Veterinary Pathology
Summary
Veterinary pathology is the discipline dedicated to diagnosing and understanding disease processes in animals through the examination of tissues, organs and bodily fluids. It encompasses macroscopic (gross) pathology and microscopic (histopathological) analysis, supported by ancillary techniques such as immunohistochemistry, molecular assays and emerging digital‐imaging platforms. By correlating clinical signs with structural alterations in cells and tissues, veterinary pathologists not only establish definitive diagnoses but also elucidate mechanisms of infectious, metabolic, neoplastic and environmental disorders. In livestock, companion animals and wildlife, these insights guide therapeutic decisions, inform preventive measures and underpin surveillance programmes for zoonotic and transboundary diseases. Comparative studies across species further illuminate shared pathways of organ injury, fostering advances in both animal and human medicine under a One Health paradigm.
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Research from all publishers
Integrative “omics” approaches have begun to decode pathogen–host interactions in opportunistic algal infections. A recent study combined transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics to compare clinical and environmental isolates of Prototheca wickerhamii. It revealed that hypermucoid clinical variants downregulate a key mannan‐degrading enzyme, yielding thinner cell walls and altered macrophage toxicity, and that shifts in lipid and glycerol profiles drive the mucoid phenotype. Drug‐susceptibility profiling across human‐derived isolates showed that amphotericin B and most azoles are algicidal, with efinaconazole the most potent, while fluconazole and luliconazole proved least active, highlighting species‐specific resistance patterns linked to treatment history.
In canine medicine, the search for reliable sepsis biomarkers has focused on keratinocyte‐derived chemokines. A 2024 survey of dogs with pyometra demonstrated that circulating KC-like levels rise markedly in septic animals compared with non-septic and healthy controls, correlating with severity scores and length of hospitalisation. These findings suggest a role for KC-like chemokines in early risk stratification and prognosis in veterinary critical care.
Parasitic lung infections remain a challenge in both wild and domestic carnivores. A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of Eucoleus aerophilus in foxes, dogs and cats synthesised data from 38 countries. It confirmed red foxes as principal reservoirs (prevalence up to 49%), documented higher burdens in wildlife than in pets (3–8%), and underscored frequent co-infections with other metastrongyloids, complicating diagnosis and control strategies across natural and domestic settings.
Veterinary Pathology publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in veterinary pathology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Gross pathology: Macroscopic examination of organs and tissues to identify visible abnormalities during necropsy.
Histopathology: Microscopic analysis of stained tissue sections to characterise cellular and structural changes in disease.
Immunohistochemistry: Technique using labelled antibodies to detect specific antigens in tissue sections, aiding diagnosis and classification.
Proteomics: Large-scale study of the protein complement expressed by cells or tissues, revealing disease‐related alterations.
Metabolomics: Comprehensive profiling of small-molecule metabolites in biological samples to understand metabolic pathways in health and disease.
Biomarker: A measurable indicator, such as a protein or cytokine, that reflects the presence or severity of a disease process.
References
- Integration of transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics data for the detection of the human pathogenic Prototheca wickerhamii from a One Health perspective. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (2023).
- Drug Susceptibility Profiling of Prototheca Species Isolated from Cases of Human Protothecosis. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (2023).
- Occurrence of Eucoleus aerophilus in wild and domestic animals: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Parasites & Vectors (2023).
About these summaries
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