Pathological Investigation Research Articles

Presentation and Management of Silicone Lymphadenopathy: A Single Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study.

Silicone Lymphadenopathy (SL) is a complication of breast implants that involves migration of silicone to nearby soft tissue/lymph nodes. Data on its clinical features and management is scarce. We aimed to identify the clinical presentation and management of SL. A single-institution retrospective cohort study was conducted from our institutional imaging system where search terms "Silicone lymphadenopathy", "silicone adenitis" and "silicone adenopathy" were used to identify patients with SL (January 2016-September 2023). Patient demographics, clinical features, imaging findings, pathological investigation, and treatment were obtained from the medical records. Of 52 patients with SL, breast augmentation accounted for 90.4% of the implant placements. All patients had silicone implants placed at some time. A significant portion of patients (69.3%) were asymptomatic, while 7.7% had non-tender lymphadenopathy, 19.2% experienced painful lymphadenopathy, and 1.9% presented with mixed symptoms. Implant rupture was observed in 88.7% of cases; 13.0% intracapsular, 26.1% extracapsular, 15.2% both, and unknown in 45.7%. Axillary nodes were the most commonly involved (86.5%), and ultrasonography was most commonly used to detect SL (80.7%). Biopsy was performed in 17.3% of cases, confirming benign pathology in all cases. No patients required surgical excision of lymph nodes for management of SL. Most patients with SL are asymptomatic and are managed with observation. Biopsy and surgical intervention should be reserved for those patients with abnormal imaging or persistent symptoms. Evaluation of lymphadenopathy is essential to exclude malignancy in patients with a history of breast cancer. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Molecular, pathological and immunohistochemical investigation of Helicobacteraceae in the abomasum of dairy cattle and sheep in Northern Italy

Although several Helicobacter species have been associated with gastric disease in humans and animals, their role in domestic ruminants is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori, “Candidatus H. bovis” and other Helicobacteraceae in the abomasum of dairy cattle and sheep reared in Northern Italy, to shed light on their role as potential reservoir of H. pylori for humans and to evaluate the involvement of Helicobacter spp. in the gastric pathology of these animal species. Abomasa from 25 dairy cows and 24 sheep were collected at slaughter. Following macroscopic examination, samples of fundic and pyloric mucosa were analysed by a screening PCR for Helicobacteraceae, followed by specific PCRs (H. pylori, “Candidatus H. bovis”, and Wolinella spp.), histological examination, and immunohistochemistry for Helicobacter spp. Overall, 96% of the bovine and 42% of the ovine abomasa tested positive for Helicobacteraceae. No samples tested positive for H. pylori, while 68% of bovine samples tested positive for “Candidatus H. bovis”, mostly in the pyloric mucosa. Immunohistochemistry showed colonisation by Helicobacter spp. only in the pyloric glands of 11 bovine abomasa (44%), while in ovine abomasa colonisation was not detected. Our results confirmed that "Candidatus H. bovis" is the most common Helicobacteraceae in the bovine abomasum and specifically colonises bovine pyloric glands. No association was found between Helicobacter spp. infection status and abomasal inflammation, suggesting a high degree of adaptation to the bovine host. The role of cattle and sheep as potential source of H. pylori for humans appears to be negligible.

Mucormycosis: An Increasing Concern; Experience From A Tertiary Care Centre.

Background: Mucormycosis is an angioinvasive life threatening infection caused by the fungus belonging to the order Mucorales and family Mucoraceae. The prevalence of mucormycosis is on a rising trend. The known risk factors for mucormycosis includes uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, malignancies such as lymphomas, leukemia, organ transplant, long term corticosteroid or immunosuppressive therapy, renal failure, burns, protein-energy-malnutrition etc. Methods: This is a prospective study conducted over a period of six months. Samples showing broad aseptate ribbon like fungal hyphae were included in the study. Clinical, demographic details, risk factors, results of radiological and pathological investigations were collected and analysed. Results: In the study period, 76 samples were received for KOH examination in the laboratory, out of which 15 samples were found to be positive for broad aseptate ribbon like fungal hyphae. The mean age of the study group was 43.4 years. Out of 15 patients, 66.6% were males and 33.3% were females. All the cases were of Rhinocerebral mucormycosis and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus was the risk factor present in all the cases. Five patients were diagnosed with diabetes at the time of admission. Three cases presented with diabetic ketoacidosis, two cases had chronic kidney disease and one was a known case of pulmonary tuberculosis. Conclusion: In the past few years, there has been a steady increase in the cases of mucormycosis, both worldwide and in India. As the disease progresses rapidly, prompt diagnosis and early management plays a crucial role in survival of the patient.

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli and ostriches: a deep dive into pathological and microbiological investigation.

A comprehensive research was conducted to investigate the incidence of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in ostrich farms in Egypt. The study involved seven farms with bird ages ranging from 1 to 12 weeks and capacities of 2,000 to 5,000 birds per farm. 175 tissue specimens were collected from different organs (liver, spleen, heart, lung, kidney, intestine, and meat). Clinical signs of APEC infection included diarrhea, lethargy, depression, and weight loss, with a morbidity rate of 36% and a mortality rate of 7.6%. In the current study, 52.5% of the samples have E coli. The highest prevalence was observed in the liver (10.8%), followed by the spleen and intestine (8% and 9.1%, respectively). The most common serotype identified was O27 (28%), after that O78 (20%) and O44 (12%). Histopathological examination revealed severe lesions in various organs, including the liver, kidney, heart, and intestine. The study concluded the presence of APEC in different organs of ostrich in Egypt especially the liver, spleen, intestine, and breast muscle (meat) with evidence of severe pathological lesions in various organs. The study highlights the significance of APEC as a main cause of morbidity and mortality in ostriches. It underscores the necessity for actual control measures to avoid spreading the disease.

Fractures complicating intraosseous access in pediatric patients - A systematic review.

Intraosseous (IO) access is a commonly used procedure in pediatric emergencies for establishingvascular access when alternative means, such as intravenous access, cannot be obtained. Likealternative routes, IO can be administered quickly and provides a route for medications, blood products,and fluids to be infused in emergency circumstances. While the use of IO is generally considered safewith minimal risks, potential complications can include compartment syndrome, infection, thrombosis, and fracture. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was performed across various academicdatabases. Search parameters were restricted to exclude articles that where; non-English, non-full text,and not published between 1922 and 2022. Articles were included in analysis if they included patients from 0 to 18 and reported on both the patient outcomes and the procedural information. Following data synthesis (n = 27 articles [n = 1339 cases]), it was observed that the EZ-IO needle was thepredominant choice of access, accounting for 69.7 % of cases. The tibia emerged as the most frequentlyselected insertion site, utilized in 97 % of instances. Among the 226 cases that reported on laterality, a nearly equal distribution between left (114) and right (112) sides were observed. Most IO attempts were successful in accessing vascular access upon first attempt. There were 23 cases that required a second attempt to achieve access, and 4 cases necessitating 3 or more attempts. Within 1339 participants, a complication was reported in 105 cases, producing a complication rate of 7.8 %. Of those 105 complications, fracture occurred 7 times (6.67 %). When specifically isolating fracture as a complication resulting IO access, only 7 cases were reported, indicating an occurrence rate of 0.52 %. This review supports the rarity of fracture as a complication following the use of an IO needle in pediatric age group, emphasizing the need for additional research to elucidate the underlying risk factors associated with fracture in these cases. Additionally, it underscores the importance of conducting further pathological investigations to gain insight into bone histology that may be indicative of IO access and/or fracture occurrence.

Imaging of Gut Bacterial Macroscopic Changes in Simulated Microgravity-Exposed Rats via In Vivo Metabolic Labeling.

The impact of the microgravity environment on gut bacteria has been widely recognized to induce notable gastrointestinal pathology during extended spaceflight. However, most current studies for gut microbiome homeostasis profiling are based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal samples; this technology faces challenges in analyzing gut bacterial alterations in situ, dynamically, and with high spatiotemporal resolution. Herein, we present the utilization of bioorthogonal metabolic labeling for noninvasive imaging of gut bacterial macroscopic changes in simulated microgravity (SMG) rats. After being subsequently labeled with the metabolic reporters d-Ala-N3 and ICG-DBCO through click chemistry, it was shown that SMG can trigger obvious perturbation of gut bacteria, evidenced by the significant increase in the total bacterial content and spatial distribution variations. Such a difference was accompanied by the occurrence of intestinal inflammation and tissue damage. Compared with 16S rRNA genome analysis focusing on composition and diversity, the metabolic labeling strategy provides unprecedented insights into the macroscopic changes of the gut bacterial content and distribution under SMG. Our study will be helpful for investigating the biological implication of SMG-induced imbalance in gut bacteria, potentially promoting the deep investigation of the complex gastrointestinal pathology in space biomedicine.

Forensic Pathology and Unnatural Death Investigations: A Systematic Review of Case Studies and Procedures

Forensic pathology plays a crucial role in investigating unnatural deaths, providing insights that influence legal and judicial outcomes. This systematic review examines case studies and procedures in forensic pathology to identify common methodologies, challenges, and trends in unnatural death investigations. By analyzing a selection of case studies across various regions and types of deaths, including homicide, suicide, and accidental deaths, this review highlights the standard forensic techniques employed—such as autopsy, toxicology, DNA analysis, and imaging technologies—and discusses their impact on case resolution. Findings indicate significant advancements in technology and methodology, yet also reveal challenges such as jurisdictional variations, resource limitations, and inconsistencies in procedure standardization. This review underscores the need for uniform forensic protocols to improve investigative outcomes and legal accuracy. Recommendations include adopting standardized practices, improving resource allocation, and encouraging further research into underexplored areas of forensic pathology. This work aims to provide forensic professionals, policymakers, and researchers with insights that contribute to the refinement of death investigation procedures and support the justice system.

Outcome of Triple Negative Breast Cancer(TNBC) as compared to other breast cancers in Bir Hospital, National Academy of Medical Sciences

Introduction: In Nepal, breast cancer is the second most common cancer accounting for a large number of deaths.The subtype Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is linked to poor prognosis and is characterized by the absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). This study describes the outcome of women with TNBC as compared to other breast cancers in Bir Hospital in Nepal. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Bir Hospital, National Academy of Medical Sciences. The breast cancer data in Department of Surgery and Department of Oncology were collected from July 2021 to June 2024. The study data on demographic details, clinical findings, radiological and pathological investigations, operative procedures, neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy, surgical and oncological outcomeswere collected. The study approval was taken from Institutional Review Board of National Academy of Medical Sciences. Results: There were 72 breast cancer patientsout of which 10 (13.8 %) were TNBC. Majority of the cases (70%) underwent modified radical mastectomy and 60% of them had received neoadjuvant therapy in TNBC cases. One out of 10 had positive margin post mastectomy. The proportion of TNBC patients with postoperative wound infection, seroma and flap necrosis were 10% each. The mean lymph node positivity was less in TNBC group as compared to other breast cancers.There was one recurrence, one metastasis and no mortality till one year follow up. Conclusion: The surgical outcome was satisfactory and with neo-adjuvant, surgery and adjuvant therapy, there is less tumor recurrence and satisfactory disease free survival and overall survival.

Heterogeneity in Clinical Manifestation of Tuberculosis and Comparison between Different Diagnostic Modalities: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Infection with tuberculosis is a worldwide health concern. Nearly every organ in the body can be affected by Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis (EPTB). A simple diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) can be made using radiography and a positive sputum test. On the other hand, diagnosing EPTB is difficult due to the peculiar presentation of the lesions, which are paucibacillary and exhibit varied sensitivity and specificity in different diagnostic tests across different infected tissues. Aim: To analyse the varied clinical presentations of tuberculosis infection and to assess several diagnostic techniques for detecting pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in reference to the Composite Reference Standard (CRS). Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Pathology and Microbiology, PRM Medical College and Hospital (in the tuberculosis endemic zone of Baripada), North Odisha, India, between April 2018 and November 2022. Clinical presentations included lumps, ulcers, inflammation and lesions resembling neoplasia. All age groups of patients suffering from pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis were included. A total of 400 tuberculosis cases were detected. Fine needle aspiration was performed on the lesions after considering the patient’s age, gender, lesion location and relevant radiological studies. Biopsy samples were handled in a similar manner. To detect mycobacterial nucleic acid, all 400 cytology cases and biopsy samples were processed using the Cartridge-based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT) and stained with Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stain for Acid-fast Bacilli (AFB) identification. A CRS was defined as the presence of bacilli in CBNAAT and/or AFB along with morphologic evidence such as caseating granulomas. To assess sensitivity and diagnostic effectiveness, CRS was used in conjunction with procedures from cytology, histopathology, AFB detection and CBNAAT. The p-value for McNemar’s test was less than 0.05, indicating statistical significance across all analyses. Results: The analysis revealed a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.02, with more females than males over the age of 20 years affected. Pulmonary tuberculosis cases were 39 (9.75%), while extrapulmonary TB cases were 361 (90.25%). The largest percentage of extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases (n=134, 33.5%) involved lymph nodes, with skeletal involvement following closely behind (n=64, 16%). Mycobacterium tuberculosis adversely affected nearly every organ in the body. The most prevalent pattern in histology was necrotising granulomatous inflammation, observed in 85 (69.6%) patients. Similarly, a type II pattern (epithelioid granuloma with caseous necrosis) was seen in 166 (59.7%) cytosmear cases. The sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy of four tests were assessed using the CRS; favourable results were obtained for FNAC (72.2%), histological examination (100%), ZN staining (20.5%), and CBNAAT (85.6%). With a diagnostic accuracy of 92.8%, CBNAAT outperformed FNAC and histology, which both achieved 86% accuracy. Conclusion: The prevalence of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis is extremely high among the people of North Odisha. The present study suggests a combined approach of understanding clinical presentation, conducting pathological investigations, and detecting bacilli to recognise atypical presentations of EPTB at an early stage, given the restricted resources and facilities in peripheral hospitals.

Intragenic duplication disrupting the reading frame of MFSD8 in Small Swiss Hounds with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) represents a heterogenous group of lysosomal storage diseases resulting in progressive neurodegeneration. We investigated two Small Swiss Hound littermates that showed progressive ataxia and loss of cognitive functions and vision starting around the age of 12 months. Both dogs had to be euthanized a few months after the onset of disease owing to the severity of their clinical signs. Pathological investigation of one affected dog revealed cerebral and cerebellar atrophy with cytoplasmic accumulation of autofluorescent material in degenerating neurons. The clinical signs in combination with the characteristic histopathology led to a tentative diagnosis of NCL. In the subsequent genetic investigation, the genome of one affected dog was sequenced. This revealed a duplication of 18 819 bp within the MFSD8 gene. The duplication breakpoints were located in intron 3 and exon 12 of the gene and were predicted to disrupt the reading frame. Both affected dogs carried the duplication in a homozygous state and there was perfect cosegregation of the genotypes with the phenotype in a large pedigree, consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance. MFSD8 loss-of-function variants are a known cause of NCL7 in human patients, dogs and other mammalian species. The existing knowledge on MFSD8 together with the experimental data strongly suggests that the identified intragenic MFSD8 duplication caused the disease in the Small Swiss Hounds. These results allow their diagnosis to be refined to NCL7 and enable genetic testing in the breed to avoid further unintentional carrier × carrier matings.

Current opinions regarding the clinical utility of en bloc resection in the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer-a review of the literature.

Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is currently mainly treated with the approach of transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) followed by pathology investigation of the obtained specimens. However, this approach-TURBT-has a few drawbacks, owing to the inherent technical defect-"piecemeal" resection. With development of medical science and surgical techniques, a new kind of surgical operation-"en bloc" resection of bladder tumor (ERBT)-emerged, hoping to completely remove bladder tumor with surrounding normal tissue. The detrusor muscle layer beneath the tumor is removed, and the surgical quality of bladder tumor is enhanced, with a better pathological outcome, reduced intraoperative complications and lower recurrence rate eventually. This paper reviews current literature concerning a brief history of ERBT developing, surgical steps, its indications, advantages on surgical margin, recurrence during follow-up, pathological performance-presence of detrusor muscle, residual tumor and upstage, as well as such issue as "is reTURBT necessary after ERBT?" and the guiding significance of ERBT in substaging of T1 bladder cancer.

The curious case of the Dana platypus and what it can teach us about how lead shotgun pellets behave in fluid preserved museum specimens and may limit their scientific value.

Fluid preserved animal specimens in the collections of natural history museums constitute an invaluable archive of past and present animal diversity. Well-preserved specimens have a shelf-life spanning centuries and are widely used for e.g. anatomical, taxonomical and genetic studies. The way specimens were collected depended on the type of animal and the historical setting. As many small mammals and birds were historically collected by shooting, large quantities of heavy metal residues, primarily lead, may have been introduced into the sample in the form of lead shot pellets. Over time, these pellets may react with tissue fluids and/or the fixation and preservation agents and corrode into lead salts. As these chemicals are toxic, they could constitute a health issue to collection staff. Additionally, heavy element chemicals interfere with several imaging technologies increasingly used for non-invasive studies, and may confound anatomical and pathological investigations on affected specimens. Here we present a case-study based on platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and other small mammals containing lead pellets from the collection of The Natural History Museum of Denmark.

Pathologic findings of the placenta and clinical implications - recommendations for placental examination.

The placenta is a unique and complex organ that combines the circulatory systems of two or more individuals within a single dynamic organ with a set, short lifespan. A diverse spectrum of disorders, including infections as well as metabolic, genetic, circulatory, and maturation defects, may affect its function. Pathology investigation of the placenta is key for identifying several pathogenic processes in both the mother and the foetus. Aberrant placentation, maternal and foetal vascular compromise, infection, inflammatory immunologic conditions, and disorders of maturation are elements of newly proposed classification schemes. The clinical impact of placental examination consists of diagnosing maternal and foetal disease, identifying the potential for recurrence, correlating clinical pathological findings with distinct morphologic features, and identifying the aetiology responsible for growth restriction or foetal death. Gestational trophoblastic disease occurs more frequently in the first trimester; however, in very rare cases, it can affect the term or third-trimester placenta. The application of reproducible nomenclature is expected to facilitate progress in the diagnosis and treatment of obstetric and foetal disorders with placental manifestation. Therefore, this review aims to facilitate communication between obstetricians, neonatologists, and pathologists involved in this diagnostic process.

Tuberculosis its Prevalence, Complications and Clinical Aspects among the Population of Northern Part of Bihar

Introduction: It is commonly known as death causing disease of reproductive age group people. It is one of the top five death causing disease. It effects upon every age group people. But dangerous impact of tuberculosis occurs on immunocompetent people. There are a number of complications occur only due to one disease that is tuberculosis. it effects almost all organs and impaired their vital functions. Even if we leave death, even after tuberculosis proved to be most dangerous disease. In this study our main aim to explore the aspects, complications and prevalence of genital tuberculosis. In this study we also explore the ancient technics as well as the modern technics and their methods to ruled out the disease and improvement of treatment from ancient time to modern time. Method: This study was carried out between January 22 to April 23. 342 subjects are selected by inclusion and exclusion method. Subjects are classified in to 3 groups according to their physical appearance clinical symptoms and family history. Further patients are again classified in to negative, positive and doubtful negative patients after conducting routine and special investigations. Results: After all pathological investigation we found that 45 (13.1%) subjects have found positive in which 5.8% were male and 7.2 % were female. Conclusion: Tuberculosis is present in different forms and should be ruled out in early stage to safe from tissue damages. But unfortunately, we haven’t any tools which can detect the disease in its early stage accurately. All the investigation has their own limitations and contamination errors. There are a number of patients in which some can easily identified by their clinical symptoms and related routine examination, some are asymptomatic and identified by advanced diagnostic tools where are some such patient are also found who were strong symptomatic but even not only routine but also advance investigations are fail to detect. In our study we found the root cause of the disease, which are high population density, economically lower standard, poor hygiene life style, compromise food habits, illiteracy, marriage in early stage, multiple marriage, multiple children, non- skilled medical practices are causing and enhancing the incident of tuberculosis.

Investigations on the Health Status and Infection Risk of Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina) from Waters of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea, Germany.

Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) are the most common pinniped species in the Wadden Sea of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Lower Saxony, Germany. Their numbers have recovered after significant depletion due to viral outbreaks and effects of anthropogenic activities like pollution and habitat disturbance. Within the Wadden Sea National Park of Lower Saxony the harbour seal is protected. As a top predator in the Wadden Sea ecosystem, the harbour seal is a sentinel species for the state of the environment. Between 2015 and 2017, a total of 80 stranded dead harbour seals were collected along the coastline of Lower Saxony and submitted for pathological investigations. Of these, 70 seals were born in the same year (0-7 months, age group 1) and eight in the previous year (8-19 months, age group 2), due to high mortality rates in these age groups. However, two perennial animals were also available for examination during this period, one of which was in good nutritional condition. Many of the seals that had been mercy-killed and found dead were in poor nutritional status. Histopathological, microbiological, parasitological and virological examinations were conducted on 69 individuals (86% (69/80)) in a suitable state of preservation. Respiratory tract parasitosis, cachexia, and bronchopneumonia were the most common causes of death or disease. Overall, there was no evidence of a relapse of a viral disease outbreak. Macrowaste, such as plastic waste or fishery-related debris, were not found in any gastrointestinal tract of the animals examined. There was also no evidence of grey seal predation. Weakness and cachexia were prominent causes of disease and death in harbour seals found within a few weeks after birth, but bronchopneumonia and septicaemia also developed in slightly older animals. Frequently found microbial pathogens in seals from Lower Saxony were similar to those found in other studies on seals from the Wadden Sea region in Schleswig-Holstein, for example streptococci and Escherichia coli/v. haemolytica, Brucella spp. and Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, potentially human pathogenic germs. The results of the examinations of dead harbour seals from Lower Saxony show that pathological investigations on a representative number of animals deliver urgently needed information on the health status of the population. The results represent an important contribution to the state of the top predators of the Wadden Sea as part of the obligations within the Trilateral Wadden Sea Agreement, Oslo and Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) and the Marine Framework Directive. The investigations should be continued as a matter of urgency and the stranding network should be expanded.

Evaluation and characterization of pelvic masses of gynecological origin b ultrasonongraphy and MRI reproductive age group.

Objective: To diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonongraphy and MRI for characterization of pelvic masses of gynecological origin in reproductive age group, with histopathology acting as the gold standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Department of Radiology, PAF Hospital Islamabad. Period: April 25th, 2021, to October 25th, 2021. Methods: In this investigation, non-probability consecutive sampling was utilized to collect data. A total of 220 women with pelvic mass were included in the study. Data regarding characterization of pelvic masses (malignant/benign) form ultrasound/MRI and histopathology was noted as per operational definition. Results: The study included participants aged 18-50, with a mean age of 31.6135.70 years, a mean parity of 3.130+1.37, and a mean duration of complaints of 7.186 +2.10 weeks. Ultrasound has shown sensitivity of 75.5%, specificity 88.8% and diagnostic accuracy by 83.2%, PPV 69% and NPV 88.3%. MRI has shown sensitivity of 83%, specificity 93.7% and diagnostic accuracy by 91%, PPV 83% and NPV 93.7% in characterization of pelvic masses. Conclusion: When sonographic characteristics of a pelvic tumor are inconclusive, MRI should be investigated for pathology investigation.

Incidence of erysipelas in waterfowl in Poland – clinical and pathological investigations

ABSTRACT 1. Erysipelas in geese and ducks is an infectious disease causing considerable economic losses in the poultry sector in Poland. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of erysipelas cases in age groups of geese and in periods of the calendar year and to assess macroscopic lesions in birds infected with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. 2. The study used 286 geese and 16 ducks delivered to the laboratory for diagnosis in the years 2019–2021. The birds came from 99 different farms. E. rhusiopathiae from clinical samples were cultured on Columbia blood agar and identified by real-time PCR. Pathological lesions were characterised during anatomopathological examination. 3. Distribution of erysipelas cases in age groups of geese and periods of the calendar year differed significantly from the assumed even distribution. Most cases were noted in August and September in birds aged between 11 and 13 weeks. Necropsy of birds infected with E. rhusiopathiae showed anatomopathological lesions characteristic of generalised infection, affecting multiple organs. 4. The uneven distribution of erysipelas cases in geese in different age groups and periods of the calendar year suggested that both the age of the birds and climatic conditions are predisposing factors for infection.

Gross pathology and liver mercury concentrations in harbour porpoises, harbour seals and grey seals in Denmark, Northern Europe

Here we report the first investigation of gross pathology and mercury (Hg) in liver tissue from harbour porpoises, harbour seals and grey seals from Denmark, Northern Europe. Mercury concentrations ranged between 0.2 and 248 μg/g wet weight (ww) with highest concentrations found in grey seals and subadult harbour seals from the Baltic Sea, with no relationship to body condition. Necropsy findings across all three species decreasing in the following order: pneumonia (n = 60) > respiratory parasitism (n = 56) > wounds (n = 18) > GI-parasites (stomach nematodes and/or parasitic colitis) (n = 16) > ectoparasites (skin lice) (n = 12) > hepatic parasites/lesions (n = 8) > focal alopecia (n = 5) > nephropathy (n = 4) > middle ear complex parasites (n = 3) > nasal parasites (n = 2). Heart and/or lung worms were significantly highest in subadult harbour porpoises, GI parasites and nephropathy significantly lowest in subadult harbour seals and focal alopecia significantly highest in subadult harbour seals. Most cases of pneumonia were associated with respiratory parasites (68 %), while nine cases of wounds led to signs of septicaemia. Significant positive relationships were observed between Hg and the presence of respiratory parasites in subadult harbour porpoises and between Hg and the presence of focal alopecia, nephropathy, and gastrointestinal parasites in subadult harbour seals. Levels of Hg were in the categories for low risk (16–64 μg/g ww) in 18 %, moderate risk (64–83 μg/g ww) in 3 %, high risk (83–123 μg/g ww) in 2 % and severe risk (>123 μg/g ww) in 3 % of all individuals for health effects in marine mammals. In conclusion, using marine mammals as integrative sentinel species for Danish North Sea, Inner Danish Waters and the Baltic Sea ecosystems provides monitoring of ocean health in terms of multiple stressors such as anthropogenic contaminants and infectious diseases all being important in the context of global change.

Comparison of 3T MR arthrography and 3T MRI in intra-articular hip pathology: a cost-analysis.

MR arthrography (MRA) has previously been the radiological gold standard for investigating labral and chondral lesions of the hip joint. In recent years, 3T MRI has demonstrated comparable accuracy, being adopted as the first-line imaging investigation in many institutions. We compare the associated increased cost and radiation dose of the fluoroscopic component of the MRA compared to MRI. In this retrospective review over 2years, 120 patients (mean age 27.3years ± 13.2, range 8-67) underwent 3T MRA or non-contrast 3T MRI. Three musculoskeletal radiologists reported the data independently. Primary objectives included cost-comparison between each and radiation dose of the fluoroscopic component of the MRA. Secondary objectives included comparing detection of pathology involving the acetabular labrum, femoral cartilage, and acetabular cartilage. Then, 58 (48%) underwent 3T MRA and 62 (52%) patients underwent 3T MRI. The added cost of the fluoroscopic injection prior to MRA was €116.31/patient, equating to €7211.22 savings/year. MRA was associated with a small radiation dose of 0.003mSv. Transitioning from 3T MRA to 3T MRI in the investigation of intra-articular hip pathology increases cost savings and reduces radiation dose.

Fatal disseminated toxoplasmosis in captive red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) and Parma wallaby (Macropus parma): pathological and immunohistochemical investigations

Fatal disseminated toxoplasmosis in captive red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) and Parma wallaby (Macropus parma): pathological and immunohistochemical investigations