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PubMed2026

CRISPR-Cas and Infectious Diseases: A Decade of Translational Advances in Molecular Biotechnology.

CRISPR-Cas systems have emerged as a versatile tool for diagnosing, treating, and preventing infectious diseases. This review highlights translational advancements in CRISPR-Cas-based applications, concentrating on the past decades in diagnostics, therapeutic genome editing, and vaccine development. The article highlights key platforms like DETECTR and SHERLOCK, which enable rapid, sensitive pathogen detection, and explores CRISPR-Cas9 systems in therapeutic strategies for directly targeting viral genomes and combating antimicrobial resistance. It also examines the role of CRISPR-Cas9 in engineering live-attenuated and personalized neoantigen vaccines. Principal findings demonstrate a clear progression from experimental proof-of-concept to preclinical applications primarily in CRISPR-based diagnostics and the engineering of live-attenuated vaccine candidates, whereas translation in CRISPR-based therapeutics and personalized neoantigen vaccines for infectious diseases remains at earlier, more exploratory stages. CRISPR-based diagnostics have progressed further toward clinical evaluation than therapeutics due to delivery and safety constraints, while personalized neoantigen vaccines are included mainly as an emerging, comparative concept for infectious diseases rather than a mature application. This review uniquely integrates CRISPR-based diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccine development within a single infectious disease framework, critically assesses their current maturity, and systematically highlights technical, regulatory, and ethical barriers alongside realistic future priorities. The review concludes that while CRISPR-Cas holds transformative potential for infectious disease management, significant challenges in delivery efficiency, off-target effects, and ethical regulation must be addressed to ensure safe and equitable clinical translation.

Humans↗
PubMed2025

Incorporating Epidemiological Data into the Genomic Analysis of Partially Sampled Infectious Disease Outbreaks.

Pathogen genomic data are increasingly being used to investigate transmission dynamics in infectious disease outbreaks. Combining genomic data with epidemiological data should substantially increase our understanding of outbreaks, but this is highly challenging when the outbreak under study is only partially sampled, so that both genomic and epidemiological data are missing for intermediate links in the transmission chains. Here, we present a new dynamic programming algorithm to perform this task efficiently. We implement this methodology into the well-established TransPhylo framework to reconstruct partially sampled outbreaks using a combination of genomic and epidemiological data. We use simulated datasets to show that including epidemiological data can improve the accuracy of the inferred transmission links compared with inference based on genomic data only. This also allows us to estimate parameters specific to the epidemiological data (such as transmission rates between particular groups), which would otherwise not be possible. We then apply these methods to two real-world examples. First, we use genomic data from an outbreak of tuberculosis in Argentina, for which data was also available on the HIV status of sampled individuals, in order to investigate the role of HIV coinfection in the spread of this tuberculosis outbreak. Second, we use genomic and geographical data from the 2003 epidemic of avian influenza H7N7 in the Netherlands to reconstruct its spatial epidemiology. In both cases, we show that incorporating epidemiological data into the genomic analysis allows us to investigate the role of epidemiological properties in the spread of infectious diseases.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Challenges and future directions in AI-driven biomaterials for microbiome-associated oral infectious diseases: A systematic review.

Oral biofilm-induced antimicrobial resistance is the core pathogenic mechanism of microbiome-associated oral infectious diseases (dental caries, periodontitis, peri-implantitis, and endodontic infection). Traditional therapies and biomaterials are limited by poor biofilm penetration, drug resistance induction, single functionality, and inadequate adaptation to dynamic oral microenvironmental changes (e.g., pH fluctuations, salivary rinsing, masticatory stimulation). Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the field by integrating materials science, microbiology, and stomatology data. Via machine learning, deep learning, and multi-physics simulation, AI optimizes biomaterial physicochemical properties, decodes microenvironmental signals, constructs precise sensing-response loops, and supports the full chain of material design, performance prediction, and action simulation, advancing treatment from empirical intervention to precision regulation. This systematic review retrieved literature from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science (January 2016-January 2026) using keywords across three dimensions: AI, biomaterials, and oral microbiome. Following inclusion/exclusion criteria, 99 articles were included. It elaborates on five core mechanisms of AI-driven oral biomaterials (precise oral microbiome analysis, targeted material design/optimization, performance prediction/simulation, targeted delivery/intervention, effect evaluation/dynamic regulation), analyzes their applications in microbiome-targeted biomaterial research and development (R&D) and clinical practice for the four major oral infectious diseases, addresses technical bottlenecks (insufficient targeting specificity and precision of biomaterials, poor stability and durability in complex oral microenvironments, inadequate biofilm disruption capacity, and clinical translation obstacles), and proposes future directions (multimodal design to enhance targeting specificity, structural and component optimization to improve stability/durability, development of multi-mechanism synergistic biofilm disruption strategies, strengthening translational research for clinical application, and deep integration of AI in the full chain of biomaterial R&D). This work provides comprehensive theoretical and practical support for the R&D, optimization, and clinical translation of AI-driven microbiome-targeted oral biomaterials.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

From spillover to systems: evidence gaps in One Health preparedness for emerging infectious diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Latin America and the Caribbean are a global hotspot for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, yet regional One Health preparedness remains uneven and incompletely operationalized. This narrative Mini Review synthesizes evidence published mainly between 2015 and 2026 on One Health preparedness for emerging infectious diseases in the region, emphasizing how environmental disruption and climate change shape zoonotic and vector-borne spillover risk. Available regional surveys suggest broad professional familiarity with the One Health concept but limited operational implementation, with environmental health frequently identified as the least-integrated domain. We argue that spillover risk-and the failure to detect and contain spillover once it occurs-should be understood as a system-level outcome shaped by ecological disruption, socioeconomic vulnerability, surveillance capacity, and governance, rather than as an isolated biological event: deforestation, agricultural and extractive expansion-including illegal mining and logging-unplanned urbanization, and climate variability generate new human-animal-vector interfaces, while fragmented governance, uneven and poorly decentralized laboratory capacity, and limited reservoir and environmental surveillance leave these interfaces unmonitored. Environmental and climatic drivers are robustly linked to spillover, although the pathways are disease-specific rather than universal, and socioeconomic vulnerability concentrates the resulting burden in Indigenous, rural, and marginalized populations. We identify priority gaps in integrated surveillance, decentralized diagnostics, genomic capacity, reservoir ecology, governance, financing, and equity, and propose an agenda for anticipatory, climate-informed, and context-sensitive preparedness.

Latin America↗
PubMed2026

Dynamic case-control sampling for rapid estimation of vaccine effectiveness against an emerging infectious disease variant.

New SARS-CoV-2 variants arise frequently with different viral properties that can impact the effectiveness of the vaccines. Updating estimates of vaccine effectiveness (VE) in public health surveillance can be limited by the necessity of conducting a distinct study that entails analysis of prospective cohort data or using a test-negative design. We introduce a method for dynamically updating estimates of VE using data that accumulate in real time. Our method uses dynamic case-control sampling to estimate VE against a newly emerging variant relative to a previous variant. Dynamic case-control sampling is a technique that continuously updates VE estimates by comparing individuals infected with a newly emerging variant (defined as "cases") to those infected with a previously circulating variant (defined as "controls"). We use this estimate in combination with information about VE from the previous variant (these estimates are typically available from larger, traditional studies) to infer VE against the emerging variant. We demonstrate the utility of this method on the BA.1 and BA.2 sub-lineages of the Omicron variant. The method produces estimates of VE comparable to those produced using traditional methods, although with increased SE. The increase in error, however, is reasonable given a much smaller sample size than other studies, and error ranges of the estimates could be significantly improved by sequencing a larger proportion of identified cases. Our method, which assumes only a fraction of the new cases are being sequenced, can be applied by health departments using routinely collected data to produce timely, rigorous VE estimates to rapidly identify potential changes in VE.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Syndemics, violence and injury: exploring historical relationships between infectious disease epidemics and violent crime in South Africa.

This paper explores historical and contemporary intersections between mass-mortality epidemics and violent crime in South Africa, focusing on four major epidemics - Spanish Flu, tuberculosis, HIV, and Covid-19. The study integrates epidemiological data and contextual historical information such as crime statistics, archival records, and secondary scholarship to explore whether epidemic-driven mortality crises are associated with subsequent changes in violence and injury profiles. With the possible exception of gendered violence, the study finds little evidence that earlier epidemics directly contributed to rapid or sustained increases in violent crime, despite causing substantial adult mortality and long-term social and economic disruption. A comparison between epidemic and socio-economic profiles strongly suggests that the significant increases in violent crime recorded after the Covid-19 pandemic are highly localised, and may be more strongly related to lockdown responses, including alcohol restrictions, rather than the effects of disease itself.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Clinical impact of 16S rRNA RC-PCR NGS on infectious disease management.

16S rRNA metagenomics provides a culture-independent method for diagnosing infections with fastidious or uncultivable organisms, guiding targeted therapy, and detecting polymicrobial communities. This study utilizes reverse complement (RC)-PCR next-generation sequencing (NGS) to accurately identify bacterial pathogens from clinical specimens and assess its impact on clinical decision-making, setting it apart from conventional 16S sequencing approaches. A retrospective analysis of an ISO 15189 accredited 16S RC-PCR NGS diagnostic workflow targeting the V1-6 and V9 regions of the 16S rRNA gene was conducted over a 2-year period, including 390 clinical specimens from 316 patients. 16S RC-PCR NGS results were discussed in a multidisciplinary consultation and subsequently reported to the clinic. In total, 1,283 RC-PCR results were analyzed, of which 517 were from clinical specimens, 284 were negative controls, 66 were positive controls, and 416 were from wet lab and bioinformatic pipeline validation. 16S RC-PCR NGS assay detected bacterial taxa in 179/390 (45.9%) of clinical specimens, while 201/390 (51.5%) were negative, and 10/390 (2.6%) yielded uninterpretable results. The specimen types pus, pleural fluid, and heart valves exhibited the highest positivity rate (68% to 70%). Overall, 16S RC-PCR NGS influenced diagnostic decision making in 145/282 (51.4%) clinical cases and guided therapeutic management in 77/282 (27.3%) cases. Results providing definite evidence for either the presence or absence of bacterial infection were considered clinically valuable. Integration of 16S RC-PCR NGS pathogen detection with multidisciplinary consultation markedly improved clinical management, directly impacting diagnosis and treatment of complex clinical cases in a tertiary care setting. The effect was most pronounced in brain abscess patients, where RC-PCR results guided treatment decisions in 9/13 (69.2%) of cases.IMPORTANCETimely and accurate diagnosis is essential for managing serious infections, yet clinicians often face situations where routine laboratory tests do not provide clear answers. This study demonstrates that next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene can decisively resolve these uncertainties. By revealing whether bacteria are present in clinical specimens, this approach influenced clinical reasoning and supported treatment decisions across a variety of challenging cases. 16S reverse-complement PCR was especially powerful for brain abscesses and infections where the causative microorganism was unclear, providing clarity that directly improved patient care. These findings show that integrating advanced sequencing with expert clinical interpretation can enhance the management of complex infections and support more confident, evidence-based therapy.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Scalable, open-access and multidisciplinary data integration pipeline for climate-sensitive diseases.

Climate-sensitive infectious diseases pose an important challenge for human, animal and environmental health and it has been estimated that over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change. While climatic and weather conditions are important drivers of transmission of vector-borne diseases, socio-economic, behavioural, and land-use factors as well as the interactions among them impact transmission dynamics. Analysis of drivers of climate-sensitive diseases require rapid integration of interdisciplinary data to be jointly analysed with epidemiological (including genomic and clinical) data. Current tools for the integration of multiple data sources are often limited to one data type or rely on proprietary data and software. To address this gap, we develop a scalable and open-access pipeline for the integration of multiple spatio-temporal datasets that requires only the declaration of the country and temporal range and resolution of the study. The tool is locally deployable and can easily be integrated into existing climate-disease-modelling applications. We demonstrate the utility of the tool for dengue modelling in Vietnam where epidemiological data are legally required to remain local. We include a pipeline for bias correction of climate data to enhance their quality for downstream modelling tasks. The Dengue Advanced Readiness Tools-Pipeline empowers users by simplifying complex download, correction, and aggregation steps, fostering data-driven discovery of relationships between infectious diseases and their drivers in space and time, and enhancing reproducibility in research. Additional modules and datasets can be added to the existing ones to make the pipeline extendable to use cases other than the ones presented here.

automated workflows↗
PubMed2025

IBDV-SSA, a novel molecular approach for the recovery of infectious bursal disease virus whole genomes from FTA cards.

Infectious bursal disease (IBD), a highly contagious viral disease in young chickens, poses significant economic losses due to high mortality and immunosuppression. While IBD virus (IBDV) virulence is influenced by multiple genes, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of IBDV is crucial for defining the strain pathotype and clinical profile. Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards are convenient for field sample collection, but their filter paper matrix can hinder nucleic acid recovery, impacting sequencing efficiency. This study evaluated two enrichment strategies, single primer amplification (SPA) and IBDV segment-specific amplification (SSA), coupled with short-read (Illumina) and long-read (Oxford Nanopore Technologies, ONT) sequencing platforms, to optimize IBDV whole-genome recovery from FTA cards. Illumina sequencing produced comparable raw read counts for both methods, yet IBDV-SSA samples achieved significantly higher genome mapping rates (76%) than IBDV-SPA (12%). Genome coverage analysis revealed that IBDV-SSA provided uniform read distribution across both genomic segments, ensuring complete coverage, while IBDV-SPA exhibited significant bias, with most reads mapping to segment B, and limited coverage of segment A. Importantly, IBDV-SSA also proved compatible with ONT long-read sequencing, providing complete genome coverage. Notably, IBDV-SSA coupled with short-read sequencing successfully characterized coinfections in two samples. This optimized approach using IBDV-SSA enables efficient and comprehensive WGS of IBDV from FTA cards, facilitating strain characterization, virulence prediction, and epidemiological investigations.IMPORTANCEThis research tackles a significant problem for poultry farmers: a virus called infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) that harms young chickens, causing high death rates and economic losses. To fight it effectively, scientists need to analyze its complete genetic makeup. Traditionally, collecting and preserving IBDV field samples was challenging. Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards have simplified this process, but getting usable genetic material from them has been difficult. This study introduces a new genome enrichment method, IBDV segment-specific amplification (IBDV-SSA), which successfully allows for IBDV complete genome recovery from FTA cards. By using this improved approach, scientists can accurately identify virus strains, assess how harmful they are, and monitor their spread. This, in turn, helps to improve vaccines and protect flocks. IBDV-SSA is a powerful tool for outbreak surveillance, supporting the poultry industry and ensuring a stable food supply.

Infectious bursal disease virus↗
PubMed2026

MARK1 suppresses infectious bursal disease virus replication via phosphorylating VP3.

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) of the Birnaviridae family is a non-envelope, double-stranded RNA virus that encodes a VP3 protein with multiple functions, which controls viral genome replication, IFN-β production, and virus traffic in infected cells. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs), such as ubiquitination, of VP3 have been demonstrated for affecting its function and stability. To clarify the mechanism by which VP3 is regulated in IBDV infected cells, we focused on the phosphorylation of VP3. Mass spectrometry analysis identified that microtubule-affinity regulating kinases 1 (MARK1) was a kinase interacting protein of VP3. Inhibitory function of MARK1 in affecting viral replication was validated. We describe the phosphorylation event at the serine 130 (S130) and serine 163 (S163) residues of VP3 mediated by MARK1 via mass spectrometry analysis. Alanine replacement of the phosphorylation sites in VP3 significantly enhanced its RNA-binding activity. Additionally, the mutation of two serine residues led to remarkably improved in its polymerase-enhancing function. We then incorporated the two mutations to rescue recombinant IBDV. Viral growth curve analysis revealed that replication of mutant IBDV was significantly enhanced relative to wild type (WT) virus. In conclusion, we found that VP3 functions are specifically regulated by MARK1 mediated phosphorylation at S130 and S163 and that this regulation suppresses IBDV replication ultimately.

Infectious bursal disease virus↗
PubMed2026

Validation of an integrated metagenomic pipeline combining optimized wet-lab processing and tiered reporting for CSF pathogen detection.

UNLABELLED: Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the infectious disease diagnostic space has been gaining traction and is popular for aiding in the diagnosis of central nervous system infections. However, many challenges and obstacles remain in making this technology a gold standard for infectious disease diagnostic testing. One major challenge is being able to distinguish between the clinically relevant organisms from background contamination. We performed a validation study for mNGS on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that utilized positive clinical samples and contrived samples that incorporated a bioinformatics pipeline that can better distinguish between background contamination and clinically relevant organisms and used a three-tiered reporting algorithm meant to decrease the inherent subjectivity that comes with interpreting and reporting data from clinical metagenomic sequencing. The validation of this assay and category-based reporting pipeline revealed an overall concordance of 91.8%, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 72.4%. In addition, we improved the detection of clinically relevant RNA viruses to almost 100% in the CSF by modifying the wet lab processing of the sample. This bioinformatics pipeline with a category-based reporting algorithm will provide more confidence in reporting microorganisms detected with this technology, mNGS, and improving patient care. IMPORTANCE: Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) can offer a broad, unbiased approach for the detection of infectious pathogens and has shown promise in diagnosing central nervous system infections. Despite its potential, clinical implementation remains limited by challenges in distinguishing clinically relevant organisms from background contamination. This study validated an mNGS assay for cerebrospinal fluid that incorporates an optimized bioinformatics pipeline with a three-tiered reporting algorithm designed to reduce subjectivity and enhance diagnostic confidence. The assay also has improved detection of clinically relevant RNA viruses through modified wet-lab processing. These findings support the clinical utility of a structured, category-based reporting approach for mNGS, advancing its reliability as a diagnostic tool in infectious disease testing.

Metagenomics↗
PubMed2025

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) as a novel oncolytic virotherapy in glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive form of cancer of the central nervous system. Despite advances in immunotherapies and standard-of-care treatments for GBMs, clinical outcomes remain limited-owing to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and the intrinsic resistance of GBM to conventional approaches. As a result, there is growing interest in rational combination strategies, particularly those pairing oncolytic viruses with immune-based therapies or established treatment modalities. Oncolytic viruses, by displaying conditionally enabled tumor cell-restricted replication, while stimulating antitumor immune responses and leaving healthy tissue unharmed, have the potential to reshape the therapeutic landscape in GBM and aid in achieving more durable benefits for patients. This study investigates the use of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) as a potential virotherapy for GBM. METHODS AND RESULTS: In vitro, IBDV infects and replicates within murine GBM cells and patient-derived GBM stem cells, inducing direct oncolysis and activating proinflammatory gene expression programs. IBDV also enhances the cytolytic activity of temozolomide (TMZ) in treated GBM cells, complementing TMZ chemotherapeutic activity. In vivo, treatment with IBDV in CT-2A GBM-bearing syngeneic mice significantly reduced tumor growth and improved survival compared with control mice. Intratumoral administration of IBDV induces a deep remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment, reducing immunosuppressive M2-like macrophages and increasing the ratio of CD8+T cells to regulatory T cells. This reversion of immunosuppression linked to monocyte-derived macrophages has been confirmed on experimental ex vivo infections of explants derived from human GBM donors. CONCLUSION: These findings support further consideration of IBDV as a novel virotherapeutic agent for GBM.

Oncolytic Virotherapy↗
PubMed2025

Integrated Seroprevalence and Genome-Based Study of SARS-CoV-2 Viral Strains in N'Djamena: Insights Into Chad's COVID-19 Epicenter.

The COVID-19 epidemic has shown regional variations in transmission and outcomes. As a primary hotspot in Chad, N'Djamena is crucial for comprehensive epidemiological investigation. Our study employed two methodologies: seroprevalence data collection and whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 strains. This dual approach assessed population exposure and virus genetic diversity. Seroprevalence data indicated broader exposure than confirmed cases suggested, and genome sequencing identified multiple strains, including globally recognized variants of concern. Integrating these data provided insights into transmission dynamics, potential herd immunity thresholds, and the impact of specific variants on disease progression. Our findings underscore the importance of integrated, multidisciplinary research in infectious disease epidemiology and inform targeted public health strategies, including social measures and vaccination, to combat infectious diseases in N'Djamena.

Humans↗
PubMed2024

Nanobodies: From High-Throughput Identification to Therapeutic Development.

The camelid single-domain antibody fragment, commonly referred to as a nanobody, achieves the targeting power of conventional monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) at only a fraction of their size. Isolated from camelid species (including llamas, alpacas, and camels), their small size at ∼15 kDa, low structural complexity, and high stability compared with conventional antibodies have propelled nanobody technology into the limelight of biologic development. Nanobodies are proving themselves to be a potent complement to traditional mAb therapies, showing success in the treatment of, for example, autoimmune diseases and cancer, and more recently as therapeutic options to treat infectious diseases caused by rapidly evolving biological targets such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This review highlights the benefits of applying a proteomic approach to identify diverse nanobody sequences against a single antigen. This proteomic approach coupled with conventional yeast/phage display methods enables the production of highly diverse repertoires of nanobodies able to bind the vast epitope landscape of an antigen, with epitope sampling surpassing that of mAbs. Additionally, we aim to highlight recent findings illuminating the structural attributes of nanobodies that make them particularly amenable to comprehensive antigen sampling and to synergistic activity-underscoring the powerful advantage of acquiring a large, diverse nanobody repertoire against a single antigen. Lastly, we highlight the efforts being made in the clinical development of nanobodies, which have great potential as powerful diagnostic reagents and treatment options, especially when targeting infectious disease agents.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Diagnostic value of plasma cell-free DNA metagenomic next-generation sequencing in patients with suspected infections and exploration of clinical scenarios-a retrospective study from a single center.

BACKGROUND: Plasma cell-free DNA metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a non-invasive comprehensive method for the etiological diagnosis of various infectious diseases. However, research on the early diagnosis and real-world clinical impact of plasma mNGS in patients with suspected infection are still limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study retrospectively included 140 patients with suspected infections who underwent early plasma mNGS and conventional culture testing. Referring to the clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases, the diagnostic performance of plasma mNGS and culture tests was compared, and the application scenarios and clinical effects of plasma mNGS were evaluated. RESULTS: The positive rate of plasma mNGS was significantly higher than that of culture methods (55.71% vs 25.10%, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001) and blood cultures (55.71% vs 12.86%, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). Regarding clinical diagnosis, the sensitivity of plasma mNGS was significantly higher than that of culture (58.27% vs 37.80%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.002). The combination of mNGS and culture achieved a higher detection sensitivity (69.29%), especially in patients with multi-site co-infections (73.68%) and blood infections (73.17%). Plasma mNGS demonstrated higher sensitivity in patients with procalcitonin (PCT) index > 5&#x2009;ng/ml or human neutrophil lipocalin (HNL) index > 200&#x2009;ng/ml. In terms of treatment, a total of 69 patients (54.33%) benefited from plasma mNGS. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the significant improvement in pathogen detection performance by combining conventional culture with plasma mNGS detection, especially in patients with multi-site co-infections and blood infections. Early use of plasma mNGS as an adjunct to culture can better guide clinicians to initiate appropriate anti-infective therapy.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Forty years in the field: reproductive biotechnologies shaping genetic progress in cattle in France.

Over the past four decades, reproductive biotechnologies have profoundly transformed cattle breeding by accelerating genetic progress and enabling the dissemination of elite genetics. In this article, I present a perspective based on more than 40 years of practical experience in embryo technologies within Auriva-Elevage, a cooperative organization serving 30,000 farmers in southern France. The development of embryo transfer in France was closely linked to genetic and sanitary challenges, particularly the introduction of North American Holstein genetics and the restrictions on live animal imports due to infectious diseases such as Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis. These constraints stimulated the development of national expertise in embryo transfer. Over the years, our team has implemented and adapted a wide range of reproductive technologies including in vivo embryo production and embryo transfer, cryopreservation, embryo sexing, ovum pick-up (OPU), in vitro embryo production (IVP), embryo biopsy, genomic evaluation of embryos, and laser-assisted biopsy techniques. The genomic revolution dramatically increased the strategic value of OPU-IVP for the rapid multiplication of elite donor females. In addition to technological developments, the success of these programs has depended heavily on internal training, collaboration with national organizations such as ELIANCE (previously UNCEIA, ALLICE) and research institutes including INRAE and Toulouse veterinary school, as well as strong international exchanges through scientific networks. Practical examples such as the use of embryo biopsy to prevent genetic diseases demonstrate the applied value of these technologies in breeding programs. This review highlights the technical evolution, organizational structures, and human expertise that have shaped the implementation of reproductive biotechnologies in cattle breeding and discusses the importance of anticipating future needs to ensure continued genetic progress.

OPU-IVP↗
PubMed2026

Genetic and pathogenic characterization of a novel infectious bursal disease virus field strain with natural reassortant and recombinant features from southern China.

NN040124 is a novel field-derived IBDV strain (vv-A/att-B) exhibiting both reassortment and recombination events.Infection with NN040124 causes 40% mortality and severe lymphoid depletion in three-yellow chickens.These findings demonstrate the pivotal role of the N-terminal domain of segment B in IBDV pathogenicity and virulence.

A3B1a↗