Publications by authors named "F Pasmans"
The external ear canal, characterized by species-specific structural and physiological differences, maintains a hostile environment that prevents microbial overgrowth and foreign body entry, supported by factors such as temperature, pH, humidity, and cerumen with antimicrobial properties. This review combines several studies on the healthy ear canal's structure and physiology with a critical approach to the potential existence of an ear microbiome. We use a comparative multi-species approach to explore how allergic conditions alter the ear canal microenvironment and cerumen in different mammalian species, promoting pathogen colonization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAspergillosis causes significant health risks to both birds and mammals. The outcome of these infections is often poor due to delayed diagnosis and treatment failure. We investigated 152 cases of aspergillosis from birds and mammals in Belgium.
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- Understanding pathogen diversity is essential for controlling emerging infectious diseases, as different variants interact uniquely with hosts and the environment.
- This study focuses on Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), a fungal pathogen harming European amphibians, by analyzing 13 isolates to examine their reproductive rates and thermal tolerances.
- The research suggests that the combination of host body temperature and the thermal range of Bsal can significantly affect pathogen growth, highlighting the importance of identifying pathogen variants to assess risk to host populations.
Salmonellosis is still one of the most reported zoonoses worldwide and poultry meat is a major source, as chickens are often persistent carriers of Salmonella. Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) are known for their strong antimicrobial activity. MCFAs used today in the animal feed industry, however, mainly originate from the palm oil industry, which is notorious for its negative impact on the climate.
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- Thermophilic species are a major cause of diarrheal diseases in humans, with poultry being a key reservoir for Campylobacter infection.
- A study evaluated the potential of maternal antibodies to protect broiler chicks from colonization, finding that chicks from breeder flocks with lower antibody levels were more susceptible.
- While immunization of breeders can increase maternal antibody levels and may reduce susceptibility in chicks, it is not a complete solution for controlling Campylobacter in poultry.