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Frontiers in Microbiology 2022species are considered a significant cause of reproductive pathology in male and female animals. Importantly, can induce reproductive disease in humans. Reproductive...
species are considered a significant cause of reproductive pathology in male and female animals. Importantly, can induce reproductive disease in humans. Reproductive pathogenesis and evaluation of newly developed countermeasures against brucellosis studies have traditionally utilized female animal models. However, any potential, new intervention for use in humans would need to be evaluated in both sexes. Therefore, animal models for male reproductive brucellosis are desperately needed to understand disease progression. Accordingly, we evaluated guinea pigs and mice using 16 M in an intratracheal model of inoculation at different stages of infection (peracute, acute, and chronic) with an emphasis on determining the effect to the male reproductive organs. Aerosol inoculation resulted in colonization of the reproductive organs (testicle, epididymis, prostate) in both species. Infection peaked during the peracute (1-week post-infection [p.i.]) and acute (2-weeks p.i.) stages of infection in the mouse in spleen, epididymis, prostate, and testicle, but colonization was poorly associated with inflammation. In the guinea pig, peak infection was during the acute stage (4-weeks p.i.) and resulted in inflammation that disrupted spermatogenesis chronically. To determine if vaccine efficacy could be evaluated using these models, males were vaccinated using subcutaneous injection with vaccine candidate 16 M at 10 CFU/100 μl followed by intratracheal challenge with 16 M at 10. Interestingly, vaccination efficacy varied between species and reproductive organs demonstrating the value of evaluating vaccine candidates in multiple models and sexes. Vaccination resulted in a significant reduction in colonization in the mouse, but this could not be correlated with a decrease in inflammation. Due to the ability to evaluate for both colonization and inflammation, guinea pigs seemed the better model not only for assessing host-pathogen interactions but also for future vaccine development efforts.
PubMed: 36338077
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1029199 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021is a common bacterium in the intestines of animals, and it is also the major important cause of toxic mastitis, which is an acute or peracute disease that causes a...
is a common bacterium in the intestines of animals, and it is also the major important cause of toxic mastitis, which is an acute or peracute disease that causes a higher incidence of death and culling of cattle. The purpose of this study was to investigate strains isolated from the raw milk of dairy cattle in Northern China, and the antibacterial susceptibility of these strains and essential virulence genes. From May to September 2015, 195 raw milk samples were collected from 195 dairy farms located in Northern China. Among the samples, 67 (34.4%) samples were positive for . About 67 strains were isolated from these 67 samples. The prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing (STEC), enterotoxigenic (ETEC), enteropathogenic (EPEC), and enteroinvasive (EIEC) were 9, 6, 4.5, and 1.5%, respectively. Among the virulence genes detected, 1 was the most prevalent (6/67, 9%) gene, followed by (3/67, 4.5%), and B (2/67, 3%). Moreover, the strains exhibited different resistance levels to ampicillin (46.3%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (16.4%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (13.4%), tetracycline (13.4%), cefoxitin (11.9%), chloramphenicol (7.5%), kanamycin (7.5%), streptomycin (6.0%), tobramycin (4.5%), azithromycin (4.5%), and ciprofloxacin (1.5%). All of the isolates were susceptible to gentamicin. The prevalence of β-lactamase-encoding genes was 34.3% in 67 isolates and 45% in 40 β-lactam-resistance isolates. The overall prevalence of , , , and genes were 1.5, 20.9, 10.4, and 1.5%, respectively. Nine non-pathogenic isolates also carried β-lactamase resistance genes, which may transfer to other pathogenic and pose a threat to the farm's mastitis management projects. Our results showed that most of were multidrug resistant and possessed multiple virulence genes, which may have a huge potential hazard with public health, and antibiotic resistance of was prevalent in dairy herds in Northern China, and ampicillin should be used cautiously for mastitis caused by in Northern China.
PubMed: 34630355
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.730656 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Research :... Jun 2020Posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) involves the mechanical and biological deterioration of articular cartilage that occurs following joint injury. PTOA is a growing...
Posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) involves the mechanical and biological deterioration of articular cartilage that occurs following joint injury. PTOA is a growing problem in health care due to the lack of effective therapies combined with an aging population with high activity levels. Recently, acute mitochondrial dysfunction and altered cellular respiration have been associated with cartilage degeneration after injury. This finding is particularly important because recently developed mitoprotective drugs, including SS peptides, can preserve mitochondrial structure and function after acute injury in other tissues. It is not known, however, if cartilage injury induces rapid structural changes in mitochondria, to what degree mitochondrial dysfunction in cartilage depends on the mechanics of injury or the time frame over which such dysfunction develops. Similarly, it is unknown if SS-peptide treatment can preserve mitochondrial structure and function after cartilage injury. Here, we combined fast camera elastography, longitudinal fluorescence assays, and computer vision techniques to track the fates of thousands of individual cells. Our results show that impact induces mechanically dependent mitochondrial depolarization within a few minutes after injury. Electron microscopy revealed that impact causes rapid structural changes in mitochondria that are related to reduced mitochondrial function, namely, fission and loss of cristae structure. We found that SS-peptide treatment prior to impact protects the mitochondrial structure and preserves mitochondrial function at levels comparable with that of unimpacted control samples. Overall, this study reveals the vital role of mitochondria in mediating cartilage's peracute (within minutes) response to traumatic injury and demonstrates mitoprotection as a promising therapeutic strategy for injury-induced cartilage damage.
Topics: Animals; Cartilage, Articular; Cattle; Cell Death; Chondrocytes; Mitochondria; Stress, Mechanical
PubMed: 31840828
DOI: 10.1002/jor.24567 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2023Feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious and often fatal disease in cats. The virus, known as feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), primarily affects kittens and...
Feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious and often fatal disease in cats. The virus, known as feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), primarily affects kittens and unvaccinated cats. It is transmitted through contact with infected cats or their bodily fluids, as well as contaminated objects and environments. The diagnosis of FPV infection can be confirmed through a combination of clinical signs, blood tests, and fecal testing. Prevention through vaccination is recommended for all cats. This case report describes an outbreak of feline panleukopenia in a group of unvaccinated domestic cats that resulted in acute mortality. The lesions were evaluated using histopathology, and the specific viral strain was characterized using molecular techniques. The clinical course of the outbreak was peracute, with a hemorrhagic pattern and 100% of lethality. The observed clinical-pathological pattern was unusual; nevertheless, molecular studies did not highlight peculiar genomic features of the parvovirus isolate. The outbreak affected 3 out of 12 cats in a very short time. However, the prompt application of biosecurity measures and vaccination resulted in an effective interruption of virus spread. In conclusion, we could assume that the virus found the ideal conditions to infect and replicate at high titers, resulting in a particularly aggressive outbreak.
PubMed: 37375512
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060822 -
Veterinaria Italiana Mar 2019Botulism in cattle is rarely reported in Italy. This study describes an outbreak of botulism in a dairy herd in Central Italy in September 2012, and the notably high...
Botulism in cattle is rarely reported in Italy. This study describes an outbreak of botulism in a dairy herd in Central Italy in September 2012, and the notably high mortality rate it caused. Differential diagnoses involving toxicology and bacteriology, and electrolyte imbalances, all proved negative. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detecting the BoNT gene led to the identification of the causative agent as Clostridium botulinum type DC. The presence of the toxin was confirmed subsequently via mouse bioassay. Initially, the peracute deaths and ambiguous clinical signs delayed the diagnosis and, as a result, impeded identification of the source of the infection on the farm. The severity of the outbreak demonstrates that screening for animal botulism should always form part of the diagnostic protocols used to investigate sudden peracute deaths without apparent cause in livestock.
Topics: Animals; Botulism; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Clostridium botulinum; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease Outbreaks; Italy; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 30951182
DOI: 10.12834/VetIt.768.3714.2 -
Journal of the American College of... Aug 2013This study aimed to investigate post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (pmMRI) for the assessment of myocardial infarction and hypointensities on post-mortem T2-weighted... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to investigate post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (pmMRI) for the assessment of myocardial infarction and hypointensities on post-mortem T2-weighted images as a possible method for visualizing the myocardial origin of arrhythmic sudden cardiac death.
BACKGROUND
Sudden cardiac death has challenged clinical and forensic pathologists for decades because verification on post-mortem autopsy is not possible. pmMRI as an autopsy-supporting examination technique has been shown to visualize different stages of myocardial infarction.
METHODS
In 136 human forensic corpses, a post-mortem cardiac MR examination was carried out prior to forensic autopsy. Short-axis and horizontal long-axis images were acquired in situ on a 3-T system.
RESULTS
In 76 cases, myocardial findings could be documented and correlated to the autopsy findings. Within these 76 study cases, a total of 124 myocardial lesions were detected on pmMRI (chronic: 25; subacute: 16; acute: 30; and peracute: 53). Chronic, subacute, and acute infarction cases correlated excellently to the myocardial findings on autopsy. Peracute infarctions (age range: minutes to approximately 1 h) were not visible on macroscopic autopsy or histological examination. Peracute infarction areas detected on pmMRI could be verified in targeted histological investigations in 62.3% of cases and could be related to a matching coronary finding in 84.9%. A total of 15.1% of peracute lesions on pmMRI lacked a matching coronary finding but presented with severe myocardial hypertrophy or cocaine intoxication facilitating a cardiac death without verifiable coronary stenosis.
CONCLUSIONS
3-T pmMRI visualizes chronic, subacute, and acute myocardial infarction in situ. In peracute infarction as a possible cause of sudden cardiac death, it demonstrates affected myocardial areas not visible on autopsy. pmMRI should be considered as a feasible post-mortem investigation technique for the deceased patient if no consent for a clinical autopsy is obtained.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Autopsy; Cause of Death; Death, Sudden, Cardiac; Female; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Prospective Studies; Sampling Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 23563129
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.01.089 -
PloS One 2019New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) are an endemic and endangered species. Pup mortality at Enderby Island (50.5°S, 166.28°E) in the New Zealand sub-Antarctic...
New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) are an endemic and endangered species. Pup mortality at Enderby Island (50.5°S, 166.28°E) in the New Zealand sub-Antarctic has been well studied, with subsequent investigations yielding more intricate detail of the causes of mortality, as new diagnostic methods become available. Klebsiella pneumoniae was first reported in 2001-02 at this site, causing a pup mortality epizootic and is now known to be present at several colonies. This bacterium is a common mucosal commensal of humans and animals, however the agent found in pups at necropsy is a hypervirulent strain, readily recognised in microbial culture as being hypermucoviscous. Infection causes septicaemia with a common syndrome of subsequent meningitis and polyarthritis. This investigation uses histopathology and microbiology, with new modalities such as matrix assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight mass spectrometry to show that Klebsiella septicaemia could have historically been, and continues to be, the most important cause of pup mortality, but has been previously underrepresented due to the often cryptic presentation and sometimes peracute course of disease. Hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae should be considered a serious threat to pup survival in the species, causing on average 60.2% of pup deaths annually at Enderby Island between 2013 and 2018, with likely more continuing mortality following pup dispersal and the cessation of the summer monitoring season. Less common causes of death included starvation (14.8%), trauma/asphyxiation (9.9%) and other infections (7%). This study forms the basis for further evaluation of risk factors for pup mortality in the species, with a view to developing active mitigation.
Topics: Animals; Endangered Species; Female; Klebsiella Infections; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Male; Mortality; New Zealand; Retrospective Studies; Sea Lions; Sepsis
PubMed: 31751414
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225461 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Oct 2023Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that is widely distributed in southern and central Europe. The zoonotic virus circulates primarily between birds and...
Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that is widely distributed in southern and central Europe. The zoonotic virus circulates primarily between birds and mosquitoes, can, however, in rare cases infect other mammals including humans. In the past, USUV has been repeatedly associated with mass mortalities in birds, primarily blackbirds and owls. Birds commonly succumb either due to the peracute nature of the infection or due to severe encephalitis. In Germany, USUV has spread rapidly since its first detection in 2010 in mosquitoes under the presence of susceptible host and vector species. Nonetheless, there is to date limited access to whole genome sequences resulting in the absence of in-depth phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses. In this study, 118 wild and captive birds were sequenced using a nanopore sequencing platform with prior target enrichment via amplicons. Due to the high abundancy of Europe 3 and Africa 3 in Germany an ample quantity of associated whole genome sequences was generated and the most recent common ancestor could be determined for each lineage. The corresponding clock phylogeny revealed an introduction of USUV Europe 3 and Africa 3 into Germany three years prior to their first isolation in the avifauna in 2011 and 2014, respectively. Based on the clustering and temporal history of the lineages, evidence exists for the genetic evolution of USUV within Germany as well as new introductions thereof into the country.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Flavivirus Infections; Phylogeny; Mosquito Vectors; Flavivirus; Germany; Birds; Culicidae; Evolution, Molecular; Mammals
PubMed: 37782665
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011203 -
PloS One 2015Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a formidable pathogen that causes severe disease and abortion in a variety of livestock species and a range of disease in humans that...
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a formidable pathogen that causes severe disease and abortion in a variety of livestock species and a range of disease in humans that includes hemorrhagic fever, fulminant hepatitis, encephalitis and blindness. The natural transmission cycle involves mosquito vectors, but exposure can also occur through contact with infected fluids and tissues. The lack of approved antiviral therapies and vaccines for human use underlies the importance of small animal models for proof-of-concept efficacy studies. Several mouse and rat models of RVFV infection have been well characterized and provide useful systems for the study of certain aspects of pathogenesis, as well as antiviral drug and vaccine development. However, certain host-directed therapeutics may not act on mouse or rat pathways. Here, we describe the natural history of disease in golden Syrian hamsters challenged subcutaneously with the pathogenic ZH501 strain of RVFV. Peracute disease resulted in rapid lethality within 2 to 3 days of RVFV challenge. High titer viremia and substantial viral loads were observed in most tissues examined; however, histopathology and immunostaining for RVFV antigen were largely restricted to the liver. Acute hepatocellular necrosis associated with a strong presence of viral antigen in the hepatocytes indicates that fulminant hepatitis is the likely cause of mortality. Further studies to assess the susceptibility and disease progression following respiratory route exposure are warranted. The use of the hamsters to model RVFV infection is suitable for early stage antiviral drug and vaccine development studies.
Topics: Animals; Antigens, Viral; Cells, Cultured; Female; Hepatitis, Animal; Liver; Mesocricetus; Rift Valley Fever; Rift Valley fever virus; Rodent Diseases; Viral Load; Viremia
PubMed: 25607955
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116722 -
BMC Veterinary Research Jun 2020In dogs, meningiomas mostly cause chronic progressive clinical signs due to slow tumor growth.
BACKGROUND
In dogs, meningiomas mostly cause chronic progressive clinical signs due to slow tumor growth.
CASE PRESENTATION
In contrast, three dogs were presented with the history of chronic generalized tonic-clonic seizures and peracute deterioration with sudden onset of neurological deficits in accordance with an extensive unilateral forebrain lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging examinations of the dogs revealed a well-delineated extraaxial T2W hyperintense mass in the rostral forebrain with homogeneous contrast enhancement. Additionally, an intraaxial, well-demarcated, unilateral lesion was apparent in the parenchyma supplied by the middle cerebral artery. In two cases, necropsy revealed meningothelial meningioma in the rostral fossa and marked eosinophilic neuronal necrosis, a sign of ischemia, focal malacia, edema and gliosis in the temporal lobe and hippocampus because of a focal thrombosis of the middle cerebral artery. In the third case symptomatic treatment resulted in improvement of clinical signs enabling a good quality of life for the patient.
CONCLUSIONS
In dogs with structural epilepsy caused by meningioma, acute deterioration of clinical signs can be associated with ischemic infarctions as a potential complication.
Topics: Animals; Cerebral Infarction; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Meningioma; Seizures
PubMed: 32503537
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02388-2