Veterinary Medicine Commons^™

Evaluation Of Oncolytic And Immunomodulatory Potential Of The Hsv-1 Live-Attenuated Vaccine Strain Vc2 In An Immunocompetent Murine Melanoma Model, Natalie Wall Fowlkes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Melanoma accounts for 90% of skin cancer-related deaths in humans. Treatment options for metastatic melanoma in people is very limited. Melanoma is considered to be an immunogenic tumor, spurring interest in development of immunotherapies for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Oncolytic virotherapy has been widely investigated. The first ever oncolytic virotherapy to receive FDA-approval is an HSV-1-based virus (Talimogene Laherperavec (T-Vec) or Imlygic) containing a transgene for human GM-CSF to enhance anti-tumor immune responses after injection. Durable response rate in human patients was only 16% despite impressive efficacy in anti-tumor effects in vitro and in murine tumor models. Novel viruses …

Paclitaxel Enhances Oncolytic Potential Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 In Cancer Cells, Misagh Naderi

LSU Master's Theses

Taxanes are spindle poisons that bind to and stabilize microtubules resulting in mitotic arrest. Herpes simplex Typ-1 (HSV-1) virions utilize the microtubular network for intracellular transport during both virus entry and virus egress from infected cells. It has been reported previously that taxanes may synergize with oncolytic herpes simplex viruses in the treatment of experimental prostate and breast tumors in mice. Other reports have indicated that taxanes may inhibit viral replication in infected cells. In this study the previously characterized Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (OSVP), which was constructed in Kousoulas lab was used in conjugation with paclitaxel (taxol) …

Alternative Techniques For Alfaxalone Anesthesia Induction In Dogs And Cats, Angie Lagos

LSU Master's Theses

Alfaxalone is a neuroactive synthetic steroid (Brewster & Bodor, 1990) that produces anesthetic induction with dose- and speed-dependent cardiorespiratory depression in dogs and cats (Chiu et al. 2016; Warne et al., 2015). At clinical doses in unpremedicated dogs (2 mg kg^-1) and cats (5 mg kg^-1), alfaxalone induces a mild decrease in systemic vascular resistance, systemic blood pressure (Muir et al., 2009; Muir et al., 2008), apnea, hypoventilation, and hypoxemia (Muir et al. 2009; Muir et al., 2008). The cardiorespiratory side effects from alfaxalone induction could be prevented by reducing the total dose of alfaxalone necessary …

An Evaluation Of Pathophysiology And Biomechanics Of Selected Lamenesses In The Horse, Cole Barrett Sandow

LSU Master's Theses

INTRODUCTION-Laminitis and synovitis are two common causes of equine lameness. Laminitis is most often associated with hyperinsulinemia and osteoarthritis is most commonly the result of synovitis. The objective is to evaluate biomechanical and pathophysiologic events regarding laminitis and synovitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS-The first study evaluated biomechanical effects of insulin on lamellar strength. For this experiment, lamellar explants were harvested, incubated in media only (serving as a control) or media with a high concentration of insulin for 8 hours. After incubation, structural integrity was evaluated with a mechanical testing device. Data included load to failure (N), stress to failure (MPa), elongation …

Transmission Potential Of Rickettsia Felis Through Cutaneous Inoculation Of Infectious Flea Feces, Kelsey Porter Legendre

LSU Master's Theses

Rickettsia felis, the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever, is an emerging pathogen of the transitional group Rickettsiae and an important cause of febrile illness in Africa. Since the organism’s original discovery in the early 1990s, much research has been directed towards elucidating transmission mechanisms within the believed primary host and reservoir, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). However, while a growing number of human cases are being reported throughout the world, a definitive transmission mechanism from arthropod host to vertebrate host resulting in clinical disease has not been found. Several possible mechanisms, including bite of infected arthropods …

Evaluation Of Broad Anti-Herpesviral Activity With Α-Hydroxytropolones, Shannon David Dehghanpir

LSU Master's Theses

Herpesviruses are ubiquitous in animals and cause economic losses concomitant with many diseases, including upper respiratory disease, keratitis, abortion, neonatal death, and neurologic disease. The majority of the domestic animal herpesviruses are within the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, along with the prototypical human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Suppression of HSV-1 replication has been reported with α-hydroxytropolones (αHTs), which are aromatic ring compounds that have broad bioactivity due to potent chelating activity. It is postulated that αHTs inhibit enzymes within the nucleotidyltransferase superfamily (NTS), similarly structured enzymes that require divalent cations for nucleic acid cleavage activity. One potential herpesviral target includes the …

Quantitation Of Anti-Pythium Insidiosum Antibodies Before And After Immunotherapy In Healthy Dogs, Carmen Beatriz Arsuaga

LSU Master's Theses

Pythium insidiosum is an aquatic oomycete that causes invasive, progressive granulomatous lesions of the skin in dogs, horses, and cats, and of the gastrointestinal tract in dogs. Quantitation of anti-P. insidiosum IgG antibodies can be used in dogs to both confirm a suspected diagnosis and to monitor response to therapy. Recently, an immunotherapeutic product (IP) has been marketed for the treatment of pythiosis in dogs, horses, and people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of administration of this product on anti-P. insidiosum IgG concentrations in dogs. The IP was administered to seven, healthy hound mixes on …

Development Of Mouse Models For The Study Of Zika Virus Pathogenesis And Antibody Response, Anna Beatriz Kawiecki

LSU Master's Theses

After the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas in 2015, ZIKV infection was associated for the first time since its discovery with severe symptoms in both adults and congenital cases, including neurological, ocular, and developmental manifestations. Previous ZIKV circulation in Africa and Southeast Asia has been characterized by mild symptoms and small-scale case-counts. It is unclear whether the unprecedented size and severity of the ZIKV outbreak in the Americas are the consequence of a change in the virus, different background flaviviral immunity in the population, or a reporting issue. In addition, ZIKV has been shown to be transmitted …

The Effects Of Chemical Reagents And Physical Environment On The In Vitro And In Vivo Properties Of Adipose-Derived Multipotent Stromal Cells Isolated From Different Species, Wei Duan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Adult adipose derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) have been characterized in various species. Many factors may affect ASC fate and ASCs from different species may have different response to these factors. The first study was to identify the differences of the canine ASCs isolated from subcutaneous and infrapatellar adipose tissues, and evaluate the impact of cryopreservation on the cells. Based on paired comparisons of fresh and cryopreserved ASCs, cryopreserved ASCs had lower CD29 and CD44 protein expression and lower proliferation rates. The cryopreserved ASCs had relative lower mitochondria in the cytoplasm compared to the fresh ASCs regardless of tissue sources. …

Immune Response In The Mouse Cornea Elicited By Herpes Simplex Vaccine Vc2, Logan C. Kinamore

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Pharmacokinetics Of Micronized Progesterone Administration In Female Dogs, Raphael Anthony Malbrue

LSU Master's Theses

Hypoluteoidism in the bitch is described as a reproductive condition in which insufficient levels of endogenous progesterone are present resulting in failure to maintain a functional secretory endometrium. This condition can prevent normal embryo implantation, development, and ultimately end in pregnancy loss. Hypoluteoidism in the bitch is a rising concern in small animal theriogenology and current medical therapies available to veterinarians are limited. The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) of intravaginally (Crinone®, Serono Laboratories, Norwell, MA) and orally delivered micronized progesterone (Prometrium®, Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Marietta, GA) in the bitch. We hypothesized that both vaginal …

Can Parasitized Lambs Self-Medicate Through Preferred Consumption Of Sericea Lespedeza Pellets?, Mallory Alicia Garcia

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Chikungunya Virus Infection-Associated Bone And Joint Disease, Brad A. Goupil

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that circulates predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions. Infection results in severe debilitating polyarthralgia during the acute phase of disease, and reports suggest that chronic arthralgia lasting months to years after the initial infection can occur. More severe and prolonged disease has been associated with pre-existing joint disease, though this has not been experimentally examined. In the research presented herein, two established mouse models (adult IRF 3/7 -/- -/- and wild-type C57BL/6J mice) were utilized to characterize CHIKV-associated bone and joint disease and evaluate its impact on the progression of pre-existing osteoarthritis (OA) …

The Ability Of Bull And Stallion Thawed Spermatozoa Refrozen Without Cryoprotectants To Activate Intra- And Interspecies Oocytes, Jose Len Yin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Semen cryopreservation has allowed the establishment of genome banks and the large scale propagation of species. The development of simple techniques to cryopreserve semen or alternatives to efficiently use cryopreserved semen from males of valuable genetics that have become infertile will permit continuous propagation of the genetics from these males and may serve as a model for preservation and propagation of endangered species. Sperm cryopreservation without cryoprotectants is a simple process, and offspring have been produced following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI); however the ability of frozen-thawed sperm refrozen without the addition of cryoprotectants to activate oocytes following ICSI was unknown. …

Rickettsia Felis, Transmission Mechanisms Of An Emerging Flea-Borne Rickettsiosis, Lisa Diane Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rickettsia felis is an emerging insect-borne rickettsial pathogen and the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever. First described as a human pathogen from the United States in 1991, R. felis is now identified throughout the world and considered a common cause of fever in Africa. The cosmopolitan distribution of this pathogen is credited to the equally widespread occurrence of cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), the primary vector and reservoir of R. felis. Additionally, R. felis has been identified in other hematophagous arthropods (including numerous species of fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and mites). Most transmission cycles of pathogenic Rickettsia include transovarial and transstadial …

Identification And Characterization Of A Relish-Type Nf-Kb, Dvrelish In Dermacentor Variabilis, The American Dog Tick, Victoria Irene Verhoeve

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Ticks are important worldwide as vectors of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Pathogenic and non-pathogenic Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are maintained and transmitted by ticks with specific hard tick-Rickettsia pairings evident in nature. The pathogenic SFG Rickettsia rickettsii is transmitted by the hard tick Dermacentor variabilis. In response to infection, D. variabilis is known differentially respond to SFG Rickettsia infection. The mechanisms of differential immune induction are currently unknown, and are likely involved in the establishment of specific tick-SFG Rickettsia pairings. It was hypothesized that the level of response by D. variabilis to SFG Rickettsia occurs in a species-specific manner, …

Characterization Of Rickettsial Infection Dynamics Within Dermacentor Variabilis And Amblyomma Maculatum, Emma Kate Harris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are primarily associated with their reservoir host and vector, the tick. Rickettsial colonization and maintenance within the arthropod is a key component of vector competence and pathogen transmission to the mammalian host. Contemporary detection of novel tick hosts for rickettsial species, combined with an unprecedented rise in human cases of SFG rickettsiosis, necessitates a deeper understanding of tick/Rickettsia interactions. The hypothesis for this work is that if primary tick/Rickettsia pairings do not exist then rickettsial determinants account for primary vector/pathogen relationships. To this end, Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma maculatum ticks were exposed to R. rickettsii, …

The Role Of Nadph Oxidase 2 (Nox2) In High-Fat Diet-Induced Adiposopathy And Brain Dysfunction In A Mouse Model, Jennifer Kathleen Pepping

LSU Master's Theses

Obesity can have numerous detrimental consequences, namely metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. The pathogenesis and physiologic consequences of obesity are unknown, but they are often associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress in both the body and in the brain. One factor that has been implicated in causing inflammation associated with a high fat diet is the enzyme NADPH oxidase, or NOX, specifically the subunit NOX2. Two studies were performed in order to assess the effects of a high fat diet in combination with a universal NOX2 deficiency and a NOX2 deficiency targeted to …

Amblyomma Maculatum Immunomodulation In Mammalian Models Of Rickettsia Parkeri Rickettsiosis, Kaikhushroo Hormazd Banajee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rickettsia parkeri is an emerging human pathogen and spotted fever group Rickettsia that is transmitted via Amblyomma maculatum (the Gulf Coast tick) in the United States. Since these ticks must feed for several days in order to molt to the next life cycle, they must be able to counteract the host immune response. Despite this fact, there have been few studies that evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of this vector and the resultant influence on rickettsial disease. The hypothesis of this research is that, if A. maculatum feeding modifies the host immune response, this immunomodulation will enhance disease caused by R. …

The Role Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Glycoprotein K In Neuroinvasion And Immunopathogenesis Of Herpes Keratitis, Ahmad Saied

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT Herpes simplex virus type 1 is a common neurotropic pathogen responsible for a multitude of human diseases ranging from mucocutaneous lesions, keratitis to life-threatening encephalitis. The hallmark of the HSV-1 life cycle is infection of sensory neurons, where the virus establishes a latent infection for the life of the host. Viral envelope glycoproteins play important roles in viral life cycle and virus-host interaction. Viral glycoproteins gK, gM, gE and the membrane protein UL11 have been shown to be important for virus assembly, egress and virus spread. To investigate the relative importance of each of gK, gM, gE and UL11 …

The Use Of Geographic Information Systems And Ecological Niche Modeling To Map Transmission Risk For Visceral Leishmaniasis In Bahia, Brazil, Moara De Santana Martins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Leishmaniasis is a public health problem in Brazil, and despite the control programs in place, Bahia remains one of the states with the highest incidence rates of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). This study proposed to develop and evaluate the applicability of ecological niche models (ENM) for leishmaniasis, to determine the influence of environmental and socioeconomic factors on the incidence of these diseases at three geographic scales: national, statewide and community. Water availability, garbage collection, precipitation and temperature were the most important variables in predicting areas suitable for VL and CL in the country. The extensive geography of …

Comparative Genomic Studies Of Catfish And Zebrafish Strains Of Edwardsiella Ictaluri, Rui Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Edwardsiella ictaluri is a gram negative bacterium that is the causative agent of enteric septicemia of catfish. In 2011, this bacterium was identified as the causative agent of massive death in zebrafish populations in U.S. In this project, we found that isolates of E. ictaluri from zebrafish comprise a unique strain that differs from the type strain of E. ictaluri phenotypically as well as genetically. Also, strains of E. ictaluri from zebrafish are non-infectious in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus by immersion. Here we sequenced the zebrafish strains of E. ictaluri LADL11-100 and LADL11-194 and compared the potential virulence genes in …

Development And Characterization Of A Live-Attenuated Vaccine To Combat Equine Herpesvirus Type-1 Infections, Shiliang Anthony Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is an important ubiquitous enzootic equine pathogen and one of the most common pathogens of the horse, causing, respiratory disease, epidemic abortion, occasionally neurological disease in horses, which leads to significant economic losses to the horse industry. EHV-1 induces several clinical signs of disease ranging in severity, from mild respiratory disease to abortion in pregnant mares, neonatal foal death and neuropathogenic disorders. Natural EHV-1 infection stimulated short lived protective immunity and had both humoral and cellular immune responses. Currently vaccination remains the best option to prevent EHV-1 infection and different applications of vaccination have been investigated …

The Effects Of Prostatic Fluid On Functional Characteristics Of Cooled Canine Semen, Reto Fritsche

LSU Master's Theses

The objectives of this study were to investigate concentration dependent effects of canine prostatic fluid (PF) on in vitro seminal parameters of cooled canine semen. Sperm motility parameters, plasma membrane integrity and stability, acrosome integrity and DNA fragmentation were measured after the addition of 0%, 10%, 25%, or 50% PF to extended semen of fertile dogs. Assessments were made at 0 h pre-cooling, at 24, and 48 h of cooled storage (4 °C), and after freezing and thawing followed by incubation (37 °C) at 0, 4 and 24 h. Our hypothesis was that lower dilutions of canine semen with PF …

Correlation Of Ultrasonographic Small Intestinal Wall Layering With Histology In Normal Dogs, Alexandre Benjamin Le Roux

LSU Master's Theses

Five intestinal layers are commonly described ultrasonographically in dogs. However, current high-frequency endosonography allows the identification of 9 layers in people. The aim of this study was to describe ex vivo small intestinal layering in dogs and correlate ultrasonographic layering with histological layers. Our hypothesis was that, similar to findings in humans, discrepancies exist in thickness and visibility of intestinal layers between histology and ultrasound in dogs. Twelve adult dogs were included in the study. They were euthanized for reasons unrelated to gastrointestinal disease, but extensive medical history was unavailable. Duodenum, jejunum and ileum samples were resected immediately after euthanasia. …

Influence Of Aedes Aegypti Saliva On The Vertebrate Host Response To Dengue Virus, Michael Kevin Mccracken

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dengue virus (DENV) is maintained in a primarily anthroponotic cycle between humans and the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Investigations into DENV infection of the vertebrate host generally do not account for the contribution of vector saliva, an inherent part of the mosquito-borne viral inoculum. Feeding by mosquitoes on vertebrate hosts is initiated by probing, which results in physical damage to the skin and vasculature, and the simultaneous introduction of DENV and saliva into the skin. Saliva contains many individual proteins with the potential to modulate host hemostasis and immune responses, thereby facilitating blood feeding and virus transmission. As exogenous antigens, both …

The Role Of Viral Glycoproteins And Tegument Proteins In Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Cytoplasmic Virion Envelopment, Dmitry Vladimirovich Chouljenko

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a ubiquitous neurotropic alphaherpesvirus transmitted by contact with mucocutaneous surfaces of infected individuals. HSV-1 enters the host by fusion of the viral envelope with the host cell plasma membrane, followed by translocation of the viral capsids to the nucleus where viral DNA is injected into the host cell nucleus to initiate viral replication. To generate infectious virions, newly assembled capsids travel to the cytoplasm and undergo a process called secondary envelopment by budding into cytoplasmic vesicles derived from the trans-Golgi network. Cytoplasmic envelopment is a complex process involving interactions between a multitude of …

Cardiovascular Tolerance And Safety Of Intravenous Lidocaine In The Broiler Chicken (Gallus Gallus Domesticus), Joao Manuel Lemos Brandao

LSU Master's Theses

Lidocaine, an amide local anesthetic agent, is commonly used in mammals, including humans. There is a general assumption that birds are more sensitive to lidocaine than mammals. Relatively low doses of lidocaine have been suggested to cause toxic effects in birds. While this information appears to be anecdotal, it has been perpetuated in the literature. The overall objective of this thesis research was to determine the tolerance and safety of intravenous lidocaine in broiler chickens. To assess the cardiovascular effects of lidocaine, relative changes on heart rate and mean blood pressure were calculated. Clinically significant cardiovascular effects were defined as …

Genetics And Functions Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Membrane Proteins Ul20/Gk In Virion Envelopment And Entry, Anu Susan Charles

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The envelopment and egress of the Herpes Simplex Virus is an important event in the life cycle of the virus. The important membrane proteins required for the envelopment and egress of the virus are glycoproteins gM, gK, gE and non-glycosylated membrane proteins UL20p and UL11. Among them one of the most critical protein is the UL20 protein which has four transmembrane domains with amino and carboxyl termini are predicted to lie within the cytoplasmic side of cellular membranes. Studies done in our laboratory have shown that deletion of UL20 or other lethal mutations have an adverse effect on envelopment and …

Comparison Of Immune Responses During Gastrointestinal Helminth Self-Cure Expulsion Between Resistant Gulf Coast Native And Susceptible Suffolk Sheep, Javier Jesus Garza

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The immune response to the self-cure phenomenon seen during gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasitism of small ruminants was compared between sheep breeds that are resistant or susceptible to Haemonchus contortus infection. Fifty-four Gulf Coast Native (resistant) and Suffolk (susceptible) lambs were allowed to acquire a natural GIN infection on pasture and were then randomly allocated into 4 groups. After being moved to parasite free housing for 2 months, lambs were given a challenge infection of 20,000 H. contortus L3. Fecal egg counts (FEC) were monitored throughout the study and animals were necropsied at 0, 1, 3, and 7 days post infection …