Detection of Testudinid alphaherpesvirus, Chlamydia spp., Mycoplasma spp., and Salmonella spp. in free‑ranging and rescued Italian Testudo hermanni hermanni.

Testudo hermanni is included as near‑threatened in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, while T. hermanni hermanni is considered endangered in the Italian Red List. Appropriate management of smuggled or seized wild individuals is recommended before their reintroduction into the wild. Accordingly, a health monitoring study was carried out. During 2014‑2016, 133 oral swabs and 121 cloacal swabs were collected from a total of approximately 180 free‑ranging and rescued T. hermanni hermanni from eight different Italian regions to investigate the presence of DNA of Testudinid alphaherpesvirus (TeAHV), Chlamydia spp. and Mycoplasma spp. in the oral cavity, and Salmonella spp. isolates in the cloaca. Mycoplasma spp. was detected in 52 out of 87 (59.77%) of rescued and in 1 out of 46 free‑ranging (2.17%) individuals; 33 out of 53 (62.26%) Mycoplasma spp. positive samples were typed as M. agassizii by PCR. Salmonella spp. was isolated from 45 out of 121 (37.19%) cloacal swabs, typed into 14 serovars, and characterized for complete antimicrobial susceptibility. A significantly different distribution of Salmonella spp. isolates was found in 2016 in comparison with 2014 and 2015, without any difference between free‑ranging and rescued tortoises. All the tested tortoises were negative for TeAHV and Chlamydia spp. These results are considered a baseline information critical to monitor the dynamics of these microorganisms in free‑ranging and rescued populations of T. h. hermanni, and to correctly approach the management of rescued animals and possible relocation programs

Detection of Mycoplasma columbinasale in Cases of Respiratory Disease in Domestic Pigeons (Columba livia var. domestica)

In 2017, respiratory disease and low mortality were reported in domestic flying pigeons (Columba livia var. domestica) trained as hunting live bait in a breeding farm in Umbria, Italy. Clinically, open beak breathing, dropped wings, and pharyngeal and laryngeal hyperaemia were observed. Three birds were submitted for necropsy. Gross pathological evaluation revealed in all cases diffuses hyperaemia of the tracheal mucosa in association with mild emaciation and multiorgan congestion. Microscopically, diffuse epithelial hyperplasia of the trachea (n = 3) and diffuse lymphocytic infiltration of the lamina propria (n = 3) were observed. No lesions were reported in other organs. Based on reported clinical signs and lesions, Mycoplasma spp. were suspected, and molecular detection was performed on tracheal specimens leading to the identification of Mycoplasma columbinasale. Immunohistochemistry was subsequently performed to localize the microorganism within tissue lesions. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of Mycoplasma species on the tracheal epithelial cells of all birds. Following tylosin administration, complete resolution of the clinical condition and lack of recurrence of clinical signs were reported in the breeding farm. These findings suggest that M. columbinasale could potentially have a role in the respiratory disease and low mortality in domestic pigeons

Characterization of Genes Encoding Virulence Determinants and Toxins in Staphylococcus aureus from Bovine Milk in Central Italy

n/

Extensive Myenteric Ganglionitis in a Case of Equine Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction Associated with EHV-1 infection

We describe a case of progressive myenteric ganglionitis in a 7-year-old male trotter horse with a history of recurrent colic. Clinical findings were consistent with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) syndrome. At laparotomy, an impaction of the descending colon associated with a marked atrophy of the right dorsal colon was found. At post-mortem histological examination, a diffuse enteric ganglionitis, consisting in CD3+ lymphocytes and plasma cells, was observed. In all intestinal tracts the number of myenteric ganglia and of healthy ganglion cells was significantly decreased, while chromatolytic/necrotic neurons and periganglion connective tissue were increased. A slight decreased immunoreaction for NSE, and a moderate increase in S100 and GFAP immunoreaction were also recorded in the necropsy specimen of the right dorsal colon compared with corresponding biopsy sample. Immunolabeling and semi-nested PCR test for ERV/EHV-1 performed on the gut were positive supporting an aetiological relationship between EHV-1 infection and the reported equine enteric ganglionitis

Endoscopic Retrieval of Esophageal and Gastric Foreign Bodies in Cats and Dogs: A Retrospective Study of 92 Cases

Esophageal and gastric foreign bodies (FBs) commonly occur in small animal practices, and their endoscopic removal has been previously reported. However, few studies reported the endoscopic instruments used for the retrieval attempt and the time spent for endoscopic removal. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the factors that can influence the success rate and timing of the endoscopic retrieval of FBs. The medical records of 92 animals undergoing endoscopic removal of esophageal (n = 12) and gastric (n = 84) FBs have been reviewed. Two dogs had FBs in both the esophagus and stomach. From medical records and video recordings, there were extrapolated data on signalment, clinical signs, endoscopic devices used, success of retrieval, and duration of endoscopy. Endoscopic removal of FBs was successful in 88% cases, and the mean time spent for the extraction was 59.74 min (range, 10–120 min). The success rate and timing for the removal of endoscopic foreign bodies (EFBs) are influenced by several factors in our population: medium-breed dogs, adult animals, and localization of FBs in the body of the stomach increased the probability of failure during the endoscopic retrieval attempt. Conversely, the success and timing of the retrieval of EFBs were higher in puppies and with increasing operator’s experience. Moreover, the use of combination devices such as polypectomy snare and grasping forceps negatively influenced the success of extraction of FBs. Further prospective and comparative studies in a large and multicentric population of patients can be useful to create interventional endoscopic guidelines, as in human medicine

Clinical and immunophenotypic findings in 4 forms of equine lymphoma

The clinical, histological, and immunophenotypic findings are presented for 4 horses affected by different types of lymphoma. Diagnoses of a monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma, a diffuse splenic large B-cell lymphoma, a peripheral T-cell lymphoma, and a T-cell rich large B-cell lymphoma of the third eyelid were made

Effect of Leukoreduction on Hematobiochemical Parameters and Storage Hemolysis in Canine Whole Blood Units

Storage lesions (SLs) occur when the red blood cell quality is altered during the preservation of blood units. Pre-storage leukoreduction would limit the number of SLs. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of a leukoreduction filter for human use and the effect of pre-storage leukoreduction on some ematobiochemical parameters in stored canine whole blood. Seven canine blood units were tested. Each one was divided into two units—one leukoreduced (LRWB) and one non-leukoreduced (nLRWB). On each unit, we determined the complete blood count (CBC), lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH), electrolytes (Na+, K+, Cl−), morphological index (MI) and hemolysis, on storage days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42. Leukoreduction allowed a 98.30% recovery of the RBC count, retaining 99.69% and 94.91% of WBCs and PLTs, respectively. We detected a significant increase of LDH and MI with strongly higher values in nLRWB compared to LRWB. A progressive increase in electrolytes and LDH concentrations was observed as indices of stored hemolysis. LDH showed significantly lower values in LRWB units compared to nLRWB, suggesting its release from leukocytes. In the majority of units, hemolysis reached 1% on the 42nd day of storage. We assert the human leukoreduction filter effectiveness on canine whole blood, and we recommend using nLRWB before day 14, especially for critically ill patients. The difference of the basal hemolysis (day 0) percentages observed between subjects suggests that more studies should be performed to confirm a possible inter-individual donor biological variability of RBC membrane resistance, as happens in humans