Ibex-associated malignant catarrhal fever-like disease in a group of bongo antelope (Tragelaphus eurycerus).

A private zoological facility experienced an outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in 3 bongo antelope (Tragelaphus eurycerus). All cases were periparturient bongos that presented acutely anorectic beginning ~6 weeks after being housed with a Nubian ibex. Disease quickly progressed to respiratory distress and death within 24-72 hours of onset of clinical signs. Consistent gross findings in affected bongos were pulmonary edema and small pale tan foci in the livers. Histological lesions included a nonsuppurative vasculitis in multiple tissues, which is well recognized in MCF, but additionally included necrotizing cholangiohepatitis and neutrophilic, necrotizing myocarditis. Ibex-associated viral DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction and was identical in sequence whether derived from bongos or ibex. The sequence closely matched an MCF viral DNA fragment that had been amplified from an ibex and bongo in a previous case report.

Nonossifying fibroma in the mandible of a goat.

An 8-year-old male Nubian goat was presented with a peracute history of straining to urinate and unilateral mandibular swelling. At necropsy, the rostral half body of the left mandible was distorted by fusiform swelling that, on sagittal section, had marked medullary bone loss and replacement with a well-demarcated fibrous mass. Histologically, the mass comprised streaming spindloid cells with whorls and storiform patterns, interspersed with numerous multinucleated giant cells. Bone formation was not present in the neoplasm. The mandibular mass was diagnosed as nonossifying fibroma, a relatively common tumor in children but seldom reported in domestic animals.

Practical methods for the microbial validation of sterilizing-grade filters used in aseptic processing.

Microbial challenge test methods to validate sterilizing-grade filters were developed to facilitate the use of parenteral drug products as liquid vehicles. Scaled-down filtration systems were developed in response to processing parameters, e.g., flow rates, pressures, duration, and temperature, provided by customers. Accordingly, 47 mm disc filter holders were chosen to minimize the volume of product necessary for each test. A peristaltic pump was used to produce positive pressure within the test system, and a 47mm filter sampling manifold was used to assay the entire filtrate. The resultant system was able to accommodate a variety of flow rates while maintaining the viability of the retention test microorganism, Pseudomonas diminuta (ATCC Number 19146). Experiments were conducted by challenging sterilizing-grade (0.22 micron) and 0.45 micron polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) (Durapore) filter discs under simulated processing conditions with P. diminuta resuspended in the pharmaceutical products. The challenge concentration was at least 10(7) colony forming units per cm2 of filter area. The 0.22 micron filters were shown to be retentive in all cases, while the 0.45 micron membranes exhibited some degree of bacterial passage as expected. The results of these experiments were communicated to the customers for inclusion in their process validation documentation.