Uterine leiomyosarcoma with secondary acute hemoabdomen in a goat

Neoplasms of the reproductive tract are uncommonly reported in goats. Here we describe a case of sudden death caused by acute hemoabdomen due to a ruptured uterine leiomyosarcoma in a 7-year-old female mixed breed goat. Gross changes included oral and ocular pallor, as well as 3 liters of blood and blood clots in the abdominal cavity. The uterine body wall was irregularly thickened and firm, and had a 2 cm in diameter, transmural perforation. The uterine lumen was filled with dark red to brown blood clots admixed with friable necrotic material. Histologically, a poorly-demarcated neoplasm expanded and effaced the uterine wall. The neoplasm consisted of densely packed bundles and streams of elongate neoplastic cells with moderate pleomorphism and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and elongate nuclei with coarsely stippled chromatin. The mitotic count was 4 per 2.37 mm2. Multiple areas of necrosis and clusters of lymphocytes and plasma cells were present throughout the neoplasm. Neoplastic cells exhibited diffuse immunolabeling for smooth muscle actin and patchy immunolabeling for desmin, consistent with a uterine leiomyosarcoma.

Uterine leiomyosarcoma with secondary acute hemoabdomen in a goat

Neoplasms of the reproductive tract are uncommonly reported in goats. Here we describe a case of sudden death caused by acute hemoabdomen due to a ruptured uterine leiomyosarcoma in a 7-year-old female mixed breed goat. Gross changes included oral and ocular pallor, as well as 3 liters of blood and blood clots in the abdominal cavity. The uterine body wall was irregularly thickened and firm, and had a 2 cm in diameter, transmural perforation. The uterine lumen was filled with dark red to brown blood clots admixed with friable necrotic material. Histologically, a poorly-demarcated neoplasm expanded and effaced the uterine wall. The neoplasm consisted of densely packed bundles and streams of elongate neoplastic cells with moderate pleomorphism and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and elongate nuclei with coarsely stippled chromatin. The mitotic count was 4 per 2.37 mm2. Multiple areas of necrosis and clusters of lymphocytes and plasma cells were present throughout the neoplasm. Neoplastic cells exhibited diffuse immunolabeling for smooth muscle actin and patchy immunolabeling for desmin, consistent with a uterine leiomyosarcoma.(AU)

Bayesian Phylogenetic Analysis of Avipoxviruses from North American Wild Birds Demonstrates New Insights into Host Specificity and Interspecies Transmission.

Avian pox is commonly diagnosed in a variety of North American wild and domestic birds, yet little is known about the evolutionary relationships among the causative poxviruses. This study aimed to determine the phylogenetic relationships among isolates identified in different avian host species to better characterize the host range of specific viral strains and compare the genetic variability within and between viral clades. Skin lesions grossly and microscopically consistent with poxvirus infection from 82 birds collected in Canada, the United States, and the U.S. Virgin Islands were included in this study. A total of 12 avian species were represented; the most common species sampled were wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), and American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). Poxvirus samples from these birds were genotyped using PCR that targeted the 4b core protein gene followed by amplicon sequencing. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of these viruses, in conjunction with publicly available sequences, representing avipoxvirus strains from six continents revealed statistically significant monophyletic clades based on genetic distances of sequences within and between observed clades. Genetic variation within the fowlpox clade was low compared to the canarypox clade. Host and geographic origins of viral isolates revealed overall clustering of viral strains within avian species, with a few exceptions. No genetic differences were observed between viruses from Canada and the United States within individual species. These results are novel in their characterization and comparison of the phylogenetic relationships of poxvirus isolates in wild bird species from North America. Further, we provide new data on the level of host specificity and specific strains circulating in North America.

El análisis filogenético bayesiano de los avipoxvirus de las aves silvestres de América del Norte demuestra nuevos conocimientos sobre la especificidad del huésped y la transmisión interespecífica. La viruela aviar se diagnostica comúnmente en una variedad de aves silvestres y domésticas de América del Norte, pero se sabe poco sobre las relaciones evolutivas entre los poxvirus. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar las relaciones filogenéticas entre aislamientos identificados en diferentes especies de hospedadores aviares para caracterizar mejor el rango de hospedadores de cepas virales específicas y comparar la variabilidad genética dentro y entre los clados virales. Se incluyeron en este estudio lesiones cutáneas que eran consistentes macro y microscópicamente con la infección por poxvirus de 82 aves recolectadas en Canadá, Estados Unidos y las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos. Un total de 12 especies de aves fueron representadas; las especies más comunes en la muestra fueron los pavos silvestres (Meleagris gallopavo), huilota común (Zenaida macroura) y cuervos americanos (Corvus brachyrhynchos). Las muestras de poxvirus de estas aves fueron genotipadas mediante PCR que se enfocó en el gene de la proteína central 4b seguido de secuenciación de amplicón. Los análisis filogenéticos bayesianos de estos virus, junto con las secuencias disponibles públicamente, que representan cepas de avipoxvirus de seis continentes revelaron clados monofiléticos estadísticamente significativos basados en distancias genéticas de las secuencias dentro y entre los clados observados. La variación genética dentro del clado de la viruela del pollo fue baja en comparación con el clado de virus de canario. El huésped y los orígenes geográficos de los aislamientos virales revelaron un agrupamiento general de cepas virales dentro de las especies aviares, con algunas excepciones. No se observaron diferencias genéticas entre los virus de Canadá y los Estados Unidos dentro de las especies individuales. Estos resultados son novedosos en la caracterización y comparación de las relaciones filogenéticas de los aislados de poxvirus en especies de aves silvestres de América del Norte. Además, se proporcionan nuevos datos sobre el nivel de especificidad del huésped y las cepas específicas que circulan en América del Norte. Key words: Bayesian analysis, mourning dove, phylogenetic, poxvirus, sequencing, wild turkey, 4b gene.

West Nile virus infection of birds, Mexico.

West Nile virus (WNV) has caused disease in humans, equids, and birds at lower frequency in Mexico than in the United States. We hypothesized that the seemingly reduced virulence in Mexico was caused by attenuation of the Tabasco strain from southeastern Mexico, resulting in lower viremia than that caused by the Tecate strain from the more northern location of Baja California. During 2006-2008, we tested this hypothesis in candidate avian amplifying hosts: domestic chickens, rock pigeons, house sparrows, great-tailed grackles, and clay-colored thrushes. Only great-tailed grackles and house sparrows were competent amplifying hosts for both strains, and deaths occurred in each species. Tecate strain viremia levels were higher for thrushes. Both strains produced low-level viremia in pigeons and chickens. Our results suggest that certain avian hosts within Mexico are competent for efficient amplification of both northern and southern WNV strains and that both strains likely contribute to bird deaths.

Comparison of argentinean saint louis encephalitis virus non-epidemic and epidemic strain infections in an avian model.

St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV, Flavivirus, Flaviviridae) is an emerging mosquito-borne pathogen in South America, with human SLEV encephalitis cases reported in Argentina and Brazil. Genotype III strains of SLEV were isolated from Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in Cordoba, Argentina in 2005, during the largest SLEV outbreak ever reported in South America. The present study tested the hypothesis that the recent, epidemic SLEV strain exhibits greater virulence in birds as compared with a non-epidemic genotype III strain isolated from mosquitoes in Santa Fe Province 27 years earlier. The observed differences in infection parameters between adult House sparrows (Passer domesticus) that were needle-inoculated with either the epidemic or historic SLEV strain were not statistically significant. However, only the House sparrows that were infected with the epidemic strain achieved infectious-level viremia titers sufficient to infect Cx. spp. mosquitoes vectors. Furthermore, the vertebrate reservoir competence index values indicated an approximately 3-fold increase in amplification potential of House sparrows infected with the epidemic strain when pre-existing flavivirus-reactive antibodies were present, suggesting the possibility that antibody-dependent enhancement may increase the risk of avian-amplified transmission of SLEV in South America.

Scarlet Macaw, Ara macao, (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) diet in Central Pacific Costa Rica

From 1993 to 1997, we observed Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) feeding behavior in Central Pacific Costa Rica. Feeding data acquired in this study were not collected systematically, but opportunistically whenever macaws were observed feeding. To supplement feeding observations, we conducted interviews with local residents. Scarlet Macaws fed on seeds, fruits, leaves, flowers and/or bark of 43 plant species. Various plant parts eaten by macaws from several tree species contain secondary compounds toxic to humans, and additional species included in their diet are nonnative, introduced for agricultural purposes. Important macaw feeding tree species are Ceiba pentandra, Schizolobium parahybum, and Hura crepitans; these species are also crucial to this macaw population because of nest cavities they provide. The results of this study contribute to the conservation of Scarlet Macaws in Central Pacific Costa Rica through promoting protection of individual trees, and through local elementary school reforestation programs focusing on tree species that macaws use for feeding and/or nesting. Scarlet Macaw conservation is extremely important, as numerous population pressures have caused significant declines in macaw numbers in Costa Rica.

Entre 1993-97, observamos el comportamiento de alimentación de la lapa roja (Ara macao) en el Pacifico Central de Costa Rica. La lapa roja se alimentó de semillas, frutas, hojas, flores y corteza de 43 especies de plantas. Varias partes de las plantas comidas por las lapas contienen compuestos secundarios tóxicos al ser humano, y especies adicionales incluidas en la dieta son exóticas; introducidas por razones agrícolas, forestales o estéticas. Especies de árboles importantes como alimento de la lapa roja incluyen: Ceiba pentandra, Schizolobium parahybum, y Hura crepitans; también son criticas para la población de la lapa roja debido a proveen cavidades para anidación. Los resultados de este estudio contribuyen a la conservación de la lapa roja en el Pacifico Central de Costa Rica a través de la promoción de la protección de árboles individuales y programas de reforestación a nivel de escuela primaria que se enfocan en especies de árboles que la lapa utiliza para alimentación o anidación. La conservación de la lapa roja es importante, debido al declive de sus números en Costa Rica.

Scarlet Macaw, Ara macao, (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) diet in Central Pacific Costa Rica.

From 1993 to 1997, we observed Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) feeding behavior in Central Pacific Costa Rica. Feeding data acquired in this study were not collected systematically, but opportunistically whenever macaws were observed feeding. To supplement feeding observations, we conducted interviews with local residents. Scarlet Macaws fed on seeds, fruits, leaves, flowers and/or bark of 43 plant species. Various plant parts eaten by macaws from several tree species contain secondary compounds toxic to humans, and additional species included in their diet are nonnative, introduced for agricultural purposes. Important macaw feeding tree species are Ceiba pentandra, Schizolobium parahybum, and Hura crepitans; these species are also crucial to this macaw population because of nest cavities they provide. The results of this study contribute to the conservation of Scarlet Macaws in Central Pacific Costa Rica through promoting protection of individual trees, and through local elementary school reforestation programs focusing on tree species that macaws use for feeding and/or nesting. Scarlet Macaw conservation is extremely important, as numerous population pressures have caused significant declines in macaw numbers in Costa Rica.

Why is toilet training occurring at older ages? A study of factors associated with later training.

Recent studies suggest that children are completing toilet training much later than the preceding generation. Our objective was to identify factors associated with later toilet training. Children between 17 and 19 months of age (n=406) were enrolled in the study. At enrollment, parents completed the Parenting Stress Index and the Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale. Follow-up parent interviews were conducted every 2 to 3 months until children completed daytime toilet training. Information obtained at follow-up interviews included steps parents were taking to toilet train their child, child toilet training behaviors, presence and frequency of constipation, birth of a sibling, and child care arrangements. In a stepwise linear regression model predicting age at completion of toilet training, 3 factors were consistently associated with later training: initiation of toilet training at an older age, presence of stool toileting refusal, and presence of frequent constipation. Models including these variables explained 25% to 39% of the variance in age at completion of toilet training. In conclusion, a later age at initiation of toilet training, stool toileting refusal, and constipation may explain some of the trend toward completion of toilet training at later ages.