Pathological findings and their association with diseases of captive psittacine birds native to Mexico.

The captivity and use of native psittacine birds is prohibited in Mexico. However, as these birds are among the groups most affected by illegal trafficking, they are commonly found as companion animals. Nevertheless, it is difficult to obtain information on their health. Therefore, a retrospective study was conducted of the clinical histories and necropsy reports of native psittacines that had been submitted to the Bird Disease Diagnostic and Research Laboratory of the Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, from 2006 to 2017. The lesions were classified according to type and anatomical location and the diseases were classified as infectious or non-infectious. During this period, 252 psittacines were submitted, the most frequent of which were the red-lored parrot (Amazona autumnalis), orange-fronted parakeet (Eupsittula canicularis) and scarlet macaw (Ara macao). The lesions were primarily located in the digestive and respiratory systems. By integrating the clinical histories and post-mortem findings, we concluded that nutritional disorders were the most frequent non-infectious diseases, systemic bacterial infections were the most frequent infectious conditions, the primary parasite was Sarcocystis spp and the most frequent neoplasm was multicentric lymphoma.

Genotyping of toxoplasma gondii isolates from México reveals non-archetypal and potentially virulent strains for mice.

Genotyping and virulence studies of Toxoplasma gondii are essential to investigate the pathogenesis of strains circulating worldwide. In this study, eight T. gondii isolates obtained from a congenitally infected newborn, a calf, two cats, three dogs, and a wallaby from five states of México were genotyped by Mn-PCR-RFLP with 11 typing markers (SAG1, SAG2 5'3', alt. SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico), five virulence markers (CS3, ROP16, ROP17, ROP18 and ROP5), 15 microsatellite markers (TUB-2, W35, TgM-A, B18, B17, M33, IV.1, XI.1, M48, M102, N60, N82, AA, N61, N83), and sequencing. A phylogenetic network was built to determine the relationship between Mexican isolates and those reported worldwide. Six different genotypes were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), ToxoDB #8, #10, #28 (n = 3), #48, #116, and #282. Genotyping by microsatellite analysis differentiated the three PCR-RFLP genotype #28 isolates into two strains, revealing a total of seven microsatellite genotypes. Three different allele combinations of ROP18/ROP5 virulence markers were also found, 3/3, 1/1, and 4/1. The last two combinations are predicted to be highly virulent in the murine model. According to the phylogenetic network, the T. gondii strains studied here are related to archetypal strains I and III, but none are related to the strains previously reported in México. The genotypes identified in this study in different species of animals demonstrate the great genetic diversity of T. gondii in México. The ToxoDB-PCR-RFLP #28 genotype was found in three isolates from different hosts and states. Additionally, four of the isolates are predicted to be highly virulent in mice. The next step will be to perform in vitro and in vivo assays to determine the phenotype of these T. gondii isolates in murine models.

Effectiveness of Nitazoxanide and Electrolyzed Oxiding Water in Treating Chagas Disease in a Canine Model.

Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, and affects seven million people in Latin America. Side effects and the limited efficacy of current treatment have led to new drug research. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of nitazoxanide (NTZ) and electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) in a canine model of experimental CD. Náhuatl dogs were infected with the T. cruzi H8 strain and NTZ- or EOW-treated orally for 10 days. Seronegativity was shown at 12 months post-infection (mpi) in the NTZ-, EOW-, and benznidazole (BNZ)-treated groups. The NTZ and BNZ groups had high levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12B, and IL-1ß at 1.5 mpi and low levels of IL-10. Electrocardiographic studies showed alterations from 3 mpi and worsening at 12 mpi; NTZ treatment produced fewer cardiac pathomorphological changes compared to EOW, similar to BNZ treatment. There was no cardiomegaly in any group. In conclusion, although NTZ and EOW did not prevent changes in cardiac conductivity, they were able to avoid the severity of heart damage in the chronic phase of CD. NTZ induced a favorable proinflammatory immune response after infection, being a better option than EOW as a possible treatment for CD after BNZ.

Atypical granuloma formation in Mycobacterium bovis-infected calves.

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes granuloma formation. Characterization of granulomatous lesions of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) experimentally infected cattle has helped to better understand the pathogenesis of this disease. However, few studies have described granulomas found in M. bovis naturally infected cattle. The aim of this work was to examine granulomas from Holstein-Friesian cattle naturally infected with M. bovis from a dairy basin located in the central region of Mexico. Tissue samples from thirty-two cattle with lesions suggestive of tuberculosis were collected post-mortem. Fifteen of the 32 sampled animals (46.8%) were 4 months of age or younger (calves), whereas the rest (53.2%, 17/32) were over one year old (adults). Macroscopic lesions suggestive of tuberculosis were found in the mediastinal lymph node chain of all animals (32/32). From the 1,143 granulomatous lesions that were microscopically analyzed, 34.6% (396/1143) were collected from adult animals and subsequently classified according to the nomenclature suggested by Wangoo et al., 2005. Surprisingly, lesions from calf tissues showed an atypical pattern which could not be fitted into the established developmental stages of this classification. Granulomatous lesions found in calves covered most of the affected organ, histologically showed large necrotic areas with central calcification, absence of a connective tissue capsule, and few giant cells. Also, there was a higher percentage of lesions with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) when compared to studied granulomas in adults. Growth of Mycobacterium spp was detected in 11 bacteriological tissue cultures. Genotypic identification of M. bovis was performed by DNA extraction from bacterial isolates, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues and samples without bacterial isolation. M. bovis was detected by PCR in 84.3% (27/32) of the studied cases; whereas other AFB were observed in tissues of the remaining sampled animals (5/32). Our results describe atypical granuloma formation in calves 4 months of age or younger, naturally infected with M. bovis. These findings contribute to better understanding the physiopathology of M. bovis infection in cattle.

Detección de mastitis bovina subclínica por micoplasmosis mediante ELISA indirecta y aislamiento / Detection of subclinical bovine mastitis caused by mycoplasmosis by indirect ELISA test and isolation

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of ELISA test in serum, for the diagnosis of subclinical bovine mastitis caused by Mycoplasma bovis, having as a reference test, the isolation of the microorganism in milk samples. Two hundred and twenty five blood and milk samples were obtained from herds from the State of Mexico, Coahuila and Hidalgo, all of them in Mexico. Using the Wisconsin test, 139 samples (61.8%) were positives to subclinical mastitis but only in six of them, Mycoplasma bovis was isolated. By ELISA test, 72 samples were positives (32.0%). All animals with positive isolation were also positive to the ELISA test. With a cut point higher or equal to 100, sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% and 83.56%, respectively, although the positive predictive value (PV) (+) was 12.2% and the negative predictive value (PV) (-) was 99.46%. The low PV (+) was associated to a low prevalence. ELISA test could be used as a screen test to detect mastitis associated to Mycoplasma bovis, particularly in herds with high frequencies (> 10%), this with the purpose to improve a positive predictive value (PV), which would allow to establish better diagnoses in cases where the most common tests do not give a specific result, mostly if ELISA test is considered as practical, fast and economic.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la efectividad de una prueba de ELISA en suero para el diagnóstico de la mastitis bovina subclínica causada por Mycoplasma bovis, teniendo como prueba de referencia el aislamiento del microorganismo a partir de muestras de leche. Se obtuvieron 225 muestras de sangre y de leche provenientes de hatos del Estado de México, Coahuila e Hidalgo, todos en México. Ciento treinta y nueve muestras (61.8%) resultaron positivas a mastitis subclínica mediante la prueba de Wisconsin, y de ellas sólo en seis se aisló M. bovis. A través de la prueba de ELISA, 72 muestras resultaron positivas (32.0%). Todos los animales con aislamiento positivo también fueron positivos a la prueba de ELISA. Con un punto de corte mayor o igual a 100, se obtuvo sensibilidad de 83.3% y especificidad de 83.56%, aunque el valor predictivo (VP) (+) fue de 12.2%, y el VP (-) de 99.46%. El bajo VP (+) se asoció con baja prevalencia. La técnica de ELISA podría ser utilizada como prueba tamiz para la detección de mastitis asociada con M. bovis, particularmente en hatos con frecuencias elevadas (> a 10%), esto con el fin de mejorar un valor predictivo positivo, lo que permitiría establecer mejores diagnósticos en casos donde las pruebas más comunes no dan un resultado concreto, sobre todo si se considera que la prueba de ELISA es práctica, rápida y económica.

Enfermedad glomeruloquística en dos perros con insuficiencia renal / Glomerulocystic kidney disease in two dogs with renal failure

Two cases of glomerulocystic kidney disease (GCKD) are described in dogs with renal failure. The laboratory test of the two dogs showed renal hyperazotemia with secondary non-regenerative anemia, associated to chronic renal failure. Macroscopic kidney lesions in both dogs were similar: showing multiple small cysts with an average of 1 mm in diameter, mainly in the renal cortex. Histopathological examination of the kidneys in both dogs revealed dilatation in the filtration space and Bowman's capsule forming cysts with glomerular atrophy and mild to severe periglomerular and interstitial fibrosis. These findings suggest that cystic glomerular changes may be developed as a consequence of fibrosis, which could act by compressing the glomerulo-tubular junctions. There are few reported cases of GCKD in dogs prior to these two. It may be explained that this is only a sporadic entity, adding that it may well be mistaken with other similar renal cystic pathologies, linked or not to a renal failure; therefore, it should be included in the differential diagnoses. For the first time, this report gives a clinical-pathological description of two cases in dogs with GCKD in Mexico.

Se describen dos casos de enfermedad glomeruloquística renal (EGQR) en perros con insuficiencia renal. En los análisis de laboratorio de ambos animales se encontró hiperazotemia renal con anemia no regenerativa secundaria, asociada con insuficiencia renal crónica. Las lesiones macroscópicas en los riñones de dichos perros fueron similares: se observaron múltiples pequeños quistes de 1 mm de diámetro en promedio, localizados principalmente en la corteza renal. En el examen histopatológico de los riñones de ambos perros se observaron dilataciones del espacio de filtración y de la cápsula de Bowman formando quistes, con atrofia de los ovillos glomerulares, así como fibrosis periglomerular e intersticial de moderada a severa. Estos hallazgos sugieren que los cambios glomerulares quísticos se pueden desarrollar como consecuencia de la fibrosis, la cual pudiera ejercer efecto compresor de las uniones glomérulo-tubulares. En el ámbito mundial, en perros caseros existen muy pocos informes previos de EGQR, debido quizá a que realmente es una entidad esporádica, además de que pudiera confundirse con otras patologías renales quísticas parecidas, asociadas o no con insuficiencia renal, por ello debe incluirse dentro de los diagnósticos diferenciales. Este informe aporta la descripción clínico-patológica de dos casos de EGQR en perros, por primera vez en México.

Cardiomiopatía Congénita en un Becerro Holstein / Congenital cardiomyopathy in a Holstein calf

El propósito de este trabajo es describir un caso de cardiomiopatía en una becerra Holstein de 6 días de edad en México, la cual presentó muerte repentina asociada a insuficiencia cardiaca derecha

Estudio comparativo de neoplasias testiculares en el hombre y el perro / Comparative study of testicular neoplasms between man and dog

El presente estudio describe las principales características clinicopatológicas de los tumores testiculares que afectan con frecuencia al hombre y al perro y tiene por objetivo hacer un análisis comparativo de estos tumores entre el hombre y el perro en cuanto a la clasificación, frecuencia y evolución y establecer similitudes y diferencias entre ambos. En este estudio se puede apreciar que son más las diferencias que las similitudes de las neoplasias testiculares entre ambos, por lo que sería difícil determinar si el perro puede ser utilizado o no como modelo biológico en la experimentación de nuevos tratamientos para neoplasias testiculares en el hombre