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Fletcher, Nicola F.
Preferred name
Fletcher, Nicola F.
Official Name
Fletcher, Nicola F.
Research Output
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
- PublicationOccipital condylar dysplasia in a jacob lamb (Ovis aries)(Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli, 2017-05-06)
; ; ; Jacob sheep (Ovis aries) are a pedigree breed known for their “polycerate” (multihorned) phenotype. We describe a four-horned Jacob lamb that exhibited progressive congenital hindlimb ataxia and paresis, and was euthanased four weeks post-partum. Necropsy and CT-scan revealed deformity and asymmetry of the occipital condyles, causing narrowing of the foramen magnum and spinal cord compression. Histopathology demonstrated Wallerian degeneration of the cervical spinal cord at the level of the foramen magnum. These findings are consistent with occipital condylar dysplasia. This condition has been infrequently reported in the literature as a suspected heritable disease of polycerate Jacob sheep in the USA, and is assumed to arise during selection for the polycerate trait. This is the first reported case in European-bred Jacob sheep. Occipital condylar dysplasia should be considered as a differential diagnosis in polycerate Jacob lambs showing ataxia. It is important to raise awareness of this disease due to its suspected heritability and link to the popular polycerate trait.138Scopus© Citations 3 - PublicationSARS-CoV-2 variant trends in Ireland: Wastewater based epidemiology and clinical surveillance(Elsevier, 2022-09-10)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification in wastewater is an important tool for monitoring the prevalence of COVID-19 disease on a community scale which complements case-based surveillance systems. As novel variants of concern (VOCs) emerge there is also a need to identify the primary circulating variants in a community, accomplished to date by sequencing clinical samples. Quantifying variants in wastewater offers a cost-effective means to augment these sequencing efforts. In this study, SARS-CoV-2 N1 RNA concentrations and daily loadings were determined and compared to case-based data collected as part of a national surveillance programme to determine the validity of wastewater surveillance to monitor infection spread in the greater Dublin area. Further, sequencing of clinical samples was conducted to determine the primary SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in Dublin. Finally, digital PCR was employed to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 VOCs, Alpha and Delta, were quantifiable from wastewater. No lead or lag time was observed between SARS-CoV-2 wastewater and case-based data and SARS-CoV-2 trends in Dublin wastewater significantly correlated with the notification of confirmed cases through case-based surveillance preceding collection with a 5-day average. This demonstrates that viral RNA in Dublin's wastewater mirrors the spread of infection in the community. Clinical sequence data demonstrated that increased COVID-19 cases during Ireland's third wave coincided with the introduction of the Alpha variant, while the fourth wave coincided with increased prevalence of the Delta variant. Interestingly, the Alpha variant was detected in Dublin wastewater prior to the first genome being sequenced from clinical samples, while the Delta variant was identified at the same time in clinical and wastewater samples. This work demonstrates the validity of wastewater surveillance for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infections and also highlights its effectiveness in identifying circulating variants which may prove useful when sequencing capacity is limited.111Scopus© Citations 24 - PublicationMesothelioma in two sheep with pericardial effusion and ascites(BMJ, 2020-02)
; ; ; ; Mesotheliomas are rare tumours in domestic animals. These tumours have a range of clinical presentations, and a range of gross and microscopic features can be present. We report mesotheliomas in two sheep submitted to Animal and Plant Health Agency’s diagnostic pathology service with diverse clinical presentations. The first case was a 2-year-old ewe with a history of sudden death that had a nodular mass in the wall of the right auricle and marked pericardial effusion and ascites. The second case was a 3-year-old ewe with a history of recumbency which had a papillary mass in the peritoneal cavity and marked ascites. A diagnosis of mesothelioma in both cases was confirmed by immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin and vimentin. These cases highlight the diverse presenting signs that can be present with mesothelioma, and this tumour should be considered as a differential diagnosis in sheep with peritoneal, pericardial or pleural effusion at gross postmortem.284Scopus© Citations 1