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The aim of this review is to provide a review of the immune system in fish, including the ontogeny, mechanisms of unspecific and acquired immunity and the action of some immunomodulators. Fish rely on their innate immune system for an extended period of time, beginning at the early stages of embryogenesis. The components of the innate immune response are divided into physical, cellular and humoral factors and include humoral and cellular receptor molecules that are soluble in plasma and other body fluids. The lymphoid organs found in fish include the thymus, spleen and kidney. Immunoglobulins are the principal components of the immune response against pathogenic organisms. Immunomodulatory products, including nucleotides, glucans and probiotics, are increasingly used in aquaculture production. The use of these products reduces the need for therapeutic treatments, enhances the effects of vaccines and, in turn, improves the indicators of production.

En la trombocitopenia autoinmune primaria hay formación de autoanticuerpos contra las membranas plaquetarias causando destrucción plaquetaria esplénica y compromiso clínico consistente en petequias, hemorragias y trombocitopenia. Cuando falla el manejo médico con corticoides e inmunoglobulinas está indicada la realización de esplenectomía, que funciona para remisión parcial de la enfermedad persistente. Realizar la esplenectomía hace necesario el estudio de un bazo accesorio o material esplénico recurrente, que comúnmente se asocia con la pobre respuesta a tratamiento y recaídas de la enfermedad. Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 27 años y antecedentes de trombocitopenia autoinmune primaria quien requirió esplenectomía, con adecuada evolución postoperatoria y remisión de los síntomas por dos años. Posteriormente, presentó recaída clínica y paraclínica, con plaquetas en 11 000 cel/uL, en contexto de trombocitopenia severa sintomática, presencia de gingivorragia, petequias en los miembros inferiores y el abdomen. Se realizó búsqueda activa de bazo supernumerario por medio de estudios complementarios, los cuales evidenciaron bazo accesorio localizado en el ligamento gastro cólico, que fue resecado por vía laparoscópica, con adecuada respuesta y remisión sintomática de la trombocitopenia autoinmune primaria refractaria. En pacientes esplenectomizados con púrpura trombocitopénica idiopática que tengan recaída de su enfermedad se requiere búsqueda activa de bazos supernumerarios, puesto que es una causa frecuente de su reaparición.

Innate nonself recognition must rely on common structures of invading microbes. In a differential display screen for up-regulated immune genes in the moth Trichoplusia ni we have found mechanisms for recognition of bacterial cell wall fragments. One bacteria-induced gene encodes a protein that, after expression in the baculovirus system, was shown to be a peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP). It binds strongly to Gram-positive bacteria. We have also cloned the corresponding cDNA from mouse and human and shown this gene to be expressed in a variety of organs, notably organs of the immune system-i.e., bone marrow and spleen. In addition, purified recombinant murine PGRP was shown to possess peptidoglycan affinity. From our results and the sequence homology, we conclude that PGRP is a ubiquitous protein involved in innate immunity, conserved from insects to humans

The spleen is one of the most susceptible organs to primary tumours, metastasis, and a wide range of diseases of the hematopoietic system. Therefore, detailed assessment of the spleen is of great importance in veterinary medicine, especially in dogs, due to their economic and sentimental value, and as an experimental model in human medicine. Considering the recent advances in diagnostic imaging in companion animals, this review aims to describe the applicability of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography (qualitative and quantitative), Doppler, and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for evaluating the spleen in dogs. The ARFI elastography is a recent ultrasound method that can provide reference values and aid in the diagnosis and evaluation of splenic abnormalities routinely encountered in veterinary practice. Conventional ultrasonographyof the spleen combined with haemodynamic analysis by Doppler and contrast enhanced ultrasonography is an important tool in diagnosis and triage.

Acute toxicity tests were carried out in order to assess the effect of cypermethrin on rainbow trout. Results of haematological, biochemical and histopathological tissue examinations of control and experimental groups exposed to Alimetrine 10 EM pesticide preparation (active substance 100 g/L of cypermethrin) were compared. An acute semistatical toxicity test lasting 96 h was performed on rainbow trout juveniles. The 96hLC50 value of Alimethrine 10 EM was 31.4 microg/L. In comparison with control animals, the experimental group showed significantly higher values of plasma ammonia, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and lactate, and significantly lower values of alkaline phosphatase. A significant decrease in counts of developmental forms of myeloid sequence and segmented neutrophile granulocytes was found in the experimental group. Teleangioectasiae of secondary gill lamellae and degeneration of hepatocytes were observed. No histopathological changes were demonstrated in skin, spleen, cranial and caudal kidney tissues. The cypermethrine-based Alimethrinee 10 EM pesticide preparation was classified as a substance strongly toxic for fish.

Life-history traits and secondary sexual characters often demonstrate condition-dependence, and reproductive success thus ultimately appears to be determined by condition. Here we test the hypothesis that anti-parasite defence is condition-dependent and thus ultimately limits fitness. Animal hosts defend themselves against parasites by an efficient immune system that changes its activity level depending on level of infection. Since immune function is costly, as demonstrated by several field studies, we predicted that large immune defence organs should be maintained when the costs of an elevated immune response were reduced, or when the benefits were increased. Hence, the size of immune defence organs was predicted to increase in response to disease due to increased benefits of investment in immune function, and the size was predicted to increase in response to high body condition because of reduced costs of investment in immune function. A comparative study of birds demonstrated that the size of the spleen was significantly increased among individuals suffering from parasitic infections and signs of disease as compared to healthy individuals. Furthermore, we found evidence for a positive association between spleen size and body condition. These findings are consistent with the hypothesised cost of immune function and hence a cost of anti-parasite defence.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of game mammals (roe deer, red deer, wild boar) and ticks in the circulation of some pathogens (genera Anaplasma, Bartonella, Theileria, Babesia) in north-western Poland. PCR was used to identify DNA sequences isolated from the blood and spleen of game animals and from Ixodes ricinus. Our results showed that roe and red deer played an important role in the life cycle of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, two Bartonella species, Theileria and Babesia spp, whereas in the isolates obtained from 50 wild boars, the DNA of only one pathogen, A. phagocytophilum, occurred. In total, 63.5% of 74 PCR+ isolates from roe deer showed a double coinfection and three isolates showed a triple coinfection. In the tissues of red deer, the coinfections were triple in 38% of individuals, double in 40%, single in 84%.

We examined 305 pheasants from six flocks as well as 70 other birds belonging to 14 species and 97 other vertebrates caught in a closed area. We also investigated the prevalence of mycobacteria in non-vertebrates (earthworms) and soil in two pheasant flocks. Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (M. a. avium) was isolated in four flocks from 17 pheasants. In one M. a. avium-infected pheasant co-infection with M. a. hominissuis was diagnosed. Granulomatous inflammatory lesions were observed in liver and spleen in only four M. a. avium-infected pheasants originating from two flocks. From the other 38 pheasants other mycobacterial species were isolated, such as M. fortuitum, M. terrae, M. triviale, M. chelonae, M. scrofulaceum, M. smegmatis, M. flavescens, M. diernhoferi and non-identifiable mycobacterial species. In the group of 70 birds of other species, we identified M. a. avium in two (2.9%) goshawks (Accipiter gentilis). We did not isolate M. a. avium from any of the other 97 vertebrates, the 391 environmental samples or 97 earthworms.

We investigated the basal expression of chicken IFNgamma, IL-18, IL-1beta, LITAF, IL-12p35, IL-12p40, iNOS, IL-17, IL-15, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-22 in the ileum, caecum, colon, liver, spleen, lungs, blood and magnum of hens using real time PCR. We show that IL-18, LITAF and IL-15 were highly expressed in most tissues while IL-6 and IL-17 were usually expressed at a low level. IL-17 and IL-22 were expressed mainly in the lungs and intestinal tract and both subunits of IL-12 were produced in the liver. Unusually high expression of iNOS was observed in the blood which may explain the rapid increase in iNOS at inflamed sites in chickens. The second unexpected expression profile was that of IL-18 and IL-6 in magnum. These two cytokines were highly expressed in magnum in the absence of any infection pointing to an important, though as yet uncharacterised, physiological role in the reproductive tract of hens.