AHL Newsletter, March 2015
For a pdf copy of this Newsletter please click here
Welcome Dr. Véronique LePage, aquatic animal pathologist
Dr. Véronique (Nikki) LePage has joined us as our AHL contract fish pathologist, working mostly from her home office. Nikki is a Guelph graduate (BSc 2006, DVM 2011, MSc 2012) and is familiar to many in the aquaculture industry.
The fish pathology lab has been transferred from Dr. John Lumsden to the AHL, and our primary focus will be on Ontario farmed fish - trout, tilapia, char - but Nikki has broader interests, and we expect this scope to grow. Fish cases are processed through accessioning in our LIMS through to the AHL Molecular Biology lab for gross pathology, bacteriology, and virology. Nikki will add histopathology and case integration.
As noted in the December 2014 AHL Newsletter, we have validated identification tests available for aquatic animal bacteria and viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus.
Welcome Nikki!
Beware formalin fumes!
Kristiina Ruotsalo
Unstained cytology and hematology slides should never be transported with, or stored near, tissue samples contained in formalin. Formalin fumes can penetrate almost any packaging, even biopsy samples enclosed in plastic jars with screw-top lids that are sealed in plastic bags. Exposure of unstained slide preparations to formalin fumes results in altered staining characteristics and poor cellular preservation due to the partial fixation of cellular material by the formalin fumes. Subsequent staining of the slides reveals the characteristic blue-green tinged erythrocytes and lysed nucleated cells, making slide interpretation impossible.
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Air-dried, well-stained blood smear |
Cytology smear exposed to formalin fumes before staining. |
Selected AHL outreach presentations, 2014
Barham M, Vince A, et al. 6 OAHN podcasts: small ruminant, equine, swine, rabies. Fall 2014. http://barhamm.podbean.com/.
Brash M. Diagnostic Pathology Submissions to the AHL. Parrot Conference and Expo Canada. Cambridge, ON. April 12, 2014.
Brash M. 2014 Canadian Food Inspection Agency Veterinary Professional Update Course – Poultry Health Update. Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, ON. May 27, 2014.
Brash M, Martin E, Stalker M, Hoyland S, Coventry J, Sandrock C, Ojkic D. Clinical & Pathological Features of IBV 4/91 Infection in Ontario’s Commercial Poultry. WAPV Scientific Seminar. Banff, AB. Oct 7, 2014.
Brooks A. Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in a dog in Ontario. Ann CAHLN-RCTLSA Meeting, Ottawa. July 2014.
Brooks A. Cache valley virus causing lamb malformations in Ontario. Annual CAVP-ACPV Meeting, Ottawa, ON, June 1, 2014.
Brooks A. Lyme borreliosis in a Labrador retriever. Annual CAVP-ACPV Meeting, Ottawa, ON, June 1, 2014.
Brooks A, Ruotsalo K. Bovine anaplasmosis in eastern Ontario. Annual CAVP-ACPV Meeting, Ottawa ON, June 1, 2014.
Fairles J, Ojkic D, Hazlett M, Maxie G. PEDV – A case study of one lab's response to an emerging disease. CAHLN-RCTLSA annual mtg, OLF, Nepean ON. June 3, 2014; and CAVP-ACPV annual meeting, Ottawa ON. June1, 2014.
Fournier D, Venne D, Lejeune M, Brash M. Oh my aching head. A broiler chicken’s tale of woe. WAPV Scientific Seminar. Banff, AB. Oct 7, 2014.
Hazlett MJ. Food Animal Diagnostic Pathology – Diseases of Swine. 4th year OVC students. Dec 11, 2014.
Martin E, Brash M, Reid A. White striping in breast muscles a.k.a. 'wooden breast'. OAPP meeting, Guelph ON. Nov27, 2014.
Maxie G, Alves D, Pasma T, McNab B. DSP – Disease Surveillance Program – the Ontario plan. CAHLN-RCTLSA annual mtg, OLF, Nepean, ON. June 2, 2014.
Maxie G, Cai H, Ojkic D, Slavic D, DeLay J, Barham M. Veterinary laboratory knowledge translation and transfer. AAVLD annual meeting. Kansas City, MO. Oct 18, 2014.
Maxie G, Fairles J, Ojkic D. PEDV and PDCoV: Canadian perspective. Laboratory Directors Committee, AAVLD annual meeting. Kansas City, MO. Oct 18, 2014.
McEwen BJ. Veterinary Forensic Pathology: I. State of veterinary pathology & Lessons learned from a precedent setting case. II Expectations of investigators & what to expect being an expert witness. III Asphyxia (non-drowning) & Méli-Mélo (aging of lesions, postmortem interval. Programme Annuel de Formation Continue, Les Laboratoires de Pathologie Vétérinaires, MAPAQ, St Hyacinthe, Quebec. October 26-27, 2014.
McEwen BJ. Veterinary Forensic Pathology. CAVP-ACPV Annual Meeting, Ottawa, ON. June 1, 2014.
McEwen BJ, DeLay J. Jugular Vein Lesions in Racehorses. International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida. May 25, 2014.
Ojkic D, Hazlett M, Fairles J, Marom A, Slavic D, Maxie G, Alexandersen S, Pasick J, Alsop J, Burlatschenko S. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Update. Mike Wilson Research Day. Arboretum, Guelph, ON. June 4, 2014.
Shapiro J. Malignant catarrhal fever in swine in eastern Ontario. CAVP-ACPV Annual Meeting, Ottawa, ON. June 1, 2014.
Sunohara-Neilson J, Nagy E, Brash M, Tapscott B, Turner PV. Development of diagnostic tests for Leporid herpesvirus 4 infection of Ontario Rabbits. 2014 Ontario Food Safety Research Forum, Guelph, ON. May 8, 2014.
Varga C. Brash M, Barham M. Ontario Poultry Health Update. 2014 Poultry Producer Updates, OMAFRA & PIC. Brodhagen, ON. Dec 10, 2014.
Zechel J, Cai, H. Honey bee testing at the Animal Health Laboratory. Ontario Beekeeper's Association Annual General Meeting, Markham, ON. Oral presentation. Nov 20-21, 2014.
Selected zoonotic pathogens and diseases from Ontario identified at the AHL, 2014
Beverly McEwen, Durda Slavic, Davor Ojkic, Josepha DeLay, Hugh Cai, Margaret Stalker, Murray Hazlett, Andrew Brooks, Kristiina Ruotsalo, Jan Shapiro
Many new, emerging, and re-emerging diseases of people are caused by pathogens originating from animals, or are shared between people and animals. The AHL plays an important role in public health by identifying zoonotic pathogens in about 1,000 cases annually (Tables 1 and 2). These are numerator data reliant upon submission biases to the diagnostic laboratory and cannot be regarded as population prevalence estimates. Monitoring programs are not included.
Table 1. Cases with selected zoonotic pathogens isolated and/or identified at the AHL, 2014
|
Agent |
Bovine |
Swine |
Equine |
Ovine |
Caprine |
Chicken |
Turkey |
Canine |
Feline |
Other |
2014 |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
2010 |
2009 |
|
Ascarids (T. canis, T. cati, T. leonina, Baylisascaris sp.) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
23 |
14 |
3 |
40 |
36 |
35 |
ND |
ND |
ND |
|
Blastomyces dermatitidis |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
3 |
22 |
17 |
10 |
10 |
5 |
10 |
|
Bordetella bronchiseptica |
0 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
7 |
28 |
24 |
33 |
43 |
54 |
60 |
|
Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), serology |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
11 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
Brucella sp. (non-abortus) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Campylobacter coli/ jejuni/ fetus subsp. fetus |
3 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
17 |
6 |
17 |
12 |
24 |
14 |
|
Chlamydophila sp. (C. abortus except 1 C. psittaci in a bird) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
15 |
25 |
33 |
39 |
58 |
29 |
|
Clostridium difficile |
1 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
11 |
19 |
40 |
31 |
24 |
|
Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) |
6 |
0 |
0 |
25 |
23 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
55 |
28 |
36 |
99 |
115 |
9 |
|
Cryptococcus sp. |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Cryptosporidium sp. |
155 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
186 |
206 |
141 |
147 |
157 |
128 |
|
Eastern equine encephalitis virus |
0 |
0 |
24 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
25 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
12 |
11 |
|
Giardia sp. |
8 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
30 |
10 |
0 |
50 |
48 |
26 |
31 |
60 |
55 |
|
Listeria monocytogenes |
12 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
23 |
15 |
18 |
18 |
19 |
18 |
|
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) |
0 |
2 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
17 |
8 |
24 |
49 |
74 |
36 |
|
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
45 |
0 |
0 |
45 |
141 |
114 |
192 |
ND |
ND |
|
Rabies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
8 |
|
Salmonella enterica |
70 |
68 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
34 |
20 |
2 |
0 |
20 |
221 |
308 |
281 |
256 |
256 |
281 |
|
Streptococcus suis |
23 |
76 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
105 |
126 |
144 |
106 |
110 |
120 |
|
Streptococcus equisimilis |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
34 |
45 |
59 |
48 |
43 |
|
Streptococcus zooepidemicus |
2 |
0 |
86 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
93 |
112 |
4 |
149 |
152 |
117 |
|
Toxoplasma sp. |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
18 |
11 |
8 |
24 |
22 |
19 |
|
Verotoxigenic E.coli (VTEC) |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
West Nile virus |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
6 |
44 |
36 |
34 |
7 |
6 |
|
Yersinia enterocolitica |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
Total |
287 |
166 |
137 |
69 |
56 |
36 |
20 |
136 |
43 |
60 |
1010 |
1236 |
1043 |
1315 |
1209 |
988 |
Table 2. Leptospira spp. seropositive and IHC positive cases identified at the AHL, 2014
|
Leptospira spp. serovar* |
Bovine |
Swine |
Equine |
Canine |
Other & not specified |
|
L. autumnalis |
17 |
1 |
11 |
33 |
1 |
|
L. bratislava |
23 |
3 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
|
L .canicola |
27 |
0 |
4 |
14 |
0 |
|
L. grippotyphosa |
7 |
1 |
3 |
25 |
0 |
|
L. hardjo |
24 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
|
L. icterohaemorrhagiae |
25 |
1 |
8 |
20 |
1 |
|
L. pomona |
33 |
1 |
6 |
14 |
1 |
|
IHC or urine PCR positive |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |