[Liver sonography and ultrasound-guided puncture of the gallbladder in pigs: new possibilities for the diagnosis of mycotoxicosis]. / Sonographie der Leber und ultraschallgeführte Gallenblasenpunktion beim Schwein: neue Möglichkeiten zur Diagnose von Mykotoxikosen.

60 pigs representing all age groups (suckling pigs, weaner pigs, hogs, gilts and sows; thereof 37 females, 2 males, 21 castrated males) were examined by ultrasound of the liver and by ultrasound guided gallbladder puncture. The visibility of the liver and gallbladder was strongly influenced by the size of the animals. The thickness of the abdominal and thoracic walls in older animals proved to be a highly ultrasound-absorptive medium, which limited the ability to assess the underlying tissue structures. As a result, gallbladder puncture of these animals was possible only with a certain degree of technical difficulty. The gallbladder puncture procedure itself posed little risk to the animal. The primary risk resulted from the general anesthesia required. Autopsy showed no pathological findings due to gallbladder puncture with the exception of minimal, rapidly healing, local infectious processes. The bile proved to be a suitable medium of the detection of mycotoxins and their metabolites. Selective accumulation of these toxins in bile provide a more reliable diagnostic tool than the standard mycotoxicological tests of feed.

[Vitamin D3 poisoning--case report]. / Vitamin D3-Intoxikation--Fallbericht.

Over 650 pigs died within a couple hours in a fattening unit with approximately 3,000 fattening spaces. The pigs showed vomiting, dyspnea, kyphosis, sunken flanks, diarrhea, and polyuria. Another striking symptom of the pigs, besides the apathy, was the aphonia, due to the calcification of the vocal cords. An acute vitamin D3-intoxication was found to be the cause. The pathologic findings, especially the histologic detection of calcification processes of the soft tissues, lead to the suspect of an intoxication with a vitamin D-like substance. Between 39,000 and 196,000 IU/kg of vitamin D3 have been detected in a ready-to-use food mix. 8.8 million IU/kg of crystaline vitamin D3 were found in an open whey bag. An explanation how vitamin D came into the bag could not be clarified to this point.

[Liver fluke infestation in New World camelids. Parasitology, pathology, clinical findings and therapy]. / Leberegelbefall bei Neuweltkameliden. Parasitologie, Pathologie, Klinik und Therapie.

In Llamas and Alpacas infestation with Fasciola hepatica or Dicrocoelium dendriticum can cause liver damage, sometimes even with lethal outcome. Once infected South American Camelids (SACs) react more sensitively to these parasites than other domestic ruminants. We report here on the pathology, parasitology, clinics and therapy of this disease. Concerning Dicrocoelium dendriticum we describe own clinical results and therapeutic outcome in addition to the pathological investigation. According to anatomic corrosion casts, the bile ducts of SACs show more similarity with the equine bile system than with the bile system of domestic ruminants.

[Dicrocoeliasis in New World camelids]. / Dikrozöliose bei Neuweltkameliden.

Natural infections with the lancet fluke (Dicrocoelium dendriticum) were detected in a group of seven diseased or dead/euthanized South American Camelids (five Llamas, two Alpacas) from Switzerland and Southern Germany. Clinical findings in almost all the animals revealed an acute decline of general condition followed by recumbency, decreased body temperature and a varying degree of anaemia. Concurrently, all animals showed an average to poor nutritional status. All liver enzyme activities analysed in serum biochemistry conformed to the reference values and therefore offered no diagnostic clues for this disease. Necropsy however, disclosed major alterations in the liver in the form of cirrhosis, abscesses, granulomas, and a massive infestation with D. dendriticum. The coprological investigations performed at the outset of the examinations revealed eggs of the lancet fluke in only two animals. This suggests that clinical findings alone permit at best only a provisional diagnosis. Repeated coprologic follow-ups showed that the presence of eggs of D. dendriticum can be diagnosed accurately and that clinical signs appear with an excretion rate above 1000 eggs per gram faeces (EpG). In these cases, praziquantel in a single dose of 50 mg/kg per os was given. This treatment was well tolerated and achieved a quite acceptable 90% reduction of eggs in the faeces.

[Malignant catarrhal fever in zoo ruminants]. / Bösartiges Katarrhalfieber bei Zoowiederkäuern.

An outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in Indian gauer (Bos gaurus gaurus) and Javan banteng (Bos javanicus javanicus) occurred in the year 1964 and killed almost all animals of the groups of these species kept at the Munich zoo at that time. In the consecutive years at highly irregular intervals cases of the head-and-eye-form of MCF occurred sporadically at the zoo in European and American bison (Bison bonasus, B. bison' bison, B. bison athabascae), elk (Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus), Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus) and again in gaur and banteng. The clinical and pathomorphological observations, including those of prophylactic and tentative treatment are reported. The subspecies of caprinae and alcelaphinae potentionally latently infected with viral agents of MCF kept at the zoo over the reported period are listed. Some details concerning housing, taking care of the animals etc. of the latently infected carriers of the family caprinae and the susceptible species of bovidae and cervidae are also given as far as they are of epidemiological interest. The results of the retrospective analysis and the results of testing paraffin-embedded tissue samples for the presence of ovine herpesvirus-2 (OHV-2)-specific DNA and alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AHV-1)-specific DNA from 1964 up to 1997 are discussed. The negative results for OHV-2-specific DNA suggest that MCF at Munich zoo until 1979 could have been "wildebeest-associated", also because until 1974 blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus taurinus) and until 1983 white-tailed gnu (Connochaetes gnou) were kept. However, positive results for OHV-2-specific DNA in the tissues collected from 1985 onwards, strongly suggest the "sheep-associated" MCF.

[Adenovirus-induced pneumonia in two guinea pigs]. / Adenovirus-Pneumonie bei zwei Meerschweinchen.

Two cases of a rare virus-induced disease of Guinea pigs are described. The animals had died because of a pneumonia. Large intranuclear viral inclusion bodies could be demonstrated in the endothelial cells of the lungs. In the second case inclusion bodies could be found additionally in macrophages of the spleen and in macrophages, hepatocytes and endothelial cells of the liver. By means of electron microscopy the virus could be specified as adenovirus.

Histopathological findings in pigs of various ages suffering from spontaneous infection with the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

A retrospective study was carried out to investigate the morphology of 29 routinely necropsied German Landrace pigs of various ages, namely five fetuses, eight neonates, five suckling piglets and 11 weaners, being either serologically PRRSV-positive or born or aborted from PRRSV positive sows. Virus antigen was immunohistochemically demonstrated in 12 out of 27 (44%) lungs tested. The distinguishing histopathological features of PRRSV-induced spontaneous disease are interstitial pneumonia accompanied by secondary inflammatory alterations that become more and more pronounced with increasing age, and vascular alterations hitherto not described in animals of these age groups. The latter consist of vasculitis of the medium-sized arteries and occasionally of the veins, mainly in the lungs but also in other organs, and of perivascular lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates of various degrees of frequency and organ distribution, but present above all in the CNS-including the meninges and in the lungs. These findings, which suggest vasculotropism on the part of the PRRSV, may facilitate the histopathological diagnosis of PRRSV infections in routinely examined material.

[Fibrino-purulent flexor tendon tendinitis in infected tendovaginitis of the digital flexor tendon sheath in cattle]. / Fibrinös-eitrige Tendinitis der Beugesehnen bei der infizierten Tendovaginitis der Fesselbeugesehnenscheide beim Rind.

Seven cattle with purulent tenovaginitis of the digital flexor tendon sheath were examined. The highly inflamed portions of the deep and superficial digital flexor tendons were resected and submitted for pathologic examination in five cases. The histopathologic results confirmed the diagnosis fibrino-purulent or purulent tendinitis. In addition to the classic route of infection via the tendon sheath, it is thought that direct hematogenous infection of the tendon may be possible. The possibility of a purulent tendinitis should be considered when evaluating prognosis and treatment of an infected tendon sheath.

[Cause of diseases and death in New World camelids]. / Erkrankungs- und Todesursachen bei Neuweltkameliden.

Over a period of 25 years post mortem examination and in selected cases microbiological and/or parasitological investigations were carried out in 79 South American camelids (llama, alpaca, guanaco, vicuña). The principal findings (frequently identical with the cause of death) are retrospectively commented with regard to available anamnestic data and the literature. Besides infectious and noninfectious diseases occurring in all mammalian species findings of lesser importance, but peculiar to camelids, like foam cell granulomas beneath the pulmonary pleura, hepatic empty proliferations (lipomatous metaplasia), and gastroliths in the glandular saccules of stomach compartment I, are also discussed.

Detection of canine parvovirus DNA in paraffin-embedded tissues by polymerase chain reaction.

Canine Parvovirus (CPV) is seemingly a 'new' virus which suddenly appeared during the mid-1970's in an epizootic of disease in dogs. The virus is very similar to the feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), and recent studies have underlined the possible emergence of CPV as a variant of a virus from some other carnivore--possibly from FPV (Parrish, 1990). Several conserved amino-acid changes between CPV and FPV isolates have been defined by cloning and sequencing the capsid-protein gene. An alternative to cloning and sequencing the entire capsid-protein gene would be to use PCR amplification of short regions of the gene containing the appropriate variable amino-acid codons. In addition, use of PCR would also facilitate the study of virus samples which cannot be recovered as infectious agents, e.g. after having undergone formalaldehyde fixation and paraffin-embedding procedures. This study reports on the amplification of CPV DNA from 15-year-old tissue sections which have been prepared by formaldehyde or paraformaldehyde-lysine-periodate-glutaraldehyde fixation, using PCR with various primer pairs within the capsid-protein gene of CPV.

Immunocytochemical demonstration of Coxiella burnetii antigen in the fetal placenta of naturally infected sheep and cattle.

Coxiella burnetii antigen was demonstrated immunocytochemically in the placental tissues of aborted fetuses from four cows and two ewes and from one full-term calf. Antigen was observed in cytoplasmic vacuoles of trophoblasts, especially along the base of the chorionic villi. Positive trophoblasts were of normal size or exhibited striking cytoplasmic enlargement. Antigen was also demonstrated in neutrophils, degenerated cells and extracellularly in the intervillous spaces. The chorioallantoic connective tissue, allantoic surface and fetal tissues were devoid of C. burnetii antigen. Ovine placentas showed strong coxiella-specific staining and histological lesions characterized by moderate to severe, multifocal, necrotizing and purulent inflammation. In bovine placentas, the number of immunopositive cells varied from few to moderate and changes were mild or absent. Placental vasculitis consisting of infiltrating mononuclear cells, neutrophils or eosinophils was observed in both of the ovine and two of the bovine fetuses. In addition, a few intravascular thrombi were observed in one ovine and one bovine placenta. Thus the ovine coxiellosis cases were associated with an abundant accumulation of C. burnetii antigen and with severe necrotizing purulent placentitis, whereas in bovine coxiellosis the lesions were mild or absent and the number of organisms demonstrated immunocytochemically was much smaller. These results suggest a relation between species, lesion severity and weight of infection.

Papovavirus-induced trichogenous tumours in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

Tumorous, virus-induced skin lesions in two golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were characterized macroscopically and by means of light- and electron-microscopy. Evidence of a virus was demonstrated in the ultra-thin sections and by the negative staining method. The morphological findings confirm the assumption that infections with papoviruses--probably of the polyomavirus genus--were involved.

Spontaneous inclusion body hepatitis in young tamarins: I. Morphological study.

Over a period of 4 years approximately 60% of the new born and juvenile animals in a breeding colony of tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis) died a sudden death. Histological examination at necropsy revealed interstitial hepatitis in 22 of the 30 young animals of the present study. The hepatocytes contained intranuclear inclusion bodies in 12 of the 22 cases. Upon ultrastructural examination, tubulovesicular structures and amorphous material were found in the nuclei. The endoplasmic reticulum had proliferated and was closely associated with undulating curved membranes. These morphological alterations resemble those reported in chimpanzees experimentally infected with NANB hepatitis viruses.

Retrospective study of myocardial canine parvovirus infection by in situ hybridization.

The diagnosis of myocardial canine parvovirus (CPV) infection used to depend on the presence of pathognomonic intranuclear inclusion bodies. The in situ hybridization technique, however, allowed to detect CPV specific nucleic acid in myocardial tissue where no inclusion bodies were found. Hence, we applied this technique to check formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded myocardial tissue from puppies with heart lesions for the presence of CPV. The tissues had been collected between 1977 and 1989. A biotinylated probe was used for in situ hybridization. This way CPV specific nucleic acid was detected in 3 dogs where CPV myocarditis had not been diagnosed on routinely stained slides because of the lack of intranuclear inclusion bodies. However, in spite of the application of the in situ hybridization technique no further myocardial CPV infection was detected in puppies with heart lesions from after 1979, confirming that the number of puppies with myocardial CPV infection declined after that year.

[Hypopituitarism as the possible cause of prolonged gestation in cattle]. / Hypopituitarismus als mögliche Ursache für eine verlängerte Gestation beim Rind.

Multiple malformations were shown in a bovine fetus delivered at slaughter after a gestation period of 469 days. Hypoplasia of the adenohypophysis and a bilateral agenesis of the adrenal cortex suggest that the failure of initiation of parturition resulted from a fetal deficiency of ACTH and glucocorticoid hormones. ACTH, GH (growth hormone) and prolactin could not be demonstrated immunohistochemically within the adenohypophysis. However, TSH immunoreactive pituitary cells were demonstrable. Nevertheless, considering the extremely reduced size of the adenohypophysis a fetal deficiency of TSH is suspected. This view is supported by a bilateral hypoplasia of the thyroid gland. Additionally, the complex fetal endocrine dysfunction had led to a growth retardation of the fetus.

[Pathological changes of the endocrine pancreas in dogs and cats in comparison with clinical data]. / Pathologische Veränderungen des endokrinen Pankreas bei Hund und Katze im Vergleich mit klinischen Daten.

In a retrospective study concerning the functional morphology of the endocrine pancreas the files of the Institute for Veterinary Pathology, University of Munich, of the last 12 years were reviewed. Cases of diabetes mellitus as well as developmental disorders and tumors of the endocrine pancreas were examined by routine histological and immunohistological methods. Cases are discussed together with clinical data and the relevant literature. The forms of diabetes mellitus were categorized according to the classification used in human pathology.

[Cutaneous calcinosis of the footpads in a cat]. / Calcinosis cutis der Ballen bei einer Katze.

A case of cutaneous calcinosis of the footpads in a cat is described. The animal had developed lameness of one hindleg which was presumably due to infection by an abscess-like lesion of one pad. Histologically the lesion proved to be based on a cutaneous calcinosis. Shortly afterwards the animal died of uremia. Post mortem examination revealed fine granular shrinkage of the kidneys and signs of demineralisation of the skeleton accompanied by calcifications in the pads of all four paws, major arteries, hear, kidneys, lung and gastric mucosa. The clinical and morphological findings suggest a cutaneous calcinosis of the footpads as an additional localisation of extraosseous calcification in osteorenal syndrome.

[The question of reversibility of tissue calcification in enzootic calcinosis of cattle and in experimental hypervitaminosis D]. / Untersuchungen zur Frage der Rückbildung von Gewebeverkalkungen bei enzootischer Kalzinose des Rindes und bei experimenteller Hypervitaminose-D.

In rabbits calcinosis was induced experimentally by feeding of Trisetum flavescens or Vitamin D3 injections. Calcifications in kidneys and lungs were proved by biopsies and x-ray examination respectively. Histological examination at intervals up to 26 months following the calcinogenic insult indicated signs of limited reversibility of calcification in lung, kidney and aortic wall. The degree of resorption of calcified deposits apparently was dependent on dosage, time and kind of tissue affected. Aortic wall and tendons had the least tendency to demineralisation and developed focal cartilage metaplasia. Two cows with proven enzootic Trisetum-calcinosis were kept under altered conditions for 31 and 32 months. At slaughter besides severe calcification and cartilage or osseous metaplasia in soft tissues a limited reabsorption of the calcifications could be observed. There were focal fibrous scars in the aortic wall.

[Small intestinal ileus in the dog and cat--catamnestic observations of 704 patients]. / Dünndarmileus bei Katze und Hund--katamnestische Betrachtungen von 704 Patienten.

Following an introductory review of the literature, the symptoms, diagnostic procedures and aetiology as well as treatment, long-term results and prognosis of the individual forms of ileus are described and discussed, based on the clinical histories of 704 patients with ileus of the small intestine. Whereas ileal obstipation and other forms of obstructive ileus were revealed to have a fair prognosis, a long-term cure could be achieved in only half of the patients with either a string foreign body, intussusception or an intestinal adhesion. The prognosis in cases of malignant intestinal tumours, intestinal adhesions resulting from intra-abdominal tumours and mesenteric volvulus was hopeless.