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Background Pathogenesis of canine fungal rhinitis is still not fully understood. Treatment remains challenging, after cure turbinate destruction may be associated with persistent clinical signs and recurrence of fungal rhinitis can occur. Alterations of the nasal microbiota have been demonstrated in dogs with chronic idiopathic rhinitis and nasal neoplasia, although whether they play a role in the pathogenesis or are a consequence of the disease is still unknown. The objectives of the present study were (1) to describe nasal microbiota alterations associated with fungal rhinitis in dogs, compared with chronic idiopathic rhinitis and controls, (2) to characterize the nasal microbiota modifications associated with successful treatment of fungal rhinitis. Forty dogs diagnosed with fungal rhinitis, 14 dogs with chronic idiopathic rhinitis and 29 healthy control dogs were included. Nine of the fungal rhinitis dogs were resampled after successful treatment with enilconazole infusion. Results Only disease status contributed significantly to the variability of the microbiota. The relative abundance of the genus Moraxella was decreased in the fungal rhinitis (5.4 ± 18%) and chronic idiopathic rhinitis (4.6 ± 8.7%) groups compared to controls (51.8 ± 39.7%). Fungal rhinitis and chronic idiopathic rhinitis groups also showed an increased richness and α-diversity at species level compared with controls. Increase in unique families were associated with fungal rhinitis (Staphyloccaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Neisseriaceae) and chronic idiopathic rhinitis (Pasteurellaceae and Lactobacillaceae). In dogs with fungal rhinitis at cure, only 1 dog recovered a high relative abundance of Moraxellaceae. Conclusions Results confirm major alterations of the nasal microbiota in dogs affected with fungal rhinitis and chronic idiopathic rhinitis, consisting mainly in a decrease of  Moraxella . Besides, a specific dysbiotic profile further differentiated fungal rhinitis from chronic idiopathic rhinitis. In dogs with fungal rhinitis, whether the NM returns to its pre-infection state or progresses toward chronic idiopathic rhinitis or fungal rhinitis recurrence warrants further investigation.

Background Fungal rhinosinusitis in cats is an uncommon condition with sparse literature regarding the presentation, causative agents, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis within the UK. Hypothesis/Objectives To describe and report the presenting clinical signs, diagnostic imaging findings, treatment approach, and outcome of cats diagnosed with fungal rhinosinusitis in the UK. Animals Thirty‐four client‐owned cats were diagnosed with fungal rhinosinusitis. Methods Retrospective multicenter observational study. Cases presenting at 10 UK referral centers between January 2013 and December 2022 were retrospectively recruited. Results Median duration of clinical signs was 3 months (0.5‐42‐months). The most common signs were sneezing (27/34, 79%) and nasal discharge (21/34, 62%). Turbinate lysis was present in 27/34 cases (79%) and always involved the caudal nasal cavity. Osteolysis of the frontal bone, orbit, or cribriform plate was observed in 16/34 cases (47%). At least two tests from fungal culture, panfungal PCR, and histopathology were performed in all cases, and in 8/34 cases (24%) only one was positive. The treatment approach varied, with debridement, topical clotrimazole, and systemic azole therapy used alone or in various combinations, and repeat treatment occurred in 9/34 cases (26%). Clinical remission > 90 days after treatment was found in 9/24 cases (38%), but case fatality rates were low, with 3/34 cases (9%) dying with clinical disease during available follow‐up. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Fungal rhinosinusitis should be considered in cats of any age with clinical signs of nasal disease. The prognosis from this data appears guarded for cats with fungal rhinosinusitis, with less than 50% of cats achieving long‐term clinical remission.

The role of bacterial communities in canine nasal disease has not been studied so far using next generation sequencing methods. Sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes has revealed that the canine upper respiratory tract harbors a diverse microbial community; however, changes in the composition of nasal bacterial communities in dogs with nasal disease have not been described so far. Aim of the study was to characterize the nasal microbiome of healthy dogs and compare it to that of dogs with histologically confirmed nasal neoplasia and chronic rhinitis. Nasal swabs were collected from healthy dogs (n = 23), dogs with malignant nasal neoplasia (n = 16), and dogs with chronic rhinitis (n = 8). Bacterial DNA was extracted and sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was performed. Data were analyzed using Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME). A total of 376 Operational Taxonomic Units out of 26 bacterial phyla were detected. In healthy dogs, Moraxella spp. was the most common species, followed by Phyllobacterium spp., Cardiobacteriaceae, and Staphylococcus spp. While Moraxella spp. were significantly decreased in diseased compared to healthy dogs (p = 0.005), Pasteurellaceae were significantly increased (p = 0.001). Analysis of similarities used on the unweighted UniFrac distance metric (p = 0.027) was significantly different when nasal microbial communities of healthy dogs were compared to those of dogs with nasal disease. The study showed that the canine nasal cavity is inhabited by a highly species-rich bacterial community, and suggests significant differences between the nasal microbiome of healthy dogs and dogs with nasal disease.

Background Although feline nasal and nasopharyngeal diseases (NNDs) often require advanced tests under general anaesthesia for definitive diagnosis, not all patients can undergo them. Objectives This study aimed to construct diagnostic prediction models for feline NNDs in Japan using noninvasive examinations, signalment and history. Methods Seventy‐nine cats diagnosed with NNDs, including representative diseases in Japan—nasal and nasopharyngeal tumours (NNT), rhinitis (RS) and nasopharyngeal stenosis (NPS)—were retrospectively investigated to construct prediction models (model group, GM). Thirty‐nine cats diagnosed were prospectively investigated to validate their efficacy (validation group, GV). Three predictive models were developed: Models 1 and 2 were manually constructed, with Model 1 designed to predict NNT, RS and NPS individually and Model 2 distinguishing between these diseases. Model 3 was constructed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression. Sensitivity, indicating the ability to identify cases of each disease, and specificity, reflecting the ability to exclude other diseases, were used to assess performance. Results In Model 1 of the GV, the sensitivity and specificity for NNT, RS and NPS were 1.00 and 0.73, 0.62 and 0.96 and 0.78 and 0.97, respectively. In Model 2 of the GV, the values were 0.94 and 0.86 for NNT, 0.77 and 0.92 for RS and 0.75 and 0.94 for NPS. In Model 3 of the GV, they were 0.94 and 0.05 for NNT, 0.25 and 1.00 for RS and 0.13 and 0.84 for NPS. Conclusions The diagnostic prediction models, particularly Models 1 and 2, could help estimate whether advanced tests are necessary. This study aimed to construct a diagnostic prediction model for feline nasal and nasopharyngeal diseases (NNDs) representative in Japan as nasal and nasopharyngeal tumours, rhinitis and nasopharyngeal stenosis using noninvasive examinations, signalment and history. A total of 79 cats diagnosed with NND were retrospectively investigated to construct the 3 types of prediction models, and 39 cats diagnosed were prospectively investigated to validate their efficacy. The diagnostic prediction models, particularly Models 1 and 2, could help estimate whether advanced tests are necessary.

A female Swainson's toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii) was presented for examination with a 2-year history of mucoid nasal discharge and abnormal growth of the rhamphotheca. Nasal cytologic examination and culture results were consistent with mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacterial rhinitis. Radiographic and computed tomographic imaging demonstrated a deviated septum of the nasal diverticulum and multiple soft tissue densities in the caudal aspects of the maxillary and mandibular infraorbital diverticula of the infraorbital sinus. Results of rhinoscopy and biopsy confirmed bacterial rhinitis. Treatment included multiple nasal lavages with saline, gentamicin, and amphotericin B and systemic ciprofloxacin and tobramycin nebulizations for several weeks. Repeat radiographic imaging 4 years later showed resolution of most soft tissue opacities previously observed within the maxillary and mandibular diverticula but persistence of 3 areas of soft tissue, dense material within the maxillary sinus diverticulum. A sinus trephination procedure was performed through the maxillary bone for sinoscopy and sample collection and topical treatment. Results of aerobic bacterial cultures from the granulomas were negative. Biopsy results were consistent with keratin granulomas without bacterial or fungal infection. Two and a half years after trephination, the surgical site was fully healed with no recurrence of the nasal discharge. This is the first report, to our knowledge, of sinus trephination in a toucan and describes the advanced diagnostic and medical and surgical treatment of chronic rhinitis in this case.

Corynebacterium ulcerans (toxigenic C. ulcerans) produces the diphtheria toxin, which causes pharyngeal and cutaneous diphtheria-like disease in people, and this bacterium is commonly detected in dogs and cats that are reared at home. It is considered dangerous when a carrier animal becomes the source of infection in people. To investigate the carrier situation of toxigenic C. ulcerans of cats bred in Japan, bacteria were isolated from 37 cats with a primary complaint of rhinitis in 16 veterinary hospitals in Osaka. Toxigenic C. ulcerans was detected in two of the cats. By drug sensitivity testing, the detected bacterium was sensitive to all investigated drugs, except clindamycin. It appears necessary to create awareness regarding toxigenic C. ulcerans infection in pet owners because this bacterium is believed to be the causative organism for rhinitis in cats.

We describe a novel heterothallic species in Aspergillus section Fumigati, namely A. felis (neosartorya-morph) isolated from three host species with invasive aspergillosis including a human patient with chronic invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, domestic cats with invasive fungal rhinosinusitis and a dog with disseminated invasive aspergillosis. Disease in all host species was often refractory to aggressive antifungal therapeutic regimens. Four other human isolates previously reported as A. viridinutans were identified as A. felis on comparative sequence analysis of the partial β-tubulin and/or calmodulin genes. A. felis is a heterothallic mold with a fully functioning reproductive cycle, as confirmed by mating-type analysis, induction of teleomorphs within 7 to 10 days in vitro and ascospore germination. Phenotypic analyses show that A. felis can be distinguished from the related species A. viridinutans by its ability to grow at 45°C and from A. fumigatus by its inability to grow at 50°C. Itraconazole and voriconazole cross-resistance was common in vitro.

Sinusitis is a common finding in avian species; however, it presents unique treatment challenges in ratites. A 6-yr-old male greater rhea (Rhea americana) presented acutely with right infraorbital sinus swelling and chemosis. Oral antibiotics were prescribed based on bacterial culture results with incomplete resolution of clinical signs. A computed tomography scan of the skull demonstrated a mixed-density soft tissue mass with extensive destruction of the right nasal bone, hard palate, maxilla, and frontal bone. The affected tissue was surgically resected and histopathology was consistent with inspissated necrotic tissue. Aerobic culture of the mass grew a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and was treated with amikacin. Ten months postsurgery, no further clinical signs were observed. Advanced diagnostic imaging with computed tomography and surgical therapy facilitated complete resolution of this resistant bacterial sinusitis in a species that is not typically amenable to frequent handling and restraint.

Streptococcus suis ( S. suis ) and Pasteurella multocida ( P. multocida ) are pathogens that can cause zoonotic diseases. P . multocida toxin (PMT) is an important virulence factor that causes atrophic rhinitis in pigs. Suilysin (Sly) is an extracellular protein of S. suis and has been shown to be a potential adjuvant. Previous studies have indicated that subunit vaccines containing several fragments of PMT as antigens are safer than traditional inactivated or live-attenuated vaccines. However, protein-based vaccines need strong adjuvants to enhance their immunogenicity. In this study, recombinant PMT-NC (rPMT-NC) protein antigen was formulated with either recombinant Sly (rSly) or CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG) as the adjuvant. The immune responses elicited by these vaccines and the protective efficacy after challenge with live P. multocida were evaluated in piglets. In the dose-dependent test, piglets immunized with the low dose (100 µg) of rSly had increased antigen-specific total IgG, interferon (IFN)-γ gene expression, and CD4 + and CD8 + T-cell populations. Compared to piglets in the commercial (Al-gel) adjuvant and the control groups ( p  < 0.05), piglets in the biological adjuvant groups showed significantly reduced turbinate atrophy, nasal distortion, and lung lesion scores after challenge with P. multocida serotype A. Vaccines containing rSly or CpG adjuvant enhanced humoral and cellular immune responses and protection against P. multocida . This combination of a protein-based antigen formulated with a biological adjuvant showed synergistic and protective effects against atrophic rhinitis and has potential to be developed as part of a bivalent vaccine.

Although nasal masses are uncommon in sheep and may have several causes, including neoplasia and bacterial, fungal and viral infections, these lesions may lead to economic losses resulting from weight loss and even death. It is therefore important to differentiate between various categories of upper respiratory tract obstructions and lower respiratory tract infections. The correct aetiological diagnosis of obstructive masses is essential for appropriate treatment and management to be given or action to be taken. The presentation, clinical signs, treatment and pathology of a case of suspected mycotic rhinitis in a 6-year-old Mutton Merino ewe, are described.