OBJECTIVE: In order to investigate the safety of whole body hyperthermia (WBH) within the context of systemic Cancer Multistep Therapy (sCMT) in patients with disseminated malignancies, cardiopulmonary changes and various organ functions were examined. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Fifty-seven sCMT treatments were performed in 22 patients. WBH with a plateau phase of 1 h at 41.8 degrees C was induced by an IRATHERM 2000 device. Cardiopulmonary parameters were measured at 37, 40, 41.8 and 39 degrees C by use of a pulmonary artery catheter, femoral oxymetry and a radial artery catheter. Organ functions of the liver, kidney, cardiovascular and central nervous system were evaluated before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the initial values, significant alterations were found of most cardiopulmonary parameters in the sense of hypercirculation at 41.8 degrees C. With the exception of extra vascular lung water index, all parameters showed a clear tendency towards the pre-treatment levels at 39 degrees C. In eight out of 57 sCMT treatments, reversible organ dysfunctions were observed. Comparison of radial and femoral arterial blood pressure showed significantly different values at 40 and 41.8 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: WBH induces cardiovascular stress, but by careful selection of patients and appropriate anaesthesiological monitoring it can be performed safely using general anaesthesia. This enables further evaluation of WBH in multimodal treatment concepts.

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Neuropathic gastric dilatation in psittaciformes.

Psittacine neuropathic gastric dilatation was studied in four cockatoos (Cacatua spp.). The birds died with characteristic clinical signs, and post-mortem examination revealed a highly distended proventriculus. Upon light microscopic examination, most of the ganglia of the gastric plexus and some of the duodenal myenteric plexus appeared destroyed and replaced by round cell accumulations; the same was true for the celiac ganglion. The neuronal perikaryon of the celiac ganglion and the myenteric plexus revealed intranuclear and extranuclear eosinophilic inclusion bodies. The electron microscope revealed virus-like particles outside and within those inclusions. These particles were similar to particles described and identified as paramyxovirus.

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Cyclocoelum mutabile infection and aortic rupture in an American coot (Fulica americana).

An American coot (Fulica americana) was found dead within the enclosed research compound of the South Central Poultry Research Laboratory at Mississippi State, Mississippi. Gross and microscopic examinations revealed the bird to be in good body condition; however, blood from the beak cavity and external nares was present. Biliary congestion, hemopericardium, blood-filled air sacs, and a ruptured, ascending aorta were also noted. Nineteen trematodes (Cyclocoelum mutabile) were found within the body cavity at necropsy. Bacteriological examination revealed the presence of Escherichia coli in both the heart and liver and Pseudomonas putida in the liver only. No virus was isolated.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Chlamydiosis in a captive group of Houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata).

A chlamydiosis outbreak occurred in a Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) captive breeding group in Saudi Arabia, inducing peracute deaths, highly variable clinical signs, and pathological and histological lesions. Typical inclusion bodies in stained impression smears of spleen and prevalence (80%) of antibodies against Chlamydia, detected by a competitive enzyme immunoassay test, provided the bases for the diagnosis. This is the first report on a chlamydiosis outbreak in birds of the family Otididae.

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Pharmacokinetics of doxycycline after parenteral administration in the Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata).

Fourteen adult Houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata) infected with Chlamydia psittaci were administered doxycycline at 100 mg/kg body weight in seven intramuscular or subcutaneous injections at intervals of 7, 7, 7, 6, 6, and 5 days. Blood levels of doxycycline were measured after the first and seventh injections at the following intervals: 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, and 180 hours. During these two periods, most of the birds showed plasma doxycycline levels in excess of 1 micrograms/ml, demonstrating effective doxycycline levels for 45 days. A multifactorial analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between males and females, between the two routes of administration, or among all four factors.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Fatal avian polyomavirus infection during quarantine in adult wild-caught red-faced lovebirds (Agapornis pullaria).

An outbreak of avian polyomavirus infection is reported in a group of six wild-caught red-faced lovebirds (Agapornis pullaria), all of which died during quarantine. The birds had not shown any previous symptoms. Histologic examination of the lungs, kidneys, livers, and spleens revealed the presence of basophilic intranuclear inclusions. Avian polyomavirus was isolated from the liver and the spleen. Neutralizing antibodies were detected in the sera from other lovebirds (Agapornis personata, Agapornis taranta) that had contact with the A. pullaria. A serologic comparison showed a close relationship with budgerigar polyomavirus.

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