Effect of systemic inflammatory response syndrome on thrombocytogram, acute phase proteins, electrolytes, acid-base indices and cytokine expression in naturally canine parvovirus infected dogs.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in canine parvoviral enteritis (CPVE) is associated with high mortality in young puppies. Changes in acute phase response, thrombocytogram, inflammatory cytokine profiles, and disturbances in electrolyte and acid-base homeostasis are thought to have a significant impact on the development of SIRS. However, the mechanisms causing these perturbations have not been well described in CPVE puppies, especially with SIRS. The purpose of this study was to assess the changes of electrolytes, acid-base indices using strong ion model, acute phase proteins and thrombocytogram in blood and expressions of inflammatory cytokines in blood mononuclear cells of CPVE puppies with or without SIRS at admission. Additionally, the positive predictive value (PPV) and cut-off value with specificity and sensitivity of the biomarkers were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to predict the development of SIRS in CPVE puppies at admission. A case-controlled, prospective and observational study was conducted on fifteen SIRS-positive CPVE, twenty-one SIRS-negative CPVE and six healthy puppies. Our data showed marked hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypoalbuminemia and hypoproteinemia, decreased ATot-albumin and ATot-total protein and increased mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and up-regulation of TNF-α, IL-8 and IL-10 expressions in SIRS-positive CPVE puppies as compared to SIRS-negative CPVE puppies at admission. Based on sensitivity, specificity and AUC from ROC curve analysis and PPV, the CRP concentration in serum at a cut-off value of 141.9 mg/L and TLC of blood at a cut-off value of 3.355 × 103/µL were identified as potential prognostic biomarkers followed by ATot-total protein and total protein at a cut-off value of 11.80 and 4.72 g/dL, respectively to predict the development of SIRS in CPVE puppies at admission. In conclusion, the findings of the current study will help the canine practitioners to institute the time-sensitive and need based interventions to disrupt progression along the continuum of shock and multi-organ dysfunction syndrome in CPVE puppies that develop SIRS at admission.

Ovarian Cysts in the Bitch: An Update.

Functional ovarian cysts occur as solitary or multiple fluid-filled structures of variable size that are unilateral or bilateral in the bitches of age 6-8 years. Though the pathogenesis is obscure, insufficient LH surge, intrafollicular changes in gonadotrophin receptors and growth factors are the possible reasons behind the occurrence of hormonally active ovarian cysts that predisposes the bitch to the development of cystic endometrial hyperplasia-pyometra complex and occasionally hyper estrogenism. In the presence of suggestive signs, ultrasonography is the practical imaging modality for the clinical diagnosis that can be confirmed by assay of ovarian steroids and histopathology. Medical management with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues and human chorionic gonadotrophin is not preferred as they are not always successful. As uterine pathologies are highly likely by the time of diagnosis, ovariohysterectomy is the treatment of choice for the follicular and luteal cysts. Understanding the cellular and molecular changes in the hypothalamo-hypophyseal ovarian axis will improve our understanding on the canine ovarian cysts.

Antimicrobial Activity of Agarwood Oil Against Multiple-Drug-Resistant (MDR) Microbes of Clinical, Food and Environmental Origin.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Multiple-Drug-Resistance (MDR) among bacteria is an imminent problem and alternative therapies are seen as a future abode. Agarwood Oil (AO) is described to possess antimicrobial activity besides many other medicinal utilities. This paper discusses the antimicrobial activity of AO on MDR and non-MDR strains of microbes of 69 genera isolated from clinical and non-clinical samples. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study sensitivity of microbes was determined for conventional antimicrobials and AO using disc diffusion assay followed by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using agar well dilution assay. A total of 18.5% (522) strains were found sensitive to AO. Carbapenem resistant bacterial strains were more often (p, ≤0.01) resistant to antibiotics with 4.2 times more odds (99% CI, 2.99-5.90) of being MDR than carbapenem sensitive strains but no difference in their AO sensitivity was observed. However, MDR strains were more often (p, <0.001) resistant to AO than non-MDR strains. Bacteria isolated from dogs were more often sensitive to AO than those from buffaloes, human, horse, and cattle. On the other hand, bacteria from pigs were more often (p, ≤0.05) resistant to AO than bacteria from human, cattle, buffaloes, dogs, wild carnivores and birds. Oxidase positive Gram positive bacteria had 4.29 (95% CI, 2.94-6.27) times more odds to be AO sensitive than oxidase negative Gram negative bacteria. Bacillus species strains were the most sensitive bacteria to AO followed by strains of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. The MIC of AO for different bacteria ranged from 0.01 mg/mL to > 2.56 mg/mL. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that MDR and AO resistance had a similar trend and AO may not be seen as a good antimicrobial agent against MDR strains.

Analysis of structure-function relationship in porcine rotavirus A enterotoxin gene.

Rotavirus (RV)-infected piglets are presumed to be latent sources of heterologous RV infection in humans and other animals. In RVs, non-structural protein 4 (NSP4) is the major virulence factor with pleiotropic properties. In this study, we analyzed the nsp4 gene from porcine RVs isolated from diarrheic and non-diarrheic cases at different levels of protein folding to explore correlations to diarrhea-inducing capabilities and evolution of nsp4 in the porcine population. Full-length nsp4 genes were amplified, cloned, sequenced, and then analyzed for antigenic epitopes, RotaC classification, homology, genetic relationship, modeling of NSP4 protein, and prediction of post-translational modification. RV presence was observed in both diarrheic and non-diarrheic piglets. All nsp4 genes possessed the E1 genotype. Comparison of primary, secondary, and tertiary structure and the prediction of post-translational modifications of NSP4 from diarrheic and non-diarrheic piglets revealed no apparent differences. Sequence analysis indicated that nsp4 genes have a multi-phyletic evolutionary origin and exhibit species independent genetic diversity. The results emphasize the evolution of the E9 nsp4 genotype from the E1 genotype and suggest that the diarrhea-inducing capability of porcine RVs may not be exclusively linked to its enterotoxin gene.

Evaluation of organ function and oxidant/antioxidant status in goats with sarcoptic mange.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the hemato-biochemical changes and status of oxidative stress in goats with scabies infection. The study was conducted on 12 Jamunapari goats; six clinically infected with scabies (group I) and six healthy goats as control (group II). The examination of skin scraping revealed the presence of Sarcoptes scabiei in the infected group. In hemato-biochemical indicators, hemoglobin%, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte count, albumin and albumin: globulin ratio decreased whereas, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen increased significantly (p<0.05) in group I animals as compared to group II healthy goats. Among the oxidative stress indices, plasma nitrate and erythrocytic lipid peroxidation were increased and reduced glutathione levels decreased significantly (p<0.05) in group I goats as compared to group II healthy goats. The results of the present study suggest that scabies infection alters the hemato-biochemical indicators, increases oxidative stress and decreases antioxidant status in goat.