This study aimed to provide information regarding viral pathogenesis and molecular epidemiology linked with recently reported atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) strains and to determine the circulation of APPV in Spain from 1997 to 2016. Two-day-old piglets with moderate-severe congenital tremor (CT) from a Spanish farm were received for diagnostic purposes. Sera, nasal and rectal swabs and tissue samples were collected. qRT-PCR was performed in these samples, and a retrospective study to detect APPV RNA was carried out using a serum collection from 1997 to 2016. APPV genome was identified with high and moderate RNA loads in different tissues of the CT affected pigs. High APPV RNA load was detected in lymphoid organs, suggesting that these constitute a target for APPV replication. In 89 of the 642 retrospectively analysed samples (13.9%), APPV genome was detected. CT cases were related to the presence of APPV in viraemic piglets below 1 week of age, in which the viral RNA load was the highest. A considerable number of animals between 4 and 14 weeks of age and some 1-week-old piglets were viraemic in the absence of CT, which can act as carriers of the virus. The relative risk of APPV and CT was 8.5 (CI 95% 5.8-12.5). Thus, our data show that APPV infection is epidemiologically related to CT. Phylogenetic analysis from 1615 NS2-3 nucleotides showed only one defined APPV clade, grouping the most phylogenetically related strains from Europe and China. Of this clade, there are other strains from Europe, USA and China. This data confirm the high APPV genetic diversity, not being able to cluster this virus according to the geographic area. Our result showed that APPV has been circulating in Spain at least since 1997, being the earliest date of detection of this virus worldwide and suggesting that APPV may be widespread.
Tuberculosis (TB) in animals is a re-emerging disease with a wide range of hosts that causes large economic losses in livestock. Goats are particularly susceptible to TB and, in endemic areas, vaccination may be a valuable measure to control the disease. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of parenteral vaccination of goats with a heat-inactivated Mycobacterium bovis (HIMB) vaccine, and compare it to M. bovis Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine. Twenty-four goat kids were divided in 3 groups as following: HIMB vaccinated group (n = 8), BCG vaccinated group (n = 8) and unvaccinated group (n = 8). Afterwards, goats were experimentally challenged with Mycobacterium caprae by the endobronchial route. Antigen specific interferon-γ release assays and serology were performed after vaccination and challenge. Pathological and bacteriological parameters were evaluated after necropsy at 9 weeks post-challenge (p.c.). HIMB vaccine showed similar levels of protection to BCG in terms of volume reduction of thoracic TB lesions, presence of extra-pulmonary lesions, as well as a slight reduction of bacterial load in pulmonary lymph nodes. Moreover, HIMB vaccine did not induce interferences on the interferon-γ release assay based on reagents previously developed to differentiate infected from BCG vaccinated individuals. The results indicate that HIMB is a suitable vaccine candidate for further larger-scale trials under field conditions in goats.
The causes of cetacean stranding and death along the Catalan coast between 2012 and 2019 were systematically investigated. Necropsies and detailed pathological investigations were performed on 89 well-preserved stranded cetaceans, including 72 striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba, 9 Risso’s dolphins Grampus griseus, 5 bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus, 1 common dolphin Delphinus delphis, 1 Cuvier’s beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris and 1 fin whale Balaenoptera physalus. The cause of death was determined for 89.9% of the stranded cetaceans. Fisheries interaction was the most frequent cause of death in striped dolphins (27.8%) and bottlenose dolphins (60%). Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) was detected on the Catalan coast from 2016 to 2017, causing systemic disease and death in 8 of the 72 (11.1%) striped dolphins. Chronic CeMV infection of the central nervous system was observed from 2018-2019 in a further 5 striped dolphins. Thus, acute and chronic CeMV disease caused mortality in 18% of striped dolphins and 14.6% of all 89 cetaceans. Brucella ceti was isolated in 6 striped dolphins and 1 bottlenose dolphin with typical brucellosis lesions and in 1 striped dolphin with systemic CeMV. Sinusitis due to severe infestation by the nematode parasite Crassicauda grampicola caused the death of 4 out of 6 adult Risso’s dolphins. Maternal separation, in some cases complicated with septicemia, was a frequent cause of death in 13 of 14 calves. Other less common causes of death were encephalomalacia of unknown origin, septicemia, peritonitis due to gastric perforation by parasites and hepatitis caused by Sarcocystis spp.
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