2013 ECVIM Liverpool ;UK (PLI Hund)

(D. Breu, U. Tress, H. Aupperle, E. Mueller)

2013 ACVIM Seattle, USA

(D. Breu, J. Guthardt, D. Geier-Doemling, E. Mueller )

BSAVA; Journal of Small Animal Practice (Dez 2013) jsap.Volume 54 (12); p.667-671

(F. Kuenzel, B. Hierlmeier, M. Christian and M. Reifinger)

Abstract

Hyper thyroidism was diagnosed in four guinea pigs by demonstration of an increased serum total  thyroxine concentration. The main clinical signs were comparable with those observed in feline  hyperthyroidism and included weight loss despite maintenance of appetite and a palpable mass in the ventral cervical region. Three animals were treated successfully with methimazole for between 13 and 28 months. Clinical signs and regular measurement of circulating total thyroxine concentrations appear to be convenient parameters for monitoring response to medical therapy.

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 15(12) P.1141-1144  jfms.com

(Julia Elze, Lukas Grammel, Elvira Richter and Heike Aupperle)

Abstract

A 13-year-old cat was presented to the veterinary clinic with poor condition, vomiting and a reduced appetite. A painful abdomen was diagnosed because of tension and defence reactions on palpation. Diagnostic laparotomy showed a thickening of the colon and caecal intestinal wall. Histopathological investigation of intestinal biopsies revealed focal severe granulomatous inflammation with numerous acid-fast bacilli in the tela submucosa. The complete blood count test showed a severe lymphopenia and anaemia, and the cat tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cat was euthanased and necropsied. Multifocal granulomatous nodules were present in the intestines, liver and kidneys. The gastric lymph node was markedly enlarged and showed a caseous cut surface. Histopathology revealed a systemic mycobacteriosis affecting intestine, lymph nodes, liver and kidneys. The mycobacterial strain was cultured and determined by its unique 16S rRNA gene sequence as Mycobacterium heckeshornense. This is the first reported case of M heckeshornense in a cat. It was suspected that the disseminated mycobacteriosis was supported by the FIV infection.

SAT asmv  Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde, 2013 Jul; 155(7); P.411-416

(Markus Bueker, K.Picozzi, S.Kolb, J.-M. Hatt)

Abstract

Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is the most important arthropod-borne zoonosis-pathogen in the Northern hemisphere. Besides small mammals, birds, primarily Passeriformes and sea birds, play an important role in the transmission, distribution and maintenance of this disease. Previous studies on birds have focused mainly on the detection of Borrelia-infected ticks. However, the presence or absence of an infected tick cannot be taken as an indicator of the infective status of the avian host; to date this area of research has not been explored. In this study, serological analyses of blood collected from free-living birds of prey (n = 29) at the rehabilitation centre in Eastern Westphalia, Germany, highlights that birds of prey are also susceptible to B. burgdorferi and react immunologically to an infection. Increased antibody-levels could be found by using a modified Indirect Immunofluorescent-testing in two common buzzards, Buteo buteo, and two eagle owls, Bubo bubo. Further research regarding the serological diagnostics of B. burgdorferi within the avian host is required. In the future, it should be taken into account that birds of prey can be reservoirs for B. burgdorferi, as well as carriers of infected ticks; although at present their epidemiological importance is still to be confirmed.

(Eric R. Morgan; Johannes Charlier; Guy Hendrickx; Annibale Biggeri; Dolores

Catalan; Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna; Janina Demeler; Elizabeth Müller;

Jan van Dijk; Fiona Kenyon; Philip Skuce; Johan Höglund; Padraig O’Kiely;

Bonny van Ranst; Theo de Waal; Laura Rinaldi; Giuseppe Cringoli; Hubertus

Hertzberg; Paul Torgerson; Adrian Wolstenholme and Jozef Vercruysse)

Agriculture 2013, 3(3), 484-502; doi:10.3390/agriculture3030484
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/agriculture

Abstract

act: Infections with parasitic helminths (nematodes and trematodes) represent a significant economic and welfare burden to the global ruminant livestock industry. The increasing prevalence of anthelmintic resistance means that current control programmes are costly and unsustainable in the long term. Recent changes in the epidemiology, seasonality and geographic distribution of helminth infections have been attributed to climate change. However, other changes in environment (e.g., land use) and in livestock farming, such as intensification and altered management practices, will also have an impact on helminth infections. Sustainable control of helminth infections in a changing world requires detailed knowledge of these interactions. In particular, there is a need to devise new, sustainable strategies for the effective control of ruminant helminthoses in the face of global change. In this paper, we consider the impact of helminth infections in grazing ruminants, taking a European perspective, and identify scientific and applied priorities to mitigate these impacts. These include the development and deployment of efficient, high-throughput diagnostic tests to support targeted intervention, modelling of geographic and seasonal trends in infection, more thorough economic data and analysis of the impact of helminth infections and greater translation and involvement of end-users in devising and disseminating best practices. Complex changes in helminth epidemiology will require innovative solutions. By developing and using new technologies and models, the use of anthelmintics can be optimised to limit the development and spread of drug resistance and to reduce the overall economic impact of helminth infections. This will be essential to the continued productivity and profitability of livestock farming in Europe and its contribution to regional and global food security.

On the occasion of the 24th VOEK annual congress 2013 in Salzburg,

LABOKLIN presented a poster entitled (U.Tress, S. Müller, E. Kahnt, E. Müller)

This poster was rewarded with a prize. The PLI test for quantification of PLI in canine sera was validated against the PLI test of the GastoIntestinal lab of Texas A&M University. Analyses of the data showed a correlation coefficient of 89%. The correlation between interpretation and evaluation groups was 99% Validating data for feline PLI test are avalaible in our lab.

Conclusion: The LABOKLIN PLI in-house test has been validated and presented to the scientific community in 2013. It now serves succesfully as a non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of canine pancreatitis.

(Stöhr AC, Blahak S, Heckers KO, Wiechert J, Behncke H, Mathes K, Günther P, Zwart P, Ball I, Rüschoff B, Marschang RE.  )

VET RES. 2013 Sep 27;44(1):84. doi: 10.1186/1297-9716-44-84.

(Behncke H, Stöhr AC, Heckers KO, Ball I, Marschang RE.)

Vet Rec. 2013 Sep 14;173(10):248. doi: 10.1136/vr.101545. Epub 2013 Aug 23.