Publications by authors named "Alex Mau"
A clinical and hematologic approach to basophilia in dogs, cats, and horses.
Vet Clin Pathol
December 2024
Background: Basophils are the rarest blood leukocyte in most healthy domestic mammals and the clinical significance of basophilia is poorly understood.
Objectives: To empirically determine magnitude thresholds for basophilia, identify its hematologic correlates, and identify associations between breeds, specific diseases, disease categories, organ systems, and basophilia in dogs, cats, and horses.
Methods: CBCs and clinical information from dogs, cats, and horses were collected from the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine between 2000 and 2020.
This study aimed to determine the sequence type (ST) of Bartonella henselae infecting small Indian mongooses from Saint Kitts via multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). This investigation used stored EDTA blood (n = 22) samples from mongooses previously identified as positive for B. henselae.
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- - The study focused on assessing the bacterial load and molecular details of Coxiella burnetii in pregnant and postpartum ewes from Saint Kitts, using previously collected positive samples from Barbados Blackbelly ewes.
- - Techniques like real-time qPCR were employed to analyze various samples (vaginal mucus, feces, and milk) for the presence of C. burnetii DNA, revealing equal amounts of bacterial DNA across these sample types.
- - Molecular characterization showed a high diversity of C. burnetii haplotypes, indicating they are widespread, with similarities found in other ruminants and even ticks and humans.
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- The study focuses on understanding the causes of mortality and health issues in hawksbill turtle embryos and hatchlings in St. Kitts and Nevis during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 nesting seasons, reporting an average hatch success of 81.9%.
- Pathological examinations revealed that 42.1% of turtles had anatomical malformations, and nearly half showed microscopic lesions potentially linked to infections and developmental issues, which could help explain hatchling mortality.
- Findings indicate a concerning trend of feminization in turtle populations, with all examined gonads determined to be female, highlighting the need for further research on environmental impacts and genetics affecting turtle health and hatch success.
Feline pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (FPLCH) is a rare histiocytic proliferative disease of middle-aged to older domestic cats. Langerhans cells in the terminal airways proliferate and infiltrate the interstitium and the airways to a lesser degree, widely effacing normal parenchyma. Historically, definitive diagnosis has required postmortem evaluation where pulmonary lesions have a classic gross and histologic morphology.
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- This study looked at how often a bacteria called C. burnetii was found in various samples (like vaginal mucus, feces, and milk) from pregnant and new mother ewes on Saint Kitts.
- They found that about 87% of the ewes were shedding this bacteria in at least one of those ways, with pregnant ewes showing more bacteria in their vaginal mucus and feces than the new mothers.
- The study also discovered that even though many ewes had antibodies against C. burnetii, there wasn't a clear connection between having those antibodies and shedding the bacteria, making it the first detection of this bacteria in the Caribbean.
This study aimed to molecularly survey and evaluate the genetic diversity of spp. in mongooses and their fleas from St. Kitts.
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