Continuous straw provision reduces prevalence of oesophago-gastric ulcer in pigs slaughtered at 170 kg (heavy pigs).

Adopting a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, this study evaluated whether continuous straw provision by racks, tail docking and gender (barrows vs. females) have an effect on the prevalence of lung lesions and oesophago-gastric ulcer (OGU) visually scored at slaughter in 635 Italian heavy pigs (169 ± 4 kg). The lung lesions were very low (72% of pigs with score 0), and were not significantly different among the experimental groups.

Distribution of sulfathiazole in honey, beeswax, and honeybees and the persistence of residues in treated hives.

This study was performed to evaluate the distribution and depletion of sulfathiazole in different beehive matrices: honey, honeybees, "pre-existing" honeycomb, "new" honeycomb, and capping wax. Sulfathiazole was dissolved in sugar syrup or directly powdered on the combs, the matrices were sampled at different time points, and sulfathiazole residues were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. In honey, the higher concentration of sulfathiazole (180 mg kg(-1)) occurred 2 weeks after the last treatment in syrup.

Joining the dots on the emergence of pandemic influenza.

Extensive research in the last 20 years has unveiled some of the factors associated with the emergence of pandemic influenza A viruses. Nonetheless, numerous extrinsic and virological factors are yet to be fully understood, especially with reference to their interconnection and interdependence. Knowledge gathered so far has motivated the scientific community to embrace the One Health-One Flu concept and to explore new scientific approaches in the field of influenza infections in order to make educated decisions when it comes to pandemic preparedness.

Prevention and control of highly pathogenic avian influenza with particular reference to H5N1.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype emerged in Far East Asia in 1996 and spread in three continents in a period of 10 or less years. Before this event, avian influenza infections caused by highly pathogenic viruses had occurred in many different countries, causing minor or major outbreaks, and had always been eradicated. The unique features of these H5N1 viruses combined to the geographic characteristics of the area of emergence, including animal husbandry practices, has caused this subtype to become endemic in several Asian countries, as well as in Egypt.

Differences in the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus in feather samples from 4-week-old and 24-week-old infected Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos var. domestica).

Previous studies have reported the detection of H5N1 HPAI virus in feathers from ducks naturally and experimentally infected and suggested that feather calami (FC) could be used as diagnostic samples for the early detection of H5N1 HPAI infections. Ducks are readily infected with H5N1 HPAI viruses although the development of clinical signs and deaths were reported as age-related with younger birds being more susceptible. The correlation between age and virus localisation in FC of infected ducks has not been studied to date.

Determination of thyreostats in muscle and thyroid tissues by QuEChERS extraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

The use of thyreostats as veterinary drugs is banned in the European Union since 1981 because of their carcinogenic and teratogenic properties. Controlling their illegal use in breeding animals is quite difficult because of their low molecular weight, high polarity and the presence of tautomeric forms. To harmonise the performance of analytical methods, the recommended concentration for thyreostats such as thiouracil, methylthiouracil, propylthiouracil and tapazole established by the Community Reference Laboratory in 2007 is 10 ng g(-1).

Emergence of influenza viruses with zoonotic potential: open issues which need to be addressed. A review.

The real and perceived impact of influenza infections in animals has changed dramatically over the last 10 years, due mainly to the better understanding of the public health implications of avian and swine influenza viruses. On a number of occasions in the last decade avian-to-human transmissions of H5, H7 and H9 virus subtypes have occurred, and the first influenza pandemic of the new millennium occurred as a result of the emergence and spread of a virus from pigs. Although the mechanisms that allow influenza viruses to jump from one host species to another are not fully understood, several genetic signatures linked to the crossing of species barriers have been identified.

Salmonella source attribution based on microbial subtyping.

Source attribution of cases of food-borne disease represents a valuable tool for identifying and prioritizing effective food-safety interventions. Microbial subtyping is one of the most common methods to infer potential sources of human food-borne infections. So far, Salmonella microbial subtyping source attribution models have been implemented by using serotyping and phage-typing data.

Implementation of an information system for the traceability of live decoy birds.

In the Veneto region (northern Italy), some geographic areas in the Po Valley have a large concentration of industrial poultry farms and are located close to wet areas with high populations of wild waterfowl. Live decoy birds belonging to the orders of Anseriformes and Charadriiformes can constitute a "bridge" for avian influenza (AI) viruses between the wild reservoir and the rural holdings where live decoy birds are usually kept, sometimes together with poultry. Thus, the use of live decoy birds during bird hunting could increase the risk of exposure of poultry farms to AI viruses.

Rapid pathotyping of Newcastle Disease Virus by pyrosequencing.

Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) is the only member of serotype 1 avian paramyxoviruses (APMV-1) that causes respiratory and neurological disease in chickens and other species of birds and can cause severe economic losses in the poultry sector. Due to the relevant variability of the genome and the pathogenicity of NDV isolates, their detection in a specimen is not sufficient to provide and confirm an exact diagnosis, and so the assessment of virus pathotype is required. To diagnose rapidly and pathotype NDV directly in clinical specimens, a method based on RT-PCR and pyrosequencing analysis has been developed and is reported in the present study.

Evaluation of thymus morphology and serum cortisol concentration as indirect biomarkers to detect low-dose dexamethasone illegal treatment in beef cattle.

Background: Corticosteroids are illegally used in several countries as growth promoters in veal calves and beef cattle, either alone or in association with sex steroids and β-agonists, especially at low dosages and primarily through oral administration, in order to enhance carcasses and meat quality traits. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the reliability of the histological evaluation of the thymus, as well as the serum cortisol determination, in identifying beef cattle, treated with two different dexamethasone-based growth-promoting protocols and the application of different withdrawal times before slaughter.

Results: Our findings demonstrate that low dosages of dexamethasone (DXM), administered alone or in association with clenbuterol as growth promoter in beef cattle, induce morphologic changes in the thymus, resulting in increase fat infiltration with concurrent cortical atrophy and reduction of the cortex/medulla ratio (C/M).

Pyrosequencing of the rabies virus glycoprotein gene to demonstrate absence of vaccine-associated rabies cases following oral vaccination.

Replication competent vaccines have been used successfully for the control of terrestrial rabies, mainly in wildlife; however, these vaccine strains occasionally may induce rabies. In this study, a pyrosequencing protocol for the rapid identification of vaccine-associated rabies viruses was applied to the 2008-2011 Italian epidemic. There was no evidence of vaccine-associated rabies cases following oral vaccination of foxes with the SAG2 and SADB19 vaccine strains.

Serological methods used for rabies post vaccination surveys: an analysis.

The assessment of fox immunity following oral rabies vaccination (ORV) is commonly applied to assess the efficacy of an ORV campaign in the field. Several ELISA kits have been developed and validated for their use for rabies serology in wildlife as an alternative to neutralizing techniques (NT), such as the fluorescent antibody virus neutralization test (FAVN) and the rapid fluorescent foci inhibition test (RFFIT). At a European level, NT and ELISA tests are used interchangeably and on different types of samples collected for vaccination follow-up.

Genetic characterization of astroviruses detected in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) reveals a distinct genotype and suggests cross-species transmission between turkey and guinea fowl.

Astroviruses can infect mammalian and avian species and are often responsible for gastroenteric disease symptoms. In this study, the complete open reading frame (ORF) 2, the 3' end of ORF1b and the corresponding intergenic region of astroviruses identified in farmed guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) were sequenced and genetically analysed. Overall, the genetic sequence of guinea fowl astroviruses was related to turkey astrovirus type 2 (TastV2), although a marked genetic distance was revealed based on ORF2, which might indicate the circulation of a distinct virus genotype and serotype in guinea fowl.

Variability among the neuraminidase, non-structural 1 and PB1-F2 proteins in the influenza A virus genome.

Influenza A viruses infect a large number of mammals and birds resulting in sporadic infections, seasonal epidemics, epizootics and pandemics. The segmented genome of the virus encodes 10 or 11 proteins depending on the strain. The neuraminidase, non-structural 1 and the PB1-F2 proteins are known to be variable in their length due to very specific deletions, truncations and elongations.

Bilateral microphthalmia and aphakia associated with multiple eye abnormalities in a free-living European red deer calf (Cervus elaphus).

A free-living European red deer calf (Cervus elaphus) was euthanized due to bilateral microphthalmia. Lens was missing, replaced by proliferating squamous epithelial cells; hyperplastic squamous cells, sebaceous and mucinous glands were observed within the cornea with the characteristics of inclusion cyst. Findings were consistent with congenital microphthalmia/aphakia, with multiple eye abnormalities.

Molecular epidemiology and evolutionary dynamics of betanodavirus in southern Europe.

Viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER) is one of the most devastating diseases for marine aquaculture, and similarly represents a threat to wild fish populations because of its high infectivity and broad host range. Betanodavirus, the causative agent of VER, is a small non-enveloped virus with a bipartite RNA genome comprising the RNA1 and RNA2 segments. We partially sequenced both RNA1 and RNA2 from 120 viral strains isolated from 2000 to 2009 in six different countries in Southern Europe.

Evidence for differing evolutionary dynamics of A/H5N1 viruses among countries applying or not applying avian influenza vaccination in poultry.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 (clade 2.2) was introduced into Egypt in early 2006. Despite the control measures taken, including mass vaccination of poultry, the virus rapidly spread among commercial and backyard flocks.

The spread of pathogens through trade in honey bees and their products (including queen bees and semen): overview and recent developments.

International trade in bees and bee products is a complex issue, affected bytheir different origins and uses. The trade in bees, which poses the main risk for disease dissemination, is very active and not all transactions may be officially registered by the competent authorities. Globally, bee health continues to deteriorate as pathogens, pests, parasites and diseases are spread internationally through legitimate trade, smuggling and well-intentioned but ill-advised bee introductions by professionals.

Transboundary spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza through poultry commodities and wild birds: a review.

The extensive circulation of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in animals and the human health implications which it poses have led to extensive research in unexplored fields and thus a re-assessment of our understanding of this infection. Moreover, widespread infection of poultry has raised concerns about the food safety and trade implications of this infection, necessitating revised international trade regulations. The role of wild birds has been much debated and resources have been invested to clarify the role that they may play in the spread of infection.

Phylogeography and evolutionary history of reassortant H9N2 viruses with potential human health implications.

Avian influenza viruses of the H9N2 subtype have seriously affected the poultry industry of the Far and Middle East since the mid-1990s and are considered one of the most likely candidates to cause a new influenza pandemic in humans. To understand the genesis and epidemiology of these viruses, we investigated the spatial and evolutionary dynamics of complete genome sequences of H9N2 viruses circulating in nine Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries from 1998 to 2010. We identified four distinct and cocirculating groups (A, B, C, and D), each of which has undergone widespread inter- and intrasubtype reassortments, leading to the generation of viruses with unknown biological properties.

GeoCREV: veterinary geographical information system and the development of a practical sub-national spatial data infrastructure.

This paper illustrates and discusses the key issues of the geographical information system (GIS) developed by the Unit of Veterinary Epidemiology of the Veneto region (CREV), defined according to user needs, spatial data (availability, accessibility and applicability), development, technical aspects, inter-institutional relationships, constraints and policies. GeoCREV, the support system for decision-making, was designed to integrate geographic information and veterinary laboratory data with the main aim to develop a sub-national, spatial data infrastructure (SDI) for the veterinary services of the Veneto region in north-eastern Italy. Its implementation required (i) collection of data and information; (ii) building a geodatabase; and (iii) development of a WebGIS application.

Geographical information systems in the management of the 2009-2010 emergency oral anti-rabies vaccination of foxes in north-eastern Italy.

Emergency oral fox vaccination campaigns, targeting a recent rabies epidemic in wild foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in north-eastern Italy, were implemented twice, first in the winter of 2009 and then in the spring of 2010. Following on an unsuccessful manual bait distribution campaign, vaccine baits were aerially distributed by helicopters using a satellite-navigated, computer-supported, automatic bait drop system. The flight paths were traced with distance of 500-1,000 m from one another to optimise helicopter missions and guarantee homogeneous coverage of the vaccination area.

Protein expression changes in skeletal muscle in response to growth promoter abuse in beef cattle.

The fraudulent treatment of cattle with growth promoting agents (GPAs) is a matter of great concern for the European Union (EU) authorities and consumers. It has been estimated that 10% of animals are being illegally treated in the EU. In contrast, only a much lower percentage of animals (<0.