A survey of biosecurity-related practices, opinions and communications across dairy farm veterinarians and advisors

peer-reviewedBiosecurity at farm-level can often be poorly implemented, and lack of information has been cited by many studies as a potential explanation. Veterinary practitioners (VPs) and dairy advisors (DAs) play a central role in the provision of animal health and management services to dairy farmers. The objective of this study was to document and compare biosecurity-related practices and opinions across VPs and DAs in Ireland. A selection of veterinary experts (VEs) from outside of Ireland was also surveyed. Questionnaires were completed and response rates of 47% (VPs), 97% (DAs), and 65% (VEs) were achieved. Significant differences were identified in the promotion and implementation of biosecurity between VPs and DAs, with a higher proportion of VPs regularly receiving requests from (P = 0.004), and dispensing advice to (P < 0.0001), their farm clients. Communication between DAs and VPs was sub-optimal with over 60% of each group not in regular communication with each other. With regard to the main farmer motivation for biosecurity implementation, the majority of VPs (62%) prioritised external factors such as ‘economic benefit’ and ‘mandatory obligation’, while the majority of DAs prioritised health/animal-related factors (69%), which were similar to those of farmers (83.1%), although they remained significantly less likely (OR = 1.8) than farmers to choose such motivators (P = 0.005). Inconsistencies in the implementation of, and in opinions relating to, farm biosecurity were highlighted across all the groups surveyed emphasising the need for standardised information and improved communication.Irish Dairy Lev

Perspectives on the History of Bovine TB and the Role of Tuberculin in Bovine TB Eradication

Tuberculosis remains a significant disease of animals and humans worldwide. Bovine tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacteria with an extremely wide host range and serious, although currently probably underdiagnosed, zoonotic potential. Where bovine tuberculosis controls are effective, human zoonotic TB, due to Mycobacterium bovis or M. caprae, is uncommon and clinical cases are infrequent in cattle. Therefore, the control and ultimate eradication of bovine tuberculosis is desirable. Tuberculin tests are the primary screening tool used in bovine eradication. The choice of tuberculin test is dependent on the environment in which it is to be used. Tuberculin potency is critical to test performance, and the accurate determination of potency is therefore particularly important. The design of a control or eradication programme should take into consideration the fundamental scientific knowledge, the epidemiological profile of disease, the experience of other eradication programmes, and the presence, in the same ecosystem, of maintenance hosts, in which infection is self-sustaining and which are capable of transmitting infection. A control or eradication programme will necessarily require modification as it progresses and must be under constant review to identify the optimal desirable goals, the efficacy of policy, and constraints to progress

Implementing biosecurity measures on dairy farms in Ireland

peer-reviewedDairy farms in Ireland are expanding in preparation for a new era of unrestricted milk production with the elimination of the European Union (EU) production quotas in 2015. Countries experiencing a changing agricultural demographic, including farm expansion, can benefit from documenting the implementation of on-farm biosecurity. The objectives of this study were to document and describe influences on biosecurity practices and related opinions on dairy farms. A representative response rate of 64% was achieved to a nationwide telesurvey of farmers. A 20% discrepancy was found between self-declared and truly ‘closed’ herds indicating a lack of understanding of the closed herd concept. Although >72% of farmers surveyed considered biosecurity to be important, 53% stated that a lack of information might prevent them from improving their biosecurity. Logistic regression highlighted regional, age, and farm-size related differences in biosecurity practices and opinions towards its implementation. Farmers in the most dairy cattle dense region were three times more likely to quarantine purchased stock than were their equivalents in regions where dairy production was less intense (P = 0.012). Younger farmers in general were over twice as likely as middle-aged farmers to implement biosecurity guidelines (P = 0.026). The owners of large enterprises were almost five times more likely to join a voluntary animal health scheme (P = 0.003), and were over three times more likely to pay a premium price for health accredited animals (P = 0.02) than were those farming small holdings. The baseline data recorded in this survey will form the basis for more detailed sociological and demographic research which will facilitate the targeting of future training of the farming community in biosecurity

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): Borna disease

Non peer reviewe

The speaking vocabulary of grade two

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

Discordance between resting and hyperemic indices of coronary stenosis severity: the VERIFY 2 study (a comparative study of resting coronary pressure gradient, instantaneous wave-free ratio and fractional flow reserve in an unselected population referred for invasive angiography)

Background—Distal coronary to aortic pressure ratio (Pd/Pa) and instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) are indices of functional significance of a coronary stenosis measured without hyperemia. It has been suggested that iFR has superior diagnostic accuracy to Pd/Pa when compared with fractional flow reserve (FFR). We hypothesized that in comparison with FFR, revascularization decisions based on either binary cutoff values for iFR and Pd/Pa or hybrid strategies incorporating iFR or Pd/Pa will result in similar levels of disagreement. Methods and Results—This is a prospective study in consecutive patients undergoing FFR for clinical indications using proprietary software to calculate iFR. We measured Pd/Pa, iFR, FFR, and hyperemic iFR. Diagnostic accuracy versus FFR ≤0.80 was calculated using binary cutoff values of ≤0.90 for iFR and ≤0.92 for Pd/Pa, and adenosine zones for iFR of 0.86 to 0.93 and Pd/Pa of 0.87 to 0.94 in the hybrid strategy. One hundred ninety-seven patients with 257 stenoses (mean diameter stenosis 48%) were studied. Using binary cutoffs, diagnostic accuracy was similar for iFR and resting Pd/Pa with misclassification rates of 21% versus 20.2% (P=0.85). In the hybrid analysis, 54% of iFR cases and 53% of Pd/Pa cases were outside the adenosine zone and rates of misclassification were 9.4% versus 11.9% (P=0.55). Conclusions—Binary cutoff values for iFR and Pd/Pa result in misclassification of 1 in 5 lesions. Using a hybrid strategy, approximately half of the patients do not receive adenosine, but 1 in 10 lesions are still misclassified. The use of nonhyperemic indices of stenosis severity cannot be recommended for decision making in the catheterization laboratory. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02377310

Bayesian estimation of prevalence of paratuberculosis in dairy herds enrolled in a voluntary Johne’s Disease Control Programme in Ireland

Bovine paratuberculosis is a disease characterised by chronic granulomatous enteritis which manifests clinically as a protein-losing enteropathy causing diarrhoea, hypoproteinaemia, emaciation and, eventually death. Some evidence exists to suggest a possible zoonotic link and a national voluntary Johne’s Disease Control Programme was initiated by Animal Health Ireland in 2013. The objective of this study was to estimate herd-level true prevalence (HTP) and animal-level true prevalence (ATP) of paratuberculosis in Irish herds enrolled in the national voluntary JD control programme during 2013–14. Two datasets were used in this study. The first dataset had been collected in Ireland during 2005 (5822 animals from 119 herds), and was used to construct model priors. Model priors were updated with a primary (2013–14) dataset which included test records from 99,101 animals in 1039 dairy herds and was generated as part of the national voluntary JD control programme. The posterior estimate of HTP from the final Bayesian model was 0.23–0.34 with a 95% probability. Across all herds, the median ATP was found to be 0.032 (0.009, 0.145). This study represents the first use of Bayesian methodology to estimate the prevalence of paratuberculosis in Irish dairy herds. The HTP estimate was higher than previous Irish estimates but still lower than estimates from other major dairy producing countries

Badger territoriality maintained despite disturbance of major road construction

Publication history: Accepted - 19 August 2021; Published - 3 September 2021.Road ecology has traditionally focused on the impact of in-situ and functional roads on wildlife. However, road construction also poses a major, yet understudied, threat and the implications for key aspects of animal behaviour are unknown. Badgers (Meles meles) have been implicated in the transmission of tuberculosis to cattle. There are concerns that environmental disturbances, including major road construction, can disrupt badger territoriality, promoting the spread of the disease to cattle. To address these knowledge gaps the ranging behaviour of a medium-density Irish badger population was monitored using GPS-tracking collars before, during, and after a major road realignment project that bisected the study area. We estimated badgers’ home range sizes, nightly distances travelled, and the distance and frequency of extra-territorial excursions during each phase of the study and quantified any changes to these parameters. We show that road construction had a very limited effect on ranging behaviour. A small increase in nightly distance during road construction did not translate into an increase in home range size, nor an increase in the distance or frequency of extra-territorial excursions during road construction. In addition, suitable mitigation measures to prevent badger deaths appeared to ensure that normal patterns of ranging behaviour continued once the new road was in place. We recommend that continuous badger- proof fencing be placed along the entire length of new major roads, in combination with appropriately sited underpasses. Our analysis supports the view that road construction did not cause badgers to change their ranging behaviour in ways likely to increase the spread of tuberculosis.AG was supported by a PhD scholarship provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland. This project was conceived, carried out and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Ireland

Sex differences in procedural and clinical outcomes following rotational atherectomy

Aim: Evaluate sex differences in procedural net adverse clinical events and long‐term outcomes following rotational atherectomy (RA). Methods and Results: From August 2010 to 2016, 765 consecutive patients undergoing RA PCI were followed up for a median of 4.7 years. 285 (37%) of subjects were female. Women were older (mean 76 years vs. 72 years; p &lt; .001) and had more urgent procedures (64.6 vs. 47.3%; p &lt; .001). Females received fewer radial procedures (75.1 vs. 85.1%; p &lt; .001) and less intravascular imaging guidance (16.8 vs. 25.0%; p = .008). After propensity score adjustment, the primary endpoint of net adverse cardiac events (net adverse clinical events: all‐cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, target vessel revascularization plus any procedural complication) occurred more often in female patients (15.1 vs. 9.0%; adjusted OR 1.81 95% CI 1.04–3.13; p = .037). This was driven by an increased risk of procedural complications rather than procedural major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Specifically, women were more likely to experience coronary dissection (4.6 vs. 1.3%; p = .008), cardiac tamponade (2.1 vs. 0.4%; p = .046) and significant bleeding (BARC ≥2: 5.3 vs. 2.3). Despite this, overall MACE‐free survival was similar between males and females (adjusted HR 1.03; 95% CI 0.80–1.34; p = .81). Procedural complications during RA were associated with almost double the incidence of MACE at long‐term follow‐up (HR 1.92; 95% CI 1.34–2.77; p &lt; .001). Conclusion: Women may be at greater risk of procedural complications following rotational atherectomy. These include periprocedural bleeding episodes and coronary perforation leading to cardiac tamponade. Despite this, the adjusted overall long‐term survival free of major adverse cardiac events was similar between males and females

Percutaneous coronary intervention versus medical therapy in patients with angina and grey-zone fractional flow reserve values: a randomised clinical trial

Introduction: There is conflicting evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with grey zone fractional flow reserve (GZFFR artery) values (0.75–0.80). The prevalence of ischaemia is unknown. We wished to define the prevalence of ischaemia in GZFFR artery and assess whether PCI is superior to optimal medical therapy (OMT) for angina control. Methods: We enrolled 104 patients with angina with 1:1 randomisation to PCI or OMT. The artery was interrogated with a Doppler flow/pressure wire. Patients underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with follow-up at 3 and 12 months. The primary outcome was angina status at 3 months using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ). Results: 104 patients (age 60±9 years), 79 (76%) males and 79 (76%) Left Anterior Descending (LAD) stenoses were randomised. Coronary physiology and SAQ were similar. Of 98 patients with stress perfusion MRI data, 17 (17%) had abnormal perfusion (≥2 segments with ≥25% ischaemia or ≥1 segment with ≥50% ischaemia) in the target GZFFR artery. Of 89 patients with invasive physiology data, 26 (28%) had coronary flow velocity reserve &lt;2.0 in the target GZFFR artery. After 3 months of follow-up, compared with patients treated with OMT only, patients treated by PCI and OMT had greater improvements in SAQ angina frequency (21 (28) vs 10 (23); p=0.026) and quality of life (24 (26) vs 11 (24); p=0.008) though these differences were no longer significant at 12 months. Conclusions: Non-invasive evidence of major ischaemia is uncommon in patients with GZFFR artery. Compared with OMT alone, patients randomised to undergo PCI reported improved symptoms after 3 months but these differences were no longer significant after 12 months