Survey of conjunctival flora in dogs with clinical signs of external eye disease

Bacteria were isolated 68% of the time from the conjunctival sacs of 120 dogs with conjunctivitis, blepharitis, dacryocystitis, or corneal ulcerations. Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated organism (68%); when both eyes were affected, S aureus was recovered from 29% of the dogs; and in dogs with 1 eye affected, S aureus was isolated from 23% of the affected eyes and in 18% of the nonaffected eyes. Other organisms recovered from eyes were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis (27%), beta-hemolytic streptococcus (19%), alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus (17%), Escherichia coli (10%), Bacillus spp (11%), and Proteus spp (7%). It was concluded that S aureus may appear as a primary pathogen in ocular disease. When 1 eye is clinically affected, S aureus can be a potential invader of the normal eye.     

Malformation of the permanent maxillary canine after dental infraction in a wild boar (Sus scrofa L.).

Intra-alveolar infraction and malformation of the apical part of the permanent left maxillary canine in an adult male wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) is documented. The infraction and its sequelae produced an irregular mass of reparative tissue that led to the formation of two growing ends of the tooth.     

The Vjosa River corridor: a model of natural hydro-morphodynamics and a hotspot of highly threatened ecosystems of European significance

Landscape Ecology - Large near-natural rivers have become rare in Europe, a fact reflected in the high conservation status of many riverine ecosystems. While the Balkan still harbors several intact...     

Antibacterial activity of dilute povidone-iodine solutions used for ocular surface disinfection in dogs

Bacterial cultures of specimens from healthy canine eyelids and ocular surfaces were found to demonstrate bacterial growth in 69.7% (53/76) of the eyes sampled. Organisms most commonly isolated included: Staphylococcus aureus, alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus sp, S epidermidis, and Escherichia coli. Evaluation of dilute povidone-iodine solutions for effectiveness as ocular surface disinfectants was conducted. Bacterial growth initially detected in 32 of 46 eyes was not detected after disinfection with a 2-minute scrub and 2-minute soaking procedure, using 1:2, 1:10, or 1:50 dilutions of a povidone-iodine solution that contained 1% available iodine. The eyelid and ocular surfaces of 16 eyes were disinfected with 1:100 povidone-iodine solution. Bacterial growth initially present in 10 of 16 eyes was present in 1 eye after disinfection and consisted of a single colony of E coli. After eyes were disinfected with 1:10, 1:50, or 1:100 povidone-iodine solutions, there was no evidence of corneal epithelial edema or sloughing. In 15 eyes subjected to disinfection with the 1:2 dilution, one instance of epithelial corneal edema was noticed. A 1:50 dilution of povidone-iodine is recommended as an ocular surface disinfectant for use in presurgical situations.     

Ocular cosmetic and prosthetic devices.

Specific details on surgical procedures, although not covered here, are available in other references. Factors enhancing the overall cosmetic appearance obtained with procedures are emphasized, providing information that should allow veterinarians to offer clients a good cosmetic appearance and effective treatment for disfiguring ocular problems in their horses. Questions regarding procedures should be addressed to your referral ophthalmologist or, in the case of a corneoscleral prosthesis, the ocularist assisting.     

Chimpanzee reservoirs of pandemic and nonpandemic HIV-1

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the cause of human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is a zoonotic infection of staggering proportions and social impact. Yet uncertainty persists regarding its natural reservoir. The virus most closely related to HIV-1 is a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) thus far identified only in captive members of the chimpanzee subspecies Pan troglodytes troglodytes. Here we report the detection of SIVcpz antibodies and nucleic acids in fecal samples from wild-living P. t. troglodytes apes in southern Cameroon, where prevalence rates in some communities reached 29 to 35%. By sequence analysis of endemic SIVcpz strains, we could trace the origins of pandemic (group M) and nonpandemic (group N) HIV-1 to distinct, geographically isolated chimpanzee communities. These findings establish P. t. troglodytes as a natural reservoir of HIV-1.     

Epidemiologic study of ocular/adnexal squamous cell carcinoma in horses

Proportional hospital accession ratios for equine ocular/adnexal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were determined for 14 colleges of veterinary medicine participating in the Veterinary Medical Data Program between January 1978 and December 1986. Comparison of the ratios with their respective geographical, physical data has shown an increased prevalence of SCC with an increase in longitude, altitude, or mean annual solar radiation. In contrast, prevalence of SCC increased with a decrease in latitude. Between January 1978 and December 1988, 147 horses with ocular/adnexal SCC were admitted to the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Diagnosis was confirmed by histologic examination of appropriate tissue specimens. Medical records provided information regarding month and year of admission and diagnosis, age at diagnosis, breed, gender, and hair color. Comparison with a randomly selected hospital control population revealed an increased prevalence of ocular/adnexal SCC with an increase in age (P less than 0.001). Compared with Quarter Horses, draft breeds (Belgian, Clydesdale, and Shire) and Appaloosas had a significantly (P less than 0.001) greater prevalence of ocular/adnexal SCC. Sexually intact males and females were significantly (P less than 0.001) less likely (5 and 2 times, respectively) to have ocular/adnexal SCC when compared with castrated males. The prevalence of ocular/adnexal SCC was significantly greater for all hair colors when compared with bay, brown, or black (P less than 0.01).     

Mechanical and structural changes in multimode optical fibers induced by aging in harsh gaseous and liquid reagents

The increased optical fiber development for a variety of physical and chemical measurements using smart structures and sensors leads to investigate the mechanical and chemical reliability of standard commercial acrylate polymer coated fibers. Multimode optical fiber was subjected to aggressive chemical reagents in gaseous and liquid phase, such as acetylene, ammonia, dimethyl-sulfoxide for different durations after prior vacuum exposure. Tensile testing results were treated using Weibull statistic. A comparison of mean failure strengths of aged fibers for similar exposure duration has revealed the highest sensitivity to acetylene and dimethyl-sulfoxide reagents. Based on analysis of aged fiber surface morphology obtained from Scanning Electron Microscopy, we can deduce the damage extent and the consequence on the structure of the fiber in contact with these harsh environments.     

Nodular granulomatous episclerokeratitis in dogs: 19 cases (1973-1985)

We examined the age and breed prevalence and the response to treatment of 19 dogs with nodular granulomatous episclerokeratitis. Biopsy specimens were evaluated to determine the histologic characteristics of the lesions. In these dogs, this disorder was an idiopathic, bilateral disease characterized histologically by the presence of chronic granulomatous inflammation and reticulin fiber formation. The onset of clinical signs developed predominantly in young to middle-aged Collies, with a slow progression and benign clinical course. With treatment, the condition rarely threatened vision and was controlled easily with azathioprine (2 mg/kg) and/or corticosteroid. The dose of immunosuppressive drug was tapered to allow for minimal systemic effects and continued remission of clinical signs. The response to treatment was highly variable.