-The objectives of the work described in this paper were: (i) to study the outcome of challenging ewes with Mannheimia haemolytica, at different sites of their teats, (ii) to compare the effects of two different isolates of the organism and (iii) to describe the features of the resulting lesions. Thirty-two ewes were used in the study and allocated into one of two groups (A or B, n = 16); they were challenged with one of two isolates of M. haemolytica, respectively, strain ES26L of known pathogenicity or strain VSM08L from the teat duct of a healthy ewe. Each group was further divided into four equal subgroups: the ewes in the A1/B1 subgroups were intramammarily challenged; one teat of the ewes in the A2/B2 subgroups was immersed into a broth-culture of the organisms; one teat of the ewes in the A3/B3 subgroups was inoculated 2 mm-deep, whilst one teat of the ewes in the A4/B4 subgroups was inoculated 6 mm-deep. The animals were monitored clinically, bacteriologically and cytologically before and after challenge; one animal in each subgroup was euthanised 2, 4, 7 and 11 days after challenge. All ewes in the A1/B1 subgroups developed clinical mastitis, whilst of the other animals, only one ewe in each of the A4/B4 subgroups did. Neither of the two strains used was associated with more positive bacteriological or CMT results; the A2/B2 subgroups were associated with less positive results than the A3/B3 and A4/B4 subgroups. In some ewes of the A2/B2 subgroups, mild leucocytic infiltration in the teat was evident; in the ewes of the A3/B3 subgroups, leucocytic infiltration (neutrophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells) was seen, as well as a lymphoid hyperplasia at the border between the teat duct and teat cistern; in ewes of the A4/B4 subgroups, intense subepithelial leucocytic infiltration was the salient feature. No differences were found in the severity of lesions between the two strains used or the three treatments carried out. Although strain VSM08L had been isolated from the teat duct of a healthy ewe, it caused mastitis when inoculated intramammarily; although strain ES26L is of known pathogenicity for the mammary gland, it did not cause clinical mastitis when deposited 2 mm-deep into the teat. These findings point to a protective role of the teat of ewes, which appear to limit bacterial penetration from the teat duct or cistern to the mammary gland. The lymphoid tissue, at the border between the teat duct -teat cistern, may play a significant protective role.

SummaryThe present study was performed to investigate the clinical impact and certain virological and haematological parameters following immunization of cattle against lumpy skin disease (LSD). The study was conducted in a dairy cattle farm (215 animals), immunized with a Neethling strain-based live vaccine. Twenty-seven animals (14 lactating cows, four dry cows and nine calves) were randomly selected for repetitive blood and saliva samplings. An EvaGreen-based real-time PCR was designed to differentiate vaccine from field LSDVs. Vaccinated animals underwent examination for adverse reactions. Nodule samples were collected from two representative cases for histopathological testing and virus identification. Milk yield was calculated based on bulk-tank measurements of all lactating cows (79). Viral DNA was detected between days 6-15 post-vaccination (p.v.) at 63% of the sampled animals (17/27). Saliva and bulk-tank milk samples were LSDV-negative. Pronounced swelling was observed at injection sites of 12% of the immunized animals (26/215), starting at day 6 p.v., and was resolved after 2-4 days. Small-sized (<0.5 cm) cutaneous lumps were developed between days 8-18 p.v. at 9% of the vaccinated animals (19/215). These were observed in adult cows and not in calves/heifers.Resolution was observable 10 days post-development. The vaccine virus was also identified in nodules and injection-site aspirates. Haematological changes (e.g., lower leucocyte counts) were observed in cows and not in calves. Daily milk production was being reduced during the first 12 days p.v. LSD immunization of cows resulted in nodules and low viraemia levels. The fact that nodules and haematological changes were not observed in calves, along with the low viraemia, supports the reduced virulence of the Neethling vaccine strain. The characteristic nodules in vaccinated animals could allow clinical differentiation from those observed in LSD. The developed real-time PCR efficiently differentiates infected from vaccinated cattle, and should be further validated as a tool in LSD surveillance. † The first two authors contributed equally to this work.

During the summer of 2010, an outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infections attributed to a lineage 2 WNV strain was reported among humans and horses in Central Macedonia, Northern Greece. Here, the clinical and laboratory investigation of horses that showed severe neurological signs due to WNV infection is being described. Specifically, between August and September 2010, 17 horses with neurological signs were detected. WNV infection was confirmed in all 17 clinical cases by applying laboratory testing. The duration of WNV-specific IgM antibodies in sera obtained from seven of the clinically affected horses was relatively short (10-60 days; mean 44 days). In the regional unit of Thessaloniki, (i) seroprevalence of WNV and fatality rate in horses were high (33% and 30%, respectively), and (ii) the ratio of neurological manifestations-to-infections for this virus strain was high (19%). These observations indicate that the strain responsible for the massive human epidemic of 2010 in Greece was also highly pathogenic for horses. This is the first time that WNV infection has been documented in horses with clinical manifestations in Greece. WNV infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of horses with encephalitis in Greece.

Background: Canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorders of still largely unknown etiology. Canine IBD diagnosis is time-consuming and costly as other diseases with similar signs should be initially excluded. In human IBD microRNA (miR) expression changes have been reported in GI mucosa and blood. Thus, there is a possibility that miRs may provide insight into disease pathogenesis, diagnosis and even treatment of canine IBD. The aim of this study was to determine the colonic mucosal and serum relative expression of a miRs panel in dogs with large intestinal IBD and healthy control dogs. Results: Compared to healthy control dogs, dogs with large intestinal IBD showed significantly increased relative expression of miR-16, miR-21, miR-122 and miR-147 in the colonic mucosa and serum, while the relative expression of miR-185, miR-192 and miR-223 was significantly decreased. Relative expression of miR-146a was significantly increased only in the serum of dogs with large intestinal IBD. Furthermore, serum miR-192 and miR-223 relative expression correlated to disease activity and endoscopic score, respectively. Conclusion: Our data suggest the existence of dysregulated miRs expression patterns in canine IBD and support the potential future use of serum miRs as useful noninvasive biomarkers.

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This report describes an outbreak of avian mycobacteriosis in a flock of 100 two-yr-old pigeons. Over a 6-mo period, the sick pigeons showed cachexia followed by death. In Columbiformes classic tubercles rarely develop, but in these affected pigeons granulomatous nodular lesions of various sizes, containing numerous acid-fast bacilli, were found in the internal organs. The lesions were observed in the liver, spleen, intestine, bone marrow, ovary, and oviduct. Despite their breeding age, atrophy was also found in the ovary and oviduct. Microorganisms belonging to Mycobacterium avium complex were identified in the affected tissues by polymerase chain reaction.