Use of serum procalcitonin (PCT) level and PCT mRNA expression as a potential clinical biomarker in cats with bacterial and viral infections.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the use of procalcitonin (PCT) as a biomarker in differentiating bacterial infections from viral infections in cats. In addition, the relationship between PCT and mortality rate was also examined. METHODS: Forty-five cats were included in the study. The cats were categorised into two groups: bacterial (n = 20) and viral (n = 25) infection. Serum PCT level and PCT mRNA expression were analysed from blood samples collected before treatment. RESULTS: Serum PCT level and PCT mRNA expression of the cats with presumed bacterial infection were higher than those with viral infection (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed an area under the ROC curve value of 0.888 for serum PCT and 0.850 for PCT mRNA expression. There was no statistically significant difference among respiratory, urinary and gastrointestinal tract infections regarding serum PCT level and PCT mRNA expression in the presumed bacterial infection group (P = 0.741 and P = 0.141, respectively). In the presumed bacterial infection group, serum PCT level and PCT mRNA expression in the non-surviving cats were higher than those of the surviving cats (P = 0.021 and P = 0.026, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Serum PCT level and PCT mRNA expression were considered efficient biomarkers in cats to distinguish a bacterial infection from a viral infection. Moreover, ROC curve analysis was highly accurate in the discriminative capacity of these two parameters. PCT level and PCT mRNA expression offer substantial assistance in an efficient therapeutic approach and in avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use in feline clinical practice, particularly in emergency patients and those with non-specific clinical signs, decreasing the mortality rate. However, it should be noted that these data are only research data. More detailed future studies are needed.

Long-term aspirin pretreatment in the prevention of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

AIM: To investigate the effects of long term pretreatment with low-, medium- and high-dose aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) on a model of acute pancreatitis (AP) induced in rats. METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were used. Three experimental groups, each consisting of eight animals, received low- (5 mg/kg per day), medium- (150 mg/kg per day) and high-dose (350 mg/kg per day) ASA in supplemented pellet chow for 100 d. Eight animals, serving as the AP-control group, and another eight, serving as reference value (RV) group, were fed with standard pellet chow for the same period. After pretreatment, AP was induced in the experimental animals by intraperitoneal administration of cerulein (2 × 50 µg/kg), while the RV group received saline in the same way. Twelve hours after the second injection, the animals were sacrificed. Pancreatic tissue and plasma samples were collected. One part of the collected pancreatic tissues was used for histopathological evaluation, and the remaining portion was homogenized. Cytokine levels [tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6], hemogram parameters, biochemical parameters (amylase and lipase), nuclear factor-κB, aspirin triggered lipoxins and parameters related to the antioxidant system (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, hemeoxygenase-1, catalase and superoxide dismutase) were measured. RESULTS: Cerulein administration induced mild pancreatitis, characterized by interstitial edema (total histopathological score of 5.88 ± 0.44 vs 0.25 ± 0.16, P < 0.001). Subsequent pancreatic tissue damage resulted in an increase in amylase (2829.71 ± 772.48 vs 984.57 ± 49.22 U/L, P = 0.001) and lipase (110.14 ± 75.84 U/L vs 4.71 ± 0.78 U/L, P < 0.001) in plasma, and leucocytes (6.89 ± 0.48 vs 4.36 ± 0.23, P = 0.001) in peripheral blood. Cytokines, IL-1ß (18.81 ± 2.55 pg/µg vs 6.65 ± 0.24 pg/µg, P = 0.002) and IL-6 (14.62 ± 1.98 pg/µg vs 9.09 ± 1.36 pg/µg, P = 0.04) in pancreatic tissue also increased. Aspirin pretreatment reduced the increase in the aforementioned parameters to a certain degree and partially improved the histopathological alterations caused by cerulein. No evidence of side effects related to chronic ASA administration (e.g., inflammation or bleeding) was observed in the gastrointestinal tract in macroscopic and histopathological examination. CONCLUSION: Long term ASA pretreatment could prevent and/or ameliorate certain hematological, serological and histological alterations caused by cerulein-induced AP.

Frequency of dog erythrocyte antigen 1.1 in 4 breeds native to different areas in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Dog erythrocyte antigen (DEA) 1.1 is the most important RBC antigen clinically, as it is highly immunogenic and causes acute hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTR) in sensitized dogs. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of DEA 1.1 expression in 4 Turkish dog breeds, and to estimate the potential risk of HTR when blood from a DEA 1.1-positive donor is administered to a DEA 1.1-negative recipient following sensitization by a prior mismatched transfusion. METHODS: EDTA blood samples (n = 178) were typed for DEA 1.1 using a commercial gel-column agglutination test (ID-Gel-Test Canine DEA 1.1). Probabilities of sensitization and risk of an HTR were calculated. RESULTS: The frequency of positivity for DEA 1.1 among Kars (n = 59), Kangal (n = 53), Akbash (n = 50), and Catalburun (n = 16) breeds was 71.2%, 67.9%, 60.0%, and 50.0%, respectively. Potential risk for occurrence of an HTR after administration of blood from a dog of the same breed ranged from 12.5% to 14.8%, whereas HTR induced by blood of a dog from a different breed ranged from 7.2% to 25.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of DEA 1.1-positive dogs among 4 Turkish breeds is high compared with that of most other breeds previously surveyed. The predicted risk of both sensitization and occurrence of DEA 1.1-related HTR following transfusion between dogs of either the same or different Turkish breeds was considerable. Although few dogs are transfused ≥4 days after the first transfusion, we recommend that (1) all donors and recipients be typed for DEA 1.1, (2) DEA 1.1-negative recipients receive only DEA 1.1-negative blood, and (3) blood be cross-matched prior to transfusing any dog ≥4 days after the first transfusion. These guidelines are also applicable to other breeds and countries.

Influence of ram presence (permanent vs. intermittent) on estrus parameters and behaviours in Kivircik ewes.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of type of ram presence (permanent vs. intermittent) on estrus onset, estrus duration and frequency of sexual behaviours in Kivircik ewes. During the breeding season, 20 multiparous Kivircik ewes were divided into two groups of permanent (PR) and intermittent (IR) presence of ram. Estrus was synchronized with fluorgestone acetate intravaginal sponges left for 14 days, plus an injection of 600 IU PMSG at the time of sponge removal. PR ewes introduced with ram immediately after sponge removal and remained with the ram throughout the study (5 days). IR ewes were exposed to ram twice a day, only during the observation periods. Behavioural observations were performed twice a day (at 07:00 a. m. and 07:00 p.m.) for a 2-hour period. Estrus onset was 32.40 +/- 1.60 h for PR group and 27.60 +/- 2.40 h for IR group (p > 0.05). Estrus duration was 15.60 +/- 1.83 h and 34.80 +/- 2.15 h for the same groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Standing was the most frequently displayed behaviour in both groups. IR ewes displayed sexual (p < 0.001), eating (p < 0.001), standing (p < 0.001), walking (p < 0.001), urination (p < 0.001) and defecation (p < 0.05) behaviours much more than the PR ewes. Frequency of each sexual behaviour was higher in IR group compared with PR group throughout the study. Among the proceptive behaviours investigated, head-turning was the most frequently displayed behaviour in both groups. Soliciting, non-firm standing, sniffing scrotum and anogenital sniffing behaviours were also expressed by the ewes considerably. It is concluded that, if the ewes are exposed to ram intermittently, behavioural signs of estrus could be recognized more successfully. Furthermore, the possibility of insemination of estrous ewes becomes much higher by the intermittent presence of ram and thus reproductive performance of the herd could be improved.

Effect of linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS) on non-specific defence mechanisms in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS) is among the most widely disseminated xenobiotics to enter waste streams and the aquatic environment. In the present investigation, we present a novel approach to evaluate in toxicity of LAS. The effects of sublethal levels (0.2 and 0.4 mg/l) of LAS on non-specific immune system, phagocytosis, respiratory burst and lyzosyme activity, and specific growth rate in the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, during a 54-day exposure were examined by a static bioassay test procedure. The phagocytic activity of leukocytes from fish exposed to 0.4 mg/l LAS statistically decreased compared with the control fish values. No significant reductions were observed in the extra-intracellular respiratory burst and lysozyme activities after exposure to LAS at any of the concentrations tested. The final body weight in fish groups exposed to the LAS were found to be significantly lower than in the control. The specific growth rate results also supported the result above. The results of this study showed sublethal doses (0.2-0.4 mg/l) of LAS caused to statistically insignificant suppression of non-specific immune system mechanisms excluding phagocytosis in fish at laboratory conditions. These doses of LAS may produce potential synergism on immune system when presented with other environmental pollutants.