Giuseppe Rapisarda

Use of laparoscopy for the evaluation of the reproductive status of tench (Tinca tinca).

The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of laparoscopy for the assessment of the reproductive tract and stage of gonadal development of the tench (Tinca tinca). Laparoscopy was carried out from February to March 2009, on 30 anesthetized tenchs, 15 males and 15 females, of approximately 250 g bodyweight and 30 cm length, using a 1.9-mm rigid cystoscope. Male and female gonads, attached to the swim bladder, were visualized. Testes were orange with a striped appearance. Mature ovaries were cluster-shaped and whitish. Histological samples were collected, from the reproductive organs of both the sexes, with a forceps and showed the presence of gametes at different stages of maturity. The application of this minimally invasive diagnostic imaging technique could clinically be used as a powerful tool to evaluate the gender and to establish the reproductive status of tench and other fish.

A Case of Unilateral Pelvic Limb Adactyly in a Puppy Dog

With 2 figures

Deradelphous Cephalothoracopagus in Kittens

Cephalothoracopagus is a very rare form of conjoined twins and is characterized by fusion of heads and thoraxes with two separate spines, limbs and pelves. The aim of this study was to describe a case of female cephalothoracopagus kitten puppy. The most important gross findings involved the external body and some of the internal organs. Radiological features revealed main developmental abnormality of the head, spines and thorax. Authors discuss the pathogenic mechanisms of this condition, infrequently reported in veterinary practice, pointing out the importance of embryonic duplications commonly associated with dystocia.

Spontaneous schwannoma in zebrafish, Danio rerio (Hamilton).

Peripheral nerve sheath tumours (PNSTs) are neoplastic growths of the peripheral nerves and have been detected in almost all vertebrates. These tumours show either benign peripheral nerve sheath tumours (BPNSTs) or malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs) forms. PNSTs have been reported in many teleost species, generally as benign including goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.), (Picci 1933; Schlumberger 1952, 1957; Mawdesley-Thomas 1972), snappers (Lutjanidae) (Lucké 1942), coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum) (Masahito, Ishikawa, Yanagisawa, Sugano & Ikeda 1985), damselfish, Pomacentrus partitus (Poey) (Schmale, Henseley & Udey 1983), rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax (Mitchill) (Morrison, Harshbarger & McGladdery 1993), and gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata L. (Marino, Germanà & Panebianco 2008). Neurofibroma has been reported in Lumpenus sagitta (Wilimorsky) (McArn & Wellings 1967), C. auratus (Duncan & Harkin 1968), Gadus macrocephalus (Tilesius) (Wellings 1969), and striped mullet (Marino, Macrı̀, Lanteri, Manganaro, Monaco & Germanà 2010). The high expression and peculiar distribution of certain BPNSTs in some fish populations suggested a possible viral aetiology, so far demonstrated only for damselfish schwannoma (Schmale, Gibbs & Campbell 2002). Schwannoma and neurofibroma are the most common BPNSTs in humans, in domestic animals and in lower vertebrates such as teleostean fish. Schwannoma develop from the Schwann cells, whilst neurofibroma originates from fibroblast cells of the peripheral nerves. Despite their different origin, to distinguish schwannoma from neurofibroma was a diagnostic problem for many years and some authors preferred to consider them as a single morphological entity (Cordy 1990; Scarpelli 1969; Jubb & Huxtable 1993; Bambir, Helgason, Marino & Macrı̀ 2000). It can be difficult to differentiate these two tumours from fibromas (Scarpelli 1969). Although ultrastructural features have been used to differentiate schwannomas from neurofibromas (Duncan & Harkin 1969), immunohistochemistry has also been proposed as useful diagnostic tool in fish (Marino, Germanà, Bambir, Helgason, De Vico & Macrı̀ 2006; Marino et al. 2008). Recently, zebrafish mutants for the MMR genes mlh1, msh2 and msh6 have been isolated and homozygous mutants of all three lines develop neurofibromas/MPNST (Feitsma, Kuiper, Korving, Nijman & Cuppen 2008). The role of NF2 and p53 mutations in tumourigenesis has been emphasized by the observation of MPNST development in NF2 (Amsterdam, Sadler, Lai, Farrington, Bronson, Lees & Hopkins 2004) and p53 (Berghmans, Murphey, Wienholds, Neuberg, Kutok, Fletcher, Morris, Xi Liu, Schulte-Merker, Kanki, Plasterk, Zon & Look 2005) mutant zebrafish. tp53-deficient zebrafish lines, after 8.5 months, spontaneously develop Journal of Fish Diseases 2012, 35, 239–242 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2761.2011.01335.x

Pericardial angiolipoma in a young bull

vascular component (Fletcher 1995). In the present case, the tumour was solitary and showed a capillary-like appearance. The mass was capsulated and was composed of typical mature adipose and vascular tissue, which tended to be situated mainly at the periphery of the tumour, with intervening septa of collagen fibres. An additional histological finding was the presence of small fibrin thrombi in a few vascular spaces; this is often a diagnostically helpful feature in human angiolipomas (Enzinger and others 1988). As there appear to be no previous reports, the authors consider cardiac angiolipomas to be very rare in domestic animals. In the present case, the tumour arose from the pericardium and resembled in architecture the soft tissue angiolipomas described in dogs (Liggett and others 2002) and human beings (Fletcher 1995).

Unilateral forelimb partial aphalangia in a kitten.

Congenital limb deformities are rarely reported in the cat. The macroscopic and radiographic features of aphalangia are described in a 2-month-old male kitten showing a shortened limb that ended, at the level of the carpus, in a stump without digits. A nail was present at the level of the first phalanx and on the palmar surface only two footpads were present. The radiographs showed an absence of phalanges. The first metacarpal and the proximal and distal phalanges of digit 1 were present. The deformed metacarpal bones were reduced in length; the carpal bones were incompletely ossified. This defect is a rare condition in many animal species. To the author’s knowledge, the congenital fore limb deformity described here is the first documented case in a cat.

Systemic candidiasis in farm-reared red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) caused by Leucosporidium spp

BackgroundThis report describes the results of radiological, histological and molecular examination of three farm-reared red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) affected by candidiasis.Case presentationThree juvenile farm-reared red-legged partridges in a batch of 100 of the same species were sent for clinical and pathological investigations. The owner referred of a sudden isolation of the sick animals, with apathy, diarrhea, ruffled plumage and respiratory rattles. Post mortem total body lateral projection radiograph showed an increased perihilar interstitial pattern and air bronchogram signs due to lung edema. At necropsy, carcasses showed cachexia; the pericloacal region was soiled by diarrheic fecal material. From the mouth to the intestine, a mucous yellowish fluid was present on a slightly reddish mucosa. Histopathology showed slight edema and congestion with different free fungal elements, referable to blastospores, hyphae and pseudohyphae. Biomolecular exam identified the most similar sequences as belonging to Leucosporidium scottii.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this case report describes for the first time this fungal species as a causative agent of candidiasis in birds.

Comparison of direct versus radiographic measurement of sagittal otoliths in cadavers of bogue (Boops boops)

OBJECTIVE To validate the use of radiography to determine the length of sagittal otoliths in intact bogue (Boops boops; a sparid fish [commonly called sea bream]). SAMPLE 52 bogue cadavers. PROCEDURES Weight and standard lengths (from the tip of the snout to the caudal end of the last vertebra) of fish were measured. The radiographic beam was centered over the postorbital area, and images were obtained via ventrodorsal, 30° right dorsal-left ventral oblique, and 30° left dorsal-right ventral oblique projections. Otoliths were removed from the fish; sagittae were measured directly and on radiographic images by use of a vernier caliper. The relationship between direct and radiographic measurements of sagittal otoliths was calculated. RESULTS Paired sagittal, lapillus, and asteriscus otoliths were identified. Sagittal otoliths were comma-shaped on ventrodorsal projections; in oblique projections, they appeared ovoid and pairs of otoliths were located in the same dorsal plane. Radiographic length of sagittal otoliths was significantly correlated with directly measured length, and radiographic measurements were not significantly different between ventrodorsal and oblique radiographic projections. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Radiographic examination of sagittae was useful to determine the length of sagittal otoliths and, consequently, the fish length. In ecological applications, the radiographic measurement of sagittal otolith length may be useful for studies on the aquatic diet of organisms (fish, pinnipeds, and marine birds) because it allows for quick back-calculation to the size of prey.

Beta-catenin expression in pilomatrix carcinoma with multiple visceral metastases in a dog.

Beta-catenin is a protein initially identified as a submembrane component of the E-cadherin-mediated cell-to-cell adhesion system. It plays a role as a transcriptional factor in the wingless/Wnt signalling pathway. Beta-catenin has been associated with oncogenic activity in human benign and malignant pilomatrix neoplasms where the immunohistochemical profile of β-catenin expression displayed both nuclear and cytoplasmic staining in basaloid cells. In this study, an 8-year-old female Irish setter dog was examined because of the presence of skin nodules. Tissue biopsies from different nodules were obtained and histological examination suggested a diagnosis of pilomatrix carcinoma. The dog spontaneously died after 2 months and necropsy showed multiple metastases in the nasal cavity, lungs, heart, kidney, liver and colon. Routine histopathology of metastatic sites showed features consistent with the pattern of primary neoplastic nodules. Immunohistochemical detection of β-catenin was performed in both the primary tumour and the metastases. Beta-catenin expression was located in the nuclei, cytoplasm and membrane of squamoid cells and in the cytoplasm of basaloid cells, while shadow cells were completely negative. To the best of our knowledge, these data represent the first report on the immunohistochemical expression profile of β-catenin in canine pilomatrix carcinoma.