Investigation of laboratory methods for characterization of aquatic viruses in fish infected experimentally with infectious salmon anemia virus.

Rapid growth in aquaculture has resulted in high-density production systems in ecologically and geographically novel conditions in which the emergence of diseases is inevitable. Well-characterized methods for detection and surveillance of infectious diseases are vital for rapid identification, response, and recovery to protect economic and food security. We implemented a proof-of-concept approach for virus detection using a known high-consequence fish pathogen, infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV), as the archetypal pathogen.

Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from Humans to Pets, Washington and Idaho, USA.

SARS-CoV-2 likely emerged from an animal reservoir. However, the frequency of and risk factors for interspecies transmission remain unclear. We conducted a community-based study in Idaho, USA, of pets in households that had >1 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections in humans.

Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to pets in Washington and Idaho: burden and risk factors.

SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have emerged from an animal reservoir; however, the frequency of and risk factors for inter-species transmission remain unclear. We carried out a community-based study of pets in households with one or more confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans. Among 119 dogs and 57 cats with completed surveys, clinical signs consistent with SARS-CoV-2 were reported in 20 dogs (21%) and 19 cats (39%).

An outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 with high mortality in mink (Neovison vison) on multiple Utah farms.

The breadth of animal hosts that are susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and may serve as reservoirs for continued viral transmission are not known entirely. In August 2020, an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 occurred on five mink farms in Utah and was associated with high mink mortality (35-55% of adult mink) and rapid viral transmission between animals. The premise and clinical disease information, pathology, molecular characterization, and tissue distribution of virus within infected mink during the early phase of the outbreak are provided.

Interlaboratory comparison of heavy metal testing in animal diagnostic specimens and feed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

We compared inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) test results for the analysis of heavy metals (As, Ba, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se) in pet foods and routine veterinary diagnostic specimens using intralaboratory and interlaboratory comparisons. Four laboratories, 1 principal laboratory and 3 collaborating laboratories, conducted instrument comparison (limit of detection [LOD], limit of quantification [LOQ], and linear dynamic range [LDR] on 24 data sets), in-house method comparison (accuracy and precision on 120 data sets), and interlaboratory comparison (reproducibility on 528 data sets using Horwitz equation analysis). Matrices tested included 2 types of pet food jerky treats (chicken and sweet potato), bovine blood, and bovine liver and kidney.

-specific hyperimmune plasma administration decreases faecal shedding of pathogenic in foals.

is the most common cause of pneumonia in young foals. Pneumonic foals are an important source of environmental contamination as they shed higher amounts of in their faeces than unaffected foals. As -specific hyperimmune plasma (HIP) lessens clinical pneumonia, we hypothesise that its use would result in decreased faecal shedding of by foals.

Autochthonous Transmission of Coccidioides in Animals, Washington, USA.

We report 5 cases of coccidioidomycosis in animals that were acquired within Washington, USA, and provide further evidence for the environmental endemicity of Coccidioides immitis within the state. Veterinarians should consider coccidioidomycosis in animals with compatible clinical signs that reside in, or have traveled to, south central Washington.

Multilaboratory Survey To Evaluate Salmonella Prevalence in Diarrheic and Nondiarrheic Dogs and Cats in the United States between 2012 and 2014.

Eleven laboratories collaborated to determine the periodic prevalence of in a population of dogs and cats in the United States visiting veterinary clinics. Fecal samples (2,965) solicited from 11 geographically dispersed veterinary testing laboratories were collected in 36 states between January 2012 and April 2014 and tested using a harmonized method. The overall study prevalence of in cats (3 of 542) was <1%.

Transcriptomic Determinants of Scrapie Prion Propagation in Cultured Ovine Microglia.

Susceptibility to infection by prions is highly dependent on the amino acid sequence and host expression of the cellular prion protein (PrPC); however, cellular expression of a genetically susceptible PrPC is insufficient. As an example, it has been shown in cultured cells that permissive and resistant sublines derived from the same parental population often have similar expression levels of PrPC. Thus, additional cellular factors must influence susceptibility to prion infection.

Abortion in a Mediterranean miniature donkey (Equus asinus) associated with a gammaherpesvirus similar to Equid herpesvirus 7.

Fetal tissues and placenta from a third trimester Mediterranean miniature donkey (Equus asinus) abortion were submitted to the Washington State University, Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for abortion diagnosis. Microscopic examination of formalin-fixed tissues revealed multifocal necrotizing placentitis. Several cells within the necrotic foci contained large, eosinophilic, intranuclear inclusions.

Novel Eurasian highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5 viruses in wild birds, Washington, USA, 2014.

Novel Eurasian lineage avian influenza A(H5N8) virus has spread rapidly and globally since January 2014. In December 2014, H5N8 and reassortant H5N2 viruses were detected in wild birds in Washington, USA, and subsequently in backyard birds. When they infect commercial poultry, these highly pathogenic viruses pose substantial trade issues.

hTERT-immortalized ovine microglia propagate natural scrapie isolates.

Ex vivo propagation of natural prion isolates (i.e., propagated solely in the natural host) is crucial for the characterization and study of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).

Francisella tularensis infection without lesions in gray tree squirrels (Sciurus griseus): a diagnostic challenge.

Fifteen cases of Francisella tularensis infection (tularemia) were identified in western gray (Sciurus griseus) and eastern gray (Sciurus carolinensis) squirrels submitted to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory between 2008 and 2011. All of the squirrels originated in Washington State, a geographical area with endemic tularemia in wildlife. Nine of the 15 squirrels with F.

An outbreak of Chlamydophila psittaci in an outdoor colony of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus).

An outbreak of Chlamydophila psittaci occurred in an outdoor colony of 63 Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) at the San Francisco Zoo. Affected penguins presented with inappetence, lethargy, and light green urates. Hematologic and serum biochemical findings were consistent with chronic inflammation.

Discovery of a novel, monocationic, small-molecule inhibitor of scrapie prion accumulation in cultured sheep microglia and Rov cells.

Prion diseases, including sheep scrapie, are neurodegenerative diseases with the fundamental pathogenesis involving conversion of normal cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) to disease-associated prion protein (PrP(Sc)). Chemical inhibition of prion accumulation is widely investigated, often using rodent-adapted prion cell culture models. Using a PrP(Sc)-specific ELISA we discovered a monocationic phenyl-furan-benzimidazole (DB772), which has previously demonstrated anti-pestiviral activity and represents a chemical category previously untested for anti-prion activity, that inhibited PrP(Sc) accumulation and prion infectivity in primary sheep microglial cell cultures (PRNP 136VV/154RR/171QQ) and Rov9 cultures (VRQ-ovinized RK13 cells).

A novel papillomavirus isolated from proliferative skin lesions of a wild American beaver (Castor canadensis).

Cutaneous papillomatosis was diagnosed in an adult American beaver (Castor canadensis). Gross lesions included numerous exophytic, roughly circular, lightly pigmented lesions on hairless areas of fore and hind feet and the nose. The most significant histopathologic findings were multifocal papilliform hyperplasia of the superficial stratified squamous epithelium, with multifocal koilocytes, and multiple cells with large, darkly basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies.

Guidelines for safe work practices in human and animal medical diagnostic laboratories. Recommendations of a CDC-convened, Biosafety Blue Ribbon Panel.

Prevention of injuries and occupational infections in U.S. laboratories has been a concern for many years.

Association and evidence for linked recognition of type IV secretion system proteins VirB9-1, VirB9-2, and VirB10 in Anaplasma marginale.

Like several other bacterial pathogens, Anaplasma marginale has an outer membrane that induces complete protection from infection and disease. However, the proteins that confer protective immunity and whether protection requires interacting proteins and/or linked T-cell and immunoglobulin G epitopes are not known. Our goal is to target the conserved type IV secretion system (T4SS) to identify conserved, immunogenic membrane proteins that are interacting and linked recognition candidates.

Expression of Anaplasma marginale ankyrin repeat-containing proteins during infection of the mammalian host and tick vector.

Transmission of tick-borne pathogens requires transition between distinct host environments with infection and replication in host-specific cell types. Anaplasma marginale illustrates this transition: in the mammalian host, the bacterium infects and replicates in mature (nonnucleated) erythrocytes, while in the tick vector, replication occurs in nucleated epithelial cells. We hypothesized that proteins containing ankyrin motifs would be expressed by A.

Evaluation of an arthroscopic approach for transection of the equine collateral sesamoidean ligament.

Objective: To evaluate: (1) an arthroscopic technique for transection of the collateral sesamoidean ligament (CSL); and (2) the healing response using magnetic resonance (MR) and microscopic examination.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Animals: Adult horses (n=6).

A Babesia bovis gene syntenic to Theileria parva p67 is expressed in blood and tick stage parasites.

Completion of the Babesia bovis (T2Bo strain) genome provides detailed data concerning the predicted proteome of this parasite, and allows for a bioinformatics approach to gene discovery. Comparative genomics of the hemoprotozoan parasites B. bovis and Theileria parva revealed a highly conserved syntenic block of genes flanking the p67 gene of T.

Coxiella burnetii infection of a Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) found in Washington State.

A pregnant sea lion stranded in the State of Washington was found to have placentitis caused by a unique strain of Coxiella burnetii. This is the first description of coxiellosis in a sea lion and suggests that exposure to sea lions may be a risk factor for contracting Q fever.

Outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever among cattle associated with a state livestock exhibition.

Case Description: Severe disease and death were identified in cattle exhibited at a state fair that were naturally infected with ovine herpesvirus type 2 (OvHV-2).

Clinical Findings: Most affected cattle had anorexia, signs of depression, diarrhea, fever, and respiratory distress ultimately leading to death. Mean duration of clinical signs prior to death was 6 days (range, 1 to 26 days).

Limited transcriptional response of ovine microglia to prion accumulation.

The conversion of normal cellular prion protein to disease-associated prion protein (PrP(Sc)) is a fundamental component of prion disease pathogenesis. The molecular mechanisms contributing to prion conversion and the impact of PrP(Sc) accumulation on cellular biology are not fully understood. To further define the molecular changes associated with PrP(Sc) accumulation in cultured cells, the transcriptional profile of PrP(Sc)-accumulating primary ovine microglia was compared to the profile of PrP(Sc)-lacking microglia using the Affymetrix Bovine Genome Array.