Message Number: FHL3934 | New FHL Archives SearchFrom: Sukie Crandall
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:06:18 -0500
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ferrethealth] Abstracts
Quoted abstracts are the most recent from searches on
ferret
ferrets
mustela
Vet Rec. 2008 Feb 9;162(6):180-3.
Clinical aspects of systemic granulomatous inflammatory syndrome in=20
ferrets (Mustela putorius furo).
Perpi=F1=E1n D, L=F3pez C.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, 3701 South 10th Street, Omaha, Nebraska=20
68107, USA.
Nine ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) were diagnosed with systemic=20
granulomatous inflammatory syndrome between 2005 and 2006. Common=20
signs included diarrhoea, lethargy, weight loss, and weakness in the=20
hindlimbs. Pathological findings consisted of mesenteric=20
lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, hypergammaglobulinaemia and non-
regenerative anaemia. The condition was progressive and fatal in all=20
the cases.
PMID: 18263918 [PubMed - in process]
J Wildl Dis. 2008 Jan;44(1):1-7.
Vaccination with f1-v fusion protein protects black-footed ferrets=20
(mustela nigripes) against plague upon oral challenge with yersinia=20
pestis.
Rocke TE, Smith S, Marinari P, Kreeger J, Enama JT, Powell BS.
US Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder=20
Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, USA.
Previous studies have established that vaccination of black-footed=20
ferrets (Mustela nigripes) with F1-V fusion protein by subcutaneous=20
(SC) injection protects the animals against plague upon injection of=20
the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This study demonstrates that the F1-V=20
antigen can also protect ferrets against plague contracted via=20
ingestion of a Y. pestis-infected mouse, a probable route for natural=20
infection. Eight black-footed ferret kits were vaccinated with F1-V=20
protein by SC injection at approximately 60 days-of-age. A booster=20
vaccination was administered 3 mo later via SC injection. Four=20
additional ferret kits received placebos. The animals were challenged=20
6 wk after the boost by feeding each one a Y. pestis-infected mouse.=20
All eight vaccinates survived challenge, while the four controls=20
succumbed to plague within 3 days after exposure. To determine the=20
duration of antibody postvaccination, 18 additional black-footed=20
ferret kits were vaccinated and boosted with F1-V by SC injection at=20
60 and 120 days-of-age. High titers to both F1 and V (mean reciprocal=20
titers of 18,552 and 99,862, respectively) were found in all=20
vaccinates up to 2 yr postvaccination, whereas seven control animals=20
remained antibody negative throughout the same time period.
PMID: 18263816 [PubMed - in process]
J Wildl Dis. 2008 Jan;44(1):53-64.
An unidentified filarial species and its impact on fitness in wild=20
populations of the black-footed ferret (mustela nigripes).
Wisely SM, Howard J, Williams SA, Bain O, Santymire RM, Bardsley KD,=20
Williams ES.
Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506,=20
USA.
Disease can threaten the restoration of endangered species directly by=20
substantially decreasing host survival or indirectly via incremental=20
decreases in survival and reproduction. During a biomedical survey of=20
reintroduced populations of the highly endangered black-footed ferret=20
from 2002 to 2005, microfilariae discovered in the blood were=20
putatively identified as Dirofilaria immitis, and widespread screening=20
was initiated using a commercially available antigen-based ELISA test.=20
A subset of animals (n =3D 16) was screened for D. immitis using a=20
highly sensitive PCR-based assay. Microfilariae were also molecularly=20
and morphologically characterized. Of 198 animals at six=20
reintroduction sites, 12% had positive results using the ELISA test.=20
No antigen-positive animals which were screened via PCR (n =3D 11) had=20
positive PCR results, and all antigen-positive animals (n =3D 24) were=20
asymptomatic. No significant differences were found in body mass of=20
antigen-positive (male: 1223 +/- 82 g [mean +/- SD], female: 726 +/-=20
75 g) vs. antigen-negative (male: 1,198 +/- 119 g, female: 710 +/- 53=20
g) individuals (P =3D 0.4). Antigen prevalence was lower in juveniles=20
(3%) than adults (12%; P =3D 0.03), and higher in in situ, captive-
reared individuals (33%) than wild-born individuals (10%; P =3D 0.005). =
Morphologic analysis of microfilariae revealed they were neither D.=20
immitis nor any other previously characterized North American species.=20
PCR amplification of the 5S spacer region of rDNA revealed that the=20
filarial sequence shared only 76% identity with D. immitis. This=20
previously unidentified filarial sequence was present in all antigen=20
positive animals (11 of 11 tested). It appears that black-footed=20
ferrets were infected with a previously undescribed species of filaria=20
whose antigen cross-reacted with the ELISA assay, although further=20
analysis is needed to make a conclusive statement. Nonetheless, this=20
previously undescribed filaria does not appear to threaten recovery=20
for this highly endangered mammal.
PMID: 18263821 [PubMed - in process]
Dev Neurobiol. 2008 Feb 8 [Epub ahead of print]
Reelin is essential for neuronal migration but not for radial glial=20
elongation in neonatal ferret cortex.
Schaefer A, Poluch S, Juliano S.
Program in Neuroscience, USUHS, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.
Numerous functions related to neuronal migration are linked to the=20
glycoprotein reelin. Reelin also elongates radial glia, which are=20
disrupted in mutant reeler mice. Our lab developed a model of cortical=20
dysplasia in ferrets that shares features with the reeler mouse,=20
including impaired migration of neurons into the cerebral cortex and=20
disrupted radial glia. Explants of normal ferret cortex in coculture=20
with dysplastic ferret cortex restore the deficits in this model. To=20
determine if reelin is integral to the repair, we used explants of P0=20
mouse cortex either of the wild type (WT) or heterozygous (het) for=20
the reelin gene, as well as P0 reeler cortex (not containing reelin),=20
in coculture with organotypic cultures of dysplastic ferret cortex.=20
This arrangement revealed that all types of mouse cortical explants=20
(WT, het, reeler) elongated radial glia in ferret cortical dysplasia,=20
indicating that reelin is not required for proper radial glial=20
morphology. Migration of cells into ferret neocortex, however, did not=20
improve with explants of reeler cortex, but was almost normal after=20
pairing with WT or het explants. We also placed an exogenous source of=20
reelin in ferret cultures at the pial surface to reveal that migrating=20
cells move toward the reelin source in dysplastic cortex; radial glia=20
in these cultures were also improved toward normal. Our results=20
demonstrate that the normotopic position of reelin is important for=20
proper neuronal positioning, and that reelin is capable of elongating=20
radial glial cells but is not the only radialization factor. (c) 2008=20
Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2008.
PMID: 18264995 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2008 Feb 4 [Epub ahead of print]
Chemical coding and central projections of gastric vagal afferent=20
neurons.
Young RL, Cooper NJ, Blackshaw LA.
Nerve-Gut Research Laboratory, Department of Gastroenterology and=20
Hepatology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Vagal afferents that innervate gastric muscle or mucosa transmit=20
distinct sensory information from their endings to the nucleus of the=20
tractus solitarius (NTS). While these afferent subtypes are=20
functionally distinct, no neurochemical correlate has been described=20
and it is unknown whether they terminate in different central=20
locations. This study aimed to identify gastric vagal afferent=20
subtypes in the nodose ganglion (NG) of ferrets, their terminal areas=20
in NTS and neurochemistry for isolectin-B4 (IB4) and calcitonin gene-
related peptide (CGRP). Vagal afferents were traced from gastric=20
muscle or mucosa and IB4 and CGRP labelling assessed in NG and NTS. 7=20
+/- 1% and 6 +/- 1% of NG neurons were traced from gastric muscle or=20
mucosa respectively; these were more likely to label for CGRP or for=20
both CGRP and IB4 than other NG neurons (P < 0.01). Muscular afferents=20
were also less likely than others to label with IB4 (P < 0.001). Less=20
than 1% of NG neurons were traced from both muscle and mucosa. Central=20
terminals of both afferent subtypes occurred in the subnucleus=20
gelatinosus of the NTS, but did not overlap completely. This region=20
also labelled for CGRP and IB4. We conclude that while vagal afferents=20
from gastric muscle and mucosa differ little in their chemical coding=20
for CGRP and IB4, they can be traced selectively from their peripheral=20
endings to NG and to overlapping and distinct regions of NTS. Thus,=20
there is an anatomical substrate for convergent NTS integration for=20
both types of afferent input.
PMID: 18266614 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Dev Comp Immunol. 2008 Jan 28 [Epub ahead of print]
Cloning, expression and immunoassay detection of ferret IFN-gamma.
Ochi A, Danesh A, Seneviratne C, Banner D, Devries ME, Rowe T, Xu L,=20
Ran L, Czub M, Bosinger SE, Cameron MJ, Cameron CM, Kelvin DJ.
Division of Experimental Therapeutics, University Health Network,=20
Toronto, ON, Canada.
Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) develop symptoms upon influenza=20
infection that resemble those of humans, including sneezing, body=20
temperature variation and weight loss. Highly pathogenic strains of=20
influenza A, such as H5N1, have the capacity to cause severe illness=20
or death in ferrets. The use of ferrets as a model of influenza=20
infection is currently limited by a lack of species-specific=20
immunological reagents. Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) plays a key role=20
in the development of innate and adaptive immunity and the regulation=20
of Th1-type immune responses. Here we describe the cloning of the full-
length cDNA for ferret IFN-gamma. Multiple sequence alignment of the=20
predicted amino acid sequence with those of other species indicates=20
that the predicted ferret protein shares the highest identity with=20
Eurasian badger IFN-gamma. We raised two hybridoma clones expressing=20
monoclonal antibodies against recombinant ferret IFN-gamma capable of=20
detecting IFN-gamma protein derived from mitogen-stimulated ferret=20
PBMCs by immunoblotting, ELISA and ELISPOT assay. Finally, an ELISA=20
utilizing the ferret-specific antibodies detected elevated levels of=20
IFN-gamma in serum samples from H3N2 influenza A-infected ferrets.
PMID: 18262264 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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