Changes in epidemiological patterns of sea lice infestation on farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Scotland between 1996 and 2006

Analyses of a unique database containing sea lice records over an 11 year period provide evidence of changing infestation patterns in Scotland. The data, collected from more than 50 commercial Atlantic salmon farms, indicate that both species of sea lice commonly found in Scotland, Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus elongatus, have declined on farms over the past decade. Reductions for both species have been particularly marked since 2001 when more effective veterinary medicines became available. Treatment data were also available in the database and these show a growing trend towards the use of the in-feed medication emamectin benzoate (Slice), particularly in the first year of the salmon production cycle. However, this trend towards single product use has not been sustained in 2006, the latest year for which data are available. There is some evidence of region to region variation within Scotland with the Western Isles experiencing higher levels of infestation. However, compared to the levels observed between 1996 and 2000, all regions have benefited from reduced lice infestation, with the overall pattern showing a particular reduction in the second and third quarters of the second year of production.     

Spatial and non-spatial risk factors associated with cage-level distribution of infectious salmon anaemia at three Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., farms in Maine, USA

The distribution of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) was examined among 80 cages from three Atlantic salmon grow-out farms in Maine, USA that were stocked with smolts from a single hatchery. Cage-level disease was broadly defined as one or more moribund fish testing positive for infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) by RT-PCR and a second confirmatory test (IFAT, culture or genotype sequence). Spatio-temporal and cage-level risks were explored using logistic regression and survival analysis. Non-spatial risk factors associated with ISA, or shortened survival time to disease, included increased predation, trucking company choice for smolt transfers, a finely-sedimented benthic substrate, and smaller average size of smolts at stocking. Univariable analysis identified the time-dependent spatial factor 'adjacency to newly infected cages' to be predictive of new infection in neighbouring cages 11-12 weeks later. However, none of the spatial factors, or their lags retained relevance in multiple-variable models. The results suggest a diffuse distribution of virus exposure throughout infected sites, with host-susceptibility factors probably influencing disease manifestation in individual cages. The narrow focus of the current study may limit application of the findings to other sites and year-classes. However, these data support the relevance of husbandry efforts to optimize fish health in regions affected by ISAV.     

Epidemiological observations of pancreas disease of farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Ireland

Epidemiological investigations into the pancreas disease (PD) of farmed salmon were conducted on populations of Atlantic salmon reared in Ireland during 2003 and 2004. The investigations surveyed all marine salmon farms operating in Ireland through a detailed questionnaire with follow-up farm visits. Information was gathered on 21 populations of fish in 2003 and 14 populations in 2004. Thirteen of the 21 populations suffered PD in 2003 and 12 of the 14 in 2004. The mean mortality due to PD on affected farms was 18.8% in 2003 and 14.8% in 2004 and the loss of growth due to PD was estimated at 11.4% over the 2-year period. The highest risk periods for outbreaks of PD were early summer and early autumn and the farms most seriously affected by PD mortality were in the western counties of Ireland. Factors which showed an indication of association with a PD outbreak or high mortality during a PD outbreak were: livestock movement to another sea site, high feeding rate prior to any PD outbreak, the presence of another PD positive farm in the same water body, greater than 250000 fish on a site, a previous history of PD on a site, a high sea lice burden, and sites located in the western regions of Ireland which reared a specific strain of salmon.     

Risk factors associated with mortalities attributed to infectious salmon anaemia virus in New Brunswick, Canada

Outbreaks of unexplained mortalities attributed to infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) were examined in the 1996 year class of Atlantic salmon in three regions of New Brunswick, Canada. A total of 218 net pens at 14 sites deemed to have been exposed to ISA virus (ISAV) were surveyed for mortality records and management, environmental and host characteristics. Based on definitions of mortality patterns, clinical ISA disease outbreaks occurred in 106 net pens. There were eight sites in which >50% of net pens experienced ISA outbreaks during the study period. Factors related to their potential role in transmission of virus to new sites or new net pens at the same site were identified as sea lice vectors, divers visiting multiple sites, sites belonging to companies with more than one site, exposure to other year classes at the site, and proximity to other infected net pens. Host resistance factors associated with greater risk of outbreaks were identified as larger groupings, general health following smolt transfer, stressful husbandry procedures during growout, and health or productivity during colder water periods. Despite very close proximity between sites, modification of these management factors would probably influence the severity of mortalities caused by ISAV.     

Risk factors for foot-and-mouth disease in Zambia, 1981–2012

The aim of this study was to describe the spatial distribution of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in Zambia for the period January 1981–December 2012 and to quantify the association between geographical features (proximity to roads, national parks, wetland areas) and the spatial distribution of FMD using a Poisson point process model.     

植物真菌和卵菌病暴发的起源和传播

传染病暴发在植物、动物和人群中很常见。除了少数已发展为流行病和大流行病外,在很大程度上大多数传染病暴发的原因仍未知,植物真菌和卵菌病暴发尤其如此。所有流行病和大流行病都是从局部暴发开始,然后蔓延到更广泛的地理区域,因此了解其初始暴发的原因对于有效预防和控制植物病害流行病和大流行病至关重要。该文首先描述疾病暴发的定义和检测,随后简要描述导致植物传染病暴发的主要原因,包括寄主植物、病原体及其相关的环境因素,以一种真菌和一种卵菌病原体为例简要概述宿主病原体系统,并强调分子工具在帮助揭示病原体的起源和传播及其暴发及大流行方面的作用。由于人为活动及气候的加速变化,植物病害暴发的可能性越来越大,最后提出应该如何应对其暴发。     

多堆柄锈菌潜育期侵染量实时荧光定量PCR检测体系的建立

为快速及时诊断并定量监测玉米内多堆柄锈菌Puccinia polysora潜育期的侵染量,根据多堆柄锈菌的ITS序列和玉米Actin2基因序列,分别设计多堆柄锈菌特异性引物PpoF/PpoR和Taq Man探针PpoP以及玉米特异性引物ZmF/ZmR和Taq Man探针ZmP,对引物和探针的特异性和灵敏度进行测定,并用这2对引物和探针建立多堆柄锈菌潜育期的实时荧光定量PCR检测体系,定量监测接种后玉米叶片中多堆柄锈菌DNA量随时间的变化。结果表明,多堆柄锈菌和玉米的特异性引物和探针对各自靶标片段均具有良好的特异性,灵敏度分别为10^-3ng/μL和10^-2ng/μL;在接种后24 h,利用所建实时荧光定量PCR检测体系即可在玉米叶片中检测到多堆柄锈菌,且潜育期内多堆柄锈菌的侵染量随时间呈指数增长。表明所建实时荧光定量PCR检测体系可用于多堆柄锈菌潜育期侵染量的定量检测和监测。     

The development of mature plant resistance in four potato cultivars against aphid-inoculated potato virus YO and YN in four potato cultivars

Summary Field-grown potato plants of cvs King Edward, Record, Maris Piper and Désirée were inoculated on seven different dates during the growing season of 1987 and 1988 with either potato virus Y^O (PVY^O) or PVY^N, using three viruliferous peach-potato aphids (Myzus persicae) per plant. In each cultivar, the proportion of progeny tubers infected with PVY^O or PVY^N was high in plants inoculated during the four weeks following emergence, the proportion declining to zero or close to zero in the subsequent 4–6 wks.     

Medical management of Rhodococcus equi infections: A clinical epidemiology perspective

Rhodococcus equi infections cause severe pulmonary disease in foals, affecting animal welfare and increasing production costs in horse-breeding farms. Extra-pulmonary disorders (EPD) are relatively common and can occur independently of pulmonary disease; foals with EPD have a more guarded prognosis. The accompanying paper by Shaw et al. (2021) reports the successful diagnosis and medical treatment of a large abdominal abscess caused by R. equi infection. The authors report on the benefits of using gallium maltolate, a semimetal compound with antimicrobial activity, in combination with traditional R. equi infection antimicrobial treatment (combination of a macrolide and rifampicin). Experimental studies are needed to understand further the benefits of this combined therapy, to evaluate the synergistic effects and if it improves the concentration of antimicrobial drugs into infected tissues. The publication of this case report in Equine Veterinary Education is of clinical importance to equine practitioners when diagnosing and treating R. equi infected foals with or without EPD.