Experimental reproduction of bluetongue virus serotype 8 clinical disease in calves.

peer reviewedCattle are commonly subclinically infected following natural or experimental infection with bluetongue virus (BTV). The introduction of BTV serotype 8 (BTV-8) in Europe has been characterized by the manifestation of clinical signs in infected cattle. In order to study the pathogenesis of BTV-8 in this host, an animal model able to reproduce the clinical manifestations of the disease is required. In this work, two calves were subcutaneously and intravenously injected with a low passage cell-adapted strain of BTV-8. Both calves showed typical bluetongue clinical signs, including pyrexia, ocular discharge, conjunctivitis, oral mucosal congestion, development of ulcers and necrotic lesions on the lips and tongue, submandibular oedema, coronitis and oedema of the coronet and pastern region. A score was assigned depending on the severity of the lesions and a total clinical score was calculated for each animal daily and at the end of the experiment. Both calves became viraemic 24h post-infection and seroconversion occurred between 7 and 11 days P.I. In this study we present the development of a protocol of infection in calves able to reproduce the severity of the lesions observed with BTV-8 in field conditions

Defining the scope of the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance network in Veterinary medicine (EARS-Vet): a bottom-up and One Health approach

Background Building the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance network in Veterinary medicine (EARS-Vet) was proposed to strengthen the European One Health antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance approach. Objectives To define the combinations of animal species/production types/age categories/bacterial species/specimens/antimicrobials to be monitored in EARS-Vet. Methods The EARS-Vet scope was defined by consensus between 26 European experts. Decisions were guided by a survey of the combinations that are relevant and feasible to monitor in diseased animals in 13 European countries (bottom-up approach). Experts also considered the One Health approach and the need for EARS-Vet to complement existing European AMR monitoring systems coordinated by the ECDC and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Results EARS-Vet plans to monitor AMR in six animal species [cattle, swine, chickens (broilers and laying hens), turkeys, cats and dogs], for 11 bacterial species (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Staphylococcus hyicus, Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus suis). Relevant antimicrobials for their treatment were selected (e.g. tetracyclines) and complemented with antimicrobials of more specific public health interest (e.g. carbapenems). Molecular data detecting the presence of ESBLs, AmpC cephalosporinases and methicillin resistance shall be collected too. Conclusions A preliminary EARS-Vet scope was defined, with the potential to fill important AMR monitoring gaps in the animal sector in Europe. It should be reviewed and expanded as the epidemiology of AMR changes, more countries participate and national monitoring capacities improve.Peer reviewe

Reducing hazards for humans from animals: emerging and re-emerging zoonoses

Pathogens that are capable of infecting more than one host, more than one taxonomic order and wild hosts, all present a higher relative risk of (re-)emergence. A long environmental persistence gives pathogens a more selective advantage. In case of an emerging or re-emerging zoonosis, the prevalence of infection in animals and the exposure determine the incidence in humans. Human exposure to zoonotic agents depends on lifestyle and occupation (e.g., veterinarians and farmers are more at risk for zoonoses related to livestock). Efforts to increase awareness, provide information on prevention, and apply biosecurity are essential. Moreover, a substantial decline in the incidence of human disease implies the prevention, the control or the elimination of zoonoses in the animal compartments. The only way to prevent health hazards is to adapt the existing systems of health governance at global, regional, national and local levels in a harmonised and coordinated manner. To achieve such a goal, the One Health strategy was recently developed to expand interdisciplinary collaborations and communications on all aspects of health care for humans and animals, veterinary, human medical, public health professionals and stakeholders...

Conservação ambiental no campo ou estratégia de transferência de recursos do rural ao urbano / Environmental Conservation Strategy In The Field Or Transfer Of Funds From Rural To Urban

Os discursos recentemente formulados por grupos sociais relacionados ao meio rural sobre áreas protegidas trazem de volta o antigo confl ito entre o rural e o urbano, conhecido na literatura como urban bias. O pressuposto subjacente neste confl ito é de que o viés urbano das políticas públicas está orientado para transferir riqueza do campo para as áreas urbanas, reproduzindo, desta forma, a pobreza no campo. Analisa-se aqui como reagem os proprietários de imóveis, nos quais se desenvolvem ações relacionadas ao turismo rural, quanto às políticas públicas sobre áreas de conservação. A verificação empírica fundamenta-se em entrevistas efetuadas com 22 proprietários rurais, no entorno do Parque do Iguaçu, Paraná. Os resultados indicam que quase todos entrevistados acreditam que a existência de áreas protegidas traz benefícios para a sociedade; mas, ao considerar o desenvolvimento local e o imóvel, um número expressivo tende a uma percepção negativa das áreas protegidas, em razão do modelo político de conservação que imputa aos donos dos empreendimentos rurais o custo total, enquanto toda a sociedade recebe os benefícios. Discute-se a necessidade de revisão das políticas públicas voltadas para a conservação, no sentido de dividir com toda a sociedade os custos resultantes de medidas que benefi ciam a todos

Laboratory findings suggesting an association between BoHV-4 and bovine abortions in southern Belgium

peer reviewedAbortions cause heavy economic losses for the bovine sector. The use of a standardized panel of analyses covering a large spectrum of pathogens responsible of abortion in cattle allowed demonstrating the direct involvement of at least one pathogen in 57% of analysed abortions in the southern part of Belgium. This result suggests a margin of improvement in the diagnostic efficacy. In order to evaluate the interest to broaden the list of pathogens included in the panel of analyses, the implication of bovine herpesvirus 4 (BoHV-4) in abortion was assessed by two different studies. In the first study, coupled serology was performed after abortion on 714 dams to identify specific seroconversion against BoHV-4. The overall seroconversion in cows was 19.5%, with a higher frequency in primiparous compared to multiparous females. In addition, the type of breed (beef cattle) and the time period from the fourth quarter 2008 until the last quarter 2009 were significantly related to the seroconversion of cows. The second study investigated the virus ability to infect the foetus. In this study, 368 cases of bovine abortions were specifically tested for BoHV-4, using PCR on foetus tissues and ELISA on dam and foetus sera. The results showed a maternal seroprevalence of 64.7%, a foetal seroprevalence of 0.8% and a PCR prevalence in foetuses of 1.1%, demonstrating the ability of BoHV-4 to infect the foetus. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag Gmb