Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and associated histologic findings in domestic cats (Felis catus).

Trypanosoma cruzi is a zoonotic protozoan parasite transmitted by triatomines that infects a wide range of mammals. South Texas is a hotspot for triatomines, T. cruzi-infected dogs and wildlife, and local transmission to humans also occurs.

Epidemiology and Molecular Typing of Trypanosoma cruzi in Naturally-Infected Hound Dogs and Associated Triatomine Vectors in Texas, USA.

Background: Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease throughout the Americas. Few population-level studies have examined the epidemiology of canine infection and strain types of T. cruzi that infect canines in the USA.

Molecular and serological in-herd prevalence of Anaplasma marginale infection in Texas cattle.

Bovine anaplasmosis is an infectious, non-contagious disease caused by the rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma marginale (A. marginale). The organism has a global distribution and infects erythrocytes, resulting in anemia, jaundice, fever, abortions and death.

Seroprevalence of Anaplasma marginale in Texas cattle.

To our knowledge the seroprevalence of Anaplasma marginale in Texas has not been reported. The objective of this study was to estimate the point seroprevalence and spatial distribution of Texas cattle persistently infected with A. marginale.

Validation of an improved competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect Equine arteritis virus antibody.

The objective of the present study was to validate a previously described competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) to detect antibody to Equine arteritis virus (EAV) based on GP5-specific nonneutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) 17B7(9) using the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)-recommended protocol, which includes the following 5 in-house analyses. 1) The assay was calibrated with the OIE-designated reference serum panel for EAV; 2) repeatability was evaluated within and between assay runs; 3) analytical specificity was evaluated using sera specific to related viruses; 4) analytical sensitivity was evaluated with sera from horses vaccinated with an EAV modified live virus (MLV) vaccine; and 5) the duration of cELISA antibody detection following EAV vaccination was determined. The positive cELISA cutoff of ≥35% inhibition (%I) was confirmed by receiver operating characteristic plot analysis.

Development and performance evaluation of calf diarrhea pathogen nucleic acid purification and detection workflow.

Calf diarrhea (scours) is a primary cause of illness and death in young calves. Significant economic losses associated with this disease include morbidity, mortality, and direct cost of treatment. Multiple pathogens are responsible for infectious diarrhea, including, but not limited to, Bovine coronavirus (BCV), bovine Rotavirus A (BRV), and Cryptosporidium spp.