Construction of diagnostic algorithm and analysis of nasal flora in canine nasal diseases

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20618
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0605:Veterinary medical science, animal science, and related fields
• Research Institution: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University
• Principal Investigator: Fujiwara Aki 日本獣医生命科学大学, 獣医学部, 准教授 (40709755)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 犬の鼻腔疾患 / 鼻腔細菌叢 / 診断アルゴリズム / 非感染性鼻炎 / 鼻腔腫瘍

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Canine nasal diseases include various types of rhinitis and tumors. To confirm these diseases, MRI and CT examinations under general anesthesia and biopsies are performed, but not all of them can be performed in all cases. Therefore, in this study, diagnostic algorithm was constructed using noninvasive examination data from canine cases with confirmed diagnosis of various nasal diseases, and sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value were calculated.
In addition, considering the possibility that nasal flora may be involved in the pathogenesis of various nasal diseases in dogs, we evaluated the nasal flora of noninfectious rhinitis, which is the most common form of rhinitis, nasal tumors, and normal dogs. Some variations in specific bacteria among these nasal diseases were obtained. In the future, we will evaluate how those bacteria are involved in the immune mechanism.

Free Research Field

獣医呼吸器病学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究においてこれまで確定診断には全身麻酔下の検査が必要であった犬の鼻腔疾患において、非侵襲的な検査結果を用いた診断アルゴリズムを使用することによって全身麻酔下の検査を行うべきかスクリーニングができることが明らかとなった。本研究成果は臨床獣医学において非常に有用であり、臨床応用が期待できる。
またさまざまな犬の鼻腔疾患は発生病態が不明であったが、本研究から得られた鼻腔細菌叢の変動は疾患病態に関連していると考えられ、特にもっとも発生の多い非感染性鼻炎においては細菌叢による免疫機構への変化が示唆された。今後原因不明であった非感染性鼻炎の発生病態解明が進むことで、臨床獣医学に貢献すると考えられる。