Diagnosis and management of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii detected in an oral mass in a pink-tongued skink (Cyclodomorphus gerarrdii).

Cryptococcus is an encapsulated yeast that is found in both yeast and hyphal forms. Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii are the most medically important species, causing disease in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. A large, friable, sublingual mass was surgically resected from the oral cavity of a pink-tongued skink (Cyclodomorphus gerarrdii). Histopathology, fungal culture and PCR testing with Sanger sequencing confirmed granulomatous inflammation containing large numbers of yeasts identified as Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. Surgical excision and treatment with oral amphotericin B and terbinafine was unsuccessful in managing the infection. On Day 67 after surgery, Cryptococcus DNA was detected by PCR in the blood but not oral, cloacal or skin swabs. The skink was euthanised 72 days after surgery due to anorexia, weight loss and progressive neurological signs of disease. Necropsy results showed disseminated cryptococcosis, including meningoencephalitis and ventriculitis. Two in-contact pink-tongued skinks remained asymptomatic and PCR-negative during 198 days of observation. This case suggests Cryptococcus infections should be considered for oral masses presenting with or without neurological signs in skinks. Further investigation is required to determine the best treatment options for disseminated cryptococcosis in reptiles. This report describes the third reported case of Cryptococcus in a reptile and the first case of cryptococcosis in a pink-tongued skink. It is also the first report of Cryptococcus in a reptile identified to the variety level using PCR, including in whole blood samples.

Assessment of the inter-rater agreement of corneal cytology and culture findings in canine ulcerative keratitis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the inter-rater agreement of corneal cytology findings in canine ulcerative keratitis by veterinary surgeons of different training levels and the agreement of corneal cytology with culture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dogs with progressive ulcerative keratitis were prospectively recruited for corneal cytology and culture. Corneal cytology slides were reviewed by veterinary surgeons of different training levels (three general practitioners, three ophthalmologists and three pathologists). The inter-rater agreement of cytology findings and agreement of cytology with culture was assessed using the kappa measure of agreement. RESULTS: The study included 145 corneal cytology samples from 143 dogs (145 eyes) with progressive ulcerative keratitis. Positive cultures were obtained from 81 of 145 (56%) eyes. The most commonly isolated pathogens were Streptococcus canis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. The results demonstrated increased inter-rater agreement of corneal cytology and increased agreement with culture with increased ocular pathology expertise (pathologists > ophthalmologists > general practitioners). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides important information about the diagnostic value of corneal cytology in canine ulcerative keratitis and the most common pathogens involved in such cases in the UK. Based on the results of this study, cytology findings should be interpreted in conjunction with the expertise of the observer. For maximal pathogen identification, both cytology and culture should be considered.

Unilateral facial myokymia in a dog with an intracranial meningioma.

A 23-month-old castrated male Cavalier King Charles spaniel was evaluated because of a 6-month history of unusual rippling/undulating movements of the right facial muscles that were continuous and persisted during sleep. Neurological examination revealed narrowing of the right palpebral fissure and unilateral right-sided facial myokymia that was characterised by myokymic, and to a lesser degree, neuromyotonic discharges on concentric needle electromyographic examination. After persisting unchanged for almost 2.5 years from its onset, the facial myokymia gradually disappeared over a 6-month period concomitant with the emergence of a persistent ipsilateral facial paralysis and head tilt. At 5 years and 9 months after the first examination, signs of ipsilateral lacrimal, pharyngeal and laryngeal dysfunction became evident and the dog was euthanased. Postmortem examination identified a malignant (WHO grade III) meningioma in the right cerebellopontomedullary angle that compressed the ventrolateral cranial medulla, effaced the jugular foramen and internal acoustic meatus and extended into the facial canal of the petrous temporal bone. Novel findings were the unique observation of isolated unilateral facial myokymia preceding diagnosis of a meningioma affecting facial nerve function within the caudal cranial fossa and the remarkably long duration of neurological signs (75 months) attributable to the neoplasm.

Ataxia and paralysis in cats in Australia associated with exposure to an imported gamma-irradiated commercial dry pet food.

Between June 2008 and March 2009, 87 cats in Australia developed symmetrical hindlimb ataxia, paraparesis, tetraparesis, paraplegia or tetraplegia in association with eating an imported, irradiated dry pet food. This communication reports the clinical signs and outcomes of those cats.

The prevalence of feline A/B blood types in the Sydney region.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution of A/B blood types in pedigree and crossbred cats in the Sydney region, and to estimate the associated risk of administering incompatible blood in an unmatched random transfusion. DESIGN: A prospective/retrospective study of blood specimens collected from both sick and healthy cats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood was collected from 355 cats from the Sydney region over a 12-year period from 1992 to 2003. Specimens were obtained from 187 domestic crossbred cats (short and long-haired) and 168 pedigree cats. The blood type of each cat was determined by one of three different laboratories using standard methods that varied over the duration of the survey. RESULTS: The distributions of blood types obtained by the three laboratories were not significantly different. The prevalence of type-A, type-B and type-AB blood types in crossbred cats was 62%, 36% and 1.6%, respectively. This is the highest percentage of type-B cats so far reported for an outbred population of domestic cats, and is significantly higher than the 26% reported previously for cats in the Brisbane region. The calculated frequency for the type-B allele assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for this feline population is 0.60; the corresponding frequency of the type-A allele is thus approximately 0.40. The calculated proportion of random transfusions from this population giving rise to an incompatible blood transfusion is 46%, with half of these being life-threatening events. The calculated proportion of random matings from this population at risk for developing neonatal isoerythrolysis is 23%. The distribution of A and B blood types for pedigree cats was in general agreement with data reported previously for cats in North America and Europe, suggesting that the distribution of blood types in these purebred populations is relatively consistent throughout the world. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of type B cats in the owned domestic and pedigree cat population is so high that blood typing or cross matching prior to transfusion should be mandatory, except in Siamese/Oriental cats.

Redescription of Besnoitia bennetti (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) from the donkey (Equus asinus).

Besnoitia bennetti tissue cysts were found in four naturally-infected donkeys (Equus asinus) from the USA. Infectivity of its bradyzoites and tachyzoites to animals and cell culture was studied. The bradyzoites were not infectious to out-bred Swiss Webster mice, rabbits or gerbils. When fed tissue cysts, cats did not excrete oocysts. However, the parasite was infectious to interferon-gamma gene knock out mice. The parasite from tissues of two donkeys was grown successfully in bovine monocyte monolayers for the first time. Non-dividing, uninucleate tachyzoites were approximately 6 x 1.5 microm in size. Longitudinally-cut bradyzoites in tissue sections measured 8.7 x 1.9 microm. Ultrastructurally, tachyzoites and bradyzoites were similar to those in other Besnoitia species, and in particular to parasites described from cattle (Besnoitia besnoiti) and reindeer (Besnoitia tarandi), in that their bradyzoites lacked enigmatic bodies. Based on comparative analysis of three portions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (the small and large subunits and the first internal transcribed spacer) B. bennetti was found to be more closely related to the other congeners described from ungulates. The parasite was formally redescribed and specimens deposited in the US National Parasite Collections.

Comparison of the effects of Clostridium perfringens type D culture supernates in ligated intestinal loops of goats and sheep.

The effects of Clostridium perfringens type D culture supernates were compared in ligated loops of the small intestine (ileum) and colon of four goat kids and four lambs, the loops being examined histopathologically and electron microscopically 7 h after inoculation. No lesions were observed in the small intestine of any animal, or in control colonic loops. In the caprine and ovine colonic loops treated with culture supernates, most goblet cells were empty and the lumina contained a layer of mucus, polymorphonuclear leucocytes, bacteria and sloughed epithelial cells. The apical cytoplasm of the superficial epithelial cells was lost. Moderate oedema was observed in the submucosa and muscular layer. The colonic lesions were more severe in kids than in lambs. No changes were seen in vascular endothelial cells in any loop. 1999 W.B. Saunders and Company Ltd.