Publications by authors named "Michael K Keel"

Article Synopsis
  • * Traditional methods of counting lymphocytes in intestinal biopsies have low reliability due to varying opinions among pathologists, prompting the development of an AI model for more consistent detection.
  • * The AI model shows high sensitivity and predictive value in identifying lymphocytes, potentially improving diagnostic accuracy for feline chronic enteropathy when supervised by a pathologist, despite some errors noted in specific cases.
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Respiratory disease is one of the primary reasons for pet owners to seek veterinary attention for their rats. While chronic respiratory disease complex is most often responsible for respiratory signs in pet rats and is well characterized, upper respiratory obstructive disease has been rarely reported in the literature. This report describes 2 pet fancy rats (Rattus norvegicus domestica) presenting with a several day history of progressive respiratory signs that were minimally responsive to supportive therapies, including antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, and fluid and oxygen support.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers collected fetal tissues from infected mothers (CWD+) and found prion seeds in 50% of the samples, with some detected as early as 113 days of gestation.
  • * This finding marks the first instance of detecting CWD in fetal tissues of free-ranging deer and highlights the need for further research to understand its implications in spreading the disease across cervid populations in North America.
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Chlamydial infections, caused by a group of obligate, intracellular, gram-negative bacteria, have health implications for animals and humans. Due to their highly infectious nature and zoonotic potential, staff at wildlife rehabilitation centers should be educated on the clinical manifestations, prevalence, and risk factors associated with Chlamydia spp. infections in raptors.

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Background: Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) rely on intact pelage for thermoregulation, and thus clinically significant demodicosis and associated alopecia can cause morbidity and death.

Hypothesis/objectives: This study aimed to describe lesions associated with follicular Demodex sp. infestation, estimate the prevalence and intensity of infestation, describe mite distribution across key anatomical regions, and assess mite presence or absence in relation to lesions and host risk factors.

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In the originally published article, the aetiology of the single case of B cell lymphoma found in the Mountain gorilla was incorrectly referred to as Gibbon lymphocryptovirus 1 in Table 1. The correct aetiology is Gbb lymphocryptovirus 1. This has now been corrected in both the html and PDF versions of the article.

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Cancer is ubiquitous in wildlife, affecting animals from bivalves to pachyderms and cetaceans. Reports of increasing frequency demonstrate that neoplasia is associated with substantial mortality in wildlife species. Anthropogenic activities and global weather changes are shaping new geographical limitations for many species, and alterations in living niches are associated with visible examples of genetic bottlenecks, toxin exposures, oncogenic pathogens, stress and immunosuppression, which can all contribute to cancers in wild species.

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Background: Hemotropic mycoplasmas are epicellular erythrocytic bacteria that can cause infectious anemia in some mammalian species. Worldwide, hemotropic mycoplasmas are emerging or re-emerging zoonotic pathogens potentially causing serious and significant health problems in wildlife. The objective of this study was to determine the molecular prevalence of hemotropic Mycoplasma species in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) with and without Pseudogymnoascus (Geomyces) destrucans, the causative agent of white nose syndrome (WNS) that causes significant mortality events in bats.

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A moribund 5-year-old female northern river otter (Lontra canadensis) was found on the bank of a river known to be extensively contaminated with mercury. It exhibited severe ataxia and scleral injection, made no attempt to flee, and died shortly thereafter of drowning. Tissue mercury levels were among the highest ever reported for a free-living terrestrial mammal: kidney, 353 microg/g; liver, 221 microg/g; muscle, 121 microg/g; brain (three replicates from cerebellum), 142, 151, 151 microg/g (all dry weights); and fur, 183 ug/g (fresh weight).

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A free-ranging adult male gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) with moderate diarrhea and thick ocular mucus discharge was examined postmortem. Microscopically, the fox had intranuclear inclusion bodies within hepatocytes. Canine adenovirus-1 was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nucleotide sequencing.

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