Retrospective evaluation of surgical treatment of linear and discrete gastrointestinal foreign bodies in cats: 2009-2021.

OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal foreign bodies (FBs) are an important cause of emergency surgical intervention in cats, but little information exists in the literature evaluating the risks and outcomes in this species. The study purpose was to describe cases of feline FBs and compare perioperative factors and outcomes between linear foreign body (LFB) and discrete foreign body (DFB) surgery in cats. METHODS: The medical records from the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital were searched for cats that had undergone surgery for FB removal between August 2009 and August 2021. Perioperative data were collected and described. Data were compared between cats with an LFB and cats with a DFB. A binomial probability series was used to estimate the likelihood of postoperative septic peritonitis or mortality in an additional cat in the series. RESULTS: A total of 56 cats were included in this study; 38 cats had a DFB and 18 had an LFB. No cats developed postoperative septic peritonitis, and all cats survived. The likelihood of postoperative septic peritonitis or mortality in an additional cat was estimated to be <5.2%. Cats with an LFB were found to have a significantly higher body condition score (P = 0.047), albumin (P = 0.025), American Society of Anesthesiologists status (P = 0.027), surgery length (P <0.001) and total cost of visit (P = 0.006) when compared with cats with a DFB. Cats with LFBs were more likely to develop a surgical site infection (SSI; P = 0.007) and be administered postoperative antibiotics (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Cats undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal FBs had a low incidence of postoperative complications. Cats with LFBs had longer surgeries and were more likely to develop postoperative SSIs.

IL-27 inhibits anti- Mycobacterium tuberculosis innate immune activity of primary human macrophages.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) is an intracellular pathogen that primarily infects macrophages. Despite a robust anti-mycobacterial response, many times macrophages are unable to control M. tuberculosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which the immunoregulatory cytokine IL-27 inhibits the anti-mycobacterial activity of primary human macrophages. We found concerted production of IL-27 and anti-mycobacterial cytokines by M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages in a toll-like receptor (TLR) dependent manner. Notably, IL-27 suppressed the production of anti-mycobacterial cytokines TNFα, IL-6, IL-1ß, and IL-15 by M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages. IL-27 limits the anti-mycobacterial activity of macrophages by reducing Cyp27B, cathelicidin (LL-37), LC3B lipidation, and increasing IL-10 production. Furthermore, neutralizing both IL-27 and IL-10 increased the expression of proteins involved in LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) pathway for bacterial clearance, namely vacuolar-ATPase, NOX2, and RUN-domain containing protein RUBCN. These results implicate IL-27 is a prominent cytokine that impedes M. tuberculosis clearance.