Seasonal and inter-seasonal RSV activity in the European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic from autumn 2020 to summer 2022

© 2023 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Background: The emergence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in early 2020 and subsequent implementation of public health and social measures (PHSM) disrupted the epidemiology of respiratory viruses. This work describes the epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) observed during two winter seasons (weeks 40–20) and inter-seasonal periods (weeks 21–39) during the pandemic between October 2020 and September 2022. Methods: Using data submitted to The European Surveillance System (TESSy) by countries or territories in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region between weeks 40/2020 and 39/2022, we aggregated country-specific weekly RSV counts of sentinel, non-sentinel and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) surveillance specimens and calculated percentage positivity. Results for both 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons and inter-seasons were compared with pre-pandemic 2016/17 to 2019/20 seasons and inter-seasons. Results: Although more specimens were tested than in pre-COVID-19 pandemic seasons, very few RSV detections were reported during the 2020/21 season in all surveillance systems. During the 2021 inter-season, a gradual increase in detections was observed in all systems. In 2021/22, all systems saw early peaks of RSV infection, and during the 2022 inter-seasonal period, patterns of detections were closer to those seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: RSV surveillance continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with an initial reduction in transmission, followed by very high and out-of-season RSV circulation (summer 2021) and then an early start of the 2021/22 season. As of the 2022/23 season, RSV circulation had not yet normalised.Peer reviewe

Efecto de la adición a la dieta de Zn y/o monensina sobre la respuesta productiva, fermentación ruminal y cinética digestiva en bovinos de carne

Two experiments (Exp1 and Exp2) were conducted to investigate the effect of dietary inclusion of Zn and(or) monensin on performance and rumen fermentation in beef cattle fed a barley grain, alfalfa hay and sunflower meal. In Exp1, 20 calves were assigned to one of the following treatments: CON = control; Z = 430 mg Zn/kg of DM; M = 35 mg monensin/kg of DM; and ZM = both Zn and monensin. Dry matter intake (DMI), DM digestibility (DMD), average daily gain (ADG), and feed to gain (F/G) ratio were determined. Blood analyses included hematocrit, glucose, urea, total protein, alkaline phosphatase and creatinine. In Exp2, the rumen fluid of four cannulated steers, in identical treatments, was studied for Zn concentration, pH, NH3-N, VFA. Rumen dilution rate, turnover time, and volume; in situ DM disappearance of barley and alfalfa were also determined. In Exp1, no treatment response was observed for DMI, ADG or DMD (P > 0.10). Differences in F/G were not significant, despite a numeric F/G decrease in M (6.6 kg/kg). No differences were detected in blood variables. In Exp2, an interaction of treatment x time (P = 0.0174) for Zn concentration was detected, where ZM, followed by Z, had highest mean values at all time intervals. Ruminal parameters, kinetics or DM degradability were not modified by treatments; pH reached the lowest value (6.1; P < 0.05) 12 h after supplement feeding. Overall, supplying more than 20 times the Zn requirement has not substantially affected performance or digestion.En dos experimentos (Exp1 y Exp2) se investigó el efecto de la inclusión en la dieta de Zn y/o monensina sobre la productividad y fermentación ruminal de bovinos alimentados con grano de cebada, alfalfa y harina de girasol. En Exp1, 20 terneros fueron asignados a tratamientos: CON = control; Z = 430 mg Zn/kg de MS; M = 35 mg monensina/kg de MS y ZM = Zn + monensina. Se determinó consumo de materia seca (DMI), digestibilidad (DMD), ganancia de peso (ADG) y eficiencia de conversión alimenticia (F/G). Análisis de sangre incluyeron: hematocrito, glucosa, urea, proteína total, fosfatasa alcalina y creatinina. En Exp2, el líquido ruminal de cuatro novillos fistulados sujetos a tratamientos idénticos fue analizado para: concentración de Zn, pH, NH3-N, VFA. Se determinó dilución de fase líquida, tiempo de recambio y volumen ruminal; y degradación in situ de cebada y alfalfa. En Exp1 no se observó respuesta a los tratamientos para DMI, ADG y DMD. Las diferencias no fueron significativas para F/G, a pesar de una disminución en M (6,6 kg/kg). Tampoco fueron observadas diferencias para variables sanguíneas. En Exp2, se detectó una interacción tratamiento x tiempo (P = 0,0174) para concentración de Zn; ZM resultó mayor para todos los intervalos de tiempo, seguido de Z. Los tratamientos no alteraron parámetros y cinética ruminal o desaparición de DM; pH decreció (6,1; P < 0,05) 12 h posterior a la suplementación. Suministrando más de 20 veces el requerimiento de Zn no afectó substancialmente productividad o digestión