Do white-footed mice, the main reservoir of the Lyme disease pathogen in the United States, clinically respond to the borrelial tenancy?

As white-footed mice, , are considered the primary animal reservoir of (), the main agent of Lyme disease (LD) in the United States, these animals represent the most relevant model to study borrelial spirochetes in the context of their natural life cycle. Previous studies have consistently demonstrated that although white-footed mice respond immunologically to the invasion of the Lyme pathogen, adults do not develop a clinically detectable disease. This tolerance, which is common for mammalian reservoirs of different pathogens, contrasts with detrimental anti-borrelial responses of C3H mice, a widely used animal model of LD, which always result in a clinical manifestation (e.

Staphylococcus felis C4 exhibits in vitro antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in a novel canine skin explant model.

Background: Canine superficial pyoderma is a common bacterial skin infection of dogs, generally caused by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. The C4 strain of Staphylococcus felis was recently discovered to have strong antimicrobial activity against S. pseudintermedius in mice.

Cytokeratin AE1/AE3 immunolabeling in epithelioid hemangiosarcoma.

Epithelioid hemangiosarcoma (EH), a rare histological variant of hemangiosarcoma, is reported in various animal species, including humans, dogs, cows, horses, and cats. Epithelioid hemangiosarcomas are composed of highly pleomorphic epithelioid cells arranged in cords, islands, nests, or solid cellular areas, similar to epithelial neoplasms. Moreover, in humans, approximately 50% of EHs have cytoplasmic immunolabeling for cytokeratin AE1/AE3 (CK AE1/AE3), making it challenging to distinguish them from carcinomas.

Surgical and oncologic outcomes in dogs with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours arising from the brachial or lumbosacral plexus.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNST) of a plexus nerve or nerve root cause significant morbidity and present a treatment challenge. The surgical approach can be complex and information is lacking on outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe surgical complication rates and oncologic outcomes for canine MPNST of the brachial or lumbosacral plexus.

Common superficial and deep cutaneous bacterial infections in domestic animals: A review.

The skin covers the external surface of animals, and it is constantly exposed to and inhabited by different microorganisms, including bacteria. Alterations in the skin barrier allow commensal and/or pathogenic bacteria to proliferate and penetrate deep into the lower layers of the skin. Being the first barrier to the external environment, the skin is prone to injuries, allowing the penetration of microorganisms that may lead to severe deep infections.

Sores of boreal moose reveal a previously unknown genetic lineage of parasitic nematode within the genus Onchocerca.

Long-standing reports of open sores on the hind legs of moose (Alces alces) have been recorded in Alaska (as well as Canada, Europe, and Michigan), eliciting concerns about causes and infection. We used histological and genomic methods to investigate the sores from 20 adult moose on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. We paired this with thermal imagery and molt scoring of adult moose to further describe sore formation and understand its timing.

Carotid pseudoaneurysm in a kitten after accidental puncture with a needle.

Case Summary: A 3-month-old intact male domestic shorthair kitten's cervical region was inadvertently punctured during routine subcutaneous fluid administration. A swelling rapidly developed on the left lateral neck and continued to grow, despite compression. An emergency facility evaluated the kitten 48 h later and the swelling was determined to be blood.

Cutaneous Amelanotic Signet-Ring Melanoma in a Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica).

A 15-year-old male white Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) was evaluated for an elevated, ulcerated, cutaneous mass on the right flank. The mass was removed by excisional biopsy and submitted for histopathology. Based on distinct histological features of intracytoplasmic globular material and positive immunohistochemical staining for Melan-A and vimentin, an amelanotic signet-ring melanoma was diagnosed.

ABHD5 frameshift deletion in Golden Retrievers with ichthyosis.

Ichthyoses are hereditary skin disorders characterized by the formation of scales and defects in the outermost layer of the epidermis. In dogs, at least six different breed-specific ichthyoses including a relatively common PNPLA1-related autosomal recessive ichthyosis in Golden Retrievers are known. In this study, we investigated 14 Golden Retrievers with scales that were not homozygous for the mutant PNPLA1 allele suggesting a genetically distinct new form of ichthyosis.

Enhancer reprogramming in PRC2-deficient malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors induces a targetable de-differentiated state.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are soft tissue sarcomas that frequently harbor genetic alterations in polycomb repressor complex 2 (PRC2) components-SUZ12 and EED. Here, we show that PRC2 loss confers a dedifferentiated early neural-crest phenotype which is exclusive to PRC2-mutant MPNSTs and not a feature of neurofibromas. Neural crest phenotype in PRC2 mutant MPNSTs was validated via cross-species comparative analysis using spontaneous and transgenic MPNST models.

Positive effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a cat with cutaneous nocardiosis.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been beneficial in treating people with nocardiosis. This report describes Nocardia spp. affecting a cat, with lesions confined to the skin.

The First Immunocompetent Mouse Model of Strictly Human Pathogen, Borrelia recurrentis.

The spirochetal bacterium Borrelia recurrentis causes louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF). B. recurrentis is unique because, as opposed to other spirochetes, this strictly human pathogen is transmitted by lice.

Histologic features of hair follicle neoplasms and cysts in dogs and cats: a diagnostic guide.

Hair follicle neoplasms occur in many different species, including humans. In domestic animals, they are most common in dogs. Most hair follicle tumors are benign, but malignant neoplasms can also occur.

Cetacean Morbillivirus Infection in a Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) from Brazil.

We provide pathological, immunohistochemical and molecular evidence of cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) infection in a live-stranded adult female killer whale (Orcinus orca), which stranded alive in Espírito Santo State, Brazil, in 2014. Although attempts were made to release the animal, it stranded again and died. The main pathological findings were severe pulmonary oedema, pleural petechiation, multifocal, lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis and leptomeningomyelitis with perivascular cuffing and gliosis, chronic lymphocytic bronchointerstitial pneumonia and multicentric lymph node and splenic lymphoid depletion.

Characterization of canine epidermal organoid cultures by immunohistochemical analysis and quantitative PCR.

Background: Keratinocyte organoids can be used as a tool to evaluate epidermal structure, function and dysfunction.

Objectives: To optimize the canine keratinocyte organoid system and produce organoids that are structurally equivalent to in vivo canine epidermis, in order to enable studies that focus on epidermal diseases and diseases resulting from an impaired epidermal barrier.

Animals: Skin biopsies were obtained from five recently euthanized dogs of different breeds with no skin abnormalities.

Pyogranulomatous panniculitis in a domestic cat associated with Pseudomonas luteola infection.

Pseudomonas luteola, a pathogen causing disease in humans, has in animals been reported only in rainbow trout and ferrets. This case report describes pyogranulomatous panniculitis in a cat associated with P. luteola infection.

Transcriptome Profiling and Differential Gene Expression in Canine Microdissected Anagen and Telogen Hair Follicles and Interfollicular Epidermis.

The transcriptome profile and differential gene expression in telogen and late anagen microdissected hair follicles and the interfollicular epidermis of healthy dogs was investigated by using RNAseq. The genes with the highest expression levels in each group were identified and genes known from studies in other species to be associated with structure and function of hair follicles and epidermis were evaluated. Transcriptome profiling revealed that late anagen follicles expressed mainly keratins and telogen follicles expressed and .

Pathologic and flow cytometric features of a case of canine ventral cervical lymphangiosarcoma.

An 11-y-old spayed female German Shepherd was presented for a second opinion of ventral cervical swelling of 3-mo duration. On examination, the dog had significant dependent ventral cervical swelling. Enlarged lymph nodes with cystic changes and severe edematous facial swelling were noted on computed tomography.

Abnormal keratinocyte differentiation in the nasal planum of Labrador Retrievers with hereditary nasal parakeratosis (HNPK).

Hereditary nasal parakeratosis (HNPK) is an inherited disorder described in Labrador Retrievers and Greyhounds. It has been associated with breed-specific variants in the SUV39H2 gene encoding a histone 3 methyltransferase involved in epigenetic silencing. Formalin-fixed biopsies of the nasal planum of Labrador Retrievers were screened by immunofluorescence microscopy for the presence and distribution of epidermal proliferation and differentiation markers.

New Zealand White Rabbits Effectively Clear Borrelia burgdorferi B31 despite the Bacterium's Functional Antigenic Variation System.

is a tick-borne bacterium responsible for approximately 300,000 annual cases of Lyme disease (LD) in the United States, with increasing incidences in other parts of the world. The debilitating nature of LD is mainly attributed to the ability of to persist in patients for many years despite strong anti- antibody responses. Antimicrobial treatment of persistent infection is challenging.

Bald thigh syndrome in sighthounds-Revisiting the cause of a well-known disease.

Bald thigh syndrome is a common hair loss disorder in sighthounds. Numerous possible causes, including environmental conditions, trauma, stress, endocrinopathies and genetic components have been proposed, but only endocrinopathies have been ruled out scientifically. The overall goal of our study was to identify the cause of bald thigh syndrome and the pathological changes associated with it.

Long-term expanding human airway organoids for disease modeling.

Organoids are self-organizing 3D structures grown from stem cells that recapitulate essential aspects of organ structure and function. Here, we describe a method to establish long-term-expanding human airway organoids from broncho-alveolar resections or lavage material. The pseudostratified airway organoids consist of basal cells, functional multi-ciliated cells, mucus-producing secretory cells, and CC10-secreting club cells.