Multisystemic Enterococcosis in Brown Anoles (Anolis sagrei) from Florida, USA.

Beginning in July 2019, numerous free-ranging brown anoles (Anolis sagrei), an invasive lizard species in Florida, USA, were reported with large, soft, subcutaneous masses and disfiguring facial swellings. Postmortem evaluations of six affected animals, including cytology, histology, and electron microscopy, identified the presence of myriad chain-forming coccoid bacteria surrounded by a prominent clear capsule and abundant lightly basophilic matrix material with minimal associated granulomatous inflammation and effacement of normal tissue. Standard PCR and sequencing of the lesions revealed 100% nucleotide identity to Enterococcus lacertideformus. This bacterium was first observed in 2014 as the cause of a severe, multisystemic infection in several species of lizards (geckos and skinks) on Christmas Island, an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean. Previously, analysis of E. lacertideformus had been hindered by an inability to grow the bacterium in standard culture conditions. We successfully cultured the organism on primary anole kidney cells. Given the growing recognition of host species diversity and geographic distribution noted for this organism, there is potential concern for spread to native North American lizards, especially the green anole (Anolis carolinensis), whose population numbers have apparently decreased due to introduced brown anoles.

Comparison of serum versus EDTA plasma in canine major crossmatch reactions.

BACKGROUND: Protocols for crossmatch reactions vary in veterinary medicine, particularly regarding the use of recipient serum vs plasma. Sources suggest that major crossmatch results might differ when recipient plasma is used instead of serum, but there are conflicting reports as to the exact effects on the results. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and degree of discrepancy, if any, between canine major crossmatch reactions using serum versus EDTA plasma, performed via a standard tube method. METHODS: One hundred duplicate canine major crossmatch reactions were performed with both serum and EDTA plasma from 100 different "recipient" dogs against erythrocytes from a single, healthy "donor." Decreasing concentrations of a rabbit anti-dog erythrocyte antibody were added to generate strong positive, weak positive, and negative results for each crossmatch reaction. Crossmatch results were followed through the following phases: immediate spin, cold, warm, albumin, and Coombs. Semi-quantitative results were compared between reactions using serum vs EDTA plasma. RESULTS: Weak positive, major crossmatch reactions were significantly more likely to demonstrate stronger agglutination in EDTA plasma compared with serum in the immediate spin phase, cold phase, warm phase, and albumin phase (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between serum and EDTA plasma results in the Coombs' phase (P = 0.313). CONCLUSIONS: In this experimental setting, EDTA plasma and serum were both deemed acceptable for use in canine major crossmatch reactions. EDTA plasma might be preferable to detect weak agglutination with more sensitivity and reduce recipient blood volumes needed to complete the crossmatch reaction.

Chronic granulomatous pneumonia and lung rupture secondary to aspiration of activated charcoal in a French Bulldog.

A 4-year-old, spayed female French Bulldog was presented for respiratory distress and suspected aspiration pneumonia after oral administration of activated charcoal for possible ingestion of a suspected toxic dose of trazodone. The patient had a moderate volume of pleural effusion, which contained free and intracellular black particulate matter consistent with charcoal. Due to presumed charcoal aspiration with subsequent lung rupture, the right middle and right caudal lung lobes were surgically removed. Histology revealed abundant black debris consistent with charcoal and severe granulomatous inflammation. Based on the clinical, gross, and histologic findings, a diagnosis of severe, chronic, locally extensive, aspiration pneumonia and lung rupture with secondary pleuritis and mediastinitis due to charcoal aspiration was made. Aspiration pneumonia is the main complication of activated charcoal administration, which can incite extensive, granulomatous inflammation in the respiratory tract. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing the cytologic and histologic findings associated with inadvertent charcoal aspiration in a veterinary species.