Dog swimming and ectoparasiticide water contamination in urban conservation areas: A case study on Hampstead Heath, London.

Widespread occurrence of two ectoparasiticide compounds in the aquatic environment, imidacloprid and fipronil, have prompted concerns about their potential environmental impacts. However, very little focus has been placed on water bodies in urban green spaces used for dog swimming. In this study, occurrence of both substances on Hampstead Heath, London, was compared in ponds with (n = 3) and without dog swimming activity (n = 3), as well as connecting streams above, between, and below these ponds (n = 6).

MERS-CoV exposure and risk factors for MERS-CoV ELISA seropositivity among members of livestock-owning households in southern Jordan: a population based cross-sectional study.

Background: Although dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) are known to be the host reservoir for MERS-CoV, the virus causing Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), zoonotic transmission pathways and camel subpopulations posing highest transmission risk are poorly understood. Extensively managed herds, ubiquitous across the Arabian Peninsula, present a major potential source of primary infection. In this study we aimed to address key knowledge gaps regarding MERS epidemiology among high-risk communities associated with such herds, which is essential information for effective control strategies.

Mental health of veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses: A scoping review.

Background: Research has shown that veterinarians around the world are at high risk of mental health problems, but far less research has examined the mental health of veterinary nurses (VNs) and student veterinary nurses (SVNs). This scoping review aimed to map existing evidence on this topic and identify knowledge gaps.

Methods: Literature searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar were conducted, and a structured screening and selection procedure was applied.

'I want to be the sort of owner that he wants me to be': Rationales for biosecurity implementation among British horse owners.

Background: Horse owners play a critical role in mitigating the risk of pathogen spread between horses. However, little is known about how they view biosecurity and whether they experience barriers to the uptake of preventive measures.

Objectives: To explore horse owners' attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of biosecurity and identify how these factors shape horse owners' decisions for biosecurity implementation.

A study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on equine veterinary care in the UK.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, equine health care in the UK may have been adversely affected due to mandated changes in the delivery of veterinary healthcare and the potential for reduced health-seeking behaviour.

Methods: Electronic patient records (EPRs) were analysed to describe veterinary activity for all equids under the active care of 20 veterinary practices in the UK in the 12 months before and after the introduction of the first UK lockdown. Pre-pandemic and pandemic levels of clinical activity were compared.

Testing and Refining the Ethical Framework for the Use of Horses in Sport.

In 2021, in response to an acknowledged need for universal, consistent ethics to guide decision making in the horse sport sector, Campbell published a theoretical ethical framework for the use of horses in competitive sport. The research reported here tested the applied usefulness of that theoretical ethical framework through stakeholder engagement in a three-round modified Delphi study and refined it to develop a practical decision-making tool which can be applied consistently across multiple equestrian disciplines. Stakeholders from a broad range of equestrian competitive disciplines participated in the research.

Assessing antibiotic usage data capture accuracy on dairy farms in England and Wales.

Background: Accurate farm-level data on antibiotic usage (ABU) are needed for the surveillance of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the accuracy of ABU data capture by dairy farmers in South West England and Wales.

Methods: Through a cross-sectional survey of 48 dairy farmers, the accuracy of ABU recording was measured by farmers' assessment of the completeness and timeliness of ABU recording ('perceived accuracy') and the completeness and correctness of on-farm ABU records ('actual accuracy').

The role of dairy in healthy and sustainable food systems: community voices from India.

Background: Managing the role of dairy foods in healthy and sustainable food systems is challenging. Milk production is associated with greenhouse gas emissions and milk-based processed foods can be high in fat, sugar and salt; yet, milk production provides income generating opportunities for farmers and dairy foods provide essential nutrients to young children, with a cultural significance in many communities. This is particularly relevant to India, the world's largest producer of milk.

Risk Factors for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection among Camel Populations, Southern Jordan, 2014-2018.

After the first detection of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in camels in Jordan in 2013, we conducted 2 consecutive surveys in 2014-2015 and 2017-2018 investigating risk factors for MERS-CoV infection among camel populations in southern Jordan. Multivariate analysis to control for confounding demonstrated that borrowing of camels, particularly males, for breeding purposes was associated with increased MERS-CoV seroprevalence among receiving herds, suggesting a potential route of viral transmission between herds. Increasing age, herd size, and use of water troughs within herds were also associated with increased seroprevalence.

Challenges to exotic disease preparedness in Great Britain: The frontline veterinarian's perspective.

Background: Exotic diseases pose a significant risk to horse health and welfare. Several stakeholder groups, including primary care veterinarians, share responsibility for maintaining freedom from pathogens that cause exotic diseases. However, little is known about the current state of exotic disease preparedness within the British horse industry.

Preliminary testing of psychometric properties of the 'student perceptions of veterinary interprofessional education and work scale' (SP-VIEWS).

Responsibility for the provision of veterinary care and services is increasingly shared between veterinary surgeons/veterinarians and registered veterinary nurses/veterinary technicians. Interprofessional education of these clinical professionals is not widespread but is growing. Understanding students' perceptions of veterinary interprofessional education and working is therefore important; however, no validated scale exists to assess this.

Training related risk factors for exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage in British National Hunt racehorses.

Background: Exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) is an important condition of horses performing high intensity exercise, with reported prevalence among racehorses of up to 95%, based on the detection of blood on tracheobronchoscopy. Previously identified risk factors include age, sex, season, race type, years spent in racing and lower airway inflammation.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of EIPH in British National Hunt racehorses as indicated by two outcome measures: presence of tracheal blood on tracheobronchoscopy, and presence of moderate-large (significant) proportions of haemosiderophages in tracheal wash (TW) fluid; and to identify training-related risk factors for these indicators of EIPH.

"Everything in this world has been given to us from cows", a qualitative study on farmers' perceptions of keeping dairy cattle in Senegal and implications for disease control and healthcare delivery.

The dairy industry in Senegal is growing and evolving against a backdrop of rapid urbanisation and increasing consumer demand for dairy products. Consideration of appropriate cattle healthcare delivery and disease control in these evolving farming systems is of paramount importance given the risks posed by zoonotic pathogens and the economic consequences of disease for livestock keepers. Planning and implementation of disease control and healthcare delivery generally follows a top down approach.

Equine Asthma: Current Understanding and Future Directions.

The 2019 Havemeyer Workshop brought together researchers and clinicians to discuss the latest information on Equine Asthma and provide future research directions. Current clinical and molecular asthma phenotypes and endotypes in humans were discussed and compared to asthma phenotypes in horses. The role of infectious and non-infectious causes of equine asthma, genetic factors and proposed disease pathophysiology were reviewed.

Conflict Between Direct Experience and Research-Based Evidence Is a Key Challenge to Evidence-Based Respiratory Medicine on British Racing Yards.

Inflammatory airway disease (IAD) is a commonly diagnosed but variably defined syndrome of equine lower airway inflammation. The most recent American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) consensus statement, informed by research evidence, recommends a case definition based on clinical signs (poor performance or occasional coughing of at least 3 weeks duration), increased endoscopically-visible tracheal mucus, and bronchoalveolar lavage cytology, and proposes that the condition should be termed 'mild-moderate equine asthma' (mEA). In British Thoroughbred racehorses, research to date has focused on airway inflammation defined by increased tracheal mucus and inflammatory tracheal wash sample cytology.

"We never boil our milk, it will cause sore udders and mastitis in our cows"- consumption practices, knowledge and milk safety awareness in Senegal.

Background: Milk is a nutrient-rich food that makes an important contribution to diets in several Low and Middle Income Countries such as Senegal. Milk can also harbour several pathogenic microorganisms. As in other low and middle income countries, the dairy industry in Senegal is growing, with an expansion of farms to meet rapidly growing demand in the cities.

Evaluation of potential risk of transmission of avian influenza A viruses at live bird markets in response to unusual crow die-offs in Bangladesh.

In response to unusual crow die-offs from avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection during January-February 2017 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a One Health team assessed potential infection risks in live bird markets (LBMs). Evidence of aerosolized avian influenza A viruses was detected in LBMs and in the respiratory tracts of market workers, indicating exposure and potential for infection. This study highlighted the importance of surveillance platforms with a coordinated One Health strategy to investigate and mitigate zoonotic risk.

Preliminary insight into horse owners' perceptions of, and attitudes towards, exotic diseases in the United Kingdom.

Background: The potential for an exotic disease incursion is a significant concern for the United Kingdom (UK) equine industry. Horse owners' perceptions of, and attitudes towards, exotic diseases can influence decisions to adopt disease preparedness strategies. The objectives of this study were to describe horse owners' 1) perceptions of the term 'exotic disease', and 2) attitudes towards their risk of being affected by an exotic disease.

A cross-sectional study of horse owners' awareness and perceived risk of exotic diseases in the United Kingdom.

The international nature of the equine industry provides opportunities for the spread of infectious diseases between countries. While incursions of exotic diseases into the United Kingdom (UK) equine population have been rare, the potential socioeconomic and welfare impacts are a significant concern. However, little is known about leisure horse owners' ability or willingness to prepare for an exotic disease incursion.

Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy: What Do We Know so Far?

Cutaneous renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV), colloquially named "Alabama rot," is an emerging condition in the United Kingdom, previously reported from the United States and Germany. The cause of CRGV is not yet determined; no definitive link to an infectious agent has been made. Dogs diagnosed with CRGV initially develop cutaneous lesions, and a proportion of these dogs go on to manifest acute kidney injury, which may result in oligoanuric acute renal failure.

Colic in the British military working horse population: a retrospective analysis.

Colic is a common and potentially life-threatening condition of horses. Multiple risk factors have been previously identified and it is known that a careful management routine can help reduce colic rates. The British military working horse population represents a unique cohort of horses that are intensively managed with a strict regimen.

Signalment risk factors for cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (Alabama rot) in dogs in the UK.

Seasonal outbreaks of cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV) have been reported annually in UK dogs since 2012, yet the aetiology of the disease remains unknown. The objectives of this study were to explore whether any breeds had an increased or decreased risk of being diagnosed with CRGV, and to report on age and sex distributions of CRGV cases occurring in the UK. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare 101 dogs diagnosed with CRGV between November 2012 and May 2017 with a denominator population of 446,453 dogs from the VetCompass database.

Spatiotemporal patterns and agroecological risk factors for cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (Alabama Rot) in dogs in the UK.

The annual outbreaks of cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV) reported in UK dogs display a distinct seasonal pattern (November to May) suggesting possible climatic drivers of the disease. The objectives of this study were to explore disease clustering and identify associations between agroecological factors and CRGV occurrence. Kernel-smoothed maps were generated to show the annual reporting distribution of CRGV, Kuldorff's space-time permutation statistic used to identify significant spatiotemporal case clusters and a boosted regression tree model developed to quantify associations between CRGV case locations and a range of agroecological factors.