Biosecurity and Infection Control for Veterinarians Caring for Livestock: A Guide for Daily Threats.

Biosecurity and infection control are important aspects of veterinary medicine and livestock production. In fact, cattle, sheep, and goat industries all rank biosecurity and disease prevention among the highest priority areas in livestock management. Although attention and planning have improved over the years among producers, the daily activities of a veterinarian can prevent or promote the spread of contagious disease agents.

Updated ACVIM consensus statement on equine herpesvirus-1.

Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is a highly prevalent and frequently pathogenic infection of equids. The most serious clinical consequences of infection are abortion and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The previous consensus statement was published in 2009 and considered pathogenesis, strain variation, epidemiology, diagnostic testing, vaccination, outbreak prevention and control, and treatment.

Pharmacologic interventions for the treatment of equine herpesvirus-1 in domesticated horses: A systematic review.

Background: Equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses is associated with upper respiratory disease, neurological disease, abortions, and neonatal death.

Review Question: Does pharmacological therapy decrease either the incidence or severity of disease or infection caused by EHV-1 in domesticated horses?

Methods: A systematic review was preformed searching AGRICOLA, CAB Abstracts, Cochrane, PubMed, Web of Science, and WHO Global Health Index Medicus Regional Databases to identify articles published before February 15, 2021. Selection criteria were original research reports published in peer reviewed journals, and studies investigating in vivo use of therapeutic agents for prevention or treatment of EHV-1 in horses.

Relationship between equine herpesvirus-1 viremia and abortion or equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy in domesticated horses: A systematic review.

Background: Equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses is associated with upper respiratory disease, neurological disease, abortions, and neonatal death.

Objective: To determine if there is an association between the level and duration of EHV-1 viremia and either abortion or equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in domesticated horses?

Methods: A systematic review was performed searching numerous databases to identify peer reviewed reports that evaluated viremia and EHM, or viremia and abortion published before January 19, 2021. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies were assessed for risk of bias or publication quality.

Viremia and nasal shedding for the diagnosis of equine herpesvirus-1 infection in domesticated horses.

Background: Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection is associated with upper respiratory disease, EHM, abortions, and neonatal death.

Research Questions: Are nasal secretions a more sensitive biological sample compared to blood for the detection of EHV-1 infection? How long is EHV-1 detectable after primary infection by PCR?

Methods: MedLine and Web of Science searches identified original peer-reviewed reports evaluating nasal shedding and viremia using virus isolation methods or PCR published in English before October 9, 2023.

Results: Sixty experimental and 20 observational studies met inclusion criteria.

Salmonella in Horses.

Managing Salmonella in equine populations can be challenging due to the epidemiology of this disease. In particular, due to the range of clinical outcomes, the occurrence of subclinical infections, and intermittent shedding. This greatly affects the ability to detect shedding and can lead to widespread environmental contamination and transmission.

Genomic diversity of class I integrons from antimicrobial resistant strains of Salmonella Typhimurium isolated from livestock, poultry and humans.

Introduction: Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious issue prevalent in various agriculture-related foodborne pathogens including Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) Typhimurium. Class I integrons have been detected in Salmonella spp.

The comparative efficacy of disinfectant wipes on common-use computer keyboards in a veterinary teaching hospital.

The efficacies of 3 disinfectant wipes at reducing bacterial contamination on keyboards in a veterinary teaching hospital were studied. Thirty common-use keyboards were randomized into "dirty" and "clean" halves. Cultures were obtained from the "dirty" halves.

A Cautionary Report for Pathogen Identification Using Shotgun Metagenomics; A Comparison to Aerobic Culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction for Identification.

This study was conducted to compare aerobic culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), lateral flow immunoassay (LFI), and shotgun metagenomics for identification of in feces collected from feedlot cattle. Samples were analyzed in parallel using all four tests. Results from aerobic culture and PCR were 100% concordant and indicated low prevalence (3/60 samples positive).

Risk factors for shedding of Salmonella enterica among hospitalized large animals over a 10-year period in a veterinary teaching hospital.

Background: Transmission of Salmonella in veterinary hospitals is typically associated with environmental contamination. Links between isolates recovered from hospitalized large animals and environment suggest animals as the likely source. Therefore, understanding factors influencing shedding is key in control.

Prevention and surveillance of surgical infections: A review.

Optimal patient care cannot be realized without effectively managing risks related to healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Among human hospital admissions in the United States in 2002, there were approximately 4.5 HAI per 100 admissions, with surgical site infections (SSI) accounting for an estimated 20%, or approximately 2 SSI per 100 procedures.

Investigating Effects of Tulathromycin Metaphylaxis on the Fecal Resistome and Microbiome of Commercial Feedlot Cattle Early in the Feeding Period.

The objective was to examine effects of treating commercial beef feedlot cattle with therapeutic doses of tulathromycin, a macrolide antimicrobial drug, on changes in the fecal resistome and microbiome using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Two pens of cattle were used, with all cattle in one pen receiving metaphylaxis treatment (800 mg subcutaneous tulathromycin) at arrival to the feedlot, and all cattle in the other pen remaining unexposed to parenteral antibiotics throughout the study period. Fecal samples were collected from 15 selected cattle in each group just prior to treatment (Day 1), and again 11 days later (Day 11).

Veterinary hospital surveillance systems.

We cannot manage what we do not measure. In order to provide optimal patient care appropriate effort must be given to the prevention of infectious disease transmission through the development and maintenance of an infection control program that is founded on results obtained through organized surveillance efforts. Every facility is unique - thus efforts should be tailored to distinctive physical attributes and organizational limitations of individual practices.

Managing Salmonella in equine populations.

Infection control is achieved through all efforts used to prevent the introduction and limit the spread of contagious pathogens within a facility or population, with the goal of eliminating sources of potentially pathogenic microorganisms and to disrupt infectious disease transmission. Congregating animals from multiple sources, as occurs at veterinary hospitals, racetracks, equestrian events, and boarding and training facilities, increases the risk for transmission of infectious diseases such as salmonella. There is a recognizable standard of practice for infection control and due effort must be given to control and prevention of infectious disease transmission within animal populations and facilities.

Infection control in equine critical care settings.

There is a recognizable standard of practice for infection control in veterinary medicine. Effort must be given to control and prevention of infectious disease transmission within a facility and among animal populations. In the critical care setting, patients typically have a high degree of systemic illness and immune compromise, are commonly subjected to invasive procedures and placement of indwelling devices, and frequently receive antimicrobials and gastric protectants.

The use of lung biopsy to determine early lung pathology and its association with health and production outcomes in feedlot steers.

The objectives of this study were to determine if percutaneous lung biopsy can be used to characterize early pathologic changes in bovine lung associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD), to determine if specific infectious respiratory pathogens can be identified in association with these changes, and to determine whether pulmonary pathology at arrival and at the time of initial diagnosis are associated with health and production outcomes. One hundred auction-market derived crossbred steer calves from a commercial feedlot in southern Alberta were included in this study. A percutaneous lung biopsy technique was used to obtain lung samples from the right middle lung.

The development of a novel percutaneous lung biopsy procedure for use on feedlot steers.

The purpose of this study was to develop a percutaneous lung biopsy technique to be used on steers in a commercial feedlot setting. Thirty-four crossbred steer and heifer calves from a commercial feedlot in southern Alberta were used in this study. The calves originated from the auction market and all were chronically affected with bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

Effects of restricted antimicrobial exposure on antimicrobial resistance in fecal Escherichia coli from feedlot cattle.

Objectives: The primary objective was to evaluate differences in antimicrobial resistance among enteric bacteria recovered from feedlot cattle that were being raised without exposure to antimicrobial drugs (AMDs) and those reared using conventional practices.

Materials: Forty pens of feedlot cattle (4557 total animals) that were being fed without AMD exposures were selected for enrollment as were 44 pens of cattle (4913 total animals) being fed for production of conventional beef products at the same feedlots. Fecal samples were collected from the floors of pens approximately biweekly through the middle of the feeding period and again prior to slaughter.