Pub Date : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106767
Naomi S Prosser, Laura E Green, Martin J Green
Lameness has serious impact on sheep health and profitability. In the UK, the largest-scale questionnaire investigating risk factors for lameness (107 questions and 1260 respondents) identified 20 significant variables using stepwise Poisson regression. It is now known that stepwise procedures with wide data can result in overfit models. This research reanalysed these data, using methods that minimise the likelihood of overfitting and therefore reduce the probability of identifying false positive variables. Poisson and log-normal regression models were built with six different variable selection methods, stability selection and triangulation. Six variables were selected in the final triangulated models associated with a reduced prevalence of lameness, fewer than the 20 variables selected in the original analysis. These six variables covered early treatment of individual sheep, treating sheep with any severity of lameness, avoiding routine foot trimming and avoiding footbathing to treat underrunning footrot. Early treatment of individual lame sheep had the highest population attributable fraction for reduction of lameness. Our results highlight the importance of addressing overfitting when fitting models to wide data and the usefulness of triangulating results across different model types. The results strengthen the evidence that the greatest reduction in lameness nationwide would be achieved if farmers treated the first lame sheep in a group rather than waiting until more become lame.
{"title":"Role of stability and triangulation-based methods to improve identification of risk factors for lameness in ewes.","authors":"Naomi S Prosser, Laura E Green, Martin J Green","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106767","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106767","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lameness has serious impact on sheep health and profitability. In the UK, the largest-scale questionnaire investigating risk factors for lameness (107 questions and 1260 respondents) identified 20 significant variables using stepwise Poisson regression. It is now known that stepwise procedures with wide data can result in overfit models. This research reanalysed these data, using methods that minimise the likelihood of overfitting and therefore reduce the probability of identifying false positive variables. Poisson and log-normal regression models were built with six different variable selection methods, stability selection and triangulation. Six variables were selected in the final triangulated models associated with a reduced prevalence of lameness, fewer than the 20 variables selected in the original analysis. These six variables covered early treatment of individual sheep, treating sheep with any severity of lameness, avoiding routine foot trimming and avoiding footbathing to treat underrunning footrot. Early treatment of individual lame sheep had the highest population attributable fraction for reduction of lameness. Our results highlight the importance of addressing overfitting when fitting models to wide data and the usefulness of triangulating results across different model types. The results strengthen the evidence that the greatest reduction in lameness nationwide would be achieved if farmers treated the first lame sheep in a group rather than waiting until more become lame.</p>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"106767"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145768790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106766
Honglin Yang, Quangang Xu, Chaojian Shen, Xinjie Wei, Fusheng Guo, Julian A Drewe, Javier Guitian, Kachen Wongsathapornchai, John Edwards, Dirk Pfeiffer, Youming Wang, Hao Tang
The increasing threats of zoonotic and transboundary animal diseases highlight the urgent need for a skilled veterinary epidemiology workforce. Before 2010, China had limited capacity in this field. To address this gap, the China Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians (CFETPV) was established as a competency-based, in-service training program. This study assesses the contributions of CFETPV in enhancing epidemiology practice within animal health services, supporting alumni professional development, and enabling institutional integration in the government system. A quantitative study design was employed, drawing on two alumni surveys conducted in 2019 and 2024, alongside routine program monitoring, administrative data and program progress briefs. Surveys assessed alumni's application of epidemiological competencies in field study, teaching and policy engagement. Descriptive analyses summarised alumni profiles and contributions. Since 2010, CFETPV has trained 265 professionals through its introductory course and graduated 153 from the two-year program across 31 provinces. Trainees completed 305 field practices during the training. After graduation, alumni conducted 730 epidemiological investigations and studies, contributed to 297 risk assessments, supported major disease control efforts and informed 98 national and provincial guidelines. In 2019, CFETPV became fully funded by the Chinese government, achieving full integration into the national veterinary service. The successful integration was supported by an adaptive competency framework aligned with national priorities, strong alumni support, robust local trainer and mentor networks and consistent stakeholder engagement. These experiences offer insights for countries developing competency-based, in-service veterinary epidemiology training embedded within public veterinary services to strengthen animal health systems and One Health capacity.
{"title":"Building an institutionalised in-service field epidemiology capacity-building program: Experiences and lessons learned from the China Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians (CFETPV).","authors":"Honglin Yang, Quangang Xu, Chaojian Shen, Xinjie Wei, Fusheng Guo, Julian A Drewe, Javier Guitian, Kachen Wongsathapornchai, John Edwards, Dirk Pfeiffer, Youming Wang, Hao Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106766","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106766","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing threats of zoonotic and transboundary animal diseases highlight the urgent need for a skilled veterinary epidemiology workforce. Before 2010, China had limited capacity in this field. To address this gap, the China Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians (CFETPV) was established as a competency-based, in-service training program. This study assesses the contributions of CFETPV in enhancing epidemiology practice within animal health services, supporting alumni professional development, and enabling institutional integration in the government system. A quantitative study design was employed, drawing on two alumni surveys conducted in 2019 and 2024, alongside routine program monitoring, administrative data and program progress briefs. Surveys assessed alumni's application of epidemiological competencies in field study, teaching and policy engagement. Descriptive analyses summarised alumni profiles and contributions. Since 2010, CFETPV has trained 265 professionals through its introductory course and graduated 153 from the two-year program across 31 provinces. Trainees completed 305 field practices during the training. After graduation, alumni conducted 730 epidemiological investigations and studies, contributed to 297 risk assessments, supported major disease control efforts and informed 98 national and provincial guidelines. In 2019, CFETPV became fully funded by the Chinese government, achieving full integration into the national veterinary service. The successful integration was supported by an adaptive competency framework aligned with national priorities, strong alumni support, robust local trainer and mentor networks and consistent stakeholder engagement. These experiences offer insights for countries developing competency-based, in-service veterinary epidemiology training embedded within public veterinary services to strengthen animal health systems and One Health capacity.</p>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"106766"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145768797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106764
Shoki Akiyama , Yosuke Sasaki
It is well known that porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) decreases herd productivity and leads to economic loss, and it is believed that biosecurity practices are effective for the control and eradication of PRRS. This study aimed to prioritize biosecurity practices useful for PRRS control and eradication by using a machine learning algorithm. Biosecurity practices on 258 Japanese breeding farms were assessed using a biosecurity assessment tool. Random forest analysis was used to assess relevant features based on feature importance. In study 1, each farm was divided into two groups (PRRS controlled or not controlled), and the most relevant biosecurity practices for PRRS control were investigated. Seven features were selected as associated with PRRS control, and results identified the prioritization of semen management and the maintenance of a controlled barn environment to be critical elements for PRRS control. In study 2, each farm was divided into two groups (PRRS-free or not free of PRRS), and the most relevant biosecurity practices for PRRS eradication were investigated. Fourteen features were identified as critically associated with PRRS eradication, and results showed that the stringent management of replacement gilts, the exclusive use of semen from PRRS-free sources, and a comprehensive awareness of farm location were essential elements for PRRS eradication. In conclusion, this research underscores the significant divergence in biosecurity strategies required for effective PRRS control compared with those for eradication.
{"title":"Biosecurity practices useful for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome control and eradication on commercial swine farms using machine learning models","authors":"Shoki Akiyama , Yosuke Sasaki","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106764","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is well known that porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) decreases herd productivity and leads to economic loss, and it is believed that biosecurity practices are effective for the control and eradication of PRRS. This study aimed to prioritize biosecurity practices useful for PRRS control and eradication by using a machine learning algorithm. Biosecurity practices on 258 Japanese breeding farms were assessed using a biosecurity assessment tool. Random forest analysis was used to assess relevant features based on feature importance. In study 1, each farm was divided into two groups (PRRS controlled or not controlled), and the most relevant biosecurity practices for PRRS control were investigated. Seven features were selected as associated with PRRS control, and results identified the prioritization of semen management and the maintenance of a controlled barn environment to be critical elements for PRRS control. In study 2, each farm was divided into two groups (PRRS-free or not free of PRRS), and the most relevant biosecurity practices for PRRS eradication were investigated. Fourteen features were identified as critically associated with PRRS eradication, and results showed that the stringent management of replacement gilts, the exclusive use of semen from PRRS-free sources, and a comprehensive awareness of farm location were essential elements for PRRS eradication. In conclusion, this research underscores the significant divergence in biosecurity strategies required for effective PRRS control compared with those for eradication.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 106764"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106761
Wudu T Jemberu, Gemma Chaters, Theodore J D Knight-Jones, William Gilbert, Stephen Kwok, Mieghan Bruce, Benjamin Huntington, Jonathan Rushton
This study, carried out in 2022-2023, quantified the financial burden of disease in cattle, sheep and goats in Ethiopia for the year 2021 using the animal health loss envelope (AHLE) metric. The AHLE measures all cause disease burden, avoidable and non-avoidable, as the difference in the financial performance of a livestock production system (e.g., gross margin) comparing a scenario where animals are in an ideal state of health to the current situation. A stochastic dynamic population model (DPM) was employed to calculate the gross margin for an average farm and for the national herd under these current and ideal health scenarios. Data for parametrizing the DPM were derived from secondary sources and expert elicitation. The stochastic DPM was simulated for 10,000 iterations and results are reported as means with 95 % percentile intervals (PI). The annual AHLE per average farm was estimated at USD 1209 (95 %PI:392-2470) in cattle, USD 158 (95 %PI:66-292) in sheep and USD 416 (95 %PI:136-847) in goats. At national level, the annual AHLE in ruminants was USD 18.39 billion with USD 15.42 billion (95 % PI:12.70-18.57) in cattle, USD 1.04 billion (95 % PI:0.84-1.30) in sheep, and USD 1.93 billion (95 % PI:1.64-2.25) in goats. Morbidity losses constituted the largest component of the AHLE, exceeding 50 % across all species, while animal health expenditure represented the smallest component, accounting for less than 2 % of AHLE in all species. This high disease burden, with minimal contribution from animal health expenditure, indicates significant opportunity for improvement through investment in animal health.
{"title":"Stochastic modelling of burden of livestock diseases on domestic ruminants in Ethiopia.","authors":"Wudu T Jemberu, Gemma Chaters, Theodore J D Knight-Jones, William Gilbert, Stephen Kwok, Mieghan Bruce, Benjamin Huntington, Jonathan Rushton","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106761","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106761","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study, carried out in 2022-2023, quantified the financial burden of disease in cattle, sheep and goats in Ethiopia for the year 2021 using the animal health loss envelope (AHLE) metric. The AHLE measures all cause disease burden, avoidable and non-avoidable, as the difference in the financial performance of a livestock production system (e.g., gross margin) comparing a scenario where animals are in an ideal state of health to the current situation. A stochastic dynamic population model (DPM) was employed to calculate the gross margin for an average farm and for the national herd under these current and ideal health scenarios. Data for parametrizing the DPM were derived from secondary sources and expert elicitation. The stochastic DPM was simulated for 10,000 iterations and results are reported as means with 95 % percentile intervals (PI). The annual AHLE per average farm was estimated at USD 1209 (95 %PI:392-2470) in cattle, USD 158 (95 %PI:66-292) in sheep and USD 416 (95 %PI:136-847) in goats. At national level, the annual AHLE in ruminants was USD 18.39 billion with USD 15.42 billion (95 % PI:12.70-18.57) in cattle, USD 1.04 billion (95 % PI:0.84-1.30) in sheep, and USD 1.93 billion (95 % PI:1.64-2.25) in goats. Morbidity losses constituted the largest component of the AHLE, exceeding 50 % across all species, while animal health expenditure represented the smallest component, accounting for less than 2 % of AHLE in all species. This high disease burden, with minimal contribution from animal health expenditure, indicates significant opportunity for improvement through investment in animal health.</p>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"106761"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145757477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106763
Max Barot, Barbara McPake, Angus Campbell, Justin McKinley, Ajay Mahal
One Health operationalization needs political and financial support and decision makers need to have an economic rationale for their actions. Therefore, both advocates and decision makers need economic methodologies to highlight the value of One Health. The objective of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework grounded in six economic principles that can serve as building blocks for an investment case for One Health. Some of these principles relate to the implementation of interventions, showing how One Health approaches can be more efficient. These include inefficiencies in resource allocation, economies of scope, scale and joint production and distributional considerations. The other principles, public goods and externalities and incentive compatibility focus on outcomes, helping to identify how an investment in one sector creates a benefit in another. The economic principles were also used in two conceptual case studies (Leptospirosis and anti-microbial resistance) to provide illustrative examples. The case studies demonstrate how investment in One Health not only helps to address health risks such as Leptospirosis but can provide significant synergistic benefits such as improving agricultural production and livelihoods. They also highlight a critical point that while One Health is generally associated with collaboration between sectors, many of its benefits arise not from working together, but from each sector being adequately equipped to fulfill its core functions. Effective animal and environmental health services are essential foundations for One Health operationalization. Investing in the capacity of these sectors is therefore not just beneficial—it is the critical driver of One Health value.
{"title":"An economic framework for One Health investment: A critical tool for decision makers","authors":"Max Barot, Barbara McPake, Angus Campbell, Justin McKinley, Ajay Mahal","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106763","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106763","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One Health operationalization needs political and financial support and decision makers need to have an economic rationale for their actions. Therefore, both advocates and decision makers need economic methodologies to highlight the value of One Health. The objective of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework grounded in six economic principles that can serve as building blocks for an investment case for One Health. Some of these principles relate to the implementation of interventions, showing how One Health approaches can be more efficient. These include inefficiencies in resource allocation, economies of scope, scale and joint production and distributional considerations. The other principles, public goods and externalities and incentive compatibility focus on outcomes, helping to identify how an investment in one sector creates a benefit in another. The economic principles were also used in two conceptual case studies (Leptospirosis and anti-microbial resistance) to provide illustrative examples. The case studies demonstrate how investment in One Health not only helps to address health risks such as Leptospirosis but can provide significant synergistic benefits such as improving agricultural production and livelihoods. They also highlight a critical point that while One Health is generally associated with collaboration between sectors, many of its benefits arise not from working together, but from each sector being adequately equipped to fulfill its core functions. Effective animal and environmental health services are essential foundations for One Health operationalization. Investing in the capacity of these sectors is therefore not just beneficial—it is the critical driver of One Health value.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 106763"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-08DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106762
Juan Pablo Guarda , Aida Estefania Pereyra-Cruzado , Walter Logan , Trinity Gleich , Sarah A. Hamer , Simon M. Firestone , Roger Ramirez-Barrios , Cristobal Verdugo
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease (CD), is a vector-borne disease that affects several mammalian species, including humans. An endemic cycle in wild animals has been described, where dogs with an outdoor lifestyle are at higher risk. CD diagnosis is challenging, requiring multiple tests. Although there are several serologic tests available, they were originally developed for human diagnosis. Currently, there is limited knowledge about their performance in other species. The objective of this research was to estimate the performance of three serologic assays for CD screening in hunting dogs without clinical CD, to support large T. cruzi surveys. A total of 490 hunting dogs were sampled in VA and WV, USA. Sera were tested in parallel using an in-house ELISA test, an immunochromatographic rapid test (IRT), and an immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of these tests were estimated using a Bayesian latent class model (BLCM), assuming the absence of a gold standard test. Informative priors were obtained from literature (IRT and IFAT), or from Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves analysis (ELISA) using an independent panel of 24 canine sera, with known infection status. The BLCM for the ELISA assay estimated a median Se and Sp of 99.3 % (95 % Posterior Probability Interval (PPI): 74.8 %-100 %) and 78.8 % (95 % PPI: 75.2 %-82.1 %), respectively. Similarly, the IRT had medians Se and Sp of 99.1 % (95 % PPI: 83.8 %-100 %) and 80.2 % (95 % PPI: 76.5 %-83.6 %), respectively. On the other hand, the IFAT presented a median Se of 96.7 % (95 % PPI: 90.9 % - 99.3 %) and a median Sp of 98.5 % (95 % PPI: 97.2 % - 99.3 %). A median true prevalence of 1.4 % (95 % PPI: 0.6 %-2.6 %) was estimated. Results suggest that ELISA and IRT are adequate screening tests, given their high Se. However, due to their limited Sp they would require the use of a second highly specific test for CD confirmatory diagnosis.
{"title":"Bayesian assessment of three serological tests for the screening of Trypanosoma cruzi in hunting dogs of Virginia and West Virginia, USA","authors":"Juan Pablo Guarda , Aida Estefania Pereyra-Cruzado , Walter Logan , Trinity Gleich , Sarah A. Hamer , Simon M. Firestone , Roger Ramirez-Barrios , Cristobal Verdugo","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106762","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106762","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em>, the causative agent of Chagas disease (CD), is a vector-borne disease that affects several mammalian species, including humans. An endemic cycle in wild animals has been described, where dogs with an outdoor lifestyle are at higher risk. CD diagnosis is challenging, requiring multiple tests. Although there are several serologic tests available, they were originally developed for human diagnosis. Currently, there is limited knowledge about their performance in other species. The objective of this research was to estimate the performance of three serologic assays for CD screening in hunting dogs without clinical CD, to support large <em>T. cruzi</em> surveys. A total of 490 hunting dogs were sampled in VA and WV, USA. Sera were tested in parallel using an in-house ELISA test, an immunochromatographic rapid test (IRT), and an immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Sensitivity (<em>Se</em>) and specificity (<em>Sp</em>) of these tests were estimated using a Bayesian latent class model (BLCM), assuming the absence of a gold standard test. Informative priors were obtained from literature (IRT and IFAT), or from Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves analysis (ELISA) using an independent panel of 24 canine sera, with known infection status. The BLCM for the ELISA assay estimated a median <em>Se</em> and <em>Sp</em> of 99.3 % (95 % Posterior Probability Interval (PPI): 74.8 %-100 %) and 78.8 % (95 % PPI: 75.2 %-82.1 %), respectively. Similarly, the IRT had medians <em>Se</em> and <em>Sp</em> of 99.1 % (95 % PPI: 83.8 %-100 %) and 80.2 % (95 % PPI: 76.5 %-83.6 %), respectively. On the other hand, the IFAT presented a median <em>Se</em> of 96.7 % (95 % PPI: 90.9 % - 99.3 %) and a median <em>Sp</em> of 98.5 % (95 % PPI: 97.2 % - 99.3 %). A median true prevalence of 1.4 % (95 % PPI: 0.6 %-2.6 %) was estimated. Results suggest that ELISA and IRT are adequate screening tests, given their high <em>Se</em>. However, due to their limited <em>Sp</em> they would require the use of a second highly specific test for CD confirmatory diagnosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 106762"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106760
Vahid Noaman , Saeid Esmaeilkhanian
Bovine anaplasmosis, caused by Anaplasma marginale, poses a significant threat to cattle health and productivity in Iran. This study investigated the molecular prevalence and associated risk factors of A. marginale across four climatic zones in Iran. A cross-sectional design with multi-stage stratified sampling was utilized. Blood samples from 1952 clinically healthy cattle were analyzed using nested-PCR targeting the msp4 gene. The overall prevalence was 23.2 % (95 % CI: 21.3–25.0), with considerable regional variation; it was highest in the Persian Gulf zone at 44 % and lowest in the Caspian zone at 10.5 %. Sub-desert regions exhibited the highest infection rates (44.2 %), while mountainous and plain areas showed lower prevalence (26.1 % and 20.6 %, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences revealed distinct clustering of Iranian isolates, suggesting potential genetic divergence from global strains. Key risk factors identified through multivariable logistic regression included grazing practices (OR = 2.02, P = 0.029), inadequate barn sanitation (OR = 2.35, P = 0.002), infrequent ectoparasiticide application (OR = 2.92, P < 0.001), proximity to other farms (OR = 3.12, P = 0.001), and co-rearing with other livestock species (OR = 2.73, P = 0.036). Seasonal variation was notable, with higher infection rates during warm, dry periods (OR = 2.86, P < 0.001). Spatial analysis using SaTScan, configured to identify non-overlapping clusters, revealed four statistically significant clusters, including high-risk clusters in central (Semnan Province, RR=3.88) and southwestern (Khuzestan Province, RR=2.26) Iran, and a low-risk cluster in the Caspian zone (P < 0.001). These findings provide critical evidence for designing targeted surveillance and control programs. The identified high-risk clusters and modifiable risk factors, such as tick control, barn sanitation, and injection practices, offer a clear framework for veterinarians and farmers to prioritize interventions. For policymakers, this study underscores the necessity of region-specific strategies and farmer education campaigns to mitigate the economic and health impacts of bovine anaplasmosis in Iran.
由边缘性无形体引起的牛无形体病对伊朗牛的健康和生产力构成重大威胁。本研究调查了伊朗4个气候带边缘叶蝉（A. marginale）的分子流行率及其相关危险因素。采用多阶段分层抽样的横断面设计。采用针对msp4基因的巢式pcr对1952年临床健康牛的血液样本进行了分析。总患病率为23.2% %(95 % CI: 21.3-25.0)，地区差异较大；波斯湾地区最高，为44. %，里海地区最低，为10. %。沙漠地区感染率最高（44.2% %），山地和平原地区感染率较低（分别为26.1% %和20.6% %）。16S rRNA序列的系统发育分析显示伊朗分离株具有明显的聚类性，提示与全球菌株存在潜在的遗传差异。通过多变量logistic回归确定的关键危险因素包括放牧习惯（OR = 2.02, P = 0.029）、牲口棚卫生条件不佳（OR = 2.35, P = 0.002）、不频繁使用除虫剂(OR = 2.92， P
{"title":"Toward controlling Anaplasma marginale in cattle: Molecular prevalence and risk factors across different climatic regions of Iran","authors":"Vahid Noaman , Saeid Esmaeilkhanian","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bovine anaplasmosis, caused by <em>Anaplasma marginale</em>, poses a significant threat to cattle health and productivity in Iran. This study investigated the molecular prevalence and associated risk factors of <em>A. marginale</em> across four climatic zones in Iran. A cross-sectional design with multi-stage stratified sampling was utilized. Blood samples from 1952 clinically healthy cattle were analyzed using nested-PCR targeting the <em>msp4</em> gene. The overall prevalence was 23.2 % (95 % CI: 21.3–25.0), with considerable regional variation; it was highest in the Persian Gulf zone at 44 % and lowest in the Caspian zone at 10.5 %. Sub-desert regions exhibited the highest infection rates (44.2 %), while mountainous and plain areas showed lower prevalence (26.1 % and 20.6 %, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences revealed distinct clustering of Iranian isolates, suggesting potential genetic divergence from global strains. Key risk factors identified through multivariable logistic regression included grazing practices (OR = 2.02, <em>P</em> = 0.029), inadequate barn sanitation (OR = 2.35, <em>P</em> = 0.002), infrequent ectoparasiticide application (OR = 2.92, <em>P</em> < 0.001), proximity to other farms (OR = 3.12, <em>P</em> = 0.001), and co-rearing with other livestock species (OR = 2.73, <em>P</em> = 0.036). Seasonal variation was notable, with higher infection rates during warm, dry periods (OR = 2.86, <em>P</em> < 0.001). Spatial analysis using SaTScan, configured to identify non-overlapping clusters, revealed four statistically significant clusters, including high-risk clusters in central (Semnan Province, RR=3.88) and southwestern (Khuzestan Province, RR=2.26) Iran, and a low-risk cluster in the Caspian zone (P < 0.001). These findings provide critical evidence for designing targeted surveillance and control programs. The identified high-risk clusters and modifiable risk factors, such as tick control, barn sanitation, and injection practices, offer a clear framework for veterinarians and farmers to prioritize interventions. For policymakers, this study underscores the necessity of region-specific strategies and farmer education campaigns to mitigate the economic and health impacts of bovine anaplasmosis in Iran.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 106760"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145715358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-30DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106759
N. Pomiés , M. Pastorini , N. Amaro , J. Barca , C. Fiol , G. Ruprechter , A. Mendoza
To evaluate the association between calcium (Ca) imbalance postpartum, animal-associated data, and prepartum management practices in Holstein dairy cows, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a convenience sample of 122 dairy farms (204 primiparous and 661 multiparous cows) in Uruguay. Cows were blood sampled once between days 1 and 3 DIM after parturition for metabolite analysis. At the time of sampling, data were collected on management, housing, and feeding. To evaluate the association between Ca imbalance and animal-associated data (parity, body condition, high NEFA (non-esterified fatty acid; > 0.6 mmol/L), subclinical hypomagnesemia (Mg < 0.80 mmol/L), hypophosphatemia (P ≤ 1.4 mmol/L)), and prepartum management practices, we used multivariate logistic regression models using a serum Ca threshold of ≤ 2.00 mmol/L. Overall, 76.8 % of cows had Ca imbalance, 17 % of cows had hypophosphatemia and 31.8 % showed subclinical hypomagnesemia. The BCS (body condition score) was ≤ 2.75 in 34.4 % of cows, with 64.3 % scoring 3–3.5. Overall, 39.8 % of cows had elevated NEFA. Multiparous cows were more likely to develop Ca imbalance than primiparous cows (P < 0.05). Cows with subclinical hypomagnesemia and hypophosphatemia had higher odds for Ca imbalance. The odds were lower in summer than in autumn and winter, and higher in cows from farms without nutritional consulting service for close-up cows and without supplementation with anionic salts. Cows with prepartum access to shade were less likely to develop Ca imbalance. In conclusion, factors associated with Ca imbalance in postpartum dairy cows included other mineral imbalances, parity, inadequate prepartum nutritional management, and lack of comfort.
{"title":"Prepartum management factors associated with the development of calcium imbalance during the first days postpartum in grazing dairy cows in Uruguay.","authors":"N. Pomiés , M. Pastorini , N. Amaro , J. Barca , C. Fiol , G. Ruprechter , A. Mendoza","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106759","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106759","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To evaluate the association between calcium (Ca) imbalance postpartum, animal-associated data, and prepartum management practices in Holstein dairy cows, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a convenience sample of 122 dairy farms (204 primiparous and 661 multiparous cows) in Uruguay. Cows were blood sampled once between days 1 and 3 DIM after parturition for metabolite analysis. At the time of sampling, data were collected on management, housing, and feeding. To evaluate the association between Ca imbalance and animal-associated data (parity, body condition, high NEFA (non-esterified fatty acid; > 0.6 mmol/L), subclinical hypomagnesemia (Mg < 0.80 mmol/L), hypophosphatemia (P ≤ 1.4 mmol/L)), and prepartum management practices, we used multivariate logistic regression models using a serum Ca threshold of ≤ 2.00 mmol/L. Overall, 76.8 % of cows had Ca imbalance, 17 % of cows had hypophosphatemia and 31.8 % showed subclinical hypomagnesemia. The BCS (body condition score) was ≤ 2.75 in 34.4 % of cows, with 64.3 % scoring 3–3.5. Overall, 39.8 % of cows had elevated NEFA. Multiparous cows were more likely to develop Ca imbalance than primiparous cows (P < 0.05). Cows with subclinical hypomagnesemia and hypophosphatemia had higher odds for Ca imbalance. The odds were lower in summer than in autumn and winter, and higher in cows from farms without nutritional consulting service for close-up cows and without supplementation with anionic salts. Cows with prepartum access to shade were less likely to develop Ca imbalance. In conclusion, factors associated with Ca imbalance in postpartum dairy cows included other mineral imbalances, parity, inadequate prepartum nutritional management, and lack of comfort.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 106759"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145678388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-30DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106753
Ning Chen , Dustin L. Pendell , Chia-Lin Chang
This study investigates the multifaceted impacts of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks on Taiwan’s shell egg market, with particular focus on price dynamics across the farm, wholesale, and retail levels. Taiwan’s location along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, combined with high-density poultry farming and limited on-farm biosecurity, heightens its vulnerability to avian influenza (AI) transmission mediated by migratory waterfowl. Using a multi-threshold nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (MTNARDL) model and weekly data from 2015 to 2024, we analyze the effects of key factors, including feed costs, egg production rates, and HPAI outbreak scale, on egg prices. Our findings reveal long-run cointegration among these variables, with egg production rates emerging as the most significant determinant of farm-level prices. Even small reductions in production lead to substantial price increases, reflecting the inelastic nature of egg demand. We also identify threshold effects associated with HPAI outbreak severity: minor outbreaks slightly suppress farm prices, whereas large-scale outbreaks significantly raise retail prices, suggesting uneven price transmission across market tiers. Variance decomposition and impulse response function analyses further illustrate the persistent influence of severe outbreaks on retail prices, lasting up to eight weeks. These findings underscore the importance of early detection systems, enhanced biosecurity, and improved supply chain coordination to strengthen market resilience. Nonetheless, underreporting of outbreaks and limited data on low pathogenic AI cases pose ongoing challenges for effective surveillance and response.
{"title":"Price transmission and long-term effects of avian influenza on Taiwan’s egg market","authors":"Ning Chen , Dustin L. Pendell , Chia-Lin Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106753","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106753","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the multifaceted impacts of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks on Taiwan’s shell egg market, with particular focus on price dynamics across the farm, wholesale, and retail levels. Taiwan’s location along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, combined with high-density poultry farming and limited on-farm biosecurity, heightens its vulnerability to avian influenza (AI) transmission mediated by migratory waterfowl. Using a multi-threshold nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (MTNARDL) model and weekly data from 2015 to 2024, we analyze the effects of key factors, including feed costs, egg production rates, and HPAI outbreak scale, on egg prices. Our findings reveal long-run cointegration among these variables, with egg production rates emerging as the most significant determinant of farm-level prices. Even small reductions in production lead to substantial price increases, reflecting the inelastic nature of egg demand. We also identify threshold effects associated with HPAI outbreak severity: minor outbreaks slightly suppress farm prices, whereas large-scale outbreaks significantly raise retail prices, suggesting uneven price transmission across market tiers. Variance decomposition and impulse response function analyses further illustrate the persistent influence of severe outbreaks on retail prices, lasting up to eight weeks. These findings underscore the importance of early detection systems, enhanced biosecurity, and improved supply chain coordination to strengthen market resilience. Nonetheless, underreporting of outbreaks and limited data on low pathogenic AI cases pose ongoing challenges for effective surveillance and response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 106753"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145678456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106757
Trang Thi Huyen Le , Vivian Hoffmann , Kate Ambler , Mike Murphy , Sinh Dang-Xuan , Johanna F. Lindahl , Elisabeth Rajala , Steven Lâm , Sofia Boqvist , Fred Unger , Hung Nguyen-Viet
Foodborne diseases are a major cause of illness in low- and middle-income countries, and most are due to fresh foods sold in traditional markets. Contamination with foodborne pathogens, especially Salmonella spp., continues to be common in these markets. To better understand why this is the case, this study assessed total bacteria count (TBC) and Salmonella in pork across Vietnamese traditional markets and evaluated vendors’ food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices, examining their associations with contamination. Data was collected in 68 markets across five provinces, with up to 10 pork vendors per market randomly selected. Microbiological data were collected through cut pork samples and cutting boards swabs (n = 396), along with structured questionnaires and observations with vendors (n = 486). Cutting board swabs were analyzed for TBC only, while cut pork was tested for both TBC and Salmonella. Linear and generalized linear mixed-effects models were constructed to identify risk factors for TBC and Salmonella prevalence. The overall Salmonella prevalence in cut pork was 64.4 % (255/396) and was significantly higher in southern provinces (86.8 %) compared to the north (47.5 %, p < 0.01). TBC was high in pork and cutting boards (6.4 log10CFU/g and 6.9 log10CFU/cm2, respectively), and only 30 % of the pork samples met the Vietnamese standard for TBC in fresh meat. Selling of organs was associated with a higher TBC (coefficient = 0.13, CI: 0.01–0.26, p = 0.03) and greater Salmonella risk (OR = 2.04, p = 0.009). Temperature significantly increased both outcomes (p < 0.001), while using easy-to-clean surfaces reduced TBC levels (coefficient = −0.16, CI: −0.30 to −0.01, p = 0.03). Vendors demonstrated limited food safety knowledge and mixed attitudes. Observations revealed poor hygienic practices, such as displaying pork on cardboard or cloth or lack of washing with soap and disinfectants, which was influenced by limited access to facilities and equipment. Regional differences suggested contamination levels were influenced by both environmental and market-related factors. These findings highlight the need for holistic interventions targeting an enabling environment, appropriate equipment, and behavioral incentives.
{"title":"Pork safety across Vietnam's traditional markets: Microbial contamination and vendor knowledge, attitudes, and practices","authors":"Trang Thi Huyen Le , Vivian Hoffmann , Kate Ambler , Mike Murphy , Sinh Dang-Xuan , Johanna F. Lindahl , Elisabeth Rajala , Steven Lâm , Sofia Boqvist , Fred Unger , Hung Nguyen-Viet","doi":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106757","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106757","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foodborne diseases are a major cause of illness in low- and middle-income countries, and most are due to fresh foods sold in traditional markets. Contamination with foodborne pathogens, especially <em>Salmonella</em> spp<em>.,</em> continues to be common in these markets. To better understand why this is the case, this study assessed total bacteria count (TBC) and <em>Salmonella</em> in pork across Vietnamese traditional markets and evaluated vendors’ food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices, examining their associations with contamination. Data was collected in 68 markets across five provinces, with up to 10 pork vendors per market randomly selected. Microbiological data were collected through cut pork samples and cutting boards swabs (n = 396), along with structured questionnaires and observations with vendors (n = 486). Cutting board swabs were analyzed for TBC only, while cut pork was tested for both TBC and <em>Salmonella</em>. Linear and generalized linear mixed-effects models were constructed to identify risk factors for TBC and <em>Salmonella</em> prevalence. The overall <em>Salmonella</em> prevalence in cut pork was 64.4 % (255/396) and was significantly higher in southern provinces (86.8 %) compared to the north (47.5 %, <em>p</em> < 0.01). TBC was high in pork and cutting boards (6.4 log<sub>10</sub>CFU/g and 6.9 log<sub>10</sub>CFU/cm<sup>2</sup>, respectively), and only 30 % of the pork samples met the Vietnamese standard for TBC in fresh meat. Selling of organs was associated with a higher TBC (coefficient = 0.13, CI: 0.01–0.26, <em>p</em> = 0.03) and greater <em>Salmonella</em> risk (OR = 2.04, <em>p</em> = 0.009). Temperature significantly increased both outcomes (<em>p</em> < 0.001), while using easy-to-clean surfaces reduced TBC levels (coefficient = −0.16, CI: −0.30 to −0.01, <em>p</em> = 0.03). Vendors demonstrated limited food safety knowledge and mixed attitudes. Observations revealed poor hygienic practices, such as displaying pork on cardboard or cloth or lack of washing with soap and disinfectants, which was influenced by limited access to facilities and equipment. Regional differences suggested contamination levels were influenced by both environmental and market-related factors. These findings highlight the need for holistic interventions targeting an enabling environment, appropriate equipment, and behavioral incentives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20413,"journal":{"name":"Preventive veterinary medicine","volume":"247 ","pages":"Article 106757"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145678416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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