Vaccination Of Animals Research Articles

Meningococcal vaccine 4CMenB elicits a robust cellular immune response that targets but is not consistently protective against Neisseria gonorrhoeae during murine vaginal infection.

Retrospective epidemiological studies suggest that the licensed serogroup B meningococcal vaccine 4CMenB (Bexsero) provides some protection against the closely related pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae in humans. This result has been replicated in murine models of gonococcal colonization, with a gonococci-reactive humoral response and more rapid clearance of vaginal infection. However, immunization with 4CMenB consistently elicits a robust humoral response but does not protect all individuals; hence, the correlates of protection remain undefined. Herein, we exploit the fact that 4CMenB promotes gonococcal clearance in only a subset of immunized mice to perform a broad analysis of the adaptive response in animals that are or are not protected. We observe that 4CMenB vaccination induces high levels of anti-neisserial antibodies in both serum and the vaginal lumen, and a robust cellular response highlighted by an increase in both conventional naïve and memory populations as well as unconventional lymphocyte subsets. Multiplex and flow cytometry results show that 4CMenB vaccination generates a robust, multi-faceted cytokine response that spans numerous T cell subsets (TH1, TH2, Treg, and TH17) and that non-T non-B lymphocytes play an important role in this response, as indicated by an unbiased principal component analysis. Together, this work provides the first comprehensive analysis of the robust humoral and complex cellular response to 4CMenB so as to reveal the effector mechanisms that may contribute to immunity against vaginal gonococcal infection.IMPORTANCEGonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection caused by the human-specific pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo), is a growing public health concern due to its rise in prevalence and increasing antibiotic resistance against first-line agents. There is currently no vaccine available for this important bacterium due, in part, to our lack of understanding of immune correlates of protection. Interestingly, a human-approved vaccine (4CMenB; Bexsero) against a related pathogen (N. meningitidis; a cause of meningitis) has demonstrated some protection against gonorrhea in epidemiologic studies. Herein, we provide the first detailed analysis of cellular and antibody-mediated immune responses to this vaccine in animals protected against gonococcal colonization. These findings provide new understanding regarding immune correlates of protection against N. gonorrhoeae, providing new insight into immune protection and helping guide the development of a much-needed vaccine.

Gene Editing in Ganoderma lucidum: Development, Challenges, and Future Prospects

As an emerging and innovative technology, gene-editing technology has been widely applied in crop breeding, human disease treatment, animal model research, drug and vaccine development, and microbial engineering. We mainly introduce the development of gene-editing technology, the application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/Cas9 (CRISPR/Cas9) in Ganoderma lucidum breeding, the current challenges and optimization strategies in the use of gene-editing technology in Ganoderma breeding, as well as the current status of gene-editing technology in Ganoderma breeding. Finally, the future research directions and innovative strategies that gene editing may explore in Ganoderma breeding are prospects given the existing background, future research directions, and innovative strategies that gene editing may explore in Ganoderma breeding prospects.

Systematic review, Meta-analysis, and Pan-genome analytics predict the surging of Brucella melitensis by China and India-specific strains, elucidating the demand for enhanced preparedness.

Systematic review, Meta-analysis, and Pan-genome analytics predict the surging of Brucella melitensis by China and India-specific strains, elucidating the demand for enhanced preparedness.

New drugs for small animals in 2024

In 2024, three novel pharmaceutical agents for small animals were released on the German veterinary medicinal products market: the histamine H2-receptor antagonist ranitidine for the treatment of gastric ulcers, the alpha-2-adrenoceptor agonist tasipimidine for the relief of anxiety and the SGLT-2 inhibitor velagliflozin for the insulin-independent treatment of diabetes mellitus. No active substance was extended to other animal species. The following are new to the market for small animals: two active substances (amlodipine; fluralaner), each in a new dosage form, a new combination of active substances (neomycin sulphate + polymyxin B sulphate) and one active substance (trilostane) in two new dosage forms. There were no vaccines for small animals against new diseases and no new dosage forms. A new recombinant vaccine against Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus was approved.

A importância do diagnóstico precoce da leucemia viral felina

In recent years, felines have been gaining ground in Brazilian households. According to the IPB Pet Census, in 2021, there were 27.1 million cats in domestic homes. As a result, feline viral leukemia (FeLV) has become a major concern, as it is one of the most common causes of infection in cats and being associated with several clinical signs that compromise the quality and longevity of these animals' lives. For this reason, early detection of FeLV is essential, and is fundamental for making decisions regarding the immediate treatment of cats infected with the disease, as well as preventing and limiting the propagation of the infection. Knowing that vaccination and testing of animals has been reducing the number of cases of the disease, this paper seeks to inform about the importance of early FeLV diagnosis and how immediate treatment can provide the infected animal with a better quality of life, as well as reiterating the importance of testing and preventive measures against the disease.

Risk perception, seroprevalence, and real-time PCR detection of Brucella among pyretic patients and domestic animals in Kwara State, Nigeria

Brucellosis is a neglected, reportable, and under-reported zoonosis that poses a significant public health challenge in endemic countries like Nigeria. In this study, the risk perception was assessed and 103 pyretic patients from three local government areas of Kwara State, Nigeria were screened by using Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and confirmed the analytical sensitivity through real-time PCR (qPCR). We further screened 150 cattle and 52 goats from within a 1-km radius of pyretic patients to determine disease burden in domestic animal reservoirs. Our findings revealed that most of the farmers have heard of brucellosis (89.3%, n = 92/103) while 38.8% (n = 40/103) reported they could identify the symptoms of brucellosis in their herds. The most important risk factors were the consumption of raw milk (92.2%, n = 95/103) and animal abortion within the last year (19.4%, n = 20/103). Also, most study participants (94.2%, n = 97/103) did not believe that they could be infected with the disease. The seroprevalence of brucellosis in humans was 5.8% (n = 6/103) and there was 100% concordance between the results of the RBPT and qPCR in humans. The seroprevalence was 18% and 25% in cattle and goats respectively. The qPCR revealed a lower prevalence rate of 11.3% and 15.4% in cattle and goats respectively. There was high discordance in sensitivity between the RBPT and qPCR in animal samples screened, although both tests had an analytical specificity of 100%. There was no association between awareness and positivity for brucellosis among the study participants and none of the sociodemographic variables significantly influenced the brucellosis positivity rate of humans. Public health physicians and community health workers should consider brucellosis as a differential diagnosis when clerking pyretic patients. In addition, we advocate for mass animal vaccinations and public education with an emphasis on identified risks.

Brucellosis and associated risk factors, spatial distribution and cluster analysis: Case study in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran.

Brucellosis is a common zoonotic disease in Iran. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis and its affecting factors in Khorasan Razavi province, an endemic region in north-eastern Iran. In this descriptive-analytical study, the data of 15,334 brucellosis cases in Khorasan Razavi province from 2016 to 2022 were analyzed. Descriptive analysis and geographic information system (GIS)-based Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) were conducted to assess the demographic factors and spatial modeling of the study population. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used for intergroup comparisons. A latent class cluster analysis (LCCA) in R programming language (poLCA) was employed to identify clusters and better understand the factors affecting the disease. The results indicated that most of the brucellosis cases had been registered from 2020 to 2022 (26.5 %, 21.4 %, and 14.5 % of the total cases). The average incidence rate of brucellosis during the study period was 33.57 cases per 100,000 population. Over 84 % of the cases in clusters 1 and 3 (60.4 % of the whole study population) were males who often lived in rural areas. Only 29.3 % of the patients had a job related to livestock. These findings are consistent with the data on the consumption of unpasteurized dairy products and the history of animal vaccination. Brucellosis cannot be significantly controlled by merely focusing on people working in the livestock industry, highlighting the impact of herd vaccination, and promoting public awareness, especially among housewives and younger people. Meanwhile, proper handling and disposal of infected animals, regular quarantine and inspection of livestock, and sanitization of animal environments have been recommended.

Spatio-temporal analysis of human brucellosis distribution in Neyshabur, Iran from 2015 to 2022, a cross-sectional study.

Human brucellosis is a global endemic disease and a significant public health concern. This cross-sectional study aims to explore the characteristics of human brucellosis, as well as its spatial and temporal clustering. This cross-sectional study analyzed the population infected with human brucellosis in Neyshabur, Iran from 2015 to 2022. Data were obtained from the Neyshabur health center. Spatial analysis was conducted using Anselin Local Moran's I and Global Moran's I with ArcGIS 10.8.2. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 26. During the study period, a total of 4568 brucellosis patients were reported. The incidence of disease was higher in men with 55.37%. The majority of patients belonged to the 30 to 39-year-old age group. Temporal clustering analysis revealed a peak incidence between March and June. The highest incidence rates were observed in spring and summer, with 34.76% and 33.84% of cases, respectively. Spatial clustering analysis indicated a higher prevalence in the southern and southeast districts of Neyshabur. The results of Global Moran's I analysis indicated that the distribution of brucellosis was not clustered in Neyshabur (P-value > 0.05). The findings of this study highlight the importance of educational programs for mothers and animal vaccination strategies, particularly in the months leading up to the peak brucellosis season in high-incidence areas. Further research is needed to assess the coverage of livestock vaccination and its impact on human brucellosis rates.

Investigating animals and environments in contact with leptospirosis patients in Aotearoa New Zealand reveals complex exposure pathways

ABSTRACT Case history: Three human leptospirosis cases from a case-control study were recruited for in-contact animal and environment sampling and Leptospira testing between October 2020 and December 2021. These cases were selected because of regular exposure to livestock, pets, and/or wildlife, and sampling was carried out on their farms or lifestyle blocks (sites A–C), with veterinarians overseeing the process for livestock, and cases collecting environmental and wildlife samples. Laboratory findings: Across the three sites, a total of 137 cattle, > 40 sheep, 28 possums, six dogs, six rats, three pigs and three rabbits were tested. Herd serology results on Site A, a dairy farm, showed infection with Tarassovi and Pomona; urinary shedding showed Leptospira borgpetersenii str. Pacifica. Animals were vaccinated against Hardjo, Pomona and Copenhageni. The farmer was diagnosed with Ballum. On Site B, a beef and sheep farm, serology showed infection with Pomona; animals were not vaccinated, and the farmer was diagnosed with Hardjo. On Site C, cattle were shedding L. borgpetersenii; animals were not vaccinated, and the case’s serovar was indeterminate. Six wild animals associated with Sites A and C and one environmental sample from Site A were positive for pathogenic Leptospira by PCR. Conclusion: These findings highlight the complexity of potential exposures and the difficulty in identifying infection sources for human cases. This reinforces the need for multiple preventive measures such as animal vaccination, the use of personal protective equipment, pest control, and general awareness of leptospirosis to reduce infection risk in agricultural settings. Clinical relevance: Farms with unvaccinated livestock had Leptospira infections, highlighting the importance of animal vaccination. Infections amongst stock that were vaccinated emphasise the importance of best practice vaccination recommendations and pest control.

Guidelines for the vaccination of small animals - 6th edition

Vaccination is one of the most important measures for preventing infectious diseases. The basic immunization of puppies is particularly important, because the development of robust, active immunity in the young has a positive effect on the health and constitution of the entire later life. Maternal antibodies can seriously interfere with the success of the vaccination by neutralizing the administered vaccine antigen - especially with live vaccines. The higher the levels of these antibodies, the longer they may prevent successful induction of active immunity. The level of these antibodies is usually unknown. Therefore, repeated vaccinations during the first months of life keep the time window, in which maternal antibodies have declined and no active immunity has been developed, as short as possible.In dogs, vaccinations against distemper, parvovirosis and leptospirosis are considered core vaccinations. The use of tetravalent leptospirosis vaccines is highly recommended. The attenuated live components against distemper and parvovirus should be administered to puppies in week 8, 12 and 16. Since the leptospirosis component is inactivated and is as much affected by maternal antibodies, it is sufficient to administer the leptospirosis vaccination in week 8 and 12. A vaccination against distemper, parvovirus and leptospirosis at the age of 15 months completes the basic immunization. In addition to the core components mentioned, vaccines against pathogens of the Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) (formerly: kennel cough complex), against canine herpes viruses, dermatophytoses, Lyme borreliosis and Leishmaniasis are approved for dogs. The use of these vaccines can be highly advisable depending on the individual risk of infection. For cats, vaccinations against panleukopenia and against feline herpes- and caliciviruses are considered core vaccinations. Kittens should be vaccinated against all three components in week 8, 12 and 16. A vaccination against all three components at 15 months of age completes the basic immunization. For cats, vaccinations against bordetella and chlamydia infections, against dermatophytoses and against infections with the feline leukemia virus are considered non-core. Immunization against feline infectious peritonitis is not recommended. Ferrets should be vaccinated against distemper. Rabies has been eradicated in Germany. The vaccination is therefore no longer considered a core vaccination. However, susceptible pets, i.e. dogs, cats and ferrets, that are moved within the EU or taken across the border to or from third countries must be vaccinated against rabies. Rabbits should be vaccinated against myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease.

The use of vaccines for the prevention and treatment of dermatomycosis in small domestic animals (retrospective analysis)

The authors present information about the effective of the use of local national vaccines against microsporia and trichophytia of dogs and cats for therapeutic and preventive purposes. The research work was carried out on base of the veterinary clinic «Vettal» in Moscow from 2013 to 2023. During the analyzed period veterinarians carried out 2,065 animal vaccinations against microsporia and trichophytia. Of these 1,263 dogs and cats were vaccinated for preventive purposes and 802 animals were vaccinated for therapeutic purposes, which are overwhelmingly represented by cats. The diagnosis of dermatomycosis was established on the basis of examination, laboratory and instrumental diagnostics. The phase contrast method microscopy was used for pathological material for the convenience of identifying pathogens of fungal diseases. For therapeutic purposes vaccination was carried out 2 or 3 times. The intervals between administration of the drugs were 10- 14 days. The evaluation criteria recovered animals were: absence of clinical manifestations on the body, negative luminescent diagnosis, repeated mycological sowing on nutrient media without growth of the pathogen. According to the results of the analysis, the authors found that after 2-fold vaccination of animals diagnosed with microsporia/trichophytia, recovery occurred in 66.32% of sick cats and 87.27% of sick dogs; after 3-fold vaccination, recovery occurred in 84.71% of cats and 95.45% of dogs. According to the results of a survey of doctors with more than ten years of experience and accounting documents, 100% effectiveness of preventive vaccination of cats and dogs with domestic antifungal vaccines has been established, subject to compliance with the vaccination regime. Thus carrying out preventive and curative vaccinations in dogs and cats with local national specialized vaccines against microsporia and trichophytia is a highly effective and safe method of combating eooanthroponous dermatomycosis.

Development and Validation of Rabies Health Education Module (RaHEM) for Dog Owners in Kelantan, Malaysia: An ADDIE Model

BackgroundRabies is a preventable yet deadly public health threat. Despite the availability of effective vaccines for both humans and animals, the persistence of rabies-related fatalities underscores the need for enhanced public education strategies. This study aimed to develop and validate a Rabies Health Education Module delivered via a Massive Open Online Course, targeting adult dog owners in Kelantan, Malaysia.MethodsThe development of RaHEM followed the ADDIE framework. A comprehensive analysis was conducted through literature reviews, cross-sectional surveys, and stakeholder interviews. The module’s content was designed and developed based on the Modified Health Belief Model and Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. Validation was performed by a panel of six experts and ten dog owners through content and face validity indices, respectively.ResultsThe module was organized into five core topics, each addressing specific aspects of rabies prevention. Content validity indices for all topics exceeded the acceptable threshold of 0.83, with an overall module CVI of 0.91 for relevance and 0.88 for clarity. Face validity indices also surpassed the 0.83 threshold, with overall module FVI scores of 1.00 for understandability and 0.99 for clarity.ConclusionThe RaHEM MOOC was successfully developed and thoroughly validated, ensuring it met its intended objectives and was suitable for the target audience. This educational module offers a promising approach to enhancing rabies prevention through accessible and engaging online education, potentially contributing to reduced rabies transmission and fatalities. Further studies are recommended to evaluate the module’s effectiveness in improving rabies knowledge and attitudes.

A systematic review of One Health perspective on the use of antimicrobials in Nigeria

Abstract Background and aim: Nigeria, being the most populous country in Africa, faces a significant burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This article aims to highlight the need for all sectors in One Health, including human and animal health, to work together in reducing the misuse of antimicrobials in Nigeria. Methodology: Past and present articles were systematically searched on electronic databases such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and PubMed within 10 years (2013–2023). Rayyan software was used for screening the articles. After the first screening, 100 (n = 100) articles met our inclusion criteria, while 63 articles were excluded. A total of 37 articles that met the objectives of this study were finally used. Results: There is irrational use of antimicrobials in Nigeria. A high prevalence of AMR was found in Nigeria. Results of a national survey of public awareness of AMR in Nigeria showed that about one-third of the general public uses antibiotics without a prescription. Poor knowledge, attitude, and practice of One Health towards AMR were found in most parts of Nigeria. Conclusion: To avert the escalation of AMR to critical levels within Nigeria, the Nigerian government and the general public need to work together in the spirit of self-reliance and honesty to take prompt, decisive, and substantive actions towards AMR control in Nigeria. One Health impact statement Combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has always involved the need for a One Health approach. This article aims to highlight the need for all sectors in One Health, including human and animal health, to work together in reducing the misuse of antimicrobials in Nigeria. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in 2017, launched a plan that utilizes a One Health approach in solving AMR. The plan included surveillance of antimicrobial use in One Health sector, scaling up vaccination in both humans and animals and improving the capacity of regulatory agencies across One Health sector (Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 2017 ). Though enforcement of these plans in Nigeria is still underway, Nigeria is still plagued with AMR as it received a score of 2.4 out of 5 in a recent evaluation (Abujah, 2023 ). This review aims to reiterate the importance of a One Health approach and highlights the progress of AMR eradication in Nigeria.

Embracing the One Health Paradigm for Public Health Transformation

The One Health approach recognizes the deep connections between human, animal, and environmental health. It provides a powerful framework for addressing global health challenges like zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and environmental changes. By integrating efforts across disciplines, it has proven effective in reducing disease outbreaks, improving surveillance, and mitigating AMR. Examples like rabies control through animal and human vaccination demonstrate the potential of this collaborative model. The One Health paradigm is essential for addressing the interconnected health challenges of our time. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating knowledge across domains, and focusing on prevention, One Health offers a transformative approach to public health. Investing in One Health strategies including infrastructure development, policy reform, and research advancements is critical to building resilient systems that can prevent and respond to emerging threats, ensuring a healthier, sustainable future for all.

Brain, heart and lung weight in landrace pigs and their association with biochemical indicators

The genesis of internal organ systems is determined by a spectrum of various factors and characterizes the growth rate of animals, their constitution, resistance to diseases and the ability of animals to adapt to environmental conditions. An assessment of the absolute weight of the lungs, brain and heart of Landrace pigs of Irish selection was carried out. At the early stages of the technological cycle, a representative group of pigs was formed, taking into account their origin, sex, age, and live weight. The total number of animals was 12. The fattening of the animals took place in a large pig-breeding farm in the Altai Territory, where standard living conditions were provided according to the standards of meat fattening of animals. Vaccination of animals was carried out in accordance with the preventive plan, and systematic veterinary control was provided. At the end of the technological cycle, when the live weight reached 100 kg, slaughter was carried out on the basis of the current technological instructions. The absolute mass of organs without surrounding structures was determined by weighing on scales with a high accuracy class. The obtained data were evaluated using Microsoft Office Excel and the R programming language in the data analysis environment RStudio version 2022.07.2+576 (RStudio, PBC). Visual assessment showed the absence of pathoanatomic changes in organs. In all cases, based on the ShapiroWilk test, a normal distribution was established. In pigs, the median absolute lung weight was 447.8 g, brain – 81.6 g, for the heart – 33.8 g; 95% confidence interval for the lungs – 245,56 525,85 g, for the brain 45,33–98,42 g, for the heart – 190,21–404,49 g. The article provides indicators of variability of the trait in question. The interbreed differentiation of pigs by lung and heart weight has been established.

Comparative evaluation of protective efficacy of experimental inactivated vaccines against haemorrhagic septicaemia.

Developing an effective vaccine for haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) in cattle and buffaloes is urgently needed. While preferred for their safety, achieving sufficient, cross-protective, and long-lasting immunity is still challenging when administering inactivated vaccines. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of four inactivating components comprising three inactivating agents: (1) Binary ethylenimine (BEI), (2) Formalin, (3) a combination of BEI and Formalin, and (4) Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), in inactivating Pasteurella multocida to enhance HS vaccine potency. H2O2 demonstrated the fastest inactivation kinetics, killing Pasteurella multocida within a few minutes. The combination of BEI and Formalin showed relatively rapid inactivation compared to Formalin or BEI alone. BEI, known for targeting nucleic acids with minimal impact on protein integrity, showed promise but required higher concentrations (8 mM) and a longer duration (16h) for complete inactivation. Based on the inactivation kinetics, 8 mM BEI, 0.1% Formalin, 8 mM BEI + 0.1% Formalin, and 1% H2O2 were chosen for the experimental vaccine formulations. The inactivated Pasteurella multocida were adjuvanted with Montanide ISA-201 oil adjuvant and evaluated in mice model. All vaccine formulations elicited protective responses of over 6.5 log10 units, indicating the high potency of the vaccine formulations. Notably, the vaccine prepared with an H2O2 inactivating agent elicited protection of > 8 log10 units. Our study concludes that H2O2, with its rapid inactivation kinetics and safety profile, presents a promising alternative inactivating agent for HS vaccine development. Future studies should evaluate the protective efficacy of H2O2-inactivated vaccines in target animals.

Pengaruh Vaksinasi Pada Anjing Terhadap Tingkat Penularan Rabies Menggunakan Pemodelan Dinamik

Rabies is a disease that attacks the central nervous system (brain) caused by the rabies virus. Rabies is the most frightening infectious disease in the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) where two people in TTU district were reported to have died from the Rabies virus due to being exposed to GHPR. This research was conducted to see the effect of vaccination on dogs on the rate of rabies transmission. The method used is to first create a mathematical model of rabies transmission by adding vaccination variables, then conducting numerical analysis and simulation. The model formed is . This model is formed to see the effect of vaccination in animals on the transmission of rabies in humans. This model has two equilibrium points, namely a disease-free equilibrium point with the results of the analysis of its stability conditions being locally asymptotically stable when and a disease-endemic equilibrium point with its stability conditions being unstable when . This means that rabies will disappear within a certain period of time. Numeric simulation was performed to support the analysis results using MAPLE software. The simulation results show that in more than 120 days rabies will disappear. Vaccination has a significant impact on the transmission of rabies, that is, the greater the rate of vaccination, the faster it will stop the transmission of rabies. Keywords: Dynamic Model, Rabies Transmission, Rabies Vaccine

Archival and Newly Isolated Historical Bacillus anthracis Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) Clade.

The anthrax pathogen Bacillus anthracis can remain dormant as spores in soil for many years. This applies to both natural foci and to sites of anthropogenic activity such as tanneries, abattoirs, or wool factories. The A.Br.075 (A-branch) clade (also known as A.Br.Sterne) is prominent not only because it comprises several outbreak strains but even more so because spore preparations of its namesake, the Sterne strain, are counted among the most utilized anthrax animal vaccines. In this study, we genome-sequenced and analyzed 56 additional B. anthracis isolates of the A.Br.075 clade. Four of these we recently retrieved from soil samples taken from a decades-long abandoned tannery. The other 52 strains originated from our archival collection from the 20th century. Notably, the extended phylogeny of the A.Br.075 clade indicated that many of the newly added chromosomes represent basal members, some of which are among the most basal strains from this lineage. Twelve new strains populate a very deep-branching lineage we have named A.Br.Ortho-Sterne (also known as A.Br.076). A further 11 isolates amend the clade named A.Br.Para-Sterne (A.Br.078). Finally, some of the terminal clusters of the clade named A.Br.Eu-Sterne appear to be replete with (near) identical isolates, possibly a result of widespread use of the Sterne vaccine and of its re-isolation from vaccination-related animal anthrax outbreaks. From the accrued new phylogenetic information, we designed and tested a variety of new SNP-PCR assays for rapid and facile genotyping of unassigned B. anthracis genomes. Lastly, the successful isolation of live B. anthracis from a long-abandoned tannery reemphasizes the need for continued risk awareness of such sites.

Immune responses of cattle vaccinated by various routes with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)

BackgroundMycobacterium bovis BCG is the human tuberculosis vaccine and is the oldest vaccine still in use today with over 4 billion people vaccinated since 1921. The BCG vaccine has also been investigated experimentally in cattle and wildlife by various routes including oral and parenteral. Thus far, oral vaccination studies of cattle have involved liquid BCG or liquid BCG incorporated into a lipid matrix. Lyophilization is an established technique used for stabilizing bioproducts such as vaccines.MethodsIn the current study, cattle were vaccinated in two phases. In each phase, cattle were divided into three groups. Group 1 received BCG injected SQ, Group 2 received liquid BCG delivered to the posterior oral cavity, Group 3 orally consumed lyophilized BCG contained within a gelatin capsule placed within a small amount of a commercial alfalfa product.ResultsNo vaccinated cattle were positive by an interferon gamma release assay. All but 4 animals were negative by tuberculin skin testing prior to vaccination: the 4 non-negative animals being categorized as suspects. Sixteen weeks post-vaccination all but 1 animal was negative, it being categorized as a suspect. An in vitro antigen stimulation assay and flow cytometry were used to detect antigen-specific CD4, CD8 and γδ T cell responses following vaccination. Oral vaccination of animals with lyophilized BCG did not result in any increases in the frequency of CD4, CD8 or γδ T cell proliferative or IFN-γ responses at any of the time points analyzed in either phase 1 or 2. In contrast, vaccination with BCG SQ and liquid BCG delivered to the posterior pharynx, resulted in an increase in the frequency of proliferating and IFN-γ-producing CD4 T cells with peak responses at 9–12 weeks post-vaccination. Similar to oral lyophilized BCG vaccinated animals, we did not observe any significant increases in the frequency of CD8 and γδ T cell proliferative and IFN-γ responses following SQ or oral liquid vaccinated animals.ConclusionsThese data would suggest that vaccination with oral lyophilized BCG does not induce a measurable, antigen-specific cell mediated responses in the periphery, when compared to BCG administered SQ or liquid BCG administered via the oral route. However, vaccination with either SQ or liquid BCG delivered to the posterior pharynx does induce measurable CD4 T cell responses in the periphery.

Deep Learning based Individual Cattle Face Recognition using Data Augmentation and Transfer Learning

Accurate identification of cattle is essential for monitoring ownership, controlling production supply, preventing disease, and ensuring animal welfare. Despite the widespread use of ear tag-based techniques in livestock farm management, large-scale farms encounter challenges in identifying individual cattle. The process of identifying individual animals can be hindered by ear tags that fall off, and the ability to identify them over a long period of time becomes impossible when tags are missing. A dataset was generated by capturing images of cattle in their native environment to tackle this issue. The dataset was divided into three segments: training, validation, and testing. The dataset consisted of 15 000 records, each pertaining to a distinct bovine specimen from a total of 30 different cattle. To identify specific cattle faces in this study, deep learning algorithms such as InceptionResNetV2, MobileNetV2, DenseNet201, Xception, and NasNetLarge were utilized. The DenseNet201 algorithm attained a peak test accuracy of 99.53% and a validation accuracy of 99.83%. Additionally, this study introduces a novel approach that integrates advanced image processing techniques with deep learning, providing a robust framework that can potentially be applied to other domains of animal identification, thus enhancing overall farm management and biosecurity.