Ulcerative umbrellar lesions in captive moon jelly (Aurelia aurita) medusae.

Over a period of 6 months, dozens of moon jelly (Aurelia aurita) medusae from a single-species exhibit at the California Science Center (CSC) developed exumbrellar ulcers. Ulcers were progressive, causing umbrellar creases that expanded radially to the bell rim and occasional adoral erosions that extended into gastrovascular cavities. Husbandry interventions, including addition of ultraviolet light sterilizers, repopulation with fresh cultures, and enclosure disinfection, did not arrest the recurrence of lesions. Biopsies or whole specimens representing 17 medusae (15 affected and 2 grossly unaffected) from CSC and 2 control medusae from Aquarium of the Pacific were submitted to a private diagnostic laboratory and processed for light and electron microscopy. Microscopic lesions were present in all CSC medusae and were not observed or negligible in control medusae. Lesions included ulceration, necrosis, and hyperplasia in all umbrellar layers, with most severe lesions in the exumbrella and amoebocyte infiltration in the underlying mesoglea. Special stains, electron microscopy, and fungal culture did not associate microorganisms with the lesions. Bacterial cultures from the CSC population consistently grew Shewanella and Vibrio spp, both of which were considered commensal. Trauma and environmental stress are proposed as possible causes for the ulcers.

Anemia, myopathy, and pansteatitis in vitamin E-deficient captive marmosets (Callithrix spp.).

Five young adult pet marmosets (Callithrix spp.) were presented with weight loss (5/5); fecal retention (3/5); diarrhea (2/5); impaired locomotion (3/5); anemia (4/4); hypoproteinemia or hypoalbuminemia (3/4); elevations of creatine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase, and alanine aminotransferase (3/4); and renal failure with hypercholesterolemia (2/4). All anemic marmosets had low serum vitamin E levels. The anemia responded to vitamin E and selenium therapy in two marmosets. One of the five marmosets died before presentation, and two others died despite therapy. The two marmosets necropsied had degenerative myopathy, pyogranulomatous pansteatitis, and increased erythrophagocytosis and hemosiderosis. The striated muscle and adipose tissue of both marmosets were negative for coxsackievirus ribonucleic acid by in situ hybridization. These findings suggest that vitamin E deficiency may be involved in the development of anemia, myopathy, and steatitis in callitrichids; however, in some marmosets, underlying diseases such as chronic colitis may have influenced the development of anemia and impaired vitamin E status.

Antioxidant status in a squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) with chronic pancreatitis and degenerative myopathy.

A squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) presented with wasting, vomiting and diarrhoea. Haematology revealed elevation of creatinine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, amylase and lipase, together with azotaemia and hypoalbuminaemia. Prominent findings were chronic pancreatitis with acinar and ductal plugs, granulomatous and necrotizing peripancreatic steatitis, degenerative myopathy, testicular atrophy, candidiasis and bacterial necrotizing glossitis. Antioxidant analyses revealed low concentrations of serum vitamin E (and apparently A), hepatic selenium and hair zinc. Pancreatitis may have caused malabsorption and maldigestion, associated with deficiency of multiple antioxidants.