This study aims to evaluate the role of Jordanian veterinarians in terms of their knowledge, attitudes and common practices in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and summarize the registered veterinary drugs between 2017 2020. Descriptive study data were collected using a standardized questionnaire that focused on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Jordanian veterinarians. The findings were analyzed descriptively; 84% of the participants agreed with the statement on the definition of AMR. The majority (95.65%) of participants agreed that AMR is a challenge for the veterinary sector in Jordan and that it should be prioritized over other zoonotic diseases. Approximately 69% of the participants believed that the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials by unqualified, fraudulent, or unauthorized practitioners is the primary reason for the rise of cases associated with AMR and the challenges that accompany these. The most common practice among the respondents in this study was to recommend clients (e.g., farmers and owners) to practice good animal husbandry (80.00%). The study also revealed that there was a significant difference (p = 0.015) between attendance at AMR training sessions and the professional sector (private, public, and academic) of the veterinarians. This study underscores the importance of implementing a continuous education program on AMR so as to enhance the all-round knowledge of veterinarians and improve their advisory skills. In addition, laws should be enacted to ensure that veterinarians prescribe the correct antimicrobials and to improve surveillance systems for monitoring the use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine.
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) is the major pathogen of porcine contagious pleuropneumoniae (PCP). The QseB/QseC two-component system (TCS) consists of the regulator QseB and the kinase QseC, which relates to quorum sensing (QS) and virulence in some bacteria. Here, we investigated the role of QseB/QseC in apf gene cluster (apfABCD) expression of APP. Our results have showed that QseB/QseC TCS can potentially regulate the expression of apf gene cluster. The ΔqseBC, ΔapfA, ΔapfB, ΔapfC and ΔapfD strains are more sensitive to acidic and osmotic stressful conditions, and exhibite lower biofilm formation ability than wild-type (WT) strain, whereas the complemented strains show similar phenotype to the WT strain. In additon, the mutants have defective anti-phagocytosis, adhesion and invasion when they come into contact with the host cells. In experimental animal models of infection, mice infected with ΔqseBC, ΔapfA, ΔapfB, ΔapfC and ΔapfD strains showed lower mortality and bacterial loads in the lung and the blood than those infected with WT strain. In conclusion, our results suggest that QseB/QseC TCS contributes to stress resistance, biofilm formation, phagocytosis, adhesion, invasion and virulence by downregulating expression of apf gene cluster in A. pleuropneumoniae.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute, highly infectious and pathogenic animal disease. In recent years, with the rapid development of the swine breeding industry in China, pig farms have shown a trend of larger-scale development. Large-scale pig farms employ standardized management, a high level of automation, and a strict system. However, these farms have a large trading volume, and increased transmission intensity of FMD is noted inside the farm. At present, the main control measure against FMD is pig vaccination. However, a standard for immunization procedures is not available, and currently adopted immunization procedures have not been effectively and systematically evaluated. Taking a typical large-scale pig farm in China as the research subject and considering the breeding pattern, piggery structure, age structure and immunization procedures, an individual-based state probability model is established to evaluate the effectiveness of the immune procedure. Based on numerical simulation, it is concluded that the optimal immunization program involves primary immunization at 40 days of age and secondary immunization at 80 days of age for commercial pigs. Breeding boars and breeding sows are immunized 4 times a year, and reserve pigs are immunized at 169 and 259 days of age. According to the theoretical analysis, the average control reproduction number of individuals under the optimal immunization procedure in the farm is 0.4927. In the absence of immunization, the average is 1.7498, indicating that the epidemic cannot be controlled without immunization procedures.
Non-human primates (NHPs) serve as necessary reservoir hosts of parasites that create diseases to human. A close interaction between human and NHP can make a pathway for transmission of zoonotic diseases. To prevent zoonotic infection of zoo keepers, park visitors as well as keeping the captive NHPs in healthy state, it is necessary to carry out regular parasitological examination and treatment. A total of 72 fecal samples of Olive Baboon (n = 39) and Common Langur (n = 33) irrespective of their age and sex were collected from two zoological gardens of Bangladesh. Eggs and oocysts of seven gastrointestinal (GI) parasites were observed and identified in samples of both host species. The prevalence of GI parasites recorded was 100%. In case of Olive Baboon, the protozoan prevalence was higher (53.83%) than that of helminths, but opposite scenario was seen in case of Common Langur. Besides, higher intensity of coccidian oocysts in both hosts was recorded in the study.
Globally, arboviruses are public health problems. Pakistan has seen a fast-paced increase in mosquito-borne Flavivirus diseases such as dengue because of deforestation, climate change, urbanization, poor sanitation and natural disasters. The magnitude and distribution of these diseases are poorly understood due to the lack of a competitive nationwide surveillance system. In dengue-endemic countries, the recent epidemics of chikungunya (CHIKV) and human West Nile virus (WNV) have created panic among the public and are thought to provoke an outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) in Pakistan. Recently, hospital-based surveillance has indicated the presence of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), which is deeply concerned by developing countries such as Pakistan. The situation could become more devastating because of poorly developed diagnostic infrastructure. To date, no licensed vaccine has been used in Pakistan, and preventive measures are mainly based on vector control. This review provides comprehensive information concerning the association of risk factors with disease occurrence, epidemiological trends, and prediction of the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, attention to new threats of ZIKV, and future perspectives by benchmarking global health policies.
The objective of this study was to provide the characteristics of hepatic computed tomography images and optimize their transition delay with a bolus-tracking technique for triple-phase hepatic computed tomography in cats. Dynamic triple-phase computed tomography was performed in nine healthy cats. The upper third of the liver was dynamically scanned every 0.5 s for 40 s. The time density curves of the aorta and hepatic parenchyma mean enhancement were analyzed. Triple-phase hepatic computed tomography was performed three times with a bolus trigger of 200 Hounsfield units of aortic enhancement. The transition delays of the arterial, portal, and hepatic parenchymal phases were respectively 0, 5 and 60 s in the first scan; 2, 7 and 62 s in the second scan; and 4, 9 and 64 s in the third scan. All computed tomography images were evaluated by a certificated radiologist. The arterial vessels and their main branches were well enhanced at a 2 s transition delay. The contrast of the portal vein to the liver parenchyma was most obvious at a 7 s transition delay. The mean enhancement of the hepatic parenchyma peaked at a 62 s transition delay, whereas the degree of enhancement of the hepatic vasculature decreased. In this study, the recommended transition delays for the arterial, portal, and hepatic parenchymal phases were 2 s, 7 s and 62 s, respectively, after triggering at 200 Hounsfield units of aortic enhancement. This information may be helpful in diagnosing feline liver diseases and provides a key reference for the clinical implementation of CT.
Mangrove forests are productive ecosystems, acting as a sink for CO2, a habitat for a diverse array of terrestrial and marine species, and as a natural barrier to coastline erosion. The species that reside within mangrove ecosystems have important roles to play, including litter decomposition and the recycling of nutrients. Crustacea are important detritivores in such ecosystems and understanding their limitations (i.e. disease) is an important endeavour when considering the larger ecological services provided.
Histology and metagenomics were used to identify viral (Nudiviridae, Alphaflexiviridae), bacterial (Paracoccus sp., 'Candidatus Gracilibacteria sp.’, and Pseudoalteromonas sp.), protozoan, fungal, and metazoan diversity that compose the symbiome of the mangrove crab, Aratus pisonii. The symbiotic groups were observed at varying prevalence under histology: nudivirus (6.5%), putative gut epithelial virus (3.2%), ciliated protozoa (35.5%), gonad fungus (3.2%), gill ectoparasitic metazoan (6.5%). Metagenomic analysis of one specimen exhibiting a nudivirus infection provided the complete host mitochondrial genome (15,642 bp), nudivirus genome (108,981 bp), and the genome of a Cassava common mosaic virus isolate (6387 bp). Our phylogenetic analyses group the novel nudivirus with the Gammanudivirus and protein similarity searches indicate that Carcinus maenas nudivrius is the most similar to the new isolate. The mitochondrial genome were used to mine short fragments used in population genetic studies to gauge an idea of diversity in this host species across the USA, Caribbean, and central and southern America.
This study report several new symbionts based on their pathology, taxonomy, and genomics (where available) and discuss what effect they may have on the crab population. The role of mangrove crabs from a OneHealth perspective were explored, since their pathobiome includes cassava-infecting viruses. Finally, given that this species is abundant in mangrove forests and now boasts a well-described pathogen profile, we posit that A. pisonii is a valuable model system for understanding mangrove disease ecology.
The H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV) inactivated vaccine has been used extensively in poultry farms, but it often fails to stimulate a sufficiently high immune response in poultry in the field, although it works well in laboratory experiments; hence, the virus still causes economic damage every year and poses a potential threat to public health. Based on surveillance data collected in the field, we found that broilers with high levels of maternal-derived antibodies (MDAs) against H9N2 virus did not produce high levels of antibodies after vaccination with a commercial H9N2 inactivated vaccine. In contrast, specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens without MDAs responded efficiently to that vaccination. When MDAs were mimicked by administering passively transferred antibodies (PTAs) into SPF chickens in the laboratory, similar results were observed: H9N2-specific PTAs inhibited humoral immunity against the H9N2 inactivated vaccine, suggesting that H9N2-specific MDAs might hinder the generation of antibodies when H9N2 inactivated vaccine was used. After challenge with homologous H9N2 virus, the virus was detected in oropharyngeal swabs of the vaccinated and unvaccinated chickens with PTAs but not in the vaccinated chickens without PTAs, indicating that H9N2-specific MDAs were indeed one of the reasons for H9N2 inactivated vaccine failure in the field. When different titers of PTAs were used to mimic MDAs in SPF chickens, high (HI = 12 log2) and medium (HI = log 9 log2) titers of PTAs reduced the generation of H9N2-specific antibodies after the first vaccination, but a booster dose would induce a high and faster humoral immune response even of PTA interference. This study strongly suggested that high or medium titers of MDAs might explain H9N2 inactivated vaccine failure in the field.
Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a double-stranded DNA virus with a genome approximating 150 kb in size. PRV contains many non-essential genes that can be replaced with genes encoding heterogenous antigens without affecting viral propagation. With the ability to induce cellular, humoral and mucosal immune responses in the host, PRV is considered to be an ideal and potential live vector for generation of animal vaccines. In this review, we summarize the advances in attenuated recombinant PRVs and design of PRV-based live vaccines as well as the challenge of vaccine application.
Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the main causative agent of porcine circovirus-associated diseases, and it causes substantial economic losses in the swine industry each year. It is crucial to develop an effective vaccine against the circulating strain PCV2d, which is prone to substantial degrees of mutation. In this study, a truncated form of flagellin (tFlic: 85-111 aa) was inserted into the C-terminal sequence of 2dCap, and Western blotting results showed that recombinant Cap-tFlic VLPs were successfully expressed. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) data indicated that purified recombinant Cap-tFlic fusion proteins existed in the form of polymers and that tFlic could not affect the formation and internalization of VLPs. Integrated Cap-tFlic VLPs induced the expression of antigen presentation-related factors (MHC-II and CD86) by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BM-DCs), and the expression of TLR5-related factors (TNF-α) was dramatically elevated. Mice intramuscularly immunized with Cap-tFlic VLPs exhibited significantly higher levels of Cap-specific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies than mice immunized with wild-type Cap VLPs. The data obtained in the current study indicate that Cap-tFlic may be a candidate for a subunit vaccine against PCV2 in the future.
Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum (Mcc) is an important etiological agent of contagious agalactia (CA). CA affects small ruminants and is characterized by inducing mastitis, arthritis, kerato-conjunctivitis and respiratory symptoms. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize Mcc from Moroccan goats with contagious agalactia. A total of 300 Alpine goats were monitored. Serology analysis, molecular identification, and isolation of Mcc were realized from suspected goats. An experimental study was conducted for isolated Mcc to determine their pathogenicity. Thus, clinical observation showed that respiratory symptoms were predominant in young animals, and other symptoms, such as mastitis, keratoconjunctivitis and lameness, were more frequently detected in adult goats. Of the 80 tested blood samples, 28 sera were seropositive for Mcc antibodies. Mcc was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in milk, lung tissue and synovial liquid samples. The isolation of Mcc was successful through bacterial culture from lung tissue. LppA gene sequence of this strain revealed 98.1% similarity with the reference strain (ATCC 27343), with 11 missense variants. Experimental infection resulted in severe and generalized CA disease in sheep and goats, confirming the high pathogenicity of the Moroccan Mcc isolate.
African swine fever virus (ASFV) is an important pathogen causing acute infectious disease in domestic pigs and wild boars that seriously endangers the global swine industry. As ASFV is structurally complex and encodes a large number of functional proteins, no effective vaccine has been developed to date. Thus, dissecting the mechanisms of immune escape induced by ASFV proteins is crucial. A previous study showed that the ASFV-encoded protein is an important factor in host immunity. In this study, we identified a negative regulator, MGF505-3R, that significantly downregulated cGAS/STING- and poly (dG:dC)-mediated IFN-β and interferon stimulation response element (ISRE) reporter activity and suppressed IFNB1 and IFIT2 mRNA levels. In addition, TBK1, IRF3 and IκBα phosphorylation levels were also inhibited. Mechanistically, MGF505-3R interacted with cGAS/TBK1/IRF3 and targeted TBK1 for degradation, thereby disrupting the cGAS-STING-mediated IFN-β signaling pathway, which appears to be highly correlated with autophagy. Knockdown MGF505-3R expression enhanced IFN-β and IL-1β production. Taken together, our study revealed a negative regulatory mechanism involving the MGF505-3R-cGAS-STING axis and provided insights into an evasion strategy employed by ASFV that involves autophagy and innate signaling pathways.
African swine fever (ASF) is a highly lethal disease of domestic and wild swine caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). The disease currently circulates in Africa, Europe, Asia and on the island of Hispaniola. The ongoing epizootics in Europe and Asia have produced millions of animal deaths and severe economic losses. No effective vaccine is available for ASF, making rapid and accurate detection of ASFV essential for disease mitigation strategies. Currently available diagnostics for ASFV possess significant limitations related to assay performance, deployability, and/or turn-around time; therefore there is an unmet need for pen-side diagnostic tests with sufficient sensitivity and specificity. A chromatographic lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) was developed for the detection of ASFV antigen in EDTA-treated whole blood using monoclonal antibodies targeting the viral p30 protein. The assay requires only water to perform and provides results in 25 min, making it well-suited for field use. The LFIA was capable of detecting genotype I and genotype II strains of ASFV in EDTA blood from experimentally infected pigs at varying time-points after infection, though it was unable to detect a genotype X ASFV strain. Diagnostic sensitivity correlated with clinical disease severity, body temperature, and viral DNA levels, and was over 90% in animals showing moderate to severe ASF-related symptoms after challenge with virulent genotype II virus. The LFIA also showed a robust diagnostic specificity of over 98%, which is essential to field testing for a high consequence to foregin animal disease. The LFIA targeting the viral p30 protein can reliably detect ASFV in whole blood from animals showing moderate to severe clinical signs of infection with virulent genotype I and II isolates, making it a promising candidate for use as a field-deployable antigen detection assay. Additional evaluation using field samples and different virus strains is required to further assess the utility of this rapid diagnostic test.
Beef is a source of human Campylobacter infections. Antimicrobial treatment is needed when patients are immunocompromised or have other comorbidities. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter spp. in beef cattle in Japan. Rectal swab samples were collected from 164 beef cattle at an abattoir between March 2021 and August 2021, and Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 94 (57.3%) cattle. C. jejuni and C. coli were isolated from 68 and 26 cattle, respectively. For Campylobacter jejuni, the resistant rates against ampicillin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin were 20.6, 75.0 and 64.7%, respectively. For C. coli, the resistant rates against ampicillin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin were 53.8, 76.9 and 88.5%, respectively. No Campylobacter isolates were resistant to erythromycin. By multilocus sequence typing, C. jejuni and C. coli isolates were classified into 22 and 2 sequence types (STs). The top three STs of C. jejuni were ST806 (12 isolates), ST21 (nine isolates), and ST459 (eight isolates). The most frequent ST of C. coli was ST1068 (23 isolates). The results suggest that Campylobacter spp. are prevalent in the gastrointestinal tract of beef cattle slaughtered at abattoirs. Furthermore, the administration of erythromycin is effective against human campylobacteriosis caused by beef consumption. Monitoring the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter spp. in beef cattle could be useful for managing the risk of human campylobacteriosis.
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is an important feline pathogen mainly causing upper respiratory tract disease, conjunctivitis, and stomatitis, and it is classified into genotype I and genotype II. To investigate the prevalence and molecular characteristics of FCV, this study collected 337 cat swab samples from animal hospitals in different regions of China from 2019 to 2021. The positive detection rate of FCV was 29.9% (101/337) by RT-PCR. Statistical analysis showed that FCV prevalence was significantly associated with living environment (p = 0.0004), age (p = 0.031) and clinical symptoms (p = 0.00), but not with sex (p = 0.092) and breed (p = 0.171). The 26 strains of FCV were isolated using F81 cells. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 10 isolates belonged to genotype I, and 16 isolates belonged to genotype II. These 26 isolates were highly genetically diverse, of which HB7 isolate had three same virulence-related amino acid loci with VSD strains. Potential loci distinguishing different genotypes were identified from 26 isolates, suggesting the genetic relationship between different genotypes. In addition, selection pressure analysis based on capsid protein of 26 isolates revealed that the protein is under diversifying selection. This study reveals the genetic diversity of FCV and provides a reference for the screening of vaccine candidate strains and the development of vaccines with better cross-protection effects.
This experiment was conducted with lactating Chinese Holstein cows to study the nutritional value of local protein feed resources. A three-step method (TSP) and a modified three-step method (MTSP) were used to measure the in vitro digestibility of rumen undegraded protein (RUP) for 11 feedstuffs and correlation. Eleven experimental feeds were chosen and air-dried to investigate the effects of different growth periods and varieties on nutrition value and RUP digestibility. The small intestinal digestibility of RUP by TSP in concentrated feed was determined to be higher than that of roughage, approximately 65%. The highest concentrate (79%) was SBM (soybean mean), while the lowest was corn (65%). The proportions of DDGS (with soluble wine lees) and SFM (sunflower meal) were 70.9 and 74.9%, respectively. ASS (alfalfa mowed at the squaring stage) had the highest small intestinal digestibility of RUP (55%) among roughages, and WCS (whole-plant corn silage) had the lowest digestibility (40.5%). When the small intestinal digestibility of RUP was determined using the MTSP method, it exhibited similar results to the TSP method. Nevertheless, the values were generally higher, and there was a strong significant correlation between them (R2 = 0.967, P < 0.01). The comparative study of these two methods help us have a better understanding of small intestine digestibility of different feeds, make a reasonable feed formula to effectively prevent diseases.
Natural killer T (NKT) cells activated with the glycolipid ligand α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) stimulate a wide variety of immune cells that enhance vaccine-mediated immune responses. Several studies have used this approach to adjuvant inactivated and subunit influenza A virus (IAV) vaccines, including to enhance cross-protective influenza immunity. However, less is known about whether α-GalCer can enhance live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) vaccines, which usually induce superior heterologous and heterosubtypic immunity compared to non-replicating influenza vaccines. The current study used the swine influenza challenge model to assess whether α-GalCer can enhance cross-protective immune responses elicited by a recombinant H3N2 LAIV vaccine (TX98ΔNS1) encoding a truncated NS1 protein. In one study, weaning pigs were administered the H3N2 TX98ΔNS1 LAIV vaccine with 0, 10, 50, and 100 μg/kg doses of α-GalCer, and subsequently challenged with a heterologous H3N2 virus. All treatment groups were protected from infection. However, the addition of α-GalCer appeared to suppress nasal shedding of the LAIV vaccine. In another experiment, pigs vaccinated with the H3N2 LAIV, with or without 50 μg/kg of α-GalCer, were challenged with the heterosubtypic pandemic H1N1 virus. Pigs vaccinated with the LAIV alone generated cross-reactive humoral and cellular responses which blocked virus replication in the airways, and significantly decreased virus shedding. On the other hand, combining the vaccine with α-GalCer reduced cross-protective cellular and antibody responses, and resulted in higher virus titers in respiratory tissues. These findings suggest that: (i) high doses of α-GalCer impair the replication and nasal shedding of the LAIV vaccine; and (ii) α-GalCer might interfere with heterosubtypic cross-protective immune responses. This research raise concerns that should be considered before trying to use NKT cell agonists as a possible adjuvant approach for LAIV vaccines.
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread parasitic pathogen that infect humans and all warm-blooded animals, causing abortion and stillbirth in pregnant women and animals, as well as life threatening toxoplasmosis in immune compromised individuals. Felines are the only definitive hosts of Toxoplasma and oocysts shed by infected felines are the major source of infection for humans and other animals. Given the critical role of felines for T. gondii transmission, control of feline toxoplasmosis has significant impacts on reducing the overall prevalence of animal and human toxoplasmosis. However, reliable diagnosis of feline toxoplasmosis is still challenging. In this study, we found that the putative micronemal protein 17A (MIC17A) that was abundantly expressed in Toxoplasma merozoites is a good diagnostic marker for serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma infection in felines. T. gondii encodes four paralogs of MIC17A in total and the expression of three of them is drastically upregulated in merozoites than in tachyzoites. In contrast, when proteins like GRA1 and MIC3 that are more abundantly expressed in tachyzoites than in merozoites were used as diagnostic antigens to test feline toxoplasmosis, they reacted with Toxoplasma specific IgG antibodies poorly. Taken together, these results suggest that merozoite antigens are better suited for the diagnosis of feline toxoplasmosis than antigens that are highly expressed at tachyzoite or bradyzoite stages.
The feasibility of a commercially available assay for C-reactive protein (CRP, CRP for humans: hCRP, and CRP for dogs: vCRP) and a trial reagent of serum amyloid A (SAA, vSAA for animals) were applied to the measurement of acute phase proteins in zoo animals, particularly in nonhuman primates and feline carnivores was evaluate. Results showed that hCRP and vSAA methods were applicable to measure CRP and SAA in Haplorhini. There was a highly significant correlation between both parameters with remarkably high correlation coefficient. A higher proportion of Bonnet macaques in Haplorhini, and the linear regression with good correlation between hCRP and vSAA levels were observed. Reference values in healthy Bonnet macaques were hCRP (46.86 ± 30.97 nmol/L) and vSAA (9.06 ± 1.95 μg/mL). Although Ring-tailed lemur, which belonging to Strepsirrhini, showed low vSAA concentrations (reference values: 1.08 ± 0.47 μg/mL), vSAA in patients was apparently elevated. The vCRP and vSAA methods were applicable to measurements of CRP and SAA in feline carnivores for highly significant correlation between both parameters. Theses two methods were also been deteded in lions, tigers and cheetahs. vSAA assays can be applied to measure SAA levels in other carnivores and herbivores. In conclusion, vSAA systems have potential utility as diagnostic tools for health screening and prediction in zoo animals.
The acidic leucine-rich nuclear phosphoprotein 32 kDa (ANP32) family consists of evolutionarily conserved proteins of 220–291 amino acids characterized by an N-terminal leucine-rich repeat domain (LRR) and a C-terminal low-complexity acidic region (LCAR). ANP32 family proteins regulate a variety of physiological functions, including chromatin remodeling, apoptosis and nervous system development. Abnormal ANP32 expression is closely related to tumorigenesis. In recent years, the role of ANP32 family proteins in viral infections has received considerable attention due to their activity supporting influenza virus replication and restriction of virus cross-species transmission. Moreover, ANP32 proteins are closely related to the replication of HIV and nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses (NNSVs). In this review, the general physiological functions of ANP32 family proteins, as well as their roles in virus replication, are summarized in detail.
Effective vaccination induces memory T cells, which protect the host against pathogen re-infections. Therefore, detection of memory T cells is essential for evaluating vaccine efficacy, which was originally dependent on cytokine induction assays. Currently, two isoforms of CD45 tyrosine phosphatase, CD45RO expression and CD45RA exclusion (CD45RO+/ CD45RA-) are used extensively for detecting memory T cells in cattle. The CD45RO+/CD45RA- markers were first established in humans around three decades ago, and were adopted in cattle soon after. However, in the last two decades, some published data in humans have challenged the initial paradigm, and required multiple markers for identifying memory T cells. On the contrary, memory T cell detection in cattle still mostly relies on CD45RO+/CD45RA- despite some controversial evidence. In this review, we summarized the current literature to examine if CD45RO+/CD45RA- are valid markers for detecting memory T cells in cattle. It seems CD45RA and CD45RO (CD45RA/RO) as markers for identifying bovine memory T cells are questionable.
Brucellosis is an important zoonosis that results in substantial economic losses to the livestock industry through abortions and reduced milk yield. This study investigated an abortion outbreak in a dairy herd and then explored the effects of emergency vaccination with Brucella abortus A19 vaccine on the incidence of abortion and milk yield. A full dose of vaccine (6 × 1010—12 × 1010 colony forming units, CFU) was administered subcutaneously to calves and non-pregnant heifers, and a reduced dose (6 × 108—12 × 108 CFU) to adult cows and pregnant replacement heifers. Rose Bengal Test was used to screen Brucella infection status and then positive samples were tested with a C-ELISA. Animals that tested positive for both tests were considered positive to Brucella spp. The animal-level seroprevalence of brucellosis was 23.1% (95% CI: 17.0, 30.2), and the attributable fraction of abortions in seropositive animals was 89.1% (95% CI: 64.3, 96.7). The odds of seropositivity were significantly higher in cows that aborted compared to cows that calved normally (OR = 21.4, 95% CI: 4.4, 168.4). Cows in sheds A2 and C1 were 10.2 (95% CI: 1.4, 128.0) and 17.0 (95% CI: 2.8, 190.3) times more likely to be seropositive than cows in shed B1. Antibodies were not detectable in most heifers 12 months post-vaccination. The effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing abortions was estimated to be 56.8% (95% CI: 15.8, 77.8) for the entire herd, but increased to 86.7% (95% CI: 4.4, 98.1) when only primiparous heifers were considered. Furthermore, a significant increase in the average herd 305-day milk yield one-year after vaccination was also observed relative to that in the previous three years. It is concluded that emergency vaccination of a dairy herd undergoing an abortion outbreak with the A19 vaccine effectively reduced the incidence of abortion and indirectly increased milk yield one-year after vaccination.
Influenza viruses not only cause respiratory illness, but also have been reported to elicit neurological manifestations following acute viral infection. The central nervous system (CNS) has a specific defense mechanism against pathogens structured by cerebral microvasculature lined with brain endothelial cells to form the blood–brain barrier (BBB). To investigate the response of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) to the Influenza A virus (IAV), we inoculated the cells with the A/WSN/33 (H1N1) virus. We then conducted an RNAseq experiment to determine the changes in gene expression levels and the activated disease pathways following infection. The analysis revealed an effective activation of the innate immune defense by inducing the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Along with the production of proinflammatory cytokines, we detected an upregulation of interferons and interferon-stimulated genes, such as IFN-β/λ, ISG15, CXCL11, CXCL3 and IL-6, etc. Moreover, infected hBMECs exhibited a disruption in the cytoskeletal structure both on the transcriptomic and cytological levels. The RNAseq analysis showed different pathways and candidate genes associated with the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, neuroinflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases, together with a predicted activation of the neuroglia. Likewise, some genes linked with the mitochondrial structure and function displayed a significantly altered expression. En masse, this data supports that hBMECs could be infected by the IAV, which induces the innate and inflammatory immune response. The results suggest that the influenza virus infection could potentially induce a subsequent aggravation of neurological disorders.
Fasciolosis and hydatidosis are the world’s most common zoonotic major parasitic ailments of domesticated animals with financial and public health implications. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 384 randomly selected cattle slaughtered at Wolaita Sodo municipal abattoir to estimate the prevalence and associated risk factors for co-infection of hydatidosis and fasciolosis using the ante- and postmortem examination techniques. Of the 384 examined cattle, 4.17% were found to harbor co-infections of hydatidosis and fasciolosis. Similarly, the prevalence of concurrent fasciolosis and hydatidosis infections was 76.56% and 23.44% in local and crossbred animals, respectively. The current study took into account risk factors such as age, breed, origin, and body condition score; however, there is a statistically insignificant association between the risk factors and the prevalence of concurrent fasciolosis and hydatidosis infection. In this study, overall fasciolosis was recorded at a rate of 9.38%, with the highest prevalence of F. hepatica at 8.59%, followed by unidentified flukes at 4.17% and F. gigantica at 0.78%. Likewise, the single prevalence of hydatidosis was recorded at 10.94%. Of the 142 examined cysts, the liver alone harbors 54 cysts, and the lung alone harbors 88 cysts, with a total of 43 calcified, 21 sterile, 56 viable, 9 nonviable, and 13 mixed cysts. The predicted yearly financial loss from organ condemnation was 15,436,142.00 ETB Birr. This study demonstrated that hydatidosis and fasciolosis are two relatively widespread parasite diseases of cattle in Ethiopia, causing significant economic loss attributable to organ rejection and indirect weight loss. Thus, awareness of the impact of the disease on the community could disrupt the parasite’s life cycle, and its economic significance was forwarded to other points.
Mycoplasma synoviae (M. synoviae) infections have become an increasingly serious concern in China because they cause huge economic losses to the poultry industry. Antibiotic treatment is one of control strategies that can be used to contain clinical outbreaks in M. synoviae-free flocks, especially because the bacteria can be transmitted through eggs. To understand M. synoviae infection status in farms of central China and the antibiotic susceptibility of the circulating strains in vivo and in vitro, 485 samples were collected from five provinces from 2019 to 2021. Fifty-two strains were isolated and identified. Determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of eight antibiotics (tylvalosin, tiamulin, tilmicosin, lincomycin, enrofloxacin, chlortetracycline, doxycycline and tylosin) for isolates showed that tylvalosin, doxycycline and tiamulin were effective against 52 clinical isolates (MIC values ≤ 0.0625–0.25 μg/mL, ≤0.0625–1 μg/mL, and 0.25–2 μg/mL, respectively). Tilmicosin, enrofloxacin and lincomycin had high MIC90 values (>32 μg/mL). An artificial M. synoviae infection model was established in chickens for evaluation of the short-term therapeutic effect of these antibiotics. After 5 days of medication, doxycycline (200 mg/L) showed a superior ability to inhibit M. synoviae compared with other groups, as did tylvalosin (200 mg/L). Furthermore, the therapeutic efficacy of tylvalosin (0.4 μg/mL) on intra-embryo-injected M. synoviae was higher than that of tiamulin at the same dose. A combination of MIC values determined in vitro and therapeutic effects observed in vivo revealed that tylvalosin and doxycycline had the best therapeutic effects. Tylvalosin also showed better inhibitory effects on the vertical transmission of M. synoviae than tiamulin.
Lymnaeid snails are key intermediate hosts for the development and survival of Fasciola spp., the causative agent of Fascioliasis which are economically important parasites infecting humans and livestock globally. The current control method for treating Fascioliasis is heavily reliant on anthelmintic drugs, particularly Triclabendazole (TCBZ) which has resulted in drug-resistant parasites and poses significant risk as there are no long-term efficacious alternatives available. Sustainable control measures at the farm level could include both parasite and snail control will play an important role in Fasciola spp. control and reduce the reliance on anthelmintic drugs. Implementation of such sustainable control measures requires effective identification of snails on the property however Lymnaeid snails are small and difficult to physically locate. Snail identification using an environmental DNA approach is a recent approach in which physically locating snails are not required. Austropeplea tomentosa, is the primary intermediate snail host for F. hepatica transmission in South-East Australia and we present an in-field loop-mediated isothermal amplification and water filtering method for the detection of A. tomentosa eDNA from water samples to improve current surveillance methods. This methodology is highly sensitive with a detection limit of 5 × 10− 6 ng/μL, detected in < 20 minutes, with cumulative sample preparation and amplification time under 1 hour. This proposed workflow could assist in monitoring areas to determine the risk of Fascioliasis infection and implement strategies to manage snail populations to ultimately reduce the risk of infection for humans and livestock.
This report describes an outbreak and treatment of pneumonia and enteritis in a snake farm with more than 3000 snakes containing Elaphe carinata (one-year-old) and Ptyas mucosus (three-month-old) seedlings in Huanggang, Hubei, China. Gentamicin was used once in the early stage as treatment, administered orally with water or feed by owners, but mortality increased. Lobar pneumonia was confirmed by dissection and histopathology in infected snakes. Four main pathogenic bacteria were isolated and identified with culture and 16S rRNA sequencing: Staphylococcus sciuri, Salmonella enteritis, Vagococcus fluvialis and Providencia vermicola. Drug susceptibility tests were performed, and amikacin, gentamicin and cefitriaxone were chosen accordingly. After two rounds of treatment, the clinical signs for Elaphe carinata were under control, and the mortality was close to 0% after treatment. However, treatments for Ptyas mucosus seedlings did not work well, potentially because of poor administration technique and weak body condition.
Salmonella is a significant foodborne zoonotic pathogen that endangers both human and animal health. The goal of this research is to gain a preliminary understanding of Salmonella contamination and antimicrobial resistance in the chicken production chain in Hubei Province, China. 1149 animal and environmental samples were collected from chicken farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets in six cities across Hubei Province in China from 2019 to 2020, yielding Salmonella isolation rates of 4.68% (28/598), 12.21% (47/385), and 9.64% (16/166), respectively. Seventeen distinct serotypes were detected among 53 non-clonal Salmonella strains, of which Meleagridis (26.42%, 14/53) was the dominant serotype. Almost half of the strains (49.06%, 26/53) were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) showed that 10 resistance genes (tetA, bla TEM, parC, qnrS1, floR, aac(6′)-Iy, aph(6)-Id, aph(3″)-Ib, aac(6′)-Iaa and sul2) and 7 categories of virulence genes were present in all three links in 22 non-clonal dominant serotype strains. It was shown that Salmonella in the chicken production chain in Hubei Province had a high resistance rate to Tetracycline (TET, 73.58%), Ofloxacin (OFL, 69.81%), Florfenicol (FFC, 60.38%) and Ampicillin (AMP, 39.62%) which was consistent with the widespread use of these drugs in the husbandry industry in China. Salmonella ST types determined by MLST and serotypes determined by WGS had a one-to-one correlation. Minimum spanning tree analysis revealed that there was cross contamination of Salmonella in farms and slaughterhouses, slaughterhouses and markets, animal samples and environmental samples. This work provides useful information for the prevention and control of contamination and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella in the chicken production chain, as well as demonstrating the dependable role of WGS in Salmonella molecular typing.