Veterinary Quarterly最新文献

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common cardiovascular disease in small-breed dogs, and some affected dogs develop congestive heart failure (CHF). Although pimobendan is recommended to delay the onset of CHF, its effect on survival following CHF onset development remains unclear. This retrospective study evaluated the survival prognosis of 143 small-breed dogs diagnosed with first-time CHF due to MMVD, comparing pretreated (n = 54) and untreated (n = 89) groups. Pretreated dogs received cardiac medications including pimobendan for at least five weeks before CHF onset. Pretreated dogs had a significantly larger normalized left ventricular internal diameter (LVIDDN; p = 0.002) and higher left atrium-to-aortic root ratio (LA/Ao; p = 0.044) at CHF onset than untreated dogs. The median survival time after CHF onset was significantly longer in untreated dogs (481 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) 393-569 days) than in pretreated dogs (212 days, 95% CI 73-351 days; p = 0.028). Univariable Cox proportional hazards analysis identified pretreatment (p = 0.031), chordae tendineae rupture (p = 0.011), and the LA/Ao (p < 0.001) as significant predictors of survival. Our findings suggest that the administration of cardiac medications, including pimobendan, prior to the onset of CHF was not independently associated with improved survival following CHF.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes a highly contagious disease in pigs, and the intricacies of its host-pathogen interactions require further elucidation. Chinese Min piglets, known for their superior resistance to stress and disease, were compared with Yorkshire piglets to investigate breed-specific resistance mechanisms. We established PEDV infection models in both breeds and analyzed differences by assessing cytokine levels, viral loads, and histological changes in jejunal tissues. Transcriptomic analysis of jejunal tissues identified 5422 differentially expressed (DE) protein-coding genes (PCGs) and 1999 DE long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) between the two pig breeds. Functional annotation revealed that Yorkshire piglets exhibited upregulation of inflammatory and apoptotic pathways, whereas Chinese Min piglets displayed strong inflammatory responses and enhanced mucosal immunity. Notably, glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit 3 (G6PC3) expression was significantly higher in Chinese Min piglets than in Yorkshire piglets. Knockdown of G6PC3 in the intestinal porcine epithelial cell line J2 (IPEC-J2) resulted in increased PEDV replication and decreased expression of immune-related genes involved in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis metabolism pathway. These findings highlight the distinct immune responses of Chinese Min and Yorkshire piglets to PEDV infection, and identify key PCGs and lncRNAs associated with PEDV immunity.

Cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) destruction is a hallmark of femoral head necrosis (FHN) in broilers. Chondrocytes undergo metabolic reprogramming under stress to maintain function. However, the metabolic alterations in FHN chondrocytes remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the overall changes of metabolic state in FHN chondrocytes and its functions. Femoral head cartilage of healthy and FHN broilers was collected for non-targeted metabolome and transcriptome analyses. Additionally, primary chondrocytes were isolated from femoral head cartilage of control (CON) and FHN broilers for bioenergetic analysis and mechanistic investigation. Multi-omics profiling revealed significant enrichment of the glycolysis pathway, decreased levels of tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites (citrate and malate), upregulation of the lactate dehydrogenase A (Ldha) gene, and downregulation of genes encoding mitochondrial complexes in cartilage from FHN broilers. Compared with primary chondrocytes isolated from CON broilers, FHN primary chondrocytes exhibited elevated basal extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and increased lactate production. Concurrently, the basal respiration of FHN chondrocytes was decreased, accompanied by unbalanced mitochondrial dynamics and decreased ATP production. Furthermore, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) or rotenone treatment was used to mimic the metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, resulting in downregulation of matrix synthesis genes and upregulation of matrix degradation genes in CON primary chondrocytes. Glycolysis inhibition suppressed matrix degradation gene expression in FHN chondrocytes. These findings suggest that glycolytic reprogramming occurs in FHN chondrocytes, and targeting glycolysis may alleviate ECM destruction in FHN broilers, providing a novel insight into the pathological mechanisms of FHN.

Canine osteosarcoma (OSA) represents a highly aggressive malignancy known for its high rates of recurrence and metastatic potential. This study establishes and characterizes two novel OSA cell lines, OSA-424 and OSA-55, derived from osteoblastic and chondroblastic subtypes, respectively. We conducted a comparative analysis against the established canine chondrosarcoma line Mango. Comprehensive characterization included primary tumor imaging using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as histopathological evaluation and immunohistochemical (IHC) profiling. In vitro, functional analyses assessed cellular morphology, karyotypic stability, proliferative capacity, extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, proteomic profiling, migratory potential, invasive behavior, and in vivo tumorigenicity. Both cell lines demonstrated stable propagation beyond 40 passages while maintaining subtype-specific characteristics, with distinct ECM protein expression patterns identified. These validated cellular models provide essential resources for investigating the OSA heterogeneity and advancing the development of subtype-targeted therapeutics.

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) are responsible for significant economic losses in sheep and goat farming; however, effective vaccination strategies remain unavailable. This study evaluated the immunogenicity, safety, and protective efficacy of a recombinant Sendai virus vector (SeV) expressing SRLV gag-P25 (rSeV-GFP-P25) in lambs. Twenty-one SRLV-negative lambs were divided into three groups and inoculated intranasally thrice with culture medium (group 1); SeV-GFP (group 2) or rSeV-GFP-P25 (group 3). Lambs were challenged with homologous SRLV at 16 weeks post-first immunization. Clinical and hematological parameters, antibody responses, SRLV viral loads in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and target tissues, histopathological and histomorphometric analyses, assisted with artificial intelligence, of interstitial pneumonia were assessed. No clinicopathological alterations were observed, except for a transient temperature increase in group 3 post-first immunization. Group 2 showed mild SeV-neutralizing antibodies, while rSeV-GFP-P25 (group 3) induced negligible SRLV-specific antibody responses. Group 3 exhibited higher SRLV DNA copies in PBMCs but lower in most SRLV target tissues compared to control groups, with no SRLV DNA detected in spleen and bone marrow. Histomorphometry revealed reduced alveolar septal thickening in group 3, indicating partial protection against early SRLV-associated interstitial pneumonia. These results warrant further investigation into cellular immunity and long-term protection.

Vitamin A in cattle is essential due to its antioxidant properties and importance in vision, immune function, reproduction, and cellular differentiation. This study investigates the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes of hypovitaminosis A in 15 Piedmontese calves, referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Turin for vision impairment between 2016 and 2024. Neurological and ophthalmological evaluations revealed hypovision or blindness in 87% of cases, with additional epileptic seizures in 13%. Ophthalmological findings included papilledema, optic nerve atrophy, and retinal abnormalities, which were consistent predictors of poor prognosis for vision recovery. Serum vitamin A levels were below the reference range in all cases, confirming a primary dietary deficiency linked to the use of dry, preserved forages.Parenteral administration of vitamin A and dietary supplementation improved clinical outcomes in most cases, with 67% of affected calves achieving complete recovery. Histopathological analysis of one subject revealed ischemic degeneration presumably due to narrowed optic foramina caused by vitamin A deficiency. The findings emphasize the importance of early diagnosis through ocular and neurological assessments to prevent irreversible damage and economic loss in cattle herds. Prompt supplementation can mitigate health and productivity losses, emphasizing its critical role in herd management practices.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary isatidis root polysaccharide (IRP) on diarrhea, immunity, and intestinal health in weanling piglets. Forty healthy piglets were randomly assigned to five groups receiving varying dosages of IRP. The findings indicated that different concentrations of IRP significantly reduced diarrhea scores (p < 0.01). Notably, the serum levels of immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G increased linearly and quadratically (p < 0.01), while immunoglobulin M also showed a linear increase (p < 0.05) in IRP-fed piglets. The secretory immunoglobulin A levels in ileal contents were significantly higher compared to control piglets (p < 0.01). Key intestinal health parameters, including villus height, villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, and goblet cell numbers, showed linear and quadratic increases in both the jejunum and ileum (p < 0.05), while crypt depth decreased significantly (p < 0.01). Additionally, the expression of IL-10, ZO-1, occludin, and mucin2 was upregulated linearly and quadratically in IRP-fed piglets (p < 0.05). In cultured IPEC-J2 cells, ZO-1 and occludin expression levels significantly increased upon exposure to 400 μg/mL IRP (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the relative abundances of Escherichia coli, Ralstonia pickettii, and Desulfovibrio fairfieldensis decreased linearly with increasing dietary IRP concentration. In conclusion, IRP shows promise as an effective dietary supplement for mitigating diarrhea and enhancing intestinal health in early weaned piglets.

The performance of direct tests, such as bacteriological culture and qPCR, for the diagnosis of brucellosis has been evaluated in a limited number of studies, often based on small sample sizes. Moreover, the absence of a gold standard makes this assessment even more challenging. A potential alternative for evaluating the performance of direct tests is Bayesian latent class analysis (BLCA), which does not require prior knowledge of disease status or a gold standard. This study aimed to estimate the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of bacteriological culture for brucellosis diagnosis. In a brucellosis-endemic area, a large number of seronegative and seropositive buffaloes and cattle were tested using bacteriological culture and qPCR. BLCA was applied to estimate the performance of both tests. The median Se of bacteriological culture was estimated at 61.3%, compared to 70.9% of qPCR. The median Sp was 99.6% for bacteriological culture and 89.3% for qPCR. Bacteriological culture demonstrated a higher Positive Predictive Value (PPV) than qPCR in both buffaloes and cattle, whereas the Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of the two methods did not differ significantly. These results suggest that, in settings of low brucellosis prevalence, a positive bacteriological culture has a greater predictive value than qPCR .

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes significant global agricultural losses. Despite commercial inactivated and live attenuated vaccines, persistent outbreaks underscore the need for more effective solutions. Here, we isolated a novel Chinese PEDV variant, PEDV ShXXY2-2023, with amino acid substitutions in key neutralizing epitopes (N-terminal domain, receptor-binding domain, and CO-26K equivalent epitope) compared to vaccine strains. An inactivated ShXXY2-2023 vaccine induced higher neutralizing antibodies and superior cross-protection versus commercial vaccines. Vaccinated sows conferred enhanced protection to offspring, improving piglet survival post-challenge. Maternal serum neutralizing antibody titers correlated strongly with piglet survival; titers of 1:377-1:774 at one week prepartum yielded >80% protective efficacy. These findings emphasize neutralizing antibodies' critical role in PEDV prevention and position ShXXY2-2023 as a promising vaccine candidate, with broader implications for coronavirus vaccine development.

Wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release is a global practice with a broad body of scientific literature; nonetheless, no studies have assessed and quantified the methodological rigour and reporting quality of this literature. In this PRISMA systematic review, we assessed and quantified the reporting of controls, randomisation, blinding, experimental animal data, and housing and husbandry data in 152 primary studies on wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release published between 1980 and 2021. We then tested for associations between reporting and study characteristics. Of the 152 reviewed studies, one study reported a control, randomisation, and blinding; 17 studies reported species, age, sex, weight, and body condition; and 14 studies reported housing size, housing location, type of food, provision of water, and provision of enrichment. No study reported all 13 of these elements. Studies published in veterinary-focused journals reported lower methodological rigour and had lower reporting quality than studies published in other types of journals. Studies on mammals had higher reporting quality than studies on birds and on reptiles, and studies that included the word "welfare" had higher reporting quality than studies that did not. The overall low methodological rigour and reporting quality of the literature limits study replicability and applicability and impedes meta-analyses.