Tuberculosis in wild seals and characterisation of the seal bacillus

SUMMARY Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 3 otariid seals found dead on beaches at 3 locations on the south coast of Western Australian between May 1990 and March 1991. This confirms that tuberculosis is present in the 2 native seals (Neophoca cinerea and Arctocephalus forsteri) in Western Australian waters. Mycobacterium sp isolated from the lungs of 2 of the seals were studied to determine the similarity of the strains to each other, to the strains isolated during 1986 from Australian sea lions and New Zealand fur seals kept in captivity at a marine park near Perth, Western Australia, and to a strain isolated in 1988 from a seal trainer who worked with the infected captive seals for 3 years. After restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) with the endonucleases Bst Ell, Bcl I and Pvu II, one of the wild seal strains appeared to have identical DNA fragment patterns to the strains from the captive seals and the seal trainer. The other wild seal isolate had identical REA profiles using Bst EII and Bcl I, but a minor difference was detected using Pvu II. Differences in these isolates were more clearly seen in restriction fragment length polymorphisms after hybridisation with two DNA probes. The secretory protein MPB70, present in M bovis, was not detected in wild seal isolates using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting techniques. Analysis of protein and DNA fragment profiles indicated that seal tuberculosis isolates form a unique cluster within the M tuberculosis complex.     

Plasma Cell Myeloma in the Horse

Plasma cell myelomas in horses have been reported infrequently. Data from 10 cases, 9 from the literature and 1 new case, are used to characterize the disease in the horse. Hot-blooded horses (7/10), specifically Quarter Horses (4/10), were most often affected. Median age at diagnosis was 11 years (range, 3 mo-22 yr) and both male (5) and female horses (5) were represented equally. Clinical findings included weight loss (6/8), anorexia (4/8), fever (4/8), limb edema (4/8), pneumonia (3/8), rear leg paresis/ataxia (3/8), epistaxis (3/8), palpable lymphadenopathy (2/8), and bone pain (2/8). Anemia (8/8) was present routinely, and in three horses, RBCs were macrocytic. Leukopenia (2/8), thrombocy-topenia (2/8), and circulating plasma cells (3/8) were variable findings. Except for abnormal protein concentrations and hyponatremia (3), abnormal results from serum biochemical analysis including hypo-cholesterolemia (1), hypercalcemia (1), and azotemia (1) were reported infrequently. Hyperproteinemia (8/9), hypoalbuminemia (7/9), and hyperglobulinemia (8/9) were characteristic but not invariable findings. Monoclonal proteins (7/7) were detected in the α₂, β, or γ region by serum electrophoresis. The paraprotein's heavy chain, determined in four horses, was a subclass of IgG. Three horses had decreased concentrations of normal immunoglobulins. Variable proteinuria (trace to 4+) was detected by routine urinalysis in four of six horses. Bence Jones proteinuria was detected in one of five horses (heat precipitation) and monoclonal proteins were detected in two of three electrophoresed urine samples. Three of the horses had lytic bone lesions detected radiographically. Bone marrow aspirates were diagnostic in two of five horses. Atypical plasma cells or increased numbers of plasma cells or both were present in histologic sections of bone marrow in six of eight horses. Common extraosseous sites of plasma cell infiltration included lymph nodes (8/8), kidney (5/8), spleen (5/8), liver (3/8), lung (3/8), brain (2/8), and orbit (2/8). Two horses had intracellular and extracellular crystalline deposits.     

BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS WITH THROMBUS FORMATION AND ABSCESSATION IN A HORSE

A 2.5 year old Appaloosa stallion with progressive weight loss and a heart murmur was diagnosed as having vegetative endocarditis of the right atrioventricular valves with a mass in the right atrium. The ultrasonographic appearance of the lesion was characterized by extreme reverberation. On postmortem examination, a 9 cm diameter thrombus was found within the right atrium and auricle, occupying approximately 80% of the chamber volume. Additionally, a lenticular abscess extended throughout the parietal cusp of the right atrioventricular valve. Histologic examination revealed that the lesions were septic with numerous gram positive cocci in short chains, suggestive of Streptococcus equi , and gram negative rods.     

Apocrine adenocarcinoma in a golden hamster.

An apocrine adenocarcinoma was observed in the subcutis of the abdomen of golden hamster. Histologically, the tumor cells irregularly formed multiple layers of cysts and some detached cells were presented in the cystic space. PAS stain with alpha-amylase digestion revealed PAS-positive alpha-amylase-resistant granules in the cytoplasm. Immunohistochemically, cytokeratin was demonstrated in the tumor cells. By electron microscopy, the tumor cells had an oval nucleus with invagination, abundant cytoplasmic organelles and microvilli protruding into the intercellular spaces.     

Valvular pulmonic stenosis in bullmastiffs

Six bullmastiffs with congenital heart disease were evaluated over a three-year period. In all the cases the problem was shown to be dysplasia of the pulmonary valve. Five cases were male, one was female. All dogs available to follow-up developed signs of cardiac decompensation. Bullmastiffs must be added to the list of breeds in which valvular pulmonic stenosis is encountered frequently.     

Measurement of nitrate leaching losses from arable plots under different nitrogen input regimes

Abstract. Leaching losses of nitrate-nitrogen were measured from a set of eight hydrologically isolated plots on a clay loam soil over the period from September 1987 to February 1990. Variable drainflow recovery from the plots hampered accurate estimation of nitrate loading, but results suggest that, when inorganic nitrogen fertilizer is applied up to the recommended amount, there is little influence of the amount applied on the amount leached. We did, however, observe the following effects on nitrate leaching: leguminous green manure incorporated in autumn increased leaching of nitrate-nitrogen by 10–15 kg per hectare during the winter; autumn cultivation caused some increase in leaching compared with no cultivation in one year; some systematic variations in nitrate leaching occurred between years and between plots, but were unrelated to treatments.
From the results we conclude that green manuring does not provide sufficient nitrogen for organically grown crops on this soil but contributes significantly to nitrate leaching, and that growing spring cereals, with the land remaining in stubble as long as possible in autumn, may be the best strategy to minimize nitrate leaching.     

Insemination with Stallion Semen Frozen in 0,5 ml Straws

Contents: An insemination trial using frozen semen is described. The freezing procedure was slightly modified from the Hannover method. The insemination dose consisted of 7 medium straws containing approx 1 10⁹ spermatozoa. A total of 28 mares of the Norwegian Trotter breed were inseminated during the 1991 season. During oestrus the mares were examined at 12 hour intervals, and the insemination was carried out after detection of ovulation. The pregnancy rate was 43% after the first insemination, increased to 68% after second and further to 75% after the third and last insemination. The foaling rate was 61.5%.     

THE INSENSITIVITY OF 99mTc PERTECHNETATE FOR DETECTING METASTASES OF A FUNCTIONAL THYROID CARCINOMA IN A DOG

This report describes the use of ^99mtechnetium pertechnetate (^99mTcO₄⁻) and ¹³¹[for imaging of a metastatic thyroid carcinoma in a dog. The ¹³¹] imaging showed metastatic lesions undetected by the ^99mTcO₄⁻ imaging on 2 separate occasions. The possible mechanisms for the discrepancies between ¹³¹I and ^99mTcO₄⁻ imaging of thyroid carcinomas are discussed. The use of ¹³¹I for the imaging of functional thyroid carcinomas in the dog is recommended.