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PubMed2003

Principles and applications of radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy is emerging as a beneficial and increasingly accessible treatment option for companion animals with cancer. Various types of radiation are available with different properties that may make one more suitable than another for treating a specific tumor type. Radiation therapy can be used as the sole treatment or as part of a multimodality treatment course to result in local or locoregional tumor control, or as palliative therapy for pain control. When radiation is a potential treatment option, it should be considered early in the decision-making process to ensure that the appropriate diagnostics and other treatment modalities are considered to provide the best potential outcome. This article is intended to provide an overview of the types of radiation therapy that are available, the indications, and the potential acute and late radiation side effects.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Capsular serogroups of Pasteurella multocida isolated from animals in Zimbabwe.

Pasteurella multocida is isolated from a variety of disease conditions from different animal species in our diagnostic laboratory. In order to determine serogroup distribution among the isolates, an indirect haemagglutination test using glutaraldehyde-fixed sheep red blood cells was employed. A serological examination of 79 isolates revealed that 47/79 were of capsular serogroup A, 11/79 capsular serogroup D, 4/79 capsular serogroup B and 17/79 were untypable strains. None of the isolates belonged to either serogroup E or F. All those from cases of classical pasteurellosis could be grouped, but a significantly high proportion of those which originated from companion animals were untypable. The significance of these results is discussed. This report appears to be the first detailed information on the prevalence of various serogroups of P. multocida in animals in southern Africa.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Ocular manifestation of disseminated Mycobacterium simiae infection in a cat.

Disseminated mycobacterial disease was diagnosed in an eight-year-old domestic shorthaired cat, with involvement of the skin, lungs, lymph nodes and one eye. Mycobacterium simiae was cultured from skin biopsies on solid agar and in liquid media. This organism is known to cause pulmonary, cutaneous or disseminated infection in human patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome but has never been encountered as a pathogen in companion animals. Combination treatment with rifampicin, enrofloxacin and clarithromycin resulted in complete clinical remission within six months, with no side effects. No recurrence was observed in a 22-month follow-up period.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

District, state or regional veterinary diagnostic laboratories.

The district, regional or state laboratory is the local laboratory to which veterinarian practitioners usually submit samples, and consequently these laboratories are usually the first to observe a suspected disease problem. In most countries, these laboratories are under the jurisdiction of the State or region in which they are located. In the United States of America (USA), most veterinary diagnostic laboratories are State-associated and operate under the aegis of either the State Department of Agriculture or a university. The national laboratory provides reference assistance to the State laboratories. In the USA, the national Laboratory (the National Veterinary Services Laboratories) acts as a consultant to confirm difficult diagnoses and administer performance tests for State-associated laboratories. District, state or regional laboratories need to share information regarding technological advances in diagnostic procedures. This need was met in the USA by the formation of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) in the late 1950s. Another requirement of district, state or regional diagnostic laboratories is a method to confirm quality assurance, which was fulfilled in the USA by an accreditation programme established through the AAVLD. The Accreditation Committee evaluates laboratories (on request) in terms of organisation, personnel, physical facilities and equipment, records, finance and budget. Those laboratories which meet the standards as established in the 'Essential Requirements for Accreditation' are given accreditation status, which indicates that they have the expertise and facilities to perform tests on food-producing animals for shipment in national or international commerce and on companion, laboratory or zoo animals. While confidentiality of test records is most important, it is becoming necessary to release certain types of animal disease test information if a country is to participate in the exportation of animals and animal products. As district, state and regional laboratories operate under many different administrative entities (i.e., universities, State governments and the Federal government), various checks at different administrative levels provide safeguards and reduce the possibility of faulty disease reporting.

Accreditation↗
PubMed2002

Clinical chemistry of companion avian species: a review.

Birds have evolved alternate physiologic strategies to contend with dehydration, starvation, malnutrition, and reproduction. Basic anatomic and functional differences between birds and mammals impact clinical chemistry values and their evaluation. Interpretation of the results of standard biochemical analyses, including BUN, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, gamma glutamyltransferase, bilirubin, ammonia, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, bile acids, glucose, albumin, globulins, calcium, phosphorus, prealbumin (transthyretin), fibrinogen, iron, and ferritin, is reviewed and discussed in relation to these physiological differences. The use and interpretation of alternative analytes appropriate for avian species, such as uric acid, biliverdin, glutamate dehydrogenase, and galactose clearance, also are reviewed. Normal avian urine and appropriate use of urinalysis, an integral part of laboratory diagnosis in mammalian species that frequently is omitted from avian diagnostic protocols, is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Visceral larva migrans and alveolar hydatid disease. Dangers real or imagined.

For both visceral larva migrans and alveolar hydatid diseases, it is the feces of companion animals that are the primary source of human infection. Clearly, whatever is done to reduce this form of environmental contamination and the prevalence of the parasites' infective stages will help to protect the health of the human population in the United States and Canada, particularly the children. Very important are appropriate anthelmintic treatment programs, especially for T. canis, and proper control of close associations between pets and people. Probably the known incidence of visceral larva migrans in humans and the range of its known pathogenicity will increase as better diagnostic methods become available. In addition, other animal helminths, for instance Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina, may become more substantially documented as causes of human visceral larva migrans. Until more is known of the geographical distribution and prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis among animals in North America, it will be difficult to assess accurately the future significance of alveolar hydatid disease in the continent's human population. Another important advance would be the development of anthelmintics that are effective for somatic second stage larvae of T. canis, and others effective for adult or larval Echinococcus species. Meanwhile it is a most important responsibility of the veterinary profession to educate its clients thoroughly concerning these dangerous helminths.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mycobacteriosis in an American bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

Avian mycobacteriosis is an important disease in companion, captive, exotic, and wild birds worldwide. Mycobacterium avium is the most widely distributed and pathogenic organism causing tuberculous lesions in birds. Multiple factors including age, stress, immune status, and preexisting disease determine the pathogenicity of M. avium, and the disease can manifest itself in a variety of forms. Mycobacteriosis can cause severe losses in zoo aviaries, including the loss of rare and endangered bird species. We report a case of systemic avian mycobacteriosis in an adult, free-living male American bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that presented to the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health in November 2003.

Animals↗
PubMed1956

The fate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mouse tissues as determined by the microbial enumeration technique. II. The conversion of tuberculous infection to the latent state by the administration of pyrazinamide and a companion drug.

Populations of tubercle bacilli of human origin exposed in vivo to pyrazinamide and a companion drug, vanished from the tissues of the mouse in so far as could be determined by microscopy, culture, or guinea pig subinoculation. The vanishing did not represent a complete elimination of the tubercle bacilli from all the animals. 90 days after the completion of treatment, tubercle bacilli could be cultured from approximately one-third of the animals examined at that time. This complete disappearance of the tubercle bacilli thus meets the definition of a truly latent infection in that the infection is present but is hidden beyond the limits of diagnostic reach. All but one of the strains of tubercle bacilli which survived in the animals and were detectable in the posttreatment period, were susceptible to pyrazinamide when tested under appropriate conditions in vitro. Only two factors could be identified which were essential for the uniform occurrence of the disappearance of tubercle bacilli: the administration of the pyrazinamide in a high daily dosage for at least eight of a total of 12 weeks of antimicrobial therapy; and the concurrent or prior exposure of the microbial populations to isoniazid or in some cases to other antituberculous drugs. The observations suggest that the ability of pyrazinamide-containing chemotherapies to bring about the disappearance of a tubercle bacillus is closely related to the occurrence of some alteration in the bacillus, essential for maximal pyrazinamide action, in response to environmental influences, including other antituberculous drugs present in the environment.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Differential performance of the macarthur HBQ and DISC-IV in identifying DSM-IV internalizing psychopathology in young children.

OBJECTIVE: Three sites collaborated to evaluate the differential performance of the MacArthur Health and Behavior Questionnaire (HBQ) and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV (DISC-IV) in identifying DSM-IV psychopathology in young children. METHOD: A sample of 120 four- to eight-year-old nonreferred (community) (n = 67) and referred (clinical) (n = 53) children was examined. Mothers reported on their child's mental health symptoms using the HBQ (a dimensional measure with a clinical cutoff score) and the DISC-IV. Teachers independently reported on the child's symptoms and impairment in school using the teacher HBQ. Children self-reported on their symptoms using the companion Berkeley Puppet Interview. RESULTS: On the basis of its derived clinical cutoff scores, the HBQ identified significantly more children with clinical symptoms of DSM-IVinternalizing psychopathology than the DISC-IV in both referred and nonreferred groups. There was a high level of agreement between the two measures in the identification of externalizing psychopathology. Children identified as having internalizing psychopathology by the HBQ were also rated as highly symptomatic and impaired by teachers. CONCLUSION: The findings support the general validity of the parent HBQ for the assessment of young child psychopathology and the hypothesis that it captures more internalizing psychopathology than the DISC-IV in this population.

Child↗
PubMed1981

The scapula companion shadow.

Eight examples of a scapula companion shadow are reported, and the ability of these shadows to simulate disease is discussed. They are seen on erect chest radiographs and their occurrence is favored by the loss of soft-tissue thickness. They result from an unusual position of the scapula and may simulate pleural or soft-tissue lesions.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Occult-blood screening for colorectal carcinoma: the yield and the costs.

The potential benefits and risks associated with Hemoccult screening have been reviewed in two companion papers. This final article assesses two major determinants of the overall "disease yield" of occult-blood screening, as well as the economic costs entailed by the maneuver. First, asymptomatic polyps detected and treated by such screening are more properly considered "false" positives than "true" positives--the benefits of their aggressive diagnosis and extirpation in the general population being much less established than the risks. Secondly, the ongoing detection rate for colorectal carcinoma on subsequent (e.g., annual) screenings of a population already screened will be substantially less than the initial screening yield; yet, the risks of confirmatory diagnostic procedures remain high. Lastly, there are many hidden costs to occult-blood screening that have generally not been recognized. Therefore, the use of Hemoccult screening as a routine health maintenance maneuver cannot yet be justified for any age-group.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

In-vivo response to free electron laser incision of the rabbit cornea.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the in vivo ocular response to corneal incisions made by Medical Free Electron Laser (MFEL) as a function of scan rate and incision depth. Additionally, we compared biomicroscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and light microscopy as ocular response diagnostic tools. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rabbit corneas were incised with pulsed MFEL radiation at 2.94 microm wavelength, scalpel incisions or focal cautery treatment were used as controls. The MFEL beam scan rate ranged from 0.2 to 1.0 mm/second. Ocular effects were monitored for 2 hours postoperatively using OCT and slit lamp examination. Ocular tissue was fixed for light microscopic examination. RESULTS: Anterior chamber fibrin formation correlated with MFEL incision depth. Slower scan rates resulted in deeper incisions and greater fibrin formation. OCT was better than slit lamp biomicroscopy at identifying fibrin attachments. OCT and light microscopy proved to be excellent companion technologies. CONCLUSIONS: Deep corneal incisions in the rabbit produced by the MFEL resulted in fibrin formation in the anterior chamber.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Nuclear magnetic resonance in pathology: I. Principles and general aspects.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has become established as a powerful diagnostic imaging technique in medicine. The power of NMR as a tool for characterizing molecular structure and for quantitative analysis of complex mixtures in the clinical laboratory or even in vivo is beginning to be exploited. In the clinical laboratory, NMR can analyze the complex mixtures of bodily fluids, intact cells, tissues, and their extracts. Phosphorus-31 or 1H NMR spectroscopy in vivo can provide a noninvasive probe of high-energy compounds, amino acids, and compounds of phospholipid metabolism. The basic principles of NMR spectroscopy are presented here, with emphasis on the various NMR parameters and the information they provide. A companion article presents a survey of applications in pathology.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging↗
PubMed2007

Neurological gait disorders in elderly people: clinical approach and classification.

Gait disorders are common and often devastating companions of ageing, leading to reductions in quality of life and increased mortality. Here, we present a clinically oriented approach to neurological gait disorders in the elderly population. We also draw attention to several exciting scientific developments in this specialty. Our first focus is on the complex and typically multifactorial pathophysiology underlying geriatric gait disorders. An important new insight is the recognition of gait as a complex higher order form of motor behaviour, with prominent and varied effects of mental processes. Another relevant message is that gait disorders are not an unpreventable consequence of ageing, but implicate the presence of underlying diseases that warrant specific diagnostic tests. We next discuss the core clinical features of common geriatric gait disorders and review some bedside tests to assess gait and balance. We conclude by proposing a practical three-step approach to categorise gait disorders and we present a simplified classification system based on clinical signs and symptoms.

Aging↗
PubMed1990

[Clinical diagnosis and differential diagnosis in ornamental birds].

Clinical diagnosis in companion birds consists of well established procedures such as case history, clinical observation, physical examination and further special investigations, e.g. radiology, endoscopy or clinical chemistry. Also some peculiarities of the numerous bird species have to be taken into consideration. These are, for example, certain characteristics of the different species, the varieties of husbandry and environment as single caged birds or flocks in zoos and aviaries and, especially, the lack of typical clinical symptoms in most cases. In regard to those aspects, case history concerning aspects such as age, sex, feeding or course of the disease and special investigations in the case of single caged birds and diagnostic dissections and etiological laboratory examinations, e.g. microbiology, parasitology and toxicology, in the case of flock problems are of major significance. Examples of differential diagnosis in single caged birds, e.g. abnormal behaviour ("feather plucking"), gout, intestinal foreign bodies, tumors or pneumomycosis, and flock health problems, e.g. acariasis, canary pox, coccidiosis or bacterial infections complete this paper.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Dirofilaria immitis prevalence in a canine population in the Samana Peninsula (Dominican Republic) - June 2001.

Dirofilaria immitis, the etiological agent for heartworm disease, is a zoonotic, vector-borne parasite. The dog is the most common natural host. Heartworm disease is present in all US states, as well as in South and Central America, Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia [. Prevalence of feline heartworm disease - a global review. In: Proceedings of the Heartworm Symposium'95, Auburn, Alabama, USA, 31 March-2 April, 1995. American Heartworm Society, Batavia, USA, pp. 79-86]. According to Menda [Menda, J.A., 1989. Transplacental migration of Dirofilaria immitus microfilariae. Companion Anim. Pract. 19 (6-7), 18-20], 18% of the canine population in the city of Santo Domingo tested positive for heartworm using the Filar Assay Kit. In the year 2000, clinical veterinarians from the Samana Peninsula in the Dominican Republic stated that the incidence of heartworm was minimal (Goodman, personal communication). In this small epidemiological study performed during the summer of 2001, 104 dogs from the Samana Peninsula were tested for heartworm antigen with the WITNESS HW Test and a wet mount evaluation for microfilaria under light microscopy. It was found that 18.2% of the canine population tested positive according to either one or both of the diagnostic methods. It would be advisable to apply prevention measures to control Dirofilaria immitis infection in the canine population of the Samana Peninsula in the Dominican Republic.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Heritability study on size of the physiologic cup of the optic nerve head: a summary report.

Cupping of the optic nerve head is regarded as one of a triad of diagnostic signs associated with glaucoma. This study was undertaken to assess the role of genetic factors in determining size of the physiologic cup of the normal optic nerve head, as measured by a horizontal cup/disc ratio. This is important to our ultimate understanding of the determinants of pathologic change. Horizontal cup/disc ratio was estimated in a sample of 37 MZ and 26 like-sex DZ twin pairs aged 15 years and older. Differences between MZ and DZ samples with respect to intrapair variance and intraclass correlation coefficient were highly significant. This finding of high heritability for measurements of cup diameter is in contrast to low heritability estimates found in a companion investigation on heritability of the effect of corticosteroids on intraocular pressure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Drivers for the emergence and re-emergence of vector-borne protozoal and bacterial diseases.

In recent years, vector-borne parasitic and bacterial diseases have emerged or re-emerged in many geographical regions causing global health and economic problems that involve humans, livestock, companion animals and wild life. The ecology and epidemiology of vector-borne diseases are affected by the interrelations between three major factors comprising the pathogen, the host (human, animal or vector) and the environment. Important drivers for the emergence and spread of vector-borne parasites include habitat changes, alterations in water storage and irrigation habits, atmospheric and climate changes, immunosuppression by HIV, pollution, development of insecticide and drug resistance, globalization and the significant increase in international trade, tourism and travel. War and civil unrest, and governmental or global management failure are also major contributors to the spread of infectious diseases. The improvement of epidemic understanding and planning together with the development of new diagnostic molecular techniques in the last few decades have allowed researchers to better diagnose and trace pathogens, their origin and routes of infection, and to develop preventive public health and intervention programs. Health care workers, physicians, veterinarians and biosecurity officers should play a key role in future prevention of vector-borne diseases. A coordinated global approach for the prevention of vector-borne diseases should be implemented by international organizations and governmental agencies in collaboration with research institutions.

Animals↗