Marina L Leis’s research while affiliated with University of Saskatchewan and other places

Reports regarding curricula in ophthalmology across veterinary schools are not currently available. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the number of contact hours and approaches to teaching ophthalmology in the curriculum of English-speaking veterinary schools worldwide. An online survey was distributed to 51 veterinary colleges in North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean. Questions pertained to hours dedicated to didactic and laboratory-based instruction, species used, final-year rotations, in-person compared with online instruction, and effective and less effective approaches to teaching veterinary ophthalmology. Descriptive statistics of the quantitative survey responses and a thematic analysis of the open-ended responses were conducted, respectively. A 71% ( n = 36/51) response rate was recorded, and the average number of American or European board-certified ophthalmologist instructors per veterinary college was 2.33. Total didactic contact hours varied from 6 to 63 hours ( M = 25.6 ± 15.7 hours), and total laboratory contact hours varied from 0 to 153 hours ( M = 25.47 ± 38.17 hours), mainly occurring in the fourth year. Dogs were the most used species in surgical exercises (40%). Final-year rotations occurred in 88% of schools, and 88% of instruction was conducted in person across all schools. Case-based learning, review of basic sciences, and use of video were identified as effective didactic teaching strategies by 72% (26/36), 47% (17/36), and 31% (11/36) of schools, respectively. This report can serve as a reference for future studies guiding curricular delivery in veterinary ophthalmology.

Background The majority of primary, intraocular tumors in cats originate from the uvea and include feline diffuse iris melanoma, lymphoma, and iridociliary epithelial adenoma or adenocarcinoma. In this case report, we describe for the first time the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical findings of a rare myxoid intraocular neoplasm arising from the ciliary body in a cat. Case presentation A 14-year-old, female, spayed domestic shorthaired cat was presented for evaluation of discolouration of the right eye. Upon examination, a clear to light whitish-tan, bubble-shaped intraocular mass adherent to the inferior ciliary body and extending into the anterior chamber was noted. Within five weeks, the tumor was significantly larger and the eye had developed secondary glaucoma so was enucleated. Light microscopic examination of the globe revealed a multinodular, hypocellular neoplasm arising from the ciliary body composed of interwoven spindle cells embedded in abundant amounts of a lightly basophilic myxoid matrix. Neoplastic cells exhibited strong immunoreactivity for cytokeratin while also showing moderate to strong immunoreactivity to vimentin. A diagnosis was therefore made of an unusual intraocular myxoid epithelioid sarcoma arising from the ciliary body. Conclusions Although apparently exceedingly rare, epithelioid myxosarcoma should be included as a differential diagnosis for intraocular tumors in cats and they represent a clinical, histologic, and immunohistochemical diagnostic challenge. Early surgical intervention should be considered to prevent local invasion and ascension to the brain.

Objective To establish normative data for selected ocular diagnostic tests and commensal conjunctival microflora and describe the incidence of ocular pathology in Chilean flamingos. Animals Studied A total of 41 Chilean flamingos were examined at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa. Procedures In 20 flamingos, blink rate was assessed undisturbed in their exhibit, then gentle manual restraint was used to assess palpebral fissure length (PFL), aqueous tear production (phenol red thread test [PRTT] in one eye, endodontic absorbent paper point tear test [EAPPTT] in the other), intraocular pressure (IOP; rebound tonometry), and fluorescein staining. Twenty‐one other flamingos were brought to a darkened area for neuro‐ophthalmic examination, slit lamp biomicroscopy, and indirect ophthalmoscopy. Swabs from seven flamingos were used for ocular microbiome evaluation. Results Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation (range). Flamingos comprised 23 females/18 males, aged 11 ± 9.1 (0.7–40) years. Test results: blink rate, 3.7 ± 2 (1–9) blinks/min; PFL, 11.2 ± 1.2 (9–14) mm; IOP, 14 ± 3.2 (10–22) mmHg; EAPPT, 10.2 ± 2.8 (9–14) mm/min; PRTT, 6.8 ± 2.5 (3–13) mm/15 s. Dazzle reflex was positive in four birds examined. Pathologies included cataracts ( n = 7 birds), corneal fibrosis ( n = 3), endothelial pigment ( n = 2), uveal cysts ( n = 1), lens luxation ( n = 1), and uveitis ( n = 1). Ocular microbiome showed high diversity of taxa. Conclusions Baseline ocular parameters and incidence of ophthalmic pathology assist veterinarians with disease screening for Chilean flamingos, while the ocular microbiome showed high diversity.

Background Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is a common cause of morbidity in cattle, resulting in significant economic losses. This study aimed to characterize the bovine bacterial ocular surface microbiome (OSM) through conjunctival swab samples from Normal eyes and eyes with naturally acquired, active IBK across populations of cattle using a three-part approach, including bacterial culture, relative abundance (RA, 16 S rRNA gene sequencing), and semi-quantitative random forest modeling (real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)). Results Conjunctival swab samples were obtained from eyes individually classified as Normal (n = 376) or IBK (n = 228) based on clinical signs. Cattle unaffected by IBK and the unaffected eye in cattle with contralateral IBK were used to obtain Normal eye samples. Moraxella bovis was cultured from similar proportions of IBK (7/228, 3.07%) and Normal eyes (1/159, 0.63%) ( p = 0.1481). Moraxella bovoculi was cultured more frequently ( p < 0.0001) in IBK (59/228, 25.88%) than Normal (7/159, 4.40%) eyes. RA (via 16 S rRNA gene sequencing) of Actinobacteriota was significantly higher in Normal eyes ( p = 0.0045). Corynebacterium variabile and Corynebacterium stationis ( Actinobacteriota ) were detected at significantly higher RA ( p = 0.0008, p = 0.0025 respectively) in Normal eyes. Rothia nasimurium ( Actinobacteriota ) was detected at significantly higher RA in IBK eyes ( p < 0.0001). Alpha-diversity index was not significantly different between IBK and Normal eyes ( p > 0.05). Alpha-diversity indices for geographic location ( p < 0.001), age ( p < 0.0001), sex ( p < 0.05) and breed ( p < 0.01) and beta-diversity indices for geographic location ( p < 0.001), disease status ( p < 0.01), age ( p < 0.001), sex ( p < 0.001) and breed ( p < 0.001) were significantly different between groups. Modeling of RT-PCR values reliably categorized the microbiome of IBK and Normal eyes; primers for Moraxella bovoculi , Moraxella bovis , and Staphylococcus spp. were consistently the most significant canonical variables in these models. Conclusions The results provide further evidence that multiple elements of the bovine bacterial OSM are altered in the context of IBK, indicating the involvement of a variety of bacteria in addition to Moraxella bovis , including Moraxella bovoculi and R. nasimurium , among others. Actinobacteriota RA is altered in IBK, providing possible opportunities for novel therapeutic interventions. While RT-PCR modeling provided limited further support for the involvement of Moraxella bovis in IBK, this was not overtly reflected in culture or RA results. Results also highlight the influence of geographic location and breed type (dairy or beef) on the bovine bacterial OSM. RT-PCR modeling reliably categorized samples as IBK or Normal.