Hematuria and transitional cell papilloma of the renal pelvis treated via unilateral nephrectomy in an alpaca

CASE DESCRIPTION: An 11-year-old 72-kg (158-lb) sexually intact female alpaca was examined for diagnosis and treatment of hematuria of 4 months' duration. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Pigmenturia was detected by the owner when the alpaca was 8 months pregnant. Radiographic, ultrasonographic, vaginal speculum, and cystoscopic evaluation of the urinary tract revealed normal vaginal and urethral epithelia and increased bladder vessel tortuosity, with pulses of hemorrhage from the left ureter. Regenerative anemia and mild leukopenia were detected and serum urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations were within reference ranges. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Chronic hematuria resolved after unilateral nephrectomy of the left kidney, and no dysfunction was detected in the remaining kidney. Histologic evaluation of the kidney revealed a transitional cell tumor in the renal pelvis. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although anemia is common in South American camelids, hematuria is an uncommon sign of this condition. Chronic urinary tract infection, toxin ingestion, and neoplasia causing hematuria or hemoglobinuria should be considered in South American camelids with pigmenturia. Thorough and systematic evaluation of the urinary tract should be performed to locate the site of hemorrhage to treat hematuria appropriately.     

Effects of oral tetrachlorvinphos fly control (Equitrol®) administration in horses: Physiological and behavioural findings

Highly reactive horses may pose risks to humans involved in equestrian activities. Among the factors that may affect horses’ reactivity to external stimuli are pesticides used for fly control in equine facilities. The organophosphorus (OP) insecticide tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) is used as a feed-through larvicide to prevent completion of the fly larval life cycle in horse manure. TCVP exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme cholinesterase (ChE) leading to the accumulation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (AChE) in synapses of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The aim of the present study was to investigate alterations of whole-blood ChE levels associated with feeding a commercially available product (Equitrol, Farnam Companies, Inc.) to horses for fly control. A second aim was to report neurological, physiological and behavioural findings in addition to profiles of selected immune markers (IFN-γ, IL-12p40 and COX-2) and serum thyroid hormones during and after a 30-day treatment period of TCVP feeding. The results indicated significant decreases in whole-blood ChE activity and concomitant behavioural alterations, manifested as increased reactivity and decreased controllability in treated horses. No changes were detected in physiological or neurological parameters, immune markers or thyroid hormones in treated (n = 6) or control (n = 4) horses during the course of the study.     

Estuarine eutrophication in the UK: current incidence and future trends

• 1. Increased inputs of nutrients to estuaries can lead to undesirable effects associated with eutrophication, including algal blooms, changes in species composition and bottom anoxia. Several estuaries and coastal areas around the UK have increased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations, elevated concentrations of chlorophyll a and changes in algal community composition and abundance. This paper reviews the pressures that lead to high nutrient concentrations in estuaries and considers the likely effectiveness of current and proposed regulatory actions.
• 2. The main sources of nutrients to estuaries are river runoff, sewage discharges, atmospheric inputs and possibly submarine groundwater discharges, although little is known about the latter. Significant reductions in N and P inputs have been realized following application of the EU's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. Atmospheric NO_x and NH_x emissions have also decreased and are expected to decrease further in the next decade as implementation of existing legislation continues, and new controls are introduced for activities such as shipping.
• 3. Agricultural inputs reach estuaries principally through diffuse sources, either in surface water (and in some areas possibly groundwater) or, for N, via the atmosphere. Over 10 years ago the Nitrates Directive was introduced to tackle the problem of N discharges from agriculture but little change in N loads to estuaries has been recorded.
• 4. To meet the aims of the EU Water Framework Directive, for at least ‘good’ ecological status, more rigorous application and implementation of the Nitrates Directive, together with changes in the Common Agriculture Policy and farming practice are likely to be needed. Even then, the slow response of the natural environment to change and the inherent variability of estuaries means that their responses may not be as predicted. Research is needed into the relationship between policy drivers and environmental responses to ensure actions taken will achieve the planned results.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Arsenic(III) fuels anoxygenic photosynthesis in hot spring biofilms from Mono Lake, California

Phylogenetic analysis indicates that microbial arsenic metabolism is ancient and probably extends back to the primordial Earth. In microbial biofilms growing on the rock surfaces of anoxic brine pools fed by hot springs containing arsenite and sulfide at high concentrations, we discovered light-dependent oxidation of arsenite [As(III)] to arsenate [As(V)] occurring under anoxic conditions. The communities were composed primarily of Ectothiorhodospira-like purple bacteria or Oscillatoria-like cyanobacteria. A pure culture of a photosynthetic bacterium grew as a photoautotroph when As(III) was used as the sole photosynthetic electron donor. The strain contained genes encoding a putative As(V) reductase but no detectable homologs of the As(III) oxidase genes of aerobic chemolithotrophs, suggesting a reverse functionality for the reductase. Production of As(V) by anoxygenic photosynthesis probably opened niches for primordial Earth's first As(V)-respiring prokaryotes.     

Spatial distribution of seropositivity to the causative agent of granulocytic ehrlichiosis in dogs in California

OBJECTIVE: To assess spatial and temporal patterns of seroprevalence among dogs in California to the causative agent of granulocytic ehrlichiosis (GE). SAMPLE POPULATION: Sera of 1,082 clinically normal dogs from 54 of 59 counties in California in 1997 to 1998. PROCEDURES: Serum-specific IgG reactivity to Ehrlichia equi was assessed by use of an immunofluorescent antibody assay, using E. equi-infected horse neutrophils as substrate. Data were analyzed, using a geographic information system. Spatial analysis of seroprevalence included first order Bayesian analysis of seroprevalence and second order analysis of clustering by K-function and Cuzick-Edwards tests. Monthly seroprevalence among dogs was examined by use of regression on monthly densities of Ixodes pacificus adults and nymphs. RESULTS: Seroprevalence among dogs to E. equi was 8.68%. Data were seasonally bimodal with highest prevalence in winter (when adult ticks were abundant) and a secondary peak in late spring (corresponding to nymphal ticks). Humboldt County had the highest seroprevalence (47.3%), and other northern coast range counties had seroprevalence from 15 to 30%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The patchy distribution of exposure to Ehrlichia organisms is a subset of the distribution of the tick vector. This may reflect enzootic cycles or climatic or historical factors that limited the range of the disease. Dogs, horses, and humans from north coast range counties in California are at increased risk of GE. These data provide a background for assessing risk of infection in horses and dogs, depending on geographic location. Dogs may be sentinels for assessing risk of GE in humans.     

A phenetic analysis of morphological variation in Citrullus lanatus in Namibia

Morphological data recorded from field trials using Citrullus lanatus germplasm collected in Namibia were used to analyse and compare the various morphotypes of this species. The experiment comprised wild types and local landraces as well as commercial cultivars. Cluster analysis supported the indigenous classification system used in Namibia, in which Citrullus types are distinguished based on gross morphology, ecology and usage and grouped into seed, cooking and fresh-eating (watermelon) types. Commercial watermelon cultivars formed a distinct cluster. Wide variation was found within the local types whereas the genetic basis of the commercial type appears to be narrow. The commercial cultivars were most closely related to local watermelon types and more distantly related to the wild types, whereas the cooking melons form an intermediate group.     

Atlanto-axial approach for cervical myelography in a Thoroughbred horse with complete fusion of the atlanto-occipital bones

A 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding with clinical signs localized to the first 6 spinal cord segments (C1 to C6) had complete fusion of the atlanto-occipital bones which precluded performing a routine myelogram. An ultrasound-assisted myelogram at the intervertebral space between the atlas and axis was successfully done and identified a marked extradural compressive myelopathy at the level of the atlas and axis, and axis and third cervical vertebrae.