A genetically related cluster of cases in humans associated with ruminant livestock and related food chains, United Kingdom, August 2021-December 2022.

Following an outbreak of in Wales in July 2021 associated with sheep meat and offal, further genetically related cases were detected across the UK. Cases were UK residents with laboratory-confirmed in the same 5-single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) single-linkage cluster with specimen date between 01/08/2021-2031/12/2022. We described cases using routine (UK) and enhanced (Wales only) surveillance data.

Study of Salmonella detection in laying hens using a Bayesian model.

As part of the measures to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in poultry in the UK, National Control Programmes (NCPs) have been implemented. These involve regular statutory testing of poultry holdings to monitor and estimate the prevalence of Salmonella in the national flock population and to control Salmonella on holdings with positive flocks, especially those serovars most identified with human illness: Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and S. Typhimurium (ST).

Use of spatiotemporal analysis of laboratory submission data to identify potential outbreaks of new or emerging diseases in cattle in Great Britain.

Background: New and emerging diseases of livestock may impact animal welfare, trade and public health. Early detection of outbreaks can reduce the impact of these diseases by triggering control measures that limit the number of cases that occur. The aim of this study was to investigate whether prospective spatiotemporal methods could be used to identify outbreaks of new and emerging diseases in scanning surveillance data.

VNTR analysis reveals unexpected genetic diversity within Mycoplasma agalactiae, the main causative agent of contagious agalactia.

Background: Mycoplasma agalactiae is the main cause of contagious agalactia, a serious disease of sheep and goats, which has major clinical and economic impacts. Previous studies of M. agalactiae have shown it to be unusually homogeneous and there are currently no available epidemiological techniques which enable a high degree of strain differentiation.

Strain typing of Mycoplasma cynos isolates from dogs with respiratory disease.

The association of Mycoplasma cynos with canine infectious respiratory disease is increasingly being recognised. This study describes the strain typing of 14 M. cynos isolates cultured from trachea and bronchoalveolar lavage samples of six dogs with respiratory disease, from two separate kennels in the United Kingdom.

The detection of Mycoplasma (formerly Eperythrozoon) wenyonii by 16S rDNA PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.

Although the role of Mycoplasma wenyonii in disease is still subject to some debate, infections have been reported to result in parasitaemia, anaemia, scrotal and hind limb oedema, tachycardia, pyrexia, infertility, swollen teats, prefemoral lymphadenopathy and decreased milk production. Previously, diagnosis of M. wenyonii has been based on blood smears but is not specific for M.