One Health Farming: Noninvasive monitoring reveals links between farm vertebrate richness and pathogen markers in outdoor hoofstock.

Outdoor farming contributes to biodiversity conservation and enhances animal welfare, but also raises biosafety concerns due to livestock contact with potentially infected wildlife. Thus, there is a need to assess the balance between vertebrate species richness on farms, visits by wildlife species posing a biosafety risk, and pathogen circulation in open-air farming systems. We explored these links in a pilot study involving 15 open-air hoofstock farms (6 cattle, 5 small ruminant, and 4 pig farms), where we conducted interviews and risk point inspections and used two noninvasive tools: short-term camera trap (CT) deployment and environmental nucleic acid detection (ENAD).

Early antibody responses to lipid antigens in red deer infected with Mycobacterium bovis.

The Problem: Early and rapid diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis remains an issue of great interest.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of synthetic lipid antigens for diagnosis of tuberculosis in red deer (Cervus elaphus). The proposition: Synthetic mycolic acid derivatives, identical to components of mycobacterial cells, bind to antibodies to lipids produced in active human tuberculosis.

Evaluation of effectiveness and safety of Subolesin anti-tick vaccine in Ugandan multi-site field trial.

Vaccines are the most effective and sustainable intervention to control ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBD). Using a personalized vaccine design based on regional tick genotypes, a Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Subolesin protective antigen was used in a field trial evaluating tick vaccine efficacy, effectiveness, and safety in cattle infested with multiple tick species in different Ugandan agro-ecological zones. Vaccination with SUB was safe with a protective capacity against anemia and infection, and reduced the number of infested cattle, tick fitness (feeding and reproduction) with vaccine effectiveness against multiple tick species between 93.

Comparative SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 variant and D614G-Wuhan strain infections in ferrets: insights into attenuation and disease progression during subclinical to mild COVID-19.

Introduction: As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve and new variants emerge, it becomes crucial to understand the comparative pathological and immunological responses elicited by different strains. This study focuses on the original Wuhan strain and the Omicron variant, which have demonstrated significant differences in clinical outcomes and immune responses.

Methods: We employed ferrets as an experimental model to assess the D614G variant (a derivative of the Wuhan strain) and the Omicron BA.

The use of high expansion foam for stunning and killing pigs and poultry.

The EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the use of high-expansion foam for stunning and killing pigs and poultry. A dossier was provided by the applicant as the basis for an assessment of the extent to which the method is able to provide a level of animal welfare at least equivalent to that ensured by the currently allowed methods for pigs and poultry. According to legislation, to be approved in the EU, new stunning methods must ensure (1) the absence of pain, distress or suffering until the onset of unconsciousness, and (2) that the animal remains unconscious until death.

Epidemiological factors conditioning sarcoptic mange spreading in wild boar (Sus scrofa).

Sarcoptic mange is a widely distributed disease, with numerous potential hosts among domestic and wild animals. Nowadays it is considered a neglected re-emergent infection in humans. As a difference with domestic pigs, and even with several clinical cases reported in some European countries, it seems that Eurasian wild boars (Sus scrofa) have a low susceptibility to clinical mange.

Improved stability and specificity of baits for oral administration of substances to wild boar.

Oral vaccination is one of the most effective interventions for disease control in wildlife. As a result of the recent global reemergence of African swine fever and ongoing classical swine fever and animal tuberculosis, oral vaccination of Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) receives increased interest. Several baits for wild boar and feral pigs have been described, but developing more stable and personalized formulations is important.

Neuropathological lesions in intravenous BCG-stimulated K18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, questions emerged about the potential effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, including the neurodegenerative diseases it may contribute to. To explore this, an experimental study was carried out in BCG-stimulated and non-stimulated k18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2. Viral loads in tissues determined by RT-qPCR, histopathology in brain and lungs, immunohistochemical study in brain (IHC) as well as mortality rates, clinical signs and plasma inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers were assessed.

Zebrafish gut microbiota composition in response to tick saliva biomolecules correlates with allergic reactions to mammalian meat consumption.

The α-Gal syndrome (AGS) is an IgE-mediated tick borne-allergy that results in delayed anaphylaxis to the consumption of mammalian meat and products containing α-Gal. Considering that α-Gal-containing microbiota modulates natural antibody production to this glycan, this study aimed to evaluate the influence on tick salivary compounds on the gut microbiota composition in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) animal model. Sequencing of 16 S rDNA was performed in a total of 75 zebrafish intestine samples, representing different treatment groups: PBS control, Ixodes ricinus tick saliva, tick saliva non-protein fraction (NPF), tick saliva protein fraction (PF), and tick saliva protein fractions 1-5 with NPF (F1-5).

Non-invasive surveillance of shared pathogens in the Eurasian brown bear () human interface.

Multi-host communities are perfect scenarios for the emergence and spread of pathogens, threatening the recovery of endangered, isolated, or inbred populations, such as the brown bear () in northwestern Spain. The population recovery in recent years has forced bears to occupy highly anthropized areas, increasing their interaction with human and domestic animals, with potential consequences for global health. During 2022-2023 a survey of parasites, bacteria and viruses shared between wildlife, domestic animals and humans was performed in this population using non-invasive surveillance, i.

Vaccination of poultry against highly pathogenic avian influenza - Part 2. Surveillance and mitigation measures.

Selecting appropriate diagnostic methods that take account of the type of vaccine used is important when implementing a vaccination programme against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). If vaccination is effective, a decreased viral load is expected in the samples used for diagnosis, making molecular methods with high sensitivity the best choice. Although serological methods can be reasonably sensitive, they may produce results that are difficult to interpret.

Contribution of herd management, biosecurity, and environmental factors to the risk of bovine tuberculosis in a historically low prevalence region.

Eradication of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in certain historically low-prevalence regions remains elusive. A complete characterisation of the husbandry practices, biosecurity, and environment where farms are located is crucial to implement targeted in-farm risk mitigation protocols. Here, a detailed survey performed in 94 dairy cattle farms located in Navarra, a low-prevalence region of Spain between 2016 and 2020 was carried out.

New threats in the recovery of large carnivores inhabiting human-modified landscapes: the case of the Cantabrian brown bear (Ursus arctos).

Understanding mortality causes is important for the conservation of endangered species, especially in small and isolated populations inhabiting anthropized landscapes where both natural and human-caused mortality may hinder the conservation of these species. We investigated the mortality causes of 53 free-ranging brown bears (Ursus arctos) found dead between 1998 and 2023 in the Cantabrian Mountains (northwestern Spain), a highly human-modified region where bears are currently recovering after being critically threatened in the last century. We detected natural traumatic injuries in 52.

Heat-inactivated mycobacteria activate the toll-like receptor 2 and 4 pathways in the zebrafish model of tuberculosis.

Based on previous evidence demonstrating the efficacy of inactivated mycobacteria for the control of fish mycobacteriosis, we explored the protective efficacy of two inactivated Mycobacterium bovis administered via parenteral and mucosal routes against Mycobacterium marinum infection mimicking natural conditions in the zebrafish model of tuberculosis. Although we did not observe a clear effect of any of the immunostimulants on mycobacterial burden, the results showed a significant increase in TLR2 and TLR4 gene expression levels in fishes parenterally immunized with inactivated Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Our findings demonstrated that the TLR2 and the TLR4 signaling pathways are involved in the immune response elicited by inactivated mycobacteria in the zebrafish model of tuberculosis and support the use of inactivated mycobacteria in vaccine formulations for the control of mycobacteriosis.

Tick infestation in spur-thighed tortoise population: a pilot study for unraveling epidemiological patterns and demographic consequences.

Ectoparasites, such as ticks, modulate host population dynamics by impacting demographic traits. They transmit infectious agents among their hosts, posing a critical threat to animal and public health. This study aimed to characterize and analyze the Hyalomma aegyptium infestation on one of its main hosts, the spur-thighed tortoise, its effects on demographic traits, and to determine the diversity of infectious agents present in both ticks and tortoises in the Maamora forest (northwestern Morocco).

Antibodies against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and Brucella spp. in captive and free-living European bison (Bison bonasus) in Poland.

Background: The European bison (Bison bonasus), a symbol of Polish nature, is a protected species that requires active health monitoring. However, conservation efforts are made difficult by the zoonotic diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to screen the Polish European bison population for exposure to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) and Brucella spp.

Multi-omics analysis of zebrafish response to tick saliva reveals biological processes associated with alpha-Gal syndrome.

The alpha-Gal syndrome (AGS) is a tick-borne allergy. A multi-omics approach was used to determine the effect of tick saliva and mammalian meat consumption on zebrafish gut transcriptome and proteome. Bioinformatics analysis using R software was focused on significant biological and metabolic pathway changes associated with AGS.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) 2016/429): Spring Viraemia of Carp (SVC).

Spring Viraemia of Carp (SVC) was assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular the criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on its eligibility to be listed, Annex IV for its categorisation according to disease prevention and control rules as in Article 9 and Article 8 for listing animal species related to SVC. The assessment was performed following the ad hoc method for data collection and assessment previously developed by the AHAW panel and already published. The outcome reported is the median of the probability ranges provided by the experts, which indicates whether each criterion is fulfilled (lower bound ≥ 66%) or not (upper bound ≤ 33%), or whether there is uncertainty about fulfilment.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU)2016/429): Infection with salmonid alphavirus (SAV).

Infection with salmonid alphavirus (SAV) was assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular the criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on its eligibility to be listed, Annex IV for its categorisation according to disease prevention and control rules as laid out in Article 9 and Article 8 for listing animal species related to infection with SAV. The assessment was performed following the ad hoc method on data collection and assessment developed by AHAW Panel and already published. The outcome reported is the median of the probability ranges provided by the experts, which indicates whether each criterion is fulfilled (lower bound ≥ 66%) or not (upper bound ≤ 33%), or whether there is uncertainty about fulfilment.