Bartonella henselae is the causative agent of cat scratch disease (CSD) in humans. Cats are the main reservoir of this bacterium and may infect humans through scratches and bites. The purpose of this study was to determine the B. henselae seroprevalence in cats in Turkey. A total of 298 cats blood samples were collected from six different provinces of Turkey. Sera were tested for the presence of anti-B. henselae IgG antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA). The seroprevalence of B. henselae was 27.9% (83/298) for the cats examined in this study. The seroprevalence of cats by province was significantly higher in Bursa (41.3%), Adana (33.9%), Aydin (27.5%) and Burdur (32.3%) than in Kayseri (17.9%) and Istanbul (12.5%). Statistically significant differences were not observed between cat sexes and living conditions of cats. The results revealed that B. henselae is an important zoonotic pathogen in Turkey.

The seroprevalence of Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii was investigated in stray urban dogs and shepherd and farm guard dogs from rural areas sampled from 10 provinces of Turkey. Sera from 855 dogs were examined for the presence of anti-B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody test. Overall, 56 (6.6%) of the 855 dogs examined, including 16 (3%) of the 522 stray dogs and 40 (12%) of the 333 rural dogs, were seropositive. This is the first report on prevalence of antibodies to B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii in dogs in Turkey.

Background: Malignant mammary tumors in humans and bitches cause hematological disorders such as anemia, erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis, hyperproteinemia, and leucopenia. Novel studies have been conducted on the predictive and prognostic values of platelet (PLT) indices in human breast cancer (HBC). However, there is little information about the alterations in hematological parameters in canine mammary tumors (CMTs). The aims of this study were to evaluate the platelet indices and complete blood count (CBC) parameters in bitches with and without mammary tumor and to assess the above mentioned parameters with regard to histological tumor types and grades.Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 71 bitches were enrolled in this study. The bitches in the study group were divided into 2 groups which consisted of malignant epithelial mammary tumors (group EMT; n = 43) and malignant mixed mammary tumors (group MMT; n = 12). Control group (group C) consisted of clinically and gynaecologically healthy 16 bitches. Blood samples were obtained to perform the CBC and PLT indices analysis. Histopathological examinations were carried out under a light microscope. Histological tumor types and malignancy grades were classified. The bitches with mammary tumor showed significantly increased PLT values and decreased hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin (HGB) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) values versus the healthy ones, regardless of the tumor type. However, in comparisons with the group C, mean platelet volume (MPV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values were different only in the group MMT, while plateletcrit (PCT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values were different only in the group EMT. Also white blood cell (WBC), PLT and PCT values were higher than the referenced laboratory ranges in grade 3 tumors. In the presented study, MPV was considerably correlated with PLT, platelet distribution width (PDW) and PCT. Also, PCT and PLT had high sensitivity and specificity to distinct EMT and MMT from the healthy bitches.Discussion: Microcytic and hypochromic anemia occurs due to the decrease in the amount of HGB. Levels of MCV, MCH, and MCHC in the HBC group were reported to be significantly lower than in humans without breast cancer. Although anemia did not occur in EMT and MMT groups, obtained significances in the HCT, HGB, MCV, MCH, and MCHC levels between the bitches with and without mammary tumor were in line with the previous reports. In this study, WBC levels in grade 3 tumors were significantly higher than grade1 tumors (P < 0.05). Whereas levels of WBC in grade 1 and grade 2 tumors were in referenced laboratory ranges, it was higher in grade 3. Increased level of WBC in grade 3 was supposed to be due to the rise in malignancy as previously reported. Thrombocytosis was detected in 48.83% and 41.66% of the bitches in EMT and MMT groups, respectively. The higher percentage of CMTs with thrombocytosis in this study might be due to the difference in referenced upper limit of PLT in previous studies. The elapsed time between tumor formation and clinical presentation could be another influencing factor. Although PLT and PCT values were not significant according to the histological grading in this study, both parameters were found to be higher in grade 3 than the normal reference values. Further studies conducted with higher populations may lead the differences in these parameters to significance. With the support of further studies, alterations in the above mentioned parameters in bitches may contribute in the diagnosis process, management of treatment and may constitute an easy way to have an idea about the prognosis of mammary tumors.

Inflammation-induced oxidative stress in macrophages and microglia is associated with excessive production of reactive oxygen species, initiating a damaging cycle of neuroinflammation and cellular injury. These processes are significant contributors to the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders, which involve neuronal dysfunction, cell loss, and behavioral impairments. Under conditions of oxidative stress, activated microglia release pro-inflammatory mediators, further intensifying neuronal damage. Bismuth subsalicylate (BSS), a compound with well-documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has shown potential in mitigating such neurodegenerative processes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of BSS in reducing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in a propionic acid (PPA)-induced autism model, alongside its impact on behavioral outcomes. The study utilized 30 male Wistar albino rats, with PPA administered intraperitoneally at 250 mg/kg/day for 5 days to induce an autism-like phenotype. Rats were divided into three groups: Group 1 (Normal control, n = 10); Group 2 (PPA + saline, PPAS, n = 10); and Group 3 (PPA + BSS, PPAB, n = 10). Treatments were administered for 15 days. Behavioral performance was assessed through three-chamber sociability, open field, and passive avoidance learning tests, followed by biochemical and histological evaluations of brain tissues. Biochemical analysis revealed a significant increase in malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-17 levels in the PPAS group, indicating heightened oxidative stress and inflammation. Treatment notably reduced these markers, suggesting its efficacy in mitigating oxidative damage and inflammatory responses. Immunohistochemical results demonstrated reduced glial activation and enhanced neuronal preservation in the hippocampal and cerebellar regions of treated rats. Additionally, behavioral impairments in social interaction, exploration, and memory were significantly improved with BSS therapy. These results suggest that BSS may confer neuroprotective effects through attenuation of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, potentially contributing to improved neuronal function and behavioral performance in a PPA-induced autism model.