Publications by authors named "Vanessa R Barrs"

A case of polyparasitism in an 8-year-old female cat from Southern Brazil is reported. Among the described clinical signs, both gurltiosis and lagochilascariasis are of rare occurrence, being categorized as neglected diseases. The diagnosis of feline crural parasitic paraplegia was established through clinical signs, necropsy lesion observations, and the presence of Gurltia paralysans in histological sections of the spinal cord.

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Identifying risk factors associated with the carriage of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria in dogs is crucial to understanding their epidemiology and for developing and refining targeted control measures. However, relevant data is scattered and conflicting findings have been reported. This systematic review aimed to compile risk factors associated with the carriage of AMR- in dogs worldwide and to identify relevant knowledge gaps for directing future research.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This study examined testicular lesions in cats in Hong Kong from 2018 to 2024, focusing on both neoplastic (tumor-related) and non-neoplastic (non-tumor-related) findings.
  • - Out of 26 testis samples from 18 cats, non-neoplastic lesions were more common, especially inflammation and conditions like cryptorchidism, while neoplastic lesions were found in three older cats, including Sertoli cell tumor, leiomyoma, and fibrosarcoma.
  • - The research highlights that non-neoplastic lesions are prevalent and identifies new instances of leiomyoma and fibrosarcoma in cats’ testes, suggesting the need for awareness about these possible conditions.
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Feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia (FGESF) is a rare and poorly understood disease characterised by the infiltration of eosinophils and the development of fibrous tissue within the gastrointestinal tract of cats. A 2-year-old female neutered Ragdoll was presented for signs consistent with extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction (EHBO), including jaundice, hyporexia and lethargy. Marked progressive hyperbilirubinemia and mild anaemia were also present.

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Dermatophytic pseudomycetoma (DPM) is a rarely reported invasive fungal infection of humans and animals, especially cats. This study aimed to identify dermatophytes, breed associations, and the frequency of extracutaneous (EC) involvement in feline DPM. Electronic records and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPET) from 32 suspected DPM cases in 30 cats were retrieved from a diagnostic laboratory between 2018 and 2024.

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Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease of major One Health significance and public health impact globally, with a wide host range including mammals, cetaceans and herpetofauna. This study aimed to determine seroprevalence, risk factors for seroreactivity and prevalence of urinary shedding among domestic cats in Hong Kong. Microagglutination testing of 22 serovars from 20 serogroups was performed on 738 sera from outdoor free-roaming "community" cats ( = 391) and privately-owned ( = 347) cats.

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Unlabelled: Companion animals such as cats and dogs harbor diverse microbial communities that can potentially impact human health due to close and frequent contact. To better characterize their total infectomes and assess zoonotic risks, we characterized the overall infectomes of companion animals (cats and dogs) and evaluated their potential zoonotic risks. Meta-transcriptomic analyses were performed on 239 samples from cats and dogs collected across China, identifying 24 viral species, 270 bacterial genera, and two fungal genera.

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Malassezia are members of the mycobiome of dogs and cats. In the presence of an underlying disease, these yeasts can proliferate, attach to the skin or mucosa to induce a secondary Malassezia dermatitis, otitis externa or paronychia. Since allergic dermatitis is one of the most common underlying causes, diagnostic investigation for allergy is often indicated.

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Understanding the local epidemiology of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in Hong Kong will inform retrovirus prevention strategies. Domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH), a novel hepatitis-B-like virus, is commonly detected among client-owned cats in Hong Kong, but community cats have not been studied. The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency and potential risk factors for (i) FeLV and FIV among community and client-owned cats and (ii) perform molecular detection of DCH among community cats in Hong Kong.

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Case Summary: A 2-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat presented with an acute onset of muscular pain, ataxia and fever. Serological tests for IgM and IgG, cryptococcal antigen, feline immune deficiency virus antibody and feline leukaemia virus antigen were all negative. Brain and spinal MRI showed evidence of myositis and bilateral renal parenchymal abnormalities and pyelectasis.

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Cat ownership is common in Chile, but data on the regional prevalence of infectious agents are limited. A sero-molecular survey of 120 client- or shelter-owned domestic cats in greater Santiago was performed. Whole blood DNA was tested for the novel hepatitis-B-like virus, domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH) by conventional PCR (cPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR), and for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) by qPCR.

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Clinical Relevance: In contrast to superficial fungal infections, such as dermatophytosis, invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are characterised by penetration of tissues by fungal elements. Disease can spread locally within a region or can disseminate haematogenously or via the lymphatics. The environment is the most common reservoir of infection.

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Article Synopsis
  • Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) and fungal-like infections (IFLIs) are challenging to treat due to long treatment times, the potential for relapse, and variable antifungal drug effectiveness.
  • The article aims to review the activity, mechanisms, and side effects of antifungal drugs, while discussing the treatment and prognosis for specific infections such as cryptococcosis and mucormycosis.
  • Information is primarily based on pharmacokinetic studies in cats, along with data from preclinical and human studies, combining insights from various veterinary specialties.
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Tick-borne haemoparasite has been detected rarely in cats, in surveys of apparently healthy animals. In stored blood from a 6-year-old male-neutered domestic shorthair cat in Hong Kong, DNA was detected retrospectively using PCR for spp. 18S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome B genes, followed by sequencing and basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) analysis.

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Brachycephalic dogs are not only affected by brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), but are also frequently referred to veterinary dermatologists for skin conditions, with English bulldogs and pugs particularly over-represented. Some skin diseases, such as skin fold dermatitis, are directly associated with the abnormal anatomic conformation of brachycephalic dogs, while for others, such as atopic dermatitis and viral pigmented plaques, there is an underlying genetic basis or a general predisposition. Anatomic alterations associated with brachycephaly, leading to fold formation of the skin and stenosis of the ear canal, together with primary immunodeficiencies described in some breeds, favor the development of pyoderma, dermatitis, and otitis externa/media.

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Babesiosis and ehrlichiosis are the most clinically significant tick-borne infections in dogs. Although epidemiological investigations of these diseases have been performed in some Asian regions, little data is available in Hong Kong, where competent vector tick species are endemic. The objectives of this study were to determine the molecular prevalence of Ehrlichia canis and Babesia species (B.

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Article Synopsis
  • - SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, has raised concerns about its ability to infect animals, prompting studies in densely populated cities like Hong Kong and Seoul to assess exposure in cats and dogs.
  • - Testing of 1040 cats and 855 dogs for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies revealed a low percentage of positive results, with higher rates in dogs compared to cats and very few showing neutralizing antibodies.
  • - The study indicates that while there is some exposure to the virus in companion animals, the low seroprevalence suggests limited transmission, and discrepancies in test results could point to cross-reactivity with other coronaviruses.
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Domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH) is an emerging virus related to the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The pathogenic potential of DCH in cats remains to be established. The molecular prevalence of DCH varies widely in the regions investigated so far.

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Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is a chronic, lifelong, debilitating, primarily obstructive airway disease which adversely affects the quality of life of many popular dog breeds. Respiratory restriction in bulldog breeds, pugs and Boston terriers frequently co-exist with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, many brachycephalic dogs that appear clinically normal are, in fact suffering from chronic hypoxia and its systemic consequences.

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Bats are important reservoirs for viruses of public health and veterinary concern. Virus studies in Australian bats usually target the families Paramyxoviridae, Coronaviridae and Rhabdoviridae, with little known about their overall virome composition. We used metatranscriptomic sequencing to characterise the faecal virome of grey-headed flying foxes from three colonies in urban/suburban locations from two Australian states.

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Chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by the hepadnavirus hepatitis B virus (HBV) are significant causes of human mortality. A hepatitis-B-like virus infecting cats, domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH), was reported in 2018. DCH DNA is hepatotropic and detectable in feline blood or serum (3.

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Feline panleukopenia (FPL), a highly contagious and frequently fatal disease of cats, is caused by Feline parvovirus (FPV) and Canine parvovirus (CPV). We characterised the diversity of these Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 variants in 18 faecal samples collected from domestic cats with FPL during an outbreak, using targeted parvoviral DNA metagenomics to a mean depth of >10,000 × coverage per site. All samples comprised FPV alone.

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