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With 1 table and 4 figures Summary Cephalic parapagia, a rare congenital anomaly caused by the fusion of two monozygotic embryos, is characterized by a single body and a spectrum of duplication of craniofacial structures. The authors describe the clinical and pathological aspects of the parapagus conjoined twin defect in nine calves referred to the Department of Animal Pathology, Turin, between 1999 and 2009. The majority of the calves (eight cases) presented two snouts that shared three or four eyes (diprosopia); one calf presented two separate skulls fused at the foramen magnum (dicephalia). Bilateral inferior brachygnathia was observed in four calves. Post-mortem examination of the skull revealed complete brain duplication with fusion at the caudal portion of the brainstem in all calves. Histological features of the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem were normal; moderate disorganization of the cerebellar cortex was noted in two cases. Cardiac malformations were observed in three calves. No aetiologic cause was determined. This article underscores the importance of diprosopia in cattle species and suggests the need for more detailed investigations to better understand its pathogenesis.

An outbreak of dual infection in dogs with canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1) and canine coronavirus (CCV) infection is reported in an animal shelter that comprised approximately 200 adults stray dogs and 30 puppies. Twenty puppies died 7-8 days after the onset of the clinical signs (severe enteritis, leucopoenia, respiratory distress and dehydration). Both CAV-1 and CCV were isolated from tissue or swab samples. Antibodies to CCV and, at high levels, to CAV-1 also were detected in several puppies. The principal histological findings were atrophy of small intestinal villi, lymphoid depletion, hepatitis and bronchopneumonia. The persistence of CCV in the faeces, observed by the polymerase chain reaction assay, was longer than previously reported. Results demonstrated the serious consequences which may occur with dual infections by CAV-1 and CCV in assembled groups of dogs that are housed in poorly managed kennels with inadequate vaccination programmes.

Summary Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct test and Accuprobe M. avium Complex test, rely on recognition of specific rRNA sequences. The present investigation included sequentially a pre-evaluation study and a study on non-visible lesion tuberculin reactor cattle. As regards the first study, tests were performed on tissue samples from 14 reactors with tuberculous-like lesions and from as many lesion-free non-reactors, using culture findings as a reference. MTD and Accuprobe M. Avium Complex tests proved positive in 12 and 2 reactors respectively. Both tests proved negative in all non-reactors. Data consisted with culture findings. The aim of the second study was to verify the presence of mycobacteria in lymph node and tonsil homogenates from 32 non-visible lesion cattle. MTD and Accuprobe M. avium Complex tests proved positive in 10 and 14 subjects respectively; no overlap was found. Our research demonstrates that low to minimal amounts of the main pathogenic mycobacteria can be reliably identified from cattle tissues by commercially available tests, which give simple, more rapid results than conventional techniques.