Detection of a pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) in an African hedgehog (Atelerix arbiventris) with suspected wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS)

Wobbly hedgehog syndrome- a progressive neurodegenerative disease

Wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS) has been long considered to be a myelin disease primarily affecting the four-toed hedgehog. In this study, we have shown for the first time that demyelination is accompanied by extensive remyelination in WHS. However, remyelination is not enough to compensate for the axonal degeneration and neuronal loss, resulting in a progressive neurodegenerative disease reminiscent of progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans. Thus, understanding the pathological features of WHS may shed light on the disease progression in progressive MS and ultimately help to develop therapeutic strategies for both diseases.

Wobbly hedgehog syndrome- a progressive neurodegenerative disease

Wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS) has been long considered to be a myelin disease primarily affecting the four-toed hedgehog. In this study, we have shown for the first time that demyelination is accompanied by extensive remyelination in WHS. However, remyelination is not enough to compensate for the axonal degeneration and neuronal loss, resulting in a progressive neurodegenerative disease reminiscent of progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans. Thus, understanding the pathological features of WHS may shed light on the disease progression in progressive MS and ultimately help to develop therapeutic strategies for both diseases.

Highlights

Wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease.Spongy degeneration of the brain and spinal cord is the diagnostic feature of WHS.WHS affected brain and spinal cord show extensive demyelination and remyelination.Axonal degeneration is accompanied by loss of neurons in WHS.

Comprehensive Surveillance of Virus Infection among Captive African Pygmy Hedgehogs in Japan

African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris) are popular exotic pets in Japan, and their breeding numbers have recently increased. Although various diseases have been reported in hedgehogs, including skin, respiratory, neurological, and neoplastic diseases, most of the causes remain unidentified. In this study, we investigated herpesvirus, adenovirus, and coronavirus infections among 150 African pygmy hedgehogs in Japan and evaluated the correlations between virus infection and diseases. A novel herpesvirus named Atelerix albiventris herpesvirus 1 (AAHeV), and African pygmy hedgehog adenovirus 1 (AhAdV-1) were detected in 14 and 3 oral swab samples, respectively. AAHeV infection may be related to neurological clinical signs. Interestingly, no hedgehog with a neoplastic disorder tested positive for AAHeV. Further research is required to determine the pathogenicity and prevalence of the detected viruses.

Current Animal Models for Understanding the Pathology Caused by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus

The human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is the main etiologic agent of severe lower respiratory tract infections that affect young children throughout the world, associated with significant morbidity and mortality, becoming a serious public health problem globally. Up to date, no licensed vaccines are available to prevent severe hRSV-induced disease, and the generation of safe-effective vaccines has been a challenging task, requiring constant biomedical research aimed to overcome this ailment. Among the difficulties presented by the study of this pathogen, it arises the fact that there is no single animal model that resembles all aspects of the human pathology, which is due to the specificity that this pathogen has for the human host. Thus, for the study of hRSV, different animal models might be employed, depending on the goal of the study. Of all the existing models, the murine model has been the most frequent model of choice for biomedical studies worldwide and has been of great importance at contributing to the development and understanding of vaccines and therapies against hRSV. The most notable use of the murine model is that it is very useful as a first approach in the development of vaccines or therapies such as monoclonal antibodies, suggesting in this way the direction that research could have in other preclinical models that have higher maintenance costs and more complex requirements in its management. However, several additional different models for studying hRSV, such as other rodents, mustelids, ruminants, and non-human primates, have been explored, offering advantages over the murine model. In this review, we discuss the various applications of animal models to the study of hRSV-induced disease and the advantages and disadvantages of each model, highlighting the potential of each model to elucidate different features of the pathology caused by the hRSV infection.

Oligodendrogliom mit neuronaler Differenzierung bei einem 8 Monate alten Afrikanischen Weißbauchigel (Atelerix albiventris)

Ein 8 Monate alter, männlicher Afrikanischer Weißbauchigel zeigte klinisch einen schwankenden Gang, Anurie, Inappetenz und Apathie, woraufhin die Verdachtsdiagnose Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome gestellt wurde. Nach Exazerbation wurde der Igel euthanasiert. Der histologisch im Großhirn nachgewiesene Tumor bestand überwiegend aus mittelgroßen, ovoiden Zellen und einer in geringerer Zahl vorhandenen spindelzelligen Zellpopulation. Im Tumor fanden sich Neuropil-Inseln und extrazelluläres myxoides Material. Immunhistochemisch exprimierten die Tumorzellen sowohl oligodendrogliale (neuritic outgrowth inhibitor, Nogo-A; oligodendrocyte transcription factor, Olig-2) als auch neuronale (neuronenspezifische Enolase, NSE; microtubuleassociated protein-2a, MAP-2a; Synaptophysin) Zellmarker. Anhand der Befunde wurde die Diagnose eines Oligodendroglioms mit neuronaler Differenzierung gestellt, wobei es sich um einen bei Weißbauch - igeln bisher nicht beschriebenen Hirntumor handelt. Die bei der Obduktion festgestellte hochgradige Füllung und Dilatation der Harnblase wurde vermutlich durch eine tumorbedingte zentrale Blockade des Blasenentleerungszentrums hervorgerufen. Auch bei jungen Igeln sollte im Fall neurologischer Symptome an einen primären Gehirntumor gedacht werden. Differenzialdiagnostisch sind entzündlich-infektiöse (Tollwut, Herpes, Baylisaskariose), degenerative (Kardiomyopathie, Bandscheibenerkrankung), traumatische, alimentäre (Vitamin-B-Mangel) und metabolisch-toxische (Hitze-Kälte-Starre, hepatische Enzephalopathie) Noxen auszuschließen.

Feral swine virome is dominated by single-stranded DNA viruses and contains a novel Orthopneumovirus which circulates both in feral and domestic swine

Feral swine are known reservoirs for various pathogens that can adversely affect domestic animals. To assess the viral ecology of feral swine in the USA, metagenomic sequencing was performed on 100 pooled nasal swabs. The virome was dominated by small, ssDNA viruses belonging to the families Circoviridae, Anelloviridae and Parvovirinae. Only four RNA viruses were identified: porcine kobuvirus, porcine sapelovirus, atypical porcine pestivirus and a novel Orthopneumovirus, provisionally named swine orthopneumovirus (SOV). SOV shared ~90 % nucleotide identity to murine pneumonia virus (MPV) and canine pneumovirus. A modified, commercially available ELISA for MPV found that approximately 30 % of both feral and domestic swine sera were positive for antibodies cross-reactive with MPV. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR identified two (2 %) and four (5.0 %) positive nasal swab pools from feral and domestic swine, respectively, confirming that SOV circulates in both herds.