Veterinary Quarterly最新文献

Canine mammary tumor (CMT) is a prevalent and destructive disease often diagnosed at an advanced stage, leading to poor outcomes. Currently, there is a lack of effective biomarkers for early detection and prognostic prediction of CMT. To improve CMT detection, we established a multiplexed immunoassay using a fluorescence bead-based suspension array system to measure serum levels of autoantibodies against four CMT-associated proteins (AGR2, HAPLN1, IGFBP5, and TYMS) in CMT patients. Our data revealed that serum levels of the four autoantibodies (anti-AGR2, anti-HAPLN1, anti-IGFBP5, and anti-TYMS) were significantly elevated in CMT patients (n = 158) compared to healthy individuals (n = 39). Notably, serum levels of anti-AGR2, anti-HAPLN1, and anti-TYMS in the dogs with stage I CMT (n = 56) were higher than those in the healthy group. Using a marker panel consisting of the four autoantibodies for detecting malignant CMT (n = 125) achieved a sensitivity of 50.4% and a specificity of 90%. Furthermore, higher levels of anti-AGR2, anti-HAPLN1, anti-IGFBP5, and anti-TYMS were associated with poorer survival in CMT patients. Collectively, we established a multiplexed immunoassay platform to detect serum autoantibodies and demonstrated that a tailored autoantibody marker panel shows potential clinical applicability for the diagnosis and prognosis of CMT.

Current vaccines for canine leishmaniosis (CanL) provide limited protection, underscoring the need for improved immunization strategies. Multi-epitope peptide vaccine delivered via nanoparticle systems represents a promising alternative but remains underexplored in canine clinical trials. Here, we report the results of a double-blind clinical trial (499/ECV) evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of HisDTC, a peptide vaccine targeting Leishmania infantum, encapsulated in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) PLGA nanoparticles and adjuvanted with Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR3 ligands. Forty healthy dogs were immunized with different vaccine formulations and monitored over 12 months. Immune responses were assessed by flow cytometry, ELISA, and in vitro macrophage infection assays, while safety was evaluated through clinical follow-up. Vaccination with HisDTC elicited a protective cellular response, including sustained IFN-γ production by CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, an IgG2a-skewed humoral response, and expansion of CD4⁺CD8α⁺ double-positive memory T cells. Notably, only HisDTC-vaccinated dogs exhibited a >80% reduction in in vitro macrophage infection, with protective effects persisting for up to 8 months post-immunization. Importantly, the formulation was well tolerated, with no adverse effects reported. These findings demonstrate that HisDTC delivered via PLGA nanoparticles induces durable, protective immunity against L. infantum in dogs and supports its further evaluation under natural exposure conditions.

This study evaluated the impact of vaccine diluents (peptone or water) on the protective effects of Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) vaccine. Vaccinated broilers were challenged with different doses of wild-type S. Typhimurium through dust. At the time of cull, vaccine load was highest in caeca and lowest in spleen. Wild-type S. Typhimurium was detectable after 24 hrs only in the vaccinated birds challenged with 108 CFU and positive control. S. Typhimurium load was lower in the organs of the groups challenged with 104 and 106 compared to the 108 CFU group. The caecal microbiota alpha diversity of the vaccinated or vaccinated and challenged chickens differed from the positive and negative control groups. Beta diversity of the positive control clustered separately from all other treatment groups, showing that vaccine caused minimal changes in gut microbiota structure. The vaccinated and/or wild-type challenged chickens showed significantly higher abundance of Anaerostignum, Lachnoclostridium, Intestinimonas, Colidextribacter, Monoglobus, Acetanaerobacterium and Subdoligranulum. Outcomes from this study demonstrate that the vaccine effectively protected broiler chickens from S. Typhimurium infection and helped maintain a more stable gut microbiota structure, reducing the impact of S. Typhimurium on gut health. Vaccine diluent did not affect gut microbiota composition.

Accurate diagnosis of bloodstream infections is crucial for survival and antimicrobial de-escalation in veterinary medicine. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry enables faster identification of bacteria in BSIs. This study aimed to compare diagnostic accuracy of two Sepsityper^® methods (Rapid Sepsityper^® and Sepsityper^® Extraction) with conventional culture method for bacterial identification in clinical samples. Mean time-to-positivity and frequency of bacteria in BSIs were also determined. This diagnostic test study used bloodstream infection samples from 385 critically ill animals (121 dogs, 119 foals, and 145 calves) admitted to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent (October 2021-February 2024). Accuracy was compared using Bayesian latent class model with priors for sensitivity (99.9%) and specificity (96.0%) based on literature, and a prevalence of 26.0%.

Conventional culture method identified 173 bacteria with Escherichia coli (19.1%,33/173), Staphylococcus spp. (12.1%,21/173) and Streptococcus spp. (8.1%,14/173) being most common. Sensitivity of Rapid Sepsityper^®, Sepsityper^® Extraction, and conventional culture method was 62.1%, 86.1%, and 97.4%, respectively. Specificity was 94.3%, 90.4% and 92.3%, and accuracy was 85.8%, 89.3%, and 93.6%, respectively. Mean time-to-positivity and ±standard deviation for blood cultures flagging positive was 21h25min ±17.8h. Rapid Sepsityper^® identified bacteria in approximately 30min, while Sepsityper^® Extraction method required around 50min, and conventional culture method needed 12-48h. Altogether, Sepsityper^® Extraction shows promise given the sensitivity and results were delivered more rapidly than conventional culture. Enhancing diagnostic workflow, resulting in a better prognosis, reduced hospital stays, and lower healthcare costs due to more rational use of (critically important) antimicrobials.

This study introduces Raman imaging technique for diagnosing skin cancer in veterinary oncology patients (dogs and cats). Initially, Raman spectral bands (with specificity to certain molecular structures and functional groups) were identified in formalin-fixed samples of mast cell tumors and soft tissue sarcomas, obtained through routine veterinary biopsy submissions. Then, a custom-built Raman macro-imaging system featuring an intensified CCD camera (iXon Ultra 888, Andor, UK), tunable narrow-band Semrock (USA) optical filter compartment was used to map the spectral features at 1437 cm^-1 and 1655 cm^-1 in ex vivo tissue. This approach enabled wide-field (cm²), rapid (within seconds), and safe (< 400 mW/cm²) imaging conditions, supporting accurate diagnosis of tissue state. The findings indicate that machine learning classifiers - particularly support vector machine (SVM) and decision tree (DT) - effectively distinguished between soft tissue sarcoma, mastocytoma and benign tissues using Raman spectral band imaging data. Additionally, combining Raman macro-imaging with residual near-infrared (NIR) autofluorescence as a bimodal imaging technique enhanced diagnostic performance, reaching 85 - 95% in accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and precision - even with a single spectral band (1437 cm^-1 or 1655 cm^-1). In conclusion, the proposed bi-modal imaging is a pioneering method for veterinary oncology science, offering to improve the diagnostic accuracy of malignant tumors.

Myiasis due to parasitic fly larvae (maggots) can have major consequences for animal health and welfare. The European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus is frequently presented in rehabilitation centres and veterinary practices due to health problems, including myiasis. In the present study, 557 hedgehogs presented at wildlife rehabilitation centres in Northern Germany during 2018-2021 were examined for the presence of dipteran eggs and larvae. Overall, 15.6% of animals carried fly eggs and/or larvae. Four different dipteran species were identified by PCR and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) region. Lucilia sericata was detected on 25.3% [22/87] of affected hedgehogs, followed by Calliphora vicina (12.6% [11/87]), Lucilia ampullacea (11.5% [10/87]) and Lucilia caesar (9.2% [8/87]). Myiasis prevalence was significantly higher during the summer compared to spring and autumn. Fly eggs were found all over the body, while larvae were detected most frequently in the body's natural orifices and in wounds. Regarding rehabilitation success, myiasis occurred significantly more frequently in animals that died or were euthanized compared to those released back into the wild. Although the high death rate probably arose in combination with underlying disease, this illustrates that myiasis represents a serious health issue that should be diagnosed and treated immediately.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease is a highly contagious transboundary animal disease. FMD has caused a significant economic impact globally due to direct losses and trade restrictions on animals and animal products. This study utilized multi-distance spatial cluster analysis, kernel density analysis, directional distribution analysis to investigate the spatial distribution patterns of historical FMD epidemics. A multi-algorithm ensemble model considering climatic, geographic, and social factors was developed to predict the suitability area for FMDV, and then risk maps of FMD for each species of livestock were generated in combination with the distribution of livestock. The results show that all serotypes of FMD exhibit significant clustering with a clear tendency toward a directional distribution. Serotypes A and O are widespread in Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. Serotype Asia 1 is prevalent in Asia. Serotype SAT2 is prevalent in Africa and the Middle East, while Serotypes SAT1 and SAT3 are restricted to Africa. Ecological niche modeling reveals temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and vegetation are important factors influencing the occurrence of FMD. Except for buffaloes, the distribution of high-risk areas for FMD occurrence in other livestock species is quite widespread. The areas primarily include the southern region of North America, the northern, southern, and eastern regions of South America, the Mediterranean region, the eastern region of Europe, the central and southern regions of Africa, the central, eastern, and southern regions of Asia, and parts of Australia. These findings will provide valuable insights into the prevention and control of FMD.

Dozens of missed recessive loci affecting homozygous carriers' life expectancy were recently reported. This article details the clinical, biological and pathological manifestations of a new bovine genetic disorder caused by the ITGB7 p.G375S point mutation in the French Holstein cattle breed (BLIRD: OMIA:002872-9913). Our thorough study involved database analysis of genotyped cattle and a series of case-control investigations of forty individuals homozygous for the causative variant. These variant homozygotes had a significantly shorter lifespan (fewer than 64% surviving past three years vs. 87% in control), along with reduced body weight, daily weight gain, and dairy performance. The mutation did not affect most biochemical parameters, but a marked lymphocytic leucocytosis, moderate eosinophilia and differences in faecal microbiota were observed. Although non-pathognomonic symptoms may be confused with those of common environmental diseases, the blood profile effectively identified suspected carriers who developed ill-thrift and poor growth as heifers. Our research demonstrates that the bovine ITGB7 p.G375S substitution leads to reduced longevity, poor condition and production in most homozygous carriers. Furthermore, this spontaneous model may help to refine the functions of the integrin β7 (ITGB7) in immune homeostasis and defence.

Ferroptosis, a regulated cell death, has emerged as a critical contributor to various pathological conditions in animals, particularly infectious, reproductive, musculoskeletal, and nutritional diseases. Ferroptosis differs from apoptosis, necrosis, and other types of cell death, being characterized by the production of reactive oxygen species and excessive lipid peroxidation. Research indicates a close interplay between oxidative stress and ferroptosis in veterinary contexts, where pathogens may manipulate ferroptosis to alter host immune responses, underlining its role in disease progression and defence mechanisms. Key regulators such as SLC7A11, ACSL4, and FSP1 have also been implicated in ferroptosis-related pathophysiology across animal species. Nutritional deficiencies, such as selenium deficiency, impair the activity of GPX4, a key antioxidant enzyme that suppresses ferroptotic pathways. Several therapeutic strategies, such as antioxidants, ferroptosis inhibitors, nutritional supplements, and iron chelators, are currently being explored in veterinary medicine, requiring tailored approaches due to metabolic differences among species. Despite increasing attention in human medicine, ferroptosis remains poorly understood in animal health. Therefore, this review consolidates current knowledge on ferroptosis in veterinary medicine and explores its mechanistic contribution to the pathogenesis of animal diseases. We highlight the emerging strategies for therapeutic intervention and improved animal health outcomes.

This study aimed to propose new diagnostic criteria and provide detailed descriptions of cats diagnosed with transient myocardial thickening (TMT) using a retrospective design. HCM phenotype cases were defined as cats with echocardiographic findings of a maximum left ventricular wall thickness (LVWT) ≥6 mm on at least one presentation. TMT was defined as an increased LVWT ≥6 mm on at least two presentations, a subsequent decrease in LVWT of more than 25% within 6 months, no subsequent increase in left atrial-to-aortic root ratio (LA/Ao) ≥20% from baseline, and a fractional shortening ≤30%. A total of 145 cats had HCM phenotypes. Among cats that underwent serial echocardiography (n = 53), 16 were diagnosed with TMT and 34 with HCM. At presentation, the maximum LVWT was 8.3 ± 1.7 mm in cats with TMT, and decreased to 5.4 ± 0.9 mm after a median of 3.5 months [1-6 months]. Two cats initially classified as TMT were later identified as TMT on HCM based on persistent LV thickening, and all cats with TMT survived until the time of publication. The prevalence of TMT may be higher than expected when including asymptomatic TMT and TMT on HCM. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of dynamic changes in myocardial thickness in cats.