A study of pulmonary lesions identified in sheep and goat carcasses in Trinidad and Tobago in 2018

The small ruminant industry has been identified by Caribbean governments as key to agricultural development and food security. • The economic impact of these prolific species is significant to farmers both locally and regionally, given its contribution to foreign exchange, employment generation and poverty alleviation • Recognizing disease is critical for a small ruminant based economy to possess both sustainability and viability. Understanding ways to accurately identify, prevent, cure and control disease is necessary to improve the economic status of this industry. • Post mortem evaluation is a useful diagnostic tool as it can reliably confirm, refute or augment ante-mortem diagnoses. • Respiratory disease is of particular importance as it is commonly encountered in small ruminant flocks, affecting groups or individuals of any breed, age and sex. More often than not, it involves a combination of infectious and non-infectious aetiologies. An interstitial, bronchinterstital or bronchopneumonia may develop which is largely dependent upon the causative agent.

Disseminated Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis infection and ascites in an FIV-positive cat.

A domestic shorthair cat was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at The University of the West Indies with a history of anorexia, ataxia, and lethargy. On physical examination, moderate abdominal distension and a palpable abdominal fluid wave were noted. Dark yellow, cloudy fluid was collected via abdominocentesis. Fluid analysis indicated that the effusion was a transudate containing low numbers of macrophages and occasional neutrophils. Some of the macrophages contained rod-shaped nonstaining structures of variable length (2-4 um). These structures were also seen extracellularly in low numbers. The morphology of the structures was suggestive of Mycobacterium. The cat's condition continued to deteriorate, and it died within a few hours of being admitted. Further diagnostic tests revealed feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection with concurrent Mycobacterium avium subsp hominissuis infection. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of nontubercular mycobacterial-related ascites in a cat.

NOVEL POXVIRAL INFECTION IN THREE FINCH SPECIES ILLEGALLY IMPORTED INTO TRINIDAD, WEST INDIES, WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIVE BIRDS.

Oryzoborus angolensis (Lesser Seed-Finch), Oryzoborus crassirostris (Large-billed Seed-Finch), and Sporophila intermedia (Grey Seedeater) are finch species native to the Caribbean island of Trinidad. These species are locally trapped and kept for their song, but with declining native populations, enthusiasts have turned to illegally importing birds from the South American mainland. The smuggling of wild birds from South America poses significant disease risks to the native bird species of Trinidad. Herein we describe the first case of poxviral infection in these illegally imported birds in Trinidad and partial genome sequence of the causative agent. Phylogenetic analysis of the 4b core protein sequence indicated that the avian poxvirus identified was most closely related to a 2012 avian pox sequence from Brazil, with 96.2% and 98.1% identity at the nucleotide and amino acid level.

A Multicentric T-Cell Lymphoma with a Plasmacytoid Morphology in a Dog.

An 8-year-old male (neutered) Labrador with a history of erythematous skin lesions and exercise intolerance for a prolonged period was suddenly found dead. Necropsy findings revealed an infiltrative, focally extensive mass which occupied 25% of the cardiac interventricular septum. Severe endocardiosis was also found on the bicuspid and tricuspid valves. The submandibular lymph nodes and kidneys were bilaterally enlarged, and the pre-hepatic lymph node and spleen were also enlarged. Multiple dermal pustules were present around the mouth and on the ear, and small ulcers were present on the tongue. Histopathological examination detected the presence of neoplastic lymphocytes with a plasmacytoid morphology in these tissues as well as in the tongue and skin lesions. Immunohistochemical (CD3⁺/CD18⁺) evaluation was consistent with a T-cell lymphoma, which could be classified as a peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS).