SCHIZANGIELLA INFECTIONS IN AN EASTERN RATSNAKE (PANTHEROPHIS ALLEGHANIENSIS) AND A TIMBER RATTLESNAKE (CROTALUS HORRIDUS).

This report describes Schizangiella infections in colubrid and viperid snakes. A captive eastern ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) was presented for a large intraoral mass associated with the mandible. The mass was debulked and histologic examination revealed severe, granulomatous stomatitis with intralesional fungi exhibiting morphologic features consistent with Schizangiella serpentis. PCR and sequencing of affected tissues confirmed S. serpentis. Because of declining health, the ratsnake was euthanized and postmortem examination identified a disseminated S. serpentis infection involving the skeletal musculature, lung, kidney, mesentery, and mandible. A wild-caught timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) was presented for cutaneous lesions, weakness, and lethargy and later died. Postmortem examination revealed a mass-like structure in the esophagus characterized by high numbers of Schizangiella-like fungi associated with extensive granulomatous inflammation; the snake also had cutaneous mycosis suggestive of ophidiomycosis. This is the first report to document the unique morphologic features of S. serpentis in tissues and the presentation of schizangiellosis in snakes. Schizangiellosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis for nodular lesions involving the oral cavity and/or the gastrointestinal tract of snakes.

Treatment of Recurrent Multifocal Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma in an African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) with Intralesional Carboplatin in Poloxamer 407.

A 16-year-old male Congo African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) was presented with an ulcerated wing mass that was excised and diagnosed on histopathology as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A second surgery was performed to completely excise the tumor margins, resulting in over 5 years of remission for the neoplasm. However, over the next 6 years the patient developed SCC in 3 new locations on the body, as well as 2 squamous papillomas. The 2 papillomas were surgically excised and did not recur. Due to their size and location, none of the 3 new SCCs were amenable to complete excision. Instead, the 3 SCCs were managed with a series of treatments with intralesional carboplatin in poloxamer 407 and carbon dioxide surgical laser debridements. This treatment regimen has resulted in long-term (52 months, 30 months, and 17 months) resolution for all 3 of the SCCs. The overall survival time for the patient, from the initial diagnosis to the time of this report, is over 2900 days. While being treated for the 3 SCCs, the African grey parrot had no overt signs of complications or adverse side effects.

Surgical Repair of a Complete Transverse Tracheal Rupture in a Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos).

An adult male mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) of unknown age was presented for acute intermittent respiratory distress that resolved when at rest. The duck had no history or evidence of trauma and had never been intubated. Radiographic imaging revealed a 1-cm tracheal defect at the level of the sixth vertebra. Surgical correction of the defect was pursued, during which a complete transverse tracheal rupture of unknown origin was identified. The separated tracheal sections were successfully anastomosed without resection of any tracheal rings. Tracheoscopy performed 2 months after the surgical procedure revealed healthy mucosa at the anastomosis site with a slight narrowing of the tracheal lumen.

CREB phosphorylation regulates striatal transcriptional responses in the self-administration model of methamphetamine addiction in the rat.

Neuroplastic changes in the dorsal striatum participate in the transition from casual to habitual drug use and might play a critical role in the development of methamphetamine (METH) addiction. We examined the influence of METH self-administration on gene and protein expression that may form substrates for METH-induced neuronal plasticity in the dorsal striatum. Male Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered METH (0.1mg/kg/injection, i.v.) or received yoked saline infusions during eight 15-h sessions and were euthanized 2h, 24h, or 1month after cessation of METH exposure. Changes in gene and protein expression were assessed using microarray analysis, RT-PCR and Western blots. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by PCR was used to examine epigenetic regulation of METH-induced transcription. METH self-administration caused increases in mRNA expression of the transcription factors, c-fos and fosb, the neurotrophic factor, Bdnf, and the synaptic protein, synaptophysin (Syp) in the dorsal striatum. METH also caused changes in ΔFosB, BDNF and TrkB protein levels, with increases after 2 and 24h, but decreases after 1month of drug abstinence. Importantly, ChIP-PCR showed that METH self-administration caused enrichment of phosphorylated CREB (pCREB), but not of histone H3 trimethylated at lysine 4 (H3K4me3), on promoters of c-fos, fosb, Bdnf and Syp at 2h after cessation of drug intake. These findings show that METH-induced changes in gene expression are mediated, in part, by pCREB-dependent epigenetic phenomena. Thus, METH self-administration might trigger epigenetic changes that mediate alterations in expression of genes and proteins serving as substrates for addiction-related synaptic plasticity.