Comparison of ELISA and IFAT for Leishmania infantum by European and Middle Eastern diagnostic laboratories.

Background: Visceral leishmaniosis (VL) is the most severe form of human leishmaniosis, with an estimated 95% case fatality if left untreated. Dogs act as peridomestic reservoir hosts for the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum, a causative agent for human leishmaniosis, endemic throughout the Mediterranean basin. To assure consistent and accurate surveillance of canine infection and prevent transmission to people, consistent diagnosis of canine L.

Responses of marine trophic levels to the combined effects of ocean acidification and warming.

Marine organisms are simultaneously exposed to anthropogenic stressors associated with ocean acidification and ocean warming, with expected interactive effects. Species from different trophic levels with dissimilar characteristics and evolutionary histories are likely to respond differently. Here, we perform a meta-analysis of controlled experiments including both ocean acidification and ocean warming factors to investigate single and interactive effects of these stressors on marine species.

Vector-borne and other pathogens of potential relevance disseminated by relocated cats.

Large populations of unowned cats constitute an animal welfare, ecological, societal and public health issue worldwide. Their relocation and homing are currently carried out in many parts of the world with the intention of relieving suffering and social problems, while contributing to ethical and humane population control in these cat populations. An understanding of an individual cat's lifestyle and disease status by veterinary team professionals and those working with cat charities can help to prevent severe cat stress and the spread of feline pathogens, especially vector-borne pathogens, which can be overlooked in cats.

Prevalence of major digestive and respiratory helminths in dogs and cats in France: results of a multicenter study.

Background: The local distribution of helminths in dogs and cats and the evaluation of risk of contamination represent an important challenge for veterinarians due to their effects on animal health and their potential zoonotic risk. The overall goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of the digestive and respiratory helminths infecting client-owned dogs and cats in France.

Methods: Faecal samples were collected from 414 pet dogs and 425 pet cats at 20 study sites during 2017-2018 and analysed by coproscopy.

Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Antipruritic Drugs in the Control of the Most Frequent Pruritic Skin Diseases in Dogs.

Pruritus is a common clinical sign in many skin disorders and is currently the main complaint in canine dermatology. Pruritic skin diseases can affect the quality of life of dogs and their owners. Several families of antipruritic drugs are available to help control pruritus in dogs.

Meta-analysis reveals variance in tolerance to climate change across marine trophic levels.

Marine ecosystems are currently facing a variety of anthropogenic perturbations, including climate change. Trophic differences in response to climate change may disrupt ecological interactions and thereby threaten marine ecosystem function. Yet, we still do not have a comprehensive understanding of how different trophic levels respond to climate change stressors in marine ecosystems.

Glacier tourism and climate change: effects, adaptations, and perspectives in the Alps.

Unlabelled: Climate change strongly affects mountain tourism activities. Glacier tourism is highly affected by the retreat of glaciers. However, research on the effects and adaptations of glacier tourism to climate change is scarce in Europe.

Energetic context determines the effects of multiple upwelling-associated stressors on sea urchin performance.

Globally, kelp forests are threatened by multiple stressors, including increasing grazing by sea urchins. With coastal upwelling predicted to increase in intensity and duration in the future, understanding whether kelp forest and urchin barren urchins are differentially affected by upwelling-related stressors will give insight into how future conditions may affect the transition between kelp forests and barrens. We assessed how current and future-predicted changes in the duration and magnitude of upwelling-associated stressors (low pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature) affected the performance of purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) sourced from rapidly-declining bull kelp (Nereocystis leutkeana) forests and nearby barrens and maintained on habitat-specific diets.

Elevated pCO reinforces preference among intertidal algae in both a specialist and generalist herbivore.

Ocean acidification (OA) can induce changes in marine organisms and species interactions. We examined OA effects on intertidal macroalgal growth, palatability, and consumption by a specialist crab (Pugettia producta) and a generalist snail (Tegula funebralis) herbivore. Moderate increases in pCO increased algal growth in most species, but effects of pCO on C:N and phenolic content varied by species.

Parasites and vector-borne diseases disseminated by rehomed dogs.

The Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum is a working group of leading international experts who meet annually to evaluate current scientific findings and future trends concerning the distribution, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and prevention of vector-borne infections of dogs and cats. At the 14th Symposium of the CVBD World Forum in Trieste, Italy (March 25-28, 2019), we identified the need to (i) bring attention to the potential spread of parasites and vectors with relocated dogs, and (ii) provide advice to the veterinary profession regarding the importance of surveillance and treatment for parasites and vector-borne infections when rehoming dogs. This letter shares a consensus statement from the CVBD World Forum as well as a summary of the problem faced, including the role of veterinary professionals in parasite surveillance, causal issues, and the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in addressing the problem.

Impact of different Leishmania reservoirs on sand fly transmission: Perspectives from xenodiagnosis and other one health observations.

Leishmania has biologically adapted to specific phlebotomine sand flies through long co-evolution. The ability of Leishmania spp. to bind to sand fly midgut allows each Leishmania species to propagate and differentiate into infectious promastigotes and be transmitted.

Fragmented kelp forest canopies retain their ability to alter local seawater chemistry.

Kelp forests support some of the most productive and diverse ecosystems on Earth, and their ability to uptake dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) allows them to modify local seawater chemistry, creating gradients in carbon, pH, and oxygen in their vicinity. By taking up both bicarbonate and CO as a carbon source for photosynthesis, kelp forests can act as carbon sinks, reducing nearby acidity and increasing dissolved oxygen; creating conditions conducive to calcification. Recent stressors, however, have reduced kelp forest canopies globally; converting once large and persistent forests to fragmented landscapes of small kelp patches.

Antifungal susceptibility testing practices in mycology laboratories in France, 2018.

A survey of mycology laboratories for antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) was undertaken in France in 2018, to better understand the difference in practices between the participating centers and to identify the difficulties they may encounter as well as eventual gaps with published standards and guidelines. The survey captured information from 45 mycology laboratories in France on how they perform AFST (number of strains tested, preferred method, technical and quality aspects, interpretation of the MIC values, reading and interpretation difficulties). Results indicated that 86% of respondents used Etest as AFST method, with a combination of one to seven antifungal agents tested.

Canine Leishmaniasis Control in the Context of One Health.

Dogs are the main reservoir of Leishmania infantum and in some countries have been regularly culled as part of government policy to control visceral leishmaniasis. At the 13th Symposium of the Companion Vector-Borne Diseases World Forum in Windsor, UK, March 19-22, 2018, we consolidated a consensus statement regarding the usefulness of dog culling as a means of controlling visceral leishmaniasis. The statement highlighted the futility of culling infected dogs, whether healthy or sick, as a measure to control the domestic reservoir of L.

Predator identity dominates non-consumptive effects in a disease-impacted rocky shore food web.

Predicting the effects of predator diversity loss on food webs is challenging, because predators can both consume and induce behavioral responses in their prey (i.e., non-consumptive effects or NCEs).

Comparison of three methods for the diagnosis of otoacariasis due to Otodectes cynotis in dogs and cats.

Background: The diagnosis of otoacariasis due to Otodectes cynotis is based on the visualization of the parasite, either directly by otoscopy or indirectly after microscopic examination of cerumen collected by several methods.

Objectives: To compare the sensitivity of three techniques: conventional handheld otoscopy, Volkmann's curette sampling and cotton-tipped swabbing.

Animals: Five dogs and 12 cats (30 naturally infested ears).

Companion rats (Rattus norvegicus) with cutaneous lesions: a retrospective study of 470 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1985-2018).

Background: Rats are popular companion animals that are often presented to veterinarians for treatment of skin diseases. However, descriptions of dermatoses in rats have primarily been limited to case reports and text books.

Hypothesis/objectives: To document skin diseases and their prevalence in companion rats examined in northern California, USA and Nantes, France and to investigate predilections for the most common conditions over a 33 year or 15 year period, respectively.

Skin disease in donkeys (Equus asinus): a retrospective study from four veterinary schools.

Background: Donkeys are important throughout the world as work animals and occasionally as pets or a meat source. Most descriptions of skin disease in donkeys are reported in small case series, textbooks or review articles.

Hypothesis/objectives: To document skin diseases and their prevalence in donkeys and to investigate predilections for the most common conditions.

Reliability of different sets of criteria in diagnosing canine atopic dermatitis applied to a population of 250 dogs seen in a veterinary teaching hospital.

Background: Different sets of criteria are available in veterinary dermatology for the diagnosis of canine atopic dermatitis (cAD); there are limited data to assess their reliability.

Hypothesis/objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the discriminative and predictive ability of four sets in diagnosing cAD in a population of dogs with different skin diseases.

Animals: Two hundred and fifty dogs examined in the dermatology unit of a veterinary teaching hospital.

Companion hamsters with cutaneous lesions; a retrospective study of 102 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1985-2018).

Background: Hamsters are popular companion animals which may present to veterinarians for treatment of skin diseases. Most descriptions of dermatoses in hamsters have primarily been in case reports and in text books.

Hypothesis/objectives: To document skin diseases and their prevalence in companion hamsters examined in northern California, USA, and Nantes, France, and to investigate predilections for the most common conditions documented in medical records over a 33 year or 15 year period, respectively.

Recent advances on Dirofilaria repens in dogs and humans in Europe.

Dirofilaria repens is a nematode affecting domestic and wild canids, transmitted by several species of mosquitoes. It usually causes a non-pathogenic subcutaneous infection in dogs and is the principal agent of human dirofilariosis in the Old World. In the last decades, D.