Schweizer Archiv fur Tierheilkunde最新文献

Introduction: Biosecurity in livestock farming includes all measures preventing pathogen introduction onto a farm (external biosecurity) and pathogen transmission on the farm itself (internal biosecurity). An important risk factor for the dissemination of infectious diseases are specialised external persons working on numerous farms, such as professional hoof trimmers in Switzerland. In the present study, 49 hoof trimmers, participating in the Swiss claw health programme and working as professionals, were questioned regarding their biosecurity measures and observed by two veterinarians during hoof trimming in order to assess the implementation of biosecurity measures by hoof trimmers. Data were processed using a scoring system, in which points were allocated to the different working methods taking into account their assumed transmission potential for infectious diseases such as digital dermatitis (DD) and Salmonellosis. The working method, which complied with the ideal biosecurity measure, was always given a whole point, whereas less optimal working methods were only given an intermediate value or no point. The scoring system helped identify precisely the strengths and weaknesses of the hoof trimmers in terms of biosecurity. The level of implementation of biosecurity measures by hoof trimmers was overall quite low (53 %=average of the overall biosecurity scores of the 49 hoof trimmers). Hoof trimmers which attended specialised training courses tended to have a higher level of implementation of biosecurity measures. The answers given by the hoof trimmers and the observations made by the veterinarians were compared, whereby it was found that hoof trimmers generally evaluated themselves better in regard to biosecurity than veterinarians assessed them. In summary and based on the results of this study, the dissemination of pathogens, such as DD associated treponemes and salmonella is possible during hoof trimming performed by external persons working on numerous farms. Thus, future training and continuing education courses should place emphasis on biosecurity.

Introduction: Infectious diseases are increasingly introduced into Switzerland due to the increased travel activity in recent decades and the import of dogs. Dirofilariasis, caused by Dirofilaria immitis or D. repens, is one of them. An infection with D. repens, the cause of canine subcutaneous dirofilariosis, is often asymptomatic in dogs, but represents a potential zoonotic disease risk for humans. Due to the rapidly increasing number of human cases, D. repens is considered an emerging zoonosis in north-eastern Europe. The prevalence of D. repens infections in dogs and humans in Switzerland is unknown. Since 2016 the analysing diagnostic laboratory provided with the newly introduced filaria PCR a realiable diagnostic test to differentiate betweeen D. immitis and D. repens. Total nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) was extracted from 200 μl EDTA blood without prior enrichment followed by a species-specific real-time PCR assay. The analyses for Dirofilariae in the years 2016 to 2021 were examined in a descriptive retrospective study and the proportion of positive tests per year (prevalence with 95 % confidence interval) was calculated. Furthermore, blood samples of 50 imported dogs to Switzerland were analyzed in an exploratory cross-sectional study for the presence of dirofilaria. No D. repens positive case was found in the first two years after the introduction of the PCR. In 2018 five of 546 analyzed samples (5/546, 0,9 %, 95 % confidence interval [95 % CI]=0,7 - 1,2 %) tested positive for D. repens, in 2019 four of 591 (0,7 %, 95 % CI=0,5 - 0,9 %), in 2020 15 of 783 (1,9 %, 95 % CI=1,6 - 2,3 %) and in 2021 eleven of 1058 samples (1,0 %, 95 % CI=0,8 - 1,3 %). In the exploratory cross-sectional study, four of the 50 examined dogs were positive for D. repens (8 %, 95 % CI=2,6 - 20,1 %). One dog had a concurrent infection with D. immitis and D. repens. All four positive tested dogs were imported from Hungary. Potentially zoonotic infections with D. repens occur in dogs living in Switzerland. This disease should be included in the differential diagnoses of imported dogs and a monitoring during routine health checks should be done more often. The veterinary profession can thus assume its responsibility for the prevention of zoonoses as part of a One Health approach.

Introduction: Escherichia albertii is an emerging zoonotic foodborne pathogen. Its prevalence, distribution, and reservoirs are not yet clearly defined. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence and genomic characteristics of E. albertii in livestock from Switzerland. A total of 515 caecal samples from sheep, cattle, calves, and fattening swine were collected between May 2022 and August 2022 at abattoir level. Using an E. albertii-specific PCR targeting the Eacdt-gene, 23,7 % (51/215) of swine from 24 different farms were positive. One (1 %) out of 100 calves showed a positive PCR result, while all samples from sheep and cattle were PCR negative. Eight E. albertii isolates could be recovered from swine samples and were analysed using whole-genome sequencing. All eight isolates belonged to ST2087 or a ST4619 group subclade, as did most genomes of the 11 available global swine isolates from public databases. These two clusters shared the presence of a virulence plasmid harboring the sitABCD and iuc genes. In summary, we demonstrate that fattening swine constitute an E. albertii reservoir in Switzerland and describe specific swine-associated lineages.

Introduction: With every surgical procedure there is a risk of postoperative infection (surgical site infection = SSI). This risk of infection can be influenced by various factors, including perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. In terms of antibiotic stewardship, antibiotics should only be used if there is a proven benefit for the patient. However, this advantage has not yet been conclusively proven, especially for clean and clean-contaminated surgeries. The aim of our study was to document various relevant influencing factors on the infection rate after clean and clean-contaminated surgeries in dogs and cats. In particular, it was documented to what extent a reduced use of antibiotics affects the infection rate in the context of all influencing factors. Over a period of eleven months, 807 clean and clean-contaminated surgeries in dogs and cats were prospectively analyzed with possible influencing factors (gender, ASA classification, underlying endocrinological diseases, duration of anesthesia, duration of surgery, type of surgery, perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis (POA), duration of hospitalization) affecting the infection rate. After surgery all cases were followed up either 30 or 90 days, if implants were used. The effect of the various factors was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. SSI was detected in 25/664 clean and 10/143 clean-contaminated surgeries. Longer hospitalization, without antimicrobial prophylaxis, and male animals had a significantly higher risk of SSI. In clean surgeries, SSI occurred in 2,3 % of all cases with POA and 5,3 % without POA. The SSI in clean-contaminated was 3,6 % with POA and 9 % without. This difference resulted mainly from the results of osteosynthesis, gastrointestinal and skin surgeries. However, other types of surgeries, such as castrations, neurological interventions, abdominal and thoracic surgeries, and surgeries in the head and neck region, showed comparable infection rates with and without POA.

Introduction: Lifespan and time of death of dogs died in Switzerland between 2016 and 2020 were evaluated in order to increase the awareness of the public to animal welfare-related consequences of extreme brachycephalic breeding and to clarify the torture breeding problem of dogs suffering from brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Skull shape, body size, country of origin and altitude of the registered place of residence at the time of death were analysed in a set of anonymized data from the national animal database Amicus as potential factors influencing the life expectancy. Death rate during summer months and the altitude of the reported place of residence at death were analysed in relation to the skull shape to demonstrate the heat intolerance of brachycephalic dog breeds. The final dataset included 137 469 dogs. The average age of death of the study population was 11,8 years, mixed breeds reaching a higher average age of 12,4 years than purebred dogs with 11,5 years. Bodyweight classification, skull shape and the origin of the dogs had a significant effect on the average lifespan. Giant breeds reached with 9,0 years the lowest mean age compared to the other bodyweight categories. The mean life expectancy of brachycephalic dogs was 9,8 years, i.e., 2,1 and 1,7 years less than mesocephalic and dolichocephalic dogs, respectively. Brachycephalic dogs and dogs imported from abroad showed increased mortality at a young age.

Introduction: With every surgical procedure there is a risk of postoperative infection (surgical site infection = SSI). This risk of infection can be influenced by various factors, including perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. In terms of antibiotic stewardship, antibiotics should only be used if there is a proven benefit for the patient. However, this advantage has not yet been conclusively proven, especially for clean and clean-contaminated surgeries. The aim of our study was to document various relevant influencing factors on the infection rate after clean and clean-contaminated surgeries in dogs and cats. In particular, it was documented to what extent a reduced use of antibiotics affects the infection rate in the context of all influencing factors. Over a period of eleven months, 807 clean and clean-contaminated surgeries in dogs and cats were prospectively analyzed with possible influencing factors (gender, ASA classification, underlying endocrinological diseases, duration of anesthesia, duration of surgery, type of surgery, perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis (POA), duration of hospitalization) affecting the infection rate. After surgery all cases were followed up either 30 or 90 days, if implants were used. The effect of the various factors was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. SSI was detected in 25/664 clean and 10/143 clean-contaminated surgeries. Longer hospitalization, without antimicrobial prophylaxis, and male animals had a significantly higher risk of SSI. In clean surgeries, SSI occurred in 2,3 % of all cases with POA and 5,3 % without POA. The SSI in clean-contaminated was 3,6 % with POA and 9 % without. This difference resulted mainly from the results of osteosynthesis, gastrointestinal and skin surgeries. However, other types of surgeries, such as castrations, neurological interventions, abdominal and thoracic surgeries, and surgeries in the head and neck region, showed comparable infection rates with and without POA.