A 10-year-old cat presented with a 2-year history of nasal discharge, sneezing, and nasal planum swelling. Granulomatous rhinitis caused by Prototheca wickerhamii infection was diagnosed on the basis of histopathological and genotypic analyses of biopsy samples. Oral voriconazole was administered; however, it caused adverse effects and was discontinued. The lesion, initially localized to the nasal planum, progressively extended into the nasal cavities, destroying the cribriform plate and orbital bone and invading the orbit and olfactory bulb. Following local voriconazole injection into the lesion, neurological impairment associated with increased intracranial pressure was observed. Despite transient resolution of clinical signs after resumption of voriconazole administration via a gastrostomy tube, the cat died from disease progression 465 days after the initial visit.

Respiratory disease is a common cause for morbidity and mortality in European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) presented for rehabilitation. Despite frequent suspicions of underlying pulmonary disease, upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) investigations rarely occur. Fifty rehabilitating European hedgehogs that died after exhibiting respiratory clinical signs were necropsied with histological and microbiological investigations of the respiratory tract. Fifty-six percent (n = 28) of these hedgehogs had substantial URTD based on histological assessment of 3 transverse nasal cavity sections. URTD cases presented with moderate to marked lethargy (82%), dyspnea and/or tachypnea (79%), abnormal breathing sounds (75%), nasal discharge (64%), and sneezing (54%). Most hedgehogs with URTD were euthanized, 13 (48%) within 24 hours of admission due to the severity of clinical signs, the others (52%) after a period ranging from 3 to 240 days whilst receiving various treatments. Histologically, substantial URTD cases presented as moderate-to-severe rhinitis (40%), epithelial damage ranging from widespread attenuation to multifocal ulceration (40%) and/or maxilloturbinate atrophy (22%) of the nasal chamber proper, and/or inflammation of the vestibule (20%) or caudal nasal cavity (43%). Rhinitis cases were often bilateral (80%), exudative, and neutrophilic with intraluminal gram-negative bacterial colonies. Bacterial culture yielded Morganella morganii (n = 6) and Pasteurella spp. (n = 5) from cases with URTD but not from histologically unremarkable noses. Potentially underlying triggers for URTD included trauma, foreign bodies, periodontal disease, oronasal fistula, and nasal fluke. As respiratory clinical signs in hedgehogs are commonly associated with URTD, routine antemortem and postmortem assessments of the nasal and oral cavities are warranted.

The worldwide prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) is substantial and is considered a global health problem. Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only approach that treats the underlying cause of allergy by inducing a desensitization response to the allergen. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness and the possible desensitization mechanisms of house dust mite (HDM) allergen extract-based IT against mice models of AR. The experimental mice were divided into six groups: normal group, normal group with HDM challenge, AR group, and three AR groups that received HDM-IT at low, moderate, and high doses. The effectiveness of HDM-IT was evaluated based on nose-rubbing and sneezing behavior, IL-4 mRNA expression, eosinophil infiltration into nasal mucosal tissue, serum IgE levels, serum IgG2a levels, and serum IgE/IgG2a ratio. This study discovered that the administration of HDM-IT reduced nose-rubbing and sneezing behavior, decreased IL-4 mRNA expression and eosinophil infiltration into nasal mucosal tissue, decreased serum IgE levels, increased serum IgG2a levels, and decreased serum IgE/IgG2a ratio in AR mice. Thus, HDM-IT effectively promotes a desensitization response to HDM allergens in mouse models of AR.

Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is an IgE-mediated inflammatory disorder that impairs quality of life and systemic function. Following the 'one airway, one disease' paradigm, AR-related inflammation often extends to the lower respiratory tract. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of an 8-week moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (MOA) program on clinical symptoms, nasal airflow, airway inflammation, pulmonary function, and cardiorespiratory parameters in young adults with physician-confirmed persistent AR. To isolate the exercise effects, all participants discontinued antihistamines, corticosteroids, and leukotriene antagonists before and during the study period. Eighteen participants were allocated to either the MOA group (n = 9), which performed treadmill walking or jogging at 50-60% heart rate reserve three times per week for eight weeks, or a control group (CON, n = 9) that maintained usual daily activities. Clinical symptoms, peak nasal inspiratory flow, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, pulmonary function, heart rate, blood pressure, aerobic fitness, and perceived exertion were assessed at baseline, week 4, and week 8 using standardized procedures. Compared with baseline and the CON group, the exercise intervention resulted in significant reductions in nasal congestion, itching, sneezing, and rhinorrhea, accompanied by increased nasal airflow and reduced airway inflammation. Pulmonary function indices and cardiorespiratory parameters also improved following training. These findings suggest that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise may offer a valuable non-pharmacological approach to support conventional care, potentially enhancing respiratory and physiological outcomes in young adults with persistent AR.

The global egg industry of free-range chickens is rapidly expanding owing to perceived higher welfare standards. However, commercial free-range layers are known to be prone to a number of infections including upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) leading to significant economic and welfare concerns. The present study explored the prevalence and diversity of respiratory tract pathogens in URTIs in free-range layers in Australia. Swabs/tissues were collected from conjunctiva, nasal cavity, infraorbital sinus, and upper trachea of birds from 15 farms across Australia with ongoing URTIs as well as two control farms which did not have a history of URTIs. These specimens were subjected to bacteriological isolation and identification, specific PCRs, strain identification using high-resolution melt curve analysis and/or whole genome sequence analysis. Clinical signs in affected flocks commonly included conjunctivitis but, sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge, sinusitis, tracheal rales, and/or laboured breathing were also observed. The morbidity ranged from 2% to 60% while mortality was often low and did not exceed 5%. Several bacterial and viral organisms were detected in different combinations from affected farms. These included Avibacterium paragallinarum (12/15 farms), Gallibacterium anatis (12/15), Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (11/15), and Pasteurella multocida (3/15). Presence of Mycoplasma synoviae (15/15), M. gallisepticum (13/15), infectious laryngotracheitis (13/15) virus and infectious bronchitis virus (4/15) was suspected, however, their identities as vaccines or field strains were not investigated. Gallibacterium anatis, M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae were identified also in two control farms. This is the first study systematically investigated the cause/s of URTIs in commercial free-range layer chickens indicating the complex multi-pathogenic nature of URTIs.

Although systemic allergen-specific IgE is an essential biomarker for allergic rhinitis (AR), its mechanistic contribution to symptom development remains unclear. Here, using mouse models, we investigated how systemic antigen-specific IgE influences AR symptoms and local type 2 inflammation. Mice were adoptively sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA)-specific IgE (OVA-IgE) and/or in vitro-differentiated OVA-specific Th2 (OVA-Th2) cells, followed by repeated intranasal OVA exposure. AR symptoms (sneezing) and the appearance of IgE-producing cells in the cervical lymph nodes (cLNs) and nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue were observed only in mice that received both OVA-Th2 cells and OVA-IgE. These responses were absent in recipients lacking factors required for IgE production, Rag2[-/-], Aid[-/-], and Stat6[-/-] mice, or in mice receiving OVA-Th2 cells deficient in IL-4-producing T follicular helper (Tfh) cell differentiation. Notably, when IgE-independent mast cell activation was induced by repeated intranasal administration of compound 48/80 in mice that had received OVA-Th2 cells, subsequent OVA challenge elicited OVA-specific AR symptoms and induced IgE-producing cells in the cLNs. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that systemic OVA-IgE facilitated the differentiation of OVA-Th2 cells into Tfh cells upon OVA challenge. Together, systemic IgE-mediated mast cell/basophil activation promoted Th2-to-Tfh differentiation and local IgE production, thereby contributing to the AR symptoms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sex on natural infestation by Oestrus ovis in lambs. A total of 26 crossbred lambs (14 males and 12 females), aged between 4 and 5 months at the beginning of the 114-day (D0-D113) trial, were maintained under a semi-intensive system in southeastern Brazil. At 8-9 months of age, animals were slaughtered for larval recovery and quantification from the nasal cavity. A total of 483 larvae were recovered, of wich 321 (66.5%) were first-instar larvae (L1) and 162 (33.5%) were second-instar larvae (L2). All males (n = 14) were parasitized, with burdens ranging from 7 to 54 larvae, while two females (16.7%) were uninfested. Males showed significantly higher total larval counts and L1 burden than females (P = 0.004 and P = 0.002, respectively), with no significant difference in L2 counts (P = 0.08). Clinical signs included sneezing and nasal discharge. Nasal discharge varied from serous to mucopurulent, with no significant difference between sexes (P = 0.091), and no significant correlation was found between larval burden and nasal discharge scores (P = 0.571). Eosinophil counts varied throughout the trial, with significantly higher mean counts in females than in males (P = 0.018). Anti-O. ovis IgG levels increased progressively throughout the study, with a significant sex-by-time interaction (P = 0.009). Male lambs exhibited greater susceptibility to O. ovis infestation under natural conditions, suggesting a sex-related influence on the dynamics of ovine oestrosis. Future studies using hormonal, immunological, and chemical ecology analyses will be key to understanding sex-related factors in susceptibility to this parasite.

Allergic rhinitis (AR), as a chronic disease, seriously affects the quality of life of patients while concurrently exerting a significant economic and healthcare burden on the medical system. However, the existing treatment methods have certain limitations, and more effective treatment strategies are needed. To this end, we proposed an ovalbumin-induced guinea pig model of AR to investigate the potential impact of activated polyethylene glycol (PEG) with varying molecular weights and concentrations in local nasal treatment. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by behavioral score, serological detection, and histopathological observation. The behavioral assessment demonstrated significant alleviation of sneezing frequency, nasal pruritus, and clear nasal discharge in the activated PEG-600 treatment groups relative to the sham group. However, statistical analysis revealed no appreciable intergroup differences between the activated PEG-3400 treatment groups and the sham group. Histopathological evaluation disclosed a marked reduction in eosinophilic infiltration in the activated PEG-600 group, accompanied by preservation of nasal mucosal structural integrity and notable attenuation of inflammatory infiltration. In contrast, the activated PEG-3400 group exhibited comparatively limited therapeutic efficacy, demonstrating only a subtle reduction in inflammatory cell counts and more pronounced disorganization of mucosal epithelial architecture compared to the PEG-600-treated group. Serum immunological profiling indicated that while local inflammatory markers showed evidence of mitigation, systemic immune parameters remained unaffected by either activated PEG formulation. These findings underscore the differential efficacy profile between PEG-600 and PEG-3400 derivatives in ameliorating AR symptoms, among which PEG-600 exhibits superior anti-inflammatory effects.