ABSTRACTCryptococcus neoformansis an opportunistic fungal pathogen that initiates infection follo... more ABSTRACTCryptococcus neoformansis an opportunistic fungal pathogen that initiates infection following inhalation. As a result, the pulmonary immune response provides a first line of defense againstC. neoformans. Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is an important regulator of pulmonary immune responses and is typically host protective against bacterial and viral respiratory infections. However, SP-D is not protective againstC. neoformans. This is evidenced by previous work from our laboratory demonstrating that SP-D-deficient mice infected withC. neoformanshave a lower fungal burden and live longer than wild-type (WT) control animals. We hypothesized that SP-D alters susceptibility toC. neoformansby dysregulating the innate pulmonary immune response following infection. Thus, inflammatory cells and cytokines were compared in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from WT and SP-D−/−mice afterC. neoformansinfection. Postinfection, mice lacking SP-D have reduced eosinophil infiltration and interleu...
Husbandry staff noticed a research-naïve, young-adult, female finch tossing its head back intermi... more Husbandry staff noticed a research-naïve, young-adult, female finch tossing its head back intermittently. A second finch exhibiting similar signs was reported a few days later. Postmortem necropsy and histopathology with hematoxylin and eosin and acid-fast staining on the first finch revealed the presence of acid-fast organisms in several organs. After presumptive diagnosis of mycobacteriosis, all remaining finches housed in the same room as the first underwent necropsy and histology. Three additional finches were positive for Mycobacterium-like acid-fast organisms. Incidental findings of megabacteriosis were noted histopathologically on 2 other finches.
ABSTRACTCryptococcus neoformansis an opportunistic fungal pathogen that initiates infection follo... more ABSTRACTCryptococcus neoformansis an opportunistic fungal pathogen that initiates infection following inhalation. As a result, the pulmonary immune response provides a first line of defense againstC. neoformans. Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is an important regulator of pulmonary immune responses and is typically host protective against bacterial and viral respiratory infections. However, SP-D is not protective againstC. neoformans. This is evidenced by previous work from our laboratory demonstrating that SP-D-deficient mice infected withC. neoformanshave a lower fungal burden and live longer than wild-type (WT) control animals. We hypothesized that SP-D alters susceptibility toC. neoformansby dysregulating the innate pulmonary immune response following infection. Thus, inflammatory cells and cytokines were compared in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from WT and SP-D−/−mice afterC. neoformansinfection. Postinfection, mice lacking SP-D have reduced eosinophil infiltration and interleu...
Husbandry staff noticed a research-naïve, young-adult, female finch tossing its head back intermi... more Husbandry staff noticed a research-naïve, young-adult, female finch tossing its head back intermittently. A second finch exhibiting similar signs was reported a few days later. Postmortem necropsy and histopathology with hematoxylin and eosin and acid-fast staining on the first finch revealed the presence of acid-fast organisms in several organs. After presumptive diagnosis of mycobacteriosis, all remaining finches housed in the same room as the first underwent necropsy and histology. Three additional finches were positive for Mycobacterium-like acid-fast organisms. Incidental findings of megabacteriosis were noted histopathologically on 2 other finches.
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