Radiographic diagnosis of small intestinal obstruction in pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus): 63 cases.

OBJECTIVES: To identify radiographic features that can be used to aid in the diagnosis of small intestinal obstruction in pet rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study comparing radiographic features of 63 cases of confirmed intestinal obstruction with 50 abdominal radiographs taken of rabbits without gastrointestinal disease. Abdominal radiographs were examined for gastric size, gastric contents, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum. RESULTS: Gastric size, gastric contents, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum were all features that differed between rabbits with small intestinal obstruction and rabbits without gastrointestinal disease. Radiographic features associated with small intestinal obstruction included severe gastric dilation, gastric contents primarily consisting of liquid and gas, small intestinal dilation and absence of large amounts of gas in the caecum and large intestine. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Observation on gastric size, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum aid in radiological diagnosis of small intestinal obstruction in rabbits and so can guide appropriate treatment.

Giardia duodenalis in primates: Classification and host specificity based on phylogenetic analysis of sequence data.

Giardia duodenalis colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of a wide range of hosts, including humans and other primates. It is grouped into eight different Assemblages and, beyond that, into a number of sub-Assemblages, defined ad hoc on the basis of genetic differences; these various groups are often considered to be associated with a specific restricted host range. The aim of this study was to use publicly available genotyping data to investigate the relatedness of human and non-human primate (NHP) Giardia isolates in order to evaluate the usefulness of current taxonomic classification and to assess whether there is potential for zoonotic transmission between humans and NHP. Our final data set consisted of sequence data from 165 isolates, 111 from NHP and 54 from humans. Assemblages were well defined, but sub-Assemblages across Assemblage B were not resolved. Although sub-Assemblages AI and AII were resolved, the terms were not found to capture any useful molecular or host/deme properties. In the phylogenetic tree, NHP isolates were scattered among human isolates across Assemblages A and B, and were even found in Assemblage E. We conclude that there does not appear to be significant molecular distinction between human and NHP Giardia isolates across these four molecular markers. Thus, on the basis of these markers, we cannot exclude a risk for zoonotic and anthropozoonotic transmission of Assemblages A and B isolates, irrespective of sub-Assemblage classification. We further evaluated the relative merit of the four genes used in genotyping studies. The tpi, gdh and bg genes gave relatively congruent tree topologies, but the SSU gene did not resolve Assemblages according to the current classification. Future genotyping efforts should aim for multilocus or whole-genome approaches and, in particular, use of the SSU gene as the sole marker should be avoided when possible.