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Acta Tropica May 2024Species of subgenus Novyella remain most fragmentarily studied amongst avian malaria agents. Transmission of the recently described Plasmodium (Novyella)...
Species of subgenus Novyella remain most fragmentarily studied amongst avian malaria agents. Transmission of the recently described Plasmodium (Novyella) homonucleophilum (lineage pSW2) occurs broadly in the Old World, including Europe, however biology of this pathogen remains insufficiently investigated. This study provided the first data on the development of P. homonucleophilum in the experimentally infected Eurasian siskins Spinus spinus exposed by inoculation of infected blood. The parasite strain was isolated from a naturally infected song thrush Turdus philomelos, multiplied in vivo, and inoculated to six Eurasian siskins. The same number of birds were used as negative controls. All exposed birds were susceptible, and the controls remained uninfected during the entire study (172 days). Prepatent period was 8-12 days post exposure (dpe). Maximum parasitaemia reached 50-90 % of infected erythrocytes between 20 and 44 dpe. Then, parasitaemia decreased but remained relatively high during the entire observation. Three of six exposed birds died, indicating high virulence of this infection. The parasitaemia increase coincided with a decline of haematocrit value, indicating anaemia. Polychromasia was evident in all infected birds but not in controls. Body mass of exposed birds increased, coinciding with increased food intake. The latter probably is an adaptation to compensate energy loss of hosts due to the long-lasting parasitism. Exo-erythrocytic stages were not found, suggesting that long-lasting parasitaemia was entirely due to erythrocytic merogony. The lineage pSW2 has been reported broadly in the Old World and is likely a generalist infection. Neglected avian Novyella malaria parasites are worth more attention of researchers due to their cosmopolitan distribution and high virulence.
Topics: Animals; Malaria, Avian; Parasites; Virulence; Plasmodium; Songbirds; Biology
PubMed: 38452992
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107174 -
Veterinary Research Communications Apr 2024South American camelids (SACs) play an increasing role in veterinary care in Europe. Many alpacas or llamas presented to veterinarians suffer from anaemia, regularly... (Review)
Review
South American camelids (SACs) play an increasing role in veterinary care in Europe. Many alpacas or llamas presented to veterinarians suffer from anaemia, regularly with a packed cell volume (PCV) below 0.10 l/l, which is a life-threatening condition for the animals. This review article presents clinical and laboratory diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of anaemia in SACs. Clinical identification of anaemic animals can be performed by assessing the FAMACHA© score and the Body Condition Score (BCS), since anaemia in alpacas and llamas correlates with pale mucous membranes and a lowered BCS. Haematological examination of a blood sample can provide a more differentiated diagnosis of anaemia in SACs. A common finding is regenerative anaemia with an increased number of reticulocytes that is often caused by blood loss due to Haemonchus contortus. Changes in a blood smear from an alpaca or llama with regenerative anaemia may include normoblasts (nucleated red blood cells), anisocytosis, poikilocytosis, polychromasia, Howell-Jolly bodies or basophilic stippling. Furthermore, non-regenerative anaemia, often caused by trace element deficiency or cachexia, can also occur.
Topics: Animals; Camelids, New World; Anemia; Haemonchus; South America
PubMed: 38049672
DOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10274-z -
Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery Jun 2023A 1-year-old major Mitchell's cockatoo () was presented for evaluation of weakness, diarrhea with undigested seeds in the droppings, and weight loss. Leukocytosis with...
A 1-year-old major Mitchell's cockatoo () was presented for evaluation of weakness, diarrhea with undigested seeds in the droppings, and weight loss. Leukocytosis with severe heterophilia, monocytosis, and lymphocytosis was noted on the complete blood count. Altered plasma biochemical parameters included a slight increase in creatine kinase and mild hypoproteinemia. Two blood smears before and after 2 days of treatment revealed mild polychromasia and anisocytosis but no blood parasites. Radiographic and computed tomographic imaging of the cockatoo were helpful in identifying airsacculitis, pneumonia, and gastrointestinal motility disorders. The patient died 5 days after treatment for the presenting clinical problems. On the gross postmortem examination, dark red foci in the ventricular muscle layers and 1-3-mm white foci in the myocardium, opaque air sacs, and dark lungs were identified. Histopathologic examination of submitted tissue samples found severe granulomatous ventriculitis and myocarditis with intralesional species megalomeronts. Qualitative polymerase chain reaction testing for the cytochrome (cyt ) gene performed on pooled heart, liver, kidney, and intestinal tissues identified 99.5% homology to . This case report demonstrates the expansion of the geographic range of to France and potentially to Belgium, which may compromise breeding and conservation of Australian parrots living outdoors. Challenging diagnosis, rapid disease progression, and the absence of validated treatment protocols for psittacine patients suggest that the use of preventive measures to reduce the presence of insect vectors such as hippoboscid flies and biting midges () should be considered. should be considered and potentially screened by polymerase chain reaction testing on blood samples, especially in the case of highly susceptible avian species (eg, Australian parrots in Europe) that present with sudden weakness, heterophilic leukocytosis, and monocytosis associated with mild anemia.
Topics: Animals; Cockatoos; Protozoan Infections, Animal; Leukocytosis; Australia; Parrots; Haemosporida; Ceratopogonidae; Bird Diseases; Phylogeny
PubMed: 37358204
DOI: 10.1647/21-00026 -
Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam,... Aug 2023Despite much information regarding BPA toxicity in fish and other aquatic organisms, data is still misleading as most studies have utilized concentrations several orders...
Despite much information regarding BPA toxicity in fish and other aquatic organisms, data is still misleading as most studies have utilized concentrations several orders of magnitude higher than those typically found in the environment. As an illustration, eight of the ten studies investigating the impact of BPA on the biochemical and hematological parameters of fish have employed concentrations on the order of mg/L. Therefore, the results may not accurately represent the effects observed in the natural environment. Considering the information above, our study aimed to 1) determine whether or not realistic concentrations of BPA might alter the biochemical and blood parameters of Danio rerio and trigger an inflammatory response in the fish liver, brain, gills, and gut and 2) determine which organ could be more affected after exposure to this chemical. Findings pinpoint that realistic concentrations of BPA prompted a substantial increase in antioxidant and oxidant biomarkers in fish, triggering an oxidative stress response in all organs. Likewise, the expression of different genes related to inflammation and apoptosis response was significantly augmented in all organs. Our Pearson correlation shows gene expression was closely associated with the oxidative stress response. Regarding blood parameters, acute exposure to BPA generated biochemical and hematological parameters increased concentration-dependent. Thus, it can be concluded that BPA, at environmentally relevant concentrations, threatens aquatic species, as it prompts polychromasia and liver dysfunction in fish after acute exposure.
Topics: Animals; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Oxidative Stress; Antioxidants; Zebrafish; Gene Expression; Benzhydryl Compounds
PubMed: 37327538
DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106610 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2022Red blood cells (RBC) morphologic evaluation through microscopy optical (OM) and SEM, provides information to forecast, evaluate, and monitor the functioning of many...
Red blood cells (RBC) morphologic evaluation through microscopy optical (OM) and SEM, provides information to forecast, evaluate, and monitor the functioning of many organs. Factors, such aging and diseases affect RBC morphology in both, human and animals. SEM is useful to evaluate RBC morphology, although its use in diagnosis and evaluation in dogs is limited, due to the availability and cost. The aim of this research was to assess the normal RBC morphology in adult, senior and geriatrician dogs, clinically healthy by OM and SEM. In addition to evaluating the age effect, sex, body size, and their interaction on erythrocyte morphometry. To carry out the research 152 blood samples were evaluated from dogs of different sexes and body sizes (small, medium, and large). Three groups were made based on dogs age: group I adults (1-7.9 years old), group II senior (8-11.9 years old), and group III geriatricians (>12 years old). Erythrocyte parameters were evaluated by OM (diameter, height, and axial ratio). Per each dog, the parameters of 20 erythrocytes were measured. A total of 2,600 cells were scanned with the AmScope™ Software scale. In addition, the RBC morphology was evaluated by SEM. Statistical analyses used analysis of variance and a general linear model, which allows the comparison of multiple factors at two or more levels ( < 0.05). The results of this study showed that diameter and height were lower in adult dogs than in senior and geriatrician dogs ( < 0.05). Whereas, sex, body size, and the interaction did not show a significant effect ( > 0.05). Additionally, some images of anisocytosis, polychromasia, and poikilocytosis (echinocytes, acanthocytes, codocytes, spherocytes, stomatocytes, dacryocytes quatrefoil, and elliptocytes) were obtained by OM and SEM. Our study provides information about the morphological and morphometry alterations of adult, senior, and geriatrician dogs RBC. This work contributes to future investigations and the diagnosing diseases, where it is necessary to evaluate the morphology of RBC.
PubMed: 36439358
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.998438 -
Journal of Medical Case Reports Aug 2022Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disease globally, while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, an X-linked inherited disorder, is the most common...
BACKGROUND
Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disease globally, while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, an X-linked inherited disorder, is the most common erythrocyte enzyme defect. The association between the two in children has been infrequently reported.
CASE PRESENTATION
We report the case of a 10-year-old boy of Iraqi descent who presented to our emergency department with new-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus without Diabetic Keto Acidosis. He was treated with subcutaneous insulin and discharged. Eleven days after hospitalization, he was found to be jaundiced during his home visit. Hence, he was referred to the pediatric unit, and his hemoglobin had declined from 130 g/L at the previous admission to 81 g/L. Blood tests revealed low haptoglobin, and his peripheral blood film showed anisocytosis, polychromasia, and occasional red cell fragments suggestive of acute hemolysis. His glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was very low, and his subsequent genetic tests confirmed Mediterranean-type glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
CONCLUSION
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in people with diabetes mellitus has been underreported in the literature so far, and screening of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency should be considered on diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, especially in boys of African, Mediterranean, or Asian descent.
Topics: Child; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Diabetic Ketoacidosis; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Hemoglobins; Hemolysis; Humans; Male
PubMed: 36008815
DOI: 10.1186/s13256-022-03549-7 -
Journal of the South African Veterinary... Nov 2022Under stressful conditions, black rhinoceroses that are sub-clinical carriers of can succumb to babesiosis. After 16 days in captivity, a five-year-old female black...
Under stressful conditions, black rhinoceroses that are sub-clinical carriers of can succumb to babesiosis. After 16 days in captivity, a five-year-old female black rhino captured for relocation presented with inappetence, abdominal discomfort and constipation. After chemical immobilisation, dry faecal balls were removed from the rectum, peripheral blood smears were made and blood collected into EDTA tubes. She was treated prophylactically for colic with flunixin meglumine, penicillin and doramectin. Piroplasms were seen on fixed and stained peripheral blood smears. Overnight she developed severe haemoglobinuria, a sign consistent with babesiosis. Subsequently, DNA extracted from a blood specimen reacted with the probe on Reverse Line Blot (RLB) assay, confirming the diagnosis of babesiosis. Specific treatment consisted of 14 ml imidocarb dipropionate (dosage 2.4 mg/kg) administered intramuscularly by pole syringe. Fifteen days later the patient was still moderately anaemic, with the red blood cell (RBC) count, haematocrit and haemoglobin concentration within normal ranges but on microscopic examination there was a marked RBC macrocytosis and polychromasia indicative of a regenerative anaemia. DNA extracted from blood collected at that time did not react with the probe on RLB assay, indicating that treatment with imidocarb had been effective. Once the patient's appetite improved, she started gaining weight. After 82 days in captivity and 65 days after babesiosis had been diagnosed, she was released at the site where she had been captured.
Topics: Female; Animals; Babesiosis; Babesia; Perissodactyla; DNA
PubMed: 35934911
DOI: 10.36303/JSAVA.478 -
Cureus Mar 2022Sickle cell disease is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting in the substitution of CTG by CAG in the sixth codon of the beta-globin gene. As a result of this, the...
Sickle cell disease is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting in the substitution of CTG by CAG in the sixth codon of the beta-globin gene. As a result of this, the hydrophilic glutamic acid residue is replaced by hydrophobic valine residue, leading to the formation of hemoglobin tetramer HBS. This alteration in the beta-globin chain makes the red blood cells prone to sickling, especially in the presence of risk factors such as stress, hypoxia, and infection. These sickled red blood cells have the tendency to adhere to the endothelium and lead to vessel occlusion and distal tissue ischemia. The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has impacted millions across the globe, putting individuals with co-morbidities at particularly high risk, and patients with sickle cell disease are no exception. We present the case of a 47-year-old African American male presenting to the emergency department with subjective fevers and a two-day history of pain in the arms, legs, and chest. A diagnosed case of sickle cell disease, the patient was on hydromorphone for pain management but ran out of his medications a few weeks before presentation. On examination, the patient was saturating well with mild tenderness upon palpation of the arms, legs, and chest. On complete blood count, the patient had a hemoglobin of 11.3 g/dL and a white cell count of 13.1 x10(3)/mcL. The patient had a normal mean corpuscular volume with reticulocytosis, hypochromia, ovalocytosis, poikilocytosis, polychromasia, and target cells. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was positive. The chest X-ray did not reveal any significant findings. He was admitted to the medicine floor for the management of sickle cell crisis and was placed under airborne and droplet precautions. The patient was started on hydromorphone for pain management and intravenous fluid hydration. On the second day of admission, the patient reported increasing shortness of breath. He was saturating 90% on room air and 94% on 2 liters of supplemental oxygen. The white blood cell count increased to 18.42 x10(3)/mcL and the chest X-ray revealed reticular densities with patchy alveolar opacities in the left lung. Given the decline in respiratory status, the patient was started on remdesivir. Over the course of his hospital stay, the patient's pain and respiratory status improved, with the patient saturating 97% on room air. He was discharged home with instructions to follow isolation precautions for at least two weeks, folic acid, and adequate pain management. An appointment was also scheduled for the patient to follow with a sickle cell nurse practitioner upon discharge.
PubMed: 35494937
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.23604 -
PloS One 2022The Sysmex DI-60 digital morphology analyzer is a fully automated, cell-locating image analysis system. This study aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of DI-60.
BACKGROUND
The Sysmex DI-60 digital morphology analyzer is a fully automated, cell-locating image analysis system. This study aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of DI-60.
METHODS
A total of 822 peripheral blood smears were used. The diagnostic performance of DI-60 in terms of red blood cell (RBC) morphology characterization, white blood cell (WBC) differentials, and the total assay time including hands-on time was evaluated.
RESULTS
In comparison with manual slide review, DI-60 demonstrated acceptable accuracy in recognizing polychromasia, target cells, and ovalocytes. However, for schistocytes, DI-60 demonstrated low specificity (10.4%) despite the high sensitivity (97.2%). In the precision analysis of RBC morphology characterization, borderline samples harboring specific RBCs showed inconsistencies in the positive results among 20 replicates. Particularly, 6 of 10 samples showed inconsistencies in the precision for schistocytes. For WBC differentials, the overall agreement between pre-classification results and user-verified results was 89.4%. Except for basophils, normal WBCs showed a good correlation between DI-60 (after user verification) and manual counts. The sensitivities in detecting immature granulocytes, blasts, atypical lymphocytes, and normoblasts were 85.9%, 92.0%, 37.5%, and 77.6%, respectively. Although the total assay time of DI-60 was longer than that of manual review, the hands-on time was considerably shorter with a difference of 144.1 s/slide for abnormal samples.
CONCLUSION
DI-60 demonstrated acceptable performance for normal samples. However, for abnormal WBC differentials and RBC morphology characterization, it should be utilized carefully. DI-60 may contribute to an improvement in laboratory efficiency with increased feasibility.
Topics: Blood Cell Count; Erythrocyte Count; Hematologic Tests; Leukocyte Count; Leukocytes
PubMed: 35476704
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267638 -
Journal of Medical Case Reports Apr 2022Unstable hemoglobinopathies are rare inherited disorders of hemoglobin causing a reduction of hemoglobin molecule solubility. This results in an unstable hemoglobin...
BACKGROUND
Unstable hemoglobinopathies are rare inherited disorders of hemoglobin causing a reduction of hemoglobin molecule solubility. This results in an unstable hemoglobin tetramer/globin polypeptide, which precipitates within the red blood cell. Affected red blood cells have a reduced lifespan due to oxidative stress and cellular rigidity, and tend to be phagocytized by spleen macrophages more rapidly. Unstable hemoglobin is frequently under- or misdiagnosed, because its clinical presentation varies broadly. Therefore, testing for unstable hemoglobinopathies is indicated in cases of unexplained hemolytic anemia. However, this approach is not systematically followed in clinical practice.
CASE REPORT
A 25-year-old Caucasian man with a recent history of a presumed viral upper respiratory infection was referred to the hematology outpatient clinic because of hemolytic anemia. The patient had scleral icterus, moderate splenomegaly, and mild macrocytic anemia with high reticulocyte count. Unconjugated bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase were elevated. Haptoglobin was undetectable. Direct antiglobulin test was negative. Blood smear examination revealed anisopoikilocytosis, polychromasia, bite cells, and basophilic stippling, but no Heinz bodies. High-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis showed slightly increased hemoglobin A2, normal fetal hemoglobin, and a variant hemoglobin. Deoxyribonucleic Acid sequencing revealed the heterozygous mutation c430delC in the beta-globin gene hallmark of hemoglobin Montreal II and the heterozygous mutation c287C>T in the alpha-globin gene corresponding to hemoglobin G-Georgia, indicative of the not yet described combination of double-heterozygous hemoglobin Montreal II and hemoglobin G-Georgia variants. Hemoglobinopathy Montreal II was here not associated with β-thalassemia syndrome, and carriers did not show ineffective erythropoiesis. In addition to the case report, we provide information about the largest pedigree with hemoglobinopathy Montreal II identified to date.
CONCLUSION
We emphasize that a transitory acute condition may uncover an underlying inherited red blood cell disorder. In this regard, awareness should be raised among hematologists caring for adult patients that unstable hemoglobinopathies should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained hemolytic anemias.
Topics: Adult; Anemia, Hemolytic; Hemoglobinopathies; Hemoglobins, Abnormal; Hemolysis; Humans; Male; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 35397565
DOI: 10.1186/s13256-022-03374-y