Secondary zoonotic dog-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 suggested by timeline but refuted by viral genome sequencing.

PURPOSE: The risk of secondary zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from pet animals remains unclear. Here, we report on a 44 year old Caucasian male presenting to our clinic with COVID-19 pneumonia, who reported that his dog displayed respiratory signs shortly prior to his infection. The dog tested real-time-PCR (RT-PCR) positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the timeline of events suggested a transmission from the dog to the patient. METHODS: RT-PCR and serological assays were used to confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection in the nasopharyngeal tract in the dog and the patient. We performed SARS-CoV-2-targeted amplicon-based next generation sequencing of respiratory samples from the dog and patient for sequence comparisons. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 infection of the dog was confirmed by three independent PCR-positive pharyngeal swabs and subsequent seroconversion. Sequence analysis identified two separate SARS-CoV-2 lineages in the canine and the patient's respiratory samples. The timeline strongly suggested dog-to-human transmission, yet due to the genetic distance of the canine and the patient's samples paired-transmission was highly unlikely. CONCLUSION: The results of this case support current knowledge about the low risk of secondary zoonotic dog-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV-2 and emphasizes the strength of genomic sequencing in deciphering viral transmission chains.

Clinical Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Hospitalized Children Aged ≤5 Years (INSPIRE Study).

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of hospitalizations in children (≤5 years of age); limited data compare burden by age. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included children (≤5 years of age) hospitalized for >24 hours with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed RSV infection (2015-2018). Hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, ICU LOS, supplemental oxygen, and medication use were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified predictors of hospital LOS >5 days. RESULTS: Three hundred twelve patients had RSV infection (ages 0 to <6 months [35%], 6 to <12 months [15%], 1 to <2 years [25%], and 2-5 years [25%]); 16.3% had predefined comorbidities (excludes preterm infants). Median hospital LOS was 5.0 days and similar across age; 5.1% (16/312) were admitted to ICU (ICU LOS, 5.0 days), with those aged 0 to <6 months admitted most frequently (10/108 [9.3%]). Supplemental oxygen was administered in 57.7% of patients, with similar need across ages. Antibiotics were administered frequently during hospitalization (43.6%). Predictors of prolonged LOS included pneumonia (odds ratio [OR], 2.33), supplemental oxygen need (OR, 5.09), and preterm births (OR, 3.37). High viral load (RT-PCR RSV cycle threshold value <25) was associated with greater need for supplemental oxygen. CONCLUSIONS: RSV causes substantial burden in hospitalized children (≤5 years), particularly preterm infants and those aged <6 months.

One Health: EAACI Position Paper on coronaviruses at the human-animal interface, with a specific focus on comparative and zoonotic aspects of SARS-CoV-2.

The latest outbreak of a coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), evolved into a worldwide pandemic with massive effects on health, quality of life, and economy. Given the short period of time since the outbreak, there are several knowledge gaps on the comparative and zoonotic aspects of this new virus. Within the One Health concept, the current EAACI position paper dwells into the current knowledge on SARS-CoV-2's receptors, symptoms, transmission routes for human and animals living in close vicinity to each other, usefulness of animal models to study this disease and management options to avoid intra- and interspecies transmission. Similar pandemics might appear unexpectedly and more frequently in the near future due to climate change, consumption of exotic foods and drinks, globe-trotter travel possibilities, the growing world population, the decreasing production space, declining room for wildlife and free-ranging animals, and the changed lifestyle including living very close to animals. Therefore, both the society and the health authorities need to be aware and well prepared for similar future situations, and research needs to focus on prevention and fast development of treatment options (medications, vaccines).

Leptospira infection and shedding in dogs in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis and has been recognized as a re-emerging infectious disease in humans and dogs, but prevalence of Leptospira shedding in dogs in Thailand is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine urinary shedding of Leptospira in dogs in Thailand, to evaluate antibody prevalence by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and to assess risk factors for Leptospira infection. In Northern, Northeastern, and Central Thailand, 273 stray (n = 119) or client-owned (n = 154) dogs from rural (n = 139) or urban (n = 134) areas were randomly included. Dogs that had received antibiotics within 4 weeks prior to sampling were excluded. No dog had received vaccination against Leptospira. Urine was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specific for lipL32 gene of pathogenic Leptospira. Additionally, urine was cultured for 6 months in Ellinghausen-McCullough-Johnson-Harris (EMJH) medium. Antibodies were measured by ELISA and MAT against 24 serovars belonging to 15 serogroups and 1 undesignated serogroup. Risk factor analysis was performed with backwards stepwise selection based on Wald. RESULTS: Twelve of 273 (4.4%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.0-6.8%) urine samples were PCR-positive. In 1/273 dogs (0.4%; 95% CI: 0.01-1.1%) Leptospira could be cultured from urine. MAT detected antibodies in 33/273 dogs (12.1%; 95% CI: 8.2-16.0%) against 19 different serovars (Anhoa, Australis, Ballum, Bataviae, Bratislava, Broomi, Canicola, Copenhageni, Coxi, Grippotyphosa, Haemolytica, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Khorat, Paidjan, Patoc, Pyrogenes, Rachmati, Saxkoebing, Sejroe). In 111/252 dogs (44.0%; 95% CI: 37.9-50.2%) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and/or immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies were found by ELISA. Female dogs had a significantly higher risk for Leptospira infection (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Leptospira shedding occurs in randomly sampled dogs in Thailand, with infection rates comparable to those of Europe and the USA. Therefore, the potential zoonotic risk should not be underestimated and use of Leptospira vaccines are recommended.

Utility of an immunocytochemical assay using aqueous humor in the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis.

OBJECTIVE: In cats suffering from feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) without effusion, antemortem diagnosis is challenging. Uveitis is common in these cats. It was the aim of this study to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of an immunocytochemical assay (ICC) in aqueous humor of cats suspected of having FIP. ANIMALS STUDIED: The study included 26 cats with immunohistochemically confirmed FIP and 12 control cats for which FIP was suspected due to similar clinical or laboratory changes, but which suffered from other diseases confirmed via histopathology. PROCEDURES: All aqueous humor samples were collected postmortem by paracentesis. ICC was carried out as avidin-biotin complex method. Sensitivity, specificity, and the overall accuracy including 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. RESULTS: Immunocytochemistry was positive in 16 of 25 cats with FIP and 2 of 11 control cats (one cat with lymphoma, one with pulmonary adenocarcinoma). Aqueous humor samples of one cat with FIP and of one control cat were excluded from statistical analysis. Sensitivity was 64.0% (95% CI: 42.5-82.0); specificity 81.8% (95% CI: 48.2-97.7); and overall accuracy 69.4% (95% CI: 51.9-83.7). CONCLUSIONS: As false-positive results occurred and specificity is most important in the diagnosis of FIP, the diagnostic utility of ICC in aqueous humor is limited. Further studies are required to clarify the origin of false-positive ICC results.

Risk factors of different hemoplasma species infections in cats.

BACKGROUND: Hemoplasma species (spp.) commonly cause infections in cats worldwide. However, data on risk factors for infections are limited. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hemoplasma spp. infections in cats in Southern Germany and to assess risk factors associated with infection. RESULTS: DNA was extracted from blood samples of 479 cats presented to different veterinary hospitals for various reasons. DNA of feline hemoplasmas was amplified by use of a previously reported PCR assay. Direct sequencing was used to confirm all purified amplicons and compared to hemoplasma sequences reported in GenBank. Results were evaluated in relation to the age, sex, housing conditions, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) status of the cats. The overall hemoplasma prevalence rate was 9.4% (45/479; 95% CI: 7.08-12.36). 'Candidatus Mycoplasma (M.) haemominutum' (Mhm) DNA was amplified from 42 samples, M. haemofelis from 2, and M. haemocanis from 1 sample. There was a significantly higher risk of hemoplasma infection in cats from multi-cat households, in outdoor cats, as well as in cats with FIVinfection and in cats with abortive FeLV infection, but not in cats with progressive or regressive FeLV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Mhm infection is common in cats in Southern Germany. Higher prevalence in multi-cat households and associations with FeLV infection likely reflect the potential for direct transmission amongst cats. Outdoor access, male gender, and FIV infection are additional risk factors that might relate to aggressive interactions and exposure to vectors.

Sensitivity and specificity of a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction detecting feline coronavirus mutations in effusion and serum/plasma of cats to diagnose feline infectious peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: Feline coronavirus (FCoV) exists as two pathotypes, and FCoV spike gene mutations are considered responsible for the pathotypic switch in feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) specifically designed to detect FCoV spike gene mutations at two nucleotide positions. It was hypothesized that this test would correctly discriminate feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) and feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). METHODS: The study included 63 cats with signs consistent with FIP. FIP was confirmed in 38 cats. Twenty-five control cats were definitively diagnosed with a disease other than FIP. Effusion and/or serum/plasma samples were examined by real-time RT-PCR targeting the two FCoV spike gene fusion peptide mutations M1058 L and S1060A using an allelic discrimination approach. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values including 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. RESULTS: FIPV was detected in the effusion of 25/59 cats, one of them being a control cat with chronic kidney disease. A mixed population of FIPV/FECV was detected in the effusion of 2/59 cats; all of them had FIP. RT-PCR was negative or the pathotype could not be determined in 34/59 effusion samples. In effusion, sensitivity was 68.6% (95% CI 50.7-83.2), specificity was 95.8% (95% CI 78.9-99.9). No serum/plasma samples were positive for FIPV. CONCLUSIONS: Although specificity of the test in effusions was high, one false positive result occurred. The use of serum/plasma cannot be recommended due to a low viral load in blood.

Patient's and physician's awareness of kidney disease in coronary heart disease patients - a cross-sectional analysis of the German subset of the EUROASPIRE IV survey.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common comorbid condition in coronary heart disease (CHD). CKD predisposes the patient to acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalization. Data on awareness of kidney dysfunction among CHD patients and their treating physicians are lacking. In the current cross-sectional analysis of the German EUROASPIRE IV sample we aimed to investigate the physician's awareness of kidney disease of patients hospitalized for CHD and also the patient's awareness of CKD in a study visit following hospital discharge. METHODS: All serum creatinine (SCr) values measured during the hospital stay were used to describe impaired kidney function (eGFRCKD-EPI < 60 ml/min/1.73m2) at admission, discharge and episodes of AKI (KDIGO definition). Information extracted from hospital discharge letters and correct ICD coding for kidney disease was studied as a surrogate of physician's awareness of kidney disease. All patients were interrogated 0.5 to 3 years after hospital discharge, whether they had ever been told about kidney disease by a physician. RESULTS: Of the 536 patients, 32% had evidence for acute or chronic kidney disease during the index hospital stay. Either condition was mentioned in the discharge letter in 22%, and 72% were correctly coded according to ICD-10. At the study visit in the outpatient setting 35% had impaired kidney function. Of 158 patients with kidney disease, 54 (34%) were aware of CKD. Determinants of patient's awareness were severity of CKD (OReGFR 0.94; 95%CI 0.92-0.96), obesity (OR 1.97; 1.07-3.64), history of heart failure (OR 1.99; 1.00-3.97), and mentioning of kidney disease in the index event's hospital discharge letter (OR 5.51; 2.35-12.9). CONCLUSIONS: Although CKD is frequent in CHD, only one third of patients is aware of this condition. Patient's awareness was associated with kidney disease being mentioned in the hospital discharge letter. Future studies should examine how raising physician's awareness for kidney dysfunction may improve patient's awareness of CKD.

[Overview on utility of in-house tests for detection of systemic infectious diseases in dogs]. / Übersicht über Einsatzmöglichkeiten von In-house-Tests zum Nachweis von systemischen Infektionskrankheiten beim Hund.

For detection of infectious diseases, several point-of-care (POC) tests are on the market in addition to methods performed in commercial laboratories. These POC tests are based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or other immunochromatographic technologies and present results within few minutes in veterinary practice. This article gives an overview of the utility of numerous POC tests of different manufacturers for detection of parvovirus antigen in feces, Dirofilaria (D.) immitis antigen in blood as well as antibodies against Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi, Anaplasma (A.) spp., Ehrlichia (E.) spp., Leptospira (L.) spp. and Leishmania (L.) infantum in blood (single or in different combinations). Sensitivity and specificity of these tests are important for their usefulness in veterinary practice. Furthermore, presence of antibodies or detection of antigen has to correlate with the presence of clinical signs. POC tests for detection of canine parvovirus antigen have a very high specificity, the sensitivity of all evaluated POC tests, however, is very low. POC tests for detection of D. immitis antigen have a very high sensitivity and specificity. As they detect antigen from the uterus of female adult parasites, test results are negative when only very few female or only male adults are present. POC tests for detection of antibodies against B. burgdorferi only indicate contact with Borrelia spp. and do not prove clinical Lyme disease, as the infection only extremely rarely causes clinical signs. POC tests for detection of antibodies against A. phagocytophilum are also not suitable for diagnosis of clinical anaplasmosis. Infections with A. phagocytophilum only lead to clinical disease in very rare cases and in these, clinical signs occur before the development of antibodies. POC tests for detection of antibodies against E. canis have a very high sensitivity as well as specificity. POC tests for detection of antibodies against L. infantum and Leptospira species (spp.) show a very high specificity and a high sensitivity. However, Leptospira spp. antibody-positive results may occur following vaccination, as the POC tests cannot distinguish between field and vaccination strains.

Supportive Treatment of a Dog with Leishmaniosis and Severe Glomerulopathy with Immunoadsorption.

A three-year-old, intact female mix-breed dog, weighing 30 kg, was presented due to vomitus and diarrhea. At presentation, the patient had a slightly reduced general condition and moderately enlarged mandibular and popliteal lymph nodes. The initial blood work showed severe azotemia and hypoalbuminemia. In the urinalysis, marked proteinuria with a urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPC) of 4.69 was found. Further workup showed a high leishmania antibody titer. The dog was diagnosed with leishmaniosis and glomerulonephritis. Initial treatment consisted of intravenous fluid therapy, allopurinol, miltefosine, amlodipine, clopidogrel, and a diet with a low purine content. Creatinine temporarily decreased but increased again after three days. For further supportive treatment, intermittent hemodialysis in combination with hemoperfusion with the cytosorb® adsorber was performed. A total blood volume of 17.7 L was processed within three hours. Thereafter, immunoadsorption (IA) was performed with the COM.TEC® and ADAsorb® platforms and a LIGASORB® adsorber to eliminate circulating immunocomplexes. Treatment time for IA was two hours with a blood flow of 50 mL/min. A total plasma volume of 2.4 L was processed. Over the following days, creatinine declined, and the patient improved significantly. UPC decreased to 1.74 on day 17 after IA. The patient was discharged after two and a half weeks. Two years after the initial event, the patient is still in excellent condition, with creatinine, UPC, and albumin levels in the reference range. Therefore, IA might be an additional therapeutic option for dogs with leishmaniosis-induced glomerulonephritis and subsequent severe azotemia to improve immunocomplex-mediated glomerulonephritis.

Anti-rabies humoral immune response in cats after concurrent vs separate vaccination against rabies and feline leukaemia virus using canarypox-vectored vaccines.

OBJECTIVES: Some expert groups recommend that cats should be vaccinated with non-adjuvanted feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and rabies vector vaccines, which, in the European Union, are currently not licensed for concurrent use and have to be administered at least 14 days apart (different from the USA) and thus at separate visits, which is associated with more stress for cats and owners. The aim of this study was to assess the anti-rabies antibody response in cats after vaccination against rabies and FeLV at concurrent vs separate (4 weeks apart) visits using two canarypox-vectored vaccines (Purevax Rabies and Purevax FeLV; Boehringer Ingelheim) and to evaluate the occurrence of vaccine-associated adverse events (VAAEs). METHODS: Healthy FeLV antigen-negative client-owned kittens (n = 106) were prospectively included in this randomised study. All kittens received primary vaccinations against rabies (week 0) and FeLV (weeks 4 and 8). After 1 year, the study group (n = 52) received booster vaccinations against rabies and FeLV concurrently at the same visit (weeks 50-52). The control group (n = 54) received booster vaccinations against rabies (weeks 50-52) and FeLV (weeks 54-56) separately. Anti-rabies virus antibodies (anti-RAV Ab) were determined by fluorescent antibody virus neutralisation assay at weeks 4, 50-52 and 54-56, and compared between both groups using a Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: Four weeks after the first rabies vaccination, 87/106 (82.1%) kittens had a titre ⩾0.5 IU/ml and 19/106 (17.9%) had a titre <0.5 IU/ml. Four weeks after the 1-year rabies booster, all cats had adequate anti-RAV Ab according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (⩾0.5 IU/ml), and the titres of the study group (median = 14.30 IU/ml) and the control group (median = 21.39 IU/ml) did not differ significantly (P = 0.141). VAAEs were observed in 7/106 (6.6%) cats. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Concurrent administration of Purevax FeLV and Purevax Rabies vector vaccines at the 1-year booster does not interfere with the development of anti-RAV Ab or cause more adverse effects and thus represents a better option than separate vaccination visits for cats and owners.

The Effect of Metronidazole versus a Synbiotic on Clinical Course and Core Intestinal Microbiota in Dogs with Acute Diarrhea.

The usefulness of antibiotics in dogs with acute diarrhea (AD) is controversial. It is also unclear what effect metronidazole has on potential enteropathogens such as Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of metronidazole vs. a synbiotic on the clinical course and core intestinal bacteria of dogs with AD. Twenty-seven dogs with AD were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, blinded clinical trial and treated with either metronidazole (METg) or a synbiotic (SYNg; E. faecium DSM 10663; NCIMB 10415/4b170). The Canine Acute Diarrhea Severity (CADS) index was recorded daily for eleven days. Bacteria were quantified using qPCR. Data were analyzed using mixed models with repeated measures. A higher concentration of E. coli was observed in the METg group vs. the SYNg group on Day 6 (p < 0.0001) and Day 30 (p = 0.01). Metronidazole had no effect on C. perfringens. C. hiranonis was significantly lower in the METg group than in the SYNg group on Days 6 and 30 (p < 0.0001; p = 0.0015). No significant differences were observed in CADS index, fecal consistency, or defecation frequency between treatment groups (except for the CADS index on one single day). In conclusion, metronidazole negatively impacts the microbiome without affecting clinical outcomes. Thus, synbiotics might be a preferred treatment option for dogs with AD.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection associated with strong inflammatory response in 3 cats.

Anaplasmosis is a vector-borne disease caused by Anaplasma (A.) spp. which currently is still rarely diagnosed in cats. This article describes 3 independent cases of anaplasmosis in cats from different regions of Germany presented to veterinarians in 2021. All cats showed unspecific clinical signs, such as fever, reduced general condition, and decreased appetite. One cat additionally had generalized limb pain, another showed reluctance to move as well as vomiting. On complete blood cell count, only 1 of 3 cats showed mild thrombocytopenia. A. phagocytophilum was detected in blood samples of all 3 cats by polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, in 2 cats (in which blood smears were evaluated) morulae could be detected within neutrophilic granulocytes. Initially, all 3 cats had highly elevated serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations. Treatment with doxycycline caused a rapid improvement of clinical signs, followed by a decrease of SAA concentrations to normal levels as well as negative PCR results after a treatment duration of at least 28 days. In cats with fever, otherwise unspecific clinical signs with only mild or no hematological changes, elevated SAA concentrations, and previous exposure to ticks, attending veterinarians should consider anaplasmosis as differential diagnosis.

Characterizing the blood microbiota in healthy and febrile domestic cats via 16s rRNA sequencing.

This study aimed to evaluate the blood bacterial microbiota in healthy and febrile cats. High-quality sequencing reads from the 16S rRNA gene variable region V3-V4 were obtained from genomic blood DNA belonging to 145 healthy cats, and 140 febrile cats. Comparisons between the blood microbiota of healthy and febrile cats revealed dominant presence of Actinobacteria, followed by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, and a lower relative abundance of Bacteroidetes. Upon lower taxonomic levels, the bacterial composition was significantly different between healthy and febrile cats. The families Faecalibacterium and Kineothrix (Firmicutes), and Phyllobacterium (Proteobacteria) experienced increased abundance in febrile samples. Whereas Thioprofundum (Proteobacteria) demonstrated a significant decrease in abundance in febrile. The bacterial composition and beta diversity within febrile cats was different according to the affected body system (Oral/GI, systemic, skin, and respiratory) at both family and genus levels. Sex and age were not significant factors affecting the blood microbiota of febrile cats nor healthy ones. Age was different between young adult and mature adult healthy cats. Alpha diversity was unaffected by any factors. Overall, the findings suggest that age, health status and nature of disease are significant factors affecting blood microbiota diversity and composition in cats, but sex is not.

Evaluation of a Revised Point-of-Care Test for the Detection of Feline Leukaemia p27 Antigen and Anti-p15E Antibodies in Cats.

The first point-of-care (PoC) test (v-RetroFel®; modified version 2021) determining the presence of FeLV p27 antigen and FeLV anti-p15E antibodies has become recently commercially available to identify different feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infection outcomes. This study aimed to assess this PoC test's performance concerning FeLV p27 antigen and FeLV anti-p15E antibody detection. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) were assessed after ten minutes (recommended) and 20 min (prolonged) incubation times. The test results were evaluated as either positive or negative. Serum samples from 934 cats were included, originating from Italy (n = 269), Portugal (n = 240), Germany (n = 318), and France (n = 107). FeLV p27 antigen and anti-p15E antibodies were measured by reference standard ELISAs and compared to the PoC test results. The PoC test was easy to perform and the results easy to interpret. Sensitivity and specificity for FeLV p27 antigen were 82.8% (PPV: 57.8%) and 96.0% (NPV: 98.8%) after both, ten and 20 minues of incubation time. Sensitivity and specificity for anti-p15E antibodies were 31.4% (PPV: 71.6%) and 96.9% (NPV: 85.1%) after ten minutes incubation time; sensitivity was improved by a prolonged incubation time (20 min) to 40.0% (PPV: 76.3%), while specificity remained the same (96.9%, NPV: 86.7%). Despite the improved sensitivity using the prolonged incubation time, lower than ideal sensitivities for both p27 antigen and especially anti-p15E antibodies were found, indicating that the PoC test in its current version needs further improvement prior to application in the field.

Alpha-1-Acid Glycoprotein Quantification via Spatial Proximity Analyte Reagent Capture Luminescence Assay: Application as Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker in Serum and Effusions of Cats with Feline Infectious Peritonitis Undergoing GS-441524 Therapy.

Until recently, the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in cats usually led to euthanasia, but recent research has revealed that antiviral drugs, including the nucleoside analog GS-441524, have the potential to effectively cure FIP. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) has been suggested as a diagnostic marker for FIP. However, AGP quantification methods are not easily accessible. This study aimed to establish a Spatial Proximity Analyte Reagent Capture Luminescence (SPARCLTM) assay on the VetBio-1 analyzer to determine the AGP concentrations in feline serum and effusion samples. Linearity was found in serial dilutions between 1:2000 and 1:32,000; the intra-run and inter-run precision was <5% and <15%, respectively; and AGP was stable in serum stored for at least 8 days at room temperature, at 4 °C and at -20 °C. Cats with confirmed FIP had significantly higher serum AGP concentrations (median: 2954 µg/mL (range: 200-5861 µg/mL)) than those with other inflammatory diseases (median: 1734 µg/mL (305-3449 µg/mL)) and clinically healthy cats (median 235 µg/mL (range: 78-616 µg/mL); pKW < 0.0001). The AGP concentrations were significantly higher in the effusions from cats with FIP than in those from diseased cats without FIP (pMWU < 0.0001). The AGP concentrations in the serum of cats with FIP undergoing GS-441524 treatment showed a significant drop within the first seven days of treatment and reached normal levels after ~14 days. In conclusion, the VetBio-1 SPARCLTM assay offers a precise, fast and cost-effective method to measure the AGP concentrations in serum and effusion samples of feline patients. The monitoring of the AGP concentration throughout FIP treatment provides a valuable marker to evaluate the treatment's effectiveness and identify potential relapses at an early stage.

Case series: Heinz body formation in 13 multimorbid dogs following metamizole administration.

Background: Heinz Body (HB) anemia is a result of oxidative damage and is an uncommon condition in dogs relative to cats. In this retrospective case series, clinical features, laboratory values, concurrent diseases, and outcomes of 13 multimorbid dogs that developed HBs after receiving metamizole are reported. Case description: Of the 13 dogs in this case series that developed HBs, 10 were older and multimorbid, but the only feature that all the dogs had in common was receiving metamizole. HBs were detected in 7 out of 13 dogs within a few days (3-10 days) after starting metamizole treatment. The metamizole dose was 38-159 mg/kg/day. The highest percentage of HBs detected was 28-95% (mean, 46%). There was no correlation between the percentage of HBs and the daily dose of metamizole. All but 1 dog had mild-to-severe anemia at the time of the highest HB appearance. The number of HBs did not correlate with the hematocrit at that time. In 8/12 dogs, no stress leukogram was present. Approximately half of the dogs with HBs also had evidence of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, which could have masked additional oxidative damage. Conclusion: In multimorbid dogs that develop regenerative anemia after receiving metamizole, hemolysis due to HB development caused by oxidative damage should be considered as an important differential diagnosis.

Influence of intravenous 10% amino acids infusion on serum albumin concentration in hypoalbuminemic dogs.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of parenteral amino acid application in hospitalized hypoalbuminemic dogs. Materials and methods: Medical records of client-owned hypoalbuminemic dogs (albumin ≤ 25 g/L) were analyzed. Dogs receiving amino acids for only 1-2 days, receiving transfusions or surgery, or <6 months of age were excluded. Dogs were grouped as those receiving intravenous amino acids (AA, 80 dogs) over 3 days and longer, and those without additional amino acid treatment (CON, 78 dogs). Duration of hospitalization, albumin, and total protein concentrations were compared between groups by Mann-Whitney U test. Course of albumin and total protein concentration was evaluated by Friedman test and Dunn's multiple comparison test. Significance was set to p ≤ 0.05. Results: Dogs in group AA received 10% amino acid solution intravenously over median 4 days (3-11 days). No significant differences regarding survival and adverse effects were observed between groups. Dogs of group AA had significantly longer duration of hospitalization (median 8 days; 3-33 days) compared to group CON dogs (median 6 days, 3-24 days; p < 0.001). Initial albumin concentration was lower in group AA compared to CON (p < 0.001). This difference was no longer present on day 2 (p = 0.134). Conclusions and clinical relevance: Intravenous application of 10% amino acid solution in hypoalbuminemic dogs can improve albumin concentration after 2 days, but does not influence outcome.

[Parvovirus infections in cats in animal shelters]. / Parvovirus-Infektionen bei Katzen in Tierheimen.

Due to widespread vaccination programs against feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), the disease associated with this virus infection, feline panleukopenia, is rarely seen in privately owned cats in Germany. In contrast, the situation in animal shelters differs due to the constant intake of new cats that are often unprotected. In such facilities, panleukopenia outbreaks are common and often accompanied by a high number of fatalities. Due to the high contagiosity of the virus, some shelters do not accept cats with clinical signs suspicious for panleukopenia, since these animals can pose a risk to the shelter population. However, not only cats with panleukopenia shed parvovirus, but also healthy, asymptomatic cats can and thus contribute to risk of infection. Nevertheless, the risk for panleukopenia outbreaks in animal shelters can be reduced by rigorous outbreak management. This includes hygiene measures using correctly applied cleaning and disinfection protocols, quarantine measures, separate isolation units, as well as specific prophylactic measures, such as identification of infected animals and immunization of susceptible groups.