Microcytosis was common and can increase suspicion of FIP in the presence of other typical clinical and laboratory abnormalities. The low prevalence of lymphopenia in cats without effusion suggests that this is not a useful parameter in non-effusive FIP. The frequent occurrence of a left shift in the absence of a mature neutrophilia complicates the differentiation of effusive FIP and septic peritonitis. Globulins and A:G ratio were of higher diagnostic value than hyperproteinaemia.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus infection and associated clinical signs in purebred cats in Germany, to investigate the role of co-infection, and identify determinants of infection. Faecal specimens accompanied by epidemiological questionnaires were scored and collected from 230 purebred cats. Faeces were examined for trichomonads and other enteroparasites. The prevalence of T foetus was 15.7% among cats and 18.5% among catteries. An abnormal faecal score and history of diarrhoea were observed in 64% and 61% of T foetus-positive cats, respectively, and correlated significantly with infection. Co-infection, observed in 36% of T foetus-infected cats, was not associated with diarrhoea. Norwegian Forest cats were infected significantly more often than other breeds. No association was found with any environmental factors. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of symptomatic T foetus infections in purebred cats in Germany. Co-infection with other enteroparasites did not worsen clinical signs of trichomonosis.

Cronobacter spp. are opportunistic food-borne pathogens that are responsible for rare but highly fatal cases of meningitis and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates. While the operon responsible for yellow pigmentation in Cronobacter sakazakii strain ES5 was described recently, the involvement of additional genes in pigment expression and the influence of pigmentation on the fitness of Cronobacter spp. have not been investigated. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify further genes involved in pigment expression in Cronobacter sakazakii ES5 and to assess the influence of pigmentation on growth and persistence under conditions of environmental stress. A knockout library was created using random transposon mutagenesis. The screening of 9,500 mutants for decreased pigment production identified 30 colorless mutants. The mapping of transposon insertion sites revealed insertions in not only the carotenoid operon but also in various other genes involved in signal transduction, inorganic ions, and energy metabolism. To determine the effect of pigmentation on fitness, colorless mutants (⌬crtE, ⌬crtX, and ⌬crtY) were compared to the yellow wild type using growth and inactivation experiments, a macrophage assay, and a phenotype array. Among other findings, the colorless mutants grew at significantly increased rates under osmotic stress compared to that of the yellow wild type while showing increased susceptibility to desiccation. Moreover, ⌬crtE and ⌬crtY exhibited increased sensitivity to UVB irradiation.