Nasal myiasis in a cat caused by larvae of the nasal bot fly, Oestrus ovis

An 8-year-old desexed male Burmese cat, which lived on a sheep-grazing property in central New South Wales, Australia, was presented following the sudden onset of dyspnoea, moist coughing and violent sneezing. The respiratory distress started several hours after the cat had made an outdoor excursion. Anterior rhinoscopy demonstrated small, white objects moving across oedematous and moderately inflamed nasal mucosa. These were retrieved via a series of vigorous nasal flushes and subsequently identified as larvae of the nasal bot fly, Oestrus ovis. The cat was treated with ivermectin followed by selamectin 7 days later. It went on to make a complete recovery over 2-3 weeks.     

Digestion of poultry manure by Musca domestica

Larvae of the house fly (Musca domestica) grew and developed normally in fresh poultry manure where the proper environmental conditions were maintained. A temperature of 27 °C and a moisture content ranging from 60 to 75% in fresh poultry manure was determined to be optimum for larval development. A moisture content of 80% or greater created anaerobic problems for larvae.

Optimum production of house fly pupae was obtained by inoculating 0.50 to 0.75 g of fly eggs per kg of fresh poultry manure. Five to eleven days were required for the eggs to be converted to pupae depending on the environmental conditions. After digestion, the poultry manure, was reduced to about half and was granular in texture. The digested residue readily dried, had less odour and contained approximately 15% protein.     

Transmission of Campylobacter jejuni by the housefly (Musca domestica)

Houseflies (Musca domestica) were infected with Campylobacter jejuni after being confined for 5 days in a Horsfall isolator containing 25-day-old chickens known to be fecal excretors of the organism. Contaminated flies, when subsequently transferred to a second unit, transmitted C. jejuni to specific-pathogen-free chickens. Allowing a sample of 32 houseflies to ingest C. jejuni in a liquid suspension resulted in recovery rates of 20% from the feet and ventral surface of the body and 70% from the viscera. These experiments demonstrated the potential role of flies in the dissemination of avian campylobacteriosis.     

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria alternata in a cat

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria alternata was diagnosed in a 6-year-old cat. A lesion in the nose resulted in enlargement of the dorsum of the nose. Similar appearing lesions had been removed from the dorsum of the nose 1 and 4 years earlier. The lesion recurred 3 months after surgical excision and irregular administration of ketoconazole. A second cytoreductive operation followed by 5 months' treatment with ketoconazole resolved the infection. Nasal trauma occurring at 8 months and at 5 years before initial examination may have predisposed the cat to development of the Alternaria infection.     

Paraparesis caused by epidural granuloma in a cat

Caudal paraparesis in a cat was determined to be caused by an epidural mass. Surgical decompression was performed, and the mass was determined to be a granuloma. Fusobacterium and Bacteroides spp were isolated from the granuloma. Epidural granulomas are seldom reported in dogs and cats. Decompression and administration of antibiotics led to recovery of this cat even though in human beings an unfavorable prognosis is given if neurologic deficits have developed.     

Myelopathy caused by a histiocytic sarcoma in a cat

An eight-year-old, female spayed, domestic shorthair cat presented with a three-week history of progressive general proprioceptive ataxia and upper motor neuron paresis of the hindlimbs. Computed tomography revealed a mediastinal mass invading the vertebral canal with the T1 spinal nerve and roots, causing extramedullary compression of the cranial thoracic spinal cord. Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies of the mass during postmortem examination disclosed a neoplasm, later determined to be a poorly differentiated histiocytic sarcoma. Feline histiocytic tumours are rare, with only two prior reports existing in the veterinary literature. This report details a case work-up and reviews the literature on feline histiocytic diseases and tumours affecting the feline spinal     

家蝇基因工程抗菌肽的研究进展

家蝇抗菌肽因具有独特的防御机制且不易产生耐药性而成为国内外科研工作者的研究热点,其在动物疫病防治上的应用也越发引人关注。利用基因工程技术获取家蝇抗菌肽能克服传统方法产量低、耗时长、无法实现大规模生产等缺点,是目前获取家蝇抗菌肽最为有效的方法。对家蝇基因工程抗菌肽的分类、编码基因的获得和表达以及生物活性方面进行了综述,以期为兽医临床早日研制出高效、低毒且不易产生耐药性的新兽药提供参考。     

Cryptosporidium Recovered from Musca domestica,Musca sorbens and Mango Juice Accessed by Synanthropic Flies in Bahirdar,Ethiopia

The study was conducted to determine the role of house flies, Musca domestica and Musca sorbens to carry Cryptosporidium species in natural environment and filth flies potential for contamination of food item they visited using acid‐fast stain technique. Cryptosporidium was identified from flies collected in dairy cow barns, butchery, market and defecating grounds. Musca domestica captured from dairy cow barns and M. sorbens from defecating ground were found carrying more oocyst of Cryptosporidium parvum. Oocyst load per fly for M. domestica and M. sorbens was 5.84 and 3.42, respectively. Flies’ population dynamics in each month had little relation to the monthly oocyst frequency, r = 0.06 and 0.02 for M. domestica and M. sorbens, respectively. Cryptosporidium species oocysts were isolated from frozen mango juice, which filth flies visited in dairy farm barn. Load of oocysts in the mango juice was dependent on time contact of flies with mango juice and more oocysts were recovered (P < 0.05) in mango juice samples accessed by filth flies for longer period. Role of filth flies to carry and deposit Cryptosporidium species oocyst for development of food‐borne cryptosporidiosis is signified.     

家蝇抗菌肽的研究进展马红霞

从家蝇抗菌肽的分类、结构特点、作用机理、诱变、活性检验以及分子生物学研究等方面介绍了家蝇抗菌肽的研究进展。家蝇抗菌肽独特的作用机理、成熟的诱导、分离纯化技术及其相关基因的克隆、表达等研究成果均为对家蝇抗菌肽进行更深入的研究奠定了基础。采用分子生物学技术有望筛选并制备大量的高效家蝇抗菌肽。     

Traumatic myiasis of horses caused by Wohlfahrtia magnifica.

A survey was carried out in three stud farms with grazing animals, in order to gather data on the prevalence and clinical manifestation of, and the fly species involved in, traumatic myiasis of horses in Hungary. This parasitic disease was recorded in each farm. On the whole, 9.0% (14) of the inspected horses were infested with fly larvae. The affected horses had one infested lesion only, located at the mucosa of the vulva or the vaginal vestibule. The clinical symptoms depended on the age of infestation. Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was the only myiasis-causing fly species identified. It was assumed that unknown volatile chemicals might be responsible for the attraction of gravid females to the undamaged vulvar region. These odours are supposed to be produced during different physiological and/or pathological events associated with oestrus, prolonged puerperal period or inflammation of tissues. Daily inspection of grazing horses and early treatment of the affected areas are needed to avert significant damage to the infested horses.     

Duodenal perforation caused by Rhizomucor species in a cat

CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 7-month-old female Persian cat presented with gastrointestinal (GI) necrosis and perforation caused by Rhizomucor species. Unfortunately, the cat died of bacterial peritonitis and sepsis before a definitive diagnosis, based on histopathology and fungal culture, was achieved. PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: This appears to be the first reported case of GI disease caused by Rhizomucor species in a cat. Mucorales infections typically cause acute and rapidly progressive disease. As illustrated by this case, clinicians should be alert to the potentially fatal consequences of an opportunistic Rhizomucor species infection in their feline patients.     

Pulmonary abscess caused by a Mycoplasma sp in a cat

A Mycoplasma sp was isolated from an abscess of the right cranial lung lobe in a 6-year-old Persian cat. The cat responded well to resection of the affected lung lobe and to a 2-week course of tylosin treatment.     

Chronic pneumonia caused by Mycobacterium thermoresistibile in a cat

Mycobacterium thermoresistibile was isolated in pure culture from ultrasound-guided pulmonary aspirates taken from a young cat with severe, chronic, pyogranulomatous pneumonia. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography before therapy demonstrated severe diffuse alveolar disease. Twelve months combination therapy with doxycycline, rifampicin and clarithromycin resolved the infection. Thoracic radiographs taken at the completion of therapy showed multifocal pulmonary mineralisation. M thermoresistibile has been infrequently reported as a human or animal pathogen. This is the first reported pulmonary infection by M thermoresistibile in a cat and documents the successful treatment of the organism in a feline patient.     

Disseminated tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium avium in a cat

A 5-year-old neutered male Siamese cat was examined by a veterinarian because of a recent decrease in appetite and a large lymph node in the left mandibular area. Clinical findings included fever, icterus, leukopenia, and progressive anemia. Despite various treatments, the cat died approximately 3 weeks after initial examination. The main necropsy findings included necrotizing and granulomatous lymphadenitis of the left mandibular lymph node, multifocal necrotizing hepatitis, and interstitial pneumonia. Acid-fast bacilli were detected in lesions of the mandibular lymph node, liver, lung, spleen, and bone marrow. Mycobacterium avium was isolated from the liver. Avian tuberculosis in cats has been reported rarely.     

Tracheal obstruction caused by tree needles in a cat

Tracheal obstruction was suspected in a 1-year-old female domestic shorthair cat. Clinical signs consisted of inspiratory and expiratory dyspnea and cyanosis. The cat did not improve when treated with oxygen, epinephrine, prednisolone sodium succinate, and aminophylline. Bronchoscopy revealed obstruction of the trachea and carina by a 2.5-cm twig and needles from a Douglas fir tree. Needles had migrated into distal airways. The cat was euthanatized at the owner's request.