Disseminated Mycobacterium genavense infection in a FIV-positive cat

An 8-year-old FIV-positive Australian cat was presented with coughing, periocular alopecia, pyrexia and inappetence. Skin scrapings demonstrated Demodex cati mites. Antibiotics were administered and it was treated successfully for periocular demodectic mange, but the cat continued to exhibit respiratory signs and lose weight. Further investigation revealed an ascarid infection and active chronic inflammation of undetected cause affecting the lower airways. Repetitive treatment with pyrantel failed to eradicate the ascarid infection. The cat became cachectic and developed moist ulcerative dermatitis of the neck, severe non-regenerative anaemia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. Necropsy and histopathology revealed mycobacteriosis affecting skin, lungs, spleen, lymph nodes, liver and kidney. Attempted culture of frozen tissues at a mycobacteria reference laboratory was unsuccessful. Paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed tissue was retrieved and examined using PCR to amplify part of the 16S rRNA gene. A diagnosis of disseminated Mycobacterium genavense infection was made based on the presence of acid fast bacteria in many tissues and partial sequence of the 16S rRNA gene. Although M genavense has been identified previously as a cause of disseminated disease in AIDS patients, this is the first report of infection in a cat. It was suspected that the demodecosis, recurrent ascarid infections and disseminated M genavense infection resulted from an immune deficiency syndrome consequent to longstanding FIV infection.     

Growth and metabolism in somatotropin-treated steers: III. Protein synthesis and tissue energy expenditures

Rates of in vivo protein synthesis in intercostal, sartorius and semitendinosus muscle and in the heart, liver, kidneys, rumen and jejunum were determined in 20 growing Hereford steers treated for 112 d with daily subcutaneous injections of either saline (S) or recombinantly derived bovine somatotropin (rBST; 20.6 mg/d). In vitro rates of protein synthesis and energy expenditures associated with Na+, K+ transport also were determined in external intercostal muscle, liver, kidneys and jejunum. Neither in vivo nor in vitro tissue protein fractional synthetic rates (mg/[g protein.d]), using either the plasma (P) or intracellular fluid (ICF) phenylalanine specific radioactivity for the precursor pool, were affected by rBST treatments. Energy expended on Na+, K+ transport was greater (P less than .1) in the livers of rBST-treated steers, which would increase the maintenance energy expenditures of these steers. Protein accretion rates in the liver, kidneys, stomach, hide, and head, feet and tail of rBST-treated steers were greater (P less than .05) than in S steers. Tissue amino acid profiles were not affected by rBST treatments except in the rumen, where profiles suggested that less collagen was present in rumen wall tissue protein of rBST steers. Plasma phenylalanine entry rates also were not affected by rBST treatment; muscle protein synthesis accounted for a minimum of 20% of this entry rate.     

Diagnosis of botulism types C and D in cattle by a monoclonal antibody-based sandwich ELISA

This study was undertaken to evaluate two monoclonal antibody-based sandwich ELISAs (sELISAs) for the detection of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) types C and D from culture-enriched intestinal content samples from cattle. To validate the diagnostic significance of the presence of cultivable, toxin-producing C botulinum in the intestines of cattle, samples from both suspect and non-suspect botulism cases were examined. BoNT was detected by both sELISAs in a greater number of suspect animals than by direct testing of uncultured samples by mouse bioassay. One sELISA detected two BoNT C and one BoNT Group III mosaic isoform in three animals that were missed by the other, and both sELISAs failed to identify samples from two mouse bioassay-positive BoNT C animals. BoNT D was also detected in one non-suspect sample by one of the sELISAs.     

Prevalence of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Babesia canis vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, Bartonella vinsonii berkhoffii, and Rickettsia spp. in dogs from Grenada

To identify the tick-borne pathogens in dogs from Grenada, we conducted a serologic survey for Ehrlichia canis in 2004 (104 dogs) and a comprehensive serologic and molecular survey for a variety of tick-borne pathogens in 2006 (73 dogs). In 2004 and 2006, 44 and 32 dogs (42.3% and 43.8%) were seropositive for E. canis, respectively. In 2006, several tick-borne pathogens were identified by serology and PCR. DNA of E. canis, Anaplasma platys, Babesia canis vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, and Bartonella sp. were identified in 18 (24.7%), 14 (19.2%), 5 (7%), 5 (7%), and 1 (1.4%) dogs, respectively. Six (8.2%) dogs were seropositive for Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii. All dogs were seronegative and PCR-negative for Rickettsia spp. Coinfection with two or three pathogens was observed in eight dogs. Partial 16S rRNA E. canis and A. platys sequences were identical to sequences in GenBank. Partial 18S rRNA gene sequences from the Grenadian H. canis were identical to each other and had one possible mismatch (ambiguous base) from H. canis detected from Spain and Brazil. Grenadian B. c. vogeli sequences were identical to B. c. vogeli from Brazil and Japan. All of the detected pathogens are transmitted, or suspected to be transmitted, by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Results of this study indicate that dogs from Grenada are infected with multiple tick-borne pathogens; therefore, tick-borne diseases should be included as differentials for dogs exhibiting thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, fever, or lethargy. One pathogen, E. canis, is also of potential public health significance.     

The physical appearance of the vulva in ureaplasma infected ewes

The vulvar labia of ewes naturally infected with ureaplasma were significantly more swollen and red than those of uninfected ewes. Similar changes were observed following experimental infection of previously uninfected ewes. These differences, although statistically significant, were not sufficiently marked to be useful in diagnosing infection by clinical examination.