Histopathological and ultrastructural assessment of two mugilid species infected with myxozoans and helminths

The histopathology and ultrastructure of the intestine of mullets, Liza ramada and Liza saliens, from Comacchio lagoons (northern Italy) naturally infected with myxozoans and helminths were investigated and described. Sixty‐two (80.5%) of 77 mullets harboured one or more of the following parasites species: Myxobolus mugchelo (Myxozoa), Neoechinorhynchus agilis (Acanthocephala), Haplosplanchnus pachysomus and Dicrogaster contractus (Digenea). Co‐occurrence of helminths with myxozoans was common. The main damage caused by digeneans was destruction of the mucosal epithelium of the villi, necrosis and degeneration of intestinal epithelial cells. More severe intestinal damage was caused by acanthocephalans which reach the submucosa layer with their proboscis. At the site of helminths infection, several mast cells (MCs), rodlet cells (RCs), mucous cells and few neutrophils and macrophages were observed in the epithelium. RCs and mucous cells exhibited discharge activity in close vicinity to the worm's tegument. M. mugchelo conspicuous plasmodia were encysted mainly in muscle and submucosa layers of the intestine. Indeed, spores of M. mugchelo were documented within the epithelial cells of host intestine and in proximity to MCs. Degranulation of the MCs near the myxozoans was very frequent.     

体细胞克隆荷斯坦奶牛出生后死亡犊牛内脏器官的组织病理学观察

为探究体细胞克隆荷斯坦奶牛出生后死亡的原因,对新生后死亡的克隆荷斯坦公牛和自然繁殖的荷斯坦公犊的主要组织器官进行比较。通过解剖和石蜡切片-HE(hematoxylin-eosin staining)染色技术,对主要的组织器官结构进行观察和分析。结果表明,新生后死亡的克隆荷斯坦公牛肺部结构清晰;肝脏的肝细胞明显肿大,出现脂肪轻度变性;肾小管上皮细胞出现变性;心肌的肌纤维间空隙增大;骨骼肌纤维间隙明显,空泡变性,这可能导致该克隆牛犊肌肉无力并功能不全;淋巴结皮髓质界限不分明,淋巴小结细胞较稀疏,生发中心不明显,淋巴窦细胞较少;脾脏内红细胞较少,这说明该克隆牛的造血功能可能不完善;胸腺的皮质部分和髓质部分界限不明显,嗜酸性胸腺小体不易辨认,可能发育不全。该克隆公牛免疫器官出现不同程度的发育不全现象较严重,这有可能是其出生后死亡率高的主要原因。     

亚慢性铝暴露对雏鸡肾脏结构与功能的影响

采用连续腹腔注射等体积不同浓度梯度三氯化铝法,建立不同程度雏鸡亚慢性铝中毒模型,通过对血清和肾脏中铝含量、血清中肾功能指标肌酐(Cr)和尿素氮(BUN)含量测定,并应用光镜技术观察肾脏组织学结构,探讨染铝对雏鸡肾脏结构与功能的影响.结果表明:各染铝组血清和肾脏中铝含量以及血清中Cr和BUN含量均显著高于对照组(P＜0.05;P＜0.01),且存在剂量效应关系.光镜下,低剂量染铝组肾小球轻度肿胀,肾小管和近曲小管未见明显变化.中、高剂量染铝组肾小球肿胀,肾小球内细胞数量增多,肾小管浊肿,近曲小管上皮细胞肿胀.上述结果说明,亚慢性铝中毒可致雏鸡肾脏结构及功能受损.     

绵羊感染伪狂犬病的病理学观察与病毒分离鉴定

为了确诊1例疑似绵羊伪狂犬病病例,本试验以上海郊区某羊场发病绵羊的病料为研究对象进行了病理学观察、病毒分离和鉴定。病理组织学变化显示,发病羊大脑组织神经元发生广泛性变性、坏死并伴有嗜神经现象,神经元周围出现胶质细胞增生。病料接种BHK-21细胞,细胞出现病变,间接免疫荧光试验和荧光定量PCR检测结果证实所分离的病毒为伪狂犬病病毒。流行病学调查结果表明,绵羊伪狂犬病可能是由猪伪狂犬病病毒感染引起的。通过免疫接种猪伪狂犬病弱毒疫苗,绵羊伪狂犬病疫情得到及时控制。     

青虾“红体病”组织病理学观察

用连续切片的方法对患有红体病的青虾进行组织病理学研究，结果表明患病青虾鳃部、肌肉组织和肝胰腺部位病症比较明显，不同患病阶段组织变形差异显著。鳃片细胞在患病初期表现为胞质收缩，后期则细胞膨胀破裂。细胞内物质外溢，细胞边缘界限不完整；肌肉组织在后期出现肌纤维束之间间隙，且部分肌纤维有断裂的现象；中期肝小叶间隔出现空隙和腺细胞变形，在后期则表现为小叶溃烂。造成青虾因红体病死亡的原因，初期主要是因为鳃片的组织病变导致呼吸困难，进而造成青虾生理异常；后期主要是因为肝胰脏的溃烂造成消化功能全面丧失。     

Long‐term epidemiological survey of Kudoa thyrsites (Myxozoa) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) from commercial aquaculture farms

Kudoa thyrsites (Myxozoa) encysts within myocytes of a variety of fishes. While infected fish appear unharmed, parasite‐derived enzymes degrade the flesh post‐mortem. In regions of British Columbia (BC), Canada, up to 4–7% of fillets can be affected, thus having economic consequences and impacting the competitiveness of BC's farms. K. thyrsites was monitored in two farms having high (HP) or low (LP) historical infection prevalence. At each farm, 30 fish were sampled monthly for blood and muscle during the first year followed by nine samplings during year two. Prevalence and intensity were measured by PCR and histology of muscle samples. In parallel, fillet tests were used to quantify myoliquefaction. Infections were detected by PCR after 355 and 509 degree days at LP and HP farms, respectively. Prevalence reached 100% at the HP farm by 2265 degree days and declined during the second year, whereas it plateaued near 50% at the LP farm. Infection intensities decreased after 1 year at both farms. Blood was PCR‐positive at both farms between 778 and 1113 degree days and again after 2000 degree days. This is the first monitoring project in a production environment and compares data between farms with different prevalence.     

塔玛亚历山大藻毒素及其对中国对虾的急性毒性

利用美国分析化学家协会(Association of Official Analytical Chemists, AOAC)所推荐的小鼠生物法(mouse bioassay, MBA), 测定了塔玛亚历山大藻(Alexandrium tamarense)(ATHK藻株)毒素粗提液的麻痹性贝毒(paralytic shellfish poisoning, PSP)毒性;采用浸浴方式, 研究了该藻株对中国对虾的急性毒性; 采用HE染色方法, 分别对有毒藻浸浴处理和毒素粗提液注射处理后96 h中国对虾(Fenneropenaeus chinensis)的鳃和肝胰腺石蜡切片进行观察。结果表明, 该藻株麻痹性贝毒毒性为3.9×10^–5 MU/cell (相当于7.3 pg STX Equal/cell), 在同种藻株中属低毒藻株; 在96 h急性毒性实验中, 塔玛亚历山大藻对中国对虾的半致死浓度(LC₅₀)为1.0×10⁴ cells/mL, 安全浓度(SC)为1.0×10³ cells/mL; 石蜡切片观察发现, 塔玛亚历山大藻与毒素粗提液分别引起了鳃和肝胰腺组织出现细胞肿胀、空泡化等病理变化。以上研究结果提示, 塔玛亚历山大藻对中国对虾有急性致死作用。为了保证中国对虾的健康养殖, 养殖水体中的塔玛亚历山大藻浓度至少应该控制在1.0×10³ cells/mL以下; 鳃的病变直接导致对虾窒息死亡可能是塔玛亚历山大藻暴露后对虾急性致死作用的最重要原因;塔玛亚历山大藻所产的PSP毒素可引起虾体代谢和解毒的主要器官—肝胰腺的病变。     

Equine laminitis model: Cryotherapy reduces the severity of lesions evaluated seven days after induction with oligofructose

Reasons for performing study: A previous preliminary study demonstrated the potential of distal limb cryotherapy (DLC) for preventing laminitis. Clinically, DLC must be effective for periods longer than 48 h and the preventive effect must extend beyond its discontinuation. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of DLC, applied during the developmental phase of induced laminitis, on the severity of clinical laminitis and lamellar histopathology 7 days after dosing. Methods: Eighteen normal Standardbred horses were divided into 3 groups of 6. Continuous cryotherapy was applied for 72 h to the distal limbs of the first group. The second and third groups were administered laminitis inducing doses of oligofructose and 72 h of cryotherapy applied (immediately after dosing) to the second group. After clinical assessment all horses were subjected to euthanasia 7 days after dosing and hoof lamellar tissues were harvested and analysed. Results: In the laminitis induced horses clinical lameness and laminitis histopathology was significantly reduced in horses that underwent 72 h of DLC compared with untreated controls. Cryotherapy alone produced no significant lameness or other ill effect. Conclusions: Continuous, medium‐ to long‐term (72 h) cryotherapy applied to the distal limbs of horses safely and effectively ameliorates the clinical signs and pathology of acute laminitis. Potential relevance: Pre‐emptive distal limb cryotherapy is a practical method of ameliorating laminitis in ill horses at risk of developing the disease.     

Lesions of the deep digital flexor tendon in the digit: A correlative MRI and post mortem study in control and lame horses

Reasons for performing study: Lameness associated with lesions of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) in the digit is now recognised as an important cause of lameness, but there is currently limited information about the pathological nature of the lesions. Objectives: To compare: signal intensity changes on magnetic resonance images with histopathology; and histopathological changes in the DDFT from horses with no history of foot‐related lameness (Group C) and horses with lesions of the DDFT confirmed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Group D). Methods: Transverse sections of the DDFT were harvested from 3 sites in all horses: 1) immediately proximal to the navicular bursa (E1); 2) at the level of the navicular bone (E2); and 3) close to the tendon's insertion (E3). If lesions were identified at E1 or had been identified further proximally using MRI, additional sections were obtained until, in most cases, the proximal limit of the lesion was identified. All DDFTs were graded histopathologically using predefined criteria. The MR images were reviewed to determine the location and sequences in which increased signal intensity was seen. Results: No haemorrhage or inflammatory cell infiltration was seen in any horse. At level E 1 , septal thickening, ghosting of blood vessels and blood vessel occlusion were common in Group D, but were not seen in Group C. Less commonly, there was core necrosis, only seen in Group D. At level E 2 , septal and vascular changes were most obvious in Group D. Core necrosis, dorsal splitting, crevicing and fibrillation were seen only in Group D. Septal and vascular changes were present in both Groups C and D at level E 3 , but fibrocartilaginous metaplasia, splitting, crevicing and fibrillation, or core necrosis or fibroplasia were seen only in Group D. Core lesions in Group D often extended proximal to E 1 , and ranged in length from 0.5–13 cm. Core necrosis was generally associated with increased signal intensity in fat suppressed images. Conclusions: Lesions of the DDFT in the digit appear to be primarily degenerative, and may be a sequel to vascular compromise. Increased signal intensity on fat suppressed MR images is not necessarily associated with frank fluid or evidence of inflammation, but may reflect major matrix changes in the tendon. Potential relevance: Further information about the causes of these lesions is required to develop preventative strategies.