Twenty-five medical centers and the Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) Association collaborated on a study which attempted to identify all people with genetically confirmed diagnosis of PWS living in Italy. Investigators of the participating centers contacted PWS subjects and/or their family, filled in a specially developed form with the required data and forwarded this information by email. The study identified 425 subjects (209 males and 216 females, between the ages of 0.4-46.7). Two hundred thirty-eight patients had del15, 104 had UPD15, 4 demonstrated a translocation affecting chromosome 15 and 79 showed a positive methylation test. There were fewer subjects found over the age of 35, probably due to the low rate of identification of older PWS patients as well as the high mortality rate. There were a greater number of male children and adolescents with PWS whilst, amongst adults, there were more females. As expected, the majority of subjects with PWS were obese, especially in adult life. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that 26% of patients aged between 6 and 17 were normal weight. A total of 212 subjects had received GH treatment, of which 141 were still receiving therapy, while the remaining 71 had stopped. In children and adolescents (233 cases), 89 subjects had never undergone GH therapy. Eighteen PWS patients had died in the past 20 years. Obesity-related cardiovascular and respiratory diseases were the cause of death, both during childhood and after 18 years of age. Three children died suddenly whilst undergoing GH therapy. Respiratory infection and cardiac illness were the causes of death in two cases. There was no definitive cause of death found in the third case. Overall, there was no increase in number of deaths during GH treatment, suggesting that GH administration in patients with PWS, as a group, does not increase the risk of death. ß

Contents Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound with sulphur hexafluoride microbubbles was performed in seven healthy dogs without a history of reproductive pathology and with histologically confirmed normal testes and in 42 dogs with chronic scrotal anomalies. All dogs underwent orchiectomy and histological examination. Enhancement patterns and perfusion parameters (peak intensity and regional blood flow) of testes of healthy dogs and testes with chronic lesions were compared. Fourteen non‐pathologic and 60 pathologic testes were considered. Forty testes were neoplastic (24 interstitial cell tumours, 9 seminomas, 7 Sertoli cell tumours), 20 were non‐neoplastic (16 testicular degenerations, 2 chronic orchitis, 1 testicular atrophy, 1 interstitial cell hyperplasia). In healthy dogs, the contrast medium flow had a rapid homogeneous wash‐in and wash‐out, with a short peak phase. With contrast ultrasound, testes that were inhomogeneous with a hyperenhancing pattern were associated with neoplasia (sensitivity: 87.5%, specificity: 100%). Lesions with persistent inner vessels and a hypo‐to‐isoechoic background were significantly associated with seminomas (sensitivity: 77.8%, specificity: 100%). Testes with non‐neoplastic lesions were characterized by a scant/moderate homogeneous enhancement. Perfusion parameters were higher in neoplastic lesions. Contrast ultrasound was a feasible diagnostic tool in the assessment of testicular lesions, with hyperenhancement being an important feature in the diagnosis of malignancy.

BackgroundIn captive breed turtles and tortoises conjunctival disease is common. Our aim was to investigate the bacterial and fungal flora present in the eyes of healthy and pathological chelonians and to compare findings in turtles with those in tortoises.ResultsSamples were taken from the conjunctival sacs of 34, diseased and healthy, chelonians (18 tortoises and 16 turtles) and submitted to bacterial and fungal investigation. All samples showed bacterial growth. Thirteen animals (38%), harboured a single bacterial species as sole isolate and twenty-one animals (62%) harboured more than one species. Detection of multiple bacterial infection was clearly greater in tortoises compared to turtles. Most frequently isolated bacterial species were Bacillus spp. (13 isolates), Staphylococcus xylosus (10 isolates), Sphingomonas paucimobilis (6 isolates), Staphylococcus sciuri and Aeromonas hydrophila/caviae (each 5 isolates), Ochrobactrum anthropi (3 isolates), Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas luteola (each 2 isolates). Only one isolate of Kocuria varians/rosea, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus auricularis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus lentus, Morganella morganii, Pasteurella multocida, Pasteurella pneumotropica/haemolytica, Proteus spp., Pseudomonas putida, Salmonella enterica ssp. arizonae, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Vibrio parahaemolyticus was evidenced. The presence in 8 animals of Mycoplasma spp. and in 1 animal with severe conjunctivitis of Chlamydia spp. was detected by PCR. Candida spp. was also isolated from two healthy animals.ConclusionsA clear predominance of Gram positive isolates in tortoises and Gram negative isolates in turtles was found. However, we cannot ascribe the observed difference to the diversity of animal species, as other factors, including especially different characteristics of the living environments, may play a role. Almost all bacterial species isolated may have clinical significance, mostly as opportunistic pathogens, both for humans and animals. That chelonians are often carrier of bacteria with zoonotic potential is a well-known fact, in particular with regard to Salmonella spp. Therefore, it is not surprising the detection of a strain of Salmonella enterica ssp. arizonae in the eye of one of the animals tested. Worthy of note is the finding of Chlamydia spp. in a severe case of conjunctivitis, though we cannot epidemiologically assess a cause-effect relationship between presence of chlamydia and disease.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-015-0405-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Gender determination is frequently requested by reptile breeders, especially for species with poor or absent sexual dimorphism. The aims of the current study were to describe techniques and diagnostic sensitivities of ultrasound, radiography, and computed tomography for gender determination (identification of hemipenes) in four species of lizards. Nineteen lizards of known sex, belonging to four different species (Pogona vitticeps, Uromastyx aegyptia, Tiliqua scincoides, Gerrhosaurus major) were prospectively enrolled. With informed owner consent, ultrasound, noncontrast CT, contrast radiography, and contrast CT (with contrast medium administered into the cloaca) were performed in conscious animals. Imaging studies were reviewed by three different operators, each unaware of the gender of the animals and of the results of the other techniques. The lizard was classified as a male when hemipenes were identified. Nineteen lizards were included in the study, 10 females and nine males. The hemipenes were seen on ultrasound in only two male lizards, and appeared as oval hypoechoic structures. Radiographically, hemipenes filled with contrast medium appeared as spindle-shaped opacities. Noncontrast CT identified hemipenes in only two lizards, and these appeared as spindle-shaped kinked structures with hyperattenuating content consistent with smegma. Hemipenes were correctly identified in all nine males using contrast CT (accuracy of 100%). Accuracy of contrast radiography was excellent (94.7%). Accuracy of ultrasound and of noncontrast CT was poor (64.3% and 63.1%, respectively). Findings from the current study supported the use of contrast CT or contrast radiography for gender determination in lizards.

The aims of the study were to identify microbial flora in boar semen under field conditions in northern Italy, to investigate antibiotic resistance and sensitivity of isolated bacteria, and to evaluate elimination of bacteria after storage in two types of extenders added with different antibiotics (amikacin vs gentamicin). A total of 60 boars were collected in 13 pig farms. Bacteriological and mycological investigations were performed immediately on raw semen samples, then at 48 and 120 h of storage on semen diluted randomly in a new short-term modified extender (ME-S) or in a commercial one (CRONOS TM ). Bacterial contamination was found in 63% of raw semen samples and different bacterial species were isolated: E.coli, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus epidermidis and aureus, Proteus spp., Streptococcus spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. E. coli was the most isolated contaminant (53%); Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found only in one semen sample. The analysis of variance of factors affecting contamination levels was significant for the farm of origin (P<0.05) and not significant for the breed. Antibiotic resistance of these bacteria was assessed using different antibiotics. Significant differences (P<0.05) between observed and expected frequencies of bacterial isolates resistant or not to the antibiotics contained in the extenders were found. At 48 h of storage a reduction of aerobic contamination was found after ME-S dilution by 85.3% and after CRONOS TM by 63.8%. This paper proved the presence of pathogenic bacteria in semen. We thus believe it is highly advisable to perform periodic microbiological screening of boar semen in the swine industry to avoid the use of low sperm quality.