PREVALENCE OF CYSTINURIA IN SERVALS ( LEPTAILURUS SERVAL) IN THE UNITED STATES.

Cystinuria is a condition caused by defects in amino acid transport within the kidneys and small intestines. It has been reported in humans, dogs, domestic cats, ferrets, nondomestic canids, and nondomestic felids, including servals ( Leptailurus serval). Genetic mutations have been identified in dogs, humans, and domestic cats. Cystinuria usually follows an autosomal recessive inheritance, although it can be autosomal dominant and sex linked. The primary objective of this study was to screen urine samples dried on filter paper from captive servals in the United States for cystinuria by using the cyanide-nitroprusside screening test. A second objective was to determine whether cystinuria is inheritable in servals. Servals were initially recruited for the study by survey. Owners and institutions interested in participating were sent a second survey and filter paper for collecting urine samples. Samples were collected from 25 servals. One additional serval with confirmed cystine urolithiasis was added for a total sample size of 26 servals. Twenty-seven percent (7/26) were positive, 54% (14/26) were weakly positive, and 19% (5/26) were negative. Sex, reproductive status, and urine collection method had no significant association with test results. This condition is likely underreported in servals and should be ruled out in any serval with nonspecific signs of illness; neurologic signs such as lethargy, ataxia, or seizures; ptyalism; or signs of lower urinary tract disease such as dysuria, hematuria, stranguria, pollakiuria, or urethral obstructions.

Squamous cell carcinoma with vascular invasion in a diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus).

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common neoplasm diagnosed in domestic and wild animals, including several species of reptiles. However, reports of SCC invading vasculature or metastasizing in snakes are lacking. This report documents a case of SCC in an adult male eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) with a unique presentation and invasion into several small- to medium-sized vessels, suggestive of a metastatic process. What was initially suspected to be an abscessed tail was ultimately determined to be SCC originating at the base of the rattle.

Percutaneous malathion absorption by anuran skin in flow-through diffusion cells.

There is increased concern about the sublethal effects of organophosphorous (OP) compounds on human and animal health, including the potential role of OP compounds in the global decline of amphibian populations. Malathion is one of the most widely used OP pesticides with numerous agricultural and therapeutic applications, and exposure to environmentally applied malathion can lead to adverse systemic effects in anurans. Cutaneous absorption is considered a potentially important route of environmental exposure to OP compounds for amphibians, especially in aquatic environments. One in vitro system commonly used to determine the absorption kinetics of xenobiotics across the skin is the two-compartment Teflon flow-through diffusion cell system. To establish cutaneous absorption kinetics of malathion, six full thickness skin samples taken from both the dorsal and ventral surfaces of each of three bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and three marine toads (Bufo marinus) were placed into two-compartment Teflon flow-through diffusion cells perfused with modified amphibian Ringer's solution. A 26µg/cm(2) dose of malathion-2,3-(14)C diluted in 100% ethanol was applied to each sample (0.44-0.45µCi). Perfusate was collected at intervals over a 6h period and analyzed for (14)C in a scintillation counter. At the end of 6h, surface swabs, tape strips, biopsy punches of the dosed area of skin, and peripheral samples were oxidized and analyzed for residue effects. Malathion absorption was greater across the ventral skin compared to dorsal skin in both bullfrogs and marine toads.

Transforming growth factor-beta response to mycobacterial infection in striped bass Morone saxatilis and hybrid tilapia Oreochromis spp.

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) were experimentally infected with Mycobacterium marinum. Splenic mononuclear cell transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) mRNA was measured by reverse transcription quantitative-competitive PCR (RT-qcPCR). In histologic sections of liver and anterior kidney, the area of each section that was occupied by granulomas and the total area of each section were measured by computer-assisted image analysis and compared as a proportion (the granuloma proportion). Infected striped bass splenic mononuclear cell TGF-beta mRNA expression was significantly lower than uninfected controls, while for tilapia there was no significant difference between infected and control fish. Mycobacterial granuloma proportion of liver and anterior kidney sections was significantly greater for infected striped bass than tilapia. Three (of 10) infected tilapia with the most pronounced inflammatory response displayed a decrease in TGF-beta mRNA expression, similar to the overall striped bass response to mycobacterium challenge. Downregulation of TGF-beta and failure to modulate the immune response may be related to excessive inflammatory damage to organs observed in mycobacteria-sensitive fish species.

Inhibitory activity of synthetic peptide antibiotics on feline immunodeficiency virus infectivity in vitro.

Natural peptide antibiotics are part of host innate immunity against a wide range of microbes, including some viruses. Synthetic peptides modeled after natural peptide antibiotics interfere with microbial membranes and are termed peptidyl membrane-interactive molecules (peptidyl-MIM [Demegen Inc, Pittsburgh, Pa.]). Sixteen peptidyl-MIM candidates were tested for activity against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) on infected CrFK cells. Three of them (D4E1, DC1, and D1D6) showed potent anti-FIV activity in chronically infected CrFK cells as measured by decreased reverse transcriptase (RT) activity, having 50% inhibitory concentrations of 0.46, 0.75, and 0.94 micro M, respectively, which were approximately 10 times lower than their direct cytotoxic concentrations. Treatment of chronically infected CrFK cells with 2 micro M D4E1 for 3 days completely reversed virus-induced cytopathic effect. Immunofluorescence revealed reduced p26 staining in these cells. Treatment of chronically infected CrFK cells with 2 micro M D4E1 suppressed virus production ( approximately 50%) for up to 7 days, The virions from the D4E1-treated culture had impaired infectivity, as measured by the 50% tissue culture infectious dose and nested PCR analysis of proviral DNA. However, these noninfectious virions were able to bind and internalize, suggesting a defect at some postentry step. After chronically infected CrFK cells were treated with D4E1 for 24 h, increased cell-associated mature p26 Gag and decreased extracellular virus-associated p26 Gag were observed by Western blot analysis, suggesting that virus assembly and/or release may be blocked by D4E1 treatment, whereas virus binding, penetration, RNA synthesis, and protein synthesis appear to be unaffected. Synthetic peptide antibiotics may be useful tools in the search for antiviral drugs having a wide therapeutic window for host cells.