Feline morbillivirus (FeMV) is a newly discovered paramyxovirus infecting domestic cats and its role in the pathogenesis of feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been suggested, however not confirmed. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the renal damage associated with FeMV infection in cats. In this retrospective study, clinical and clinicopathological data were compared among 14 FeMV naturally infected, 21 CKD and 22 healthy cats. FeMV positive cats had serum chemistry analytes and main urine chemistry results similar to the healthy subjects. FeMV positive cats had significantly decreased urine specific gravity (median 1054, range 1022–1065) and urine creatinine (median 227.23 mg/dL, range 83.02–489.75) when compared with healthy cats (median 1067, range 1040–1080, p < 0.001; median 406.50 mg/dL, range 195.32–575.58; p < 0.001, respectively). Urine protein:creatinine ratio (UPC) results of FeMV and CKD were not different (median 0.20, range 0.08–1.03; median 0.23, range 0.10–0.80, respectively), however UPC results were significantly increased in both groups, if compared with healthy cats (median 0.1, range 0.04–0.250, p < 0.01). Based on clinical data, serum creatinine concentration, urine specific gravity and UPC results, CKD was suspected by clinicians in 3/14 FeMV cats. Urine protein sodium-dodecyl-sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) in 10/13 (77%) FeMV cats indicated a tubular pattern, with a decrease of uromodulin and an increase in the number and intensity of low molecular weight proteins. FeMV infection can be associated with different grades of renal dysfunction ranging from mild tubular proteinuria with less concentrated urine to azotemia in cats younger than those typically affected by CKD.

Mammary carcinomas are the most common neoplasms observed in women and in female dogs. Canine mammary tumors show epidemiological, clinical, genetic, and prognostic characteristics comparable to human breast cancers. The recent introduction of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has greatly improved research and diagnostics for humans, while these new tools still need to be implemented in animal models. In this study we developed and validated an AmpliSeq Panel assay for the identification of BRCA variants in twenty-two different dogs. The amplicon mean coverage was 5499× and uniformity was higher than 98% in all samples. The results of germline single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and insertions/deletions (INDELs) were fully concordant regardless of the types of samples considered (blood, fresh and FFPE tissues). Moreover, despite the high DNA degradation observed in older FFPE blocks (>5 years), the assay allowed full coverage of all amplicons for downstream analyses. We consider the NGS panel developed in this study as a useful tool for expanding information on BRCA genes in the veterinary field and for human health from a comparative oncology perspective.

In this study, starting from nucleic acids purified from the brain tissue, Nanopore technology was used to identify the etiological agent of severe neurological signs observed in a cow which was immediately slaughtered. Histological examination revealed acute non-suppurative encephalomyelitis affecting the brainstem, cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata, while by using PCR-based assays, the nucleic acids of major agents for neurological signs were not detected. By using Nanopore technology, 151 sequence reads were assigned to Bovine Astrovirus (BoAstV). Real-time RT-PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH) confirmed the presence of viral RNA in the brain. Moreover, using the combination of fluorescent ISH and immunofluorescence (IF) techniques, it was possible to detect BoAstV RNA and antigens in the same cells, suggesting the active replication of the virus in infected neurons. The nearly whole genome of the occurring strain (BoAstV PE3373/2019/Italy), obtained by Illumina NextSeq 500, showed the highest nucleotide sequence identity (94.11%) with BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 26,730 strain, an encephalitis-associated bovine astrovirus. Here, we provide further evidence of the role of AstV as a neurotropic agent. Considering that in a high proportion of non-suppurative encephalitis cases, which are mostly indicative of a viral infection, the etiologic agent remains unknown, our result underscores the value and versatility of Nanopore technology for a rapid diagnosis when the PCR-based algorithm gives negative results.