291 research outputs found
Molecular detection of yaba monkey tumor virus from a vervet monkey
Yaba monkey tumour virus (YMTV) was first diagnosed in a colony of captive rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in Yaba, Nigeria. It has been implicated as the cause of cutaneous nodules in wild baboons (Papio species), rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). This article reports a case of cutaneous pox lesions caused by YMTV in a free-ranging adult female vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) from the Umkomaas coastal area in South Africa. The virus was identified by molecular sequencing from fragments of the insulin metalloprotease-like protein and intracellular mature virion membrane protein as well as the DNA polymerase genes. Phylogenetic analyses of these gene regions revealed a 99% similarity of the sample to YMTV. Although human disease caused by YMTV is normally mild, it is recommended that persons in contact with non-human primates in the area of Umkomaas who develop cutaneous lesions should inform their doctors of the possibility of this infection. The extent and significance of the virus to human and non-human primates in South Africa are not known. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first diagnosis of YMTV in South Africa and in vervet monkeys
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The peripheral blood transcriptome in septic cardiomyopathy: an observational, pilot study.
BACKGROUND:Septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) is common in sepsis and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS), measured by speckle tracking echocardiography, allows improved identification of impaired cardiac contractility. The peripheral blood transcriptome may be an important window into SCM pathophysiology. We therefore studied the peripheral blood transcriptome and LV GLS in a prospective cohort of patients with sepsis. RESULTS:In this single-center observational pilot study, we enrolled adult patients (age > 18) with sepsis within 48 h of admission to the ICU. SCM was defined as LV GLS > - 17% based on echocardiograms performed within 72 h of admission. We enrolled 27 patients, 24 of whom had high-quality RNA results; 18 (75%) of 24 had SCM. The group was 50% female and had a median (IQR) age of 59.5 (48.5-67.0) years and admission APACHE II score of 21.0 (16.0-32.3). Forty-six percent had septic shock. After filtering for low-expression and non-coding genes, 15,418 protein coding genes were expressed and 73 had significantly different expression between patients with vs. without SCM. In patients with SCM, 43 genes were upregulated and 30 were downregulated. Pathway analysis identified enrichment in type 1 interferon signaling (adjusted p < 10-5). CONCLUSIONS:In this hypothesis-generating study, SCM was associated with upregulation of genes in the type 1 interferon signaling pathway. Interferons are cytokines that stimulate the innate and adaptive immune response and are implicated in the early proinflammatory and delayed immunosuppression phases of sepsis. While type 1 interferons have not been implicated previously in SCM, interferon therapy (for viral hepatitis and Kaposi sarcoma) has been associated with reversible cardiomyopathy, perhaps suggesting a role for interferon signaling in SCM
Feline panleukopaenia virus in captive non-domestic felids in South Africa
An outbreak of feline panleukopaenia virus (FPLV) infection was diagnosed by pathology, electron microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in vaccinated captive-bred subadult cheetahs in South Africa. Subsequent to this disease outbreak, 12 cases of FPLV diagnosed on histology were confirmed by PCR in captive African black-footed cat, caracal, cheetah, lion, ocelot and serval. Phylogenetic analyses of the viral capsid protein gene on PCR-positive samples, vaccine and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reference strains identified a previously unknown strain of FPLV, present since at least 2006, that differs from both the inactivated and the modified live vaccine strains. A previously described South African strain from domestic cats and cheetahs was identified in a serval. Surveys of FPLV strains in South African felids are needed to determine the geographical and host species distribution of this virus. Since non-domestic species may be reservoirs of parvoviruses, and since these viruses readily change host specificity, the risks of FPLV transmission between captive-bred and free-ranging carnivores and domestic cats and dogs warrant further research.
Keywords: feline panleukopaenia; parvovirus; felid; cheetah; vaccinatio
Computed tomography imaging of a leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis pardalis) with confirmed pulmonary fibrosis : a case report
An approximately 20-year-old, female Leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis pardalis) was presented with dypsnea,
wheezing, anorexia and depression. Whole body radiographs revealed generalized diffuse unstructured ‘interstitial
lung pattern’ with thickened pulmonary septae while computed tomography (CT) showed emphysematous lung
parenchyma and thickened pulmonary septae bordered by irregular ground-glass opacity with smaller areas of
‘honeycombing’. These imaging findings together with histopathologic findings were compatible with chronic,
extensive ‘interstitial’ pulmonary fibrosis.http://www.actavetscand.com/content/55/1/35am2013mn201
Computed tomography imaging of a leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis pardalis) with confirmed pulmonary fibrosis : a case report
An approximately 20-year-old, female Leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis pardalis) was presented with dypsnea,
wheezing, anorexia and depression. Whole body radiographs revealed generalized diffuse unstructured ‘interstitial
lung pattern’ with thickened pulmonary septae while computed tomography (CT) showed emphysematous lung
parenchyma and thickened pulmonary septae bordered by irregular ground-glass opacity with smaller areas of
‘honeycombing’. These imaging findings together with histopathologic findings were compatible with chronic,
extensive ‘interstitial’ pulmonary fibrosis.http://www.actavetscand.com/content/55/1/35am2013mn201
Suspected lead poisoning in two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) in South Africa, in 2008 and 2013
CITATION: North, M. A. et al. 2015. Suspected lead poisoning in two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) in South Africa, in 2008 and 2013. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 86(1), Art. #1286, doi:10.4102/jsava.v86i1.1286.The original publication is available at http://www.jsava.co.zaWhilst lead poisoning in raptors, scavenging birds and waterfowl is well studied and
common knowledge, there is surprisingly little literature detailing the risk to mammalian
scavengers and captive carnivores fed hunted meat. This case report describes the death of
two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) following acute onset of nervous symptoms.
Clinical signs included hyper-excitability, seizures, arched back, tail held abnormally high
and hyper-salivation. Necropsy findings included bullets or a bullet in their stomachs. Kidney
and liver lead levels from one cheetah (15.6 ppm and 17 ppm respectively) were consistent
with a diagnosis of lead poisoning; liver from the second cheetah was not available for testing.
Both animals were routinely fed hunted antelope or game birds. This is the first report of oral
lead poisoning in captive large carnivores, although these are unlikely to be the first cases.
Without awareness of the risks of feeding hunted game, lead exposure will continue to be an
underdiagnosed reality in the rehabilitation of endangered carnivores.http://www.jsava.co.za/index.php/jsava/article/view/1286Publisher's versio
A standardized necropsy protocol for health investigations of small cetaceansin southern Africa
Globally, the increasing need to conduct both research and surveillance of the health of wild
animal populations has been recognized as an important tool in conservation and management.
While such studies on terrestrial wildlife are frequent in the southern African
sub-region, their counterparts in the marine environment seem to be largely lacking. Here we
report on our experience in establishing and testing a standardized necropsy protocol for
small cetaceans adapted for the local context, with the specific aim of sampling for health
investigations and monitoring. The necessity, challenge and value of regional standardization
in data collection specifically aimed at health investigations, inter-disciplinary collaboration,
long-term data banking,and sample storage are discussed in addition to practical and safety
considerations. The developed protocol, focusing on the necropsy technique and tissue
sample collection, as well as a list of required equipment are available as online supplementary
material.The
National Research Foundation (DFG-NRF collaboration
programme grant number 70714 and
SEAChange grant number 74241, both awarded
to S. Plön).http://www.sawma.co.zaam201
Sarcocystis cafferi n. sp. (Protozoa : Apicomplexa) from the African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
Sarcocystis infections have been reported from the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), but the species have not been
named. Here we propose a new name Sarcocystis cafferi from the African buffalo. Histological examination of heart (92), skeletal
muscle (36), and tongue (2) sections from 94 buffalos from the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa, and a review of the
literature revealed only 1 species of Sarcocystis in the African buffalo. Macrocysts were up to 12 mm long and 6 mm wide and were
located in the neck muscles and overlying connective tissue. They were pale yellow; shaped like a lychee fruit stone or cashew nut;
turgid or flaccid and oval to round (not fusiform). By light microscopy (LM) the sarcocyst wall was relatively thin. By scanning
electron microscopy (SEM), the sarcocyst wall had a mesh-like structure with irregularly shaped villar protrusions (vp) that were of
different sizes and folded over the sarcocyst wall. The entire surfaces of vp were covered with papillomatous structures. By
transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the sarcocyst wall was up to 3.6 lm thick and had highly branched villar protrusions that
were up to 3 lm long. The villar projections contained filamentous tubular structures, most of which were parallel to the long axis of
the projections, but some tubules criss-crossed, especially at the base. Granules were absent from these tubules. Longitudinally cut
bradyzoites were 12.132.7 lm in size, had a long convoluted mitochondrion, and only 2 rhoptries. Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA
and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene sequences indicated that this Sarcocystis species is very closely related to, but distinct
from, Sarcocystis fusiformis and Sarcocystis hirsuta. Thus, morphological findings by LM, SEM, and TEM together with molecular
phylogenetic data (from 18S rRNA and cox1) confirm that the Sarcocystis species in the African buffalo is distinct from S. fusiformis
and has therefore been named Sarcocystis cafferi.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/jrnlparasitology/hb201
Mycobacterium tuberculosis at the human/wildlife interface in a high TB burden country
This study reports on an investigation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cases in
mostly captive wild animals using molecular typing tools [Variable Number of
Tandem Repeat (VNTR) typing and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism
typing]. The investigation included cases from (i) the National Zoological
Gardens of South Africa (NZG) recorded between 2002 and 2011; (ii) Johannesburg
Zoo, where tuberculosis was first diagnosed in 2007 and has since been
detected in three antelope species; (iii) a rehabilitation centre for vervet monkeys
(Chlorocebus pygerythrus) in which M. tuberculosis was diagnosed in 2008; and
(iv) incidental cases in other facilities including a sable antelope (Hippotragus
niger), two unrelated cases in chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) (one of which was
from a free-ranging troop) and a colony of capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus).
Identical genetic profiles of the latter three isolates indicate the persistence of a
single M. tuberculosis strain in this population since at least 2006. Results of the
outbreak investigation in the captive vervet monkey colony indicate that it was
caused by two unrelated strains, while all 13 M. tuberculosis isolates from 11
animal species in the NZG showed different VNTR patterns. A substantial
increase in tuberculosis cases of 60% was recorded in the NZG, compared with
the previous reporting period 1991–2001, and may indicate a countrywide trend
of increasing spillover of human tuberculosis to wild animals. South Africa ranks
among the countries with the highest-tuberculosis burden worldwide, complicated
by an increasing rate of multidrug-resistant strains. Exposure and infection
of captive wildlife in this high prevalence setting is therefore a growing concern
for wildlife conservation but also for human health through potential spillback.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1865-1682hb201
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