The aim of this study was to describe outcomes of non-operative management of retinal strike sites in penetrating open-globe injury with formed vitreous. A retrospective series of patients with open-globe injuries with retinal strike sites and without retained foreign body. Primary repair and follow-up were conducted at Mass Eye and Ear with examination, fundus photographs, and B-scan ultrasonography as indicated by the clinical course. Patients did not undergo secondary vitrectomy for management of retinal strike sites. A total of three cases were included. Two patients were managed by observation; one received laser retinopexy. Retinal detachment did not develop in any patient with follow-ups of 2 years, 3 years, and 18 months, respectively. Two patients, one of whom received laser retinopexy, developed mild, non-progressive vitreous traction adjacent to the strike site. Two patients achieved final visual acuity of 20/20; one patient had final visual acuity of 20/40 due to corneal astigmatism. All patients were younger than 25 years of age and did not have posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) through at least 18 months follow-up. In three cases of penetrating injury into vitreous with a retinal strike site, young patients without a PVD maintained good anatomic and visual outcomes without vitrectomy. Future work should evaluate how age and vitreous status might influence indications for vitrectomy.

MRSA is an important antimicrobial-resistant pathogen reported in a wide range of animal species; however, information regarding its occurrence in captive large felids remains limited. This report describes the detection and characterization of MRSA associated with a dental abscess in a captive jaguar (Panthera onca) from a zoological collection in Romania. A 10-year-old male jaguar presented with clinical signs suggestive of a localized oral infection. Samples collected from the dental lesion, nasal mucosa, external ear canal, and skin surface were subjected to bacteriological examination. Bacterial isolates were identified using conventional microbiological methods and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the VITEK® 2 system, while molecular confirmation was achieved by PCR targeting the nuc, mecA, and mecC genes. All isolates were identified as S. aureus and demonstrated a methicillin-resistant phenotype. PCR confirmed the presence of the species-specific nuc gene and the methicillin-resistance determinant mecA, while mecC was not detected. The isolates exhibited resistance to multiple antimicrobial classes, including β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, and macrolides, while remaining susceptible to linezolid, vancomycin, teicoplanin, rifampicin, and tigecycline. This case documents the occurrence of MRSA in a captive jaguar and highlights the value of integrated microbiological and molecular investigations for the diagnosis and characterization of resistant bacterial infections in zoological species.

This study aimed to evaluate the health status of rabbits with Sarcoptes scabiei (S. scabiei) lesions scores. From August 2022 to August 2023, 200 domestic rabbits were thoroughly inspected for the presence of mange in their bodies. Lesion scores were recorded; moreover, sera were collected for biochemical analysis, along with infested skin and spleen samples from the infested animals. The clinical skin lesions were present around the head, ears, neck, trunk, feet, and genitalia, which determined the lesion score. The skin lesion scores on the external ear margins, head, nose, and toes were indexed for 5 scores. Infested and un-infested control rabbits were divided into two groups of 10 each according to lesion score, and blood samples were collected from the ear vein for five milliliters of blood. Serum nitric oxide (NOx) and Major histocompatibility class I (MHC-I) were evaluated. The affected rabbits suffered from malnutrition and emaciation. There were also indications of scratching, itching, fur loss, hyperemia, and thickening of the skin with crust formation. The mite specimens in our study were identified as S. scabiei based on the ITS2 gene sequence submitted to GenBank (Accession No. PQ130162). The results of the phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS2 were performed using MEGA 7 software. Serum nitric oxide was evaluated according to the lesion scores; a score of 0 was negative healthy, and then the serum nitric oxide levels were elevated in accordance with the increase in the severity of the diseases as indicated by the lesion scores. There were measurable quantities of major histocompatibility class (MHC)-I mRNA that was examined in each group lesion score, either in the skin or the spleen. The spleen expression profile was higher in all groups than in the skin. With increasing of the score lesion the transcript levels increase.

A middle ear infection occurs due to the presence of several microorganisms behind the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and is very challenging to treat due to its unique location and requires a well-designed treatment. If not treated properly, the infection can result in severe symptoms and unavoidable side effects. In this study, excellent biocompatible ethyl cellulose (EC) and biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) biopolymer were used to fabricate drug-loaded nanofiber scaffolds using an electrospinning technique to overcome antibiotic overdose and insufficient efficacy of drug release during treatment. PHB polymer was produced from Halomonas sp., and the purity of PHB was found to around be 90 %. Additionally, ciprofloxacin (CIP) and amoxicillin (AMX) are highly preferable since both drugs are highly effective against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria to treat several infections. Obtained smooth nanofibers were between 116.24 and 171.82 nm in diameter and the addition of PHB polymer and antibiotics improved the morphology of the nanofiber scaffolds. Thermal properties of the nanofiber scaffolds were tested and the highest Tg temperature resulted at 229 °C. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were tested, and the highest tensile strength resulted in 4.65 ± 6.33 MPa. Also, drug-loaded scaffolds were treated against the most common microorganisms that cause the infection, such as S.aureus, E.coli, and P.aeruginosa, and resulted in inhibition zones between 10 and 21 mm. MTT assay was performed by culturing human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAD MSCs) on the scaffolds. The morphology of the hAD MSCs' attachment was tested with SEM analysis and hAD MSCs were able to attach, spread, and live on each scaffold even on the day of 7. The cumulative drug release kinetics of CIP and AMX from drug-loaded scaffolds were analysed in phosphate-buffered saline (pH: 7.4) within different time intervals of up to 14 days using a UV spectrophotometer. Furthermore, the drug release showed that the First-Order and Korsmeyer-Peppas models were the most suitable kinetic models. Animal testing was performed on SD rats, matrix and collagen deposition occurred on days 5 and 10, which were observed using Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. At the highest drug concentration, a better repair effect was observed. Results were promising and showed potential for novel treatment.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease resulting in progressive loss of memory, language and motor abilities caused by cortical and hippocampal degeneration. This review captures the landscape of understanding of AD pathology, diagnostics, and current therapies. Two major mechanisms direct AD pathology: (1) accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaque and (2) tau-derived neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). The most common variants in the Aβ pathway in APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 are largely responsible for early-onset AD (EOAD), while MAPT, APOE, TREM2 and ABCA7 have a modifying effect on late-onset AD (LOAD). More recent studies implicate chaperone proteins and Aβ degrading proteins in AD. Several tests, such as cognitive function, brain imaging, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and blood tests, are used for AD diagnosis. Additionally, several biomarkers seem to have a unique AD specific combination of expression and could potentially be used in improved, less invasive diagnostics. In addition to genetic perturbations, environmental influences, such as altered gut microbiome signatures, affect AD. Effective AD treatments have been challenging to develop. Currently, there are several FDA approved drugs (cholinesterase inhibitors, Aβ-targeting antibodies and an NMDA antagonist) that could mitigate AD rate of decline and symptoms of distress.

The present study investigated the antimicrobial activity, total phenolic content, and proanthocyanidin concentration of ethanolic extracts from fresh leaves of Sempervivum tectorum L. The extracts were phytochemically analyzed and evaluated for antimicrobial activity. The broth microdilution method was used to assess antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria isolated from ear swabs taken from dogs with otitis externa. Many compounds were present in the ethanolic aqueous extracts, which exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. They showed strong antibacterial activity against standard clinical Gram-positive strains such as S. aureus and Gram-negative strains such as P. aeruginosa. In our study, the obtained quantity of total phenolic compounds in the ethanol:water extract of leaves was 126.17 mg GAE/g. The proanthocyanidin concentration in the tested Sempervivum tectorum L. extracts was 15.39 mg PAC/g material. The high contents of total phenolics and proanthocyanidin indicated that these compounds contribute to antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity of the tested S. tectorum L. extracts ranged from 1.47 to 63.75 µg/mL, starting with 1.47 µg/mL and 1.75 µg/mL against S. aureus ATCC 25923 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 strains, respectively. Likewise, S. tectorum L. ethanol extract demonstrated a bacteriostatic effect against S. aureus clinical isolate with a median MIC of 23.25 µg/mL and MBC of 37.23 µg/mL; and bactericidal against S. aureus ATCC 25923 with the median MIC of 20.33 µg/mL and MBC of 37.29 µg/mL. In the Gram-negative P. aeruginosa clinical and standard strains, the expressed MIC and MBC values were 24.234 and 20.53 µg/mL for MIC, and 37.30 and 37.02 µg/mL for MBC, respectively.

This study aimed to evaluate Streptococcus agalactiae genotype and erythromycin resistance in neonatal sepsis. After obtaining the mothers' informed consent, trained nurses sampled 430 neonatal specimens of sepsis from the ear canal, oral cavity and umbilical cord immediately after childbirth and implemented a cross-sectional study. By Gram staining, morphology, hemolysis mode, catalase and CAMP tests, the isolate was identified as S. agalactiae. All 455 isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility by the disc diffusion method. Multilocus sequence typing was used to serotype S. agalactiae involving sequencing of 7 housekeeping genes. The erythromycin resistance genes-erm (B), erm (A) and mef (A) were detected by PCR. Results showed that there were 286 cases (66.51%) of neonates delivered naturally, and 144 cases (33.49%) of neonates delivered by cesarean section. A total of 455 strains were tested, including 253 strains (55.60%) of Gram-positive bacteria with 100 strains (21.98%) of S. agalactiae and 52 strains (11.43%) of Staphylococcus epidermidis, 178 strains (39.12%) of Gram-negative bacteria with 45 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.89%), 36 strains of Escherichia coli (7.91%), 36 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.91%), and 323 strains of Citrobacter freundii (7.03%). S. agalactiae had the highest resistance of 87 (87.00%) to erythromycin, followed by resistance to azithromycin 83 (83.00%) and clindamycin 78 (78.00%). In children with neonatal sepsis, S. agalactiae serotypes were mainly Ia, Ib, and III, accounting for 29.00%, 35.00%, and 19.00% respectively. The main genotypes were ST651, ST103 and ST176, which account for 19.00%, 17.00% and 15.00% respectively. The ST19 type 13.00%, ST27 type 8.00%, ST17 Type 11.00%, ST10 type 12.00%, ST485 type 5.00%. The ST103 and ST485 isolates were classified as serotype Ia, the ST10 and ST176 isolates were classified as serotype Ib, and ST17 and ST19 isolates were classified as serotype III. Among the strains of S. agalactiae, 40.23% (35/87) carry erm (A) gene, 35.63% (31/87) carry erm (B) gene, and 24.14% (21/87) carry mef (A) gene. erm (A) gene was the most common gene in ST19 strain (7/11, 63.64%), and erm (B) gene was the most common gene in ST176 and ST651 strains (6/12, 50.00%; 8/18, 44.44%), while mef (A) gene was the most common gene in ST17 strain (5/11, 45.45%). In general, S. agalactiae genotypes in neonatal sepsis were mainly ST651, ST103 and ST176, and the main serotypes are Ia, Ib, and III. There was good consistency between ST and serotype, and a significant difference was shown in erythromycin resistance and ST distribution, which highlights the value of new epidemiological trend detection by monitoring multiple characteristics and provides inspiration for the development of multivalent S. agalactiae vaccines.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a commensal bacterium residing on the mucosae and skin surfaces of dogs. Under favorable conditions, the organism may cause serious infections, primarily involving the skin, but it is also isolated in eye and ear infections. This report describes pathologic findings of pyometra associated with S pseudintermedius in two bitches. One bitch was a 6-year-old Pomeranian bitch who died after three days of diarrhea, vomiting, and depression. During necropsy, the uterus of the bitch was diffusely enlarged and filled with 30 mL of thick, yellow, creamy pus. Histology revealed acute to subacute, diffuse, severe, purulent endometritis with intralesional Gram-positive round cocci revealed as S pseudintermedius. The cause of death was pyometra with subsequent septic shock. The other bitch was a 2-year-old West Highland White Terrier who underwent diagnostic laparotomy due to suppurative peritonitis of unknown cause. During the procedure, about 100 mL of yellow, opaque exudate from the abdominal cavity was removed. The distended uterine horns noted during the procedure were removed and submitted for histopathology which revealed necrosis of endometrium with the accumulation of pus and numerous, intralesional S pseudintermedius in the uterine lumen. Focally, uterine wall necrosis was evident, with a spread of bacteria and purulent inflammation into the adjacent mesometrium causing purulent peritonitis. Although S pseudintermedius presents a common cause of skin and mucosal infection, it should be considered a possible etiological agent of canine pyometra.

As preconized by the One Health concept, the intimate relationship between pets and owners is a common source for the trade of microorganisms with zoonotic potential, and with them, antimicrobial resistance genes. In this work, we evaluated the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes, that are usually within mobile genetic elements, in a laboratory collection of 79 canine Staphylococcus strains, mostly Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus coagulans. Resistance to tetracycline was observed in 34% of the strains, followed by resistance to erythromycin (21%) and gentamicin (19%). These phenotypes were partially correlated with the presence of the tetracycline resistance genes tet(M) and tet(K) in 64% and 44% of all strains, respectively; erythromycin resistance genes erm(A) and erm(C) in 53% and 23%; and gentamicin resistance gene aac(6')-aph(2″) in 26% of the strains. At least 45% of the strains harbored high- and/or low-molecular weight plasmids, whose transfer may be facilitated by their widespread biofilm-forming capacity, and absence of restrictive CRISPR systems. We selected eight plasmid-bearing and multidrug resistant strains, which were submitted to plasmid curing by stress with SDS. No strain lost resistance during stressing cultivation but, by conjugation experiments, the S. pseudintermedius strain 27 transferred its plasmid-borne resistance to gentamicin, conferred by the aac(6')-aph(2″) gene, to Staphylococcus aureus. The frequent empirical use of gentamicin to treat skin and ear infections in domestic dogs is likely to select resistant strains. Also, as demonstrated by our study, these strains can serve as gene reservoirs for human pathogens, such as S. aureus.

In the vertebrate cochlea, the reticular lamina seals the organ of Corti against the endolymph filled scala media. After noise exposure, fast alterations in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression level were identified in this cochlear structure. Minor amounts of nitric oxide (NO) produced by eNOS or applied by NO donors such as S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP) might protect this vulnerable part of the organ of Corti, on the line of gap junctions of supporting cells and cochlear microcirculation. In n=5 anesthetized guinea pigs, SNAP was intravenously applied in two concentrations. Six untreated animals served as controls. The cochleae were removed and prepared for immunoelectron microscopy using specific gold-labeled anti-eNOS antibodies. The density of the gold particles was quantified for seven cellular regions in the reticular lamina at the ultrastructural level. Following SNAP application, a significant increase in eNOS expression (+176%) was detected compared with controls (p=0.012). The increase occurred mainly in actin-rich cuticular structures and the prominent microtubules bundles. Correlation analysis revealed three clear and five moderate cellular associations for controls, whereas only one clear and one moderate after SNAP application. Thus, application of the NO donor SNAP resulted in an increase in eNOS expression in distinct regions of the reticular lamina.