Evolution and genetic characterization of Seoul virus in wild rats Rattus norvegicus from an urban park in Lyon, France 2020-2022.

Background: Seoul virus (SEOV) is an orthohantavirus primarily carried by rats. In humans, it may cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Its incidence is likely underestimated and given the expansion of urban areas, a better knowledge of SEOV circulation in rat populations is called for.

Prevalence, genetic diversity and eco-epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira species in small mammal communities in urban parks Lyon city, France.

Rodents are recognized as the main reservoirs of Leptospira spp. Rats, in particular, serve as hosts for the widely predominant Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, found worldwide. Several studies have shown the importance of other reservoirs, such as mice or hedgehogs, which harbor other leptospires' serovars.

Exploring the potential effects of forest urbanization on the interplay between small mammal communities and their gut microbiota.

Urbanization significantly impacts wild populations, favoring urban dweller species over those that are unable to adapt to rapid changes. These differential adaptative abilities could be mediated by the microbiome, which may modulate the host phenotype rapidly through a high degree of flexibility. Conversely, under anthropic perturbations, the microbiota of some species could be disrupted, resulting in dysbiosis and negative impacts on host fitness.

Dataset documenting prevalence and counts of pine processionary moth tents on local host trees in 3 regions of France with different climatic environments.

The pine processionary moth is a defoliating lepidopter that develops during winter. The larvae are gregarious and bear urticating setae that are harmful to humans and vertebrates. They shelter in conspicuous silk tents that are easy to detect.

Puumala orthohantavirus circulation in its wild reservoir, the bank vole, during the 2021 outbreak of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Jura, France.

Objective: A large and unprecedented outbreak of an attenuated form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome called nephropathia epidemica (NE) and caused by Puumala virus (PUUV) occurred in 2021 in the southern Jura Mountains (France) leading to numerous hospitalizations. The aim of this study was to investigate the circulation of PUUV in its animal reservoir at the time of this outbreak.

Methods: We conjointly surveyed bank vole relative abundance, small mammal community composition, and PUUV circulation in bank voles (seroprevalence and genetic diversity) in the Jura NE epidemic area, between 2020 and 2022.

Small terrestrial mammals (Rodentia and Soricomorpha) along a gradient of forest anthropisation (reserves, managed forests, urban parks) in France.

Background: Understanding the relationships between wildlife biodiversity and zoonotic infectious diseases in a changing climate is a challenging issue that scientists must address to support further policy actions. We aim at tackling this challenge by focusing on small mammal-borne diseases in temperate forests and large urban green spaces. Small mammals are important reservoirs of zoonotic agents, with a high transmission potential for humans and domestic animals.

Serologic Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Wild Rodents, Europe.

We report results from serologic surveillance for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among 1,237 wild rodents and small mammals across Europe. All samples were negative, with the possible exception of 1. Despite suspected potential for human-to-rodent spillover, no evidence of widespread SARS-CoV-2 circulation in rodent populations has been reported to date.

Shifting From Sectoral to Integrated Surveillance by Changing Collaborative Practices: Application to West Nile Virus Surveillance in a Small Island State of the Caribbean.

After spreading in the Americas, West Nile virus was detected in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) for the first time in 2002. Ever since, several organizations have conducted research, serological surveys, and surveillance activities to detect the virus in horses, birds, mosquitoes, and humans. Organizations often carried them out independently, leading to knowledge gaps within the current virus' situation.

Detection and Genetic Characterization of Puumala Orthohantavirus S-Segment in Areas of France Non-Endemic for Nephropathia Epidemica.

Puumala virus (PUUV) in Europe causes nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The incidence of NE is highly heterogeneous spatially, whereas the geographic distribution of the wild reservoir of PUUV, the bank vole, is essentially homogeneous. Our understanding of the processes driving this heterogeneity remains incomplete due to gaps in knowledge.

Upscaling the Surveillance of Tick-borne Pathogens in the French Caribbean Islands.

Despite the high burden of vector-borne disease in (sub)tropical areas, few information are available regarding the diversity of tick and tick-borne pathogens circulating in the Caribbean. Management and control of vector-borne disease require actual epidemiological data to better assess and anticipate the risk of (re)emergence of tick-borne diseases in the region. To simplify and reduce the costs of such large-scale surveys, we implemented a high-throughput microfluidic real-time PCR system suitable for the screening of the main bacterial and parasitic genera involved in tick-borne disease and potentially circulating in the area.

Rabies in the Caribbean: A Situational Analysis and Historic Review.

Rabies virus is the only Lyssavirus species found in the Americas. In discussions about rabies, Latin America and the Caribbean are often grouped together. Our study aimed to independently analyse the rabies situation in the Caribbean and examine changes in rabies spatiotemporal epidemiology.

Genetic analysis of robustness in meat sheep through body weight and body condition score changes over time.

Animal robustness may be defined as a complex trait characterizing the ability of an individual to be adapted, productive and healthy under contrasted and fluctuating environmental situations. Such a trait is now considered an essential criterion in order to meet the more ambitious goals of farming sustainability. In ruminants, one of the key mechanisms via which robustness is expressed is the capacity to mobilize or restore body reserves (BR) to cope with the challenges of negative energy balances.

Prognostic significance of histopathology in canine anal sac gland adenocarcinomas: Preliminary results in a retrospective study of 39 cases.

Metastatic rates and survival times of canine anal sac gland adenocarcinomas (ASGACs) vary among studies, making prognostication difficult. Little is known about the prognostic significance of histopathology of ASGACs. This retrospective study investigated associations between histological features, clinical presentation and outcome for 39 ASGACs.

Canine meningiomas treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy require magnetic resonance imaging to avoid a geographic miss.

Exact target volume definition is an essential prerequisite for modern radiotherapy treatment planning. Contouring the gross tumor volume of brain tumors on computed tomography (CT) images coregistered with magnetic resonance images is standard practice in human medicine. In this retrospective study, including only cases with an imaging diagnosis of meningioma, we hypothesized that the gross tumor volume contoured from the contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (gross tumor volume-MRI) is larger when compared to the gross tumor volume contoured using contrast-enhanced CT (gross tumor volume-CT).

VacciCost - A tool to estimate the resource requirements for implementing livestock vaccination campaigns. Application to peste des petits ruminants (PPR) vaccination in Senegal.

Vaccination is one of the main tools currently available to control animal diseases. In eradication campaigns, vaccination plays a crucial role by reducing the number of susceptible hosts with the ultimate goal of interrupting disease transmission. Nevertheless, mass vaccination campaigns may be very expensive and in some cases unprofitable.

[Muscular metastases from renal cell carcinoma].

Renal cell carcinoma can metastasize to several locations but rarely in muscles. However, this possibility must never be overlooked because muscle metastases may occur a very long time after the initial nephrectomy. So the post-operative follow-up, according to the recommendations, with thoraco-abdomino-pelvic imaging (computed tomography or nuclear magnetic resonance) allowing to detect metastases, including muscle metastases in the trunk, does not have to neglect the metastases located in the members.

Parapatric distribution and sexual competition between two tick species, Amblyomma variegatum and A. hebraeum (Acari, Ixodidae), in Mozambique.

Background: Amblyomma variegatum and A. hebraeum are two ticks of veterinary and human health importance in south-east Africa. In Zimbabwe they occupy parapatric (marginally overlapping and juxtaposed) distributions.

A flexible extension of the Drosophila ultrabithorax homeodomain defines a novel Hox/PBC interaction mode.

The patterning function of Hox proteins relies on assembling protein complexes with PBC proteins, which often involves a protein motif found in most Hox proteins, the so-called Hexapeptide (HX). Hox/PBC complexes likely gained functional diversity by acquiring additional modes of interaction. Here, we structurally characterize the first HX alternative interaction mode based on the paralogue-specific UbdA motif and further functionally validate structure-based predictions.

Distinct genetic requirements for BX-C-mediated specification of abdominal denticles.

Background: Hox genes encode transcription factors playing important role in segment specific morphogenesis along the anterior posterior axis. Most work in the Hox field aimed at understanding the basis for specialised Hox functions, while little attention was given to Hox common function. In Drosophila, genes of the Bithorax complex [Ultrabithorax (Ubx), abdominalA (abdA), and AbdominalB (AbdB)] all promote abdominal identity.

West Nile virus surveillance, Brazil, 2008-2010.

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is an emergent pathogen that is widely distributed in North and Central America. The recent introduction in South America has focused attention on the spread of WNV across Southern American countries. The transmission network involves mosquitoes, birds, horses and humans.

Developing a disease prevention strategy in the Caribbean: the importance of assessing animal health-related risks at regional level.

In 2009 CaribVET conducted a survey among Caribbean national Veterinary Services to assess perceptions of risk assessment and to identify the principal exotic diseases of concern in the region and their means of introduction. The results showed that the introduction of live animals was considered the most likely route of introduction of exotic animal pathogens, followed by the uncontrolled introduction of animal products by boat passengers. The results were used to define a regional strategy for assessing animal health risks that highlights the importance of within-region exchanges.

The MYST-containing protein Chameau is required for proper sensory organ specification during Drosophila thorax morphogenesis.

The adult thorax of Drosophila melanogaster is covered by a stereotyped pattern of mechanosensory bristles called macrochaetes. Here, we report that the MYST containing protein Chameau (Chm) contributes to the establishment of this pattern in the most dorsal part of the thorax. Chm mutant pupae present extra-dorsocentral (DC) and scutellar (SC) macrochaetes, but a normal number of the other macrochaetes.