Strategic challenges in the global control of high pathogenicity avian influenza.

H5Nx A/Goose/Guangdong/1/96 Eurasian lineage high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) viruses have been the main HPAI strains detected globally since 2005. These have spread around the world, causing a panzootic that has spanned six continents, with continual threat to not only wild and captive birds and poultry, but also wild, captive and domestic mammals and humans. The viruses' ecology and epidemiology - especially the 2.

Risk factors for antimicrobial usage and diseases in Dutch veal calf farms: A cross-sectional study.

Antimicrobial use (AMU) is the main driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In the Netherlands, the veal calf sector was among the largest consumers of antimicrobials in Defined Daily Doses Animal (DDDA) for the year of 2022. As preventive use in Dutch livestock farms is forbidden since 2011, most AMU is due to the herd health status which is affected by the farm environment in which the conditions for diseases to spread are created.

Evaluation of a voluntary passive surveillance component in cattle through notification of excess mortality.

Passive surveillance can be most effective in the early detection of disease outbreaks given that farmers observe their animals daily. The European Animal Health Law states that unexplained excess mortality should be reported to the veterinary authorities. In the Netherlands, in addition to notifications to the competent authority, Royal GD is commissioned a passive surveillance component that consists of a veterinary helpdesk and postmortem examination for early detection of emerging diseases.

A vaccine programme comprising GA08 (GI-27) and Mass (GI-1) strains prevents DMV1639 (GI-17) infectious bronchitis virus transmission among broiler chickens.

Effective control of infectious bronchitis is a challenge in commercial poultry operations due to the high transmissibility of the virus. Although multiple IBV lineages are circulating in the United States, the DMV1639-type IBV strain (GI-17) is currently the major circulating variant, creating production losses in the poultry industry. This study aimed to test whether the combination of a GA08 (GI-27) and a Mass-type (GI-1) IB vaccines could significantly reduce the transmission of a DMV1639-type (GI-17) field IBV strain in 4-week-old commercial broilers.

Risk factors for antimicrobial use in Dutch pig farms: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Antimicrobial use (AMU) has decreased significantly in Dutch pig farms since 2009. However, this decrease has stagnated recently, with relatively high AMU levels persisting mainly among weaners. The aim of this study was to identify farm-level characteristics associated with: i) total AMU and ii) use of specific antimicrobial classes.

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.

One Health surveillance of colistin-resistant Enterobacterales in Belgium and the Netherlands between 2017 and 2019.

Background: Colistin serves as the last line of defense against multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections in both human and veterinary medicine. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and spread of colistin-resistant Enterobacterales (ColR-E) using a One Health approach in Belgium and in the Netherlands.

Methods: In a transnational research project, a total of 998 hospitalized patients, 1430 long-term care facility (LTCF) residents, 947 children attending day care centres, 1597 pigs and 1691 broilers were sampled for the presence of ColR-E in 2017 and 2018, followed by a second round twelve months later for hospitalized patients and animals.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in Dutch hospitals after the 2020 first wave: a multicentre cross-sectional study with prospective follow-up.

Background: We aimed to estimate the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence and describe its determinants and associated symptoms among unvaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) after the first wave of the pandemic.

Methods: HCWs from 13 Dutch hospitals were screened for antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in June-July 2020 and after three months. Participants completed a retrospective questionnaire on determinants for occupational and community exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 experienced since January 2020.

Vaccination of poultry against highly pathogenic avian influenza - part 1. Available vaccines and vaccination strategies.

Several vaccines have been developed against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), mostly inactivated whole-virus vaccines for chickens. In the EU, one vaccine is authorised in chickens but is not fully efficacious to stop transmission, highlighting the need for vaccines tailored to diverse poultry species and production types. Off-label use of vaccines is possible, but effectiveness varies.

Epidemiology-driven approaches to surveillance in HPAI-vaccinated poultry flocks aiming to demonstrate freedom from circulating HPAIV.

Incursion pressure of high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) by secondary spread among poultry holdings and/or from infected migratory wild bird populations increases worldwide. Vaccination as an additional layer of protection of poultry holdings using appropriately matched vaccines aims at reducing clinical sequelae of HPAIV infection, disrupting HPAIV transmission, curtailing economic losses and animal welfare problems and cutting exposure risks of zoonotic HPAIV at the avian-human interface. Products derived from HPAIV-vaccinated poultry should not impose any risk of virus spread or exposure.

Farm biosecurity measures to prevent hepatitis E virus infection in finishing pigs on endemically infected pig farms.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) can be transmitted from pigs to humans and cause liver inflammation. Pigs are a major reservoir of HEV and most slaughter pigs show evidence of infection by presence of antibodies (ELISA) or viral RNA (PCR). Reducing the number of HEV infected pigs at slaughter would likely reduce human exposure, yet how this can be achieved, is unknown.

Efficient Direct and Limited Environmental Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.22 in Domestic Cats.

The susceptibility of domestic cats to infection with SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated by several experimental studies and field observations. We performed an extensive study to further characterize the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between cats, through both direct and indirect contact. To that end, we estimated the transmission rate parameter and the decay parameter for infectivity in the environment.

Evaluation of Non-Invasive Sampling Methods for Detection of Hepatitis E Virus Infected Pigs in Pens.

Pigs are a reservoir of hepatitis E virus (HEV), which causes hepatitis in humans. To study the epidemiology of HEV in pig farms, sampling methods are currently used that cause discomfort to pigs, such as rectal sampling. In line with the 3Rs principle, we aimed to evaluate non-invasive methods to detect pens with HEV-shedding pigs.

Biosecurity and antimicrobial use in broiler farms across nine European countries: toward identifying farm-specific options for reducing antimicrobial usage.

Broiler chickens are among the main livestock sectors worldwide. With individual treatments being inapplicable, contrary to many other animal species, the need for antimicrobial use (AMU) is relatively high. AMU in animals is known to drive the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Coverage and Representativeness of Passive Surveillance Components for Cattle and Swine in The Netherlands.

Common aims of animal health surveillance systems are the timely detection of emerging diseases and health status monitoring. This study aimed to evaluate the coverage and representativeness of passive surveillance components for cattle and swine in the Netherlands from 2015-2019. The passive surveillance components consisted of a telephone helpdesk for veterinary advice and diagnostic and postmortem facilities.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats is associated with contact to COVID-19-positive household members.

Several domestic and wild animal species are susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Reported (sero)prevalence in dogs and cats vary largely depending on the target population, test characteristics, geographical location and time period. This research assessed the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2-positive cats and dogs (PCR- and/or antibody positive) in two different populations.

Repeated cross-sectional sampling of pigs at slaughter indicates varying age of hepatitis E virus infection within and between pig farms.

Humans can become infected with hepatitis E virus (HEV) by consumption of undercooked pork. To reduce the burden of HEV in humans, mitigation on pig farms is needed. HEV is found on most pig farms globally, yet within-farm seroprevalence estimates vary considerably.

Risks related to a possible reduction of the waiting period for dogs after rabies antibody titration to 30 days compared with 90 days of the current EU legislative regime.

EFSA received a mandate from the European Commission to assess the risks related to a possible reduction of the waiting period after rabies antibody titration test to 30 days compared with 90 days of the current EU legislation, for dogs moving from certain non-EU countries to the EU. This Scientific Report assessed the probability of introduction of rabies into the EU through commercial and non-commercial movements of vaccinated dogs with a positive titration test (≥ 0.5 IU/mL) if the waiting period decreases from 90 to 30 days.

Does having a cat in your house increase your risk of catching COVID-19?

Due to the zoonotic origin of SARS-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the potential for its transmission from humans back to animals and the possibility that it might establish ongoing infection pathways in other animal species has been discussed. Cats are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and were shown experimentally to transmit the virus to other cats. Infection of cats has been widely reported.

Quantitative Risk Assessment for the Introduction of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) into Dutch Livestock Farms.

Early detection of emerging carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in food-producing animals is essential to control the spread of CPE. We assessed the risk of CPE introduction from imported livestock, livestock feed, companion animals, hospital patients, and returning travelers into livestock farms in The Netherlands, including (1) broiler, (2) broiler breeder, (3) fattening pig, (4) breeding pig, (5) farrow-to-finish pig, and (6) veal calf farms. The expected annual number of introductions was calculated from the number of farms exposed to each CPE source and the probability that at least one animal in an exposed farm is colonized.

Factors associated with antimicrobial use in pig and veal calf farms in the Netherlands: A multi-method longitudinal data analysis.

Minimizing antimicrobial use (AMU) in livestock is needed to control antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In the Netherlands, the livestock sector reduced AMU by almost 70 % since 2009, but this reduction stagnated in recent years. With only therapeutic AMU allowed, it is clear that besides socio-economic and behavioral factors, also the farm technical characteristics influence the conditions under which farmers need AMU.

Experimental and field investigations of exposure, replication and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in pigs in the Netherlands.

In order to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, transmission and reservoir development in swine, we combined results of an experimental and two observational studies. First, intranasal and intratracheal challenge of eight pigs did not result in infection, based on clinical signs and PCR on swab and lung tissue samples. Two serum samples returned a low positive result in virus neutralization, in line with findings in other infection experiments in pigs.

COVID 19 and the risk of gastro-intestinal perforation: A case series and literature review.

Background: COVID19 is a viral disease with pneumonia as its most common presentation. Many presentations and complications have been reported, but gastro-intestinal perforation has not received much attention.

Methods: three cases from our hospital are presented, and the current literature was reviewed.

Chicken gut microbiome members limit the spread of an antimicrobial resistance plasmid in .

Plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance is a major contributor to the spread of resistance genes within bacterial communities. Successful plasmid spread depends upon a balance between plasmid fitness effects on the host and rates of horizontal transmission. While these key parameters are readily quantified , the influence of interactions with other microbiome members is largely unknown.

Second compartment widens plasmid invasion conditions: Two-compartment pair-formation model of conjugation in the gut.

Understanding under which conditions conjugative plasmids encoding antibiotic resistance can invade bacterial communities in the gut is of particular interest to combat the spread of antibiotic resistance within and between animals and humans. We extended a one-compartment model of conjugation to a two-compartment model, to analyse how differences in plasmid dynamics in the gut lumen and at the gut wall affect the invasion of plasmids. We compared scenarios with one and two compartments, different migration rates between the lumen and wall compartments, and different population dynamics.