Transboundary and Emerging Diseases最新文献

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) represents an important nosocomial infection, frequently encountered in intensive care unit (ICU) settings which results in prolonged hospitals stays. The nosocomial infections caused by Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) bacteria pose a significant challenge in healthcare settings owing to their intrinsic resistance to many antibiotics. This study investigates the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and mechanisms of carbapenem resistance among BCC bacteria from VAP patients and the ventilator tubing. The blood and respiratory specimens from patients diagnosed with VAP were collected. In addition, the ventilators were also screened for the presence of BCC bacteria. The susceptibility profiling of BCC isolates was performed against the various antimicrobial agents, and screening for acquired beta-lactamase enzymes was conducted by polymerase chain reaction. Out of the total 134 patients with BCC-associated VAP, B. cepacia, Burkholderia multivorans, and Burkholderia cenocepacia was 68.7% (n = 92), 18.7% (n = 25), and 12.7% (n = 17). Overall, the BCC isolates showed varying susceptibility to different antibiotics: 76.9% were susceptible to chloramphenicol, 76.1% to minocycline, 69.4% to meropenem, 60.4% to ceftazidime, 51.5% to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and 50% to levofloxacin. Resistance to ceftazidime (51/92, 55.4%) and meropenem (36/92, 39.1%) was exclusively observed in B. cepacia isolates, and all isolates of B. multivorans and B. cenocepacia were found to be susceptible to both beta-lactam drugs. Among the 134 clinical isolates, 15 were found to harbor the bla_NDM variants, that is, bla_NDM−1 and bla_NDM−5. All carbapenem-resistant isolates from the ventilator tubing were identified as B. cepacia and were found to harbor either the bla_NDM−1 or the bla_NDM−5 variants. The observed increase in resistance and the emergence of acquired beta-lactamases among BCC isolates highlight a concerning trend that could potentially lead to serious outbreaks.

Leishmaniasis is a chronic global arthropod-borne zoonotic disease produced by several species of Leishmania with cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral clinical manifestations. In Spain, only Leishmania infantum has been reported so far, although other species of Leishmania, such as L. tropica and L. major, are present in surrounding countries. The aim of this work is to analyze the occurrence of Leishmania spp. infection in European wildcats (Felis silvestris) as sentinels, including their genotypic characterization. Necropsies of 18 road-killed wildcats were conducted. Samples of ear skin and spleen were taken for DNA isolation and PCR of the highly sensitive SSU-rDNA target. Subsequent PCR tests were performed using more specific targets for the determination of Leishmania species: hsp70 and ITS1. Positive samples were sequenced, and phylogenetic trees were constructed. Seven wildcats were found positive for Leishmania spp. Based on the hsp70 and ITS1 sequences, an animal was found to be infected only with L. tropica in ear skin samples, while two cats were found to be infected with L. infantum in both the ear skin and the spleen. In one animal, a clear sequence of L. infantum ITS1 and a sequence of L. tropica hsp70 were obtained from the ear skin. Since hsp70 and ITS1 sequencing was not possible in three cats, the species of Leishmania infecting them was not determined. This is the first report of autochthonous infection with L. tropica in the Iberian Peninsula. Health care professionals, including physicians, dermatologists, and veterinarians, must be aware of this for a correct diagnosis, treatment, and management of possible coinfections.

African swine fever (ASF) is a virulent and lethal disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boars, with serious implications for biodiversity, food security, and the economy. Since its reemergence in Europe, ASF has become widespread, and Singapore reported its first ASF outbreak in its wild boar population. To understand the transmission dynamics in Singapore’s urban landscape, an agent-based spatiotemporal model was designed to mechanistically model the wild boar dispersal and their interactions for ASF transmission. We investigated the impacts of wild boar dispersal capacity and carcass removal actions on the spatiotemporal dynamics of disease transmission. The model predictions were validated using observed wild boar mortality reports in Singapore and suggested multiple disease entry points into our wild boar population. Our simulations estimated that the ASF outbreak in Singapore would peak within 3 weeks and lasts for less than 70 days. Carcass-mediated transmission was evident with epidemic reoccurrence through infectious carcasses accounting for 18%–75% of the iterations. Increasing wild boar dispersal capacity expanded the geographic extent of ASF infection, potentially spreading further inland. Simulated carcass removal and decontamination measures slightly reduced the epidemic duration by up to 13.5 days and reoccurrence through infectious carcass by 10.8%. Carcass removal and decontamination efforts, along with identifying and blocking high-risk areas (e.g., dispersal corridors), are important in controlling the transmission of ASF through contaminated fomites and limiting the dispersal of infected animals. Establishing surveillance programmes and enhancing detection capabilities are also crucial for the successful management and control of infectious diseases.

The 2009 influenza A H1N1 pandemic (pdm09) originated from the influenza A virus of swine (IAV-S) through multiple reassortment events with avian and human IAVs. The pdm09 reportedly reintroduced the virus to pigs, contributing to the evolution and diversity of IAV-S through frequent reassortment and drifts. Surveillance and whole-genome sequencing of IAV-S from conventional pig farms in Korea during 2021–2022 revealed that the genetic diversity of H1 and H3 IAV-S was continuously enriched after human-to-swine spillover of pdm09 viruses with long-term maintenance, persistence, and reassortment of virus lineages. Evidence of additional human-to-swine spillover of viruses that are different from the 2009 virus but close to that of the recent H1N1pdm09 human vaccine was identified in this study. The identification of swine-adapted pdm09 viruses, which have accumulated amino acid mutations with potentially altered antigenicity and a unique potential N-glycosylation site within the haemagglutinin (HA) gene, suggests the distinctive evolution of spillover pdm09 viruses in swine. The genetic constellation of the recently emerging Eurasian avian-like swine lineage and the preexisting classical swine lineage H1 viruses in Korea has been expanded through reassortment with cocirculating pdm09 viruses and/or H3N2 IAV-S harboring the pdm09 M gene (H3N2pM). Collectively, after the major shift of Korean IAV-S from the classical swine lineage to the pdm09 lineage in 2009, the frequent spillover of pdm09 viruses and the circulation of IAV-S harboring pdm09 gene segments led to the continuous diversification of IAV-S through antigenic drift and shift, raising concerns about the potential reintroduction of these viruses to humans.

Feline panleukopenia (FP) is a highly prevalent and consequential disease that poses a substantial threat to both adult and juvenile cats across all geographical regions. The causative agent responsible for this disease is the feline panleukopenia virus (FPV). Therefore, it is imperative to develop a facile, efficient, and accurate detection method for FPV. Hence, a recombinase polymerase amplification–lateral flow dipstick assay (RPA–LFDA) method was specifically designed for the detection of FPV. The amplification process was optimized. This investigation focused on evaluating the expansion temperature detection system and revealed an optimal reaction temperature of 39°C. Then, primer combination screening involving nine groups identified F3R2 as the most effective primer set, while dilution ratio experiments determined that a 10-fold dilution yielded the best amplification products. Our findings demonstrated that the RPA-LFDA assay had an analytical sensitivity that was capable of detecting as low as 10 target copies per reaction. Furthermore, cross-reactivity tests demonstrated no interference between feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) and feline calicivirus (FCV). To validate our newly developed method against existing techniques in clinical samples from three common sources on the market, we observed superior sensitivity and specificity compared to those of the colloidal gold method (CGM), with a higher positive detection rate using our nucleic acid detection system than CGM. Compared to qPCR as a reference standard, RPA-LFDA detected 39 out of 44 positive samples (including one false positive), whereas CGM detected 26 out of 44 positive samples. Based on the RPA-LFDA, the sensitivity was calculated to be 100%, the specificity was 83.33%, the mistake diagnostic rate was 16.67%, the omission diagnostic rate was 0%, and the overall accuracy reached 97.73%. Moreover, the positive coincidence rate was 97.44%, while the negative coincidence rate reached 100%. The agreement κ value was 0.8962. In conclusion, this approach exhibits greater sensitivity than CGM and offers greater convenience and cost-effectiveness than the qPCR methodology, making it a viable option for the clinical detection of FPV.

Effective porcine health management relies majorly on diagnostic tests, vaccination, treatment strategies, and a proper biosecurity management plan. However, understanding the link between circulating microbes and biosecurity measures on a pig farm is not evident. Substantial progress has been made in recent years with the availability of new diagnostic tools (e.g., sequencing-based diagnostics) and extensive biosecurity management questionnaires. However, the interpretation and correlation of these results are hampered by the abundance of gained (meta)data. Therefore, we aimed to cross-correlate viral and bacterial pathogens with respiratory tropism detected by third-generation nanopore metagenomic sequencing with biosecurity measures assessed by Biocheck.UGent™. The study was conducted on 25 sow farms with attached nurseries in Germany with known respiratory distress. The biosecurity level of the study farms complied with the European averages. Interestingly, the farms with the highest biosecurity score showed the lowest overall prevalence of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and Actinobacillus sp.; the circulation of well-studied pathogenic viruses, such as PRRSV, was correlated with overall lower biosecurity scores, a higher number of stillborn piglets, and cocirculation of porcine parvovirus type 7. Moreover, potential risk factors for lesser-known agents (e.g., porcine hemagglutinating and encephalomyelitis virus, porcine respiratory coronavirus, and porcine polyomavirus) could also be addressed. For the bacterial pathogen Glaesserella sp., a correlation with increased clinical signs was observed, whereas Lactobacillus sp. and Moraxella sp. are putative biomarkers for pig farms with better biosecurity scores. In conclusion, in-depth cross-correlation of (meta)data from new diagnostic platforms with biosecurity measures on pig farms may contribute to a better understanding of new actions in adapting biosecurity measures. This will not only contribute to improved animal welfare and economic productivity but also helping to address (new) zoonotic disease threats and potential treatments.

Various domestic and wildlife species have been found susceptible to and infected with SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, around the globe, raising concerns about virus adaptation and transmission to new animal hosts. The virus circulation in the white-tailed deer population in North America has further called to action for virus surveillance in the wildlife. Here, we report on the first SARS-CoV-2 survey of wild animals in Japan, where frequent wildlife invasions of urban areas have occurred due to the limited predation, field abandonment, the increase of human acclimatization. Genetic testing using nasal swabs and serological screening have been conducted for sika deer, brown bears, raccoons, and raccoon dogs captured in Hokkaido prefecture from the end of the Delta variant wave to the spread of the Omicron variant, between March 2022 and February 2023. No viral RNA was detected in raccoons (0/184), sika deer (0/107), and brown bears (0/14) indicating that the virus was unlikely to spread within the population of these animal species. Among 171 raccoons, 20 raccoon dogs, 100 sika deer, and 13 brown bears, one raccoon, one brown bear, and two deer tested positive in the antibodies screening with multispecies SARS-CoV-2 N-protein ELISA. Still, ELISA-positive samples tested negative in three other serological tests, emphasizing the importance of confirming serological screening results. Our results suggested that SARS-CoV-2 was unlikely to spillback from humans to wildlife in Hokkaido during the study period, with the emergence of new variants, continuous surveillance is of utmost importance.

African swine fever (ASF), caused by African swine fever virus (ASFv), is a highly contagious disease of domestic and wild pigs with a mortality rate that can reach 100%. Continuous spread of the virus into ASF-free regions, including the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 2021, is causing socioeconomic burdens and presents a threat to food security. Pork-producing countries, including the United States and Canada, are urgently looking for efficient tools for early detection to reduce spread of the virus in the event of an outbreak. Previous experimental infection studies evaluated the utility of aggregate porcine oral fluids (OFs) as a sample type with a highly sensitive ASFv real-time PCR for individual blood and tissue-based diagnosis. In this study, real-time PCR with porcine OFs was further evaluated to better understand diagnostic performance using samples from three Romanian farms with an ongoing ASF outbreak. In this limited dataset using a Bayesian latent class model, no statistical difference in diagnostic sensitivity was found between the real-time PCR using aggregate OFs and the process of determining pen disease status by testing individual blood samples collected from a subset of pigs from the same pen. Known negative aggregate OF samples from pigs in the United States had no occurrences of false positives, suggesting reliable diagnostic specificity of the sample matrix used for this study. Until results are produced from further studies with sufficient sample size, aggregate OF testing using real-time PCR could cautiously be used as a supplementary sample type for ASF diagnosis alongside currently approved sample types, including blood and lymphoid tissues.

African horse sickness (AHS) is a viral disease transmitted by arthropods that impacts Equidae, specifically horses and related species. Recognized as a notifiable disease by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), AHS is associated with a high mortality rate of 80%–90% in susceptible hosts and exhibits rapid transmission dynamics. Historical records document numerous instances of mass horse deaths attributed to AHS, with recent occurrences in Thailand and Malaysia in 2020 causing heightened concerns within the local horse industry. The lack of a comprehensive global perspective on the distribution and transmission of AHS poses challenges in comprehending and implementing effective prevention and control strategies. This study marks a pioneering effort in analyzing the global epidemiological patterns of AHS across different regions. By employing predictive modeling with a comprehensive set of environmental variables, we uncovered overarching global patterns in AHS dynamics, a first in this field. Our analysis revealed significant regional differences influenced by specific climatic conditions, highlighting the disease’s complexity. The study also identifies new high-risk areas for AHS, underscoring the necessity for regionally tailored disease management strategies. Despite some limitations, such as the exclusion of wild equine data, this research offers critical insights for global AHS intervention and prevention, setting a path for future research incorporating broader datasets and socioeconomic factors.

Seneca Valley virus (SVV) and foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) belong to the Picornaviridae family, which can cause similar symptoms. After infection, pigs will develop fever; loss of appetite; blister lesions on the skin and mucous membrane of the mouth, nose, and hoof; and other similar diseases, and the spread is very fast, causing major economic losses to the pig industry. Therefore, a rapid, accurate, and sensitive diagnostic method is necessary to enable rapid prevention and control measures for preventing the spread of these diseases. Here, a fluorescent immunochromatography test strip, using Eu-doped fluorescence beads and monoclonal antibody, was developed for the simultaneous determination of FMDV and SVV. The test process for the assay could be completed in 12 min, which avoided the time cost of the current methods for FMDV/SVV detection. Under optimized conditions, the limit of detection of SVV is 5 × 10⁴ PFU/mL, and that of FMDV is 5 × 10⁴ PFU/mL under the Fluorescence Immunoassay Analyzer. Our assay results showed a good linear correlation with RT-PCR installed in the clinical laboratory. The species design has a promising application prospect in the surveillance and control of the outbreak of idiopathic blister.