Natural disasters and the rise of zoonotic diseases: A case of post-earthquake disseminated cryptococcosis in a dog.

Cryptococcosis is a systemic zoonotic disease that is challenging to diagnose based on clinical findings in cats and dogs due to the nonspecific nature of its clinical presentation. This case report aims to document the first confirmed case of disseminated cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans in a dog in Turkey and to highlight the potential link between natural disasters such as earthquakes and the emergence of zoonotic diseases in domestic animals. A two-and-a-half-year-old spayed female Cocker Spaniel presented with increased respiratory sounds, skin lesions, facial swelling and enlarged lymph nodes. These symptoms appear to be a complication of Demodex infestation due to the stress experienced by the dog following exposure to a severe earthquake. Diagnostic procedures including cytologic examination, fungal culture and DNA sequence analysis, which confirmed the infection was caused by C. neoformans. Due to the delay in the correct diagnosis of the disease, which, contrary to common data, started as an allergic reaction on the skin and was later diagnosed as a Demodex infestation, the dog died of severe respiratory failure during the treatment with itraconazole. The case highlights the critical role of veterinary emergency and critical care in the diagnosis and management of zoonotic diseases post-natural disasters. It also highlights the need for increased awareness and preparedness among veterinary professionals to address animal health challenges following such events.

The effect of multiple-dose ivermectin treatment on CD4+/CD8+ and the oxidative stress index in goats with udder viral papillomatosis.

This study aims to reveal the therapeutic effect of ivermectin against Capra hircus papillomavirus (ChPV-1) infection and on the CD4+/CD8+ (cluster of differentiation) and oxidative stress index (OSI). Twenty hair goats naturally infected with ChPV-1 were divided into two groups with equal numbers as the ivermectin group and the control groups. Ivermectin was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg to the goats in the ivermectin group on days 0, 7, and 21. Blood samples were collected from the vena jugularis on days 0, 21, 45, and 90. The cluster of differentiation4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly higher in the ivermectin group than in the control group on the 90th day. Furthermore, the CD8+ concentration was significantly decreased in the ivermectin group on the 90th day compared with the control group. Both total oxidant status (TOS) and OSI were found to be significantly higher in the control group on the 21st and 45th days than in the ivermectin group. On the 90th day, it was determined that the lesions in the ivermectin group improved significantly compared to those in the control group. Additionally, only in the ivermectin group was there a significant difference between the 90th day and the other days in terms of healing. As a result, it can be suggested that ivermectin has positive effects on the immune response and that its oxidative actions are of therapeutic value and do not harm the systemic oxidative status, as in untreated goats.

Effects of fish oil on methotrexate-induced reproductive damage in rats.

Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid antagonist that is commonly used in paediatric and adult oncology to treat a variety of malignancies. Internal organs, including the testis, are severely cytotoxic and genotoxic to MTX. Omega-3, as an antioxidant, has been shown to protect rat testis tissue from injury. The effect of fish oil (FO) on MTX-induced reproductive damage in rats was investigated in this work. The 28 animals were divided into four groups for this purpose (control, FO, MTX, and MTX-FO). On the third day, the MTX group received a single intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg MTX. Furthermore, in the FO and MTX-FO groups, FO was delivered through gavage once daily for 14 days. All animals euthanized under general anaesthesia on the 15th day. TBARS, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase levels were measured biochemically. The Cosentino grading system was utilized for histology. Germ cell thickness and caspase-3 activity were also evaluated. In addition, sperm motility rate, epididymal sperm count, aberrant sperm rate, and sperm vitality were measured to assess sperm quality. Some TBARS levels have increased, but GSH levels decreased significantly in the MTX group. FO reduced TBARS levels while considerably increasing GSH levels. All sperm quality measures were significantly lowered in the MTX group, while FO had a recovery effect. There were no notable variations in histopathology across groups except for germ cell thickness, which reduced considerably in the MTX group and recovered with FO treatment. As a result, FO has been shown to reduce testicular toxicity following MTX treatment in rats.