Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐ง๐ณ๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ! This was a request 
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ง๐ณ๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ is a form of ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ (tumour of the glandular tissue of the nose) that is caused by a viral infection.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This disease is seen in sheep and goats!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This tumour is caused by ๐๐ง๐ณ๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ, which is a retrovirus in the same family as things like HIV. The virus is acquired by contact with nasal secretions from affected animals, and ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ (remains dormant) for 1-3 years before developing nasal tumours. That said, it is far more common to have ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ฅ (not apparent) infection where no tumours are produced, so finding the source of the virus can be very difficult!
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
The tumours arise within the nasal cavity and cause progressive respiratory issues, nasal deformity and nasal discharge. In some cases, the tumour may take up an entire nasal passage and even poke out of the nostril! Particularly aggressive tumours may also invade into the bone and cause deviation of the nasal septum and other boney changes.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
Typically these lesions will be diagnosed based on a ๐๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ฒ (sample of tissue) that is sent to a pathologist. Under the microscope, the pathologist can see tubular formations that indicate the tumour cells originated from glandular structures. Super cool! To confirm viral involvement, ๐๐๐ testing to directly identify the virusโ proteins can be used.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Unfortunately the location of these tumours makes it extremely difficult to remove them surgically. Therefore, these animals are often euthanized for welfare reasons.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Examples of nasal tumours taking up space in the nose.
5-6) Lovely examples of the tubular structures that a pathologist would see on histology! Remember we are looking at a 2D section of a 3D structure, so tubes look like circles in our world.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-6 courtesy of Noahโs Arkive.
