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Nakagun S, Taylor RP, Houck EL, Eddy RM, Jager MC. Optic nerve meningioma and cloacal adenocarcinoma in a Humboldt penguin. J Vet Diagn Invest 2024; 36:238-242. [PMID: 38212884 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231225651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
A 26-y-old, male, captive Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) was euthanized following a 3.5-mo history of weakened elimination mechanics, recurrent tenesmus, intermittent hemorrhagic droppings, and a cloacal mass. Blepharospasm, of unknown cause, of the right eye was present for ~3 mo before euthanasia. Autopsy revealed a cloacal adenocarcinoma with localized coelomic carcinomatosis and distant metastases to the liver and lungs. On histopathology, a 2.6 × 1.2 × 0.5-mm, well-demarcated mass was found surrounding the right optic nerve, expanding the subdural space and wrapping the leptomeninges. The mass was composed of neoplastic spindle-to-polygonal cells consistent with a meningioma, meningothelial subtype. No evidence of neoplasia was found in the optic chiasm or brain, indicating a primary retrobulbar meningioma. Immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin AE1/AE3, vimentin, and S100 revealed robust and consistent immunoreactivity to vimentin, and weak and variable immunoreactivity to cytokeratin and S100, supporting the diagnosis. Meningiomas have been described only rarely in avian species, and we found no reports of optic nerve meningiomas in any avian species to date. The optic nerve meningioma in this case was considered a clinically incidental finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shotaro Nakagun
- Section of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Ryan P Taylor
- Section of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Emma L Houck
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Mason C Jager
- Section of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Humboldt Penguins—Susceptibility Patterns and Molecular Epidemiology of Clinical and Environmental Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates from a Belgian Zoo, 2017–2022. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12030584. [PMID: 36978451 PMCID: PMC10044460 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12030584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the main causative agent of avian aspergillosis and results in significant health problems in birds, especially those living in captivity. The fungal contamination by A. fumigatus in the environment of Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti), located in a Belgian zoo, was assessed through the analysis of air, water, sand and nest samples during four non-consecutive days in 2021–2022. From these samples, potential azole-resistant A. fumigatus (ARAF) isolates were detected using a selective culture medium. A total of 28 veterinary isolates obtained after necropsy of Humboldt penguins and other avian species from the zoo were also included. All veterinary and suspected ARAF isolates from the environment were characterized for their azole-resistance profile by broth microdilution. Isolates displaying phenotypic resistance against at least one medical azole were systematically screened for mutations in the cyp51A gene. A total of 14 (13.6%) ARAF isolates were identified from the environment (n = 8) and from Humboldt penguins (n = 6). The TR34/L98H mutation was observed in all resistant environmental strains, and in two resistant veterinary strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of this mutation in A. fumigatus isolates from Humboldt penguins. During the period 2017–2022, pulmonary aspergillosis was confirmed in 51 necropsied penguins, which reflects a death rate due to aspergillosis of 68.0%, mostly affecting adults. Microsatellite polymorphism analysis revealed a high level of diversity among environmental and veterinary A. fumigatus isolates. However, a cluster was observed between one veterinary isolate and six environmental strains, all resistant to medical azoles. In conclusion, the environment of the Humboldt penguins is a potential contamination source of ARAF, making their management even more complex.
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Thorel M, Mateos-Hernandez L, Mulot B, Azzouni MN, Hodžić A, Gaillot H, Ruel Y, Desoubeaux G, Delaye JB, Obregon D, Wu-Chuang A, de la Fuente J, Bermúdez-Humarán LG, Risco-Castillo V, Leclerc A, Cabezas-Cruz A. Assessment of the Safety and Efficacy of an Oral Probiotic-Based Vaccine Against Aspergillus Infection in Captive-Bred Humboldt Penguins ( Spheniscus humboldti). Front Immunol 2022; 13:897223. [PMID: 35634323 PMCID: PMC9137413 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.897223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillosis is a fungal infection caused mainly by Aspergillus fumigatus that often results in respiratory disease in birds. Aspergillosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in captive-bred penguin species. Currently, there is no registered vaccine to prevent aspergillosis. Recent research demonstrated that oral administration of gram-negative bacteria expressing high levels of galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) modulates anti-α-Gal immunity and protects turkeys from clinical aspergillosis caused by experimental A. fumigatus infection. The role of anti-α-Gal immunity in penguins has not been studied. Here, we tested the distribution of α-1,3-galactosyltransferase (α1,3GT) genes in the fecal microbiome of Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti). The occurrence of natural anti-α-Gal antibodies (Abs) in sera and eggs of healthy Humboldt penguins was also assessed. A trial was then conducted to test whether oral administration of Escherichia coli Nissle, expressing high α-Gal levels, modulates anti-α-Gal immunity in a colony of Humboldt penguins. Animals in the vaccination and placebo groups were evaluated before the trial and followed for one year for aspergillosis detection using a diagnostic panel including computed tomography scans, capillary zone electrophoresis, 3-hydroxybutyrate levels, and anti-A. fumigatus Abs. Anti-α-Gal Abs were detected in sera (IgM and IgY) and eggs (IgY) of healthy penguins. Microbiota analysis and functional predictions revealed the presence of α1,3GT genes in the microbiota of Humboldt penguins and other penguin species. A strong decrease in anti-α-Gal IgM levels was observed in all animals in the placebo group three months after vaccination protocol. This decrease was not observed in E. coli Nissle-treated penguins. After the vaccination protocol, we found a positive correlation between anti-E. coli IgY and anti-α-Gal IgY in the E. coli Nissle group, suggesting a correlation between the presence of the bacteria and these Abs. During the study period, three penguins exhibited respiratory signs consistent with aspergillosis. Two were from the placebo group whose symptoms resolved with specific treatments, while a single vaccinated individual developed fatal respiratory aspergillosis eight months after the trial. We conclude that E. coli Nissle represents a safe potential probiotic with a protective effect against aspergillosis in Humboldt penguins that deserves to be further explored for therapeutic uses in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Thorel
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernandez
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Baptiste Mulot
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France
| | - Mouna Naila Azzouni
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Adnan Hodžić
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hugues Gaillot
- ADVETIA Veterinary Hospital Center, Vélizy-Villacoublay, France
| | - Yannick Ruel
- ADVETIA Veterinary Hospital Center, Vélizy-Villacoublay, France
| | - Guillaume Desoubeaux
- CHU de Tours, Service de Parasitologie, Mycologie, Médecine Tropicale, Tours, France
- Université de Tours, Inserm U1100 – Centre d’Etude des Pathologies Respiratoires, Faculté de Médecine, Tours, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Delaye
- CHU de Tours, Pôle de Biologie médicale, Laboratoire de Médecine Nucléaire In Vitro – Centre Régional de Dépistage Néonatal, Tours, France
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | | | - Veronica Risco-Castillo
- EA 7380 Dynamyc, UPEC, USC, ANSES, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Antoine Leclerc
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
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de Matos AMRN, Meira-Filho MRC, Lorenzetti E, Lavorente FLP, Caldart ET, Bizari TG, de Matos RLN, Domit C, Bracarense APFRL. Renicolidae infection in Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus): is parasitism implicated on renal lesions? Parasitol Res 2021; 120:1311-1320. [PMID: 33594620 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06959-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Renicolid digeneans are frequently observed in the renal tubules and ureters of seabirds, such Puffinus puffinus, a migratory species distributed along the Brazilian coast. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between renicolid infection and health status in P. puffinus. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe (i) renal and systemic alterations, (ii) the renicolids and (iii) the biological aspects associated with the presence of renicolids in P. puffinus. Gross and histological assays were performed in 93 P. puffinus stranded on the Paraná coast, southern Brazil, and renicolids were submitted to morphological and molecular assays. A high prevalence of renicolids in P. puffinus (71/93) was observed. In the kidney, the main microscopic findings were lymphocytic interstitial infiltrate, ductal ectasia and tubular necrosis. The renal lesions were significantly associated with the parasite infection. The morphological (n = 84) and molecular analyses (n = 2) confirmed the species as Renicola sloanei (100% and 95.9% of nucleotide identity with R. sloanei strains from P. puffinus and from Spheniscus demersus, respectively). In both parasitized and non-parasitized animals, cardiac and skeletal muscle degeneration and necrosis were the most frequent systemic changes. Therefore, the results suggest renicolids being a possible cause for the demonstrated renal alterations. A contribution of this parasite to a decreased health status of Puffinus puffinus along their migratory route is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mário Roberto Castro Meira-Filho
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation, Center for Marine Studies, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Pontal do Sul, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Elis Lorenzetti
- Laboratory of Animal Virology, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Eloiza Teles Caldart
- Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Thiago Gallo Bizari
- Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Camila Domit
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation, Center for Marine Studies, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Pontal do Sul, Paraná, Brazil
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Ewbank AC, Duarte-Benvenuto A, Zamana-Ramblas R, Navas-Suárez PE, Gattamorta MA, Dos Santos-Costa PC, Catão-Dias JL, Sacristán C. Case report of respiratory aspergillosis and candidiasis in wild Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2021; 52:967-975. [PMID: 33566323 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-021-00438-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) migrate to the continental shelf of southern-southeastern Brazil during austral winter. Stranded penguins are directed to rehabilitation centers, where they occasionally develop fungal diseases. Aspergillosis, a mycosis caused by Aspergillus spp., is one of the most important diseases of captive penguins, while Candida sp. has been detected in penguins undergoing rehabilitation. Nevertheless, their occurrence in the wild is poorly understood. This study surveyed the occurrence of mycoses in free-ranging Magellanic penguins wintering in southeastern Brazil. These penguins were either found dead or stranded alive and died during transport to a rehabilitation center. Overall, 61 fresh to moderate autolyzed carcasses were necropsied. Upon necropsy, three juvenile males (4.9%) presented mycotic-consistent gross lesions. Histopathology and panfungal PCRs confirmed the mycoses. Major microscopic findings were marked chronic necrotizing multifocal to coalescent pneumonia, airsacculitis, and esophageal/gastric serositis with two types of intralesional fungal structures: (a) septated acute-angled branching hyphae (n = 2) and (b) yeast structures (n = 1), both PAS- and Grocott-positive. Sequences identical to Aspergillus sp. were retrieved in two cases, while the third had sequences identical to Candida palmioleophila. This study describes two cases of aspergillosis and one of candidiasis in free-ranging Magellanic penguins, confirming the species' susceptibility in the wild. These mycoses could be associated with the animals' poor body condition, and/or impaired immunity, and natural and anthropogenic challenges related to migration. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of aspergillosis in free-ranging Magellanic penguins in the Atlantic Ocean and of candidiasis in penguins worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina Ewbank
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-270, Brazil.
| | - Aricia Duarte-Benvenuto
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-270, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisas de Cananéia, Cananéia, São Paulo State, 11990-000, Brazil
| | - Roberta Zamana-Ramblas
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Pedro Enrique Navas-Suárez
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Marco Aurélio Gattamorta
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Priscilla Carla Dos Santos-Costa
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-270, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisas de Cananéia, Cananéia, São Paulo State, 11990-000, Brazil
| | - José Luiz Catão-Dias
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Carlos Sacristán
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-270, Brazil
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