During evolution, animals have returned from land to water, adapting with morphological modificat... more During evolution, animals have returned from land to water, adapting with morphological modifications to life in an aquatic environment. We compared the osteochondral units of the humeral head of marine and terrestrial mammals across species spanning a wide range of body weights, focusing on microstructural organization and biomechanical performance. Aquatic mammals feature cartilage with essentially random collagen fiber configuration, lacking the depth-dependent, arcade-like organization characteristic of terrestrial mammalian species. They have a less stiff articular cartilage at equilibrium with a significantly lower peak modulus, and at the osteochondral interface do not have a calcified cartilage layer, displaying only a thin, highly porous subchondral bone plate. This totally different constitution of the osteochondral unit in aquatic mammals reflects that accommodation of loading is the primordial function of the osteochondral unit. Recognizing the crucial importance of the ...
Genome sequences of Francisella tularensis samples, isolated from human infections in the Netherl... more Genome sequences of Francisella tularensis samples, isolated from human infections in the Netherlands in 2015 and 2016.
Studies on the occurrence of fungal communities in the marine environment are still scarce, but m... more Studies on the occurrence of fungal communities in the marine environment are still scarce, but mycotic infections in cetaceans are increasingly reported. Fungal disease following infection with Aspergillus species is most frequently reported, with the respiratory tract commonly affected in cetaceans and other taxa, like humans and birds. Infection with Aspergillus spp. is dependent on the characteristics of the fungus as well as the hosts immune status, with dissemination into other organs being relatively common. Along the southern North Sea, harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) strandings increased significantly since 2005 and necropsies to determine causes of death have been conducted since 2008. Here we describe the post-mortem findings in stranded, free-ranging harbor porpoises on the Dutch coast which were diagnosed with fungal disease, to determine the prevalence of mycotic infections, and to compare them to those described in other species. A total of 18/754 (2.4%) harbor porpoises showed lesions compatible with localized or disseminated fungal disease as confirmed by histological examination. The respiratory tract was most commonly affected (67%), followed by the central nervous system (CNS, 33%), and auditory system (AS, 17%). Aspergillosis was confirmed for 11/18, by fungal growth (as A. fumigatus species complex, n = 9) and PCR (as Aspergillus spp., n = 1, and as A. fumigatus sensu strictu by sequence analysis, n = 1). One live stranded and euthanized animal presented partial hemiplegia of the blowhole and therefore an MRI was conducted, which resulted in a unique image of the extensive, fungus-induced lesion in the left cerebellar hemisphere, deforming and displacing the brainstem, and additionally affected the AS. The gross-and histologic lesions in the 18 porpoises diagnosed with fungal disease were similar to changes described in other mammalian species. The prevalence of fungal disease in free-living harbor porpoises is lower than seen in captive and rehabilitated animals, suggesting that captivity increases the
Members of the genus Bartonella are fastidious Gram-negative facultative intracellular bacteria t... more Members of the genus Bartonella are fastidious Gram-negative facultative intracellular bacteria that are typically transmitted by arthropod vectors. Several Bartonella spp. have been found to cause culture-negative endocarditis in humans. Here, we report the case of a 75-year-old German woman with prosthetic valve endocarditis due to Bartonella washoensis .
Neisseria animaloris is considered to be a commensal of the canine and feline oral cavities. It i... more Neisseria animaloris is considered to be a commensal of the canine and feline oral cavities. It is able to cause systemic infections in animals as well as humans, usually after a biting trauma has occurred. We recovered N. animaloris from chronically inflamed bite wounds on pectoral fins and tailstocks, from lungs and other internal organs of eight harbour porpoises. Gross and histopathological evidence suggest that fatal disseminated N. animaloris infections had occurred due to traumatic injury from grey seals. We therefore conclude that these porpoises survived a grey seal predatory attack, with the bite lesions representing the subsequent portal of entry for bacteria to infect the animals causing abscesses in multiple tissues, and eventually death. We demonstrate that forensic microbiology provides a useful tool for linking a perpetrator to its victim. Moreover, N. animaloris should be added to the list of potential zoonotic bacteria following interactions with seals, as the find...
Since Galileo's days the effect of size on the anatomical characteristics of the structural eleme... more Since Galileo's days the effect of size on the anatomical characteristics of the structural elements of the body has been a subject of interest. However, the effects of scaling at tissue level have received little interest and virtually no data exist on the subject with respect to the osteochondral unit in the joint, despite this being one of the most lesion-prone and clinically relevant parts of the musculoskeletal system. Imaging techniques, including FTIR imaging, polarized light microscopy and micro computed tomography, were combined to study the response to increasing body mass of the osteochondral unit. We analyzed the effect of scaling on structural characteristics of articular cartilage, subchondral plate and the supporting trabecular bone, across a wide range of mammals at microscopic level. We demonstrated that, while total cartilage thickness scales to body mass in a negative allometric fashion, thickness of different cartilage layers did not. Cartilage tissue layers were found to adapt to increasing loads principally in the deep zone with the superficial layers becoming relatively thinner. While subchondral plate thickness was found to have no correlation to body mass, bone volume fraction correlated negatively to body mass (r=-0.41, p<0.01). This implies that heavier animals will have a relatively more porous subchondral plate; possibly to allow a more homogeneous transmission of forces from the subchondral bone towards the thicker cartilage layer. The underlying trabecular bone was found to have thicker trabeculae (r=0.59, p<0.001), as expected since this structure carries most loads and plays a role in force mitigation. List of abbreviations BM-Body mass PGs-Proteoglycans CCZ-Calcified cartilage zone ROI-Region of interest FTIRI-Fourier transfer infrared imaging PLM-Polarized light microscopy microCT-Micro computed tomography SC Th-Subchondral plate thickness SC BV/TV-Subchondral bone volume fraction Tb Th-Trabecular thickness Tb BV/TV-Trabecular bone volume fraction Keywords Osteochondral unit; trabecular bone scaling; cartilage thickness scaling; osteochondral comparative analysis; cartilage imaging; bone imaging.
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2019
Sequence-based typing of Francisella tularensis has led to insights in the evolutionary developme... more Sequence-based typing of Francisella tularensis has led to insights in the evolutionary developments of tularemia. In Europe, two major basal clades of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica exist, with a distinct geographical distribution. Basal clade B.6 is primarily found in Western Europe, while basal clade B.12 occurs predominantly in the central and eastern parts of Europe. There are indications that tularemia is geographically expanding and that strains from the two clades might differ in pathogenicity, with basal clade B.6 strains being potentially more virulent than basal clade B.12. This study provides information on genotypes detected in the Netherlands during 2011-2017. Data are presented for seven autochthonous human cases and for 29 European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) with laboratory confirmed tularemia. Associated disease patterns are described for 25 European brown hares which underwent post-mortem examination. The basal clades B.6 and B.12 are present both in humans and in European brown hares in the Netherlands, with a patchy geographical distribution. For both genotypes the main pathological findings in hares associated with tularemia were severe (sub)acute necrotizing hepatitis and splenitis as well as necrotizing lesions and hemorrhages in several other organs. Pneumonia was significantly more common in the B.6 than in the B.12 cases. In conclusion, the two major basal clades present in different parts in Europe are both present in the Netherlands. In hares found dead, both genotypes were associated with severe acute disease affecting multiple organs. Hepatitis and Koene et al. Phylogeographic Distribution of Dutch Francisella splenitis were common pathological findings in hares infected with either genotype, but pneumonia occurred significantly more frequently in hares infected with the B.6 genotype compared to hares infected with the B.12 genotype.
In dit jaarrapport worden de resultaten gepresenteerd van pathologisch onderzoek aan bruinvissen ... more In dit jaarrapport worden de resultaten gepresenteerd van pathologisch onderzoek aan bruinvissen die gestrand zijn op de Nederlandse kust. Eén van de hoofddoelen van het onderzoek is het kwantificeren van sterfte van bruinvissen door menselijk toedoen. In 2016 zijn 55 dode bruinvissen onderzocht; 31 mannetjes en 24 vrouwtjes, waaronder 14 volwassen, 33 juveniel en 8 neonaat. De meeste van de onderzochte bruinvissen waren gestorven door aanvallen van de grijze zeehond (31%), infectieziekten (29%) en voedseltekort (18%). Bijvangst was de doodsoorzaak in 11% van de onderzochte bruinvissen.
ABSTRACT Een mannelijke Aziatische olifant leed sinds enkele jaren aan gewrichtsproblemen. Tevens... more ABSTRACT Een mannelijke Aziatische olifant leed sinds enkele jaren aan gewrichtsproblemen. Tevens had het 50 jaar oude dier regelmatig problemen met de nagels, zoals het loslaten daarvan in combinatie met een necrotiserende nagelbedontsteking. Na verloop van tijd verslechterde het dier zienderogen met als verschijnselen: sloomheid, toenemende gewrichtsontsteking, zucht onderaan de buik (ventraal oedeem) en overmatig drinken en plassen.
Red-mark syndrome (RMS), a disease seen mostly in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is of unkno... more Red-mark syndrome (RMS), a disease seen mostly in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is of unknown aetiology. The research presented here indicates the presence of an intracellular bacterium in RMS-affected fish. A positive reaction was observed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) with skin lesions, liver, kidney and spleen of affected fish sampled from several locations within the United Kingdom using two different polyclonal antisera raised against Piscirickettsia salmonis. The same reaction was also seen with a number of different anti-P. salmonis monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). A disease with similar clinical signs to RMS, referred to as strawberry disease (SD), has been reported in the USA. A Rickettsia-like organism (RLO) has recently been associated with SD based on analysis of 16S rDNA sequences. Using the same panel of anti-P. salmonis antibodies used to screen the RMS samples, similar staining was obtained in tissue of SD-affected fish by IHC. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using RLO-specific primers was also performed on RMSaffected fish from the United Kingdom, and the samples were positive for the RLO 16S rRNA sequence. These findings suggest that the same aetiological agent may be responsible for RMS in the United Kingdom and SD in the USA.
This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been th... more This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as
Scoliosis is a deformation of the spine that may have several known causes, but humans are the on... more Scoliosis is a deformation of the spine that may have several known causes, but humans are the only mammal known to develop scoliosis without any obvious underlying cause. This is called ‘idiopathic’ scoliosis and is the most common type. Recent observations showed that human scoliosis, regardless of its cause, has a relatively uniform three-dimensional anatomy. We hypothesize that scoliosis is a universal compensatory mechanism of the spine, independent of cause and/or species. We had the opportunity to study the rare occurrence of scoliosis in a whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) that stranded in July 2019 in the Netherlands. A multidisciplinary team of biologists, pathologists, veterinarians, taxidermists, radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons conducted necropsy and imaging analysis. Blunt traumatic injury to two vertebrae caused an acute lateral deviation of the spine, which had initiated the development of compensatory curves in regions of the spine without anatomical abnormali...
The Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus. Despite its continuous circulatio... more The Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus. Despite its continuous circulation in Europe, knowledge on the pathology, cellular and tissue tropism and pathogenetic potential of different circulating viral lineages is still fragmentary. Here, macroscopic and microscopic evaluations are performed in association with the study of cell and tissue tropism and comparison of lesion severity of two circulating virus lineages (Europe 3; Africa 3) in 160 Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula) in the Netherlands. Results confirm hepatosplenomegaly, coagulative necrosis and lymphoplasmacytic inflammation as major patterns of lesions and, for the first time, vasculitis as a novel virus-associated lesion. A USUV and Plasmodium spp. co-infection was commonly identified. The virus was associated with lesions by immunohistochemistry and was reported most commonly in endothelial cells and blood circulating and tissue mononucleated cells, suggesting them as a major route of entry and s...
Het Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit (LNV) beoogt invulling te geven aan een l... more Het Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit (LNV) beoogt invulling te geven aan een lijst met diersoorten die door eenieder in of om het huis gehouden mogen worden (‘de Positieflijst’). Daartoe heeft LNV in de herfst van 2017 een groep onafhankelijke wetenschappelijk deskundigen gevraagd op persoonlijke titel te participeren in een Wetenschappelijke Adviescommissie Positieflijst (WAP). LNV heeft de WAP de opdracht verstrekt om te adviseren over een vereenvoudigde, wetenschappelijk valide, toetsingskader voor de positieflijst huisdieren. Randvoorwaarden hierbij zijn dat de systematiek voldoende goed uitvoerbaar is (eenvoudig, tijd- en kostenefficient) en dat de systematiek voldoet aan de Nederlandse en Europese wettelijke vereisten en aan wetenschappelijke validiteit. De taken van de adviescommissie bestaan uit:• het ontwikkelen van het toetsingskader;• het opstellen van inhoudelijke criteria als onderscheidende basis voor het toetsingskader;• de wetenschappelijke onderbo...
Background and Purpose: Corticosteroids are intra-articularly injected to relieve pain in joints ... more Background and Purpose: Corticosteroids are intra-articularly injected to relieve pain in joints with osteoarthritis (OA) or acute tissue damage such as ligament or tendon tears, despite its unverified contraindication in unstable joints. Biomaterial-based sustained delivery may prolong reduction of inflammatory pain, while avoiding harmful peak drug concentrations. Experimental Approach: The applicability of prolonged corticosteroid exposure was examined in a rat model of anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus transection (ACLT + pMMx) with ensuing degenerative changes.
Within 10 days of ingesting boxelder tree (Acer negundo) cuttings, seven fallow deer (Dama dama) ... more Within 10 days of ingesting boxelder tree (Acer negundo) cuttings, seven fallow deer (Dama dama) died (n=2) or were euthanased (n=5) after showing signs of colic, anorexia and severe depression. Another fallow deer and two Dutch Landrace goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) simultaneously displayed colic signs but survived. Therapy included intramuscular flunixine meglumine. Postmortem investigation revealed subacute renal tubular necrosis and extensive lung oedema in all animals, and three deer had liver degeneration. The combination of clinical history and postmortem findings lead to the presumptive diagnosis of maple leaf intoxication as described in equids. This is the first report of likely boxelder tree (A negundo) intoxication in animals and the first report of maple leaf intoxication in fallow deer and goats.
During evolution, animals have returned from land to water, adapting with morphological modificat... more During evolution, animals have returned from land to water, adapting with morphological modifications to life in an aquatic environment. We compared the osteochondral units of the humeral head of marine and terrestrial mammals across species spanning a wide range of body weights, focusing on microstructural organization and biomechanical performance. Aquatic mammals feature cartilage with essentially random collagen fiber configuration, lacking the depth-dependent, arcade-like organization characteristic of terrestrial mammalian species. They have a less stiff articular cartilage at equilibrium with a significantly lower peak modulus, and at the osteochondral interface do not have a calcified cartilage layer, displaying only a thin, highly porous subchondral bone plate. This totally different constitution of the osteochondral unit in aquatic mammals reflects that accommodation of loading is the primordial function of the osteochondral unit. Recognizing the crucial importance of the ...
Genome sequences of Francisella tularensis samples, isolated from human infections in the Netherl... more Genome sequences of Francisella tularensis samples, isolated from human infections in the Netherlands in 2015 and 2016.
Studies on the occurrence of fungal communities in the marine environment are still scarce, but m... more Studies on the occurrence of fungal communities in the marine environment are still scarce, but mycotic infections in cetaceans are increasingly reported. Fungal disease following infection with Aspergillus species is most frequently reported, with the respiratory tract commonly affected in cetaceans and other taxa, like humans and birds. Infection with Aspergillus spp. is dependent on the characteristics of the fungus as well as the hosts immune status, with dissemination into other organs being relatively common. Along the southern North Sea, harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) strandings increased significantly since 2005 and necropsies to determine causes of death have been conducted since 2008. Here we describe the post-mortem findings in stranded, free-ranging harbor porpoises on the Dutch coast which were diagnosed with fungal disease, to determine the prevalence of mycotic infections, and to compare them to those described in other species. A total of 18/754 (2.4%) harbor porpoises showed lesions compatible with localized or disseminated fungal disease as confirmed by histological examination. The respiratory tract was most commonly affected (67%), followed by the central nervous system (CNS, 33%), and auditory system (AS, 17%). Aspergillosis was confirmed for 11/18, by fungal growth (as A. fumigatus species complex, n = 9) and PCR (as Aspergillus spp., n = 1, and as A. fumigatus sensu strictu by sequence analysis, n = 1). One live stranded and euthanized animal presented partial hemiplegia of the blowhole and therefore an MRI was conducted, which resulted in a unique image of the extensive, fungus-induced lesion in the left cerebellar hemisphere, deforming and displacing the brainstem, and additionally affected the AS. The gross-and histologic lesions in the 18 porpoises diagnosed with fungal disease were similar to changes described in other mammalian species. The prevalence of fungal disease in free-living harbor porpoises is lower than seen in captive and rehabilitated animals, suggesting that captivity increases the
Members of the genus Bartonella are fastidious Gram-negative facultative intracellular bacteria t... more Members of the genus Bartonella are fastidious Gram-negative facultative intracellular bacteria that are typically transmitted by arthropod vectors. Several Bartonella spp. have been found to cause culture-negative endocarditis in humans. Here, we report the case of a 75-year-old German woman with prosthetic valve endocarditis due to Bartonella washoensis .
Neisseria animaloris is considered to be a commensal of the canine and feline oral cavities. It i... more Neisseria animaloris is considered to be a commensal of the canine and feline oral cavities. It is able to cause systemic infections in animals as well as humans, usually after a biting trauma has occurred. We recovered N. animaloris from chronically inflamed bite wounds on pectoral fins and tailstocks, from lungs and other internal organs of eight harbour porpoises. Gross and histopathological evidence suggest that fatal disseminated N. animaloris infections had occurred due to traumatic injury from grey seals. We therefore conclude that these porpoises survived a grey seal predatory attack, with the bite lesions representing the subsequent portal of entry for bacteria to infect the animals causing abscesses in multiple tissues, and eventually death. We demonstrate that forensic microbiology provides a useful tool for linking a perpetrator to its victim. Moreover, N. animaloris should be added to the list of potential zoonotic bacteria following interactions with seals, as the find...
Since Galileo's days the effect of size on the anatomical characteristics of the structural eleme... more Since Galileo's days the effect of size on the anatomical characteristics of the structural elements of the body has been a subject of interest. However, the effects of scaling at tissue level have received little interest and virtually no data exist on the subject with respect to the osteochondral unit in the joint, despite this being one of the most lesion-prone and clinically relevant parts of the musculoskeletal system. Imaging techniques, including FTIR imaging, polarized light microscopy and micro computed tomography, were combined to study the response to increasing body mass of the osteochondral unit. We analyzed the effect of scaling on structural characteristics of articular cartilage, subchondral plate and the supporting trabecular bone, across a wide range of mammals at microscopic level. We demonstrated that, while total cartilage thickness scales to body mass in a negative allometric fashion, thickness of different cartilage layers did not. Cartilage tissue layers were found to adapt to increasing loads principally in the deep zone with the superficial layers becoming relatively thinner. While subchondral plate thickness was found to have no correlation to body mass, bone volume fraction correlated negatively to body mass (r=-0.41, p<0.01). This implies that heavier animals will have a relatively more porous subchondral plate; possibly to allow a more homogeneous transmission of forces from the subchondral bone towards the thicker cartilage layer. The underlying trabecular bone was found to have thicker trabeculae (r=0.59, p<0.001), as expected since this structure carries most loads and plays a role in force mitigation. List of abbreviations BM-Body mass PGs-Proteoglycans CCZ-Calcified cartilage zone ROI-Region of interest FTIRI-Fourier transfer infrared imaging PLM-Polarized light microscopy microCT-Micro computed tomography SC Th-Subchondral plate thickness SC BV/TV-Subchondral bone volume fraction Tb Th-Trabecular thickness Tb BV/TV-Trabecular bone volume fraction Keywords Osteochondral unit; trabecular bone scaling; cartilage thickness scaling; osteochondral comparative analysis; cartilage imaging; bone imaging.
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2019
Sequence-based typing of Francisella tularensis has led to insights in the evolutionary developme... more Sequence-based typing of Francisella tularensis has led to insights in the evolutionary developments of tularemia. In Europe, two major basal clades of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica exist, with a distinct geographical distribution. Basal clade B.6 is primarily found in Western Europe, while basal clade B.12 occurs predominantly in the central and eastern parts of Europe. There are indications that tularemia is geographically expanding and that strains from the two clades might differ in pathogenicity, with basal clade B.6 strains being potentially more virulent than basal clade B.12. This study provides information on genotypes detected in the Netherlands during 2011-2017. Data are presented for seven autochthonous human cases and for 29 European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) with laboratory confirmed tularemia. Associated disease patterns are described for 25 European brown hares which underwent post-mortem examination. The basal clades B.6 and B.12 are present both in humans and in European brown hares in the Netherlands, with a patchy geographical distribution. For both genotypes the main pathological findings in hares associated with tularemia were severe (sub)acute necrotizing hepatitis and splenitis as well as necrotizing lesions and hemorrhages in several other organs. Pneumonia was significantly more common in the B.6 than in the B.12 cases. In conclusion, the two major basal clades present in different parts in Europe are both present in the Netherlands. In hares found dead, both genotypes were associated with severe acute disease affecting multiple organs. Hepatitis and Koene et al. Phylogeographic Distribution of Dutch Francisella splenitis were common pathological findings in hares infected with either genotype, but pneumonia occurred significantly more frequently in hares infected with the B.6 genotype compared to hares infected with the B.12 genotype.
In dit jaarrapport worden de resultaten gepresenteerd van pathologisch onderzoek aan bruinvissen ... more In dit jaarrapport worden de resultaten gepresenteerd van pathologisch onderzoek aan bruinvissen die gestrand zijn op de Nederlandse kust. Eén van de hoofddoelen van het onderzoek is het kwantificeren van sterfte van bruinvissen door menselijk toedoen. In 2016 zijn 55 dode bruinvissen onderzocht; 31 mannetjes en 24 vrouwtjes, waaronder 14 volwassen, 33 juveniel en 8 neonaat. De meeste van de onderzochte bruinvissen waren gestorven door aanvallen van de grijze zeehond (31%), infectieziekten (29%) en voedseltekort (18%). Bijvangst was de doodsoorzaak in 11% van de onderzochte bruinvissen.
ABSTRACT Een mannelijke Aziatische olifant leed sinds enkele jaren aan gewrichtsproblemen. Tevens... more ABSTRACT Een mannelijke Aziatische olifant leed sinds enkele jaren aan gewrichtsproblemen. Tevens had het 50 jaar oude dier regelmatig problemen met de nagels, zoals het loslaten daarvan in combinatie met een necrotiserende nagelbedontsteking. Na verloop van tijd verslechterde het dier zienderogen met als verschijnselen: sloomheid, toenemende gewrichtsontsteking, zucht onderaan de buik (ventraal oedeem) en overmatig drinken en plassen.
Red-mark syndrome (RMS), a disease seen mostly in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is of unkno... more Red-mark syndrome (RMS), a disease seen mostly in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is of unknown aetiology. The research presented here indicates the presence of an intracellular bacterium in RMS-affected fish. A positive reaction was observed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) with skin lesions, liver, kidney and spleen of affected fish sampled from several locations within the United Kingdom using two different polyclonal antisera raised against Piscirickettsia salmonis. The same reaction was also seen with a number of different anti-P. salmonis monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). A disease with similar clinical signs to RMS, referred to as strawberry disease (SD), has been reported in the USA. A Rickettsia-like organism (RLO) has recently been associated with SD based on analysis of 16S rDNA sequences. Using the same panel of anti-P. salmonis antibodies used to screen the RMS samples, similar staining was obtained in tissue of SD-affected fish by IHC. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using RLO-specific primers was also performed on RMSaffected fish from the United Kingdom, and the samples were positive for the RLO 16S rRNA sequence. These findings suggest that the same aetiological agent may be responsible for RMS in the United Kingdom and SD in the USA.
This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been th... more This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as
Scoliosis is a deformation of the spine that may have several known causes, but humans are the on... more Scoliosis is a deformation of the spine that may have several known causes, but humans are the only mammal known to develop scoliosis without any obvious underlying cause. This is called ‘idiopathic’ scoliosis and is the most common type. Recent observations showed that human scoliosis, regardless of its cause, has a relatively uniform three-dimensional anatomy. We hypothesize that scoliosis is a universal compensatory mechanism of the spine, independent of cause and/or species. We had the opportunity to study the rare occurrence of scoliosis in a whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) that stranded in July 2019 in the Netherlands. A multidisciplinary team of biologists, pathologists, veterinarians, taxidermists, radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons conducted necropsy and imaging analysis. Blunt traumatic injury to two vertebrae caused an acute lateral deviation of the spine, which had initiated the development of compensatory curves in regions of the spine without anatomical abnormali...
The Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus. Despite its continuous circulatio... more The Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus. Despite its continuous circulation in Europe, knowledge on the pathology, cellular and tissue tropism and pathogenetic potential of different circulating viral lineages is still fragmentary. Here, macroscopic and microscopic evaluations are performed in association with the study of cell and tissue tropism and comparison of lesion severity of two circulating virus lineages (Europe 3; Africa 3) in 160 Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula) in the Netherlands. Results confirm hepatosplenomegaly, coagulative necrosis and lymphoplasmacytic inflammation as major patterns of lesions and, for the first time, vasculitis as a novel virus-associated lesion. A USUV and Plasmodium spp. co-infection was commonly identified. The virus was associated with lesions by immunohistochemistry and was reported most commonly in endothelial cells and blood circulating and tissue mononucleated cells, suggesting them as a major route of entry and s...
Het Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit (LNV) beoogt invulling te geven aan een l... more Het Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit (LNV) beoogt invulling te geven aan een lijst met diersoorten die door eenieder in of om het huis gehouden mogen worden (‘de Positieflijst’). Daartoe heeft LNV in de herfst van 2017 een groep onafhankelijke wetenschappelijk deskundigen gevraagd op persoonlijke titel te participeren in een Wetenschappelijke Adviescommissie Positieflijst (WAP). LNV heeft de WAP de opdracht verstrekt om te adviseren over een vereenvoudigde, wetenschappelijk valide, toetsingskader voor de positieflijst huisdieren. Randvoorwaarden hierbij zijn dat de systematiek voldoende goed uitvoerbaar is (eenvoudig, tijd- en kostenefficient) en dat de systematiek voldoet aan de Nederlandse en Europese wettelijke vereisten en aan wetenschappelijke validiteit. De taken van de adviescommissie bestaan uit:• het ontwikkelen van het toetsingskader;• het opstellen van inhoudelijke criteria als onderscheidende basis voor het toetsingskader;• de wetenschappelijke onderbo...
Background and Purpose: Corticosteroids are intra-articularly injected to relieve pain in joints ... more Background and Purpose: Corticosteroids are intra-articularly injected to relieve pain in joints with osteoarthritis (OA) or acute tissue damage such as ligament or tendon tears, despite its unverified contraindication in unstable joints. Biomaterial-based sustained delivery may prolong reduction of inflammatory pain, while avoiding harmful peak drug concentrations. Experimental Approach: The applicability of prolonged corticosteroid exposure was examined in a rat model of anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus transection (ACLT + pMMx) with ensuing degenerative changes.
Within 10 days of ingesting boxelder tree (Acer negundo) cuttings, seven fallow deer (Dama dama) ... more Within 10 days of ingesting boxelder tree (Acer negundo) cuttings, seven fallow deer (Dama dama) died (n=2) or were euthanased (n=5) after showing signs of colic, anorexia and severe depression. Another fallow deer and two Dutch Landrace goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) simultaneously displayed colic signs but survived. Therapy included intramuscular flunixine meglumine. Postmortem investigation revealed subacute renal tubular necrosis and extensive lung oedema in all animals, and three deer had liver degeneration. The combination of clinical history and postmortem findings lead to the presumptive diagnosis of maple leaf intoxication as described in equids. This is the first report of likely boxelder tree (A negundo) intoxication in animals and the first report of maple leaf intoxication in fallow deer and goats.
Uploads
Papers by Marja Kik