Leptospira and leptospirosis.

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The Vertebrate Eye and Its Adaptive Radiation.

Background Mucopolysaccharidosis I is a lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency of the enzyme α-L-iduronidase. We evaluated the effect of enzyme-replacement therapy with recombinant human α-L-iduronidase in patients with this disorder. Methods We treated 10 patients with mucopolysaccharidosis I (age, 5 to 22 years) with recombinant human α-L-iduronidase at a dose of 125,000 U per kilogram of body weight given intravenously once weekly for 52 weeks. The patients were evaluated at base line and at 6, 12, 26, and 52 weeks by detailed clinical examinations, magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and brain, echocardiography, range-of-motion measurements, polysomnography, clinical laboratory evaluations, measurements of leukocyte α-L-iduronidase activity, and urinary glycosaminoglycan excretion. Results Hepatosplenomegaly decreased significantly in all patients, and the size of the liver was normal for body weight and age in eight patients by 26 weeks. The rate of growth in height and weight had inc...

Enzyme-replacement therapy in mucopolysaccharidosis I.

Enzyme replacement therapy for mucopolysaccharidosis I: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multinational study of recombinant human α-L-iduronidase (laronidase)

Avian vision: a review of form and function with special consideration to birds of prey

Long-term and high-dose trials of enzyme replacement therapy in the canine model of mucopolysaccharidosis I

Objective To determine the effects of commonly used ophthalmic corticosteroids, suprofen, polysulfated glycosaminoglycan and preservatives on morphologic characteristics and migration of canine corneal epithelium grown in cell culture.



Animals studied Corneal epithelial cells harvested from the corneas of euthanized dogs were propagated in cell culture.



Procedures Canine corneal epithelium was grown in tissue culture. The cells were treated with different corticosteroids, polysulfated glycosaminoglycan, suprofen or preservatives at different concentrations after a defect was created in the monolayer. Cellular morphologic characteristics and closure of the defect were compared between test drugs and controls.



Results Morphologically the cells treated with dexamethasone were essentially the same as controls. Prednisolone and hydrocortisone caused rounding and shrinkage of the cells. Both suprofen and polysulfated glycosaminoglycan caused no apparent changes in morphologic characteristics at the lowest concentrations tested, but at higher concentrations there was a concentration-dependent degree of rounding and shrinkage. Benzylkonium chloride and thimerosal caused rounding and shrinkage of all the cells at all concentrations tested. Dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, and suprofen did not inhibit epithelial migration over the defects at the lowest concentrations tested. All other drugs and concentrations inhibited cellular migration.



Conclusion Dexamethasone affected the morphologic characteristics and migration of corneal epithelial cells less than hydrocortisone and prednisolone; therefore, dexamethasone may be the drug of choice when a corticosteroid is indicated and an epithelial defect is present. Suprofen and polysulfated glycosaminoglycan caused a concentration-dependent effect on morphologic characteristics and migration. The preservatives caused severe changes and inhibited migration of the canine corneal epithelial cells at all concentrations and may therefore contribute to poor epithelialization of ulcers treated with preservative-containing drugs.

Effects of anti-inflammatory drugs and preservatives on morphologic characteristics and migration of canine corneal epithelial cells in tissue culture.

Objective—To evaluate effects of topical application of a 2% solution of dorzolamide on intraocular pressure (IOP) and aqueous humor flow rate in clinically normal dogs. Animals—15 Beagles. Procedu...

Effects of topical application of a 2% solution of dorzolamide on intraocular pressure and aqueous humor flow rate in clinically normal dogs.

Objective To evaluate the effect of vaccination against leptospirosis on frequency and days to recurrence of uveitis and progression of disease in horses with equine recurrent uveitis (ERU).

Animals  Forty-one horses with ERU.

Procedure  Horses were randomly assigned to experimental (vaccinated) or control groups. Vaccine containing six serovars of Leptospira or placebo was administered, an ophthalmic examination performed and blood samples drawn on days 0, 28, 180 and 365. Antibody titers were measured against each serovar. Recurrence of uveitis was verified by ophthalmic examination. Results of the initial and final ophthalmic examinations were compared and progression of disease defined as an increase in extent of synechiae, or development of new or progression of an existing cataract.

Results  Vaccination increased the average geometric mean serum antibody titer from 225 on day 0, to 4077 and 593 on days 28 and 180, respectively. After the second vaccination, days to first recurrence was significantly longer (median 126 days; range 24–231 days) when compared with controls (median 86 days; range 14–192 days, P = 0.04). Recurrence of ERU was observed among 7/20 (35%) vaccinated horses and 12/21 (57%) controls; however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.061, OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.06, 1.07). More horses in the experimental group 13/20 (65%) experienced progression of disease when compared with controls 12/21(57%); however, this difference was statistically nonsignificant (P = 0.35).

Conclusions  Vaccine significantly increased days to recurrence, but failed to slow the progression of disease. These data do not support the use of vaccination against leptospirosis as adjunct therapy for the routine treatment of horses with ERU.

Daniel A. Ward

Papers

Avian vision: a review of form and function with special consideration to birds of prey

Long-term and high-dose trials of enzyme replacement therapy in the canine model of mucopolysaccharidosis I

Effects of anti-inflammatory drugs and preservatives on morphologic characteristics and migration of canine corneal epithelial cells in tissue culture.

Effects of topical application of a 2% solution of dorzolamide on intraocular pressure and aqueous humor flow rate in clinically normal dogs.

Effect of vaccination against leptospirosis on the frequency, days to recurrence and progression of disease in horses with equine recurrent uveitis