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Background: Rhodococcus equi is one of the most significant bacterial pathogens affecting foals up to 6 months of age worldwide. Rhodococcosis is present in Poland however information about molecular characterization of R. equi isolates is scarce. This study describes molecular characterization of Rhodococcus equi infection on 13 horse breeding farms in Poland between 2001 and 2012. Samples were collected by tracheobronchial aspiration from pneumonic foals or during necropsy. The R. equi isolates were genotyped by plasmid profiling and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Results: Totally, 58 R. equi isolates were investigated. One isolate lost its plasmid. Among the 57 VapA-positive isolates, 48 contained 85-kb type I plasmid (82.8%), 8 contained 87-kb type I plasmid (13.8%). One isolate (1.7%) had a unique restriction cleavage pattern and the 2nd fragment of EcoRI digests of this plasmid DNA was about 2600 bases smaller than that of the 85 kb type I. This new plasmid variant was designated as the "85-kb type V". Among the 58 isolates typeable with VspI-PFGE, ten PFGE clusters were detected. The majority of foals were infected mostly with isolates of low genetic diversity. Conclusions: Most of clinical isolates of R. equi from foals in Poland contain pVapA 85-kb type I and 87-kb type I similarly to the other European countries and the United States. However, the new variant of pVapA 85-kb type V was identified. The chromosomal variability was detected among some of the investigated isolates and the presence of farm-specific isolates might be possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterium spp. and Rhodococcus equi are generally regarded as the main causes of lymphadenitis in pigs and wild boars. In Poland, mycobacterial submandibular lymphadenitis was first diagnosed in a wild boar in 2012 but Mycobacterium spp. infections are also present in the Polish population of European bison (Bison bonasus). The prevalence of lymphadenitis in Polish wild boars has been found to 8.4% (95% CI 6.2-11.3%) and it has been proved that R. equi is not an important cause of purulent lesions in these animals. The current study was carried out to assess the prevalence of mycobacterial lymphadenitis in the Polish wild boar population. Submandibular lymph nodes with purulent lesions collected from 38 wild boars in 2010/2011 and negative for R. equi were included. Calculations based on the hypergeometric approximation were used to determine the probability that at least one positive individual would be detected if the infection had been present at a prevalence greater than or equal to the design prevalence. All 38 samples were negative for Mycobacterium spp. [0% (95% CI 0, 9.2%)]. Epidemiological analysis showed that the true prevalence was 95% likely to be lower than 10%. In conclusion, mycobacterial lymphadenitis seems to occur rarely in wild boars in Poland. Due to the presence of Mycobacterium spp. infections in other wildlife, the surveillance of mycobacterial infections in wild animals in Poland remains an important issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rhodococcus equi is an emerging zoonotic presumably foodborne pathogen. Since the data on the worldwide prevalence of R. equi in meat animals are scarce, the present study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology of R. equi in swine, cattle and horse carcasses intended for human consumption in Poland. Results: Totally 1028 lymph node samples were examined. R. equi was isolated from 26.6 % (105/395) swine and 1. 3 % (3/234) bovine healthy submaxillary lymph nodes. In horses, R. equi was isolated only from 0.5 % (1/198) samples of middle tracheo-branchiales lymph node while no lymphocentrum retropharyngeum sample was positive (0/198). The purulent lesions were observed only in 0.8 % swine submaxillary lymph nodes samples (3/398) and in two of them R. equi was detected. All bovine and most of swine isolates (98.1 %) were vapB-positive. 87.9 % of swine isolates carried 95-kb type 5 plasmid, 3.7 % type 1 and plasmid types: 4, 7, 10, 11, 21, 31 were carried by a single isolate (0.9 %). All bovine isolates carried VAPB type 26. Single horse isolate was vapA-positive and carried plasmid VAPA 85-kb type I. Conclusions: The prevalence of vapB-positive R. equi in investigated healthy swine intended for human consumption was very high. Not only swine, but also even apparently healthy cattle or horse carcasses should be considered as a potential source of R. equi for humans, especially in countries where undercooked or raw beef or horsemeat is traditionally consumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) has various etiologies, with Leptospira infection and genetic predisposition being the leading risk factors. Regardless of etiology, expression of ocular proteins associated with maintenance of the blood-ocular barrier is impaired in ERU. The recurring-remitting cycle of ERU repeatedly disrupts the blood-ocular barrier, allowing the previously immune-privileged ocular environment to become the site of a progressive local autoimmune pathology that ultimately results in tissue destruction and vision loss. The immune-mediated process involves humoral and cellular mechanisms. Intraocular antibodies either produced in the eye or that leak through the blood-ocular barrier, are often present at higher levels than in serum and react with antigens in ocular tissue of horses with ERU. Ocular infiltration of auto-aggressive lymphocytes occurs with each uveitis episode and is the most crucial contributor to inflammation and eye damage. Recurring uveitis episodes may be initiated when epitopes of an ocular antigen become visible to the immune system (intramolecular spreading) or another autoantigen (intermolecular spreading), resulting in a new inflammatory reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rhodococcus equi is now considered an emerging zoonotic pathogen. Sources and routes of human infection remain unclear but foodborne transmission seems to be the most probable way. Strains of pig or bovine type are most often isolated from human cases and moreover R. equi is present in submaxillary lymph nodes of apparently healthy pigs and wild boars intended for human consumption. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of R. equi in submaxillary lymph nodes in wild boars, roe deer and red deer. Results: Samples were collected from 936 animals and 27 R. equi strains were isolated, from 5.1 % of wild boars (23/452), 0.7 % of red deer (2/272) and 0.9 % of roe deer (2/212). Genetic diversity of all 27 isolates was studied using VspI-PFGE method, resulting in the detection of 25 PFGE patterns and four PFGE clusters. PFGE patterns of the isolates were compared with virulence plasmid types and no concordance was observed. Conclusions: R. equi was present in wild animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of R. equi infection for humans. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of R. equi prevalence in tissues of roe deer and red deer. However, risk associated with wild ruminant consumption seems marginal. Investigation of R. equi transmission between animals and humans based exclusively on types of virulence plasmids seems to be insufficient to identify sources of R. equi infection for people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodococcus equi is a soil saprophyte and an opportunistic pathogen causing infections in animals, and rarely in humans. The presence of R. equi in tissues and faeces of some wild animal species was demonstrated previously. In this study we characterized R. equi isolates from submaxillary lymph nodes of free-living wild boars (n=23), red deer (n=2) and roe deer (n=2). This is the first description of R. equi strains isolated from tissues of the Cervidae. All isolates were initially recognized as R. equi based on the phenotypic properties. Their identification was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, detection of the choE gene and by sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes. The presence of three plasmidic genes (traA, vapA and vapB) associated with R. equi virulence was investigated by PCR. In 16 wild boar isolates the traA and vapB genes were detected and they were located on virulence plasmids type 5, 7 or 11. The isolates from cervids and the remaining wild boar isolates were classified as avirulent based on a genotype traA-/vapA-B-. In summary, these results confirm that wild boars can be a source of intermediately virulent R. equi strains, and indicate that red deer and roe deer can be a reservoir of avirulent R. equi strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serum amyloid A (SAA) is the major acute phase protein in horses. Its concentration increases in various pathologies but also in response to prolonged, strenuous effort. The purpose of this study was to establish whether routine race and endurance training produces changes in the SAA level in Arabian horses. Additionally, the differences between SAA response in experienced endurance horses and endurance horses that were beginning their career were investigated. Results: There were no changes in SAA concentrations after race training and endurance training in experienced horses. In horses that were beginning their endurance training, exercise produced an increase in SAA level as compared with rest level. Conclusion: In Arabians, the SAA concentration seems to be a good indicator of endurance training but is useless in race training. The routine training of experienced horses, which were prepared for long distance rides, did not promote any changes in the SAA level. In contrast, a significant increase in the SAA concentration was observed in horses that were beginning their endurance training and were only prepared for moderate distance rides and underwent the same effort. Further research is needed to elucidate whether this difference reflects too heavy training or adaptation to an increasing workload. Additionally, the adaptation to long distance rides in Arabians may include a reduced acute phase response [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rhodococcus equi infection occurs worldwide and is one of the major causes of losing foals in the first six months of life. The application of serological tests in the diagnostics of rhodococcosis is limited, however they play a crucial role in immunological studies. The objective of this study was to develop and standardize ELISA test for the determination of the level of antibodies against Rhodococcus equi in equine serum and colostrum.Bacterial cell lysate was used as antigen. The test was standardized on 175 sera obtained from adult horses kept on rhodococcosis-free and endemic farms. Positive and negative control sera were used. The test detected IgG antibodies mainly against VapA protein, which was confirmed by Western blot analysis. The test was easy to perform, did not require inactivation of sera and had low well-to-well variation. The shelf life of antigen-coated ELISA plates was 21 days.The test allowed to reveal significant increase of R. equi-specific antibodies in both serum and colostrum in response to the vaccination (p <0.001). Therefore it can be applied to the evaluation of efficacy of immunization. Moreover, no statistically significant difference in the baseline antibody level in adult horses from rhodococcosis-free and endemic farm was revealed (α =0.05). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This review provides a synthesis of the last ten years of research on nanodelivery systems used for the delivery of essential oils (EOs), as well as their potential as a viable alternative to antibiotics in human and veterinary therapy. The use of essential oils alone in therapy is not always possible due to several limitations but nanodelivery systems seem to be able to overcome these issues. The choice of the essential oil, as well as the choice of the nanodelivery system influences the therapeutic efficacy obtained. While several studies on the characterization of EOs exist, this review assesses the characteristics of the nanomaterials used for the delivery of essential oils, as well as impact on the functionality of nanodelivered essential oils, and successful applications. Two classes of delivery systems stand out: polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) including chitosan, cellulose, zein, sodium alginate, and poly(lactic-coglycolic) acid (PLGA), and lipidic NPs including nanostructured lipid carriers, solid lipid NPs, nanoemulsions, liposomes, and niosomes. While the advantages and disadvantages of these delivery systems and information on stability, release, and efficacy of the nanodelivered EOs are covered in the literature as presented in this review, essential information, such as the speed of emergence of a potential bacteria resistance to these new systems, or dosages for each type of infection and for each animal species or humans is still missing today. Therefore, more quantitative and in vivo studies should be conducted before the adoption of EOs loaded NPs as an alternative to antibiotics, where appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Equine coital exanthema (ECE) is a contagious, sexually transmitted disease affecting horses. It manifests itself as painful papules, vesicles, pustules and ulcers on the external genitalia in both mares and stallions. While widespread, the disease is generally not classified as reportable in most countries and is not considered a significant threat to the equine industry. ECE is endemic in horse breeding populations internationally. The absence of comprehensive epidemiological data can give a false sense of security, which increases the risk of local transmission. Lack of surveillance programmes or routine control in risk group (reproductive stallions and mares) leads to unawareness and lack of proper biosecurity measures. An outbreak in breeding facilities may result in significant economic consequences. Although ECE has not been officially confirmed in Poland, equine practitioners have noted isolated clinical cases resembling the disease in farm horses in the last decades. This study aims to confirm the presence of ECE in Poland. Clinical diagnosis has been made based on characteristic lesions. Positive diagnosis was confirmed in two out of four outbreaks by real‐time PCR on genital swabs. The presence of the disease has been confirmed in different regions in Poland in farm horses bred as meat animals. Confirming EHV‐3 infection in the Polish equine population through laboratory examinations marks a significant milestone. It is now crucial to raise awareness among owners, breeders and equine practitioners about the current epidemiological status of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodococcus equi is a widely recognized bacterium responsible for pneumonia in preweaned foals. On endemic farms, foals with a subclinical course of the disease usually outnumber those presenting clinical signs. The disease is typically chronic and mainly manifests as fever and dyspnoea. Currently, field diagnosis is often based on lung ultrasound (LUS); however, both diagnostic and therapeutic approaches vary among practitioners and considerably change over time. This longitudinal, prospective study was designed to describe the appearance and progression of rhodococcal pulmonary lesions during the first months of life based on LUS and to evaluate the relationship between the presence and severity of rhodococcal pulmonary lesions and the occurrence of respiratory clinical signs in foals from farms with endemic R. equi infections. Nearly 26% of foals demonstrated respiratory signs highly suggestive of pulmonary rhodococcosis, and approximately 70% of the foals had abnormalities detected on LUS without concurrent clinical signs. The appearance and development of LUS abnormalities were age-related. An abscess diameter exceeding 15 mm in LUS and other pleural lesions were significantly linked with the occurrence of clinical signs suggestive of pulmonary rhodococcosis (P < 0.001) and may be considered predictive factors of rhodococcal pneumonia in foals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Cross-sectional study comparing metabolomic profile of SRLV-seropositive and seronegative pedigree Saanen goats. • 130 Different metabolites quantified for the first time in the serum of pedigree dairy goats. • Two metabolites (carnosine and SDMA) were significantly lower in seropositive goats. Abstract A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine metabolomic profile of adult female dairy goats and to detect any basic differences in metabolomic profiles between small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV)-infected and uninfected goats. Twenty four adult Saanen goats aged from 18 to 29 months, in the 5th month of the 1st (16 goats) or the 2nd (8 goats) lactation were blood-sampled. Blood was centrifuged and serum samples were frozen to −80 °C within 8 h of blood collection. Sixteen goats were seropositive and 8 seronegative for SRLV infection. All were in good condition and did not present any apparent signs of caprine arthritis-encephalitis. The concentration of metabolites belonging to six classes (amino acids, biogenic amines, acylcarnitines, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and monosaccharides) was determined with mass spectrometry using a commercial Absolute IDQ ® p180 Kit assay (Biocrates Life Sciences AG, Innsbruck, Austria) in the laboratory of the manufacturer. Eventually, 130 metabolites (69% of 188 available) were detected at concentrations exceeding limit of detection: 21 amino acids (all available), 11 biogenic amines (52% of 21 available), 7 acylcarnitines (18% of 40 available), 77 glycerophospholipids (12 lysophosphatidylcholines, 65 phosphatidylcholines) (86% of 90 available), 13 sphingolipids (87% of 15 available), and the sum of monosaccharides (hexoses). Only carnosine and symmetric dimethylarginine differed significantly between SRLV-seropositive and seronegative goats and both were lower in seropositive goats. This is the first study in which a very large set of metabolites was quantified in goat serum and provides throughout quantitative data on goat metabolome vital for further comparative studies in small ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine references intervals for echocardiographic measurements in adult dairy goats. Animals: 125 clinically healthy, adult dairy goats aged 2–9 years, belonging to two breeds–Polish Fawn Improved (PFI, n = 64, weight range from 46 to 73, median of 58.5kg) and Polish White Improved (PWI, n = 61, weight range from 48 to 80 kg, median of 67.9kg), closely related to French Alpine and Saanen, respectively. Methods: Non-invasive transthoracic echocardiography examination was performed in unsedated goats in a standing position. Two-dimensional, M-mode and pulsed wave Doppler measurements were obtained. A non-parametric method was applied for determination of reference intervals. Measurements for the two breeds were compared using an analysis of covariance to control for their body weight. Repeatability was assessed using a between-day coefficient of variation and a coefficient of repeatability. Results: Following reference intervals were determined: aortic diameter in diastole 2.2–3.3, left atrial diameter in systole 2.5–4.3cm cm, the ratio of the left atrial diameter to the aortic diameter 0.96–1.5, right ventricular internal diameter in diastole 0.4–1.7cm, left ventricular internal diameter in systole and diastole 1.8–3.2 and 3.2–5.6 cm, respectively, inter-ventricular septum thickness in systole and diastole 0.7–1.5 and 0.5–1.1cm, respectively, left ventricular posterior-wall in systole and diastole 0.8–1.6 and 0.5–1.2cm, respectively, E-point to septal separation 0.3–0.8cm, left ventricular fractional shortening 28–54%, left ventricular ejection fraction 55–86%, maximum Left and Right Ventricular Outflow Tract velocity 80–140 cm/s and 70–130 cm/s, respectively Left and Right Ventricular Outflow Tract pressure gradient 2.5–8.9mmHg and 1.9–6.5mmHg, respectively. Most of the differences between the two breeds could be attributed to different body weight. Conclusions: The study provides echocardiographic reference intervals determined on the highest sample of apparently healthy goats so far enrolled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In cattle attempts to evaluate within-herd prevalence of various infectious and parasitic diseases by bulk-tank milk (BTM) testing with ELISA have been made with moderate success. The fact that BTM is composed of variable and unknown volumes of milk from individual lactating animals weakens the relationship between numerical result of the ELISA and the within-herd prevalence. We carried out a laboratory experimental study to evaluate if a pooled milk sample created by mixing an equal volume of individual milk samples from seropositive and seronegative goats, henceforth referred to as an equal-volume milk sample (EVMS), would allow for accurate estimation of within-herd seroprevalence of caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) using 3 different commercial ELISAs. By mixing randomly selected milk samples from seronegative and seropositive goats, 193 EVMS were created – 93 made of seronegative samples and 100 with the proportion of seropositive individual milk samples (EVMS%POS) ranging from 1 to 100%. EVMS%POS could be considered as a proxy for the within-herd seroprevalence. Then, OD of EVMS (ODEVMS) of the 193 EVMS was measured using 3 commercial ELISAs for CAE – 2 indirect and 1 competitive. Results: The cut-off values of ODEVMS indicating SRLV infection were determined. The regression functions were developed to link ODEVMS with EVMS%POS. A significant monotonic relationship between ODEVMS measured with 2 commercial indirect ELISAs and EVMS%POS was identified. Two regression models developed on this basis described approximately 90% of variability and allowed to estimate EVMS%POS, when it was below 50%. High ODEVMS indicated EVMS%POS of > 50%. Conclusion: Our study introduces the concept of serological testing of EVMS as a method of detecting SRLV-infected herds and estimating the proportion of strongly seropositive goats. Further field studies are warranted to assess practical benefits of EVMS serological testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virulent Rhodococcus equi strains expressing virulence-associated 15–17 kDa protein (VapA) and having a large virulence plasmid (pVAPA) of 85–90 kb containing vapA gene are pathogenic for horses. In the last two decades, following pVAPA, two host-associated virulence plasmid types of R. equi have been discovered: a circular plasmid, pVAPB, associated with porcine isolates in 1995, and a recently detected linear plasmid, pVAPN, related to bovine and caprine isolates. Molecular epidemiological studies of R. equi infection in foals on horse-breeding farms in Japan and many countries around the world have been conducted in the last three decades, and the epidemiological studies using restriction enzyme digestion patterns of plasmid DNAs from virulent isolates have shown 14 distinct pVAPA subtypes and their geographical preference. This short review summarizes previous reports regarding equine-associated pVAPA subtypes in the world and discusses their geographic distribution from the standpoint of horse movements. • Rhodococcus equi causes pneumonia and enteritis in foals less than 6 months old. • Virulent R. equi strains expressing VapA and having pVAPA are pathogenic for horses. • Plasmid DNAs from virulent isolates have shown 14 distinct pVAPA subtypes and their geographical preference. • This short review discusses their geographic distribution from the standpoint of horse movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this study, additional methods of collecting material for bovine tuberculosis diagnosis in living European bison were introduced. We showed a potential usage of tracheobronchial aspirates and ultrasound-guided biopsies from lateral retropharyngeal lymph nodes in living animals for diagnostics. We confirmed that the isolation of Mycobacterium caprae in living European bison is possible, as is the respiratory shedding of viable M. caprae in this host. This study is important as tuberculosis is a real threat for European bison which is an endangered species and the improvement of diagnostics can help with better health monitoring and further restitution. The diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in living wildlife remains a complex problem, and one of particular importance in endangered species like European bison (Bison bonasus). To identify infection and avoid the unnecessary culling of such valuable individuals, current best practice requires the collection and culture of material from living animals, as mycobacteria isolation remains the gold standard in BTB diagnosis. However, such isolation is challenging due to the need for the immobilization and collection of appropriate clinical material, and because of the sporadic shedding of mycobacteria. In the present study, we evaluated the potential of sampling for the detection of BTB in a group of seven living European bison suspected of being infected with Mycobacterium caprae. The specimens were collected both as swabs from the nasal and pharyngeal cavities, tracheobronchial aspirates (TBA), ultrasound-guided biopsies from lateral retropharyngeal lymph nodes, and post mortem, from mandibular, retropharyngeal and mediastinal lymph nodes. Clinical samples were tested for mycobacterial species via mycobacteriological culture and PCR. M. caprae was isolated from collected material in two out of four living infected individuals (TBA, biopsy) and mycobacterial DNA was detected in three out of four (TBA, pharyngeal swab) bison. This is the first report of isolation of M. caprae in living European bison. Our findings demonstrate the value of diagnostic tests based on both molecular testing and culture in European bison and confirm the respiratory shedding of viable M. caprae in this host species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pneumonia caused by soil bacteria Rhodococcus equi occurs in the foals of most horse breeds all over the world, posing a significant challenge for veterinary practitioners. For this reason, many researchers constantly try to find new solutions for successful prevention and management of the disease, but it still remains poorly controlled. This paper presents some promising ideas published during the last decade. Several strategies mentioned below have already been introduced to clinical practice like a variety of immune stimulators, but many others are still under academic considerations. The compilation of these materials may help to understand the complexity of the problem and show the directions for effective practice in the future. The aim of this review was to summarize studies on equine rhodococcosis over the last decade. For many years Rhodococcus equi has remained one of the major health challenges in the equine breeding industry worldwide. Recently, many novel approaches and ideas have been described and some of them were initially implemented into the clinical practice. This study reviews a variety of new information about neonatal susceptibility, clinical appearance, considered and applied diagnostic procedures and treatment alternatives, factors limiting accurate prognosis, ideas regarding environmental management and prophylaxis considerations. Although multiple research were conducted, the main problems such as high morbidity and mortality, a lack of reliable prevention strategies and treatment limitations are still unresolved and require further scientific effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A longitudinal observational study was carried out to evaluate the influence of prenatal exposure to small ruminant lentivirus(SRLV)-infected does on the body weight (BWT) of young kids. The study was carried out in years 2001–2017 in the research dairy goat herd. Goats in the herd were regularly serologically tested and individuals showing clinical signs of caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) were promptly culled. As a result all goats enrolled in the study were asymptomatic. Moreover, kids were weaned immediately after birth, fed on bovine colostrum and kept in strict separation from mothers to prevent SRLV lactogenic transmission. Kids were weighed immediately after birth, and then 1–3 times within the first 3 months of life. In total 620 goat kids were weighed at least once, excluding weighing at birth, providing 992 BWT records. The mixed linear model including four variables fitted as random effects (doe, kid, the year of kid's birth and the exact age of a kid at weighing) and four potential confounders fitted as fixed effects (parity, kid's sex, litter size and birth body weight) was developed and showed that BWT was not significantly associated with SRLV serological status of a doe, regardless of the time for which does had been infected before the delivery of the kid (p = 0.242). This study provides strong evidence that kids born to SRLV-infected does grow equally well as kids from uninfected does, provided that the lactogenic viral transmission is prevented by maintaining strict separation between the offspring and mothers. This observation is important for choosing the most optimal strategy of CAE control in a goat herd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Longitudinal study to compare metabolomic profile of SRLV-seropositive and negative male goats. • 13 male goats followed up between the age of 6 months and 2 years. • 134 different metabolites quantified for the first time in the serum of young male goats. • 23 metabolites significantly differed between seropositive and seronegative goats. • 96 metabolites tended to change significantly in time during first 2 years of goats' life. We carried out a longitudinal study to determine the change of concentration of a large set of metabolites over the first 2 years of goats' life and identify metabolites whose concentration follows different patterns in small ruminant lentivirus(SRLV)-infected and uninfected goats. Thirteen clinically healthy male goats, born to SRLV-infected does and castrated at the age of 4 months, were followed up for 2 years. They were serologically tested weekly and on this basis assigned to seropositive (n = 7) and seronegative (n = 6) group. At the age of 6, 12, 18 and 24 months their serum was subjected to metabolomic analysis using a commercial AbsoluteIDQ® p180 Kit assay designed to measure concentrations of 188 metabolites. Finally, 134 metabolites had concentrations above the limit of detection and were included in the analysis. Twenty three metabolites differed between seropositive and seronegative goats at a false discovery rate of 25% and with fold change of at least 1.5: 21 metabolites at the age of 6 months and 2 metabolites at the age of 24 months. Concentration of 96 metabolites tended to change significantly in time: concentration of 57 metabolites increased, 12 decreased, and 27 fluctuated. Concluding, SRLV infection affects metabolomic profile of young male goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of pertussis vaccination in the 1950s resulted in a significant decrease in the incidence of disease. However, since the 1990s many highly vaccinated countries have observed the re-emergence of the disease. One of the causes of this phenomenon might be related to the adaptation of Bordetella pertussis to vaccination. The purpose of the presented study was an investigation of the emergence and spread of vaccine antigen-deficient B. pertussis isolates in Poland and genomic characterization of the currently circulating pathogen population using PFGE, MLVA and MAST. The results revealed that all tested isolates expressed Ptx, FHA and ACT antigens but 15.4% (4/26) of isolates from 2010 to 2016 were Prn-deficient. Moreover, one TcfA-deficient isolate was collected in 2015. The genotyping showed a genetic distinction between the isolates circulating in 2010–2016 and isolates from previous periods. The majority of currently circulating isolates belonged to PFGE group IV (96.2%), type MT27 (73.1%), and carried ptxA1 - ptxC2 - ptxP3 - prn2 - tcfA2-fim2-1 - fim3-1 alleles (61.5%). The unique genetic structure of the B. pertussis population in Poland has changed since 2010 and became similar to that observed in countries with aP vaccination. This could be a result of increasing use of aP vaccines (60% of primary vaccination in 2013) over wP vaccines, which have been broadly used for primary vaccination in Poland for decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A longitudinal study was conducted in a single dairy goat herd to investigate the relationship between subclinical small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection in does and litter size (LS) or birth body weight of kids (BW). Each year kids born to seropositive and seronegative does were weighed before the first consumption of colostrum. LS and BW of each kid were recorded. BW was significantly negatively linked to LS (p = 0.006) – singletons weighed (mean ± SD) 4.20 ± 0.67 kg, twins – 3.75 ± 0.62 kg, and triplets and quadruplets – 3.38 ± 0.47 kg. Male kids were significantly heavier than female kids in twin litters (3.97 ± 0.53 kg vs. 3.52 ± 0.60 kg; p < 0.001) and triplet or quadruplet litters (3.62 ± 0.40 kg vs. 3.17 ± 0.43 kg; p < 0.001). However, BW of male and female kids from singleton litters did not differ (4.31 ± 0.71 kg vs. 4.07 ± 0.65 kg; p = 0.154). Then, two mixed models were developed to assess the relationship between LS (mixed Poisson log linear regression model) or BW (mixed linear model) and SRLV infection in the doe, controlling for potential confounders such as the effect of an individual doe, year in which the parturition took place, parity and kid's sex. Neither LS nor BW proved to be significantly associated with SRLV infection (p = 0.788 and p = 0.214, respectively). On this basis it was concluded that LS and BW were not affected by the subclinical SRLV infection of a doe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection manifests itself mainly with chronic progressive arthritis affecting mainly carpal joints. The data from serological and questionnaire surveys were retrospectively analyzed to determine how the dissemination of SRLV infection in the herd influenced farmer’s subjective opinion on the occurrence of swelling of carpal joints (considered as a proxy of arthritis). Between 1996 and 2017 153 different Polish dairy goat herds counting at least 20 adult goats were serologically screened for CAE and their owners were asked about their opinion on the occurrence of arthritis (never, rarely, often). Of them 73 SRLV-seropositive herds, in which true seroprevalence had been estimated, were included in the analysis. The ordinal logistic regression model was developed to determine the relationship between the true within-herd seroprevalence and the probability that the farmer would observe arthritis in the herd never, rarely or often. True within-herd seroprevalence ranged from 0.2% to 100% with the median of 34.6%. Farmers declared not to have observed arthritis in 40 (54.8%) herds, to have seen it rarely in 9 (12.3%) of herds, and to have observed it often in 24 (32.9%) of herds. The model proved that the probability of observing goats with carpal arthritis in the herd was significantly linked to the true within-herd seroprevalence (OR = 1.058, CI 95% from 1.037 to 1.078; p<0.001), but this relationship was not linear and SRLV infection proved to remain unapparent to farmers even when a considerable part of the herd had already become infected. Concluding, the study shows that when the farmer realizes that goats in the herd suffer from arthritis, SRLV infection is almost certainly already widespread in the herd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We carried out this study to determine for how long small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV)‐specific antibodies can be detected by three commercial ELISA kits in goat kids after suckling infected does in field conditions. Forty‐one kids born to SRLV‐seropositive asymptomatic does were blood sampled prior to colostrum consumption, and then weekly for 6 months in total. The sera were screened with three commercial ELISA kits: whole‐virus ELISA (wELISA), recombinant transmembrane and capsid antigen ELISA (TM/CA‐ELISA), and surface antigen ELISA (SU‐ELISA). All but one kid were seronegative in all three ELISAs right after birth. At the age of 1 week all kids turned seropositive in wELISA, 39 kids (95%) in TM/CA‐ELISA, and 35 kids (85%) in SU‐ELISA. All seropositive kids turned seronegative in wELISA by the 15th week, and in SU‐ELISA by the 19th week (median of 8 weeks in both ELISA), whereas in TM/CA‐ELISA five kids (13% of 39 initially seropositive) were still seropositive at the age of 6 months (median of 11 weeks). Antibody levels at the age of 1 week proved significantly linked to the duration of maternal antibodies in all three ELISAs and could be employed to predict for how long maternal antibodies would remain detectable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Equine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies as well as economic issues associated with potential decrease in value of affected horses. The scale of the problem is significant but difficult to precisely define because epidemiological data is limited and lacks consistency in presentation. To date, no retrospective studies specifically investigating Arabian horses have been published. Results: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of ocular lesions and define the ocular diseases present in Arabian horses from breeding farms in Poland. Clinical and ophthalmic examination of 615 Arabian horses at Polish breeding farms (15% of Arabian population in Poland) were performed and medical history from the previous 5 years was analyzed. Data was obtained from review of veterinary archives and epidemiological interview of the resident veterinarian at each farm. The prevalence of ocular diseases was 9.75%. The following pathologies were diagnosed (with their respective prevalence): equine recurrent uveitis (ERU; 5.5%); cataract not related to ERU (3.3%); non-visual eyes (1.13%); posttraumatic lesions (0.8%); glaucoma (0.16%). Conclusions: In this study, ERU was the most common ocular disease identified in Arabian horses in Poland. Its prevalence was lower than usually reported in Europe and the United States. There was no sex or farm predisposition but ocular disease prevalence increased with age. Other severe ocular pathologies were also observed, confirming that ocular diseases remain an important clinical problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to compare haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations between goats with clinical form of caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE), small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV)-infected goats without clinical symptoms, and apparently healthy goats without SRLV infection, in order to investigate clinical application of determination of Hp and SAA level in detecting goats with symptomatic CAE. One hundred sixty eight adult (at least 2 year-old) dairy female goats of two Polish local breeds were enrolled in the study. All were clinically examined for emaciation and arthritis, and serologically tested for SRLV infection using three different ELISAs. On this basis goats were classed into SRLV-positive symptomatic (n = 68), SRLV-positive asymptomatic (n = 23) and healthy (n = 77). Hp and SAA levels were determined in serum samples using commercial colorimetric assay and solid phase sandwich ELISA, respectively. Both Hp and SAA concentrations were significantly higher in the SRLV-positive symptomatic group compared to the SRLV-positive asymptomatic (p = 0.002 and 0.012, respectively), and healthy (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). The latter two groups did not differ (p = 0.627 and p = 0.777, respectively), and were merged into a single control group (n = 100) for the needs of accuracy calculation. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curve were 68.0% (CI 95%: 59.3%, 76.7%) for Hp and 65.8% (CI 95%: 57.5%, 74.2%) for SAA. The study showed that, although Hp and SAA concentrations were significantly higher in goats with symptomatic CAE, a single measurement of Hp or SAA concentration was unlikely to play any practical role in assessing health status of SRLV-infected goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are considered as the major acute phase proteins (APPs) in goats. These APPs have been investigated in several studies during the last decade. In most studies, a colorimetric assay for Hp and a solid phase sandwich ELISA for SAA have been used for quantification. In 2015, reference intervals for APPs were determined using a new type of assay, the competitive ELISA (cELISA). Results obtained by the cELISA differed significantly from results obtained by previously used assays. The present study aimed to assess the agreement between so far used assays and cELISAs. Sera of 152 female dairy goats of two Polish national breeds were analysed. The concentration of Hp was determined using a colorimetric assay (Hp-CA) and the cELISA (Hp-cELISA), while a solid phase sandwich ELISA (SAA-sELISA) and the cELISA (SAA-cELISA) were used to measure SAA. Agreement between test results was assessed by preparing Bland-Altman plots, and analyzing 95% limits of agreement (LoA). Finally, the assays for Hp and SAA were compared using 147 and 138 serum samples, respectively, as 5 and 14 paired measurements, respectively, were excluded from agreement analyses to avoid extrapolation of Hp and SAA concentration. Measurements obtained by the Hp-CA and Hp-cELISA showed weak positive correlation (r = 0.24, P = 0.003). Limits of agreement (LoA) ranged from + 1.6 (95% CI 1.4 to 1.8) g/L to - 1.5 (95% CI - 1.7 to - 1.3) g/L. Measurements yielded by the SAA-sELISA and SAA-cELISA did not correlate (r = - 0.01, P = 0.855). LoA ranged from + 14.5 mg/L (95% CI 12.9 to 16.1) to - 8.5 mg/L (95% CI - 10.1 to - 6.9). Agreement between the two types of commercial assays for determination of Hp and SAA concentrations in goats is poor and cELISAs tend to underrate both Hp and SAA concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to evaluate influence of the true within-herd prevalence of small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection on agreement beyond chance between three different types of commercial serological ELISAs. Blood samples were collected from 865 goats from 12 dairy goat herds. Serum samples were tested using three commercial ELISA kits: whole-virus indirect ELISA (wELISA), indirect ELISA based on recombined TM and CA antigens (TM/CA-ELISA), and competitive-inhibition ELISA based on SU antigen (SU-ELISA). Herds were classed into three prevalence strata of high (>50%), moderate (10–50%) and low (<10%) true within-herd prevalence of SRLV infection. The latter was estimated on the basis of results of wELISA adjusted by its sensitivity and specificity. Agreement beyond chance between the three ELISAs was assessed at two levels. First, the general agreement was determined using two coefficients corrected for chance-agreement: Cohen’s kappa and Gwet’s AC 1 . Then, agreement between tests was evaluated using Gwet’s AC 1 separately in the three prevalence strata and compared between them by computing 95% confidence intervals for differences with a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. The general agreement between the three tests was very good: wELISA and TM/CA-ELISA – Cohen’s kappa of 81.8% (CI 95%: 77.9% to 85.7%), Gwet’s AC 1 of 82.7% (CI 95%: 79.0% to 86.4%); wELISA and SU-ELISA – Cohen’s kappa of 83.2% (CI 95%: 79.4% to 86.9%), Gwet’s AC 1 of 83.9% (CI 95%: 80.4% to 87.5%); TM/CA-ELISA and SU-ELISA – Cohen’s kappa of 86.0% (CI 95%: 82.6% to 89.5%), Gwet’s AC 1 of 86.9% (CI 95%: 83.6% to 90.1%). However, agreement between ELISAs was significantly related to the within-herd true prevalence – it was significantly lower (although still high) when within-herd true prevalence was moderate (Gwet’s AC 1 between 67.2% and 78.7%), whereas remained very high, when true within-herd prevalence was either >50% (Gwet’s AC 1 between 91.9% and 98.8%) or <10% (Gwet’s AC 1 between 94.7% and 98.4%). Concluding, the three different commercial ELISAs for SRLV infection in goats available on the market yield highly consistent results. However, their agreement is affected by the true within-herd prevalence in a tested population, and the worse (although still high) agreement should be expected, when the percentage of infected goats is moderate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large-scale study was carried out in a Polish goat population in 2014–2022 to determine the herd-level (between-herd) and within-herd seroprevalence of small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection. A total of 8354 adult goats (aged >1 year) from 165 herds located in various regions of Poland were serologically tested using a commercial ELISA. One hundred twenty eight herds were randomly selected while 37 were enrolled based on convenience non-random sampling. At least 1 seropositive result was obtained in 103 / 165 herds. For all these herds the probability that they were truly positive (herd-level positive predictive value) was calculated. It was ≥ 90% in 91 seropositive herds and 73% to < 90% in 12 herds in which only 1–4 goats were seropositive (22 goats in total). The seropositive goats in the latter herds were retested using a different commercial ELISA and 14 goats (9 males and 5 females) from 9 herds were confirmed to be seropositive (serial testing). The true herd-level seroprevalence was estimated at 61% (95% confidence interval [CI 95%]: 53%–68%). It differed significantly between herd size classes (p = 0.003): the highest prevalences were found in the medium (51 – 100 adult goats) and large herds (>100 adult goats) – 72% (CI 95%: 56–84%) and 86% (CI 95%: 67%–95%), respectively, while prevalences in very small (≤ 20 adult goats) and small herds (21 – 50 adult goats) were 46% (CI 95%: 34%–59%) and 57% (CI 95%: 43%–70%), respectively. The true herd-level seroprevalence differed significantly also between geographical regions of Poland (p = 0.003), with the highest values in the north-western and the lowest in the southern region of the country. The true within-herd seroprevalence estimated using a Bayesian approach ranged from 0.7% to 100% with the median (IQR) of 42% (17%–84%), and did not vary significantly between herd size classes (p = 0.393) or geographical regions of Poland (p = 0.570). Concluding, SRLV infection is widespread in the Polish goat population, the north-western region of Poland is most extensively infected, and herds counting > 50 adult goats are more often infected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospective study was carried out to document the change of antibody level to small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) in chronically infected pregnant does. Thirteen dairy goats of Polish White Improved and Polish Fawn Improved breeds, asymptomatically infected with SRLV for at least a year, were enrolled. The goats were blood-sampled at mating, then four times during pregnancy, 2 weeks before kidding, at kidding and monthly for three months postpartum. Antibody titers to SRLV were determined by screening sera in increasing dilutions with three different commercial ELISAs: indirect whole-virus antigen (wELISA), indirect p28-transmembrane antigen (p28-TM-ELISA) and competitive gp135 (SU-ELISA). Then, the reciprocal of the greatest dilution at which a serum yielded the result greater than the cut-off of the test was considered the end-point antibody titer. Compared to the level at mating antibody titers significantly fell at kidding in all three tests. Significant decrease in antibody titer was observed for the longest time in SU-ELISA and for the shortest time in p28-TM-ELISA. At kidding false negative results were observed in two ELISAs (p28-TM-ELISA and SU-ELISA) and 3 of 13 goats became seronegative at kidding in at least one ELISA. At least four-fold fall in antibody titer between mating and kidding was observed in wELISA in 6 goats, in p28-TM-ELISA in 4 goats and in SU-ELISA in 5 goats. None of goats showed at least four-fold decrease in all three tests. Fall in antibody titer to SRLV in the periparturient period can interfere with the results of serological screening of pregnant goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Training-induced muscle, skeletal and joint trauma may result in acute phase response reflected by the changes in the blood concentration of serum amyloid A (SAA) in racehorses. It remains yet unclear if such systemic reaction could be triggered by sport injuries and what is the impact of different types of musculoskeletal trauma on SAA concentrations in racehorses. This study aimed to determine changes in the SAA blood concentration in racehorses with different types of injuries of musculoskeletal system. Materials and Methods: The study involved 28 racehorses diagnosed after the race with bone fractures (n = 7), dorsal metacarpal disease (n = 11), joint trauma (n = 4) or tendon and muscle trauma (n = 6) and 28 healthy control racehorses. Serum samples were collected twice, between 1 and 4 days of the injury or succesful completion of the race. SAA concentration was measured using the commercial ELISA kit. Differences between mean SAA concentration in respective groups were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc test. Results: Mean SAA concentration within the first 4 days of the injury of muscle and tendon was significantly higher than in bone fractures, dorsal metacarpal disease, joint trauma or in the healthy horses (p<0,001). There were no significant differences between the other groups. Conclusions: Strain injuries of muscle and tendons can cause a moderate increase in SAA blood concentration in racehorses, reflecting the occurrence of the acute phase response. Similar reaction is not observed in the stress-related bone injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caprine arthritis-encephalitis is an economically important disease of goats. It is evident that horizontal transmission through respiratory secretions and milk plays an important part in the disease spread whereas the role of sexual transmission remains questionable. The cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate the relationship between presence of small ruminant lentivirus (SRL V)-seropositive bucks and seroprevalence of SRL V infection in does in herds. The analysis included 76 goat herds seropositive for SRL V infection. A sample of adult female goats from each herd was selected in a simple random fashion. All males present in a herd were also enrolled in the study. The animals were screened with commercial serological immunoenzymatic tests. Standardized questionnaires were used to gather knowledge of 3 hypothesized herd-level confounding factors: number of years for which a herd had existed until testing, goat replacement from other herds in Poland and use of machine milking. Three-level hierarchical linear regression model was developed to evaluate the relationship (α = 0.05). Median (interquartile range) within-herd seroprevalence of SRL V was 60.1% (35.7% to 87.9%) and 35.8% (10.1% to 49.6%) in herds where seropositive males were present and absent, respectively. Controlling for possible confounders presence of SRL V-seropositive bucks proved to be an independent factor linked to the higher within-herd seroprevalence of SRL V (p = 0.001). The study indicates that seropositive bucks may facilitate the spread of SRL V infection in goat herds and therefore their presence should be considered as a risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acute phase proteins (APP) have been described as useful for assessing health in human and animal patients, as they closely reflect the acute phase reaction (APR). In humans and dogs a reaction analogous to APR has also been described after prolonged or strenuous exercise. The aim of this study was to determine, if similar reactions occur in endurance horses after limited and long distance rides. Seventeen horses that successfully completed various distance competitions were tested. Routine haematological and biochemical tests were performed and the concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA), C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin were measured. Typical endurance exercise-induced haematological and biochemical changes were observed in all horses, regardless the distance. After long distance rides, the level of SAA markedly increased, but CRP and haptoglobin concentrations remained unchanged. After limited distance rides no changes in the levels of APPs were noted. Exercise-induced APR in horses occurred only after prolonged, strenuous exertion, and differed from APR in inflammation in that only SAA concentration was increased. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) caused by small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection is one of the most widespread and devastating diseases of goats. Serological methods, mainly immunoenzymatic assays (ELISA), are the mainstay of CAE diagnostics. Even though blood is still the most commonly tested material, animal welfare issues and increasing costs of veterinary service prompt the development of serological methods based on milk testing. Several different types of ELISAs for CAE are available on the market. All of them perform well on serum, however their diagnostic accuracy for testing milk has not been so far compared. Therefore, we carried out the study in 5 dairy goat herds in Poland whose previous epidemiological situation regarding CAE was known. Paired serum and milk samples were collected from all adult females (n = 420) and tested with 3 commercial ELISAs – indirect ELISA based on the whole-virus antigen (wELISA), indirect ELISA based on the recombined transmembrane and capsid protein (TM/CA-ELISA), and competitive ELISA based on the surface glycoprotein (SU-ELISA). Milk was tested as lactoserum at dilution of 1/2 in wELISA and TM/CA-ELISA, and undiluted in SU-ELISA. The true status of goats was based on the composite reference standard comprising the results of all three ELISAs done on serum and the true prevalence of SRLV infection in the herd of origin. 243 (57.9 %) goats were classified as truly positive and 177 (42.1 %) goats as truly negative. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using the area under the ROC curve (AUROC) as well as sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) for a range of cut-off values. AUROC was 98.8 % (CI 95 %: 97.5 %, 100 %) for wELISA, 97.9 % (CI 95 %: 96.5 %, 99.2 %) for TM/CA-ELISA, and 91.7 % (CI 95 %: 88.9 %, 94.5 %) for SU-ELISA. At the cut-off values recommended by the manufacturers both indirect ELISAs were highly sensitive (89.3 % and 91.4 %, respectively) and highly specific (98.3 % and 95.5 %, respectively), whereas SU-ELISA had only moderate Se (71.2 %) at comparably high Sp (96.6 %). Nevertheless, the optimal cut-off values were lower than those recommended by manufacturers for serum – sample-to-positive control serum ratio (S/P%) of 10 % for wELISA, S/P% of 80 % for TM/CA-ELISA, and percentage inhibition of 23 % for SU-ELISA. Concluding, the study shows that wELISA and TM/CA-ELISA may be interchangeably used for testing individual goat milk samples for SRLV infection. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of these ELISAs appear not to be lower on milk than on serum. SU-ELISA is considerably less sensitive on milk samples than indirect ELISAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Weaning of goat kids immediately after birth and feeding them on bovine or heat-treated caprine colostrum, referred to as snatching, is considered an effective control measure in some infectious diseases. The study was carried out in one-week-old goat kids to gain insight into the profile of lipid metabolites and to investigate the influence of snatching on kids' metabolism. Fifty-two goat kids born to 23 female goats were included in the study – 22 kids were weaned immediately after birth and kept isolated from their mothers; 30 remaining kids were left with their mothers for next 3 weeks so that they could nurse on dams' milk at will. Blood was collected at the age of 1 week and serum was obtained by centrifugation. The concentration of lipid metabolites was determined with mass spectrometry using a commercial MxP® Quant 500 kit (Biocrates Life Sciences AG, Innsbruck, Austria). Results: Concentration of 240 lipid metabolites belonging to 10 lipid classes was above the limit of detection of the assay. These lipid metabolites were quantified and included in the analysis. Concentration of 2 lipid classes (acyl-alkyl-phosphatidylcholines and ceramides) and 31 lipid metabolites (14 triacylglycerols, 5 acyl-alkyl-phosphatidylcholines, 2 diacylphosphatidylcholines, 1 lyso-phosphatidylcholine, 5 ceramides, 2 sphingomyelins, and 2 cholesterol esters) differed significantly between the two groups of kids. Conclusion: Snatching of kids results in reduction of serum concentration of lipid metabolites, however, the magnitude of this phenomenon does not seem to be sufficient to negatively affect kids' health condition. This study is the first in which the broad set of lipid metabolites of young ruminants was quantified using the novel metabolomic assay MxP® Quant 500 kit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microbiological examination of lesions found in slaughtered animals during meat inspection is an important part of public health protection as such lesions may be due to zoonotic agents that can be transmitted by meat. Examination of inflamed lymph nodes also plays a particular important role, as lymphadenitis may reflect a more widespread infection. Such lesions in sheep are mainly caused by pyogenic bacteria but also mycobacteria are occasionally found. Meat inspection data from 2017 to 2018 from southern Poland, especially from the Małopolska region, indicate that purulent or caseous lymphadenitis involving the mediastinal and tracheobronchial lymph nodes (MTLNs) is a common finding. The primary aim of the current study was to determine the aetiology of these lesions. Furthermore, it was investigated how presence of lesions was correlated with age and grazing strategy of affected sheep. Results: Post-mortem examination revealed purulent or caseous lymphadenitis in the MTLNs of 49 out of 284 animals (17.3%). Subsequent microbiological examination revealed the presence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (34.7%), Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (34.7%), Staphylococcus aureus (8.2%), Enterococcus spp. (2.0%), Trueperella pyogenes (2.0%), and β-haemolytic strains of Escherichia coli (2.0%). Mycobacterium spp. and Rhodococcus equi were not detected. In older sheep, the probability of the presence of purulent or caseous lymphadenitis was higher than in younger, and the risk was increasing by 1.5% with each month of life. Sheep grazing locally had 4.5-times greater risk of having purulent or caseous lymphadenitis than individuals summer grazing in the mountains. Conclusion: The most common aetiological agents of purulent or caseous lymphadenitis in the MTLNs of sheep in the Małopolska region were C. pseudotuberculosis and S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis. Particular attention during post-mortem examination should be paid to the carcasses of older sheep and sheep grazing on permanent pastures, as they seem more prone to develop purulent or caseous lymphadenitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-sectional studies based on serological testing and questionnaires were conducted at 5-yr intervals (1996, 2002 and 2007) in goat breeding herds from Poland to determine true herd-level seroprevalence of caprine arthritis-encephalitis and the herd-level risk factors for seropositivity. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed for data from 1996 and the combined data from 2002 and 2007, separately. True herd-level seroprevalences in 1996, 2002 and 2007 were 30.8% (CI 95%: 20.5-41.0%), 65.7% and 71.9%, respectively. The import of goats from abroad was a risk factor only in 1996 (OR 13.6, CI 95%: 1.14-162). The presence of seropositive bucks in a herd was a risk factor in 1996 (OR 21, CI 95%: 1.89-233) and in 2002-2007 (OR 2.9, CI 95%: 1.04-8.4). Moreover, large herds (>30 does in 1996 or >100 does in 2002-2007) were more likely to be seropositive than smaller herds (OR = 10.1, CI 95%: 2.17-46 in 1996 and OR 5.4, CI 95%: 1.11-26 in 2002-2007). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In 2007 a survey on herd-level seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in goats in Poland was carried out. Sera were collected from all 49 breeding goat herds, scattered over the entire country, with the vast majority of them located in the western, central and northern provinces. Only adult females (≥12 months of age) were included in the study. A herd was recorded as infected if at least one seropositive female was detected. In each herd, simple random sampling was applied and sample size was determined in a way, which allowed to evaluate serological status of a herd at expected individual-level seroprevalence 10% and level of confidence 95%. In total, 1060 sera were tested using two commercial indirect ELISA kits. Sera positive to N. caninum were subsequently confirmed with IFAT. The true herd-level seroprevalence was 100% for T. gondii and 9.0% for N. caninum infection. Three herds positive to T. gondii infection were randomly selected and all adult goats were tested with an ELISA. Individual-level true seroprevalence in these herds ranged from 30.2% to 100%. This is the first time that antibodies to N. caninum have been detected in goats in Poland. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Simple Summary: Caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) is one of the most important and devastating viral diseases of small ruminants in developed countries. The disease spreads easily from one goat to another, and neither curative therapy nor preventive vaccinations exist to break the chain of infections. Hence, the only way to suppress the epidemic in a herd is to identify and cull infected goats. However, it is both costly and cruel as most of them remain apparently healthy for many months or even years, yet they constantly shed the virus. Therefore, many farmers decide to wean kids away from their infected mothers as soon as they are born and keep them in separation, feeding them on bovine or artificial colostrum and milk. Even though this approach is quite effective, it may be recommended only if it has no negative impact on kids' development. Therefore, we conducted the study which compared the development of kids weaned immediately after birth and kids kept with mothers. We showed that early weaning did not seem to have any detrimental effect on kids' health. On this basis, we conclude that this procedure may be an advisable alternative for those farmers who cannot afford to implement radical eradication program in their herds. A longitudinal study was carried out to investigate the influence of two different rearing systems of young kids on their development to sexual maturity. Kids born to small ruminant lentiviruses-infected (SRLV) female goats were split into two groups: the immediately-after-birth weaned group and the unweaned group. Kids' body weight (BWT) was measured before the first consumption of colostrum, and then at the age of one week, and one, two, four, and seven months. The relationship between the rearing system and BWT at each age was investigated using mixed linear models adjusted for potential confounders. The mean BWT of kids of the immediately-after-birth weaned group was significantly lower at the age of one week, one month, and two months, and then the difference became insignificant. The mean daily body weight gain (DWG) was significantly lower in the immediately-after-birth weaned group during the whole first month of life, but then DWG in both groups became equal. Crude mortality rate did not differ significantly between groups. This study shows that weaning kids immediately after birth does not appear to have any negative impact on kids' development except transient growth retardation, which is fully compensated until they reach sexual maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]