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Vogel H, Daniels JB, Frank CB. Nocardia farcinica abortion in a goat. J Vet Diagn Invest 2024; 36:128-130. [PMID: 37942657 PMCID: PMC10734593 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231210499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A female goat fetus was received by the Colorado State University-Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory following an isolated abortion of twins by a reportedly healthy doe. Postmortem examination did not reveal any gross abnormalities. Histologic evaluation revealed pyogranulomatous and necrotizing bronchopneumonia with intracellular and extracellular gram-positive and non-acid-fast filamentous bacilli. Aerobic culture of the stomach contents and pooled lung and liver tissue yielded light growth of Nocardia sp., which was identified by MALDI-TOF MS and 16s rDNA sequencing as Nocardia farcinica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Vogel
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Joshua B. Daniels
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Chad B. Frank
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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2
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Barratclough A, Ferguson SH, Lydersen C, Thomas PO, Kovacs KM. A Review of Circumpolar Arctic Marine Mammal Health-A Call to Action in a Time of Rapid Environmental Change. Pathogens 2023; 12:937. [PMID: 37513784 PMCID: PMC10385039 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The impacts of climate change on the health of marine mammals are increasingly being recognised. Given the rapid rate of environmental change in the Arctic, the potential ramifications on the health of marine mammals in this region are a particular concern. There are eleven endemic Arctic marine mammal species (AMMs) comprising three cetaceans, seven pinnipeds, and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). All of these species are dependent on sea ice for survival, particularly those requiring ice for breeding. As air and water temperatures increase, additional species previously non-resident in Arctic waters are extending their ranges northward, leading to greater species overlaps and a concomitant increased risk of disease transmission. In this study, we review the literature documenting disease presence in Arctic marine mammals to understand the current causes of morbidity and mortality in these species and forecast future disease issues. Our review highlights potential pathogen occurrence in a changing Arctic environment, discussing surveillance methods for 35 specific pathogens, identifying risk factors associated with these diseases, as well as making recommendations for future monitoring for emerging pathogens. Several of the pathogens discussed have the potential to cause unusual mortality events in AMMs. Brucella, morbillivirus, influenza A virus, and Toxoplasma gondii are all of concern, particularly with the relative naivety of the immune systems of endemic Arctic species. There is a clear need for increased surveillance to understand baseline disease levels and address the gravity of the predicted impacts of climate change on marine mammal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Barratclough
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Steven H. Ferguson
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada;
| | - Christian Lydersen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; (C.L.); (K.M.K.)
| | - Peter O. Thomas
- Marine Mammal Commission, 4340 East-West Highway, Room 700, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Kit M. Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; (C.L.); (K.M.K.)
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3
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Díaz-Santana P, Fernández A, Díaz-Delgado J, Vela AI, Domínguez L, Suárez-Santana C, Puig-Lozano R, Fernández-Maldonado C, Sierra E, Arbelo M. Nocardiosis in Free-Ranging Cetaceans from the Central-Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Contiguous Mediterranean Sea. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12040434. [PMID: 35203142 PMCID: PMC8868302 DOI: 10.3390/ani12040434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Characterization, description, and geographical location of harmful bacterial agents in cetaceans are important for population surveillance and health monitoring around the world. This research compiles the pathologic features of nocardiosis in five free-ranging delphinids from the Canary Islands and Andalusia. All examined animals showed a disseminated pattern of infection with characteristic suppurative to pyogranulomatous lesions with thromboembolism in two or more organs. The obtained results provide the first record of N. otitidiscaviarum in cetaceans, the first account of N. farcinica in free-ranging dolphins, and confirmation of nocardiosis in central eastern Atlantic Ocean. Abstract We report the pathologic features of nocardiosis in five free-ranging delphinids from the Canary Islands and Andalusia, namely four striped dolphins (Stenella coerulealba) and one bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). All animals had a multiorgan (disseminated) pattern of infection involving suppurative to pyogranulomatous and thromboembolic lesions in two or more organs. Most affected organs were (by decreasing order) lung, pulmonary lymph nodes, liver, kidney, adrenal glands, and central nervous system. Typical intralesional and intravascular branched and filamentous bacteria were highlighted by Grocott’s methenamine silver and Gram stains. Bacterial analysis including 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified Nocardia farcinica in two striped dolphins and Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in one striped dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin. All dolphins tested (n = 4) for cetacean morbillivirus were negative; one dolphin had concurrent cutaneous herpesvirosis. These results provide the first record of N. otitidiscaviarum in cetaceans, the first account of N. farcinica in free-ranging dolphins, and confirmation of nocardiosis in central eastern Atlantic Ocean. These results expand the known geographic range of nocardiosis in cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Díaz-Santana
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; (P.D.-S.); (A.F.); (J.D.-D.); (C.S.-S.); (R.P.-L.); (M.A.)
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; (P.D.-S.); (A.F.); (J.D.-D.); (C.S.-S.); (R.P.-L.); (M.A.)
| | - Josue Díaz-Delgado
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; (P.D.-S.); (A.F.); (J.D.-D.); (C.S.-S.); (R.P.-L.); (M.A.)
- TVMDL, Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, Texas A&M University, Amarillo, TX 79016, USA
| | - Ana Isabel Vela
- Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (A.I.V.); (L.D.)
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucas Domínguez
- Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (A.I.V.); (L.D.)
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristian Suárez-Santana
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; (P.D.-S.); (A.F.); (J.D.-D.); (C.S.-S.); (R.P.-L.); (M.A.)
| | - Raquel Puig-Lozano
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; (P.D.-S.); (A.F.); (J.D.-D.); (C.S.-S.); (R.P.-L.); (M.A.)
| | | | - Eva Sierra
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; (P.D.-S.); (A.F.); (J.D.-D.); (C.S.-S.); (R.P.-L.); (M.A.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Manuel Arbelo
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; (P.D.-S.); (A.F.); (J.D.-D.); (C.S.-S.); (R.P.-L.); (M.A.)
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4
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Woodburn DB, Kinsel MJ, Poll CP, Langan JN, Haman K, Gamble KC, Maddox C, Jeon AB, Wellehan JFX, Ossiboff RJ, Allender MC, Terio KA. Shell Lesions Associated With Emydomyces testavorans Infection in Freshwater Aquatic Turtles. Vet Pathol 2021; 58:578-586. [PMID: 33576328 DOI: 10.1177/0300985820985217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A newly described onygenalean fungus, Emydomyces testavorans, has been isolated from ulcerative shell and skin lesions of freshwater aquatic chelonians. To investigate the shell lesions associated with infection and determine if any lesional features were unique to E. testavorans, tissues from turtles housed in zoological institutions (n = 45) in the United States and free-living turtles (n = 5) submitted for diagnostic biopsy or necropsy were examined. Free-living turtles were from geographically distinct habitats in Florida (n = 1) and Washington (n = 4) at the time of sampling. Histologic shell sections were evaluated for the presence or absence of specific lesional features. Infection with E. testavorans was evaluated in all cases by screening GMS (Grocott-Gomori's methenamine silver)-stained histologic sections for the presence of morphologically consistent fungi and by quantitative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) on representative frozen tissue or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Additionally, culture was performed for 15 cases with available fresh/frozen tissue. In total, there were 17 PCR-confirmed E. testavorans cases, 29 cases with morphologically consistent fungi on GMS-stained sections, and 21 cases of shell lesions without histologic or molecular evidence of E. testavorans infection. Epithelial inclusion cysts, defined as cystic structures within the dermis lined by keratinized stratified squamous epithelium and containing necrotic bone and keratin debris, were significantly (P < .01) associated with E. testavorans infection. Other significantly associated shell lesions included squamous metaplasia, hyperkeratosis, inflammation, and osteonecrosis (P < .05). This study identified characteristic shell lesions associated with E. testavorans infection. Further studies to prove causality are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Woodburn
- 70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Brookfield, IL, USA.,70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Michael J Kinsel
- 70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Brookfield, IL, USA.,70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Caryn P Poll
- A. Watson Armour III Center for Animal Health, 41512John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jennifer N Langan
- 70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL, USA
| | - Katherine Haman
- Wildlife Program, 266120Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, WA, USA
| | | | - Carol Maddox
- 70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | - Matthew C Allender
- 70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL, USA
| | - Karen A Terio
- 70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Brookfield, IL, USA.,70154University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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5
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Ito S, Hirai T, Hamabe S, Subangkit M, Okabayashi T, Goto Y, Nishida S, Kurita T, Yamaguchi R. Suppurative necrotizing bronchopneumonia caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica infection in a stranded striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) in Japan. J Vet Med Sci 2020; 83:146-150. [PMID: 33310996 PMCID: PMC7870406 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.20-0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
On a coastline in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, a wild subadult female striped dolphin was found dead. Necropsy revealed poor nutritional status and bilateral pneumonia, which was histologically diagnosed as severe suppurative necrotizing bronchopneumonia. Special staining detected numerous intralesional filamentous, branching bacteria, which was identified as Nocardia cyriacigeorgica by sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA and gyrB genes. Other main histological findings included lymphoid depletion in the spleen and superficial cervical and pulmonary lymph nodes. Suppurative nocardiosis without a granulomatous reaction is uncommon, and it is assumed its pathogenesis was related to the host's immune status. This paper discusses the variable inflammatory response to nocardiosis and describes the first case of N. cyriacigeorgica infection in a wild striped dolphin in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soma Ito
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Nishi 1-1, Gakuen-Kibana, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.,Present address: Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Takuya Hirai
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Nishi 1-1, Gakuen-Kibana, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Saori Hamabe
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Nishi 1-1, Gakuen-Kibana, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Mawar Subangkit
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Nishi 1-1, Gakuen-Kibana, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Tamaki Okabayashi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Nishi 1-1, Gakuen-Kibana, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Goto
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Nishi 1-1, Gakuen-Kibana, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Shin Nishida
- Departments of Science Education, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Nishi 1-1, Gakuen-Kibana, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Toshio Kurita
- NPO Miyazaki Cetacean Research Group, Higashi 2-22-1, Ikimedai, Miyazaki 880-0942, Japan
| | - Ryoji Yamaguchi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Nishi 1-1, Gakuen-Kibana, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
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6
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Kim SW, Han SJ, Lee YR, Kim BY, Park SC. First report of a Risso’s dolphin (
Grampus griseus
) stranded in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea: findings from necropsy, histopathology and microbiome analysis. VETERINARY RECORD CASE REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1136/vetreccr-2019-000860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sang Wha Kim
- College of Veterinary MedicineSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Se Jin Han
- College of Veterinary MedicineSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
| | | | - Byung Yeop Kim
- Department of Marine Industry and Maritime PoliceCollege of Ocean ScienceJeju National UniversityJeju‐doKorea
| | - Se Chang Park
- College of Veterinary MedicineSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
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7
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Soto E, Arauz M, Gallagher CA, Illanes O. Nocardia cyriacigeorgica as the causative agent of mandibular osteomyelitis (lumpy jaw) in a cat. J Vet Diagn Invest 2018; 26:580-584. [PMID: 24821693 DOI: 10.1177/1040638714533117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
An unusual case of osteomyelitis caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica infection and resulting in mandibular osteomyelitis and cellulitis (lumpy jaw) is described in a young cat. A 1-cm hard nodular mass was an incidental finding in the right mandible of a 14-month-old cat during routine physical examination. The lesion was fast growing, reaching up to 6 cm in its largest dimension over a 5-week period. A core biopsy of the affected mandible revealed foci of osteolysis, woven bone formation, and a few large clusters of filamentous bacteria surrounded by fine eosinophilic amorphous material bordered by neutrophils, plasma cells, macrophages, and occasional multinucleated giant cells. Pure cultures of acid-fast variable, Gram-positive filamentous bacteria were recovered on blood and chocolate agar plates at 48-hr postinoculation. On amplification and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA and 65-kDa heat shock protein genes, the microorganisms were identified as N. cyriacigeorgica, within the actinomycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Soto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies
| | - Maziel Arauz
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies
| | - Christa Ann Gallagher
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies
| | - Oscar Illanes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies
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8
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Abstract
This chapter presents the pathology of cetaceans, a diverse group of mammals restricted exclusively to aquatic habitats. The taxa include the largest mammals on earth, the baleen whales, as well as marine and freshwater toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Pathologies of these species include infectious, toxic, and other disease processes, such as ship strike and entanglements in free-ranging animals. In animals under managed care, concerns include nutritional, degenerative and geriatric processes, such as formation of ammonium urate renal calculi. Due to potential population level effects and individual animal health concerns, viral agents of interest include morbilliviruses, pox virus, and herpes viruses. Both free ranging and captive animals have important neoplasms, including a variety of toxin-related tumors in beluga whales from the St. Lawrence Estuary and oral squamous cell carcinomas in bottlenose dolphins in managed care.
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9
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Colegrove KM, Burek-Huntington KA, Roe W, Siebert U. Pinnipediae. PATHOLOGY OF WILDLIFE AND ZOO ANIMALS 2018. [PMCID: PMC7150363 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-805306-5.00023-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This chapter reviews common diseases of pinnipeds, including species in the Otariidae (fur seals and sea lions), Phocidae (true seals), and Odobenidae (walrus) families. Much of the knowledge on pathologic conditions of pinnipeds comes from necropsies of stranded animals and those housed in captivity. As such, disease knowledge is biased toward species frequently housed in zoos and aquaria, those that strand more commonly, or those in which free-ranging populations are more easily accessible. Though historically systematic evaluations of wild populations have rarely been accomplished, in the past 10 years, with advances in marine mammal medicine and anesthesia, biologists and veterinarians more frequently completed live animal health field investigations to evaluate health and disease in free-ranging pinniped populations.
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10
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Systemic nocardiosis in a dog caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica. BMC Vet Res 2017; 13:30. [PMID: 28109291 PMCID: PMC5251299 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-0945-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic nocardiosis due to Nocardia cyriacigeorgica has not been reported in dogs. CASE PRESENTATION Light and electron microscopy, microbiological culture and molecular identification (PCR) were used to diagnose systemic nocardiosis caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica in a 3-month-old husky dog. The postmortem changes included multifocal to coalescing, sharply circumscribed pyogranulomatous inflammation and abscess formation in lungs, liver, myocardium, spleen, kidneys, brain, and hilar lymph nodes. The organism was isolated and sequencing of its 16S rRNA allowed its identification and speciation. Examination of the bacterial culture by scanning electron-microscope showed filamentous branching with fragmentation into widely bacillary and cocoid forms of the bacteria. There was no history of immunosupressive drug administration and infection by the immunosuppresive viral pathogens, canine distemper and parvovirus were excluded via PCR. CONCLUSION N. cyriacigeorgica should be considered potential cause of systemic pyogranulomatous lesions in dogs. It is the first reported case of systemic nocardiosis due to N. cyriacigeorgica in a dog.
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11
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Matos AC, Dias AP, Morais M, Matos M, Pinto ML, Coelho AC, Figueira L. Granulomatous lymphadenitis caused by Nocardia species in hunted wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Portugal. Vet Rec 2015. [PMID: 26206972 DOI: 10.1136/vr.h3988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A C Matos
- Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - A P Dias
- Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - M Morais
- Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - M Matos
- Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - M L Pinto
- Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - A C Coelho
- Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - L Figueira
- Escola Superior Agrária, Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco, Castelo Branco, Portugal
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12
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Venn-Watson S, Colegrove KM, Litz J, Kinsel M, Terio K, Saliki J, Fire S, Carmichael R, Chevis C, Hatchett W, Pitchford J, Tumlin M, Field C, Smith S, Ewing R, Fauquier D, Lovewell G, Whitehead H, Rotstein D, McFee W, Fougeres E, Rowles T. Adrenal Gland and Lung Lesions in Gulf of Mexico Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Found Dead following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126538. [PMID: 25992681 PMCID: PMC4439104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) cetacean unusual mortality event (UME) involving primarily bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama began in February 2010 and continued into 2014. Overlapping in time and space with this UME was the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, which was proposed as a contributing cause of adrenal disease, lung disease, and poor health in live dolphins examined during 2011 in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. To assess potential contributing factors and causes of deaths for stranded UME dolphins from June 2010 through December 2012, lung and adrenal gland tissues were histologically evaluated from 46 fresh dead non-perinatal carcasses that stranded in Louisiana (including 22 from Barataria Bay), Mississippi, and Alabama. UME dolphins were tested for evidence of biotoxicosis, morbillivirus infection, and brucellosis. Results were compared to up to 106 fresh dead stranded dolphins from outside the UME area or prior to the DWH spill. UME dolphins were more likely to have primary bacterial pneumonia (22% compared to 2% in non-UME dolphins, P = .003) and thin adrenal cortices (33% compared to 7% in non-UME dolphins, P = .003). In 70% of UME dolphins with primary bacterial pneumonia, the condition either caused or contributed significantly to death. Brucellosis and morbillivirus infections were detected in 7% and 11% of UME dolphins, respectively, and biotoxin levels were low or below the detection limit, indicating that these were not primary causes of the current UME. The rare, life-threatening, and chronic adrenal gland and lung diseases identified in stranded UME dolphins are consistent with exposure to petroleum compounds as seen in other mammals. Exposure of dolphins to elevated petroleum compounds present in coastal GoM waters during and after the DWH oil spill is proposed as a cause of adrenal and lung disease and as a contributor to increased dolphin deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Venn-Watson
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Kathleen M. Colegrove
- University of Illinois, Zoological Pathology Program, Maywood, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jenny Litz
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Michael Kinsel
- University of Illinois, Zoological Pathology Program, Maywood, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Karen Terio
- University of Illinois, Zoological Pathology Program, Maywood, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jeremiah Saliki
- Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Spencer Fire
- NOAA National Ocean Service, Marine Biotoxins Program, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
- Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences, Melbourne, Florida, United States of America
| | - Ruth Carmichael
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Connie Chevis
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Wendy Hatchett
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Pitchford
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Mandy Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Cara Field
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Suzanne Smith
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Ruth Ewing
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Deborah Fauquier
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Heidi Whitehead
- Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - David Rotstein
- Marine Mammal Pathology Services, Olney, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Wayne McFee
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Erin Fougeres
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, St. Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
| | - Teri Rowles
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
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Tryland M, Nesbakken T, Robertson L, Grahek-Ogden D, Lunestad BT. Human pathogens in marine mammal meat – a northern perspective. Zoonoses Public Health 2015; 61:377-94. [PMID: 24344685 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Only a few countries worldwide hunt seals and whales commercially. In Norway, hooded and harp seals and minke whales are commercially harvested, and coastal seals (harbour and grey seals) are hunted as game. Marine mammal meat is sold to the public and thus included in general microbiological meat control regulations. Slaughtering and dressing of marine mammals are performed in the open air on deck, and many factors on board sealing or whaling vessels may affect meat quality, such as the ice used for cooling whale meat and the seawater used for cleaning, storage of whale meat in the open air until ambient temperature is reached, and the hygienic conditions of equipment, decks, and other surfaces. Based on existing reports, it appears that meat of seal and whale does not usually represent a microbiological hazard to consumers in Norway, because human disease has not been associated with consumption of such foods. However, as hygienic control on marine mammal meat is ad hoc, mainly based on spot-testing, and addresses very few human pathogens, this conclusion may be premature. Additionally, few data from surveys or systematic quality control screenings have been published. This review examines the occurrence of potential human pathogens in marine mammals, as well as critical points for contamination of meat during the slaughter, dressing, cooling, storage and processing of meat. Some zoonotic agents are of particular relevance as foodborne pathogens, such as Trichinella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Salmonella and Leptospira spp. In addition, Mycoplasma spp. parapoxvirus and Mycobacterium spp. constitute occupational risks during handling of marine mammals and marine mammal products. Adequate training in hygienic procedures is necessary to minimize the risk of contamination on board, and acquiring further data is essential for obtaining a realistic assessment of the microbiological risk to humans from consuming marine mammal meat.
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Reddy A, Garg P, Kaur I. Speciation and susceptibility of Nocardia isolated from ocular infections. Clin Microbiol Infect 2010; 16:1168-71. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.03079.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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15
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Spectrum and clinicomicrobiological profile of Nocardia keratitis caused by rare species of Nocardia identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Eye (Lond) 2009; 24:1259-62. [DOI: 10.1038/eye.2009.299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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