An investigation of Salmonella Fluntern illnesses linked to leopard geckos—United States, 2018

Reptile contact can result in zoonotic non‐typhoidal salmonellosis. In April 2018, Oregon Public Health Division contacted CDC about a cluster of four Salmonella serovar Fluntern (SF) illnesses in four states (OR, CA, IA, NY); patients reported contact with geckos, a popular reptile pet. PulseNet, the national molecular subtyping network of food‐borne disease surveillance, subsequently identified additional SF clinical isolates. Twelve cases in 11 states were identified; median age was 5 years (range: <1–58 years). Three patients were hospitalized; no deaths were reported. Of those with exposure information (n = 10), all reported reptile exposure; 9 (90%) specified contact with leopard geckos. No common source of geckos was identified from reported purchase locations. Los Angeles County (LAC) health officials isolated SF from one patient's leopard gecko. Five reptile/gecko isolates were identified from the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) from 2015 to 2018. Five countries responded to an Epidemic Intelligence Information System post by PulseNet; reptile isolate sequence data were received from Czech Republic. A clinical case from England was identified through the National Center for Biotechnology Information pathogen detection pipeline; the patient did not report contact with leopard geckos. Whole genome sequencing analysis revealed substantial genetic diversity between clinical and animal isolates; however, gecko and clinical isolates from LAC were highly related (1 allele difference). This investigation linking SF illnesses to leopard geckos highlights an important public health risk from pets. A better understanding of how geckos are distributed by the pet industry in the United States could improve traceability to points of origin and mitigate Salmonella transmission at gecko breeders. Earlier NVSL reports of SF isolates from geckos suggest the risk of human SF infection from geckos is not new. This investigation demonstrates a need to educate gecko breeders, retailers and gecko owners about the continued Salmonella infection risk from pet geckos.     

Granulocyte and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factors as therapy in human and veterinary medicine

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs) and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factors (GM-CSFs) are endogenous cytokines that regulate granulocyte colonies and play a major role in the stimulation of granulopoiesis (neutrophils, basophils and eosinophils) and in the regulation of microbicidal functions. There are numerous pathological conditions in which neutrophils are decreased, the most common being neutropenia associated with cancer chemotherapy, which increases the risk of serious microbial infections developing with the potential for high morbidity and mortality. New methods in molecular biology have led to the identification and cloning of CSF genes and biopharmaceutical production. Since then, CSFs have been widely used for the prevention and treatment of neutropenia associated with cancer chemotherapy, for mobilising haematopoietic cell precursors, and for other neutropenia-related pathologies. This review focuses on the use of CSFs within both human and veterinary medicine. Clinical applications, pharmacology, tolerability and the potential role of these factors in veterinary medicine are considered.     

Development and characterization of mouse monoclonal antibodies reactive with chicken CD83

This study was carried out to develop and characterize mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against chicken CD83 (chCD83), a membrane-bound glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily that is primarily expressed on mature dendritic cells (DCs). A recombinant chCD83/IgG4 fusion protein containing the extracellular region of chCD83 was expressed in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells and isolated from the spent cell culture medium by protein G affinity chromatography. The extracellular region of the chCD83 protein was purified and used to immunize mice. A cell fusion was performed, from which 342 hybridomas were screened for mAbs to chCD83. Two mAbs, chCD83-159 and chCD83-227, stained the greatest percentage of chCD83-transfected CHO cells and were selected for further characterization. By flow cytometry, both mAbs reacted with a chicken macrophage cell line, HD11. Both mAbs also recognized a single 53 kDa protein on Western blots of lysates from lipopolysaccharide-stimulated spleen mononuclear cells or unstimulated HD11 cells. Immunostaining of chicken secondary lymphoid organs identified chCD83(+) cells with morphologic and subtissue localization properties comparable to mammalian DCs. In vitro stimulation of spleen mononuclear cells with concanavalin A (Con A) decreased the percentage of chCD83(+) cells compared with cells treated with medium alone. Interestingly, spleen cells treated with Con A in the presence of chCD83-227 mAb exhibited decreased percentage of MHCII(+) cells compared with cells treated with an isotype-matched negative control mAb. These chCD83 mAbs may be useful for future investigations of chicken immune cell maturation and mechanisms of action.     

Pharmacokinetics and milk penetration of moxifloxacin after intravenous and subcutaneous administration to lactating goats

The pharmacokinetics of moxifloxacin was studied following intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) administration of 5 mg/kg to healthy lactating goats (n = 6). Moxifloxacin concentrations were determined by high performance liquid chromatography assay with fluorescence detection. The moxifloxacin plasma concentration versus time data after IV administration could best be described by a two compartment open model. The disposition of SC administered moxifloxacin was best described by a one-compartment model. The plasma moxifloxacin clearance (Cl) for the IV route was 0.43 +/- 0.02 L/kg (mean +/- SE). The steady-state volume of distribution (Vss) was 0.79 +/- 0.08 L/kg. The terminal half-life (t1/2lambdaz) was 1.94 +/- 0.41 and 2.98 +/- 0.48 h after IV and SC administration, respectively. The absolute bioavailability was 96.87 +/- 10.27% after SC administration. Moxifloxacin penetration from blood to milk was quick for both routes of administration and the high AUCmilk/AUCplasma and Cmax-milk/Cmax-plasma ratios reached indicated a wide penetration of moxifloxacin into the milk. From these data, it appears that a 5 mg/kg SC dose of moxifloxacin would be effective in lactating goats against bacterial isolates with MIC < or = 0.20 microg/mL in plasma and MIC < or = 0.40 microg/mL in milk.     

Pathogenicity studies with the fungi Aphanomyces invadans, Achlya bisexualis, and Phialemonium dimorphosporum: induction of skin ulcers in striped mullet

Based on isolations from naturally infected fish in Florida, we investigated the role of the fungi Aphanomyces invadans, Achlya bisexualis, and Phialemonium dimorphosporum in the etiology of ulcerative mycosis (UM) in striped mullet Mugil cephalus. We injected healthy striped mullet subcutaneously with secondary zoospores of four oomycete isolates: two concentrations (50 and 115 zoospores/mL) of SJR (an endemic isolate of Aphanomyces invadans in American shad Alosa sapidissima from the St. Johns River); two concentrations each of CAL (25 and 65 zoospores/mL) and ACH (1,400 and 2,000 zoospores/mL; endemic isolates of Aphanomyces invadans and Achlyva bisexualis, respectively, in striped mullet from the Caloosahatchee River); and two concentrations of the ascomycete culture MTZ (2,500 and 3,500 zoospores/mL; endemic isolate of P. dimorphosporum from whirligig mullet M. gyrans in the Matanzas Inlet). All fish injected with either concentration of SJR developed granulomatous ulcers after 8 d and died within 21 d. Eighty percent (8/10) of fish injected with the high dose of CAL developed ulcers after 13 d and died within 28 d, but only 30% (3/10) of fish injected with the low dose of CAL developed ulcers. Four of the ulcerated fish died within 28 d, and the remaining fish were terminated after 32 d. Fish injected with zoospores of Aphanomyces invadans developed ulcers that were grossly and histologically similar to those observed in naturally infected striped mullet with UM from several estuaries or rivers in Florida. These hemorrhagic skin ulcers were characterized by myonecrosis and the presence of mycotic granulomas. None of the fish injected with ACH, MTZ, or sterile water developed ulcers. This study fulfilled Koch's postulates and demonstrated that ulcers could be experimentally induced in striped mullet after exposure via injection to secondary zoospores of an endemic Florida strain of Aphanomyces invadans.     

Genetic characterization of porcine circovirus type 2 in captive wild boars in southern Brazil

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has been identified in pig population in Brazil since 2000, but scarce studies involving wild boars with PCV2 infection are...     

Quantitative changes in the normal and apoptotic thymocytes of pigs treated with anabolic doses of the beta2 adrenergic agonist clenbuterol

Although the beta2 adrenergic agonists have been seen to have important effects on the mechanisms regulating the development and death of T-cells in the thymus, the side-effects on the immune system of anabolic treatments of these substances have hardly been considered. In order to evaluate the effects exerted by the beta2 adrenergic agonist clenbuterol on the thymocyte population, the thymus of eight pigs treated with anabolic doses of this substance was studied by morphometric methods, regarding apoptotic (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL)-positive) and normal (TUNEL-negative) cells. The thymus of another eight pigs fed without clenbuterol served as a control. The clenbuterol treatment had a clear effect on the thymocyte size, decreasing their mean nuclear area. The T-cell apoptosis index was also affected by the clenbuterol, significantly increasing the apoptosis percentage in the treated group with respect to the control. In the light of our results, the clenbuterol induced thymocyte apoptosis throughout the thymus and caused morphometric changes in the thymocyte population, which was in line with the immunosuppressive role attributed to other beta2 adrenergic agonists.     

Pharmacokinetics of a combination preparation of ampicillin and sulbactam in turkeys

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the disposition kinetics of ampicillin and sulbactam after IV and IM administration of an ampicillin-sulbactam (2:1) preparation and determine the bioavailability of the combined preparation after IM administration in turkeys. ANIMALS: 10 healthy large white turkeys. PROCEDURE: In a crossover study, turkeys were administered the combined preparation IV (20 mg/kg) and IM (30 mg/kg). Blood samples were collected before and at intervals after drug administrations. Plasma ampicillin and sulbactam concentrations were measured by use of high-performance liquid chromatography; plasma concentration-time curves were analyzed via compartmental pharmacokinetics and noncompartmental methods. RESULTS: The drugs were distributed according to an open 2-compartment model after IV administration and a 1-compartment model (first-order absorption) after IM administration. For ampicillin and sulbactam, the apparent volumes of distribution were 0.75+/-0.11 L/kg and 0.74+/-0.10 L/kg, respectively, and the total body clearances were 0.67+/-0.07 L x kg(-1) x h(-1) and 0.56+/-0.06 L x kg(-1) x h(-), respectively. The elimination half-lives of ampicillin after IV and IM administration were 0.78+/-0.12 hours and 0.89+/-0.17 hours, respectively, whereas the corresponding half-lives of sulbactam were 0.91+/-0.12 hours and 0.99+/-0.16 hours, respectively. Bioavailability after IM injection was 58.87+/-765% for ampicillin and 53.75+/-5.35% for sulbactam. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that a regimen of loading and maintenance doses of 300 mg of the ampicillin-sulbactam (2:1) combination/kg every 8 hours could be clinically useful in turkeys. This dosage regimen maintained plasma concentrations of ampicillin > 0.45 microg/mL in turkeys.