[Surgical removal of a follicular carcinoma of the thyroid gland in a snakehead (Channa barca, HAMILTON, 1822)]. / Chirurgische Entfernung eines untypischen follikulären Schilddrüsenkarzinoms bei einem Schlangenkopffisch (Channa barca, HAMILTON, 1822).

Inflammatory processes, neoplastic growths or rare dysontogenetic malformations may cause mass formation in the gills of fish. In the present case, a follicular carcinoma of the thyroid gland in a Barca snakehead and its surgical removal are reported, and neoplasms in fish are discussed. Following clinical, radiological, cytological and sonographic examinations, the gill-associated partly cystic mass was incompletely removed surgically. The subsequent histological examination identified the mass partly as a follicular carcinoma of the thyroid gland. Because the main alterations of the surgical specimen were non-neoplastic, the development from a rare preexisting hamartoma is discussed. No bacteriological or mycological secondary infections were identified. This report is the first description of a follicular carcinoma and its surgical removal in a snakehead.

Development of a monoclonal sandwich ELISA for direct detection of bluetongue virus 8 in infected animals.

Bluetongue is an infectious viral disease which can cause mortality in affected ruminants, and tremendous economic damage via impacts upon fertility, milk production and the quality of wool. The disease is caused by bluetongue virus (BTV) which is transmitted by species of Culicoides biting midge. Rapid detection of BTV is required to contain disease outbreaks and reduce economic losses. The purpose of this study was to develop a monoclonal sandwich ELISA for direct detection of BTV in infected animals. Phage display technology was used to isolate BTV specific antibody fragments by applying the human scFv Tomlinson antibody libraries directly on purified BTV-8 particles. Three unique BTV-8 specific human antibody fragments were isolated which were able to detect purified BTV particles and also BTV in serum of an infected sheep. A combination of a human/mouse scFv-Fc chimeric fusion protein and a human Fab fragment in a sandwich ELISA format was able to detect BTV specifically with a limit of detection (LOD) of 104 infectious virus particles, as determined by tissue culture titration. This approach provided pilot data towards the development of a novel diagnostic test that might be used for direct detection of BTV-8 particles.