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Emerging infectious diseases of plants: pathogen pollution, climate change and agrotechnology drivers.

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) pose threats to conservation and public health. Here, we apply the definition of EIDs used in the medical and veterinary fields to botany and highlight a series of emerging plant diseases. We include EIDs of cultivated and wild plants, some of which are of significant conservation concern. The underlying cause of most plant EIDs is the anthropogenic introduction of parasites, although severe weather events are also important drivers of disease emergence. Much is known about crop plant EIDs, but there is little information about wild-plant EIDs, suggesting that their impact on conservation is underestimated. We conclude with recommendations for improving strategies for the surveillance and control of plant EIDs.

Journal Article↗

An outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infections resulting from horse to human transmission in a veterinary hospital.

There are increasing reports of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection and colonization in horses and evidence that MRSA can be transmitted between horses and humans. The objective of this study was to investigate reports of skin infection in personnel working with a foal with community-associated MRSA colonization and subsequent infection. Clinical diagnostic specimens were collected from individuals reporting skin lesions following contact with the affected foal. Nasal and groin screening swabs were collected from other veterinary personnel that attended a voluntary screening clinic. MRSA skin infections were identified in three neonatal intensive care unit personnel. Nasal colonization was subsequently identified in 10/103 (9.7%) other veterinary hospital personnel. Isolates were indistinguishable by pulsed field gel electrophoresis, classified as Canadian epidemic MRSA-5, possessed SCCmecIV, were negative for the Panton-Valentine leukocidin and were multidrug resistant. Transmission to veterinary personnel despite short-term contact with standard protective barriers highlights the potential importance of MRSA as an emerging zoonotic pathogen, and indicates that further evaluation of interspecies transmission of MRSA and means to prevent zoonotic infection are required.

Adult↗

Nucleic acid vaccines: research tool or commercial reality.

Polynucleotide immunization has captured the imagination of numerous researchers and commercial companies around the world as a novel approach for inducing immunity in animals. Clearly, the 'proof-of-principle' has been demonstrated both in rodents and various animal species. However, to date, no commercial veterinary vaccine has been developed, or to our knowledge, is in the licensing phase. The present review summarizes the types of pathogens and host species for which polynucleotide immunization has been tried. We have tried to identify possible barriers to commercialization of this technology and areas that need attention if this promising technology is ever to become a reality in the commercial arena.

Animals↗

Host- and tissue-specific pathogenic traits of Staphylococcus aureus.

Comparative genomics were used to assess genetic differences between Staphylococcus aureus strains derived from infected animals versus colonized or infected humans. A total of 77 veterinary isolates were genetically characterized by high-throughput amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Bacterial genotypes were introduced in a large AFLP database containing similar information for 1,056 human S. aureus strains. All S. aureus strains isolated from animals in close contact with humans (e.g., pet animals) were predominantly classified in one of the five main clusters of the AFLP database (cluster I). In essence, mastitis-associated strains from animals were categorized separately (cluster IVa) and cosegregated with bacteremia-associated strains from humans. Distribution of only 2 out of 10 different virulence genes differed across the clusters. The gene encoding the toxic shock syndrome protein (tst) was more often encountered among veterinary strains (P < 0.0001) and even more in the mastitis-related strains (P<0.0001) compared to human isolate results. The gene encoding the collagen binding protein (cna) was rarely detected among invasive human strains. The virulence potential, as indicated by the number of virulence genes per strain, did not differ significantly between the human- and animal-related strains. Our data show that invasive infections in pets and humans are usually due to S. aureus strains with the same genetic background. Mastitis-associated S. aureus isolated in diverse farm animal species form a distinct genetic cluster, characterized by an overrepresentation of the toxic shock syndrome toxin superantigen-encoding gene.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

[Animal mycosis in Japan].

The incidence of animal mycosis, especially sporotrichosis, histoplasmosis and other opportunistic fungal infections, has recently increased in Japan. It may partly due to changes in the environments of human and animal life and the more intimate relation between humans and animals. Exotic animals such as hamster, guinea pig and rabbit have become a popular source of human dermatophytosis and some were imported from foreign countries followed by the emergence of fungal pathogens. Moreover, the number of cases of opportunistic deep mycotic infections have increased among old companion animals with the progress in veterinary medicine of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and prevention. Therefore, the interrelation and cooperation of medical and veterinary doctors and all other scientists involved is required to prevent human and animal mycoses.

Animals↗

Q fever--still a query and underestimated infectious disease.

Coxiella burnetii (C.b.) is a strictly intracellular, Gram-negative bacterium. It causes Q fever in humans and animals worldwide. The animal Q fever is sometimes designated "coxiellosis". This infection has many different reservoirs including arthropods, birds and mammals. Domestic animals and pets, are the most frequent source of human infections. Q fever may appear basically in two forms, acute and chronic (persistent). The latter form of Q fever in animals is characteristic by shedding C.b. into the environment during parturition or abortion. Human Q fever results usually from inhalation of contaminated aerosols originating mostly from tissue and body fluids of infected animals. Q fever may appear in humans either in an acute form accompanied mainly by fever (pneumonia, flu-like disease, hepatitis) or in a chronic form (mainly endocarditis). Diagnosis of Q fever is based on isolation of the agent in cell culture, its direct detection, namely by PCR, and serology. Detection of high phase II antibodies titers 1-3 weeks after the onset of symptoms and identification of IgM antibodies are indicative to acute infection. High phase I IgG antibody titers >800 as revealed by microimmunofluorescence offer evidence of chronic C.b. infection. For acute Q fever, a two-weeks-treatment with doxycycline is recommended as the first-line therapy. In the case of Q fever endocarditis a long-term combined antibiotic therapy is necessary to prevent relapses. Application of Q fever vaccines containing or prepared from phase I C.b. corpuscles should be considered at least for professionally exposed groups of the population. Infections caused by C.b. are spread worldwide and may pose serious and often underestimated health problems in human but also in veterinary medicine. Though during the last decades substantial progress in investigation of C.b. has been achieved and many data concerning this pathogen has been accumulated, some questions, namely those related to the pathogenesis of the disease, remain open.

Acute Disease↗

[Coxiella burnetii as zoonotic pathogen with special regard to food hygiene].

In Hesse, Germany, bulk milk of farms producing raw milk cheese is examined by PCR for Coxiella burnetii yearly. In 2003 the pathogen has been detected unusually frequent. By means of two examples the hygienic measures are shown, which were initiated by the veterinary administration. To detect Coxiella burnetii means always the preoccupation with unsolved questions. It is particularly uncertain, whether there is a risk of oral infection for the human being. From the point of view of food hygiene, surveys are needed urgently to work out a risk assessment. Based on this a uniform risk management and a reasonable risk communication can be fixed.

Animals↗

Mycoplasmas recovered from bovine genitalia, aborted foetuses and placentas in the Republic of South Africa.

A total of 917 Mycoplasma isolations were made from 4 092 specimens originating from 2 874 cattle in private herds and at AI stations. The percentages of isolations from the different sources were: cervico-vaginal mucus 14,6%, semen 43%, preputial wash 25%, foetuses 3,3% and placentas 15%. Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, the most common isolate, was recovered from 39% of males, 47% of females, 25% of foetuses and 11% of placentas. A wide spectrum of mycoplasmas was present, and varying combinations were common. The possible pathogenic significance of the isolates is discussed.

Abortion, Veterinary↗

DNA-antiviral vaccines: new developments and approaches--a review.

Current vaccines can be divided into "live," "recombinant" and "killed" vaccines. Live vaccines are traditionally composed of attenuated viruses or bacteria, selected for their reduced pathogenicity. Recombinant vaccines, driven by a viral or bacterial vector express foreign antigens, or only recombinant proteins injected as antigen. Killed vaccines consist of inactivated whole pathogens. But all these traditional vaccines have some disadvantages: Attenuated live vaccine are able to undergo mutation and as mutated viruses or bacteria can now provoke the diseases against which the vaccine should protect the organism. A further disadvantage of live vaccines is the possibility of shedding which is a real problem especially in veterinary medicine. Clearly, there is a need for better vaccines to protect against diseases without the disadvantages associated with vaccines presently in use. Modern vaccines might be characterized as safe, no risk of reversion to pathogenicity, and they should be stable without the necessity of a "cold chain." Production should be simple, standardized and inexpensive. Vaccine development has now been improved by the ability to use direct inoculations of plasmid DNA encoding viral or bacterial proteins. One of the major benefits of DNA-vaccines, variously termed "DNA-, genetic- or nucleic acid-immunization," is the endogenous synthesis of the encoded protein. Therefore DNA vaccines mimic natural infection and provoke both strong humoral and cellular immune response. This review summarizes new developments and approaches of DNA vaccination and explains the construction of expression plasmids as well as possible mechanisms of immune responses.

Animals↗

Portable metagenomics for preventive surveillance and outbreak control in livestock and poultry: Pathogen detection, resistome profiling, and antimicrobial stewardship.

Conventional diagnostics for livestock and poultry outbreaks commonly rely on culture or targeted PCR panels, which may be too slow or too narrow to guide early control decisions. Portable metagenomics, particularly real-time nanopore sequencing, offers a route to broad pathogen detection, antimicrobial-resistance gene profiling, and outbreak investigation within an integrated workflow. This implementation-focused review evaluates how near-point-of-care metagenomics may support preventive veterinary medicine through earlier detection, surveillance, cohorting, biosecurity decisions, and antimicrobial stewardship. We synthesize sample-to-answer workflows for enteric and respiratory disease in food-producing animals, including sampling, nucleic-acid extraction, host depletion or target enrichment, library preparation, sequencing, bioinformatics, quality control, and interpretation. Applications in calf diarrhea, bovine respiratory disease, poultry outbreaks, mastitis, and resistome monitoring are considered alongside the central limitation that detection alone does not establish causation. Pathogen and resistance-gene signals must therefore be interpreted with clinical signs, lesions, epidemiology, controls, and confirmatory testing. We also propose a minimum reporting checklist, intended as a practical framework rather than a validated consensus standard. Portable metagenomics is not a replacement for conventional diagnostics, but appropriately validated workflows can reduce uncertainty during time-sensitive outbreaks and support more judicious antimicrobial use.

Animals↗

A review on vaccination against protozoa and arthropods of veterinary importance.

The recent advances in immunology and biotechnology have stimulated much research on the control of parasitic diseases through vaccination. This is a review of the state of the art regarding important protozoan and arthropod veterinary parasites. A live oocyst vaccine for avian coccidiosis is still in use but much work has been done on the identification, cloning, and assay of protective antigens. The sporozoites of Eimeria tenella have been the preferred subject and at least four recombinant antigens have already been tested with partial success. Premunization against babesiosis is still widely used in Latin America as is a live vaccine with attenuated parasites in Australia. At least three Babesia bovis and three Babesia bigemina antigens that generate partial protection have been produced as recombinant proteins. A vaccine against canine babesiosis is being commercialized in France. Infection-treatment is still used to vaccinate against Theileria parva and a schizont vaccine against Theileria annulata. Recombinant sporozoite antigens have been assayed with partial success against both species but the identification and administration of protective schizont antigens, regarded as the most important, still requires considerable work. The immunological control of African trypanosomoses is still impaired by the antigenic variation that the parasites experience during the infection. Although some possibilities exist, most specialists are pessimistic about the promise of developing a vaccine in the near future. Control of Boophilus ticks with an occult tick intestine recombinant antigen seems to have potential in inhibiting reproduction of the tick but salivary antigens appear to be more effective at inhibiting feeding and pathogen transmission. Vaccination with a Hypoderma protein, recently cloned, has induced 90% protection against subsequent infestations. It is very likely that effective vaccines against veterinary parasites will become available in the near future.

Animals↗

External quality assurance system for antibiotic resistance in bacteria of animal origin in Europe (ARBAO-II), 2003.

Initiated in 2003 by the European Union, ARBAO-II aims to establish a monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility among the veterinary laboratories in all European countries based on validated methodologies. This includes an external quality control system for the most important bacterial pathogens. In 2003 two trials were performed. The first on Salmonella and Escherichia coli involved 31 laboratories in 18 countries and the second on Staphylococcus and Streptococcus included 22 laboratories in 15 countries. For the E. coli strains, 92.8% of the results complied with the reference MICs, for Salmonella 93.7%, for Streptococcus 80.4% and for Staphylococcus 93.1%. Most problems were observed when testing florfenicol (79.2% correct), gentamicin (84.2%) and amoxicillin + cl (84.9%) in E. coli; streptomycin in Salmonella (62.5%); gentamicin (56.7%), lincomycin (71.4%), clindamycin (75.4%), TMP + sulfonamides (75.7%) and chloramphenicol (78.5%) in Streptococcus; erythromycin (81.5%) and oxacillin (78.2.5%) in Staphylococcus. A few laboratories caused most deviations. However, there was no correlation between good performance for one bacterial group and good performance for other groups. This study showed that most laboratories are capable of performing correct susceptibility testing for E. coli and Salmonella, even though performance of some laboratories can be improved, and that some problems exist for Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. This clearly shows the need for continuous harmonisation of methodologies within the EU.

Animals↗

[Current types of human dermatophytoses transmitted from animals].

Microsporum canis, Trichophyton verrucosum and T. mentagrophytes are the most common dermatophytes isolated from human and animals. M. canis infection in human is closely related to companion animals such as cats and dogs. According to a recent epidemiological survey in Japan, human M. canis infection is decreasing. T. verrucosum is usually transmitted from cows to human. T. verrucosum infection in human is not restricted to daily farming prefectures, however, suggesting that this species has already been spread widely in Japan. T. mentagrophytes is one of the most common pathogens in human tinea. Recent molecular methods show the infection is caused by one teleomorph of T. mentagrophytes, Arthroderma benhamiae, which has already been spread throughout Japan by companion animals. This pathogen is believed not to have existed in Japan until 1980. The chance of human fungal infection caused by unusual pathogens is increasing because of the changes in types of companion animals. Animal dermatophytoses is now an important issue not only for veterinary doctors but also for dermatologists.

Animals↗

Genetics of antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistant strains of bacteria are an increasing threat to animal and human health. Resistance mechanisms to circumvent the toxic action of antimicrobials have been identified and described for all known antimicrobials currently available for clinical use in human and veterinary medicine. Acquired bacterial antibiotic resistance can result from the mutation of normal cellular genes, the acquisition of foreign resistance genes, or a combination of these two mechanisms. The most common resistance mechanisms employed by bacteria include enzymatic degradation or alteration of the antimicrobial, mutation in the antimicrobial target site, decreased cell wall permeability to antimicrobials, and active efflux of the antimicrobial across the cell membrane. The spread of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, transposons, and integrons has greatly contributed to the rapid dissemination of antimicrobial resistance among several bacterial genera of human and veterinary importance. Antimicrobial resistance genes have been shown to accumulate on mobile elements, leading to a situation where multidrug resistance phenotypes can be transferred to a susceptible recipient via a single genetic event. The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistant bacterial pathogens has severe implications for the future treatment and prevention of infectious diseases in both animals and humans. The versatility with which bacteria adapt to their environment and exchange DNA between different genera highlights the need to implement effective antimicrobial stewardship and infection control programs in both human and veterinary medicine.

Animals↗

The production and application of non-rodent monoclonal antibodies in veterinary science.

The requirement for monoclonal antibodies derived from species other than rats and mice is becoming increasingly realised in veterinary, as well as human, medicine. This paper reviews current knowledge of the production of inter-species hybridomas (heterohybridomas) by the fusion of rodent myeloma cell lines with lymphocytes from species of veterinary importance. To date a number of monoclonal immunoglobulins derived from sheep, cattle, pig, rabbit, mink and primate species have been produced to a variety of different bacterial, viral and nematode pathogens as well as to blood group and MHC determinants and to hormones. The technique opens up a number of possibilities for the future; some of these applications are discussed in relation to the antibodies produced thus far.

Animals↗

[Virulence and biochemical activity of Aspergillus fumigatus strains isolated from cow fetuses].

Tested was the virulence of 20 strains of Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from cow fetuses. All laboratory mice injected with them died, and the pregnant guinea pigs aborted. It was demonstrated that these strains contain exogenic and endotoxic substances which are extracted effectively with alcohol and ether. The mould cultures showed proteolytic, amylolytic, cellulose, and organic acid activity. The biochemical and pathogenic potential of the strains were of great importance for causing abortion.

Abortion, Veterinary↗