Melioidosis with acute meningoencephalomyelitis in a horse

A case of acute meningoencephalomyelitis caused by infection with Pseudomonas pseudomallei is described. Clinically there was inability to stand, opisthotonus, facial paralysis and nystagmus, rapidly progressing to violent struggling. Gross examination revealed malacia and haemorrhage in the medulla oblongata and adjacent spinal cord. Microscopically there were disseminated focal neutrophilic accumulations in affected areas, perivascular cuffing with mononuclear cells and lymphocytes and marked oedema. Intracellular bacteria were identified in sections stained by the Giemsa method

Pathological findings in the bulbourethal glands of bulls

The bulbourethral glands of 323 Bos indicus or B. indicus crossbred bulls more than 18 months old were examined in an abattoir study. Bulbourethral adenitis was diagnosed grossly and confirmed by histological examination in 4 (1.2%). Unilateral chronic interstitial inflammation was seen in 2 cases; one of these was associated with a degenerative-type seminal vesiculitis. In the others adenitis was bilateral; in one case it was associated with a concretion and foreign (plant) material in the principal duct of the left bulbourethral gland; in the other bilateral case, numerous calculi were present and microscopically, a chronic active and diffuse inflammation was observed. Chemical analysis of the calculi showed calcium oxalate and tricalcium phosphate to be the most important components. Corynebacterium spp. were isolated from the lesion with multiple calculi but attempts to isolate Chlamydia spp., Mycoplasma spp. and Brucella abortus from the 4 adenitis cases were unsuccessful. Congenital abnormalitieis such as glandular fusion (2.2%) or unlateral aplasia (0.6%) were also observed. Cysts were the most common finding (19.2%), and duct dilation was frequent (7.1%)

Melioidosis with acute meningoencephalomyelitis in a horse

A case of acute meningoencephalomyelitis caused by infection with Pseudomonas pseudomallei is described. Clinically there was inability to stand, opisthotonus, facial paralysis and nystagmus, rapidly progressing to violent struggling. Gross examination revealed malacia and haemorrhage in the medulla oblongata and adjacent spinal cord. Microscopically there were disseminated focal neutrophilic accumulations in affected areas, perivascular cuffing with mononuclear cells and lymphocytes and marked oedema. Intracellular bacteria were identified in sections stained by the Giemsa method

Pathology of skin diseases in crocodiles

Objective: To establish which skin diseases occur in crocodiles, particularly those on farms, to indicate the relative frequency of each particular disease and to provide information on pathogenesis, especially in regard to lesions with two or more pathogens present.\ud \ud Design: A gross and microscopic retrospective (period of 1989 to 1995) and current (1996 to 1997) examination of skin lesions in crocodiles in Queensland and the Northern Territory.\ud \ud Result: Skin lesions were obtained from crocodiles on nine farms, from a group of experimental animals and from one adult found dead in the wild. A total of 203 lesions from 180, mostly young, crocodiles was examined; 119 lesions were from retrospectively examined cases and 84 were recent. The relative frequencies of four presumed primary pathogens in lesions were Dermatophilus sp 28.1 %, fungi 14.8%, poxvirus 3.4% and probable Mycobacterium sp 2.5%. In addition, other bacteria of unknown significance were present in many lesions, and there was one case of presumed Paratrichosoma crocodilus infection. In 32.5% of lesions, multiple pathogens were identified.\ud \ud Conclusion: Dermatophilosis is the most common and probably the most important skin disease of crocodiles in Australia, but it is frequently complicated by concurrent infection with fungi or other microorganisms

Pathological findings in the bulbourethal glands of bulls

The bulbourethral glands of 323 Bos indicus or B. indicus crossbred bulls more than 18 months old were examined in an abattoir study. Bulbourethral adenitis was diagnosed grossly and confirmed by histological examination in 4 (1.2%). Unilateral chronic interstitial inflammation was seen in 2 cases; one of these was associated with a degenerative-type seminal vesiculitis. In the others adenitis was bilateral; in one case it was associated with a concretion and foreign (plant) material in the principal duct of the left bulbourethral gland; in the other bilateral case, numerous calculi were present and microscopically, a chronic active and diffuse inflammation was observed. Chemical analysis of the calculi showed calcium oxalate and tricalcium phosphate to be the most important components. Corynebacterium spp. were isolated from the lesion with multiple calculi but attempts to isolate Chlamydia spp., Mycoplasma spp. and Brucella abortus from the 4 adenitis cases were unsuccessful. Congenital abnormalitieis such as glandular fusion (2.2%) or unlateral aplasia (0.6%) were also observed. Cysts were the most common finding (19.2%), and duct dilation was frequent (7.1%)

An immunopathologic study of the bovine prepuce

The prepuces of 83 slaughtered bulls with macroscopically normal reproductive tracts were examined. Some bulls had been vaccinated on several occasions against Campylobacter fetus. Mean concentrations of intrapreputial immunoglobulins (Ig) in 27 bulls were IgG1--1.8 plus or minus 5.2; IgA--0.16 plus or minus 0.15; and IgM--0.24 plus or minus 0.24 mg/ml. High concentrations of IgG2 in some bulls precluded precise estimation but mean concentration was in excess of 11.0 mg/ml (range 0 to 20+ mg/ml). Mean prevalences of class specific, immunoperoxidase-labelled plasma cells in the preputial dermis of 35 bulls were IgG--39.0 plus or minus 9.3; IgA--16.6 plus or minus 6.6; and IgM--2.2 plus or minus 1.8 labelled cells/100 nuclei. The prevalence of IgG labelled cells in the preputial dermis was, however, negatively correlated with the concentration of intrapreputial IgG (IgG1 + IgG2). Except for an apparently lower intrapreputial Ig concentration in 14 Trichomonas foetus-infected bulls than in negative ones, there were no correlations between intrapreputial immunoglobulin concentration, histological findings, and age, infection, or vaccination status of the bulls

Melioidosis in a koala

A 4-year-old female koala (Phascolarctos cinereus ) was seen on the ground about 40 hours after capture and release for routine survey purposes. It died shortly afterwards. A 5-month-old infant koala in its pouch was alive but died 36 hours later despite regular feeding with a milk supplement. PM examination of the adult revealed congestion and haemorrhage in lymph nodes, lungs, myocardium, kidneys and adrenal glands as well as ecchymotic haemorrhages on most serosal surfaces. Histological changes included necrotic foci in liver and spleen. A brown pigment which is a feature of normal koala liver was present in hepatocytes generally. Distinctive eosinophilic intranuclear hepatocyte inclusions were present which were unrelated to necrotic foci. Occasional bacterial colonies were associated with the necrotic foci. Gram negative bacteria were seen in liver, spleen and lung sections. Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas pseudomallei were isolated from liver and kidney samples. Enterobacter cloacae was isolated from the liver and P. putida and Streptococcus sp. from the lung. The adult koala was serologically negative for melioidosis using the complement fixation test but 8 (16%) of 50 free-living koalas in the same colony were positive, although apparently healthy. Histological examination of the infant koala liver revealed small foci of necrosis; no bacteria were visible and no bacteria were cultured