Research update from Dr. Breitschwerdt looking at the potential role of the Tick-Borne bacterial infection, bartonella in the initiation and/or progression of hemangiosarcoma.
We are on track to accomplish all of our aims for this study. We were able to obtain the initial set of samples on April 26, 2018 so we had a short delay in starting this study. We have now completed all Year I study aims, with the exception of immunohistochemistry and FISH localization of Bartonella organisms within various cell types. We have submitted a manuscript to the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, representing additional research from our AKC-CHF study #02287, which allowed us to define the Western Blotting (WB) criteria for serodiagnosis of bartonellosis in dogs. That work required additional time and research effort to validate WB testing. We are very excited with the qPCR and ddPCR results obtained from the fresh frozen hemangiosarcoma tissues provided by the NIH-CCOGC. The results strongly support a role for Bartonella spp. in the etiopathogensis of hemangiosarcoma in dogs. The regional study should provide additional insight as to the issue of potential causation. Two regions have identified, collected and shipped all necessary samples from their region. The other region is in the process of collecting their samples. These samples will be tested by ddPCR, which has required months of validation, over the next six months.
Mid-Year-2 Research Update Dr. Breitschwerdt for role of TDB (Bartonella) in hemangiosarcoma.
