Capsular polysaccharide switching in Streptococcus suis modulates host cell interactions and virulence.

The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Streptococcus suis defines various serotypes based on its composition and structure. Though serotype switching has been suggested to occur between S. suis strains, its impact on pathogenicity and virulence remains unknown.

Clonal Spread of Quinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli among Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) Inhabiting an Urban City Park in Japan.

The emergence and dissemination of resistance to clinically important antimicrobials in wild animals is of great concern. The aim of our study was to reveal the prevalence and intraspecies dissemination of quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli (QREC) in sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Nara Park, a famous tourist spot in Japan. Fecal samples were collected from 59 wild deer in Nara Park between July and October 2018.

Molecular characterization of Ascaridia galli from Bangladesh and development of a PCR method for distinguishing A. galli from Heterakis spp.

We analyzed the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 and ITS2 sequences for Bangladesh isolates of Ascaridia galli, and we determined that the sequences were unreliable as molecular markers for distinguishing A. galli from other Ascaridia species, because the sequences showed high identity with that of A. columbae.

Proteomic profiling of milk small extracellular vesicles from bovine leukemia virus-infected cattle.

Milk small extracellular vesicles (sEV) contain proteins that provide potential information of host physiology and immunology. Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is an oncogenic virus that causes progressive B-cell lymphosarcoma in cattle. In this study, we aimed to explore the proteomic profile of milk sEV from BLV-infected cattle compared with those from uninfected cattle.

Degenerative Myelopathy in Hovawart Dogs: Molecular Characterization, Pathological Features and Accumulation of Mutant Superoxide Dismutase 1 Protein.

Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is an adult-onset, progressive neurological disease affecting several breeds of dog. Homozygosity or compound heterozygosity for the canine superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene mutations, possibly modulated by the modifier SP110 locus, are associated with a high risk for DM. Although the pathophysiological mechanisms are largely unknown, a role for mutant SOD1 in causing neuronal degeneration has been postulated.

α-MSH-induced activation of spinal MC1R but not MC4R enhances colorectal motility in anaesthetised rats.

The central nervous system is involved in regulation of defaecation. It is generally considered that supraspinal regions control the spinal defaecation centre. However, signal transmission from supraspinal regions to the spinal defaecation centre is still unclear.

Case Report: Transoral Penetrating Medullocervical Injury by a Chopstick in Three Cats.

This case series describes transoral penetrating or contusive medullocervical injury by a wooden chopstick in three young cats presenting with acute tetraparesis. CT revealed that remnant fragments of a wooden chopstick penetrated the atlantooccipital space in cases 1 and 2. The remnant fragments were visualized clearly on CT under the bone window setting.

Development of conventional multiplex PCR method for discrimination between Dispharynx nasuta and Cheilospirura hamulosa (Nematoda: Acuariidae) parasitizing poultry.

The poultry infections caused by Dispharynx nasuta and Cheilospirura hamulosa nematodes are difficult to be diagnosed by fecal examination because of their egg similarity. In this study, we analyzed DNA sequences of nuclear ribosomal 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-28S region of D.

Application of long-term collected data for conservation: Spatio-temporal patterns of mortality in Japanese serow.

Monitoring the mortality of wildlife provides basic demographic information to support management plan preparation. The utility of mortality records for conservation measures was investigated in the Japanese serow, focusing on temporal trends and spatial distribution. Using the mortality records of Japanese serow from 2006 to 2018 in Gifu prefecture, cause-specific mortality was categorized into five groups (disease, accident, vehicle collision, parapoxvirus infection, and unknown), and the sex ratios were examined.

Successful measures to prevent the spread of bovine papular stomatitis in a dairy farm.

Nasal papules and oral ulcers were observed in calves that were group-housed at a dairy farm. The calves were diagnosed with bovine papular stomatitis (BPS) due to parapoxvirus (PPV) infection based on virologic examinations using polymerase chain reaction to detect PPV. To prevent the spread of BPS, we isolated the affected calves, made procedural changes so that the affected herd was managed after the healthy herd, disinfected the bedding with slaked lime, disinfected the stalls and fences with invert soap, and changed the animals' feed to soft grass which does not damage the oral cavity.

Data on proteomic analysis of milk extracellular vesicles from bovine leukemia virus-infected cattle.

Milk extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoparticles that contain proteins, mRNAs, microRNAs, DNAs, and lipids that involved in several biological functions. Milk EVs provide proteins that could represent relevant novel biomarkers for monitoring of different diseases such as breast cancer and mastitis in humans and animals, respectively. Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is an oncogenic virus that causes progressive B-cell lymphosarcoma in cattle.

Up-regulated spinal microRNAs induce aggregation of superoxide dismutase 1 protein in canine degenerative myelopathy.

Canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease. Mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene have been shown to be the major risk factor for DM, and it is hypothesized that neural degeneration is caused by a "gain of toxic function" of mutant SOD1. In this study, the spinal cord microRNA (miRNA) profiles of DM-affected dogs were investigated to elucidate the pathomechanisms of DM.

A retrospective survey of the seroprevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in wild animals in Japan.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) has a high fatality rate and is caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV). Currently, SFTS is endemic to some areas in western Japan, and wild animals are considered to play important roles in the circulation of SFTSV in the environment. Previous retrospective surveys using samples mainly obtained between 2006 and 2015 revealed serological evidence of SFTSV infection in wild animals; however, seroprevalence before 2006 remains unclear.

Up-regulated inflammatory signatures of the spinal cord in canine degenerative myelopathy.

Canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) is an adult-onset fatal disease characterized by progressive degeneration of the spinal cord. Affected dogs have homozygous mutations in superoxide dismutase 1, and thus DM is a potential spontaneous animal model of human familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Neuroinflammation is the pathological hallmark of ALS, whereby proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines are overproduced by activated glial cells such as astrocytes and microglia.

Molecular characterization of Oxyspirura mansoni and Philophthalmus gralli collected from the eyes of domestic chickens in Bangladesh.

A variety of helminths have been found in domestic chickens in Bangladesh, but little is known about their gene sequences. Here, parasitic nematodes and trematodes were collected from the eyes of domestic chickens and analyzed for their morphological and morphometric characteristics, and characterized molecularly. The helminths were identified as Oxyspirura mansoni and Philophthalmus gralli.

Prevalence of Trichinella T9 in Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) in Iwate prefecture, Japan.

Trichinellosis is a meat-borne zoonotic disease caused by nine Trichinella speices and three unclassified genotypes. In Japan, four domestic outbreaks of human trichinellosis are reported sporadically and were associated with the consumption of wild bear meat. This study examined Trichinella prevalence and its species in black bears, Ursus thibetanus japonicus in Iwate prefecture, Japan.

Long-term survival of a dog with Alexander disease.

A 1-year- and 11-month-old spayed female toy poodle had showed progressive ataxia and paresis in the hindlimbs since 11 months old. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed high signal intensity on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images at the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord. The dog's neurological condition slowly deteriorated and flaccid tetraparesis was exhibited.

Development of a microchip electrophoresis-based, high-throughput PCR-RFLP method to type Tax 233 variants of bovine leukemia virus in Japan.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is the causative agent of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL). We used microchip electrophoresis in combination with automatic image analysis to develop a novel high-throughput PCR-RFLP to type the gene sequences that encode BLV Tax 233. This method revealed that 233L-Tax is more prevalent than 233P-Tax in cattle in Japan.

Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A Production and Inactivation in Bread during the Production Processes.

Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning is caused by the intoxication of staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) produced in foods. Staphylococcal food poisoning is mostly due to staphylococcal enterotoxin type A (SEA) among SEs. There have been many studies on the growth and SEA production of S.

Case Report: Surgical Treatment for Intranasal Meningoencephalocele in a Cat.

A 4-month-old cat with epileptic seizures and nasal discharge was presented, and diagnosed with intranasal meningoencephalocele based on the clinical symptoms and findings of CT and MRI. As liquorrhea was suspected, the meningoencephalocele was surgically excised and the postoperative course was favorable. For cribriform plate reconstruction, the autologous tunica vaginalis was used.

Draft Genome Sequence of Brucella ceti Isolated in the Western Pacific Ocean.

In 2018, was isolated from a bottlenose dolphin from the western Pacific Ocean. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of the isolate BD1442 of sequence type 27, which is the only sequence type known to have been isolated from human clinical cases.

Bovine papular stomatitis virus and pseudocowpox virus coinfection in dairy calves in Japan.

Two cases of coinfection with bovine papular stomatitis virus (BPSV) and pseudocowpox virus (PCPV) in dairy calves in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, are reported. Sequences of BPSV and PCPV were simultaneously detected in the same polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons, which were obtained from the DNA of two dairy calves using a pan-parapoxvirus primer set. PCR amplification using BPSV- and PCPV-specific primer sets were able to distinguish between the two viruses in coinfected clinical samples.

Analyses of the expression, immunohistochemical properties and serodiagnostic potential of Schistosoma japonicum peroxiredoxin-4.

Background: Schistosoma japonicum, which inhabits the mesenteric vein of the mammalian hosts for about 20 to 30 years, is subjected to the oxidative stresses from the host defense mechanism during their intra-mammalian stages. To counteract this host immune attack, the parasite utilizes their antioxidant system for survival inside the host. Peroxiredoxins (Prxs), thiol-specific antioxidant proteins, play an essential role for protecting the parasite against oxidative stress by reducing hydrogen peroxide to water.

and expression of serum amyloid A3 in mouse lung epithelia.

Background And Purpose: Serum amyloid A (SAA), an acute-phase protein whose level tracks infection and inflammation, is the precursor protein of amyloid A (AA) fibrils that is thought to cause AA amyloidosis in human and animals. SAA protein has several isoforms based on the difference of amino acid sequence, such as SAA1 to SAA4 in mice. AA fibrils are associated with chronic inflammation and are mainly originated from SAA1 produced in the liver.