Imported Diseases

Question 1

Rabies

• facts about virus
• pathogenesis

Answer 1

• several viral strains
• can host adapt and “jump species”
• transmitted in saliva
• replication at bite wound, entry to sensory nerve via ACh receptor, entry to spinal cord, axial transport to brain, replication to brain, passage to salivary gland via cranial nerve

Question 2

Rabies signs

• types (2)
• behavioural (6)
• Cranial never changes (2)
• peripheral nerve changes (3)

Answer 2

-Encephalitic (furious) and paralytic (dumb) forms
cats are more furious, whilst dogs are more dumb.
-behavioural: excitability, nervousness, hypersensitivity, abnormal voalisation, abnormal sexual behavious, attacking/eating inanimate objects
-CN changes: dysphonia and dysphagia
-Peripheral nerves: paralysis starts in bite wound, spreads to other limbs and finally leads to pharyngeal and respiritory problems

Question 3

Rabies DDX

Answer 3

• space occupying brain disorders
• metabolic (toxic, thiamine deficency, hepatic/uraemic)
• inflammatory brain diseases
• degenerative CNS disorders
• neuromuscular disease
• brain lesions
• GI disease

Question 4

Rabies suspicion

Answer 4

Cage and contact local divisional vet office

Question 5

Leishmania facts (4)

Answer 5

• leishmania infantum
• long incubation period
• zoonotic
• transmitted by sandflies (possibly dog-to-dog)

Question 6

Leishmania CS

• general (4)
• dermatological (4)
• others (3)

Answer 6

• chronic: waxing and waning
• general: weightloss, pyrexia, lymphodenopathy, pale MM
• dermatolgical: exfoliative dermatitis, periocular alopcia, mucocutaneous ulceration, nodular lesions (tongue)
• others: panopthalmitis, shifting lamenes, anaemia

Question 7

leishmania

• DDX (6)
• lab findings (4)
• Dx (3)
• Tx (3)
• Prevention (3)

Answer 7

• DDX: pyoderma, immune mediated skin disease, mange, erlichia, lymphoma, chronic renal and liver disease
• hyperglobinaemia, signs of liver failure, positive immune mediated tests (coombs, ANA), sever protinuria on urinanalysis
• Dx: LN/BM aspirates: direct identification, SNAP/ELISA, PCR
• Tx: pentavalent antimonals, allopurinol, mitefosin (new and diarrhoea as a SE)
• Prevention: vector avoidance, insect repellents, vaccination (since 2012)

Question 8

Erlichiosis

• facts (2)
• CS (5/2/4)
• Dx (5)
• Tx (2)

Answer 8

-Rickettsia genera
-intracellular
-CS:
acute monocytic erlichiosis (E.Canis): pyrexia, lymphdenopathy, petetchiation, epistaxis, pale MM
acute granulocytic erlichiosis (A phagocytophila): lameness and joint swelling
chronic (thrombocytic) erlichiosis (A Plalys): non regenerative anaemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, hyperglobinaemia
-Dx: haematology, direct observation, SNAP, serology, PCR
-Tx: tetracycline (doxycycline) & prednisilone for short periods at low doses

Question 9

Babsia

Answer 9

• B. canis in europe
• tick vectors
• lethargy, anorexia, pyrexia, haemolytic anaemia (pale MM, jaundice and bilirubinaemia, hepatosplenomegaly), shock, DIC, Death
• Dx: regenerative anaemia on haematology, blood smear, +ve coombs test, serology, PCR
• Tx: blood transfusion (oxygen), imidocarb, prednisilone (for short periods at low doses)