Coccidioidomycosis in 26 horses in California, USA: case series and review of the literature.

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease caused by Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii. We searched the records of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory from 1990 through 2020 for cases of coccidioidomycosis in horses. The selection criteria for these cases were: 1) live-born horses submitted for autopsy, and 2) a diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis was established, regardless of cause of death. During that time, 19,054 horses were received, and 26 cases (0.14%) of coccidioidomycosis were diagnosed in horses, of which 19 (73%) cases had pneumonia and/or pleuritis with or without lesions in other organs, and 7 (27%) cases had lesions only in organs other than the lungs (nasal mucosa, spleen, thoracic lymph nodes, heart, pericardial sac, liver, kidney, mediastinum, and/or mesentery). Pneumonia was diagnosed as the cause of death in 1,838 (9.64%) of the horses received; Coccidioides spp. was the cause of pneumonia in 19 (1.0%) of these animals. Horses have been reported to have low susceptibility to coccidioidomycosis, and the severity and chronicity of the disease can be variable. Lesions in our cases consisted of multifocal-to-coalescing pyogranulomas with intralesional fungal spherules. Coccidioidomycosis must be considered a differential diagnosis in cases of persistent cough, chronic weight loss, fever, and cases with a travel history to, or living in, a region considered endemic for coccidioidomycosis. Coccidioides spp. infection should also be considered when pyogranulomatous inflammation is found within lung, spleen, nasal mucosa, and lymph nodes of horses.

Pathology of cryptosporidiosis in raccoons: case series and retrospective analysis, 1990-2019.

Cryptosporidiosis is an intestinal protozoal disease of public health importance caused by Cryptosporidium spp. Despite the high synanthropism of raccoons, studies describing the pathology of Cryptosporidium spp. infections in this species are lacking. Therefore, we characterized the pathology of cryptosporidiosis in 2 juvenile raccoons. In addition, we conducted a retrospective search of the database of the California Animal Health and Food Safety laboratory for 1990-2019 and found 6 additional cases of cryptosporidiosis in raccoons. Sequencing of cryptosporidia was performed in one autopsied raccoon, and PCR on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues in archived cases. The Cryptosporidium skunk genotype (CSkG), a strain of zoonotic relevance, was detected in 6 of 8 cases (75%). Frequently, cryptosporidiosis was associated with enteritis, eosinophilic infiltrates, villus atrophy or blunting and/or fusion, and crypt abscesses or necrosis. In 7 of the 8 cases, there was confirmed concurrent coinfection with canine distemper virus; 1 case was coinfected with canine parvovirus. Although crypt necrosis is considered a classic lesion of canine parvoviral infection in mesocarnivores and not a hallmark of cryptosporidiosis, results suggest that canine distemper virus is capable of mimicking such lesions in combination with cryptosporidia and immunosuppression.

Immunohistochemical analysis of pigment cell tumors in two cyprinid species.

Pigment cell tumors, also known as chromatophoromas, are cutaneous spindle cell neoplasms originating from pigment cells (chromatophores) in the dermis of teleosts, amphibians, and reptiles. Chromatophoromas share similar histologic morphology to other spindle cell tumors and are not always pigmented. Therefore, immunohistochemical analysis may be useful in distinguishing these neoplasms from tumors of other cellular origin when poorly pigmented. We performed 3 immunohistochemistry assays (PNL-2, melan A, and SOX10) on 8 cutaneous neoplasms from 8 teleosts diagnosed as chromatophoromas based on histologic morphology. Semiquantitative analysis of immunoreactivity was evaluated on each immunohistochemical assay using a 0-3 scale. PNL-2 exhibited mild-to-moderate (1 or 2) immunoreactivity in 7 of the cases, and resident chromatophores (internal control) were also immunoreactive in these cases. Melan A exhibited mild-to-moderate (1 or 2) immunoreactivity in 4 cases (and with resident chromatophores in these cases); SOX10 was not immunoreactive in any cases. Our results indicate that PNL-2 may be a useful marker in teleosts to distinguish tumors of chromatophore origin. Melan A could also be useful, but appears to be less sensitive, and SOX10 is likely not a useful marker for these neoplasms in teleosts.

ASPIRATION PNEUMONIA IN TWO TIBETAN YAK BULLS ( BOS GRUNNIENS) AS A COMPLICATION OF KETAMINE-XYLAZINE-BUTORPHANOL ANESTHESIA FOR RECUMBENT CASTRATION.

Among members of the genus Bos, aspiration pneumonia has been described in domestic cattle ( Bos taurus and Bos indicus). In these species, aspiration pneumonia is most commonly a sequelae to oral administration of fluids or medications, as well as aspiration during procedures under anesthesia. Management of aspiration pneumonia secondary to complications from anesthesia for short duration surgical procedures is minimally reported in the Tibetan yak ( Bos grunniens). Although regurgitation under anesthesia has been reported in the yak, there are no reports of aspiration pneumonia treatment. This case report describes the diagnosis and management of aspiration pneumonia in two Tibetan yaks undergoing castration under injectable ketamine-xylazine-butorphanol anesthesia. This case report also describes the gross and pathologic characteristics of anesthesia-induced aspiration pneumonia in one Tibetan yak, as well as successful treatment in another.

CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS VAR. GRUBII-ASSOCIATED RENAL AMYLOIDOSIS CAUSING PROTEIN-LOSING NEPHROPATHY IN A RED KANGAROO (MACROPUS RUFUS).

A 10-year-old male castrated red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) presented with mandibular swelling. Examination findings included pitting edema with no dental disease evident on examination or radiographs. The results of blood work were moderate azotemia, hypoalbuminemia, and severely elevated urine protein:creatinine ratio (9.9). Radiographs showed an interstitial pattern of the caudal right lung, and an abdominal ultrasound demonstrated scant effusion. Symptomatic and empirical therapy with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor did not resolve clinical signs. Due to poor prognosis and declining quality of life, euthanasia was elected. Necropsy revealed chronic granulomatous pneumonia of the caudal right lung lobe with intralesional Cryptococcus, identified as C. neoformans var. grubii by DNA sequencing. Severe bilateral glomerular and tubulointerstitial amyloidosis induced protein-losing nephropathy, leading to tri-cavitary effusion, subcutaneous edema, and cachexia. The authors speculate that renal amyloidosis was associated with chronic cryptococcal pneumonia in this red kangaroo.

Diversity of Veronaea botryosa from different hosts and evaluation of laboratory challenge models for phaeohyphomycosis in Acipenser transmontanus.

Veronaea botryosa has been identified as a pathogen of cultured white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus. In 2015, samples from 19 white sturgeon were received for diagnosis, of which 14 cultured positive for V. botryosa. Intraspecific variability among V. botryosa isolates from different clinically affected hosts and geographic regions was investigated using repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR fingerprinting (rep-PCR). The rep-PCR profiles of 16 V. botryosa isolates from a human, sea turtles, and cultured fish were distinct from those of other phaeoid fungi belonging to the genera Cladophialophora and Exophiala. To gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of V. botryosa mycosis, 5 laboratory challenge methods were evaluated in white sturgeon fingerlings. Intramuscular (IM) and intracoelomic (IC) injection challenges produced cumulative mortalities of 13.3% (8/60) and 3.3% (2/60), respectively, and V. botryosa was recovered from 100% (10/10) of dead fingerlings. Affected fish exhibited abnormal orientation and/or failure to maintain neutral buoyancy, emaciation, coelomic distension, exophthalmos, cutaneous erythema, and ulcerated skin. After 6 wk, surviving fish were euthanized, and samples of liver were taken for mycological evaluation. Viable fungus was detected in 90% and 100% of fish surviving IM and IC challenge, respectively. No V. botryosa-associated mortality was detected in other groups challenged by immersion, immersion with abrasion, or orally. Both IM and IC challenge routes appear suitable for the induction of V. botryosa infection in white sturgeon and can serve as models for the study of disease pathogenesis associated with this emergent pathogen.

Stereological study of pyramidal neurons in the human superior temporal gyrus from childhood to adulthood.

The association cortex of the superior temporal gyrus (STG) is implicated in complex social and linguistic functions. Thus, reliable methods for quantifying cellular variation in this region could greatly benefit researchers interested in addressing the cellular correlates of typical and atypical function associated with these critical cognitive abilities. To facilitate this task, we first present a general set of cytoarchitectonic criteria targeted specifically toward stereological analyses of thick, Nissl-stained sections for the homotypical cortex of the STG, referred to here as BA22/TA. Second, we use the optical fractionator to estimate pyramidal neuron number and the nucleator for pyramidal somal and nuclear volume. We also investigated the influence of age and sex on these parameters, as well as set a typically developing baseline for future comparisons. In 11 typically developing cases aged 4-48 years, the most distinguishing features of BA22/TA were the presence of distinct granular layers, a prominent, jagged layer IIIc, and a distinctly staining VIa. The average number of neurons was 91 ± 15 million, the volume of pyramidal soma 1,512 µm(3) , and the nuclear volume 348 µm(3) . We found no correlation with age and neuron number. In contrast, pyramidal somal and nuclear volume were both negatively correlated and linearly associated with age in regression analyses. We found no significant sex differences. Overall, the data support the idea that postnatal neuron numbers are relatively stable through development but also suggest that neuronal volume may be subject to important developmental variation. Both measures are critical variables in the study of developmental neuropathology.