Browsing by Author "Bestbier M"

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    Anal fibropapillomas containing bovine papillomavirus type 2 DNA in two groups of heifers
    (Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, 11/06/2018) Munday JS; Cullum AA; Thomson NA; Bestbier M; McCormack T; Julian AF
    CASE HISTORY Anal warts were observed in heifers in two unrelated groups of animals. Heifers in one group developed visible warts 4 months after manual rectal examination and heifers in the other group developed warts 5 months after examination using a hand-held rectal ultrasound probe. CLINICAL FINDINGS Large exophytic proliferative anal masses were observed in 5/15 (33%) heifers in one group and 13/149 (9%) heifers in the second group. Heifers in the second group were also noted to have similar masses on the underside of the tail at sites previously used for venepuncture and some of the heifers had skin warts. Despite the large size of the anal masses, none of the heifers showed clinical signs of systemic illness. HISTOPATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS An anal mass was removed from one heifer in each of the two groups. Sections from both masses showed hyperplastic epithelium covering a proliferation of well-differentiated fibroblasts consistent with fibropapillomas. Small numbers of cells within the epidermis had clear cytoplasm with clumped keratohyalin granules. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) type 2 DNA was amplified from both fibropapillomas by PCR. DIAGNOSIS Multiple anal fibropapillomas associated with BPV-2. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Bovine anal fibropapillomas have only been reported in heifers that have undergone rectal examination, and infection of anal microabrasions in an immunologically naïve animal appears to be associated with disease development. The source and method of spread of BPV-2 within these groups could not be determined. However spread of BPV-2 within the groups by the veterinarian performing rectal examinations may have been most likely. While these fibropapillomas had a dramatic appearance, like fibropapillomas elsewhere on the body, they did not have any significant effect on the health of the affected heifers. As these lesions can be diagnosed by clinical examination and self-resolve without treatment, it is important that veterinarians are aware of this rare manifestation of papillomavirus infection of cattle.
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    Investigation of post-vaccinal canine distemper involving the Rockborn-like strain in nine puppies in New Zealand
    (Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, 2025-04-09) Gulliver E; Taylor H; Eames M; Chernyavtseva A; Jauregui R; Wilson A; Bestbier M; O’Connell J; Buckle K; Castillo-Alcala F
    Case history: This report details investigations into nine cases of neurological disease and/or sudden death in 8–13-week-old puppies between 2021 and 2024. Aside from two pairs of littermates, cases were unrelated. The puppies had an onset of clinical signs 9–23 days following at least one “on-label” dose of a commercially available quadrivalent vaccine containing live attenuated canine distemper virus (CDV). Clinical findings: Eight of the nine cases displayed signs typical of “classic distemper,” including seizures, circling, tremors, hypersalivation, progressive neurological deficits, pyrexia, and/or respiratory and gastrointestinal signs. Pathological and molecular investigations were undertaken in eight cases. Mononuclear/lymphohistiocytic encephalitis or meningoencephalitis with or without neuronal intranuclear inclusion bodies was present in seven cases. Five cases had bronchopneumonia. Other lesions included poliomyelitis, necrotising enteritis and myocardial necrosis or myocarditis. PCR for CDV was positive on tissues from seven cases, and immunohistochemistry for CDV was positive on neural tissues in six cases. Whole genome sequencing of PCR amplicons demonstrated a Rockborn-like strain with 99.9% homogeneity between samples from four cases and a vial of vaccine. Diagnosis: Based on the combination of case history, pathological findings, molecular test results and/or whole genome sequencing, a diagnosis of post-vaccinal canine distemper was confirmed in six cases and presumed in two. Clinical relevance: Outbreaks of canine distemper have been stemmed by widespread vaccination starting in the mid-twentieth century. Consequently, confirmed cases of natural CDV have not been reported in New Zealand since an outbreak in the 1980s, and CDV is considered a “notifiable organism” as per the Biosecurity Act 1993. This is the first case series to report genomic investigation of post-vaccinal canine distemper in New Zealand puppies and highlights a rare adverse event associated with routine vaccination. Our results suggest that puppies with neurological, respiratory and/or gastrointestinal disease with an onset within 6 weeks of vaccination with live attenuated CDV should be reported and investigated accordingly.