Preventive veterinary medicine最新文献

In September 2023, bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) emerged in the Netherlands, infecting over five thousand livestock farms. In sheep, high morbidity and mortality rates were reported that were unlike previously described bluetongue outbreaks. This study aimed to quantify the impact of BTV-3 in the small ruminant population in the Netherlands in 2023. Sheep and goat movement census data and BTV-3 notification data were available from 2020 until the end of 2023. Data were aggregated to farm and week level and mortality indicators were calculated for lambs (<1 year) and adult animals (≥1 year). Population averaged GEE models with a Negative-binomial distribution and a log-link function correcting for repeated measures per farm in time were used to quantify the association between BTV-3 and mortality. In 2023, 2994 sheep farmers and 89 goat farmers notified clinical signs of BTV-3 to the NVWA. During this BTV-3 outbreak period, an additional 55,000 sheep died compared to the same period in 2020–2022. At flock level a high variety in mortality was observed, with a clear increase in mortality in both flocks that were not notified but that were located in infected areas and in flocks of which the farmer notified clinical signs. During the BTV-3 outbreak period, mortality in infected areas increased 4.2 (95 % CI: 4.0–4.3) times in sheep lambs (<1 year) and 4.6 (95 % CI: 4.4–4.8) times in sheep (≥1 year) compared to BTV-3 free areas. Flocks with a confirmed BTV-3 infection that were notified in September showed a 12.8 (95 % CI: 11.4–14.3) times higher mortality in lambs and a 15.1 (95 % CI: 13.7–16.6) times higher mortality in sheep compared to flocks in BTV-3 areas. In flocks of which the farmer notified clinical signs after September, mortality was 4.6 (95 % CI: 4.2–5.0) and 5.6 (95 % CI: 5.1–6.0) times higher in lambs and sheep compared BTV-3 areas respectively. In goats, around 4000 additional deaths were recorded during the BTV-3 outbreak period. In farms that were notified, mortality of goats (≥1 year) was 1.8 (95 % CI: 1.2–2.8) times higher compared to BTV-3 free areas. Since May 2024, multiple BTV-3 vaccines are available in the Netherlands. In June 2024, the first new infections of BTV-3 were confirmed in Dutch sheep flocks. Hopes are that with the possibility to vaccinate, the spread and impact of BTV-3 in the Netherlands will rapidly decline and that losses as observed in 2023 will no longer be seen.

Limiting the use of antimicrobial agents in intensive livestock production is a challenge due to different perceptions between the short-term benefits of antimicrobial use (AMU) by livestock producers and the long-term social costs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and its impact on human, animal, and environmental health. Pig farmers are key stakeholders supporting Thailand’s national strategic plan on AMR which aims to reduce antimicrobial consumption in the livestock sector. Consequently, this study explored the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and practices of pig farmers towards AMU and AMR, expecting to provide information that would help guide policymakers in the development of a proper interventional program for antimicrobial stewardship. The qualitative approach utilized individual, face-to-face, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with the 20 owners of middle- and large-scale pig farms in eastern Thailand. The major themes identified in this finding were: (1) the use of antimicrobials on farms and the knowledge of antimicrobials; (2) AMU on pig farms (the purpose of AMU, antimicrobial prescription practices, and performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing); (3) attitudes towards prescribing practices and record keeping; (4) farm animal husbandry practices and AMU; (5) factors influencing AMU; and (6) awareness regarding AMR. Most of the pig farm owners recognized that achieving Good Agricultural Practices certification required following the legislation and regulations for AMU. Other observations were that the respondents had positive attitudes towards prescribing practices, performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing before antimicrobial therapy, and recording drug use on farms; however, there was low awareness of AMR. In addition, alternative substances, such as medicinal plants, and proper biosecurity practices were mentioned. Factors influencing AMU on pig farms were intensive enforcement of legislation and regulations, the implementation of farm management practices, the provision of information and consultancy services by veterinary professionals, farmer experience, and consumer trends.

Influenza A virus (IAV) is an important pathogen in Brazilian swine herds, and monitoring the viral circulation is essential to control and reduce the transmission. Surveillance programs for IAV are often based on individual piglets level sampling, making the evaluation of the available diagnostic tools crucial to assessing IAV circulation in herds. Thus, two sample collection methodologies were compared in pig herds in southern Brazil to detect IAV by RT-qPCR: nasal swab (NS) and nasal wipe (NW). A Bayesian latent class model (BLCM) was set for two tests and two populations. The NW and NS used are more specific (higher than 95 % for both) than sensitive. The sensitivity for NW was lower than the NS, 84.14 % (70 % – 95 %; posterior probability interval (PPI): 95 %) and 87.15 % (73 % – 97 %; PPI: 95 %), respectively, and the specificity was 95 % (90 % – 99 %; PPI: 95 %) and 99 % (96 % – 100 %; PPI: 95 %), respectively. Although the wipe sample collection loses both sensitivity and specificity compared with nasal swab, differences in test performance were very limited and PPIs largely overlapped. Therefore NW can also be considered a valuable tool. The decision about the use of both techniques should be based on the trade-off between their performance limitations and feasibility in routine monitoring.

This study aimed to describe the attitudes and personalities of farm managers (FMs) in large Estonian dairy herds and analyse the potential associations with calf mortality. The study included FMs from 114 free-stall farms with at least 100 cows. Each participant completed a questionnaire that comprised questions about the respondent and various statements to reveal their attitudes towards calves, calf mortality, and farming in general. A 7-point Likert scale was used to record the responses. The data on the number of live births and deaths and animal movement data were gathered from farm records and the Estonian Agricultural Registers and Information Board. The yearly calf mortality risk (%) during the first 21 days (YAG) and mortality rate between 22–90 days of age (OAG) adjusted for the animal time-at-risk were then calculated for each herd. Univariate negative binomial regression analysis was used to identify associations between calf mortality risk/rate, and the studied statements and variables with a p-value < 0.25 were included in a k-modes clustering analysis. The mean calf mortality risk was determined to be 5.9 % (range 0.0–26.8 %) during the first 21 days and mean calf mortality rate was 1.8 (range 0.0–9.2) deaths per 100 calf-months during 22–90 days of age. In both age group analyses, two FMs´ clusters formed based on 17 pre-selected statements. The FMs of the high-mortality cluster were found to be dissatisfied with the calf mortality levels. In the YAG analysis, FMs from high-mortality cluster gave lower priority to the issue of calf mortality, placed high importance on the influence of workers on calf mortality, and were more satisfied with the staff's performance compared to FMs of the cluster of herds with lower calf mortality. They were additionally less satisfied with their own performance and felt less recognized by the farm staff. They were also more inclined to try new products and practices on the farm and demonstrated greater empathy towards cattle. In the OAG analysis, the FMs from the higher-mortality cluster viewed reducing calf mortality more costly, had a less ambitious and target-driven management style, and rated their self-performance lower. This study determined that FMs working in herds with high calf mortality were dissatisfied and did not prioritize addressing calf mortality compared to managers working in farms with lower calf mortality. FMs' attitudes and management styles were associated with calf mortality, while the respondents' personality traits had little influence.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic pathogen that can infect farm animals, companion animals, and humans, sometimes causing public health issues. In Taiwan, the pig industry is a vital agricultural industry, with a self-sufficiency rate of 91 %, and pigs are also food-producing animal reservoirs of Toxoplasma gondii. Infected pigs are usually asymptomatic, and abortions and death may occur in severe cases. We combined an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an indirect fluorescence assay (IFA) to investigate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among pig populations in Taiwan. A stratified sampling approach to determine the number of sample farms proportional to the number of pig farms in each county was employed, with 15 blood samples collected at each farm between July and September 2017. With the tested results, empirical Bayesian smoothing was utilized to assess the proportion of Toxoplasma-positive farms at the county level. Bayesian mixed-effects logistic regression models, incorporating farm and county as random effects, were employed to investigate associations between Toxoplasma test results and potential risk factors. A total of 930 serum samples from 62 pig farms were collected and tested. An overall herd prevalence of 27.4 % was shown with the seroprevalence in northern Taiwan being greater than that in southern Taiwan. The sampling month and companion dog density in 2017 were significantly associated with Toxoplasma infections in pigs. With every increase in the number of companion dogs per km² at the county level, the odds of Toxoplasma infection in pigs increased by 4.7 % (95 % CI: 1.7–8.9 %). This study demonstrated that combining ELISA for screening with IFA for confirmation is a cost-effective and time-saving method for conducting a large-scale sample investigation. This was also the first nationwide, cross-sectional study in Taiwanese pig herds to investigate Toxoplasma gondii infection.

The research addresses zoonotic sporotrichosis in Brazil, particularly caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis, highlighting its epidemiological severity. Transmission occurs through contact with sick animals, especially felines, and diagnosis in humans is challenging due to the low fungal load in the lesions. The study analyzed data from Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) and Zoonosis Surveillance Unit (UVZ) from January 2017 to March 2023, carried out in Contagem, Minas Gerais. Geospatial tools and statistical analysis revealed a significant increase in cases, peaking in 2021 for felines and 2022 for humans. The geospatial analysis highlighted areas of higher incidence, suggesting a correlation between human and feline populations. The research contributes to the understanding of sporotrichosis in Contagem, emphasizing the importance of integrated approaches for surveillance and control strategies, aiming to mitigate impacts on the local community.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an important endemic disease in livestock in Southeast Asia. Transboundary movement of animals may result in the transnational disease spread. A major cattle market is located at the Thailand-Myanmar border, where most cattle imported from Myanmar are traded. In this study, we built a stochastic susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) model to investigate the effectiveness of a private animal quarantine service center in preventing FMDV from entering the major cattle market. We computed with different parameters and found that, with 50 % vaccine effectiveness, the risk of releasing infected cattle to the market per batch was generally low during the quarantine period of 21 and 28 days, with the risk ranging from 0.071 to 0.078 and 0.032 to 0.036, respectively. Despite the best scenario, the zero-risk state is difficult to attain. The sensitivity analysis highlights that the percentage of immune animals before entering the quarantine centers and the vaccine effectiveness are important factors. In conclusion, the 21-day quarantine period mitigates the risk of FMDV introduction into the cattle market. This control measure should be rigorously maintained to sustainably prevent FMDV outbreaks through transboundary animal movements, especially among countries in FMD-endemic regions.

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a vector-borne persistent viral infection in equine animals. The EIA is characterized by recurrent fever, thrombocytopenia, depression, anemia, rapid weight loss, and lower body edema. Control of EIA is achieved through the elimination or isolation of infected animals, resulting in significant economic losses. In recent years, many countries in Europe have experienced outbreaks of EIA, which could potentially develop into a new wave of epidemic and pose a significant threat to the healthy development of the equine industry. This study utilized spatiotemporal analysis techniques and ecological niche modeling to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of historical EIA outbreaks and predict risk areas for EIA occurrence in Europe. Spatiotemporal analysis results indicate that from 2005 to 2023, the EIA outbreaks in Europe exhibit five significant spatiotemporal clusters, with hotspots concentrated in southeastern France and northwestern Italy. Ecological niche modeling reveals that western, central, and southern Europe are high-risk areas for EIA outbreaks. Annual mean temperature, annual precipitation, and horse density are important variables that influence the occurrence of EIA. The results of this study can provide decision-makers with valuable insights, helping with EIA monitoring and resource allocation.

Identifying and restricting animal movements is a common approach used to mitigate the spread of diseases between premises in livestock systems. Therefore, it is essential to uncover between-premises movement dynamics, including shipment distances and network-based control strategies. Here, we analyzed three years of between-premises pig movements, which include 197,022 unique animal shipments, 3973 premises, and 391,625,374 pigs shipped across 20 U.S. states. We constructed unweighted, directed, temporal networks at 180-day intervals to calculate premises-to-premises movement distances, the size of connected components, network loyalty, and degree distributions, and, based on the out-going contact chains, identified network-based control actions. Our results show that the median distance between premises pig movements was 74.37 km, with median intrastate and interstate movements of 52.71 km and 328.76 km, respectively. On average, 2842 premises were connected via 6705 edges, resulting in a weak giant connected component that included 91 % of the premises. The premises-level network exhibited loyalty, with a median of 0.65 (IQR: 0.45 – 0.77). Results highlight the effectiveness of node targeting to reduce the risk of disease spread; we demonstrated that targeting 25 % of farms with the highest degree or betweenness limited spread to 1.23 % and 1.7 % of premises, respectively. While there is no complete shipment data for the entire U.S., our multi-state movement analysis demonstrated the value and the needs of such data for enhancing the design and implementation of proactive­ disease control tactics.