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Kostoff RN, Calina D, Kanduc D, Briggs MB, Vlachoyiannopoulos P, Svistunov AA, Tsatsakis A. Erratum to "Why are we vaccinating children against COVID-19?" [Toxicol. Rep. 8C (2021) 1665-1684 / 1193]. Toxicol Rep 2021; 8:1981. [PMID: 34642628 PMCID: PMC8496904 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniela Calina
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania
| | - Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrey A Svistunov
- Department of Pharmacology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119146, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
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Kostoff RN, Calina D, Kanduc D, Briggs MB, Vlachoyiannopoulos P, Svistunov AA, Tsatsakis A. Why are we vaccinating children against COVID-19? Toxicol Rep 2021; 8:1665-1684. [PMID: 34540594 PMCID: PMC8437699 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This article examines issues related to COVID-19 inoculations for children. The bulk of the official COVID-19-attributed deaths per capita occur in the elderly with high comorbidities, and the COVID-19 attributed deaths per capita are negligible in children. The bulk of the normalized post-inoculation deaths also occur in the elderly with high comorbidities, while the normalized post-inoculation deaths are small, but not negligible, in children. Clinical trials for these inoculations were very short-term (a few months), had samples not representative of the total population, and for adolescents/children, had poor predictive power because of their small size. Further, the clinical trials did not address changes in biomarkers that could serve as early warning indicators of elevated predisposition to serious diseases. Most importantly, the clinical trials did not address long-term effects that, if serious, would be borne by children/adolescents for potentially decades. A novel best-case scenario cost-benefit analysis showed very conservatively that there are five times the number of deaths attributable to each inoculation vs those attributable to COVID-19 in the most vulnerable 65+ demographic. The risk of death from COVID-19 decreases drastically as age decreases, and the longer-term effects of the inoculations on lower age groups will increase their risk-benefit ratio, perhaps substantially.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniela Calina
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania
| | - Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrey A. Svistunov
- Department of Pharmacology, I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119146, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
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Kostoff RN, Briggs MB, Porter AL. Toxicology issues related to the COVID–19 outbreak. Toxicological Risk Assessment and Multi-System Health Impacts from Exposure 2021. [PMCID: PMC8342276 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-85215-9.00017-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
In viral pandemics, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19), the impact of real-life exposures to multiple toxic stressors that increase immune system dysfunction is followed by the main pandemic-associated virus (SARS–CoV–2, for COVID–19) exploiting the dysfunctional immune system to trigger a chain of events ultimately leading to the pandemic (COVID–19). Thus pandemics have two main components: virology (focused on the virus) and toxicology (focused on the toxic stressors). The present chapter will focus mainly on the immune system toxicology component. It identifies the factors shown most frequently to increase immune system dysfunction, and then addresses vaccine toxicology in detail. The chapter concludes by reviewing two types of treatments: immune-augmenting and immune-strengthening. The immune-augmenting approaches are virology-centric (e.g., quarantine, face masks, repurposed antiviral treatments, vaccines, etc.), and the immune-strengthening approaches are toxicology-centric (e.g., eliminating the factors that contribute to immune system dysfunction, and adding factors that increase immune system health).
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Kostoff RN, Kanduc D, Porter AL, Shoenfeld Y, Calina D, Briggs MB, Spandidos DA, Tsatsakis A. Vaccine- and natural infection-induced mechanisms that could modulate vaccine safety. Toxicol Rep 2020; 7:1448-1458. [PMID: 33110761 PMCID: PMC7581376 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2020.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A degraded/dysfunctional immune system appears to be the main determinant of serious/fatal reaction to viral infection (for COVID-19, SARS, and influenza alike). There are four major approaches being employed or considered presently to augment or strengthen the immune system, in order to reduce adverse effects of viral exposure. The three approaches that are focused mainly on augmenting the immune system are based on the concept that pandemics/outbreaks can be controlled/prevented while maintaining the immune-degrading lifestyles followed by much of the global population. The fourth approach is based on identifying and introducing measures aimed at strengthening the immune system intrinsically in order to minimize future pandemics/outbreaks. Specifically, the four measures are: 1) restricting exposure to virus; 2) providing reactive/tactical treatments to reduce viral load; 3) developing vaccines to prevent, or at least attenuate, the infection; 4) strengthening the immune system intrinsically, by a) identifying those factors that contribute to degrading the immune system, then eliminating/reducing them as comprehensively, thoroughly, and rapidly as possible, and b) replacing the eliminated factors with immune-strengthening factors. This paper focuses on vaccine safety. A future COVID-19 vaccine appears to be the treatment of choice at the national/international level. Vaccine development has been accelerated to achieve this goal in the relatively near-term, and questions have arisen whether vaccine safety has been/is being/will be compromised in pursuit of a shortened vaccine development time. There are myriad mechanisms related to vaccine-induced, and natural infection-induced, infections that could adversely impact vaccine effectiveness and safety. This paper summarizes many of those mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald N. Kostoff
- Research Affiliate, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Gainesville, VA, 20155, USA
| | - Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Alan L. Porter
- School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Search Technology, Inc., Peachtree Corners, GA, 30092, USA
| | - Yehuda Shoenfeld
- Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 5265601, Israel
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Daniela Calina
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | | | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71409, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
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Kostoff RN, Briggs MB, Porter AL, Spandidos DA, Tsatsakis A. [Comment] COVID‑19 vaccine safety. Int J Mol Med 2020; 46:1599-1602. [PMID: 33000193 PMCID: PMC7521561 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In response to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, and the resulting COVID-19 pandemic, a global competition to develop an anti-COVID-19 vaccine has ensued. The targeted time frame for initial vaccine deployment is late 2020. The present article examines whether short-term, mid-term, and long-term vaccine safety can be achieved under such an accelerated schedule, given the myriad vaccine-induced mechanisms that have demonstrated adverse effects based on previous clinical trials and laboratory research. It presents scientific evidence of potential pitfalls associated with eliminating critical phase II and III clinical trials, and concludes that there is no substitute currently available for long-term human clinical trials to ensure long-term human safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald N Kostoff
- School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Gainesville, VA 20155, USA
| | | | - Alan L Porter
- School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Demetrios A Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
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Kostoff RN, Briggs MB, Porter AL, Hernández AF, Abdollahi M, Aschner M, Tsatsakis A. The under-reported role of toxic substance exposures in the COVID-19 pandemic. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 145:111687. [PMID: 32805343 PMCID: PMC7426727 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and previous pandemics have been viewed almost exclusively as virology problems, with toxicology problems mostly being ignored. This perspective is not supported by the evolution of COVID-19, where the impact of real-life exposures to multiple toxic stressors degrading the immune system is followed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus exploiting the degraded immune system to trigger a chain of events ultimately leading to COVID-19. This immune system degradation from multiple toxic stressors (chemical, physical, biological, psychosocial stressors) means that attribution of serious consequences from COVID-19 should be made to the virus-toxic stressors nexus, not to any of the nexus constituents in isolation. The leading toxic stressors (identified in this study as contributing to COVID-19) are pervasive, contributing to myriad chronic diseases as well as immune system degradation. They increase the likelihood for comorbidities and mortality associated with COVID-19. For the short-term, tactical/reactive virology-focused treatments are of higher priority than strategic/proactive toxicology-focused treatments, although both could be implemented in parallel to reinforce each other. However, for long-term pandemic prevention, toxicology-based approaches should be given higher priority than virology-based approaches. Since current COVID-19 treatments globally ignore the toxicology component almost completely, only limited benefits can be expected from these treatments. Toxicology contributions to COVID-19 are mostly ignored relative to virology contributions. Exposure to myriad toxic substances degrades the immune system, whose resulting dysfunction is then exploited by SARS-CoV-2 to result in COVID-19. Attribution of serious consequences from COVID-19 should be made to the virus-toxic stressors combination nexus, not to any of the nexus constituents in isolation. Effective treatments need to address toxicology and virology interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald N Kostoff
- Research Affiliate, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Gainesville, VA, USA.
| | | | - Alan L Porter
- School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA; Search Technology, Peachtree Corners, GA, USA
| | - Antonio F Hernández
- Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Granada School of Medicine, Health Sciences Technological Park, Granada, Spain
| | - Mohammad Abdollahi
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia; Laboratory of Toxicolgy and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
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Kostoff RN, Briggs MB, Porter AL, Aschner M, Spandidos DA, Tsatsakis A. [Editorial] COVID‑19: Post‑lockdown guidelines. Int J Mol Med 2020; 46:463-466. [PMID: 32626934 PMCID: PMC7307834 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Since March, 2020, in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic, many countries have been on lockdown (at different levels of severity), restricting many activities and businesses that involve gatherings of large numbers of people in close proximity. Currently (early June, 2020), countries across the globe are in different stages of easing lockdown restrictions. Public policies for behaviors and actions during this transition period vary widely across countries and within country jurisdictions. The present editorial will address potential policies that could minimize resurgence of the present pandemic (the 'second‑wave') and reduce the likelihood and severity of similar future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald N. Kostoff
- School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Gainesville, VA 20155
| | | | - Alan L. Porter
- School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
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Van den Berghe F, Paris MCJ, Sarnyai Z, Briggs MB, Millar RP, Ganswindt A, Paris DBBP. Social rank does not affect sperm quality in male African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus). Reprod Fertil Dev 2020; 31:875-887. [PMID: 30694739 DOI: 10.1071/rd18205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm banking and AI could benefit endangered African wild dog conservation. However, it is unclear whether their dominance hierarchy causes a decrease in reproductive and sperm quality parameters in subordinate males that typically do not breed. In this study, we investigated the effect of social rank on male reproductive parameters, including faecal androgen and glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations, prostate and testes volume, preputial gland size, semen collection success and sperm quality. Samples were obtained from captive males (prebreeding season: n=12 from four packs; breeding season: n=24 from seven packs) that were classified as alpha (dominant), beta or gamma (subordinates) based on the frequency of dominant versus submissive behaviours. In the prebreeding season, semen was successfully collected from all alpha but only half the subordinate males, with urine contamination (associated with lower rank) significantly reducing total and progressive motility, sperm motility index, normal sperm morphology and acrosome integrity. The breeding season was associated with a significant increase in faecal androgens, prostate and testis volume, as well as progressive motility and the total number of spermatozoa ejaculated. However, with the exception of prostate volume (mean±s.e.m: 12.5±4.5, 7.1±1.0 and 7.3±1.0cm3 in alpha, beta and gamma males respectively; P=0.035), all other reproductive and sperm quality parameters did not differ between males of each social rank. In conclusion, reproductive suppression of subordinate males appears to be behaviourally mediated, because males of all social ranks produce semen of similar quality, making them suitable candidates for sperm banking, particularly during the breeding season when sperm quality improves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Femke Van den Berghe
- Gamete and Embryology (GAME) Laboratory, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, James Cook Drive, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia; and Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Mammals (IBREAM), 9 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6AT, Scotland
| | - Monique C J Paris
- Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Mammals (IBREAM), 9 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6AT, Scotland; and Wageningen Livestock Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Zoltan Sarnyai
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) and College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Solander Drive, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia
| | - Michael B Briggs
- African Predator Conservation Research Organisation (APCRO), 848 Rainbow Boulevard #A3, Las Vegas, NV 89107, USA
| | - Robert P Millar
- Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Mammals (IBREAM), 9 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6AT, Scotland; and Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; and Endocrine Research Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Damien B B P Paris
- Gamete and Embryology (GAME) Laboratory, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, James Cook Drive, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia; and Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, James Cook Drive, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia; and Corresponding author.
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Abstract
Respiratory disease is common in dolphins, primarily affecting pulmonary parenchyma and sparing large airways. Over a 10-year period, 4 captive adult bottlenose dolphins succumbed to chronic, progressive respiratory disease with atypical recurrent upper respiratory signs. All dolphins had severe, segmental to circumferential fibrosing tracheitis that decreased luminal diameter. Histologically, tracheal cartilage, submucosa, and mucosa were distorted and replaced by extensive fibrosis and pyogranulomatous inflammation centered on fungal hyphae. In 3 of 4 cases, hyphae were morphologically compatible with Aspergillus spp and confirmed by culture in 2 cases. Amplification of fungal DNA from tracheal tissue was successful in one case, and sequences had approximately 98% homology to Aspergillus fumigatus. The remaining case had fungi compatible with zygomycetes; however, culture and polymerase chain reaction were unsuccessful. Lesions were evaluated immunohistochemically using antibodies specific to Aspergillus spp. Aspergillus-like hyphae labeled positively, while presumed zygomycetes did not. These cases represent a novel manifestation of respiratory mycoses in bottlenose dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Delaney
- Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Maywood, Illinois 60153, USA.
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Kostoff RN, Block JA, Solka JL, Briggs MB, Rushenberg RL, Stump JA, Johnson D, Lyons TJ, Wyatt JR. Literature-related discovery. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/aris.2009.1440430112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Alexander KA, McNutt JW, Briggs MB, Standers PE, Funston P, Hemson G, Keet D, van Vuuren M. Multi-host pathogens and carnivore management in southern Africa. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2008; 33:249-65. [PMID: 19038454 PMCID: PMC7112579 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2008.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2008] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A retrospective serosurvey of multi-host feline and canine viruses among carnivore species in southern Africa (n = 1018) identified widespread pathogen exposure even in remote protected areas. In contrast to mortality experienced in East African predators, canine distemper virus (CDV) infection among African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in Botswana was not associated with identifiable change in pup survivorship or disease related mortality of adults. A disease outbreak of unknown aetiology occurred in the same population over 4 weeks in 1996. Outbreak boundaries coincided with ecotones, not the spatial distribution of contiguous packs, highlighting the potential importance of landscape heterogeneities in these processes. Direct management of pathogens in domestic animal reservoirs is complicated by the apparent complexity of pathogen maintenance and transmission in these large systems. Conservation effort should be focused at securing large metapopulations able to compensate for expected episodic generalist pathogen invasion and attention directed to addressing underlying causes of population depression such as habitat loss and wildlife conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Alexander
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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Kinsel MJ, Briggs MB, Crang RFE, Murnane RD. Ventricular phytobezoar impaction in three micronesian kingfishers (Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina). J Zoo Wildl Med 2005; 35:525-9. [PMID: 15732595 DOI: 10.1638/03-089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Three juvenile male Micronesian kingfishers (Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina) housed in the same enclosure presented with rapid weight gain and coelomic distension. Physical examination and radiography revealed marked enlargement of the ventriculus and a single, large foreign body within the ventriculus in each individual. Surgical removal by ventriculotomy was attempted in one individual, which died during the procedure. A second individual was treated with natural peanut butter 0.5 ml p.o. b.i.d. for 14 days and recovered, casting the foreign material. The third bird was similarly treated without success and subsequently died during attempts at endoscopic removal of the foreign body. In all three birds, the foreign bodies proved to be phytobezoars. The birds had been observed stripping leaf fragments from live corn plants (Dracaena fragrans) used in the enclosure. Plant fibers from the phytobezoars were compared with D. fragrans leaves and were considered identical. Medical treatment of phytobezoars with peanut butter or similar oil-containing substances in birds should be considered as an alternative to surgical extraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Kinsel
- Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois 60153, USA
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Abstract
Two captive California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) from different facilities were diagnosed with disseminated blastomycosis. The first, a 12-yr-old male, died after a 3-wk history of progressive anorexia and lethargy. Gross examination revealed acute jejunitis with focal perforation and associated peritonitis, along with severe purulent bronchopneumonia. The second, a 15-yr-old female, was euthanized after a 2-wk history of severe cutaneous ulceration and declining clinical condition. Gross examination revealed severe pyogranulomatous bronchopneumonia and ulcerative dermatitis. Histopathologic examination in both individuals revealed severe multifocal subacute to chronic pyogranulomatous pneumonia associated with massive numbers of fungal organisms morphologically compatible with Blastomyces sp. Fungal organisms were 8-20-microm-diameter broad-based budding yeasts with thick, refractile, double-contoured walls. The male sea lion had multifocal transmural Blastomyces-induced enteritis with subsequent rupture and peritonitis. The organism was also present in the liver, with minimal associated inflammation. The female had severe multifocal pyogranulomatous ulcerative dermatitis associated with large numbers of intralesional fungal organisms. Dissemination to the spleen had occurred in both animals. A serologic immunodiffusion test for Blastomyces dermatitidis was positive in the male. The presumptive primary pathogen in both cases was Blastomyces dermatitidis.
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Affiliation(s)
- L S Zwick
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood 60153, USA
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Abstract
Six juvenile male, one adult male, and three adult, female African lions (Panthera leo) from Etosha National Park, Republic of Namibia were presented for necropsy. Two of four adults and one of six juveniles had moderate numbers of gastric spiral bacteria. Additionally, four of four adults had sarcocysts. All juveniles had enteric Sarcocystis sp. oocysts, but no sarcocysts. The gastric spiral bacteria were located extracellularly in fundic and pyloric glands, and also apparently intracellularly within parietal cells in the fundic region. The organisms were 4 to 8 microns long, 0.63 micron wide, with a periodicity of 0.60 micron. The bacteria had blunted ends with multiple flagella. No periplasmic fibrils were observed. The histologic and ultrastructural characteristics of the bacteria were considered most consistent with species in the genus Helicobacter or incompletely identified Helicobacter-like organisms. Gastric inflammation did not differ significantly between infected and uninfected individuals. The bacteria may be commensals, or an opportunistic pathogen. The sarcocysts were observed in hindlimb skeletal muscle of four individuals, with one individual also containing a single sarcocyst within glossal musculature. All observed cysts were mature, and were contained within individual myocytes. The cyst wall consisted of a 44 to 66 nm, granular, electron dense parasitophorous membrane with subjacent, 0.8 to 1.3 microns thick, granular and fibrillar ground substance which also extended into the cyst interior as thin septa. The membrane was folded and lined irregularly spaced, 0.8 to 1.3 microns tall villi centrally containing ground substance. The membrane was continuous in the villar projections, but divided into discrete aggregations of the electron dense material between the villi. Bradyzoites within the interior of the cyst were 3 by 12 microns. The sarcocysts were determined to be Sarcocystis felis based on the characteristic ultrastructural appearance of the cyst wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Kinsel
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
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Briggs MB, Ott RL. Feline leukemia virus infection in a captive cheetah and the clinical and antibody response of six captive cheetahs to vaccination with a subunit feline leukemia virus vaccine. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1986; 189:1197-9. [PMID: 2851578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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