A case of feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia limited to the mesentery

An entire, female, mixed‐breed cat of unknown age was presented with a 6‐week history of lethargy, anorexia and vomiting. There was an increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood, including neutrophils and eosinophils; moderate anaemia; ascites; and possible mesenteric peritonitis. Exploratory laparotomy revealed firm, multifocal small nodules in the mesentery. As the nodules were surgically unresectable, they were biopsied. Histologically, the nodules were composed of thin trabeculae of dense collagen fibres mixed with plump fibroblasts and numerous eosinophils, consistent with feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia. Bacteria were not detected on histological examination of the nodules and cytology of the ascites. Remission of disease occurred following treatment with prednisolone and ciclosporin A for 22 days and antibiotics for 40 days. After remission, ciclosporin A was administered for 236 days and then discontinued. Eosinophilia also resolved after treatment with ciclosporin A. The cat is still alive and in good condition on day 689. This report describes what may be an atypical case of feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia, lacking involvement of the gastrointestinal tract, and was apparently cured by treatment that involved ciclosporin A.

Novel, diverse RNA viruses from Mediterranean isolates of the phytopathogenic fungus, Rosellinia necatrix: insights into evolutionary biology of fungal viruses

To reveal mycovirus diversity, we conducted a search of as-yet-unexplored Mediterranean isolates of the phytopathogenic ascomycete Rosellinia necatrix for virus infections. Of seventy-nine, eleven fungal isolates tested RNA virus-positive, with many showing coinfections, indicating a virus incidence of 14%, which is slightly lower than that (approximately 20%) previously reported for extensive surveys of over 1000 Japanese R. necatrix isolates. All viral sequences were fully or partially characterized by Sanger and next-generation sequencing. These sequences appear to represent isolates of various new species spanning at least 6 established or previously proposed families such as Partiti-, Hypo-, Megabirna-, Yado-kari-, Fusagra- and Fusarividae, as well as a newly proposed family, Megatotiviridae. This observation greatly expands the diversity of R. necatrix viruses, because no hypo-, fusagra- or megatotiviruses were previously reported from R. necatrix. The sequence analyses showed a rare horizontal gene transfer event of the 2A-like protease domain between a dsRNA (phlegivirus) and a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus (hypovirus). Moreover, many of the newly detected viruses showed the closest relation to viruses reported from fungi other than R. necatrix, such as Fusarium spp., which are sympatric to R. necatrix. These combined results imply horizontal virus transfer between these soil-inhabitant fungi.

ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Hypoviridae

The Hypoviridae, comprising one genus, Hypovirus, is a family of capsidless viruses with positive-sense, ssRNA genomes of 9.1-12.7 kb that possess either a single large ORF or two ORFs. The ORFs appear to be translated from genomic RNA by non-canonical mechanisms, i.e. internal ribosome entry site-mediated and stop/restart translation. Hypoviruses have been detected in ascomycetous or basidiomycetous filamentous fungi, and are considered to be replicated in host Golgi-derived, lipid vesicles that contain their dsRNA as a replicative form. Some hypoviruses induce hypovirulence to host fungi, while others do not. This is a summary of the current ICTV report on the taxonomy of the Hypoviridae, which is available at www.ictv.global/report/hypoviridae.

Evidence for a novel negative-stranded RNA mycovirus isolated from the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum

Here we describe a novel (-)ssRNA mycovirus, Fusarium graminearum negative-stranded RNA virus 1 (FgNSRV-1), isolated from Fusarium graminearum strain HN1. The genome of FgNSRV-1 is 9072 nucleotides in length, with five discontinuous but linear ORFs (ORF I-V). Phylogenetic analysis based on entire L polymerase sequences indicated that FgNSRV-1 is related to the (-)ssRNA mycovirus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum negative-stranded RNA virus 1 (SsNSRV-1), and other mycoviruses. Our data suggest that FgNSRV-1 can be classified into the family Mymonaviridae, order Mononegavirales. Putative enveloped virion-like structures with filamentous morphology similar to SsNSRV-1 were observed in virion preparation samples. The L proteins of FgNSRV-1, and other fungal mononegaviruses, were found to be related to L protein-like sequences in some fungal genome, supporting the hypothesis that there is coevolution occurring between mycoviruses and fungi. Besides, clearing the virus from the infected host fungus resulted in no discernable phenotypic change.

Massage therapy for home care patients using the health insurance system in Japan

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the status of home care massage services provided to patients. This will help in understanding how many patients utilize this service and the circumstances under which treatment is provided.

DESIGN

A retrospective study.

SETTING

Fifty-four acupuncture, moxibustion, and massage clinics. Participants were patients who had received home care massage for six months or more. We collected a total of 1587 responses from these 54 massage clinics; of these, 1415 responses (mean age = 79.1 ± 11.5 years) were valid (valid response rate 89.2%).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Actual patients and actual care services.

RESULTS

The most common disorder observed among patients who utilized home care massage services was cerebrovascular disease (at approximately 36%), while the second most common were arthropathy-related disorders (16.3%). Although most patients received massage, approximately 30% received manual therapy (e.g. manual correction) and hot fomentation as part of thermotherapy. Notably, only around 10% of patients received massage alone; the majority received treatment in combination with range of motion and muscle-strengthening exercises.

CONCLUSIONS

This study helped to clarify the actual state of patients receiving home care massage and the details of the massage services provided. This study clearly showed the treatment effectiveness of massage, which can be used by home medical care stakeholders to develop more effective interventions.

ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Rhabdoviridae

The family Rhabdoviridae comprises viruses with negative-sense (-) single-stranded RNA genomes of 10.8-16.1 kb. Virions are typically enveloped with bullet-shaped or bacilliform morphology but can also be non-enveloped filaments. Rhabdoviruses infect plants and animals including mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, as well as arthropods which serve as single hosts or act as biological vectors for transmission to animals or plants. Rhabdoviruses include important pathogens of humans, livestock, fish and agricultural crops. This is a summary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the taxonomy of Rhabdoviridae, which is available at www.ictv.global/report/rhabdoviridae.

A novel insect-infecting virga/nege-like virus group and its pervasive endogenization into insect genomes

Insects are the host and vector of diverse viruses including those that infect vertebrates, plants, and fungi. Recent wide-scale transcriptomic analyses have uncovered the existence of a number of novel insect viruses belonging to an alphavirus-like superfamily (virgavirus/negevirus-related lineage). In this study, through an in silico search using publicly available insect transcriptomic data, we found numerous virus-like sequences related to insect virga/nege-like viruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these novel viruses and related virus-like sequences fill the major phylogenetic gaps between insect and plant virga/negevirus lineages. Interestingly, one of the phylogenetic clades represents a unique insect-infecting virus group. Its members encode putative coat proteins which contained a conserved domain similar to that usually found in the coat protein of plant viruses in the family Virgaviridae. Furthermore, we discovered endogenous viral elements (EVEs) related to virga/nege-like viruses in the insect genomes, which enhances our understanding on their evolution. Database searches using the sequence of one member from this group revealed the presence of EVEs in a wide range of insect species, suggesting that there has been prevalent infection by this virus group since ancient times. Besides, we present detailed EVE integration profiles of this virus group in some species of the Bombus genus of bee families. A large variation in EVE patterns among Bombus species suggested that while some integration events occurred after the species divergence, others occurred before it. Our analyses support the view that insect and plant virga/nege-related viruses might share common virus origin(s).

In vivo and in vitro studies using larval and adult antigens from Neobenedenia melleni on immune response in yellowtail (Seriola lalandi)

Neobenedenia melleni is a monogenean parasite that causes significant mortality and economic losses in fish aquaculture. Changes in the antigenic composition of this parasite occur during its developmental stages. In this study, we evaluated humoral parameters in serum and transcriptional immune responses of yellowtail naturally infected with N. melleni. In addition, in vitro assays were performed to study the stimulatory effects of antigens from larvae and adults on spleen leucocytes from non-infected fish at 6 and 24 h post-stimulation. The results showed enhanced total protein, myeloperoxidase and antiprotease activities in N. melleni-infected fish compared with non-infected ones. The induction of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and pro-inflammatory cytokines in spleen leucocytes during natural infection with N. melleni suggests that these immune-related genes play an important role in the initiation of the immune defence mechanism for controlling parasite infection. Interestingly, the magnitude of in vitro responses of spleen leucocytes was dependent on the parasitic stage. An important stimulation of gene expression by adult antigens on spleen leucocytes was observed. Differential expression patterns of TLRs and target cytokines in yellowtail leucocytes in both in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that the quality of yellowtail immune response is conditioned by N. melleni development.

Pituitary Macroadenoma and Visual Impairment: Postoperative Outcome Prediction with Contrast-Enhanced FIESTA

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Contrast-enhanced FIESTA can depict anterior optic pathways in patients with large suprasellar tumors. We assessed whether the degree of kink in the optic nerve at the optic canal orifice on contrast-enhanced FIESTA correlates with the postoperative improvement of visual impairment in patients with pituitary macroadenoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-one patients with pituitary macroadenoma who underwent preoperative MR imaging and an operation were evaluated. We measured the optic nerve kinking angle on sagittal oblique contrast-enhanced FIESTA parallel to the optic nerve; the optic nerve kinking angle was defined as the angle between a line parallel to the planum sphenoidale and a line parallel to the intracranial optic nerve at the optic canal orifice. We used logistic regression analyses to determine whether the clinical (sex, age, and duration of symptoms) and imaging (tumor height, chiasmal compression severity, hyperintense optic nerve on T2WI, and optic nerve kinking angle) characteristics were associated with the postoperative improvement (good-versus-little improvement) of visual acuity disturbance and visual field defect.

RESULTS

There were 53 impaired sides before the operation: 2 sides with visual acuity disturbance alone, 25 with visual field defect alone, and 26 with both. After the operation, good improvement was found in 17 of the 28 sides with visual acuity disturbance and in 32 of the 51 sides with visual field defects. Only the optic nerve kinking angle was significantly associated with good improvement of the visual acuity disturbance (P = .011) and visual field defect (P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

The degree of the optic nerve kinking angle was an independent predictor of postoperative improvement, indicating that irreversible damage to the optic nerve may be associated with its kinking at the optic canal orifice.

Taxonomy of the order Mononegavirales: update 2017

In 2017, the order Mononegavirales was expanded by the inclusion of a total of 69 novel species. Five new rhabdovirus genera and one new nyamivirus genus were established to harbor 41 of these species, whereas the remaining new species were assigned to already established genera. Furthermore, non-Latinized binomial species names replaced all paramyxovirus and pneumovirus species names, thereby accomplishing application of binomial species names throughout the entire order. This article presents the updated taxonomy of the order Mononegavirales as now accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).