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[Judy]

Hi Everyone - blastomycosis is the featured topic witha large article in the Veterinary Medicine Journal, and MiraVista is highlighted... I'm not set up yet to scan the whole article, but if I can, do you think we should put it here on the site? Its a pretty good article.

Here's what they say about Mira Vista:
Urinary antigen testing: Recently, an enzyme immunoassay test to detect B. dermatitidis antigen in urine has been described (MVista Blastomyces dermatitidis Antigen EIA-Mira Vista Diagnostics). This test is reported to be highly sensitive, detecting antigen in urine from 93% of people and up to 100% of dogs with systemic or pulmonary blastomycosis. Cross-reactivity with other funga agents (especially Histoplasma capsulatum) and a few nonspecific false positive results have been reported.

Article is titled: Canine blastomycosis: A review and update on diagnosis and treatment by M. Casey Gaunt, DVM and Susan M. Taylor, DVM, DACVIM  pg 248-256. They are fom Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK s7N 5B4

There is also a research update by Erika Meler, DVM,MS and Barrak Pressler, DVM, PhD, DACVIM from Dept of Vet Clinical Sciences, School fo Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907


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[Wilson3]

This is wonderful news!!!
They are making progress and one day blasto will be easier to treat...lets hope
would love to see the whole artical
wilson3

[Jen]

  These are the 2 things that I found most interesting:

"Itraconazole is a weak base that is best absorbed when administered with food. Peak plasma concentrations do not occur until six to 14 days after treatment is begun, resulting in some lag time before clinical response."   

and
 
"Dogs with severe diffuse pulmonary blastomycosis often deteriorate during the first two or three days of treatment, perhaps related to an inflammatory response directed against dying organisms in the lungs. Fifty percent of these dogs will die within the first seven days of therapy."

Sounds too familiar.
Thanks for the heads up - here's a link to the article:

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/Medicine/Canine-blastomycosis-A-review-and-update-on-diagno/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/596603

jen

[carolh]

Yes, if we can get that article posted that would be great!  Our first dog died of blasto due to our ignorance that led us to play with her all around the river here (1994).  We're so much more careful with our dogs now but evenso, Mika got blasto.  I think we need to let people know when we are in hot areas such as the one I'm in.  Whenever I see folks walking their dogs near the river, I warn them.  Whenever I can get the word out about signs of blasto (high fever, cough, limp, bulging eye), I tell them to run, not walk to their vet.  A good friend of mine lost her dog last year.  She's lived here all her life and one would have thought she knew/would believe blasto is a big problem.  When her dog began coughing, I told her, get to the vet.  She la-dee-da'd too long; it was blasto and her dog died.  So we need not just our word as caretakers of blasto victims, but professional journals and vets and Humane Societies and all shelters in hot spots to spread the word.
In peace, Carol

[Wilson3]

The article is very interesting
And yes in what ever way anyone thinks to spread the word do it
Even if only one person listens that is one saved
pet expos are great places to do event
pet stores are great to spend a couple hours a month at one you like and talk to everyone
At the one place I run the boys I am known as the blasto lady kind of funny in a way I get people asking  me know about it they say so and so told us you had info on it and boy do I (they know its me cause I am the only one that goes there with 3 aussies)
I keep in  the car, my back pack when hiking ,A sticker on my car window about blasto with Wilsons face on it so they see that then see wilson and truely know it can be beaten
Awareness is a great thing to do and helps many it really does even if they don't seem to be listen 100% they at least heard of it the first step
wilson3

[Wilson3]

I was re reading this and found this to be very interesting it talks about putting bandages over lesions I was told not to but I do know some are told to cover them well on here it says not to

page 4
http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=596603&pageID=1&sk=&date=


PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS

At 98.6 F (37 C) or above, B. dermatitidis exists in a yeast phase that is too large to be transmitted by coughing to other dogs or to people as an aerosol. Cutaneous inoculation through needle sticks or wound contamination has, however, been reported.1,4 The organism's mycelial phase may form in bandaged skin lesions4 and may aerosolize and infect people present during bandage changes. Draining tracts or ulcerative lesions should, thus, be left uncovered, and staff members should wear protective clothing including gloves, gowns, and surgical masks when in contact with patients with these lesions. Culture of B. dermatitidis should only be attempted in laboratories with proper facilities, and samples should be clearly marked to minimize risk to laboratory personnel4 since culture promotes growth of the highly infectious mycelial phase.