Paula Reis Pereira

GASTRIC PYTHIOSIS IN A BACTRIAN CAMEL (BACTRIANUS CAMELUS)

Abstract Pythium insidiosum, an aquatic oomycete, causes chronic lesions in the skin and digestive tract of multiple species. A captive-bred Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) showed clinical signs of lethargy and weight loss in a clinical course of 30 days, with no response to treatment. At necropsy, the abdominal cavity had approximately 32 L of a yellow, turbid fluid with fibrin. The third compartment of the stomach (C-3) showed a focal area of rupture covered with fibrin. Close to this area, the C-3 wall was thickened and firm, demonstrating irregular, yellow, and friable areas on cut surface (kunkers). Microscopically, these corresponded to necrosis, characterized by a central amorphous eosinophilic material, surrounded by a pyogranulomatous inflammatory infiltrate and fibrosis. Negatively stained hyphae were observed at the periphery of the necrotic areas, which showed marked immunostaining for P. insidiosum. Pythiosis in camelids may involve the stomach, resulting in peritonitis and death.

Detection and phylogenetic characterization of porcine circovirus 2 from pigs in Mozambique

Porcine circovirus–associated diseases (PCVADs), caused by porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2), have a significant economic impact on the swine industry worldwide. In Africa, there is little information, to date, regarding the occurrence of PCV-2, and it has not been reported in Mozambique’s swine population. We randomly collected mesenteric lymph nodes (n = 111) from slaughtered pigs from 9 districts in southern Mozambique. PCV-2 DNA was detected in 54% (62 of 111) of the samples and 78% (23 of 31) of the farms. PCV-2 antigen was detected by immunohistochemistry in lymph nodes (6 of 62; 10%) that were positive for PCV-2 by PCR. Histopathologic changes observed in these lymph nodes were lymphoid depletion, multifocal nodal necrosis, and infiltrates of histiocytes and multinucleate giant cells. One positive sample from each district was selected in order to obtain sequences covering the ORF2 region. Five sequences clustered with PCV-2d, of which 3 sequences from Maputo, Namaacha, and Moamba were grouped with PCV-2d-2; 2 sequences from Manhiça and Matola were grouped as PCV-2d-1; and 4 sequences from Boane, Matutuíne, Chibuto, and Xai-Xai were closely related to PCV-2b-1A/B genotypes. Our study indicates that a diversity of PCV-2 viruses is circulating in the Mozambican swine population.

Testicular neoplasms in dogs in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Background: Testicular neoplasms are common in dogs, and their incidence is higher in older animals, and in cases of cryptorchidism. In general, they are benign and rarely metastasize. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of testicular neoplasms in dogs in the Departament of Veterinary Pathology of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (SPV-UFGRS) in the period of January 2005 to December 2015. Materials, Methods & Results: Histopathological examination records of dogs conducted from January 2005 to December 2015 on SPV-UFRGS were reviewed searching for cases of testicular neoplasms in dogs. The general data of the dogs were analyzed, such as age, clinical history and clinical signs, when reported according to the requester. The classification of neoplasms in this study followed the histological criteria established by the World Health Organization. In the period studied, 4,764 biopsies were processed from male dogs, 305 (6.4%) of them were diagnosed with testicular neoplasms. The mean age range was 11.1 year-old. In 260 dogs, the neoplasms have affected a single testicle, and in 45, they were bilateral. From 305 dogs, 247 had a single neoplasm, while 58 dogs have developed more than one type of neoplasm, at once, totaling 415 diagnosis of testicular neoplasms. The most prevalent testicular neoplasms were Leydig cell tumor, followed by seminoma, and sertoli cell tumor, representing 50.8%, 35.2% and 14% respectively. Forty-five animals presented bilateral testicular neoplasms single or multiple, totaling 104 diagnoses. Leydig cell tumor was the most frequent bilateral neoplasm. Fifty dogs developed neoplasms in cryptorchid or ectopic testicles, representing 24.4% of cases with reported clinical data. Of these, nine were located in the inguinal region, nine in the subcutaneous, intra-abdominal 12, and in 20 cases the location was not informed. In these cases the mean age range was 9.5 year-old. Clinical signs of hyperestrogenism were reported in 4.9% of cases and histological changes of malignancy were reported in 5.5% of all diagnoses. Discussion: The frequency of testicular neoplasms in dogs in this study, and the average age, were similar to several studies. Leydig cell tumor, seminoma and sertoli cell tumor are the most common testicular neoplasms diagnosed in this paper, as described in some studies. Data relating to bilateral and multiple neoplasms cases are similar to several researchers. The combination of seminoma with Leydig cell tumor was the most frequent in this study, similar to the literature. The occurrence of cryptorchidism in dogs was described in 24.4% of cases while similar studies reported frequency of 4.5% to 56.3%. Histological changes with malignancy characteristics were described in 5.5% of all cases of this study, and were predominantly characterized by invasion of neoplasic cells into the lymphatic and blood vessels, of these, 95.6% were seminomas and 4.4% sertoliomas. This information agrees with researchers that reported that metastases occur in less than 15% of sertoli cell tumor or seminomas. Clinical manifestations of feminization were infrequent in cases of testicular neoplasms in dogs of this paper, and the sertolioma is the neoplasm most commonly associated with manifestations of hyperestrogenism. As described in literature, over 50% of dogs with sertoli cell tumor show signs of feminization, but most of the cases are asymptomatic, and often an incidental finding at the time of physical examination. Background: Testicular neoplasms are common in dogs, and their incidence is higher in older animals, and in cases of cryptorchidism. In general, they are benign and rarely metastasize. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of testicular neoplasms in dogs in the Departament of Veterinary Pathology of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (SPV-UFGRS) in the period of January 2005 to December 2015. Materials, Methods & Results: Histopathological examination records of dogs conducted from January 2005 to December 2015 on SPV-UFRGS were reviewed searching for cases of testicular neoplasms in dogs. The general data of the dogs were analyzed, such as age, clinical history and clinical signs, when reported according to the requester. The classification of neoplasms in this study followed the histological criteria established by the World Health Organization. In the period studied, 4,764 biopsies were processed from male dogs, 305 (6.4%) of them were diagnosed with testicular neoplasms. The mean age range was 11.1 year-old. In 260 dogs, the neoplasms have affected a single testicle, and in 45, they were bilateral. From 305 dogs, 247 had a single neoplasm, while 58 dogs have developed more than one type of neoplasm, at once, totaling 415 diagnosis of testicular neoplasms. The most prevalent testicular neoplasms were Leydig cell tumor, followed by seminoma, and sertoli cell tumor, representing 50.8%, 35.2% and 14% respectively. Forty-five animals presented bilateral testicular neoplasms single or multiple, totaling 104 diagnoses. Leydig cell tumor was the most frequent bilateral neoplasm. Fifty dogs developed neoplasms in cryptorchid or ectopic testicles, representing 24.4% of cases with reported clinical data. Of these, nine were located in the inguinal region, nine in the subcutaneous, intra-abdominal 12, and in 20 cases the location was not informed. In these cases the mean age range was 9.5 year-old. Clinical signs of hyperestrogenism were reported in 4.9% of cases and histological changes of malignancy were reported in 5.5% of all diagnoses. Discussion: The frequency of testicular neoplasms in dogs in this study, and the average age, were similar to several studies. Leydig cell tumor, seminoma and sertoli cell tumor are the most common testicular neoplasms diagnosed in this paper, as described in some studies. Data relating to bilateral and multiple neoplasms cases are similar to several researchers. The combination of seminoma with Leydig cell tumor was the most frequent in this study, similar to the literature. The occurrence of cryptorchidism in dogs was described in 24.4% of cases while similar studies reported frequency of 4.5% to 56.3%. Histological changes with malignancy characteristics were described in 5.5% of all cases of this study, and were predominantly characterized by invasion of neoplasic cells into the lymphatic and blood vessels, of these, 95.6% were seminomas and 4.4% sertoliomas. This information agrees with researchers that reported that metastases occur in less than 15% of sertoli cell tumor or seminomas. Clinical manifestations of feminization were infrequent in cases of testicular neoplasms in dogs of this paper, and the sertolioma is the neoplasm most commonly associated with manifestations of hyperestrogenism. As described in literature, over 50% of dogs with sertoli cell tumor show signs of feminization, but most of the cases are asymptomatic, and often an incidental finding at the time of physical examination.

Retrospective Study of Pneumony by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in Cats

Background: Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is a lungworm of cats with worldwide distribution. The adult forms of this parasite live in terminal bronchioles and alveoli, and can cause an asymptomatic disease or predominantly respiratory clinical signs, which can be occasionally cause of death. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological and pathological findings of infection by A. abstrusus through a necropsy retrospective study. Materials, Methods & Results: the necropsy records from the Department of Veterinary Pathology of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul were recovered and cats diagnosed with lungworm by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus were selected since January 1998 until December 2015. General data, such as age, sex, breed, clinical signs, and macroscopic lesions, were analyzed and compiled. The histological slides were reviewed by optical microscopy and detailed the microscopic aspects. In this study, were identified 22 cats with varying degrees of lungworm by A. abstrusus, and in 45.5% of the cases, this was the cause of death. Most part of the cats were mixed breed (19/22), and there were no sex predisposition. The age of the cats ranged from four months to 11 years old, and the most frequent age group was three to six years, with nine cases reported. In 37.5% of the cases were reported respiratory clinical signs, such as dyspnea and nasal discharge, and in 62.5%, clinical signs were not specific. The gross findings of the lungs ranged from reddish, or yellowish or white areas, and presence of multiples small, firm, and whitish nodules, measuring more than two centimeters in diameter, with multifocal distribution in the lung surface. Histologically, there was varied amount of parasites in different stages in the alveolar spaces, associated with the inflammatory infiltrate composed of lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages, neutrophils and occasional multinucleated giant cells, and hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the pulmonary smooth muscle and the wall of the arteries. Discussion: Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is the principal parasite of lung of cats, with worldwide distribution. In this study, we observed that 40.9% of cases were reported as of 2012, and may be due to a larger propagation of definitive intermediate and paratenic hosts, climate changes and/or the increase of rearing cats, and the consequent increase of hospital routine. Agreeing with the others authors, there is no sex predilection, but differ in the age group, in to the present study, the most frequent age group was between “3 to 6 years” of age (52.9%). The gross findings observed were similar to those described by other authors. Histologically was observed varied amount of parasites, and the degree of inflammatory infiltrate were very similar, but with a slight difference in discrete infiltration (36.4%). Others researchers have identified predominantly severe inflammatory infiltrate (57.9%). Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of pulmonary smooth muscle and the wall of the arteries was moderate (50%), however, in previous studies were severe. The diagnosis of aelurostrongilosis through parasitological tests have proven the occurence this lung parasite in the study region, highlighting the importance of this study by adding epidemiological and pathological data on the disease.