Detection of feline coronavirus in cerebrospinal fluid for diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis in cats with and without neurological signs

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) detecting feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of cats with and without neurological and/or ocular signs for the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Methods: This prospective case-control study included 34 cats. Nineteen cats had a definitive histopathological diagnosis of FIP (seven of these with neurological and/or ocular signs), and 15 cats had other diseases but similar clinical signs (three of these with neurological and/or ocular signs). Real-time RT-PCR was performed on the CSF of all cats, and sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated. Results: Real-time RT-PCR of CSF showed a specificity of 100% in diagnosing FIP, a sensitivity of 42.1%, a PPV of 100% and an NPV of 57.7%. The sensitivity of the real-time RT-PCR of CSF in cats with neurological and/or ocular signs was 85.7%. Conclusions and relevance Although it is known that RT-PCR can give false positive results, especially if performed using serum or plasma, this real-time RT-PCR detecting FCoV RNA in CSF can be considered a reliable specific tool for the diagnosis of FIP. If only cats with neurological involvement are evaluated, the sensitivity of this real-time RT-PCR in CSF is also high

Inferior Cerebellar Hypoplasia Resembling a Dandy-Walker-Like Malformation in Purebred Eurasier Dogs with Familial Non-Progressive Ataxia: A Retrospective and Prospective Clinical Cohort Study

Cerebellar malformations can be inherited or caused by insults during cerebellar development. To date, only sporadic cases of cerebellar malformations have been reported in dogs, and the genetic background has remained obscure. Therefore, this study's objective was to describe the clinical characteristics, imaging features and pedigree data of a familial cerebellar hypoplasia in purebred Eurasier dogs. A uniform cerebellar malformation characterized by consistent absence of the caudal portions of the cerebellar vermis and, to a lesser degree, the caudal portions of the cerebellar hemispheres in association with large retrocerebellar fluid accumulations was recognized in 14 closely related Eurasier dogs. Hydrocephalus was an additional feature in some dogs. All dogs displayed non-progressive ataxia, which had already been noted when the dogs were 5 - 6 weeks old. The severity of the ataxia varied between dogs, from mild truncal sway, subtle dysmetric gait, dysequilibrium and pelvic limb ataxia to severe cerebellar ataxia in puppies and episodic falling or rolling. Follow-up examinations in adult dogs showed improvement of the cerebellar ataxia and a still absent menace response. Epileptic seizures occurred in some dogs. The association of partial vermis agenesis with an enlarged fourth ventricle and an enlarged caudal (posterior) fossa resembled a Dandy-Walker-like malformation in some dogs. Pedigree analyses were consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance

Clinical features, diagnosis, and survival analysis of dogs with glioma

Background: Gliomas in dogs remain poorly understood. Objectives: To characterize the clinicopathologic findings, diagnostic imaging features and survival of a large sample of dogs with glioma using the Comparative Brain Tumor Consortium diagnostic classification. Animals: Ninety-one dogs with histopathological diagnosis of glioma. Methods: Multicentric retrospective case series. Signalment, clinicopathologic findings, diagnostic imaging characteristics, treatment, and outcome were used. Tumors were reclassified according to the new canine glioma diagnostic scheme. Results: No associations were found between clinicopathologic findings or survival and tumor type or grade. However, definitive treatments provided significantly (P = .03) improved median survival time (84 days; 95% confidence interval [CI], 45-190) compared to palliative treatment (26 days; 95% CI, 11-54). On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), oligodendrogliomas were associated with smooth margins and T1-weighted hypointensity compared to astrocytomas (odds ratio [OR], 42.5; 95% CI, 2.42-744.97; P = .04; OR, 45.5; 95% CI, 5.78-333.33; P < .001, respectively) and undefined gliomas (OR, 84; 95% CI, 3.43-999.99; P = .02; OR, 32.3; 95% CI, 2.51-500.00; P = .008, respectively) and were more commonly in contact with the ventricles than astrocytomas (OR, 7.47; 95% CI, 1.03-53.95; P = .049). Tumor spread to neighboring brain structures was associated with high-grade glioma (OR, 6.02; 95% CI, 1.06-34.48; P = .04). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Dogs with gliomas have poor outcomes, but risk factors identified in survival analysis inform prognosis and the newly identified MRI characteristics could refine diagnosis of tumor type and grade

Allele frequency of a genetic risk variant for necrotizing meningoencephalitis in pug dogs from Europe and association with the clinical phenotype

IntroductionNecrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME) in pugs is a potentially fatal disease, which needs lifelong treatment with immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory drugs and shares parallels with acute fulminating multiple sclerosis. Genetic variants of the DLA class II gene are associated with an increased risk for NME. Genetic testing is recommended prior to breeding. The aim of this study was to describe the current allele frequency of a previously identified NME risk variant in the European pug population. A secondary aim was to investigate the association of the NME risk variant with the clinical phenotype in pugs.MethodsResults of genetic testing for the CFA12:2605517delC variant in European pugs between 2012 and 2020 were retrieved (n = 5,974). A validated questionnaire was mailed to all submitters of samples for further information on neurological signs, diagnostic tests, and disease course.ResultsThe allele frequency of the CFA12 NME risk variant was 25.7% in the European pug population dogs; 7.4% of the dogs were homozygous and 36.7% were heterozygous for the NME risk variant on CFA12. Completed questionnaires were available in 203 dogs including 25 dogs with epileptic seizures or other neurological signs. The clinical phenotype was consistent with NME in 3.9% with a median age of onset of 1.0 years, and indicative of idiopathic epilepsy in 2.9% with a median onset of 2.5 years. Eleven dogs remained unclassified. Pugs with the NME phenotype were significantly more frequently homozygous for the NME risk variant on CFA12 compared to pugs ≥6 years without neurological signs or seizures (p = 0.008).DiscussionThe CFA12:2605517delC genetic risk variant is widely distributed in the European pug population and frequently homozygous in pugs with a NME phenotype. The data support the clinical relevance of the CFA12:2605517delC genetic risk variant

Raw image data

Raw image data from dog 4 and all prospectively examined dogs (dogs 6 - 11) from the publication Bernardino et al. (Plos One)

Frequencies of the main clinical features in the two patient cohorts.

<p>Frequencies of the main clinical features in the two patient cohorts.</p

Transverse MR brain images.

<p>Transverse MR brain images (T2-weighted) of four affected Eurasier dogs at the level of the cerebellar peduncles (B) and medulla oblongata (A, C, D). The myelencephalon appears unremarkable. The fourth ventricle has a cyst-like appearance in the rostral sections (B) and is continuous with retrocerebellar cerebrospinal fluid accumulations in the more caudal sections (A, C, D). A: dog 6; B: dog 7; C: dog 9; D: dog 10.</p

Dorsal MR brain images.

<p>Dorsal MR brain images (T2-weighted) of the affected Eurasier dogs reveal a prominent midline defect with absent caudal portions of the cerebellar vermis (midline) and cerebellar hemispheres (lateral) in association with a large retrocerebellar fluid accumulation. A: dog 6; B: dog 7; C: dog 9; D: dog 10. Images A and D are located more ventrally than B and C.</p

Midline caudal fossa ratio in Eurasier dogs with (1) and without (2) cerebellar hypoplasia.

<p>Boxplots demonstrate wide variations in midline caudal fossa ratio in Eurasier dogs with inferior cerebellar hypoplasia resembling DWLM (1: range 0.191–0.441; n = 9) compared to Eurasier dogs with unremarkable brain images (2: range 0.2645–0.3300; n = 10). Midline caudal fossa ratio was increased in three dogs with inferior cerebellar hypoplasia resembling DWLM (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0117670#pone.0117670.s007" target="_blank">S1 Table</a>).</p

Eurasier dog breed.

<p>Eurasier dog breed.</p