Prevalence of feline leukemia virus infection and serum antibodies against feline immunodeficiency virus in unowned free-roaming cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of FeLV infection and serum antibodies against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in unowned free-roaming cats. DESIGN: Cross-sectional serologic survey. ANIMALS: 733 unowned free-roaming cats in Raleigh, NC, and 1,143 unowned free-roaming cats in Gainesville, Fla. RESULTS: In Raleigh, overall prevalence of FeLV infection was 5.3%, and overall seroprevalence for FIV was 2.3%. In Gainesville, overall prevalence of FeLV infection was 3.7%, and overall seroprevalence for FIV was 4.3%. Overall, FeLV prevalence was 4.3%, and seroprevalence for FIV was 3.5%. Prevalence of FeLV infection was not significantly different between males (4.9%) and females (3.8%), although seroprevalence for FIV was significantly higher in male cats (6.3%) than in female cats (1.5%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Prevalence of FeLV infection and seroprevalence for FIV in unowned free-roaming cats in Raleigh and Gainesville are similar to prevalence rates reported for owned cats in the United States. Male cats are at increased risk for exposure to FIV, compared with female cats.     

Flea species from dogs in three cities of Chile

The purpose of this study was to establish the pattern of flea infestation in dogs in the cities of Santiago (33 degrees latitude south, 70 degrees longitude west), Concepción (36 degrees latitude south, 73 degrees longitude west) and Osorno (40 degrees latitude south, 73 degrees longitude west), located in different parts of Chile. The only species of fleas found on dogs from the three cities were Ctenocephalides felis felis (41.8%), Ctenocephalides canis (39.4%) and Pulex irritans (18.8%). Although the three species were found in the three cities, differences regarding their frequencies were detected (p<0.05). C. felis was the predominant species found on dogs in Santiago (80.5%). In Concepción, their frequencies followed a similar trend. However in Osorno, the most southern city, the predominant species was C. canis (78.7%).     

New developments in insecticide resistance in the glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) in the UK

A recent survey of insecticide resistance in two of the most problematic pests in UK glasshouses revealed some new developments. At least some individuals in all UK samples of Trialeurodes vaporariorum that were tested resisted the insect growth regulator (IGR) buprofezin. The most strongly resistant strains were unaffected by the field application rate of this compound, and even samples from populations that had never been exposed to buprofezin contained individuals that survived the highest concentration applied (10,000 mg litre-1). The field rate of buprofezin was shown to select for resistance through vapour action alone. The benzophenylurea teflubenzuron, an unrelated IGR, was cross-resisted by buprofezin-resistant individuals. There was no evidence of resistance to imidacloprid, but all T vaporariorum strains tested, regardless of origin, exhibited a high innate tolerance to nicotine, when compared with another whitefly species, Bemisia tabaci. Marked resistance to fenbutatin oxide and tebufenpyrad was found in single glasshouse populations of Tetranychus urticae, but these compounds and abamectin appeared to remain highly effective against all other strains collected.     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE AND NORMAL ANATOMIC FEATURES OF THE SACROILIAC REGION IN HORSES

The purpose of this study was to establish the normal percutaneous ultrasonographic appearance of anatomic structures within the equine sacroiliac region. Percutaneous ultrasonography was performed in a cranial-to-caudal direction in 10 normal adult live horses. The following structures were examined in detail: supraspinous ligament, lumbar and sacral spinous processes, thoracolumbar fascia and its caudal extension, tubera sacralia, ilial wings, dorsal and lateral portions of the dorsal sacroiliac ligaments, lateral part of the sacrum, and the lateral sacral crest. After ultrasonography, all animals were euthanized and detailed dissection of the lumbosacropelvic region was performed in six horses. Four lumbosacropelvic specimens were frozen and sectioned transversely for evaluation of cross-sectional anatomy. Gross anatomic findings were correlated with ante-mortem ultrasonographic images. On percutaneous ultrasonography, all horses had tubera sacralia with a mild-to-moderate roughened surface with occasional irregular hyperechoic mineralizations located within the apophyseal cartilage of younger horses. At the level of the tuber sacrale the caudal extension of the thoracolumbar fascia joined the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and assumed two different configurations relative to the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament, with the predominant configuration of the thoracolumbar fascia located medial to the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament. The less frequently encountered configuration had the thoracolumbar fascia positioned dorsal to the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament. Caudal to the tuber sacrale the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia consolidated to form a single, fused structure with a common insertion on the sacral spinous processes. A large variability in linear fiber pattern, echogenicity (small focal hypoechoic areas), ligament height, and cross-sectional measurements was identified in the fused dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia of normal horses. Diagnosing mild-to-moderate desmitis of the fused dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia based solely on ultrasonography may therefore be difficult. To correlate ultrasonography with histology, samples of a fused dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia with bilateral hypoechoic lesions were submitted for histology and revealed diffuse mild-to-moderate loss of fiber density, multifocal fibrocyte degeneration, and cartilagenous metaplasia with multifocal, mild myofiber mineralization, which was compatible with age-related changes. As controls, sections of ultrasonographically normal fused dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia from three horses demonstrated similar but milder histologic findings, which were considered normal.     

Photodynamic therapy response in cats with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma as a function of fluence

The response of advanced stage cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) following treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been poor. It was the aim of this pilot study to determine whether an increase in the delivered fluence (i.e. energy density) would improve the duration of tumour remission in cats with advanced-stage SCC. Tumours were treated with aluminium phthalocyanine tetrasulphonate (AlPcS₄) PDT at a fluence of either 100 J cm⁻² or 200 J cm⁻² and tumour response was evaluated at regular intervals. Those feline tumours treated with a fluence of 100 J cm⁻² ( n = 8) had a significantly shorter median remission duration (69 days; range 0–619 days) than those feline tumours treated with 200 J cm⁻² ( n = 6; 522 days; range 151–1057 days). It is our conclusion that a fluence of 200 J cm⁻² is well tolerated and more effective when treating cats with advanced stage cutaneous SCC.     

Real time polymerase chain reaction for rapid and quantitative determination of Cystofilobasidium infirmominiatum on the surfaces of apple,pear, and sweet cherry fruit

The objectives of this study were to develop primers and a real time PCR protocol for the postharvest biocontrol yeast Cystofilobasidium infirmominiatum (Cim). The application of this technology was developed to quantify Cim on the surfaces of apple, two pear cultivars, and sweet cherry fruit treated over a range of concentrations. Statistically significant relationships were observed between Cim DNA on fruit surfaces, expressed as μg/m², and CFU/L of dip suspensions for apple, pear, and sweet cherry. In addition, the relationship for each fruit was significantly different from the other three fruits. Threshold values of concentrations of Cim DNA on the fruit surface were calculated based on regression equations and a dose of 2.0 × 10¹¹ CFU/L of dip suspension, the dose for optimum decay control, and were 4.8, 7.0, 16.5, and 25.2 μg/m² for Bosc pear, Lapins sweet cherry, d’Anjou pear, and Golden Delicious apple, respectively. Monitoring Cim DNA concentration on fruit surfaces will assure that Cim is being properly applied to fruit and that a sufficient number of cells are present for optimum decay control.