Bowenoid in situ squamous cell carcinoma (BISC) is a rare feline skin disorder, which has been described as often associated with papillomavirus infection. It is clinically characterized by solitary or multiple hyperkeratotic plaques affecting older cats. Papillomavirus (PV) sequences amplified from feline viral plaques, and BISC lesions seldom correspond to FdPV1. The goal of the present study was to investigate three cases of BISC and to carry out initial genomic analysis of the associated viral DNA. Samples of skin biopsies taken from three BISC cats were histologically characterized. DNA was extracted and rolling-circle amplification was performed on the skin samples. Restriction enzyme analysis of the amplified DNA revealed the presence of a putative unknown PV. The whole genome was subsequently sequenced and cloned. Alignments with previously described feline PV sequences were carried out and phylogenetic trees were generated. The circular 7,899 base pair sequence of Felis domesticus PV type 2 (FdPV2) contains a typical noncoding region and characteristic open reading frames (ORF) for six putative viral proteins. Phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide alignment of L1 genes or the amino acid alignment of E1 proteins of FdPV2 and 52 other PV types indicates that FdPV2 might represent a new genus.

A 4-year-old, female, Border Collie was presented to the University of Bern Veterinary Teaching Hospital, because of a corneal lesion of 10 days duration. The axial cornea presented a whitish fluorescein-positive plaque with irregular margins. A diagnosis of keratomycosis was made based on cytology. Medical therapy with local broad-spectrum antibiotic and fluconazole was instituted. After 1 week of treatment, the improvement was deemed unsatisfactory. Therefore, a lamellar keratectomy and conjunctival pedicle flap were performed. After surgery, the cornea healed uneventfully. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of keratomycosis. The fungus could not be grown in culture and a precise etiological diagnosis could only be obtained with genetic identification of the fungus. A PCR technique was used to amplify the fungal genome from the cornea. Hormographiella aspergillata , the asexual reproductive form of the basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea , was identified. As advised in human medicine, we encourage the use of this molecular technique to obtain an early species diagnosis, allowing targeted medical therapy.

This report describes a case of nodular posthitis caused by Halicephalobus gingivalis in a 24-year-old warmblood horse. Macroscopic examination revealed a multinodular, partially ulcerated mass on the external lamina of the prepuce. Nematode migration from unfixed biopsy material in phosphate-buffered saline revealed adult nematodes with the typical morphological features of H. gingivalis: distinctive rhabditiform oesophagus with corpus, isthmus and bulb and the dorsoflexed ovary. The main histopathological features consisted of submucosal confluent granulomatous foci containing cross- and tangential sections of larval and adult nematodes surrounded by cellular debris, epitheloid macrophages, multinucleated giant cells, lymphocytes and plasma cells. Therapy including oral administration of moxidectin and local application of an ointment containing prednisolone and moxidectin was initiated but clinical response was poor. Five months later, the nodular mass was still present and histologically, the same lesions with numerous intact nematodes were identified. In the present case, a localized infection with granuloma formation in the area of the prepuce was observed. Clinically, it cannot be distinguished from other nematode infections or even from a squamous cell carcinoma. An accurate clinical examination followed by histopathological and parasitological examinations was necessary to establish the final diagnosis. This case is unusual in that the lesions were locally very extensive (10 cm), but they remained confined to the preputium and the nematodes did not spread haematogenously to other internal organs.

Abstract. In the dog, early-stage epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma (ETCL) can clinically and histologically mimic a large range of inflammatory dermatoses and often progresses rapidly to a more aggressive tumor stage. Early diagnosis of ETCL is essential to proceed with a specific oncologic therapy that is favorable for the prognosis. In the present study, an improved method for the detection of T-cell receptor gamma (TCRc) rearrangement was developed by designing a new set of consensus primers to amplify the different forms of rearranged canine TCRc gene sequences by polymerase chain reaction. The amplicons were analyzed by conventional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which requires minimal specific equipment and may be performed in almost every pathology laboratory at low costs. The method proved to be highly specific and sensitive to detect early ETCL in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens, providing an efficient tool for veterinary pathologists to distinguish early neoplastic from reactive cutaneous T-cell infiltrates (tumor-specific marker) or to discriminate T-cell lymphoma from B-cell lymphomas or nonlymphoid neoplasms (T-cell lineage marker). By direct sequencing analysis of amplified TCRc gene sequences, ETCL was found to rearrange exclusively the joining (J) 4 region, which suggests specific biology for primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Also, a novel (seventh) functional J region in the TCRc gene, localized approximately 2.3 kb upstream of J5, was identified.

Expression of Casp3 in lymphocytes in duodenal villous tips was significantly reduced in dogs with IBD, compared with expression in healthy dogs, but no increase was detected following successful treatment of IBD. Increased expression of Bcl-2 may be a potential marker of the success of treatment.