Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) has a complex epidemiology involving multiple strains, recombination, and vaccination. Its DNA genome provides limited genetic variation to trace outbreaks in space and time. Sequencing of LSDV whole genomes has also been patchy at global and regional scales.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHard ticks are important vectors of DNA- and RNA-based infectious microorganisms, but they also host complex microbial communities in which pathogens and symbionts can interact among each other and with the arthropod host itself. Molecular investigations on ticks and their hosted microorganisms are important for human and animal health. These analyses often imply the use of both DNA and RNA, with prompt preservation of nucleic acids after collection, and safe handling in case of low-level containment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COST action "Standardising output-based surveillance to control non-regulated diseases of cattle in the European Union (SOUND control)," aims to harmonise the results of surveillance and control programmes (CPs) for non-EU regulated cattle diseases to facilitate safe trade and improve overall control of cattle infectious diseases. In this paper we aimed to provide an overview on the diversity of control for these diseases in Europe. A non-EU regulated cattle disease was defined as an infectious disease of cattle with no or limited control at EU level, which is not included in the European Union Animal health law Categories A or B under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2002.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSome European countries have successfully implemented country-specific control programs (CPs) for infectious cattle diseases that are not regulated or are regulated only to a limited extent at the European Union (EU) level. Examples of such diseases include bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), and Johne's disease (JD). The CPs vary between countries in the design and quality of collected data as well as methods used to detect infection and estimate prevalence or probability of freedom from infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAgriculture is an important production sector in Albania that makes a significant contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) and employment. The livestock sector contributes more than half of the agricultural GDP. The Albanian cattle population represents 50% of the total livestock units and accounts for 85% of the national milk production, the rest being supplied by small ruminants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVarious European Member States have implemented control or eradication programmes for endemic infectious diseases in cattle. The design of these programmes varies between countries and therefore comparison of the outputs of different control programmes is complex. Although output-based methods to estimate the confidence of freedom resulting from these programmes are under development, as yet there is no practical modeling framework applicable to a variety of infectious diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral European countries have implemented country specific programmes to control cattle diseases with little or no regulation in the European Union (EU). These control programmes vary between member states, impairing a confident comparison of freedom from disease when cattle originate from different countries. In order to facilitate safe trade, there is a need to support the development of transparent methods that enable comparison of outputs of surveillance, control or eradication programmes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Brucellosis is a ubiquitous zoonotic disease globally. It is endemic among bovines, sheep, and goats in Albania. The national control and eradication programs for brucellosis has been applied on sheep and goat farms as well as large dairy cattle farms, i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an important bacterial infectious disease in Albania of concern to animal and human health; its prevalence is poorly documented.
Methods: In this longitudinal study, we tested by ELISA 2661 serum samples, from 154 herds, with the aim of establishing the suitability of this approach to screen the bovine population for bTB. In a follow-on survey of 87 animals in three villages, we assessed the usefulness of the Mycobacterium bovis IDEXX ELISA (IDEXX M.
Clostridium difficile is an etiological agent of pseudomembranous colitis and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Adhesion is the crucial first step in bacterial infection. Thus, in addition to toxins, the importance of colonization factors in C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF