Kara's job consists of entering data into the USALIMS system, as well as, client communications. Her favorite thing about working at LADDL is being able to interact with clients on a daily basis. One thing most people do not know about Kara is that in her spare time she enjoys writing and is currently working on a few novels she hopes to one day have published.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in a turkey flock in Indiana.This is a mutation of the American strain (H7N8), rather than the Asian strain, which caused the large outbreak last spring. As of this writing, the highly pathogenic strain was isolated to a single premise, which has been depopulated. The low pathogenicity of the same strain was found in 8 surrounding premises and they are being depopulated as well. 

LADDL is fully equipped and authorized to avian influenza testing. If you have backyard poultry clients, they may benefit from the USDA website for biosecurity: http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov. This strain of avian influenza has never been detected in human infections. If you suspect any cases of HPAI please notify the Louisiana State Animal Health Officials. 

An adult Angus cow in good nutritional condition was presented to LADDL for necropsy. It had been seen by the referring veterinarian the prior evening. The clinical signs were anorexia and icterus. The cow was treated for presumptive anaplasmosis, but she was found dead the next morning. Gross necropsy findings were consistent with severe icterus: yellow subcutaneous and abdominal fat, yellow aortic intima, and yellow sclera. The spleen was severely enlarged and meaty. The liver had an accentuated lobular pattern. All other findings were incidental. These findings were suggestive, but not diagnostic for anaplasmosis. Spleen was submitted to molecular diagnostics for PCR analysis and the following day the diagnosis of anaplasmosis was confirmed. Histopathological findings were consistent with hemolytic anemia. 

This case demonstrates the diagnostic usefulness of the PCR assay for Anaplasma marginale offered by LADDL. The gross and histological lesions would have been suggestive of anaplasmosis, but not diagnostic. Other less common causes of hemolytic anemia, such as leptospirosis, other hemoparasites, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, or hemolytic toxins would have been rule-outs. The PCR test works well not only on fresh tissues but also on whole blood. 

LADDL now has a full array of antemortem diagnostics, including serology (card test), cytological exam (included in a differential blood count), and PCR, along with postmortem diagnostics, including characteristic lesions and PCR.

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for KIT has been used as an additional prognostic tool for canine MCTs in the last decade.  The loss of membrane expression and concurrent gain of cytoplasmic labeling of this protein has been correlated to a shorter survival time and higher risk of recurrence of the tumor. Abnormal KIT staining pattern has also been associated with response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, even in the absence of c-KIT ITD mutations. Thus, IHC for KIT is recommended as an additional tool in the assessment of the biological behavior and treatment options of canine cutaneous MCTs. While each independent test (histologic grading, KIT immunohistochemistry, and c-Kit mutation analysis) has its prognostic significance, the prognosis developed from interpretation of all analyses together offer your clients the highest level of certainty. 

In addition to standard histopathology, both the c-KIT IHC and the PCR analysis for the exon 11 mutations are currently available at LADDL.