w/c 23/June/14 Flashcards
(101 cards)
Immune mediated disease can be organ specific or non-organ specific. Examples of each
Organ specific: Myasthesia gravis, IM neutropenia Non-Organ specific: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Role of infection in immune-mediated disease
Infection is thought to influence autoimmune disease at several levels. -> Break-down of vascular or cellular barriers, allowing exposure of self-antigens. -> Promotion of cell death by necrosis causing inflame = bystander activation -> Molecular mimicry = cross reactivity
What is by stander activation
Promotion of cell death by necrosis, causing inflammation
Vasculitis often characterises what type of IM disease
Non organ specific
Blood smear of 5 YO Neutered female dog that presents with lethargy and PCV of 20%

PCV for dog should be 37-55%
Blood smear shows Spherocytes (extra vascular haemolysis)
Ghost cells (intravascular haemolysis)
Polychromatosaia = reticulocytes = regenerative
= IMMUNE-MEDIATED HAEMOLYTIC ANAEMIA
Coombes Test
- primary reagents
- problems with test
If acute IMHA is suspected
Normally sent away test.
Primary Reagent: Polyvalent anti-dog or anti-cat IgG, IgM and C3 antiserum (direct antiglobulin test)
FALSE NEGATIVES AND FALSE POSITIVES CAN OCCUR
If ulcer that you suspect is due to underlying IM disease. Appropriate test =
Biopsy ACROSS inteface with normal tissue not just middle of ulcer/
Antinuclear antibody test =
Indirect immunofluorescence or immuno-peroxidase test.
Hep-2 cells
Which vinca alkaloid is sometimes used for the treatment of IM thrombocytopenia
Vincristine and Vinblastin are Vinca alkaloids that bind to tubulin, blocking polymerisation also break down newly formed microtubules- increased release of PLTs from megakaryocytes.
WATCH TOXICITY: GI, neurological
In which part of the cell cycle do the following drugs work a) vinca alkaloids b) calcineurin c) corticosteroids
a) Vinca Alkaloids: M phase
b) Calcineurin: G1
c) Steroids: S phase
Azothiaprine summary
Greater decrease of cellular than humoral immuinity.
Hepatic metabolism
Therapeutic index of Chlorambucil
Narrow therapeutic in cats.
Slowest acting, least toxic of all alkalating agents.
Administered without food.
Start off treatment for IM disease as prednislone, if IMHA or aggressive IM disease consider what adjuvant treatment?
Rickettsial/Protozoal infection: Doxacycline
If aggressive IM / IMHA consider adjuvant azothiaprine in dogs, chlorambucil in cats.
If dog with IMHA is on prednisalone and chlorambucil how do you go about tapering dose down
CBC and UA should be monitored every 7-14 days.
Corticosteroids should be tapered over 3-4 month period following remission.
20% decrease every 4 weeks.
DO NOT ALTER ADJUNCTIVE Rx at same time!!
Steroids may be stopped all together if clinical remission persists.
What is different about RBC in camelids?
Camelids have ellipital RBC’s.
Anucleate in mammals but nucleated in birds and reptiles
RBC sites of production
Liver/ Spleen in foetus
Swaps to bone marrow in neonates
Growing animals: Marrow of all bones
Life span of Erythrocyte in a) dog b) cat c) horse/cow
a) dog: 100 days
b) Cat: 70 days
c) Dog/Horse: 150 days
What is the difference between haematocrit and PCV
Both same information but Haematocrit (HCT) calculated by machine.
Hamatocrit is less acurrate.
Microcytic rbc’s indicitive of
PSS, Fe deficiency, hepatic failure.
AKITAS
Macrocytic RBC
In regeneration- polychromatophils.
Some poodles
Also in FeLV affected cats
Myelodysplasia
Common artifact in stored blood
Difference between reticulocytes and polychromatophils
These are the same cells.
Reticulocytes: Stained with New Methylene Blue, RNA precipitates forming aggregates
Polychromatophils: Diff-quick stain= larger bluer cells
Why should reticulocyte count be corrected
The same number of reticulocytes will take up a larger percentage in a very anaemic animal.
Reticu % x patient PCV/normal PCV
Regenerative if >1% corre in dog.
>0.4% corec in cat
Can do faecal occult blood test if Melena is not obvious. What do you need to do to avoid false positives
Meat free diet for 5 days otherwise test will be positive.
High sensitive, not very specific.
Immune mediated haemolysis pathogenesis
Anti red cell antibodies (IgM, IgG, IgA)
Lysis of red cells more common with IgM but IgG and IgA = phagocysed.