayed, domestic shorthair cat presented for blepharospasm of the right eye. Slit‐lamp biomicroscopic examination showed focal corneal ulceration and presumptive keratomalacia of the right eye. Examination of the left eye was normal apart from a focal endothelial opacity. Within the first 24 h of medical management, the right eye developed marked corneal edema and globular anterior protrusion of the corneal surface consistent with feline acute corneal hydrops (FACH). Surgical management consisted of a bridge conjunctival graft, nictitating membrane flap, and temporary tarsorrhaphy. Resolution of corneal edema and pain occurred in the right eye within 24 days. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) of the anterior segment was performed in both eyes. Conjunctival tissue from the bridge graft precluded examination of deeper corneal structures in the right eye. The left eye displayed a focal separation of the corneal endothelium and Descemet's membrane from the overlying stroma. These SD‐OCT findings are similar to the analogous syndrome found in humans and represent a potential etiology for FACH of the right eye in the case presented here. Unfortunately, the cat was lost to follow‐up and the progression of this lesion to FACH in the left eye could not be determined.     

Clinical evaluation of a jejunojejunal end‐to‐end anastomosis with skin staples with or without coverage by a mesenteric flap

This study describes a novel end‐to‐end‐jejunojejunal‐anastomotic technique using skin staples following resection of compromised small intestine. Five horses were referred with colic and underwent exploratory laparotomy, resection and anastomosis. No long‐term complications were recorded at 12 months. This safe and effective technique may be used in equine gastrointestinal surgery.     

Blood vitamin concentrations in privately owned dogs fed non-standardized commercial diets and after intake of diets with specified vitamin concentrations

The objective was to investigate in a survey study the blood vitamin concentrations in healthy dogs fed non-specified commercial complete diets and in an intervention study to determine the effects of defined dietary vitamin intakes on blood vitamin levels and hair and skin condition. Sixty-four privately owned dogs, aged from 1 to 8 years, without history of skin or coat problems were included. All animals were fed commercial complete diets with uncertain vitamin concentrations before enrolment. The animals were assigned, according to weight and gender, to four groups with graded vitamin intakes. The blood vitamin levels and skin and coat quality of the dogs were investigated at days 0 and day 122. Coat and hair condition was not influenced by the experimental diets. The retinol concentrations were reduced at the end of the experiment compared with the baseline levels, retinyl esters were not influenced. 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol decreased in all groups, alpha-tocopherol was constant or tended to decrease. Ascorbic acid, thiamine pyrophosphate and riboflavin concentrations were not affected by treatment, flavin adenine dinucleotide and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate were partially reduced on day 122. Cobalamin, pantothenate and biotin concentrations increased with higher dietary intakes, folate levels in tendency. In conclusion, this study gives a survey of blood vitamin concentrations in healthy dogs and provides a data base for the evaluation of the vitamin status in health and disease.     

Cephalosporins – pharmacological basis of clinical use in veterinary dermatology

Cephalosporins form a large group of β-lactam antibiotics which are used extensively in human medicine and to a lesser extent in domestic animals. In veterinary dermatology, the principle use for the cephalosporins is the clinical management of canine pyoderma associated with Staphylococcus intermedius . In practice, the use of orally administered first generation cephalosporin drugs to affected dogs is well tolerated and highly efficacious. Bacterial drug resistance appears to occur rarely.     

Rhodococcus equi infection of cats

Six cases of Rhodococcus equi infection in cats are described. One cat had pneumonia and died. The remaining five cats had cutaneous lesions affecting the feet in four of the cats and the metacarpus in one cat, and all these cats recovered with the aid of antibiotics. All the Rhodococcus equi isolates were sensitive to amoxycillin/clavulanic acid and, where used, at least 14–16 days of treatment was needed to help eliminate the infection. Histologically and cytologically the reaction was pyogranulomatous and many macrophages in the lesions contained large numbers of Gram-positive bacteria.     

Dermatophytosis due to Microsporum persicolor (13 cases) or Microsporum gypseum (20 cases) in dogs

A retrospective study of 20 cases of dermatophytosis due to Microsporum gypseum and 13 cases due to Microsporum persicolor seen over an 8-year period is reported. These skin diseases are rare (1.3% of our canine case load) and pleomorphic, from localized erythematous and squamous or suppurative lesions (kerions) to extensive or generalized erythematous, alopecic, scaling, crusting and eventually papular and pustular dermatoses. Such dermatophytoses are diagnosed by fungal culture, and in some instances rapidly by dermatohistopathology with periodic acid-Schiff staining (3/3 cases of Microsporum gypseum infection and 5/7 cases of Microsporum persicolor infection). Therapy with topical and/or systemic azole derivatives (topical enilconazole, miconazole, econazole and systemic ketoconazole, respectively) was successful in all cases, with only two relapses, which were easily controlled.     

Fluorescence localization of epidermal cathepsins L and B in the Japanese eel

Histochemical localization of proteolytic activities in the dorsal epidermis of Japanese eel was demonstrated by fluorescent microscopy utilizing 4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide (4M$\beta$NA) derivatives as substrates and 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde as a trapping agent. Carbobenzoxy-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginyl-4M$\beta$NA (Cbz-Phe-Arg-4M$\beta$NA) and Cbz-Arg-Arg-4M$\beta$NA were used for direct detection of cathepsins L and B activities, respectively, in fresh frozen sections and unfixed cells of the eel epidermis. The fluorescing areas, where Cbz-Phe-Arg-4M$\beta$NA was hydrolyzed by cathepsin L, were shown in mucus secretory cells and club cells and broadly around skin surface. The fluorescing areas due to Cbz-Arg-Arg-4M$\beta$NA hydrolysis by cathepsin B were localized similarly in these tissues. The fluorescing intensity for both catheptic activities in mucus secretory cells was higher than that in club cells, where small fluorescing granules were distributed. These results indicate that eel cathepsins L and B are stored in epidermal secretory cells at different levels and probably serve as defense factors before or after secretion by these cells. Abbreviations: Cbz – carbobenzoxy; 4M$\beta$NA – 4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide; NSA – 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde.     

The pigmenting effect of different carotenoids on fancy carp (Cyprinus carpio)

The optimal concentration of a panel of individual and combined carotenoid sources on skin pigmentation in fancy carp was investigated by nine experimental diets that were formulated and supplemented with astaxanthin at 25 mg kg^?1, lutein at 25 and 50 mg kg^?1, β‐carotene at 25, 50 and 75 mg kg^?1, and lutein combined with β‐carotene at 25 : 25 and 50 : 50 mg kg^?1, while a diet without supplemented carotenoid served as a control. The results showed that serum TC of fish fed diets containing supplemented with lutein plus β‐carotene at 25 : 25; 50 : 50 mg kg^?1 and lutein 50 mg kg^?1 diet were higher than the other treatments (P ≤ 0.05). Serum TC of the respective treatments was 6.2 ± 2.0, 7.8 ± 3.3 and 7.3 ± 1.9 μg mL^?1 serum, respectively. Fish fed diets combined with lutein and β‐carotene at 25 : 25, 50 : 50 mg kg^?1 and lutein 50 mg kg^?1 diet had serum astaxanthin concentrations similar to fish fed the diet with astaxanthin alone at 25 mg kg^?1. Serum astaxanthin concentrations was 0.7 ± 0.01, 0.9 ± 0.01, 0.4 ± 0.02 and 1.7 ± 0.18 μg mL^?1 serum, respectively. The chromaticity of fish body skin of red and white position was assessed by colourimetry using the CIE L*a*b (CIELAB) system. Pigmentation response of skin redness of fancy carp fed with diets combined with lutein and β‐carotene at 25 : 25, 50 : 50 mg kg^?1 and lutein 50 mg kg^?1 were higher than other treatments (P ≤ 0.05) but they were similar to fish fed with 25 mg kg^?1 astaxanthin diet. The redness (a* values) of fish fed diets with diets combined with lutein and β‐carotene at 25 : 25, 50 : 50 mg kg^?1 and lutein 50 mg kg^?1 were 28.3 ± 0.53, 29.9 ± 1.38, 28.8 ± 3.95 and 28.5 ± 2.49, respectively. After 3 weeks of feeding the experimental diets, the fish fed on a diet without carotenoid supplement for one week demonstrated that the same three groups still retained their redness and had an overall tendency to improve skin colouring. Finally, concentrations 50 mg kg^?1 of lutein, or the combination of lutein and β‐carotene at 25 : 25 mg kg^?1 showed the highest efficiency for improving skin pigmentation and redness of skin.