Ragdoll cats and kidney disease

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Paepe D, Saunders JH, Bavegems V, et al. Screening of ragdoll cats for kidney -disease: a retrospective evaluation. J Small Anim Pract. 2012; 53: 572-7.

A very popular cat breed worldwide is the Ragdoll. Ragdoll breeders often advise clients to watch for future renal disease in their cats. Most of these questions center around potential chronic interstitial nephritis and polycystic kidney disease (PKD). There is minimal scientific evidence regarding risk of renal disease in this breed. The Veterinary Medical College at Ghent University in Belgium performed a retrospective evaluation of Ragdolls screened for renal disease over an 8-year period. The screening methods included abdominal ultrasonography, measurement of serum creatinine and urea concentrations, and genetic testing for the PKD-1 mutation. The study population was made up of 244 Ragdoll cats: 172 females and 72 males.
 
In this study, 8.6% of the screened cats showed ultrasonographic abnormalities that could be compatible with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The suspected CKD cats were significantly older and had significantly higher urea and creatinine concentrations compared to cats with normal ultrasound results. Ragdolls are one of the breeds that have been outcrossed with Persians, so Ragdoll cats could be at risk for PKD. The researchers found a PKD prevalence of less than 3% in the study cats, considerably lower than the 31-42% prevalence of PKD described in European studies of Persians and related cats. Only one PKD-positive and one suspected PKD-positive Ragdoll cat were noted in the last 7 years of the study. This could mean that PKD screening before breeding is effective at eradicating PKD in this breed. All genetically tested cats tested negative for PKD.

In conclusion, almost 10% of this healthy Ragdoll population had ultrasonographic findings compatible with CKD, and PKD occurs at a low prevalence in Ragdoll cats in Belgium and the Netherlands. [VT]

See also: Heiene R, Rumsby G, Ziener M, et al. Chronic kidney disease with three cases of oxalate-like nephrosis in Ragdoll cats. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery. 2009; 11: 474-80.

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Understanding FIP virulence

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Chang HW, Egberink HF, Halpin R, Spiro DJ and Rottier PJ. Spike protein fusion peptide and feline coronavirus virulence. Emerg Infect Dis. 2012; 18: 1089-95. [free, full text article]
 
Coronaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses known for their potential to change their cellular tropism. Tropism refers to the specificity of a virus for a particular host tissue, determined in part by the interaction of viral surface structures with receptors present on the surface of unique host cell (e.g., endothelial cells, macrophages). Whether tropism switching leads to cross-species transmission as happened with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) jumping from bats to humans or, as in the case of feline coronaviruses, switching leads from a relatively low virulence enteric virus (FECV) to a systemic pathogenetic form (FIPV), it is clear that this family of viruses is an important public health concern and feline pathogen. In the case of FECV, identifying the genetic mutation(s) leading to this tropism switching still remains a quandary for researchers, veterinarians, and cat owners alike.

The researchers in this study compared full genome sequenced data from 11 viruses in each pathotype and identified the most distinctive site(s) by further refining sequence variation between the two pathotypes around those site(s). Two putative sites that both code for regions in the fusion peptide domain of the spike protein were found to distinguish FECV from FIPV, accounting for > 95% of cases. The S protein functions in cell entry via receptor attachment (involving the N terminus) and membrane fusion (membrane-proximal domain). These researchers further speculate that these two mutations in addition to other mutations likely within the accessory 3c gene account for switching to the virulent FIPV form. [GO]

See also: Pedersen NC, Liu H, Scarlett J, et al. Feline infectious peritonitis: Role of the feline coronavirus 3c gene in intestinal tropism and pathogenicity based upon isolates from resident and adopted shelter cats. Virus Research. 2012; 165: 17-28.

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Public perception of feral cats

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Loyd KAT and Hernandez SM. Public perceptions of domestic cats and preferences for feral cat management in the southeastern United States. Anthrozoos. 2012; 25: 337-51.

Millions of feral cats exist in the United States and their management is the subject of debate. Strategies range from euthanasia of these cats to trap-neuter-release programs which have been implemented in many urban areas of the country. Awareness and understanding of public attitudes and preferences for control of these feral cat populations will aid in development of management strategies. These investigators used an anonymous internet survey of randomly selected residents of Georgia.

From the article: “Results indicate that more residents have positive experiences with feral cats than negative, cat owners have greater knowledge of cats than non-cat owners, and animal welfare or conservation organization membership has a significant effect on attitudes towards cats. A majority of survey respondents agreed that more effective feral cat management is needed yet did not approve of trap-neuter-release (TNR) legislation recently passed in Athens-Clarke County. ….residents’ attitudes were found to be more important than experiences or knowledge in supporting cat management legislation. Cat sanctuaries were found to be the most acceptable option to reduce feral cat populations (56%), followed by TNR (49%) and capturing and euthanizing cats (44%).” [MK]

See also: Peterson MN, Hartis B, Rodriguez S, Green M and Lepczyk CA. Opinions from the front lines of cat colony management conflict. PLoS ONE. 2012; 7: e44616. [free, full text article] 

For more information: other blog articles on feral cats

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Treatment of feline sporotrichosis

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Chaves AR, de Campos MP, Barros MB, et al. Treatment abandonment in feline sporotrichosis - study of 147 cases. Zoonoses Public Health. Aug 17, 2012.

Sporotrichosis is a environmental or zoonotic disease caused by the fungus Sporothrix schenckii and is commonly found in soil, wood, and decaying vegetation. The fungus is a dimorphic forming yeast in tissues or culture at 37^oC, but growing as a filamentous mould in the environment at room temperature. Most cases of sporotrichosis are acquired from the environment as a result of contact between broken skin and fungal spores and are most common in persons that work with vegetation such as forestry workers, horticulturists, gardeners and florists. As a consequence, the disease is commonly referred to as “Rose Gardener’s Disease”. Cats can similarly acquire infection from the environment via wound contamination or penetrating foreign bodies. 

The most common form of the disease in cats and humans is a lymphocutaneous form that first appears at the site of inoculation leading to formation of papules. The papules develop into pustules that slowly expand along the draining lymph system, forming swollen cutaneous nodules that may become necrotic, ulcerate, and produce a gray or yellowish pustular exudate. Subclinical infections are possible. Disseminated and pulmonary sporotrichosis are serious, life-threatening diseases, but are much less common.

Sporotrichosis is also an important zoonotic disease and transmission from infected cats to humans is possible due to the high number of infectious organisms found in open draining wounds. Cats can also harbor the fungus in the mouth, nasal cavity, and nail beds facilitating transmission via bites or scratches.

This study describes the epidemiological, clinical, and mycological aspects of feline sporotrichosis in 147 infected cats identified between 1998 and 2005 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A large number of cases of infection in cats, dogs and humans have occurred in this area, representing the first zoonotic epidemic of this mycosis. Treatment of infected cats typically is carried out by oral administration of anti-fungal agents such as itraconazole or ketoconazole. Factors in treatment abandonment included low income of owners, the difficulty in transporting the cats to clinics for follow-up, and the difficulty in administrating oral medications to cats. The most common reason for treatment abandonment was the misperception by owners of lesion healing, often leading to recurrence of the disease. Treatment abandonment may represent an obstacle in control of this disease and possibly contributes to the Rio de Janeiro epidemic. Efforts on adherence to the protocol in the beginning of treatment, but especially after the skin lesions have improved, seems to be an important measure for better compliance and increased cure rates. [GO]

See also: Reis ÉG, Gremião IDF, Kitada AAB, et al. Potassium iodide capsule treatment of feline sporotrichosis. J Feline Med Surg. 2012; 14: 399-404.

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Let's immune system help

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Imatinib potentiates antitumor T cell responses in gastrointestinal stromal tumor through the inhibition of Ido, 
Vinod P Balachandran, et al. Nature Medicine17 (2011) 


I would like to hilight this paper to our readership, as many of your are involved in the design of clinical trials and selection of potential biomarkers. This report is one of a handful of high impact papers that report the coperative role that inflammatory infiltrate and non cell autonomous effectors play in modulating response to established agents. This study demonstrates an interesting immunological mechanism of Imatininb  that contributes to the antitumor effect in a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) mouse model. Inflammatory infiltrate is a known finding in GIST specimens (including intratumoral CD8+ Tcells, Treg cells and macrophages). Acording to the authors, Imatinib activates CD8+ T cells and induces Treg cells apoptosis within the tumor. Imatinib is therefore able to reduce the expression of 2,3-dioxygenase (Ido) of tumor cells. Ido enzyme is involved in the catayzation of immunosuppressive metabolites from tryptophan and therefore mediates downstream immunological response. Interestingly Imatininb resistant tumors, generally as a result of a second KIT mutation, restore the overexpression of IDO and combination of Imatinib with CTLA-4 blockade (a well established immunotherapeutic strategy) act synergistically. This insight provides some hints on something we have been suspecting for a long time. It is easy to predict consequences for rational design of combination therapies and strategies to overcome resistance in Imatinib resistant tumors.TweetShare

Let's immune system help

To contact us Click HERE

Imatinib potentiates antitumor T cell responses in gastrointestinal stromal tumor through the inhibition of Ido, 
Vinod P Balachandran, et al. Nature Medicine17 (2011) 


I would like to hilight this paper to our readership, as many of your are involved in the design of clinical trials and selection of potential biomarkers. This report is one of a handful of high impact papers that report the coperative role that inflammatory infiltrate and non cell autonomous effectors play in modulating response to established agents. This study demonstrates an interesting immunological mechanism of Imatininb  that contributes to the antitumor effect in a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) mouse model. Inflammatory infiltrate is a known finding in GIST specimens (including intratumoral CD8+ Tcells, Treg cells and macrophages). Acording to the authors, Imatinib activates CD8+ T cells and induces Treg cells apoptosis within the tumor. Imatinib is therefore able to reduce the expression of 2,3-dioxygenase (Ido) of tumor cells. Ido enzyme is involved in the catayzation of immunosuppressive metabolites from tryptophan and therefore mediates downstream immunological response. Interestingly Imatininb resistant tumors, generally as a result of a second KIT mutation, restore the overexpression of IDO and combination of Imatinib with CTLA-4 blockade (a well established immunotherapeutic strategy) act synergistically. This insight provides some hints on something we have been suspecting for a long time. It is easy to predict consequences for rational design of combination therapies and strategies to overcome resistance in Imatinib resistant tumors.TweetShare

Dental Did You Know: The Price of John Lennon's Tooth.

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Apparently, John Lennon's molar was sold for about $31000 at the Omega Auction House on November 4th. It went for double its listed price and was originally given by him to his former housekeeper. It is also reported to be now in the possession of a Canadian dentist (not confirmed and not me :)

Source: Rolling Stone Magazine (Online), November 6th, Read November 7th, http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/john-lennons-tooth-sells-for-more-than-31-000-at-auction-20111106


Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100