In the past decade, different members of the genus have been associated with outbreaks of neurologic disease in humans, cattle, sheep, mink, and, most recently, porcine astrovirus 3 (PoAstV3) in swine. We performed a retrospective analysis of 50 cases of porcine neurologic disease of undetermined cause but with microscopic lesions compatible with a viral encephalomyelitis to better understand the role and pathogenesis of PoAstV3 infection. Nucleic acid was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue for reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) testing for PoAstV3.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe largest outbreak of highly pathogenic avian Influenza A virus (HPAIV) infection in U.S. history began in December 2014 resulting in the euthanasia of millions of birds and collateral economic consequences to the U.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Blank Park Zoo began suffering mortalities in the spring of 2012 within a flock of 229 captive budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) housed in an interactive public-feeding aviary. Clinical signs in affected birds included weakness, posterior paresis, inability to fly, or acute death. Gross and microscopic lesions were not initially apparent in acutely affected deceased birds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDesorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) is an emerging analytical technique that permits the rapid and direct analysis of biological or environmental samples under ambient conditions. Highlighting the versatility of this technique, DESI-MS has been used for the rapid detection of illicit drugs, chemical warfare agents, agricultural chemicals, and pharmaceuticals from a variety of sample matrices. In diagnostic veterinary toxicology, analyzing samples using traditional analytical instrumentation typically includes extensive sample extraction procedures, which can be time consuming and labor intensive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPorcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) was detected in May 2013 for the first time in U.S. swine and has since caused significant economic loss.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDuring the 10 days commencing April 29, 2013, the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory received the first 4 of many submissions from swine farms experiencing explosive epidemics of diarrhea and vomiting affecting all ages, with 90-95% mortality in suckling pigs. Histology revealed severe atrophy of villi in all segments of the small intestines with occasional villus-epithelial syncytial cells, but testing for rotaviruses and Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (Alphacoronavirus 1) were negative. Negative-staining electron microscopy of feces revealed coronavirus-like particles and a pan-coronavirus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) designed to amplify a conserved region of the polymerase gene for all members in the family Coronaviridae produced expected 251-bp amplicons.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe role of Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in the development of Porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2)-associated disease (PCVAD) was investigated in 2 experimental studies. In the first, separate groups of germ-free pigs were inoculated with filtered tissue homogenate (from diseased pigs) containing PCV-2b + BVDV-1-like virus (group 1), PCV-2a + BVDV-1-like virus (group 4), BVDV-1-like virus only (group 3), or PCV-2b + BVDV-1-like virus following a BVDV vaccination protocol (group 2). This last group was used to test if BVDV vaccination would prevent clinical PCVAD in this model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPorcine teschovirus (PTV) was isolated in cell culture and/or demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction in samples of brain and/or spinal cord in pigs in Indiana during the 2002-2007 period. Testing was initiated on pigs originating from populations exhibiting nervous clinical disease and/or pigs with microscopic lesions in central nervous tissues, indicating viral encephalitis and/or myelitis. Virus was demonstrated in pigs with and without lesions as well as with and without nervous clinical disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPorcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and swine influenza virus (SIV) are important pathogens for porcine respiratory disease complex, which is economically significant worldwide. The pathogenesis of PCV2-SIV coinfection is unknown. In this study, we focused on establishing a challenge model for PCV2 to determine whether SIV influences PCV2 replication and increases the severity of PCV2-associated disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFocal accumulations of mononuclear cells in the arterial wall of healthy humans at predilection sites for atherosclerotic lesions have been described as 'vascular-associated lymphoid tissue' (VALT). Here we investigated whether pigs (Sus scrofa), a commonly used animal model for studying cardiovascular disease, have VALT. Samples of major arteries were collected from 10 conventional crossbred pigs (age, 2 to 24 mo) and processed for routine light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBovine viral diarrhea (BVD) is one of the economically important diseases of cattle. For many years, different types of vaccines have been commercially available, yet this disease is hard to control in high-density population areas. Detection and isolation of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) from any potential reservoir is vital, especially when considering virus eradication from a herd or locale.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToxoplasmosis was diagnosed in a woodchuck (Marmota monax) and 2 American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). The woodchuck was euthanized by a wildlife rescue organization in New York after progressive clinical signs of head tilt, circling, and rapid weight loss. Necropsy examination revealed acute subdural hemorrhage over the right cerebral hemisphere.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 13-year-old female llama was presented to the referring veterinarian for swelling and firmness of the right rear mammary gland, for a duration of 2 months, which had been unresponsive to antibiotics. A formalin-fixed wedge biopsy specimen from the affected quarter was submitted to Purdue University Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for histopathology. Histopathologic examination revealed tubulopapillary acinar or solid nest-like clusters of neoplastic epithelial cells surrounded by whorls and sheets of proliferative myoepithelial cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCongenital lobar emphysema (CLE) and tension pneumothorax (TPT) are rarely reported in dogs. A case of CLE of the right middle lung lobe predisposing to air trapping, alveolar hyperinflation, and pleural rupture resulting in fatal spontaneous TPT in a 6-month-old mixed breed dog is described. The unique alteration of "bloat line" was observed in this case in addition to compressive atelectasis of all other lung lobes and lack of negative pressure within the thoracic cavity, signifying markedly elevated intrathoracic pressure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMuscular pseudohypertrophy was diagnosed in the cervical musculature of a full-term crossbred Simmental fetus delivered by fetotomy. Only head and cervical regions were submitted for pathologic examination; the rest of the fetal body was reportedly normal. The neck musculature of the fetus was markedly deformed by 23 cm and 18 cm in diameter, firm, spherical masses that consisted of enlarged and pale left splenius and right serratus ventralis cervicis muscle, respectively, covered by intact skin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe safety and efficacy of methylene blue (MB) coated indwelling jugular vein/cranial vena cava catheter made up of polyurethane material was tested in a rat model, receiving bacterial culture suspension of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Daily blood samples were collected from the catheter and peripheral vein for bacterial culture. The clinical parameters (rectal temperature, respiratory rate, total white blood cell count, and loss in body weight) were not different between the groups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: We have previously described microscopic and electron microscopic alterations in lymphoid organs of PCV2 inoculated mice as apoptosis. In this study we wanted to investigate the molecular pathogenetic mechanism of PCV2-induced apoptosis. Eight-week old BALB/c mice were either sham inoculated (control mice) or inoculated intraperitoneally (ip) and intranasally (in) with a single (sPCV mice) or multiple (mPCV mice) doses of PCV2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe entire genomes of 7 isolates of porcine circovirus (PCV) from pigs with congenital tremors (CT), type A2, or postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) were cloned and sequenced. One isolate (CT-PCV-P7) originated from the late 1960s from a neonatal pig with CT, type A2. Two recent PCV isolates (CT-PCV-P5, CT-PCV-P6) were from 2 affected neonatal pigs, from different farms, with unrelated outbreaks of CT; type A2.
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