Quantification of airborne spores of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monilinia fructicola</Emphasis> in stone fruit orchards of California using real-time PCR

The fungal pathogen Monilinia fructicola causes blossom blight and fruit brown rot of stone fruits in California. In this study, spore densities in the air were monitored in six orchard/year combinations with Burkard spore traps. A real-time PCR assay was developed to efficiently quantify the dynamics of spore density in these orchards during the growing season. Different patterns of dynamics of spore density were observed in these orchards. A linear relationship between numbers of spores counted with a compound microscope and those determined with the real-time PCR assay was obtained, using the same samples of spore traps. Spore density in five of six orchard/year combinations ranged from 0.0 to 0.05 spores l⁻¹, except for that in orchard 4, which showed much higher values of spore density in the air, as well as higher values and wider range of incidences of blossom infection and fruit rot than those in the other orchards. The results demonstrated a potential method to quantitatively determine spore inoculum potential in orchards by using a real-time PCR assay.     

Seasonal patterns of gastrointestinal nematode infection in goats on two Lithuanian farms

Background

This study investigated seasonal changes in naturally acquired gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections on two Lithuanian goat farms with different parasite control practices.

Findings

On both farms, nematode faecal egg counts (FEC) and larval cultures were obtained from 15 adult and 10 young goats at bi-weekly intervals from April 2012 to April 2013. Goats on farm A were dewormed with ivermectin (0.3 mg/kg body weight) in October/November 2012, whereas the animals on farm B were left untreated. Thirteen young goats were slaughtered in August/November 2012 and April 2013 and worm burdens in the gastrointestinal tract were enumerated. In goats from both farms, Teladorsagia, Trichostrongylus, Oesophagostomum, Chabertia and Haemonchus were the dominant GIN genera. Herbage contamination with infective third-stage larvae (L₃) peaked in July/August and resulted in high FEC in September/October. Parasitological examination at slaughter showed that Teladorsagia spp. and Haemonchus contortus survived the winter, both in the abomasal mucosa as adults and as early fourth-stage larvae (EL₄). Deworming on farm A significantly reduced FEC, especially of H. contortus, at the start of the grazing period compared with the untreated farm B (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Goats were heavily infected with several GIN throughout the year. Strategic anthelmintic treatment during housing significantly reduced nematode egg output, in particular by H. contortus, at the start of the grazing season.     

广东省鸭疫里默氏杆菌流行病学监测及遗传进化关系

【目的】明确广东地区鸭疫里默杆菌Riemerella anatipestifer的血清型、耐药状况及遗传进化关系。【方法】从规模化鸭场分离鉴定鸭疫里默氏杆菌,通过玻片凝集试验鉴定血清型;利用试管两倍稀释法测试抗菌药物的最低抑菌浓度,分析药物的敏感性;采用全基因组测序技术分析序列特征并构建核心基因组遗传进化树。【结果】共分离鉴定鸭疫里默氏杆菌168株,血清1、2、3、5、6、7、8、10型均有流行,血清1型的菌株高达54.17%(91/168),其次为2型,占27.97%(47/168)。48株代表性菌株对庆大霉素、卡那霉素、盐酸环丙沙星表现高度耐药,耐药率均超过80%;对土霉素、盐酸四环素、盐酸金霉素、氧氟沙星、诺氟沙星、磺胺二甲嘧啶、磺胺对甲氧嘧啶的耐药率均在60%以上;对阿莫西林、头孢噻肟和大观霉素的耐药率低于30%。受试菌株对5～12种药物耐药,共有44种耐药谱型。成功获得46株菌株全基因组序列,共检出6种耐药基因,其中,耐药基因erm(F)和tet(X)的检出率较高,分别为73.91%(34/46)和82.60%(38/46),同时携带2种以上耐药基因的菌株占95.65%(44...     

陕西省羊梭菌病流行病学调查

为准确掌握舍饲养殖条件下陕西省羊梭菌病的流行和发病情况,采用实地调查和发放调查表的方式对陕北、关中、陕南等地区32 181 400只羊进行羊梭菌病的流行病学调查。结果显示,羊梭菌病发病率为0.015%～5.235%,病死率为16.970%～42.412%,陕南和关中地区发病率较高,陕北地区呈下降趋势,该病主要发生于3月-5月,羔羊和幼龄羊较易感,注射疫苗能较好地预防该病的发生,病羊的病死率与发病地区、时间、是否注射疫苗都没有显著的相关性。     

Surveys on Coxiella burnetii infections in Swedish cattle,sheep, goats and moose

Background

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Prevalence data in ruminant species are important to support risk assessments regarding public and animal health. The aim was to investigate the presence of or exposure to C. burnetii in cattle, sheep, goats and moose, and to compare two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). National surveys of antibodies against C. burnetii were performed for dairy cattle (n=1537), dairy goats (n=58) and sheep (n=518). Bovine samples consisted of bulk milk, caprine of pooled milk, and ovine of pooled serum. Antibodies were investigated in moose samples (n=99) from three regions. A one-year regional cattle bulk milk survey was performed on the Isle of Gotland (n=119, four occasions). Cattle, sheep and goat samples were analysed with indirect ELISA and moose samples with complement fixation test. For the sheep, goat, and parts of the cattle survey, samples were run in parallel by ELISAs based on antigens from infected ruminants and ticks. Bulk milk samples from the regional cattle survey and vaginal swabs from a subset of the sheep herds (n=80) were analysed for the agent by polymerase chain reaction. Spatial clustering was investigated in the national cattle survey.

Results

The prevalence of antibodies in dairy herds was 8.2% with large regional differences. High risk clusters were identified in the southern regions. The prevalence among dairy herds on the Isle of Gotland varied from 55.9% to 64.6% and 46.4% to 58.9.0% for antibodies and agent, respectively, overall agreement between agent and antibodies was 85.2%. The prevalence of antibodies in sheep was 0.6%, the agent was not detected the vaginal swabs. Antibodies were not detected in goats or moose, although parts of the moose samples were collected in an area with high prevalence in cattle. The overall agreement between the two ELISAs was 90.4%.

Conclusions

The prevalence of antibodies against C. burnetii in dairy cattle in Sweden shows large regional differences. The results suggest that C. burnetii is a rare pathogen among Swedish moose, dairy goat and sheep. ELISAs based on ruminant and tick antigen performed in a similar manner under Swedish conditions.     

Analysis of risk factors associated with bovine leukemia virus seropositivity within dairy and beef breeding farms in Japan: A nationwide survey

This cross-sectional study evaluated risk factors associated with farm-level bovine leukemia virus (BLV) seropositivity in 563 dairy and 490 beef farms throughout Japan. Twenty randomly selected cattle on each farm were serologically tested, and farm epidemiologiocal information was obtained through face-to-face interviews. Due to the large number of zero-prevalence dairy and beef farms, data analysis was performed using a zero-inflated negative binomial model, which revealed that the common risk factors associated with higher within-farm seroprevalence were past detection of clinical leukemia and presence of blood-sucking insects. Loose housing on dairy farms and direct contact between calves and adult cattle on beef farms were also identified as risk factors. With regard to farm-level presence of BLV, the presence of purchased cattle was found to be a risk factor in both sectors. Sending heifers to a common ranch was identified as an additional risk factor for dairy farms.     

Caprine besnoitiosis: an emerging threat and its relationship to some other infections of ungulates by Besnoitia species

Caprine besnoitiosis, caused by the cyst-forming protozoal apicomplexan Besnoitia caprae appears to be endemic in Kenya, Nigeria and Iran, but has yet to be detected in other parts of the world. The infection causes an important parasitic disease of goats in affected developing countries. Bovine besnoitiosis, is a widespread disease of cattle in Africa, Asia (but not Iran) and southern Europe. Recent epidemiological data confirm that the incidence and geographical range of bovine besnoitiosis in Europe is increasing, which is why growing attention has been given to the condition during the past decade. This paper reviews pertinent information on the biology, epidemiology, pathology, clinical signs, diagnosis and control of caprine besnoitiosis, together with its similarities to, and differences from, bovine besnoitiosis. The serious economic consequences of besnoitiosis on goat breeding and local meat and hide industries is also considered.     

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.