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Pheochromocytomas (PCs) are tumors arising from the chromaffin cells of the adrenal glands and are the most common tumors of the adrenal medulla in animals. In people, these are highly correlated to inherited gene mutations in the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) pathway; however, to date, little work has been done on the genetic basis of these tumors in animals. In humans, immunohistochemistry has proven valuable as a screening technique for SDH mutations. Human PCs that lack succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB) immunoreactivity have a high rate of mutation in the SDH family of genes, while human PCs lacking succinate dehydrogenase A (SDHA) immunoreactivity have mutations in the SDHA gene. To determine if these results are similar for dogs, we performed SDHA and SDHB immunohistochemistry on 35 canine formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) PCs. Interestingly, there was a loss of immunoreactivity for both SDHA and SDHB in four samples (11%), suggesting a mutation in SDHx including SDHA. An additional 25 (71%) lacked immunoreactivity for SDHB, while retaining SDHA immunoreactivity. These data suggest that 29 out of the 35 (82%) may have an SDH family mutation other than SDHA. Further work is needed to determine if canine SDH immunohistochemistry on PCs correlates to genetic mutations that are similar to human PCs.

Subclinical mastitis in cattle is a pathological condition that causes a financial burden on the dairy industry. In addition, it puts the public sector at risk when pathogens of animal origin are present in unpasteurized milk and dairy products that may enter the human food chain and cause serious illnesses. Our study aimed to determine the percentage of pathogenic Escherichia coli causing subclinical mastitis in dairy cows in Mosul city by confirming the existence of Stx1 and Stx2 genes. Eighty milk samples were obtained from cows suffering from subclinical mastitis using sterile procedures from November 2018 to October 2019. Escherichia coli was isolated, characterized, and confirmed using culture and PCR. According to our research, the percentage of pathogenic Escherichia coli in milk samples was 36.3% (29/80). Moreover, molecular screening for a specific Escherichia coli gene revealed that all isolates 100% carried the uidA gene. PCR revealed that 27/29 (93.1%) isolates had both Stx1 + Stx2 genes, and all the isolates 100% possessed the Stx2 gene. No significant relationship was found between the percentage of pathogenic E. coli and the seasons. Even though there were more isolates in the winter than in the summer, this increase was not statistically significant. This study's findings may help pay attention to one of the leading causes of subclinical mastitis, which is beneficial to the private sector to control the disease.

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria on halal beef carcasses and environmental surfaces in two halal beef slaughterhouses in the United States. To evaluate halal beef slaughter operations, 144 beef carcass samples (pre- and post-evisceration), and 24 environmental site samples (slaughter hall floor, brisket saw, and offal’s table) were collected in two halal beef slaughterhouses during June to September 2017. All carcass and environmental samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and shiga toxin-producing E. coli (non-O157 STEC). Results revealed that Salmonella spp. was isolated and confirmed for the presence of invA gene in 5/36 samples (13.8%) and 5/36 samples (13.8%) at pre-evisceration in plants A and B, respectively. Salmonella spp. was isolated in 2/9 samples (5.6%) of plants A and was not detected in any sample at post-evisceration process. E. coli O157:H7 was not detected in any sample collected from plant A and B. E. coli non-O157 was isolated and confirmed for the presence of virulence genes in 4/36 samples (11.1%) and 2/36 samples (5.5%) at post-evisceration in plants A and B, respectively. Salmonella spp. was detected based on the presence of the Salmonella invA gene in the slaughter hall floor (4/4) and the offal’s table (2/4) samples using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR). In plant B, Salmonella spp. was also confirmed in the slaughter hall floor (2/4) and brisket saw (2/4) samples. On the other hand, one isolate of E. coli O157:H7 and one non-O157 STEC were obtained from the slaughter hall floor of plant A. The E. coli O157:H7 isolate was positive for stx1, stx2, eaeA, and EHEC-hly genes. Two isolates of non-O157 STEC (2/4) were detected in the environmental site samples, one from the slaughter hall floor, and one from an offal’s table sample of plant B. These data can be used to inform food safety interventions targeting halal meat operations in the southeastern United States.

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