Disease associated with equine coronavirus infection and high case fatality rate.

BackgroundEquine coronavirus (ECoV) is associated with clinical disease in adult horses. Outbreaks are associated with a low case fatality rate and a small number of animals with signs of encephalopathic disease are described.ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological and clinical features of two outbreaks of ECoV infection that were associated with an high case fatality rate.Animals14 miniature horses and 1 miniature donkey testing fecal positive for ECoV from two related disease outbreaks.MethodsRetrospective study describing the epidemiological findings, clinicopathological findings, and fecal viral load from affected horses.ResultsIn EcoV positive horses, 27% (4/15) of the animals died or were euthanized. Severe hyperammonemia (677 μmol/L, reference range ≤ 60 μmol/L) was identified in one animal with signs of encephalopathic disease that subsequently died. Fecal viral load (ECoV genome equivalents per gram of feces) was significantly higher in the nonsurvivors compared to animals that survived (P = .02).Conclusions and clinical importanceEquine coronavirus had a higher case fatality rate in this group of miniature horses than previously reported in other outbreaks of varying breeds. Hyperammonemia could contribute to signs of encephalopathic disease, and the fecal viral load might be of prognostic value in affected horses

Viral genotype and HLA class II alleles influence on extra-hepatic manifestations of chronic HCV infection

Objective: To test whether an association between HCV genotype, HLA class II alleles distribution and extra-hepatic manifestations (EHM ) can be demonstrated in a group of Italian patients with chronic HCV infection . Methods: Sixty patients affected by HCV infection with EHM were consecutively enrolled. 163 HCV patients without EHM were tested as controls for the prevalence of HCV genotypes, while we referred to literature as to the controls for HLA distribution. HCV-RNA was quantified by a RT-PCR. HLA class II alleles typing was performed using a standard microlymphocytotoxicity assay. We used chi-square or Fisher test (p<0.05 significant). Odds Ratio (OR) was performed by 2X2 contingency table. Results: HCV 2c genotype was found in 63.46% of patients compared to 19.63% of controls (p<0.0001; OR=7.11). Furthermore, it correlated with carpal tunnel syndrome (p=0.03; OR=4.5) and autoimmune thyroiditis (p=0.02; OR=9.2). On the contrary, 1b genotype protected from EHM in toto (p=0.0004; OR=0.21) and particularly from carpal tunnel syndrome (p=0.0014; OR=0.07). Moreover, 3a genotype prevented HCV people from having cryoglobulinemia (p=0.05; OR=0.11). As to HLA, DR6 seemed to facilitate EHM in HCV patients (p=0.041; OR=1.61), while DQ2 (p=0.03; OR=0.5) and DQ3 (p=0.002; OR= 0.5) may play a protective role. In addition, HLA DR3 was associated with cryoglobulinemia (p=0.02; OR=9.5). Conclusions: According to our findings, 2c genotype can be considered as a major risk factor for developing HCVrelated EHM, while 1b genotype seems to prevent their onset; there are also evidences suggesting that HLA might play a role in chronic HCV infected patients

Factors Predicting Early Failure of Etanercept in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Analysis From the Gruppo Italiano di Studio sulla Early Arthritis (Italian Group for the Study of Early Arthritis) Registry

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the factors associated with early discontinuation (within one year) of etanercept (ETA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who began ETA as first biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) and who were entered into the Gruppo Italiano di Studio sulla Early Arthritis (Italian Group for the Study of Early Arthritis; GISEA) registry.Patients and methods: This registry-based cohort study included 477 RA patients (95 males, 382 females; median age 53 years; range 18 to 83 years) who began ETA as first bDMARD. Patient demographics, disease features and drugs were re-evaluated after 12 months. Baseline predictors of ETA discontinuation were estimated by univariate and multivariate analyses using Cox regression model.Results: Seventy patients (14.7%) discontinued ETA during the first year (for inefficacy in 55.8%, adverse events in 28.6%, and other reasons in 6.5%). Concurrent conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) were reported in 54.3% of patients, mainly methotrexate (MTX), while 52.4% of subjects took low doses of glucocorticoids. Patients stopping ETA more frequently showed one or more comorbidities, mainly cardiovascular diseases (28.6% vs. 15.7% in patients stopping and continuing ETA, respectively, p=0.009). The presence of comorbidities and a combination therapy with csDMARDs other than MTX were independent factors associated with early discontinuation of ETA at multivariate Cox analysis.Conclusion: Although ETA demonstrated a high persistence in biologic-naive RA patients, about 15% of patients discontinued the treatment within 12 months. The presence of comorbidities and a combination therapy with csDMARDs other than MTX were the main factors for an early withdrawal of the drug

Bovine listeric encephalitis (encephalic listeriosis).

Clinical History: 4-year-old Holstein cow with a history of unilateral (right side) facial paralysis, keratitis, drooping of the right ear, head tilt, circling, stiffness of theright limbs, tremors, and recumbency.Necropsy Findings: The left side of the brainstem was swollen, multiple coalescing areas of the neuroparenchyma in this region were soft, tan-brownish, and slightlydepressed on cut section (malacia)

Criptosporidiosis: una enfermedad zoonótica poco estu diada en Uruguay. Preguntas y respuestas.

La criptosporidiosis es una enfermedad de distribución mundial que puede afectar a personas y animales. El presente artículo se enfoca en una serie de preguntas yrespuestas sobre esta enfermedad en el contexto de nuestros sistemas lecheros, apuntando a su mayor conocimiento y a disponer de orientaciones que permitanalcanzar estrategias terapéuticas y de manejo adecuadas

Coxielosis (Fiebre Q): ¿una enfermedad subestimada en rumiantes de Uruguay?.

La fiebre Q o coxielosis es una enfermedad de distribución mundial, causada por Coxiella burnetii. Esta bacteria tiene un amplio rango de hospedadores, incluyendo al ser humano y a animales de importancia productiva, entre ellos bovinos, ovinos y caprinos. Debido a su baja dosis infectiva, su transmisión por vía aerógena y su marcada resistencia en el ambiente, C. burnetii está incluida en la lista de agentes causales de enfermedades de declaración obligatoria por la Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal (OIE). En Uruguay, C. burnetii ha sido identificada recientemente como una causa de abortos en bovinos lecheros, por lo que creemos que su frecuencia e impacto productivo y para la salud animal y humana podrían estar subestimados

Yellow Lamb Disease (Clostridium perfringens Type A Enterotoxemia of Sheep): A Review.

bstract: Yellow lamb disease is an infrequent disease in sheep for which there is scant literature, and that has been reported in the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Europe, although anecdotal evidence indicates that it may have also been diagnosed in South America. The disease is produced by some strains of Clostridium perfringens type A that produce unusually high levels of alpha- toxin. Because C. perfringens type A is ubiquitous and is found in the intestine of most clinically healthy sheep, diagnosis of yellow lamb disease is challenging and requires quantitating the amount of this microorganism present in feces and/or intestinal content. Clinically, yellow lamb disease is characterized by depression, anemia, icterus and hemoglobinuria. Occasionally, sudden death may occur. Gross findings include generalized icterus, red urine in the bladder, enlarged, pale, and friable spleen, enlarged liver with an acinar pattern, and dark, swollen kidneys. Microscopically,yellow lamb disease is characterized by centrilobular necrosis of the liver, hemoglobinuria-associated acute tubular injury, splenic congestion, pulmonary congestion and edema. Although there are no vaccines specifically designed to prevent yellow lamb disease, several vaccines against the different types of C. perfringens may afford at least some level of protection against yellow lamb disease

Calidad del agua para la producción animal.

En este artículo comentaremos cómo la calidad del recurso hídrico nacional se vincula con la producción animal en tres ámbitos: (1) el agua como nutriente, (2) el agua como fuente potencial de transmisión de patógenos y (3) el agua como medio de disolución de fármacos veterinarios para ser administrados por vía oral