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Biomedical subjects

H E Jensen

Publications and source records attributed to H E Jensen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Molecular characterization of the porcine surfactant, pulmonary-associated protein C gene.

The surfactant, pulmonary-associated protein C (SFTPC) is a peptide secreted by the alveolar type II pneumocytes of the lung. We have characterized the porcine SFTPC gene at genomic, transcriptional, and protein levels. The porcine SFTPC is a single-copy gene on pig chromosome 14. Two transcripts were found in a newborn pig lung cDNA library: a full-length clone and a clone missing exon 5. cDNA sequence comparison revealed four synonymous and two nonsynonymous substitutions and in-frame insertions at the beginning of exon 5. Comparison of the SFTPC coding region between several mammals showed high levels of conservation. Northern blot studies showed lung-specific expression of the full-length SFTPC transcript, appearing in 50-day-old fetus and increasing during lung development. Both SFTPC transcripts were detected mainly in lung by real-time RT-PCR and they were significantly down-regulated in necrotic lungs of pigs infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Additionally, the protein levels were also decreased or absent in the necrotic tissue.

Actinobacillus Infections↗
PubMed2005

Influence of the calcium content of the diet offered to leopard tortoises (Geochelone pardalis).

Twenty-four juvenile leopard tortoises were divided into four groups of six; one group was fed a basic low-calcium feed for six months, and the other three groups were fed the same basic diet supplemented with one, three and nine times the amount of calcium recommended as a supplement to the diet of reptiles. The animals' bone mineral content and bone mineral density were estimated by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, and blood samples were taken at the start and at the conclusion of the study. One tortoise from each group was examined postmortem. There was a clear depletion of calcium in the body of the tortoises receiving no calcium supplement, and the shell of the tortoises receiving the recommended calcium supplement did not calcify to the extent expected. The tortoises that received three times the recommended calcium supplementation had the highest growth rate and were thriving. However, metastatic calcifications were observed postmortem in the two groups that were given the highest doses of calcium.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2005

Disseminated acute concomitant aspergillosis and mucormycosis in a pony.

A 6-year-old female pony died after 2 days of prostration. Clinical signs included hyperthermia and abnormal pulmonary auscultation sounds. Necropsy revealed diffuse severe necrohaemorrhagic colitis and splenitis, multiple visceral ecchymoses, petechial haemorrhages in the brain and lungs. Microscopical examination showed acute necrohaemorrhagic colitis, encephalitis, pneumonia and splenitis associated with fibrinoid vasculitis, thrombosis and fungal hyphae within and around vessels. Immunohistologically, concomitant aspergillosis (caused by Aspergillus fumigatus) and mucormycosis (causde by Absidia corymbifera) were identified in the colonic and pulmonary lesions, whereas pure mucormycosis was observed in cerebral and splenic lesions. Dual mycotic infections are very rarely described, and the present case emphasizes the need of immunohistochemistry in order to obtain a clear-cut diagnosis of mixed fungal infections.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2005

Locomotive disorders associated with sow mortality in Danish pig herds.

Given the increase in sow mortality in Danish pig herds over the last 10 years, we have investigated the causes of spontaneous death and killing of sows, especially those due to locomotive disorders. A total of 265 culled sows (93 spontaneously dead sows and 172 killed sows) from 10 different herds were sent for complete necropsy, and grouped according to primary diagnoses. From 35 of these sows, tissue for histological evaluation and samples for bacteriological cultivation were also collected, and secondary diagnoses and body condition were recorded. The main causes for killing were related to the locomotive system (72%), arthritis (24%) and fractures (16%) being the most frequent lesions. The main causes of spontaneous death were related to the gastrointestinal system and spleen (45%) and the reproductive system (24%). Arthrosis was a secondary diagnosis in 88% of the killed sows and in 92.5% of the spontaneously dead sows. Arcanobacterium pyogenes was the main cause of arthritis. The killed sows had significantly lower body condition compared with spontaneously dead sows. The first two parities and the time around farrowing were associated with the highest mortality in both groups. Hopefully, these observations can guide breeding units attempting to monitor, control and reduce sow mortality.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Intestinal candidiasis in a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta): an immunohistochemical study.

Post mortem examination of a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) stranded in the Canary Islands revealed a fishing-line in the small intestine. Histologically, severe necrotic enteritis, multiple haemorrhages, and marked oedema of the intestinal submucosa were observed. Yeast cells and fungal hyphae were seen in the lamina propria of the intestinal mucosa and in the connective tissue of the submucosa. Because fungal cultures were not taken at the time of necropsy, an immunohistochemical study was performed in order to identify the fungus involved. Specific monoclonal and heterologously absorbed polyclonal antibodies served as the primary reagents for identification of aspergillosis, candidiasis, fusariosis, geotricosis, scedosporiosis, and zygomycosis, using an indirect immunofluorescence staining technique. The fungal elements were strongly stained only by a polyclonal antibody against Candida albicans and a monoclonal antibody against C. albicans. There are no known previous reports of Candida sp. causing skin disease or systemic mycotic infection in sea turtles.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Pulmonary hyalohyphomycosis caused by Fusarium spp in a Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi): an immunohistochemical study.

AIM: To describe the microscopic and immunohistochemical findings in a case of pulmonary hyalohyphomycosis in a Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi). METHODS: Samples of lung, liver and kidney from a stranded, dead Kemp's ridley sea turtle were routinely processed for histopathological studies. Two monoclonal antibodies that reacted specifically with antigens of Aspergillus spp and the Mucorales (Zygomycetes) group, and a panel of polyclonal antibodies raised against Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Geotrichum candidum, Fusarium solani, and Scedosporium apiospermum were used for immunohistochemical or immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: Histologically, a severe multifocal granulomatous pneumonia associated with fungal infection was diagnosed. All hyphae were identified as Fusarium spp because a strong and uniform reactivity was obtained only with a heterologously-absorbed polyclonal antibody raised against somatic antigens of Fusarium solani. CONCLUSIONS: Fusarium spp should be included in the differential diagnosis of mycotic pneumonia in Kemp's ridley sea turtles. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first report of a pulmonary mycotic infection in a sea turtle diagnosed using immunohistochemistry. Wildlife rehabilitators and pathologists should be aware of the availability of immunohistochemical techniques for identifying fungi in sea turtles.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Intracranial fusariosis: a novel cause of fungal meningoencephalitis in a dog.

The Fusarium species are a group of saprophytic fungal organisms that are occasionally the cause of opportunistic infections in humans and animals. Central nervous system disease associated with a Fusarium species is most commonly described in horse, resulting in equine leukoencephalomalacia. This report describes a 2-year-old, spayed, female German Shepherd Dog with meningoencephalitis secondary to infection with Fusarium spp. Meningoencephalitis in dogs secondary to a species of Fusarium has not been previously reported. The diagnosis was made based on the histopathologic examination of brain tissues postmortem and special immunohistochemical stains specific for Fusarium solani. The clinical signs in this dog were indicative of multifocal brain disease and included seizures and a paradoxical vestibular syndrome. The clinical findings, diagnostic and histopathologic test results, and the comparative characterizations of other disseminated fungal diseases, especially aspergillosis, are described.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Actinomyces hyovaginalis associated with disseminated necrotic lung lesions in slaughter pigs.

Lungs from 26 slaughter pigs with a diagnosis of pyaemic lung lesions (disseminated necrotic lesions and abscesses), as determined at post-mortem meat inspection, were subjected to a thorough examination, including re-evaluation of gross pathology and histopathological and microbiological examination of samples from multiple lesions. The pulmonary lesions, which appeared identical on gross inspection, could be divided into three histopathological types, namely (1) abscesses, (2) circumscribed (contained) necrotic lesions, and (3) bronchiolar ectasias. Some characteristic relations between bacterial species and histopathological type were demonstrated. Thus, abscesses were dominated by Staphylococcus aureus infections, and circumscribed (contained) necrotic lesions were dominated by infections with an Actinomyces species, identified as Actinomyces hyovaginalis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Actinomyces hyovaginalis was demonstrated in 23% of all cases, pointing to this organism as an important agent of disseminated lung lesions of pigs. Furthermore, a characteristic pyogranulomatous reaction with a central area of necrosis was found to be associated with this infection.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed2003

Comparison of histopathology, cultivation of tissues and rectal contents, and interferon-gamma and serum antibody responses for the diagnosis of bovine paratuberculosis.

The diagnosis of infection with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis was studied in 12 cattle from infected dairy herds and four from non-infected herds. A comparison was made of (1) histopathological examination and bacterial culture of tissues, (2) culture of serial samples of rectal contents, and (3) examination of repeated blood samples for interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and antibody responses. Tissue samples were taken from the small and large intestine and corresponding mesenteric lymph nodes, and from the pharyngeal tonsil and other lymphoid nodes (retropharyngeal, mediastinal, hepatic and supramammary). Histopathological examination and bacterial culture of tissues each revealed that six of the 16 cattle were infected, whereas repeated culture of rectal contents revealed only five infected animals. Except for the hepatic lymph node of a single animal, culture-positive tissues were confined to the intestinal tract and related lymph nodes. Bacterial culture of tissues from the ileum, caecum and lymph nodes draining the jejunum revealed the highest number of infected animals. Moreover, slightly greater numbers of positive tissues were revealed by culture than by histopathological examination. For both the IFN-gamma response and the antibody response, the means of the values for the final three samples before slaughter were significantly higher in infected than in non-infected cattle. However, these immunological responses were too variable to provide a reliable indication of infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Ovarian function and morphology in the mare after multiple follicular punctures.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: In the mare, ultrasound-guided transvaginal oocyte recovery and transfer might offer a way to circumvent the demanding procedures of in vitro embryo production. Before clinical application, the possible consequences for subsequent fertility have to be considered. OBJECTIVES: To examine ovarian function and morphology in mares after repeated follicular punctures. METHODS: A total of 14-26 follicular puncture sessions were conducted on each of 4 Norwegian pony mares over a period of 8 years. The ovaries of these mares were recovered by bilateral ovariectomy or at post mortem and subjected to macroscopic inspection and histology. For comparison, ovaries were collected from 7 nonaspirated control mares and processed for histology. RESULTS: In all experimental mares, ovarian function, defined as the ability regularly to ovulate preovulatory follicles and develop corpora lutea, remained normal during their last breeding season. Gross examination and histology showed that normal follicular and corpus luteum development was accompanied by the formation of condensed reparative fibrosis and normal local haemosiderosis of the ovarian stroma in all experimental mares. In one mare, an ovary contained several foci of chronic apostematous oophoritis, while a cystic structure lined with a single layer of epithelial-like cells and surrounded by a cartilaginous capsule was present in the other ovary. CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Repeated follicular aspirations do not hamper future folliculogenesis, ovulation and corpus luteum formation. However, ovarian puncture induces reparative fibrosis in the ovarian stroma and involves a risk of inducing abscess formation within the ovarian tissue which may impair fertility.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Periarticular ossification at the elbow joint and meniscal ossification in the stifle joint of pigs--occurrence, pathomorphology, breed differences and correlations with osteochondrosis, leg weakness and production parameters.

The occurrence, pathomorphology, and possibly impact of periarticular ossification at the elbow joint and meniscal ossification in the stifle joint are described. A total of 4029 boars of the Landrace and Yorkshire breeds were performance tested and examined radiologically. Periarticular ossification at the elbow joint was found in radiographs at a prevalence of 0.9%. Meniscal ossification was seen as single or multiple foci at the cranial aspect of the joint at a prevalence of 2.6%, and had a bilateral occurrence in 20%. Significant breed differences (P < 0.001) were found for both joint processes. The meniscal ossifications were associated with hindlegs turned out (abduction) (P < 0.001) and stiff locomotion in the rear (P < 0.001), and were negatively (adversely) associated with growth rate (P < 0.01). The periarticular osseous foci were seen as focal firm swellings at the craniomedial aspect of the elbow joint. The meniscal ossifications were observed as single or multiple small, smooth, firm, and irregular swellings in the cranial horn of only the lateral meniscus. The histomorphology of both types of ossifications was similar. Centrally, they were made up by osseous trabeculae. The trabeculae might contain clusters of chondrocytes. Between the trabeculae, which were lined with flat osteoblasts, adipocytes were present. The osseous centre was encircled by mineralized cartilage that blended into more or less fibrous cartilage. However, towards the joint cavity the meniscal ossifications were covered by hyaline cartilage.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Evaluation of the pathology, pathogenesis and aetiology of auricular elephantiasis in slaughter pigs.

Ears from slaughter pigs with auricular elephantiasis (n = 24) and the corresponding lymph nodes (lnn.) (n = 26) were grossly, histopathologically and microbiologically examined. Immunostaining for IgM, IgG, Cd3epsilon and bacterial antigens of Arcanobacterium pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus was performed by indirect enzyme-based techniques. Ears were variably thickened depending on the sampled area (basis, centre and apex). However, at all locations the thickness, the length from basis to apex and the weigh of whole ears with elephantiasis were significantly increased (P < 0.01). The corresponding lnn., that is, ln. parotideus superficialis and profundus, had also increased significantly (P < 0.01) in volume. Histopathologically, lesions of the ears and the corresponding lnn. revealed changes characterized by diffuse fibrosis intermingled with multiple pyogranulomatous foci containing asteroid bodies. In the majority of lesions, four distinct zones due to different cellular infiltrates encircled the central core of the asteroid bodies. In several lesions, the pyogranulomatous foci were contained within the lymph vessels. Immunohistochemically, only the bacterial antigen of S. aureus was detected within the cytoplasm of the macrophages and/or in the asteroid bodies of the ears (41.5%) and in the regional lnn. (30.8%). An abundant number of IgM, IgG and CD3epsilon-positive cells were present in all the pyogranulomatous lesions, whereas a positive IgG-staining was observed only in a single asteroid body. Thus, porcine auricular elephantiasis is a chronic pyogranulomatous inflammation that is frequently positive for S. aureus and is lymphogenically spread. Therefore, the lesions of the ears with auricular elephantiasis and the corresponding lnn. should be termed auricular botryomycosis and botryomycotic lymphadenitis, respectively. Moreover, as the disease is observed frequently in slaughter pigs it must also be considered according to the welfare of the animals and in relation to post-mortem meat inspection.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed2002

Central nervous system cryptococcoma in a cat.

This report describes the gross, histopathological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic findings in a 4-year-old cat with systemic Cryptococcus neoformans infection. A 1-cm diameter pontine mass, pinpoint lesions in the cerebellum and in the right kidney were the main macroscopic findings. A presumptive diagnosis of cerebral neoplasia with metastasis was formulated. Light microscopy revealed a huge number of yeasts surrounded by a pyogranulomatous inflammatory reaction in the cerebral parenchyma and, to a lesser extent, in the kidney, while the meninges were not involved. The positive mucicarmine stain that coloured the capsule of the yeasts was indicative of cryptococcal infection. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of C. neoformans var. grubii (C. neoformans serotype A). Electron microscopy revealed yeasts with a massive fibrillar capsule and lamellar cell wall free in the cerebral tissue and within macrophages.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Bacterial colonization and invasion in pigs experimentally exposed to Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in aerosol.

A recently developed porcine model for aerogenous infection with Streptococcus suis serotype 2 was applied in a study of the phases of bacterial colonization and initial invasion. Eighteen pigs were exposed to aerosolized S. suis serotype 2 after pre-exposure to mild acetic acid in aerosol. The animals were killed consecutively within the first six days after challenge. After death, all animals were necropsied and examined by bacteriology, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. Systemic infection was established in four out of 18 animals exposed to S. suis serotype 2. All systemically infected animals developed clinical signs and lesions typical of the infection. In four additional animals, subclinical infection was demonstrated by re-isolation of S. suis from the palatine tonsil. However, in all 18 challenged animals, immunohistochemistry demonstrated S. suis serotype 2 antigen in the palatine and/or nasopharyngeal tonsils. In all four systemically infected animals, S. suis serotype 2 antigen was also found in the mandibular lymph node. These observations point towards the tonsils as possible portals of entry for S. suis serotype 2 with subsequent lymphogenous spread. Thus, the present findings parallel the proposed pathogenesis for S. suis serotype 1 infection in pigs.

Aerosols↗
PubMed2002

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infection in pigs: new diagnostic and pathogenetic aspects.

In a study aimed at improving the diagnosis and elucidating the pathogenesis of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infection in pigs, a combination of bacterial culture and histopathological and immunohistochemical examination was applied to a range of tissues from 42 naturally infected pigs with typical macroscopical lesions. By culture, 21 pigs (50%) were shown to be systemically infected with S. suis serotype 2; seven (17%) were infected with S. suis serotype 7, two with other bacteria, and 12 yielded no bacterial pathogens. The highest isolation rate for S. suis serotype 2 was obtained from the lateral cerebral ventricles and other regions of the brain, whereas the bacterium was only rarely isolated from the liver or spleen. Immunohistochemically, a diagnosis of S. suis serotype 2 infection was obtained in two of 12 (17%) animals from which no pathogens had been cultured. Moreover, immunohistochemistry differed from culture in revealing a greater number of positive tissue specimens. The microanatomical distribution of bacteria pointed toward the pharyngeal and palatine tonsils as principal portals of entry. Furthermore, S. suis serotype 2 bacteria were frequently identified immunohistochemically in the regional lymph nodes of the upper respiratory tract, possibly reflecting primary lymphogenous spread from the tonsils.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Aerogenous infection of microbiologically defined minipigs with Streptococcus suis serotype 2. A new model.

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is the cause of serious infections in animals and humans, but certain aspects of the infection pathogenesis still remain unclear. In this study an experimental model of aerogenous infection and induction of septicemia with S. suis serotype 2 was established in microbiologically defined Göttingen minipigs. Ten animals were exposed to aerosolized S. suis after previous exposure to mild acetic acid in aerosol. Six of the animals were immunosuppressed with prednisolone acetate on different days. All the animals were monitored clinically until euthanasia on days 6 to 13 after exposure. Necropsy was performed and samples were taken for microbiology, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry Three out of four animals immunosuppressed on days 5 to 7 after exposure developed S. suis septicemia, and S. suis could be detected in the tonsil of the soft palate and/or the nasal cavity of all exposed animals. Thus, using the presented model, local as well as systemic infection with S. suis serotype 2 was established in the Göttingen minipig. Since this breed is defined as free of S. suis and a range of other endemic porcine pathogens, the experimental model could prove useful in the study of this infection.

Animals↗