Peracute Form Research Articles

Peracute Enterotoxemia in Saanen and Alpine Goat Herd

Background: Enterotoxemia" or "overeating disease" is considered a common and often fatal disease affecting the economy of small ruminant breeding systems. This study presents findings on the occurrence of a peracute form of enterotoxemia in a herd of Saanen and Alpine, including an examination of the clinical signs, post-mortem findings, and methods for diagnosis. examination of the clinical signs, post-mortem findings, and methods for diagnosis. Methods: In a herd of goats a distressing situation occurred where the goats displayed signs (Sudden death and high fever) of peracute enterotoxemia (125 kids). It is noteworthy that these goats had previously been vaccinated against enterotoxemia. The onset of the condition seemed to be linked to three instances of interruption and reconnection of concentrate feed. To obtain a definitive diagnosis, the findings from postmortem examinations and ELISA were utilized. Results: In total, 60 Alpine and 65 Saanen succumbed to this peracute form. These losses occurred over three days but were successfully stopped by re-vaccination after two days. Clinical signs, postmortem observations, bacterial analysis, and ELISA results all provided confirmation of enterotoxemia. Notable findings included high fever (90%), duodenum hyperemia (89%), pulmonary edema (82%), convulsions (43%), and hemorrhage in the pericardium and endocardium (58%). Conclusion: Frequent and consecutive changes in goats' diet or discontinuation of concentrate supply by breeders can disrupt the vaccine-induced immune barrier, increasing the likelihood of enterotoxemia, and leading to casualties and economic losses. Consistent and stable nutrition practices are essential for maintaining vaccination efficacy and preventing enterotoxemia in goats, particularly kids.

Radical Unilateral Mastectomy for Fibrosed Gangrenous Udder in a Lactating Goat

Mastitis reflects the inflammation of the mammary gland, which may occur due to any bacterial infection secondary to teat injury or poor management (Marogna et al., 2010). Radical mastectomy (unilateral or bilateral) is a salvage procedure and indicated in cases of chronic suppurative mastitis, gangrenous mastitis and neoplastic or hyperplastic conditions of the udder (Andreasen et al., 1993; El-Maghraby, 2001; Canle et al., 2004). Gangrenous mastitis is a peracute form of mastitis, characterized by necrosis of the udder tissue, caused by alpha-toxins (Smith and Sherman, 2009). Physical examination of the udder is characterized by discolored (blue- blackish or blue-greenish) and cold udder (Ribeiro et al., 2007). Gangrenous mastitis is one of the most difficult forms of mastitis to be treated (Bloway, 1993), and in very severe cases, gangrene may lead to toxemia and loss of animal life (Ribeiro et al., 2007). Unilateral or bilateral mastectomy is recommended as a pain-relieving procedure for extensive lesions involving udder and in cases of chronic mastitis, gangrenous lesions, or neoplasia (Canle et al., 2004). The present case report describes unilateral mastectomy for the management of incurable extensive fibrosis of udder while allowing the other mammary gland to continue lactation.

Molecular analysis and associated pathology of beak and feather disease virus isolated in Italy from young Congo African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) with an “atypical peracute form” of the disease

This study is the first report on the genetic and pathogenic characterization of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) occurring in Italy. Twenty BFDV strains isolated in Italy from juvenile Congo African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) were investigated. Seventeen strains showed an “atypical peracute form” (aPF) of the disease, and three a chronic form (CF). The birds with aPF had been weaned, were independent as far as food and protection were concerned and apparently were without lesions. The gene coding for the putative coat protein was amplified in all isolates while the BFDV genome was sequenced completely in 10 samples, eight of them belonging to aPF affected birds and two from CF of the disease. All full genomes clustered into the J strain of BFDV, where two new subtypes were identified. Recombination analyses showed evidence of genetic exchanges in two BFDV genomes. In addition, a correlation between viral isolate and origin of the breeding material was shown, while an association between the genetic features of the virus and the clinical form was not observed. Histologically, apoptosis was detected frequently in aPF samples and sporadically in CF samples. Interestingly, BFDV antigens were detected in the nuclei and cytoplasm of such apoptotic cells. The data presented here support the hypothesis that, in the absence of a defined BFDV genetic variant accountable for a specific clinical form of psittacine beak and feather disease, differences in the apoptotic rate between aPF and CF are strictly host related.

Clinical Course and Pathology in Rats (Rattus norvegicus) After Experimental Cowpox Virus Infection by Percutaneous and Intranasal Application

Recently, several cases of human cowpox virus (CPXV) infections were reported in France and Germany, which had been acquired through close contact with infected pet rats. The animals exhibited respiratory signs or skin lesions and died shortly after purchase. After natural infection of white rats with CPXV in the USSR in 1978, a peracute pulmonary form, a milder dermal form, and a mixed form exhibiting features of both have been described. To the best of the authors' knowledge, 3 experimental cowpox virus infection studies using rats have been performed to date; however, neither results of histomorphological examinations nor immunohistochemical analyses have yet been reported in rats after experimental infections. To investigate the impact of the infection route on the clinical course, the development of lesions, and tropism, rats were infected intradermally, intranasally, or by a combination of both routes. The authors found a correlation between clinical manifestation, pathology, and infection routes. Intradermal and contact exposure yielded a mild dermal form, characterized by the development of vesiculopustular dermatitis. In contrast, intranasally infected animals died peracutely, showing severe dyspnea. Occasionally, a combination of the dermal and the respiratory form occurred after intranasal infection. Immunohistochemically, CPXV antigen was detected in the epithelial and mesenchymal cells of the upper respiratory tract and affected skin lesions and rarely in mesenchymal cells of lymph nodes. This is the first histomorphological and immunohistochemical analysis of CPXV in rats after experimental infection.

An outbreak of the peracute form of malignant catarrhal fever in Belgian cattle

An outbreak of the peracute form of malignant catarrhal fever in Belgian cattle

Anthrax in cattle in southern Brazil: 1978-2006

Ten outbreaks of anthrax occurred in cattle from 1978 to 2006 in southern Brazil, in 5 municipalities on the border with Uruguay, a country where the disease is frequent. The 10 outbreaks represented 0.2% of all bovine specimens received during the period by the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Federal University of Pelotas, causing 267 deaths in a risk population of 6,605 head. The disease affected young and adult cattle mainly during summer. Only one farmer reported that sheep and horses were also affected. Clinically the peracute form was more frequent, but in some outbreaks the acute form with a clinical manifestation period of 6-48 hours was also observed. The source of infection was not established; but the reduced rainfall, associated with low, flat, flooded lands used for agriculture followed by animal grazing after harvest was probably related to the disease occurrence. Annual vaccination is an efficient way to prevent the disease.

Enterotoxaemia in Cheetal and Chausingha

Enterotoxaemia is a common bacterial disease of healthy domestic and wild animals. The clostridial toxaemia usually develops following overeating, particularly after the onset of monsoon. Overeating of green pasture causes atony of rumen and ileum, thus creating an ideal anaerobic environment for the growth of enterotoxaemia causing clostridia. The toxins produced by these organisms in turn are absorbed in the gut and usually proves fatal. This type of toxaemia occurs mostly in peracute form. The animals graze normally during the day time and are found dead the next day. The enterotoxaemia is mainly considered to be a disease complex of sheep but has also been reported in other domestic and wild animals from time to time. Sudden death in Artiodactylids comprising Chausingha (2) and Cheetal (2) was recorded in the Zoological Park of Jaipur. The animals were in sound health and grazed normally and were also stall fed. Green pasture was provided for feeding. In separate instances these wild captive animals were found dead the following morning. There was no complaint of illness and the only sign of any apparent illness was the soiling of back of animal with loose faeces. Postmortem examination was carried out to acertain the cause of sudden death. The incision at midline revealed severe congestion of abdominal visceral organs. There was a marked ballooning of small and large intestines. The stomach was completely filled with green fodder and was severely congested. The intestinal mucosa showed severe congestion and accumulation of clear mucus and gas. No significant amount of semi-digested or digested feed could be detected in intestines. Kidney, liver and spleen were severely congested. Urinary bladder was found empty. The thoracic cavity revealed the presence of a slight pinkish coloured fluid, congestion of lungs and mycardium. The diaphragmatic wall showed congestion perhaps incluced by excessive ruminal pressure. The microscopic examination of gram stained impression smears from different organs failed to reveal the presence of any bacterial agent. The intestinal contents consisting mainly of fluid and some partially digested feed material were collected in sterile glass vials in ice. Five ml. of intestinal contents were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 30 minutes and the supernatant was subjected to pass through membrane syringe filter to get rid of any bacteria in supernatant. Each filterate was inoculated in two swiss albino mice intravenously (in tail vein) in 0.2ml. amounts. The mice were kept under observation and mortality was recorded within 4-6 hrs. of inoculation. The death in mice was suggestive of the presence of toxin in the intestinal contents. Further identification of the toxin by neutralisation test could not be carried out. The incidences of various types of clostridial infection has been reported in wildlife from time to time. Parihar et al. (1981) reported Clostridium perfringens type D enterotoxaemia in Giraffe. Arora (1987) recorded haemorrhagic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringes type C in a fawn. Arora also reported enterotoxaemia in Sloth Bears due to type C (Arora, 1981-84) and type D (Arora, 1991). Rao et al. (1988) recorded enterotoxaemia type C in Brown Bear.

A Metabolic Disorder Similar to Acute Cardiac Beriberi

A case report is described of a child whose clinical course imitated that of the peracute form of cardiac beriberi known as Shoshin. The nature of the disorder, certain symptoms of which started in infancy, was such that it strongly indicated a metabolic rather than a nutritional etiology, involving energy metabolism. Because autopsy was refused by the parents, it was not possible to study the exact nature of the pathology. Thus, no particular known disease label could be attached. The case illustrates, however, the use of a nutrient supplement approach even in a life threatening disease by using knowledge derived from the study of classical nutritional disease.

Relationship between White Spot Syndrome Virus infection and clinical manifestation in Indian cultured penaeid shrimp

The present paper describes three distinct forms of white spot syndrome outbreaks associated with White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV), among cultured penaeid shrimp ( Penaeus monodon and Penaeus indicus)) of India. In a type I outbreak (acute to subacute), the tissue level severity of infection was moderate to high, significant mortalities occurred within 7–10 days, and the affected shrimp had prominent white spots on the carapace as the principal clinical sign. In a type II outbreak (peracute), the affected shrimp displayed massive reddening, the tissue level severity of infection was very high, and mass mortalites occurred within 2–3 days. Type III outbreak (chronic), had low tissue level severity of infection, white spots and reddening were absent, and the mortalities were spread over a duration of 15–28 days. The peracute form was more common in juveniles while acute to subacute and chronic forms were common in sub-adults and adults. Acute to subacute forms of the disease were observed in 60% of the outbreaks, while chronic and peracute forms were observed in 30 and 10% of the outbreaks, respectively.

Immunohistochemical demonstration of African horse sickness viral antigen in tissues of experimentally infected equines.

African horse sickness virus (AHSV) antigen was demonstrated immunohistochemically in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of tissues collected from three ponies suffering from the peracute form of the disease and from one pony affected by the fever form. The pattern of the antigen distribution indicated a particular organ tropism characterised by an accumulation of AHSV antigen in cardio-pulmonary tissues of the animals with the peracute disease and in the spleen of the pony with the fever form. AHSV antigen was identified in endothelial cells of small blood vessels, particularly capillaries and in large mono-nuclear cells resembling macrophages or reticular cells of lymphatic tissues. Occasional circulating mononuclear cells with the morphology of monocytes were also positively stained within the larger vessels. The immunohistochemical results confirm earlier work suggesting that AHSV may have different tropisms to particular organs during various forms of the disease and that different target cell populations exist in vivo. Immunohistochemistry may be an additional useful method for diagnostic and research purposes in AHS.

Immunohistochemical demonstration of African horse sickness viral antigen in formalin-fixed equine tissues.

The distribution of viral antigen was studied in various tissues of three ponies, aged 3-4 years, infected experimentally with a virulent strain of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) serotype 4. Tissues were collected from the animals in the terminal stage of the peracute form of the disease and from one noninfected horse, included as a control. A polyclonal antibody with specificity for AHSV, plus the nonstructural protein NS2, was used in a sensitive avidin-biotin-peroxidase-complex (ABC) method performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. AHSV antigen was located primarily in endothelial cells of capillaries and small venous and arteriolar vessels, particularly of cardiopulmonary tissues. Viral antigen was also identified in cells resembling macrophages and in reticular cells of spleen and lymph nodes. The pattern of viral antigen labeling in some lymph nodes along the mantle zone of lymphoid follicles was compatible with the morphology of cellular processes of follicular dendritic cells. In some tissues, viral antigen was detected occasionally in circulating cells, probably monocytes, within the larger vessels. These findings suggest that endothelial cells, and to a lesser extent mononuclear cells, are the main target cells of AHSV infection during the late stage of the peracute form of the disease.

Peracute Streptococcal Pyomyositis

Pyomyositis occurs infrequently in temperate climates. The fulminating peracute form caused by group A Streptococcus is exceedingly rare. We present two children with streptococcal pyomyositis. One child was admitted in septic shock and required intensive supportive care during the acute stage of his illness. Persistent swelling and tenderness of his left thigh presented a diagnostic problem, which was eventually resolved with the aid of computerized tomography. Despite appropriate antibiotic therapy from the onset of illness, surgical debridement of the affected muscle was necessary. The second child presented with pyomyositis of the left paravertebral muscles and signs of incipient shock but did well on antibiotic therapy alone.

Malignant catarrhal fever in two California dairy herds

Two epizootics of malignant catarrhal fever in 1976 in Southern California were characterized by the peracute and acute form of the disease. In one herd of 1000 cows, 166 (17%) were affected. Clinical signs in acute cases were fever, diarrhoea, weakness, ocular and nasal discharge, erosions of the muzzle and buccal papillae, and rapid progression of symptoms until death. Diagnosis was confirmed by history, clinical signs, gross and microscopic pathology and transmission studies.

The Pathology of Pyelonephritis in the Fowl

In 1631 autopsies on fowls, 331 cases of pyelonephritis were diagnosed and studied histologically. Peracute, acute and chronic forms were differentiated on the basis of the macroscopic and histological renal changes. While the greatly swollen kidneys of the peracute form showed marked interstitial oedema, the acute form was dominated by an interstitial and intra-tubular accumulation of inflammatory cells and a characteristic dilatation of the distal convoluted tubules. The lesions typical of the chronic form consisted of interstitial mononuclear cell infiltration, hyperplasia of the tubular epithelium, interstitial fibrosis and scar formation. It could not be determined whether pyelonephritis in the fowl is of ascending or haematogenous origin, but obstruction of the urinary passage was by no means typical. The results of bacteriological examination were either negative or non-specific. The aetiology is unknown.

AGRANULOCYTOSIS IN CHILDHOOD

ACUTE agranulocytosis of the type described by Werner Schultz in 1922 is characteristically a disease of middle-aged women. Definite cases in childhood are rare, although other leukopenic and granulocytopenic conditions, without the clinical signs characteristic of the disease, are not uncommon. The fundamental lesion is a depression of the bone marrow which results in arrest of maturation or complete destruction of the granulated series of white blood cells. By definition, there is no disturbance of the red cells or platelets in cases of pure agranulocytosis. Three groups of granulocytopenic conditions have been differentiated according to etiology 1 : 1. The acute or the peracute form or the Schultz type, which is considered to be a shocklike allergic reaction of the bone marrow to a noxious agent. In many cases this agent has been recognized to be some drug containing the benzene ring, especially aminopyrine, but frequently it is unknown. 2. More

Canine Leptospirosis in Pennsylvania

and field mice are carriers of leptospira. It has been shown since that dogs, cats, foxes, minks, bats, horses and other animals may also transmit leptospira to man. The whole problem of leptospirosis has been recently reviewed by WalchSorgdrager.2 About 16 strains of leptospira have been reported from all parts of the world. The main groups pathogenic for man are L. icterohemorrhagiae, Leptospira canicola, Leptospira hebdomadis, and Leptospira grippotyphosa. There has been no conclusive proof that Leptospira biflexa, the water strain, is pathogenic for man. That the dog can be affected with Weil's disease has been suspected for many years. During the first World War, a case of in a dog at the front was proven to be due to leptospira found in the liver and transferred to a guinea pig. So far, infection of dogs with leptospira has been reported in about 44 countries: in many parts of Europe, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, England; also in Asia; the Indies; the Federated Malay States; Madras; and most recently in the United States (California, Michigan and New York). In the Netherlands (Korthoff,3 Klarenbeek and Schiiffner4) and in England (Okell, Dalling and Pugh'), it has been reported that at least one-third of the cases of infectious in the dog were due to leptospirosis. Besides the enzootic jaundice due to the classical strain (L. icterohemorrhagiae), the English workers noted in the dog a peracute form with hemorrhages of the stomach, intestines and other organs. In 1924, Lukes6 and Kfivacek7 demonstrated leptospira in Stuttgart dog disease, also called dog typhus, stomatitis ulcerosa, gastro-enteritis hemorrhagica, etc., and accompanied by signs of polydipsia, polyuria, gastro-enteritis and melena. In 1931, Klarenbeek and Schiiffner4 isolated from dogs in Holland leptospira strains which were agglutinated by specific serum to a titer of 1:10,000 and with serum specific for L. icterohemorrhagiae to a titer of 1:25. In a series of cases of canine leptospirosis in Klarenbeek's Veterinary Policlinic in Utrecht, there were 94 dogs infected with L. canicola, with 3% jaundiced and fatality resulting in 41% of the cases; while among 57 dogs infected with L. icterohemorrhagiae 82% were jaundiced, with fatality in 51% of the cases. This and other studies showed that L. canicola was more frequently the cause of leptospirosis in dogs and, furthermore, that dogs infected with L. canicola were less often jaundiced than dogs infected with L. icterohemorrhagiae. Except for some instances in which the symptoms overlapped, was the rule for the classical strain (L. icterohemorrhagiae) and uremia for the dog strain (L. caniReceived for publication, February 25, 1941. 1. J. Exper. Med. 23: 377, 1916. 2. Quart. Bull. Health Organ., League of Nations 8: 143, 1939. 3. Nederl. tijdschr. v. geneesk. 3: 4097, 1930. 4. Nederl. tijdschr. v. Geneesk. 77: 4271, 1933; Zentralbl. f. Bakt. 142: 80, 1938. 5. Vet. J. 71: 3, 1925. 6. Ann. Inst. Pasteur 38: 523, 1924. 7. Ztschr. f. Hyg. u. Infektionskr. 103: 529, 1924.