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• Gastric squamous cell carcinoma is a common neoplasia of the gastrointestinal tract • Clinical signs are nonspecific (poor appetite, hypertemia, weight loss, lethargy) • Gastroscopy revealed severe cardial stenosis • A large necrotic and ulcerated mass surrounded the esophageal opening in the stomach • At necropsy diffuse peritoneal metastasis and severe ascites were found A 7-year-old Friesian stallion with a history of oesophageal stenosis, weight loss, inappetence, and recurrent hyperthermia was referred for gastroscopy. The stomach mucosa surrounding the oesophageal opening showed a large, necrotic, and ulcerated mass. On post-mortem examination, a very large, cauliflower-like neoplasm was seen, affecting non-glandular gastric mucosa. Nodular lesions were observed, scattered on the omentum, the spleen, and the liver. Microscopic findings allowed the diagnosis of gastric squamous cell carcinoma with abdominal metastasis. Biomolecular investigations demonstrated the presence of EcPV-2 genes in neoplastic lesions, thus supporting the role of EcPV-2 in the ethiology of equine gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Osteomas in horses are relatively uncommon neoplasms • Osteomas must be differentiated from other conditions, such as ossifying fibromas, fibrous dysplasia, and badly healed old fractures • Clinical history, radiographic findings, and pathology are necessary to make a correct diagnosis. • The presence of a sessile or pedunculated mass arising from the bone surface is highly suggestive of osteoma • The prognosis is good when the osteoma is fully removed, and this is affected by the localization and the size of the neoplasm A 11-year-old, Haflinger breed mare developed a slowly growing mass, protruding on the ventral aspect of the mandible. On palpation, the lesion was pedunculated, very firm, cold and not painful. Radiographic examinations showed a radiopaque, multi-lobular, "mushroom-like" lesion, which arose from the mandibular cortex without involving the bone marrow cavity. Thereafter, the mass was excised for cosmetic purposes. Microscopically, the lesion mainly consisted of bone trabeculae, covered by a thick layer of connective tissue resembling the periosteum. History and clinical findings allowed the temptative diagnosis of mandibular osteoma, which was further supported by diagnostic imaging and pathological features. In particular, the presence of pedunculated lesions arising from the bone surface appeared as highly suggestive of osteoma. Equine osteomas usually affect paranasal sinuses and the rostral mandible and share many similarities with other neoplastic and neoplastic-like conditions, such as ossifying fibroma and fibrous dysplasia. The prognosis is good whenever the neoplasm is fully removed, that depending on the localization and the size of the mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Enzootic pneumonia by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and pleuropneumonia by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae are among the most common and economically relevant pulmonary diseases in swine herds. We herein investigated the activity and expression of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in healthy and diseased porcine lungs, by means of immunohistochemical, immunochemical and biochemical assays. Diseased lungs showed a significantly higher activity and expression of 5-LOX and COX-2 in a wide range of cell types, thus suggesting the likely involvement of both enzymes in the pathogenesis of bacterial porcine pneumonia. Consistently, increased enzyme activities were paralleled by increased leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a 5-LOX product and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a COX-2 product, content in diseased versus healthy lungs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) residing within ileal Peyer’s patches (PPs) are of crucial relevance for sheep scrapie early pathogenesis and subsequent scrapie prion neuroinvasion. In this study, ileal PP follicles were significantly more numerous in lambs than in adult Sarda breed sheep, with significant differences being also found in lymphoid follicle area, perimeter and FDC density. Furthermore, PrPd deposition within ileal PPs and host’s PrP genotype did not significantly influence these parameters. We conclude that age significantly affects FDC density in ileal PPs from Sarda breed ovines, independently from host’s scrapie status and PrP genotype. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Eicosanoids are products of arachidonic acid metabolism and have numerous biological roles. The present study aimed to investigate the role of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)- and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)- dependent enzymatic pathways in the pathogenesis of porcine parasitic bronchopneumonia caused by Metastrongylus spp. Pulmonary tissue samples from healthy control and parasitized pigs were processed for histopathological, immunohistochemical and biochemical investigations. In control animals, immunohistochemistry demonstrated that 5-LOX and COX-2 expression was almost exclusively limited to the bronchiolar epithelial cells. Parasitized pigs had greater 5-LOX- and COX-2- specific immunoreactivity, involving a wide range of cell types within foci of granulomatous and eosinophilic bronchopneumonia. Biochemical investigations demonstrated the presence of 5-LOX (and the related product Leukotriene B4) and COX-2 (and the related product prostaglandin E2; PGE2) in all tissues under study. COX-2 activity and PGE2 concentration were significantly higher in diseased lungs compared with normal healthy controls. These findings demonstrate that 5-LOX and COX-2 are differentially expressed in normal versus lungworm-infected lungs and therefore suggest that both biochemical pathways are likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of porcine parasitic bronchopneumonia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Equine sinonasal myxomas (SNM) are very rare; only a few cases/small case series are reported in veterinary literature. The purpose of this report is to describe the diagnostic and surgical procedure adopted to approach the neoplastic mass in a case of equine SNM. A 5 year old, Murgese gelding was presented with mild serous nasal discharge, minimal facial swelling, decreased airflow from the right nostril, and dull frontal sinus percussion. Diagnostic imaging, including endoscopy, revealed a pale mass in the caudal portion of the right middle meatus, which developed inside the right conchofrontal sinus and nasal cavity and deviated the nasal septum to the left side. A large frontonasal bone flap was created with the horse in general anesthesia, aiming to remove the lesion and perform further diagnostic investigation. The mass had the shape of a small orange, the caudodorsal and rostral part having a hard wall, whereas the ventral part being friable; the inside was hollow, containing a viscous and transparent liquid. Surgical excision was broad but incomplete, and therefore after surgery, a standing transendoscopic diode laser irradiation and photoablation of small residual lesions per nasum were performed. Microscopically, the mass consisted of spindle-shaped cells, loosely arranged within an abundant, light blue myxoid matrix. On the basis of clinical and pathologic findings, the diagnosis of sinonasal myxoma was made. Although benign and slowly growing, myxomas usually tend to infiltrate the surrounding tissues; as a consequence, recurrence is very likely after surgical excision. In the case described herein, the combination of a surgical excision, transendoscopic diode laser irradiation, and photoablation provided a positive outcome, until at least 14 months after surgery. • Equine sinonasal myxoma has been diagnosed. • Surgical excision, transendoscopic diode laser irradiation, and photoablation as treatment of equine sinonasal myxoma. • The use of diode laser could be effective to treat this kind of tumor, allowing the removal of small fragments of the neoplasm, which would be unlikely to achieve with surgery alone. • Positive outcome and no evidence of recurrence of the myxoma after 14 months after the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smooth muscle cells are major components of bronchiolar wall. Bronchiolar smooth muscle is reported to increase in some veterinary pulmonary disorders, but such assumption is not supported by detailed morphometric analyses. The present investigation aimed at quantitatively evaluating bronchiolar smooth muscle in healthy and diseased pig lungs. Our results suggest that bronchiolar smooth muscle cells significantly modify in size and number under different disease conditions, namely parasitic bronchopneumonia and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae-induced enzootic pneumonia. Further studies are needed in order to understand the pathogenesis and the functional impact of such changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection is distributed worldwide and PCV2-associated disease (PCVAD) is considered among the most economically relevant ones to the global swine industry. PCV2 is known to play a causal role in the porcine respiratory disease complex, usually in close association with a large plethora of other biologic agents. We describe herein a case of fatal parasitic bronchopneumonia by Metastrongylus elongatus in a PCV2-infected pig. Metastrongylosis may still represent a major concern for outdoor herds. Our recent experience suggests that a concurrent PCVAD condition may trigger metastrongylosis, which may subsequently result, at its turn, in severe, sometimes fatal, pulmonary disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pulse-wave Doppler (PWD) ultrasonography of the testicular artery was recently used to compare parameters in fertile and infertile males, or males with normal and abnormal semen quality, while no studies verified the concomitant histological feature of the testis. The experimental hypothesis of the present study was that the blood flow parameters measured by PWD at different levels of the testicular artery reflect sperm attributes evaluated on spermatozoa collected from the tail of the epididymis and testicular histological characteristics. Pulse-wave Doppler parameters were recorded on both testes from 16 dogs of unknown fertility. After routine castration, epididymal spermatozoa were collected and evaluated for sperm total and progressive motility, membrane integrity, and sperm morphology. Testes were submitted to histological and immunohistochemical evaluations to quantify microscopic attributes and connective tissue and vascular area extent, respectively. The findings showed that the increased PWD indexes were suggestive of testicular histological alteration since negative correlations were found between pulsatility index and resistive index, measured in the marginal testicular artery, and histological attributes such as the seminiferous epithelial thickness (R = −0.528, P = 0.016 and R = −0.554, P = 0.005, respectively) and the tubular area/total area ratio (R = −0.494, P = 0.024 and R = −0.563, P = 0.004, respectively). Some histological characteristics, such as tubular diameter, seminiferous epithelium thickness, and the tubular area/total area ratio of the testis are correlated with the percentage of primary abnormalities (R = −0.874, P = 0.001, and R = −0.847, P = 0.001, and R = - 0.865, P = 0.001, respectively). In testes with increased sperm primary abnormalities, higher pulsatility index was found compared with testes with normal spermatogenesis in supratesticular artery (1.07 ± 0.06 vs 0.82 ± 0.23, P < 0.05), marginal artery (0.73 ± 0.04 vs 0.61 ± 0.07, P < 0.05), and intratesticular artery (0.67 ± 0.03 vs 0.43 ± 0.1, P < 0.05). Similarly, the resistive index was found significantly higher in the same vessel tracts in testes with abnormal and normal spermatogenesis (0.62 ± 0.02, 0.53 ± 0.02, and 0.46 ± 0.02 vs 0.51 ± 0.06, 0.44 ± 0.04, and 0.32 ± 0.06, respectively; P < 0.05). Our data demonstrated for the first time the relationship between PWD indexes and the contextual testicular architecture, suggesting that the pulsatility and resistive indexes could be an effective tool in andrology. In light of different histological alterations in the testis, caution is warranted in the definition of thresholds for normal and abnormal testicular blood flow indexes. • The ultrasound blood flow parameters could be useful tools in andrology. • Relationships between PWD, epididymal sperm, and testicular histology were investigated. • Correlations between PI and RI and histological parameters were found. • PI and RI were higher in testis with abnormal spermatogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound elastography was proposed for the evaluation of testicular focal lesions, but no studies verified the agreement between the whole histological architecture of the testis and the stiffness measured by elastography. The present study explored the use of strain elastography in the evaluation of testis with normal or abnormal spermatogenesis, classified based on epididymal sperm attributes, and the consistency between elastographic parameters and the testicular histological feature. Strain elastography was performed during the routine andrological examination in 22 dogs presented for elective orchiectomy. Epididymal sperm attributes and testicular histology were analyzed after orchiectomy. Based on the epididymal sperm characteristics, testes were classified according to normal or abnormal spermatogenesis, and strain elastographic attributes were compared between groups. Possible correlations between strain elastography and histological features were also explored. Consistent with the literature in humans, testes with abnormal spermatogenesis were stiffer (mean strain elastographic index 3.6 ± 0.6) compared with normal testes (mean strain elastographic index 1.9 ± 0.2; P < 0.01). The strain elastographic index was negatively correlated with the area occupied by seminiferous tubules (Pearson's rho = −0.716; P = 0.0003), the mean diameter (Pearson's rho = -0.742; P = 0.0002), and thickness of the seminiferous tubule (Pearson's rho = −0.728; P = 0.0002). Surprisingly, no correlations were found between the area occupied by connective tissue in histological sections and elastographic attributes, suggesting that the increased stiffness was not related to the increased amount of connective tissue. This study demonstrated that strain elastography could be used to support the andrological examination, but measurements should be acquired in specific regions to be reliable. • Strain elastography estimates tissue stiffness semi-quantitatively. • Abnormal testes were stiffer when compared with normal testis. • Strain elastography index was negatively correlated with seminiferous tubule area, diameter, and thickness. • No correlations were found between stiffness and the amount of connective tissue. • Strain elastography index was correlated with sperm primary abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycoplasma infections are commonly associated with respiratory diseases in farm animals. However, few data are currently available about the presence and the etiology of mycoplasma pneumonia in small ruminants in central Italy, a region particularly devoted to pastoralism. The present study aims to investigate retrospectively the causative agents of pneumonia in sheep and goats, a special emphasis being placed upon mycoplasmas. In total, respiratory pathogens were identified in 129 of 380 carcasses (32.36%). Mycoplasmas were detected in a high percentage of cases, alone (59 animals) or in combination with other pathogens (26 animals), Mycoplasma arginini being the most frequent species. No evidence of mycoplasma infection was demonstrated in 44 carcasses; in such animals, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida were most commonly isolated. Overall, our results suggest that mycoplasma infections can contribute to a relevant portion of respiratory diseases in small ruminants and support the role of Mycoplasma arginini as a frequent cause of pneumonia in sheep. We consider that such data are of value to efficiently manage the health status of animal populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is a metastrongyloid nematode infesting the respiratory system of domestic cats worldwide. Troglostrongylus brevior and Troglostrongylus subcrenatus, two lungworms thought to infest wild felids, have been found recently in domestic cats from Spain and Italy. These unexpected findings have raised doubts about the assumed past and present occurrence of Troglostrongylus spp., especially T. brevior, in domestic hosts and suggest that there may have been missed detection or misdiagnosis. The present retrospective study evaluated the presence of lungworms in cats from Italy with a diagnosis of respiratory parasitism or with compatible lung lesions from 2002 to 2013. Sixty-eight samples of DNA and larvae from cats with a diagnosis of aelurostrongylosis, and 53 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded lung samples from cats confirmed as lungworm infested or with compatible lesions, were investigated using two DNA-based assays specific for A. abstrusus or T. brevior. All DNA and larval samples were positive for A. abstrusus and one was additionally positive for T. brevior. Most paraffin-embedded lung tissues were positive only for A. abstrusus, but two samples tested positive for both lungworms and one for T. brevior only. This study supports the major role of A. abstrusus in causing feline respiratory parasitism in endemic areas of Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]