agar and Cat-Diseases

Bartonella henselae is a zoonotic pathogen responsible for causing Cat Scratch Disease (CSD) and other clinical manifestations in humans. Domestic cats are the main reservoirs of this Bartonella species. Previous studies have suggested that certain genotypes of B. henselae seem to be more associated with human infections. The present study aimed to genotype B. henselae isolates from domestic cats' blood samples in the state of Goiás, midwestern Brazil. The association of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) based on the nuoG gene from Bartonella spp. of blood samples, before and after incubation in pre-enrichment liquid medium (BAPGM) and isolation on chocolate agar, showed a positivity frequency of 42% (42/100) for Bartonella spp. Twelve B. henselae isolates obtained on agar chocolate from six cats' blood samples (two isolates from each animal) were characterized by Multi-locus Sequencing Typing (MLST) and revealed to belong to Sequence Types ST1 and ST5. One of the cats (1/6) presented both STs, demonstrating that domestic cats can be coinfected with different variants of B. henselae. The STs detected in this study are distributed worldwide and have already been detected in humans with clinical manifestations of bartonellosis. This is the first report of the zoonotic variants ST1 and ST5 of B. henselae in domestic cats from Brazil.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella henselae; Bartonella Infections; Brazil; Cat Diseases; Cats; Coinfection; DNA, Bacterial; Humans; Multilocus Sequence Typing

The current study aimed to determine the causes associated with ocular infection in cats received at Baghdad veterinary hospital from March 2020 to April 2021. Forty cats (22 females and 18 males) were examined at a small animal clinic in Baghdad veterinary hospital from March 2020 to April 2021. The cats suffered from severe eyes infection (inflammation, lacrimation, redness and other ocular signs). On the other hand, ten healthy cats were examined and prepared for bacterial isolation as a control group. For bacterial isolation, sterile cotton swabs with transport medium were taken gently from the corneal and conjunctiva area of infected eyes. The swabs were placed in an ice box within 24 hours for laboratory culture. Sterile swabs with transport media were used in our study; swabs passed directly on the inferior conjunctival sac of the compromised eye avoiding contact with eyelashes and skin of eyelids. All swabs were inoculated on the following media (5% Sheep blood agar, MacConkey agar and Nutrient agar) at 37ºC for 24 to 48 h.ImmunoChromatoGraphy assay (ICG) of FCV on samples. The results showed that 50%of Mixed bacterial and FCV were the significant cause of isolates; also, it showed that

Topics: Agar; Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; Culture Media; Eye Infections; Female; Infertility; Male; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Staphylococcus aureus

Cell blocks are alternative preparations of fluid cytological specimens. They can be used for immunochemical studies as complementary tools or when other techniques (eg, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry) are not available.. We aimed to provide comparative morphologic, immunohistochemical, and technical features of agar-based cell blocks (ACBs) and cell tube blocks (CTBs) from cavitary effusions.. Agar-based cell blocks and CTBs were obtained from canine and feline effusions with neoplastic/atypical cells or with packed cell volumes ≥3%. Cellularity, RBC separation, and cellular features were evaluated on digitalized H&E slides with evaluators blinded to the method. The immunohistochemical intensity and nonspecific background were assessed on pan-cytokeratin and vimentin-stained slides. Overall yield was calculated, and morphologic and immunohistochemical features were compared among paired samples. Technical and cellular features were also described.. Agar-based cell blocks and CTBs yielded evaluable sections in 100% (52/52) and 98% (51/52) of the cases, respectively. Cellularity and RBC separation scores were significantly higher in CTBs. Similar staining intensities were observed, and background staining was more frequently seen in pan-cytokeratin-stained ACBs. Only basic materials and equipment were required for both methods. Agar-based cell block preparations were more operator dependent and difficult to standardize, whereas CTBs were easier to prepare, but laboratory processing was more demanding.. Both methods can be used to produce good sections for immunohistochemistry staining with no significant differences. Cell tube blocks are beneficial for RBC-rich samples, and little additional training is required to prepare the blocks. Both types of cell blocks are reliable, cost-effective methods that could be introduced in diagnostic laboratories to further characterize canine and feline effusions.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Hematocrit; Laboratories

A total of 64 strains of gram-negative, asaccharolytic, anaerobic, agar-corroding, rod-shaped bacteria from soft-tissue infections of cats and dogs were compared with other agar-corroding, anaerobic organisms isolated from human periodontal pockets (Wolinella recta ATCC 33238T), bovine rumens (Wolinella succinogenes ATCC 29543T), and gingival crevices of humans (Bacteroides gracilis ATCC 33236T and Bacteroides ureolyticus NCTC 10941T). Campylobacter concisus ATCC 33237T (from human gingival crevices) which did not corrode agar but which biochemically resembled organisms in this group was also included in this study. Although the type strains of W. recta, W. succinogenes, and B. gracilis resembled the animal strains phenotypically and in DNA base ratios, none had bacterial protein patterns (as indicated by isoelectric focusing) identical with the animal strains studied. The animal strains could be divided into motile and nonmotile groups. The motile animal strains were similar biochemically but could be divided into three groups by isoelectric focusing of bacterial proteins. Some had cell wall ultrastructural features identical with W. recta; others had the smooth walls of conventional gram-negative organisms. One group of nonmotile animal strains closely resembled B. gracilis phenotypically, and they had the cell wall ultrastructure of conventional gram-negative bacteria as described previously (4). The other nonmotile group had cell wall ultrastructure like that of W. recta.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Bacteroides; Campylobacter; Cat Diseases; Cats; Dog Diseases; Dogs

Topics: Agar; Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; Cell Line; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Cells, Cultured; Clone Cells; Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; Gammaretrovirus; Helper Viruses; Kidney; Oncogenic Viruses; RNA Viruses; Viral Interference