Disease Of Sheep Research Articles

Generation and Characterisation of Monoclonal Antibodies against Nairobi Sheep Disease Virus Nucleoprotein.

Nairobi sheep disease (NSD), caused by the viral agent NSD virus (NSDV), is a haemorrhagic fever disease affecting and inducing high mortality in sheep and goat populations. NSDV belongs to the genus Orthonairovirus of the Nairoviridae family from the order Bunyavirales. Other viruses circulating in livestock such as Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) and Dugbe virus (DUGV) are members of the same genus and are reported to share antigenic features. There are very few available materials to study NSDV infection both in vitro and in vivo. In the present work, we characterised two monoclonal antibodies generated in mice that recognise NSDV specifically but not CCHFV or DUGV, along with a potential use to define virus-infected cells, using flow cytometry. We believe this tool can be useful for research, but also NSDV diagnostics, especially through immunological staining.

Changes in m6A RNA methylation of goat lung following PPRV infection

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, highly contagious viral disease of goats and sheep, caused by the Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV). Earlier studies suggest the involvement of diverse regulatory mechanisms in PPRV infection. Methylation at N6 of Adenosine called m6A is a type RNA modification that influences various physiological and pathological phenomena. As the lung tissue represents the primary target organ of PPRV, the present study explored the m6A changes and their functional significance in PPRV disease pathogenesis. m6A-seq analysis revealed 1289 m6A peaks to be significantly altered in PPRV infected lung in comparison to normal lung, out of which 975 m6A peaks were hypomethylated and 314 peaks were hypermethylated. Importantly, hypomethylated genes were enriched in Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-13 signaling and various processes associated with extracellular matrix organization. Further, of the 843 differentially m6A-containing cellular transcripts, 282 transcripts were also found to be differentially expressed. Functional analysis revealed that these 282 transcripts are significantly enriched in signaling by Interleukins, extracellular matrix organization, cytokine signaling in the immune system, signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases, and Toll-like Receptor Cascades. We also found m6A reader HNRNPC and the core component of methyltransferase complex METTL14 to be highly upregulated than the m6A readers – HNRNPA2B1 and YTHDF1 at the transcriptome level. These findings suggest that alteration in the m6A landscape following PPRV is implicated in diverse processes including Interleukin signaling.

Identification of Blood Protozoa Infestation Transmitted by Vector Tikes among Awassi Sheep Herds in Kifri City, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Blood protozoan disease is a common disease among animals in the Kifri city, Kurdistan region of Iraq that this disease is mostly transmitted by ticks. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the level of blood protozoan and to identify vector ticks in the native breed sheep (Awassi sheep) in Kifri city. For this purpose, blood samples were taken from 150 sheep suspected suffering from protozoan infection according to their clinical symptoms. In the present study, we prepared blood slides from suspected sheep and stained with Giemsa staining, and then at the same time, hard ticks were collected from the sheep’s body. Then, the protozoan type was diagnosed and the vector tick species were identified by microscopically. The obtained results were statistically analyzed by the chi-square test. The results showed that 35 (23.33%) of that samples were infected with Babesia protozoa as 25 samples (16.66%) were infected with Babesia ovis, seven samples (4.66%) with Babesia mutasi, and three samples (2%) with B. ovis and B. mutasi. No infestation with Theileria and Anaplasma species was found. Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, Dermacentor, and Haemaphysalis ticks were isolated and identified from the studied sheep. The results showed that the presence of the Rhipicephalus bursa tick is significantly (P < 0.05) related to the existence of Babesiosis disease in sheep. This study concluded that most of the studied sheep in Kifri city are infected with Babesia protozoa, especially B. ovis.

Caseous lymphadenitis: A case of sheep and its management in Ethiopia

Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) is a contagious and chronic bacterial disease of animals that affects the lymphatic system with the formation of abscesses. This case report documents a sheep diagnosed with CLA that was brought to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Addis Ababa University College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture (AAU-CVMA), Bishoftu on March 06/2022. The primary complaint was weakness, anorexia, and a slight, fluctuating, sickleshaped, enlarged swelling in the neck region between the ear and jaws, which developed due to a laceration by a wire on the fence. Physical and clinical examination revealed increased body temperature (40.7oC) and respiratory rate (44 breaths/min) and mildly fluctuating swelling on lymph nodes. Anorexia, coughing, general ill thrift, exercise intolerance, and enlargement of subcutaneous tissues and lymph nodes around the neck region were observed. Aspiration of the swelling revealed thick, pale greenish-cheesy pus. Using the Ethiopian Differential Diagnosis and Information Environment App-based diagnosis and bacterial culture of the pus revealed the case as CLA. It was managed by surgical removal of the pus, topical wound spray, and systemic administration of fortified procaine penicillin for five days intramuscular and once topically on the site, respectively. The sheep recovered after a month. In conclusion, CLA is a challenging suppurative disease of sheep and goats that can be successfully treated by topical wound management and systemic penicillin therapy.

Partipatory disease surveilance in Fentale & Adama Districts of East Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State

Livestock play a major role in the livelihoods of over 70% of the population. Small ruminants provide with a vast range of products and services, including milk, meat, skins, and wool throughout the year. Diseases of small ruminants are one of the common problems that hinder production. One is Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), or small ruminant plague, is a viral disease primarily affecting goats and sheep. The objectives of the study were to prioritize the major diseases of sheep and goat in selected districts of oromia Regional state based on producer’s perception in participatory manner and to understand the status of PPR through PDS technique to enlighten further epidemiological study and future control endeavor. Two districts were selected from the zone (Fentale and Adama) and the selection of the PAs (the lowest administrative level in Ethiopia) in each district was determined in discussion with the district livestock offices. A PDS team from Asella Regional Veterinary Laboratory was deployed to field and collected, reviewed of secondary data and participatory disease search at the zone. Participatory epidemiology techniques like Semi structured interviewing, Ranking and scoring, participatory mapping, proportional pilling and semi-structured interview and seasonal disease calendars were utilized. The major livestock species raised in Fentale are cattle, Sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, camels and poultry and whereas, major livestock species rose in Adama are cattle, Goat, Sheep, donkeys, Horse, mules and poultry. In all district, disease is mentioned the major challenge to the production of small ruminant. A disease like PPR, Fasciolosis, Pasterolosis, footrot, Sheep and Goat pox were the main small ruminant disease mentioned.

SISTEM PAKAR DIAGNOSA PENYAKIT PADA DOMBA DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN METODE FUZZY MAMDANI

Abstract—The decreasing sheep population has raised serious concerns regarding its impact on both the livestock industry and export opportunities. One of the main factors contributing to this decline is the prevalence of diseases among sheep. These illnesses present a significant problem as they can lead to reduced meat production, animal fatalities, and economic losses. The limited knowledge among farmers regarding these diseases and sheep care makes it challenging to diagnose and treat the conditions effectively. To address this issue and aid farmers in easily diagnosing diseases, a web-based expert system utilizing the fuzzy Mamdani method was developed. The selection of the fuzzy Mamdani method was based on its ability to handle uncertainty in disease diagnosis, providing reasonably accurate results by evaluating symptoms, determining disease severity, and recommending appropriate treatments. Through the fuzzy Mamdani method and the web-based platform, this system offers convenient access for farmers to diagnose diseases in their sheep online. According to the analysis results, reproductive health disorders are the primary cause of the decline in the sheep population. Consequently, the expert system for diagnosing sheep diseases serves as an alternative for early prevention and suitable treatment. System testing indicates an accuracy rate of 80%, signifying the system's capability to provide reasonably accurate diagnoses. The main goal of this research is to support the livestock and fisheries department in Purwakarta in diagnosing sheep diseases, preventing epidemic outbreaks, and implementing proper measures to mitigate the negative impacts on the livestock industry while promoting sustainable growth of the sheep population

The Border Disease virus (BDV) prevalence and genetic typing in ruminant flocks in Turkey.

This study aims to update current data regarding Border Disease in sheep and goats, determine the first prevalence of BDV in cattle and identify its circulated genotype in Turkey. For this purpose, 100 sheep, 20 goats and 193 cattle aborted fetuses sent for diagnosis to Samsun Veterinary Control Institute between 2015 and 2017 were analyzed in terms of pestivirus by Ag‑ELISA, BDV by Real‑Time test (RT‑PCR) and Conventional RT‑PCR test. The rate of pestivirus positive animals was found at 50.26% (97/193) in cattle, 58% (58/100) in sheep and 55% (11/20) in goats by the pestivirus Ag‑ELISA test. Total of 58 Ag‑ELISA positive sheep were tested by Real‑Time RT‑PCR and conventional RT‑PCR tests. End of the tests, one sheep sample (1.72%) was found BDV positive by Real‑Time RT‑PCR test and three sheep (5.17%) and one cattle (1.03%) samples were detected as BDV positive by conventional RT‑PCR test. BDV positivity was not detected in goats in this research. All samples that were found positive by conventional RT‑PCR test and Real‑Time RT‑PCR test were genotyped by phylogenetic sequence analysis, and obtained results showed that BDV‑3 and BDV‑7 genotypes of BDV in sheep and BVDV‑1 genotype in cattle circulated in the investigated area. The sequence analysis results revealed that conventional RT‑PCR and Real‑Time RT‑PCR tests detected genotype BDV‑3, while genotype BDV‑7 was only detected by conventional RT‑PCR test in sheep abortion materials. Additionally, it was found that one bovine specimen was BDV positive by conventional PCR, but the same sample was identified as BVDV‑1 at sequence analysis. The obtained data of this study showed that new probes should be designed using our local strains for BDV diagnosis by Real‑Time RT‑PCR assay, and cattle must be sampled for BDV screening, and PCR tests results should always be confirmed by sequence analysis.

Loss-of-function variant in the ovine TMCO6 gene in North Country Cheviot sheep with motor neuron disease

In North Country Cheviot lambs with early-onset progressive ataxia and motor neuron degeneration, whole-genome sequencing identified a homozygous loss-of-function variant in the ovine transmembrane and coiled-coil domains (TMCO6) gene. The familial recessive form of motor neuron disease in sheep is due to a pathogenic 4 bp deletion leading to a 50% protein truncation that is assumed to result in the absence of a functional TMCO6. This uncharacterised protein is proposed to interact with ubiquilin 1 which is associated with Alzheimer's disease, whereas sporadic forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are caused by variants in UBQLN2. Our findings provide a first spontaneous animal model for TMCO6, which could have implications in the studies of other comparative neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, these results will allow the design of a genetic test to prevent the occurrence of this fatal disease in the affected sheep population.

Prevalence of zoonotic diseases of small ruminants at Savar upazila of Dhaka district

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of zoonotic diseases of small ruminants (SR) at Savar upazila of Dhaka district. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted in small and middle-scale goat and sheep farms at Savar Upazila with a total number of 1981 SR (1438 goats and 543 sheep). We found a total of 468 diseased SR (281 goats and 187 sheep), of which 206 cases were zoonotic (41.37%) (124 / 60% goats; 82/40% sheep). Prevalence of bacterial zoonoses (Salmonellosis, Tetanus Dermatophilosis, Brucellosis, Listeriosis and Campylobacteriosis ) was higher (23.78% in goat and 15.53% in sheep) followed by that of parasitic zoonoses (Hydatidosis, Fascioliasis, Amphistomiasis and Cryptosporidiosis) (17.48% in goat and 11.65% in sheep), viral zoonoses (Contagious Ecthyma, Foot and Mouth Disease and Rabies) (12.14% in goat and 7.77% in sheep), rickettsial zoonoses (Q Fever) (2.91% in goat and 1.94% in sheep). The age-wise, sex-wise and breed-wise prevalence of zoonotic diseases in goats and sheep were also determined. The study provided an epidemiological forecast showing the prevalence of zoonotic diseases of SR, which can be helpful for the clinician in the diagnosis of such infections. The present study revealed that the SR at Savar Upazila is susceptible and also infected with various zoonotic diseases. So, prevention and control of these zoonotic diseases are essential. Bangladesh J. Agri. 2023, 48(1): 81-91

Lipidated brartemicin adjuvant p-C18Brar is a promising α,α′-trehalose 6,6′-dilipid for use in ovine pneumonia vaccines

Abstract Ovine pneumonia is a disease in sheep that is associated with major animal welfare issues and economic losses and for which there is no effective vaccine. We tested the adjuvanticity of our most promising α,α′-trehalose 6,6′-glycolipids, lipidated brartemicin adjuvants p-C18Brar (3), o-C18Brar (4), and amide-TDB (5) in vaccines for ovine pneumonia containing Mannheimia haemolytica and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae whole cell antigens. p-C18Brar (3) and o-C18Brar (4) led to strong antigen-specific IgG antibody titres that were better than those elicited by the prototypical α,α′-trehalose glycolipid trehalose dibehenate (TDB, 2) and amide-TDB (5). T-cell responses, as determined by measuring IFN-γ and IL-17A production from antigen-stimulated whole blood cultures, revealed that p-C18Brar (3), but not TDB (2), o-C18Brar (4), or amide-TDB (5), led to statistically significant increases in these cytokines. We then optimised the synthesis of p-C18Brar (3) (3 steps, 72 % overall yield) and undertook further vaccination studies to determine the optimal dose of p-C18Brar (3) that would be used for future large scale ovine pneumonia field trials. At a dose of 3.75 mg per vaccine, the adjuvanticity of p-C18Brar (3), as measured by levels of anti-M. haemolytica IgG antibody and T-cell responses (IFN-γ and IL-17A) was better than that elicited by the commercially available adjuvant Quil-A, and had reduced reactogenicity. Taken together, the excellent immunological profile of p-C18Brar (3) and its ease and efficiency of synthesis makes it an attractive adjuvant for use in veterinary vaccines.

First Molecular Confirmed Outbreak of Malignant Ovine Theileriosis in Sheep from North India.

Malignant ovine theileriosis is a tick-borne disease of sheep and goats, caused by protozoan Theileria lestoquardi. The disease has serious economic implications for small ruminant production around the world. An outbreak of malignant ovine theileriosis in a sheep flock was investigated from Hisar district of Haryana, India, in March 2022. The etiological agent was identified using polymerase chain reaction assay with genus specific primers targeting 18S rRNA gene and subsequently confirmed by sequencing. The morbidity, mortality and case fatality rate reported in the outbreak were 22.2, 18.8 and 85%, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis clustered the present study T. lestoquardi isolate in the same clade with T. lestoquardi from Iraq, Iran and Pakistan with maximum nucleotide identity of 99.37% with strains from Iraq. The tick vector Hyalomma anatolicum recovered from dead animals was implicated in the disease's transmission. Malignant ovine theileriosis resulted in high case fatality rate. This study presents the first molecularly confirmed outbreak of malignant ovine theileriosis outbreak in the North Indian region, with characteristic post-mortem findings.

Evaluation of Protective Efficacy of Inactivated Thermostable Vaccine Against Nairobi Sheep Disease Virus

Evaluation of Protective Efficacy of Inactivated Thermostable Vaccine Against Nairobi Sheep Disease Virus

Challenges in the diagnosis and management of skin diseases in alpacas, goats, pigs, and sheep.

The primary aim of this article is to provide an overview of several selected skin conditions in livestock species. Topics include ectoparasites in alpacas, antler velvet in reindeer, immune-mediated disease in goats, ectoparasites in pigs, Culicoides allergic dermatitis and parapox infection in sheep. When dealing with skin disease in livestock, it is important to collect a detailed history and undertake a thorough clinical examination to include the axilla, groin, limbs and feet. While the diagnosis will often be anticipated from the history and presentation, it is important to consider a differential diagnosis list and appropriate diagnostic testing before embarking on a poly-pharmacy approach to "rule out" causes of disease. This is particularly important where morbidity is high and the livestock of perceived high value to the keeper/owner, such as goats and small-breed pigs, or when the skin condition is long standing/chronic. Ideally, the management plan should sequentially clarify the role of microbial infection and then ectoparasites before considering less common allergic and autoimmune conditions. Skin cytology is an invaluable in-house diagnostic method that can support the findings of culture. Taking skin samples for histopathology and possibly culture may prove valuable once other diagnostic methods have been explored. Given the need to protect the use of parenteral antimicrobials, topical antimicrobial therapies can be deployed successfully. The repeated use of macrocyclic lactones (avermectins) must be balanced in terms of the risks of promoting anthelmintic resistance versus controlling or eradicating the ectoparasites that have, ideally, been specifically identified.

The whole genomic analysis of the Orf virus strains ORFV-SC and ORFV-SC1 from the Sichuan province and their weak pathological response in rabbits

The Orf virus (ORFV) is a member of the Parapoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family and can cause contagious diseases in sheep, goats, and wild ungulates. In the present study, two ORFV isolates (ORFV-SC isolated from Sichuan province and ORFV-SC1 produced by 60 passages of ORFV-SC in cells) were sequenced and compared to multiple ORFVs. The two ORFV sequences had entire genome sizes of 14,0707 bp and 141,154 bp, respectively, containing 130 and 131 genes, with a G + C content of 63% for the ORFV-SC sequence and 63.9% for the ORFV-SC1 sequence. Alignment of ORFV-SC and ORFV-SC1 with five other ORFV isolates revealed that ORFV-SC, ORFV-SC1, and NA1/11 shared > 95% nucleotide identity with 109 genes. Five genes (ORF007, ORF20, ORF080, ORF112, ORF116) have low amino acids identity between ORFV-SC and ORFV-SC1. Mutations in amino acids result in changes in the secondary and tertiary structure of ORF007, ORF020, and ORF112 proteins. The phylogenetic tree based on the complete genome sequence and 37 single genes revealed that the two ORFV isolates originated from sheep. Finally, animal experiments demonstrated that ORFV-SC1 is less harmful to rabbits than ORFV-SC. The exploration of two full-length viral genome sequences provides valuable information in ORFV biology and epidemiology research. Furthermore, ORFV-SC1 demonstrated an acceptable safety profile following animal vaccination, indicating its potential as a live ORFV vaccine.

Experimental acute Clostridium perfringens type D enterotoxemia in sheep is not characterized by specific renal lesions.

Type D enterotoxemia, caused by Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin (ETX), is one of the most economically important clostridial diseases of sheep. Acute type D enterotoxemia is characterized by well-documented lesions in the nervous, cardiocirculatory, and pulmonary systems. However, discrepancies and confusion exist as to whether renal lesions are part of the spectrum of lesions of this condition, which is controversial considering that for many decades it has been colloquially referred to as "pulpy kidney disease." Here, the authors assess renal changes in an experimental model of acute type D enterotoxemia in sheep and evaluate the possible role of ETX in their genesis. Four groups of 6 sheep each were intraduodenally inoculated with either a wild-type virulent C. perfringens type D strain, an etx knockout mutant unable to produce ETX, the etx mutant strain complemented with the wild-type etx gene that regains the ETX toxin production, or sterile culture medium (control group). All sheep were autopsied less than 24 hours after inoculation; none of them developed gross lesions in the kidneys. Ten predefined histologic renal changes were scored in each sheep. The proportion of sheep with microscopic changes and their severity scores did not differ significantly between groups. Mild intratubular medullary hemorrhage was observed in only 2 of the 12 sheep inoculated with the wild-type or etx-complemented bacterial strains, but not in the 12 sheep of the other 2 groups. The authors conclude that no specific gross or histologic renal lesions are observed in sheep with experimental acute type D enterotoxemia.

Molecular characterization of immunoinhibitory factors PD-1/PD-L1 in sheep

Sheep have been used as a large animal experimental model for studying infectious diseases. However, due to a lack of staining antibodies and reagents, immunological studies on sheep have not progressed. The immunoinhibitory receptor programmed death-1 (PD-1) is expressed on T lymphocytes. The interaction of PD-1 with its ligand PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) delivers inhibitory signals and impairs proliferation, cytokine production, and cytotoxicity of T cells. We previously reported that the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway was closely associated with T-cell exhaustion and disease progression in bovine chronic infections using anti-bovine PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Furthermore, we found that blocking antibodies against PD-1 and PD-L1 restore T-cell functions and could be used in immunotherapy of cattle. However, the immunological role of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in chronic diseases of sheep remains unknown. In this study, we identified cDNA sequences of ovine PD-1 and PD-L1 and examined the cross-activity of anti-bovine PD-L1 mAbs against ovine PD-L1 as well as the expression of PD-L1 in ovine listeriosis. The amino acid sequences of ovine PD-1 and PD-L1 share a high degree of identity and similarity with homologs from ruminants and other mammalian species. Anti-bovine PD-L1 mAb recognized ovine PD-L1 on lymphocytes in the flow cytometric assay. Furthermore, an immunohistochemical staining confirmed the PD-L1 expression on macrophages in the brain lesions of ovine listeriosis. These findings indicated that our anti-PD-L1 mAb would be useful for analyzing the ovine PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Further research is needed to determine the immunological role of PD-1/PD-L1 in chronic diseases such as BLV infection through experimental infection of sheep.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Ovine Fasciolosis in Ejere District, West Shewa, Ethiopia

Fasciolosis is one of the most prevalent trematode helminth infections of ruminants in different parts of the world. It causes significant morbidity and mortality. The presence of fasciolosis due to F.hepatica and F.gigantica in Ethiopia has long been known, and its prevalence and economic significance have been reported by several researchers. However, the disease is insufficiently investigated, and information relating to its magnitude, distribution, and risk factors is scant Ejere district, West Shewa Oromia region of Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2021 to June 2022 in the Ejere district with the objective of estimating the prevalence of ovine fasciolosis and assessing the various risk factors associated with it. A total of 196 fecal samples from sheep were collected by using simple random technique and examined. The data was analyzed using SPSS software. Among a total of 196 examined sheep, 41 were found positive for Fasciola, with an overall prevalence of 20.92%. The prevalence of fasciolosis recorded in the six kebeles was 5.45%, 14.29%, 7.14%, 16.22%, 5.45%, and 11.94% in Ejere Sokile, Baso, Kimmoyye, Ilu Aga, Kusaye, and Gaba Jimata, respectively. In this study, ovine fasciolosis showed a statistically significant difference in sex, management system, body condition, and history of deworming (p<0.05). The difference in age was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The current study indicates that fasciolosis is a common and prevalent disease in sheep in the study area. Strategic anthelmintic treatment with appropriate drugs and a reduction in the risk of infection should be upgraded in society.

Investigating the antiviral effect of CLF36 and CLFarm peptide on P32 protein of sheeppox virus through molecular docking simulation

Sheeppox is one of the most common diseases in sheep that can spread quickly in the herd. Currently, there is no specific treatment for this viral disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial peptide CLF36 and CLFarm on the surface protein of the sheep pox virus P32 protein and the cellular receptors of this protein such as heparin sulfate and UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine. The third structure of P32 was done using software such as I-TASSER. The interactions were performed statically in a computer by bioinformatics tools such as HDOCK software and using Gromacs in the molecular dynamics section. The results of this study showed that the amino acids of CLF36 peptide involved in hydrogen bonding with P32 include D1, K5, V8, Q11, K9, R16, R22, K25, R27 and K34 and for CLFarm include K5, K9, Q11, K13, R27, W30, Q31 and K35. Docking results showed that peptides were attached to three epitope regions EP1,4,8 in P32 protein. In connection with the molecular docking between CLF36 arm and the two receptors UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and heparin sulfate, the hydrogen bonds included Gln 11, Trp 30 and Trp 4, Trp 30, Gln 11, Arg 27, Cys 33, respectively; Although CLF36 had weak binding energy with these two receptors. In the molecular dynamics section, the graph of RMSF and RMSD and Gyrate showed a few fluctuations, which were ignored. Finally, these results showed that both peptides have a good performance against P32 in a period of 50 ns.

Analysis of the diversity of tick-borne viruses at the border areas in Liaoning Province, China.

Ticks play a significant role in transmitting arboviruses, which pose a risk to human and animal health. The region of Liaoning Province, China, with abundant plant resources with multiple tick populations, has reported several tick-borne diseases. However, there remains a scarcity of research on the composition and evolution of the tick virome. In this study, we conducted the metagenomic analysis of 561 ticks in the border area of Liaoning Province in China and identified viruses related to known diseases in humans and animals, including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and nairobi sheep disease virus (NSDV). Moreover, the groups of tick viruses were also closely related to the families of Flaviviridae, Parvoviridae, Phenuiviridae, and Rhabdoviridae. Notably, the Dabieshan tick virus (DBTV) of the family Phenuiviridae was prevalent in these ticks, with the minimum infection rate (MIR) of 9.09%, higher than previously reported in numerous provinces in China. In addition, sequences of tick-borne viruses of the family Rhabdoviridae have first been reported from the border area of Liaoning Province, China, after being described from Hubei Province, China. This research furthered the insight into pathogens carried by ticks in the northeastern border areas of China, offering epidemiological information for possible forthcoming outbreaks of infectious diseases. Meanwhile, we provided an essential reference for assessing the risk of tick bite infection in humans and animals, as well as for exploring into the evolution of the virus and the mechanisms of species transmission.

A survey of British sheep farmers: Practices, opinions and knowledge surrounding the management of sheep scab

Ovine psoroptic mange (commonly known as sheep scab) is, arguably, one of the most important ectoparasitic diseases of sheep in the UK. Although research has been conducted on the practices and knowledge of British sheep farmers regarding the management of sheep scab, recent data is limited. During October 2021 an online survey was completed by 725 British sheep farmers. Most respondents farmed in England (63.0%, 457/725), followed by Wales (20.6%, 149/725) and Scotland (16.4%, 119/725). Over half (53.0%, 384/725) of the respondents had experienced sheep scab in their flocks before, and 38.3% (147/384) of respondents experienced sheep scab twice or more in the previous ten years. The estimated prevalence of sheep scab from these surveyed farmers was 10.9% (79/725). Of the farmers who had experienced sheep scab before, only 36.2% (139/384) reported using skin scrapes and 12.5% (48/384) reported using blood tests for diagnosis. Over three-quarters of farmers quarantined all new sheep (76.6%; 498/650), but fewer quarantined returning sheep (28.6%; 83/290). Many of the respondents (43.7%, 252/577) did not quarantine new sheep for the suggested minimum 21 days. In addition, only 53.0% (384/725) of respondents answered all three of the knowledge questions regarding sheep scab correctly. The analysis illustrates that there is scope to improve the use of diagnostics, which suggests that misdiagnosis of sheep scab may be high and thus inappropriate treatments may be used, or treatments may not be used at all. It also demonstrated that there is scope for improvement in farmers' knowledge regarding sheep scab, particularly that sheep scab could be detected via a blood test and that the disease could present without visible signs. Our results further support that sheep scab is a large-scale endemic issue, potentially with an increasing prevalence in Great Britain. Future control interventions need to focus on improving knowledge exchange, raising awareness of best practice controls to ensure that better management strategies are employed by farmers, including improved control at livestock markets to reduce the national transmission and thus focus on coordinated control interventions.