Infected Sheep Research Articles

USING SHEEP FACIAL GRIMACE SCALE, INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY AND CORTISOL HORMONE TO MEASURE PAIN IN SHEEP INFECTED WITH MASTITIS DISEASE

The purpose of this study was to apply sheep pain facial expression scales (SPFES) to sheep infected with mastitis, measuring peripheral temperatures and serum cortisol hormone. Twenty-three healthy ewes and 23 infected ewes with clinical mastitis were included in this research from January 2022 to April 2023. Images were taken from each ewe to detect facial grimace scales of ewes. Nasal, eye and ear temperatures were collected using infrared thermal imaging camera. Moreover, serum cortisol hormone was collected from the blood. It was found that there was a significant decrease (p<0.01) in nasal, eye and ear temperatures of infected ewes in comparison to healthy ewes. Additionally, cortisol hormone was found significantly (p<0.01) higher in infected ewes at day 1 and day 7 compared to non-infected animals. The changes in facial expressions for all the determined five regions were significantly (p<0.01) different than healthy ewes. The total pain score was significantly (p<0.05) higher on day 1 and day 7, compared to healthy ewes. It was concluded that sheep facial grimace scale was a useful and practical tool for measuring pain in sheep. In addition, cortisol from the serum and peripheral temperatures were found to be useful pain indicators.

Controlling Coxiella burnetii in naturally infected sheep, goats and cows, and public health implications: a scoping review.

Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic disease which domestic ruminants are the main source of infection for humans. This scoping review summarizes the control measures currently available to reduce Coxiella burnetii (Cb) infection in naturally infected sheep, goat and cattle herds. A total of 28 articles were included in the review. A lack of methodological standardization was noted in the articles analyzed. The results indicated that long-term vaccination in cows reduces bacterial excretion in milk and environmental contamination. In small ruminants, the results of vaccination in terms of efficacy are variable. In goats, there is a reduction in bacterial excretion, unlike in sheep, where a long-term vaccination program is necessary to reduce bacterial excretion. Moreover, the high persistence of viable Cb in the environment means that control measures for sheep are needed for several years. The use of antibiotics as a control measure in cows and sheep was not found to reduce excretion. However, the combination of vaccination with antibiotic therapy appears to have positive effects in small ruminants in terms of controlling outbreaks of Q fever. Hygiene and biosecurity measures are the basic means for controlling Cb infection on ruminant farms and ensuring public health.

Innovative use of sensor technology to study grazing behaviour and its associations with parasitic resistance in sheep

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) are a concern for sheep production and are associated with significant economic losses globally, driving the need for effective management strategies. The aims of this research were first to determine the influence of GIN infections on sheep grazing behaviours, specifically grazing time (GT) and grazing event length (GL), and then to estimate the genetic and phenotypic correlation between faecal egg counts (FEC) and salivary specific IgA activity vs GT and GL. Data were collected from 146 Merino sheep on a commercial farm in Victoria, Australia. Faecal, saliva and body weight (BW) were collected at four time points (A: Oct 2019, B: early May 2020, C: late May 2020, and D: Jul 2020), while tri-axial accelerometer sensors recorded GT and GL for the length of 26 days between B and C. Univariate linear regression and Bayesian Generalised Linear Mixed Model, estimated using Markov Chain Monte Carlo, were used to assess the relationships between the behaviours and infection indicators. We found an increase in the logarithm of FEC was associated with a significant rise in grazing time (p < 0.05), suggesting compensatory behaviour in infected sheep. GT also accounted for 6% of the FEC variation. In contrast, the effect of IgA on GT was not significant (p > 0.05). There was a positive genetic and phenotypic correlation estimated between GT and FEC, however, the High Posterior Density interval for the genetic and phenotypic correlations between GT and FEC indicates some uncertainty in these estimates. These results imply that sheep may modify their grazing strategies as an adaptive response to parasitic infections to ease the impact on their nutritional intake. This study improves our understanding of how natural GIN infections affect sheep behaviour and highlights the potential to use animal behaviours as a precision livestock farming tool and in breeding for resilience against parasites.

Epidemiological Data Regarding the Distribution of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Albanian Small Ruminants

Background: Gastrointestinal infection of small ruminants is becoming a real problem due to the resistance against anthelmintic treatment. These parasitic infections are prevalent among grazing ruminants and result in significant economic losses by reduced production. The aim of the study was to evaluate and estimate the total loud of parasitic infection is small ruminants, sheep’s and goats from different farms located in Korça district. Methods: This study investigates parasitic infections in sheep and goats across 40 farms situated in Korça district in southeastern Albania. The primary objective is to assess the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites within feces samples from mature sheep and goats. In total, 121 feces samples were meticulously collected. Samples were analysed and processed using the Mini-FLOTAC technique in order to identify eggs and oocysts in each herd. Result: The results of the investigation revealed the presence of Strongyloides papillosus in 45.45% of samples, Ostertagia spp. eggs in 40.9% of samples, Monezia expansa eggs in 27.2% of samples, Dictiocaulus filaria in 22.3% of samples, Nematodirus spathiger eggs in 13.2% of samples, Haemonchus contortus eggs in 13.3%, Cooperia spp. eggs in 9% of samples, Trichostrongylus axei in 9% of samples, Coccidian oocysts in 4.1% of samples and Trichuris ovis in 1.6% of samples.

Multi-scale habitat modeling framework for predicting the potential distribution of sheep gastrointestinal nematodes across Iran’s three distinct climatic zones: a MaxEnt machine-learning algorithm

Ecological niche models (ENMs) serve as valuable tools in assessing the potential species distribution, identifying crucial habitat components for species associations, and facilitating conservation efforts. The current study aimed to investigate the gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) infection in sheep, predict and analyze their ecological niches and ranges, and identify the key bioclimatic variables influencing their distribution across three distinct climatic regions in Iran. In a cross-sectional study, a total of 2140 fecal samples were collected from semi-arid (n = 800), arid (n = 500), and humid-subtropical (n = 840) climates in East Azerbaijan, Kerman, and Guilan provinces, respectively. The flotation method was employed to assess stool samples, whereby the fecal egg count (the number of parasite eggs per gram [EPG]) was ascertained for each individual specimen. Employing a presence-only approach, the multi-scale maximum entropy (MaxEnt) method was used to model GINs' habitat suitability using 93 selected points/locations. The findings revealed that Guilan (34.2%) and East Azerbaijan (19.62%) exhibited the utmost proportion of Strongyle-type eggs. East Azerbaijan province also displayed the highest proportion of Marshallagia and Nematodirus, respectively (approximately 40% and 27%), followed by Guilan and Kerman provinces, while Kerman province had the highest proportion of Trichuris (approximately 15%). Ecological niche modeling revealed that the precipitation of the driest quarter (Bio17) exerted the most significant influence on Marshallagia, Nematodirus, Trichuris, and ُSُُُtrongyle-type eggs' presence in East Azerbaijan and Kerman provinces. For Guilan province, the most influential factor defining habitat suitability for Strongyle-type eggs, Marshallagia, and Nematodirus was increasing slope. Additionally, the distribution of Trichuris was most affected by the variable Bio2 in Guilan province. The study highlights the response of GINs to climate drivers in highly suitable regions, providing insights into ecologically favorable areas for GINs. In conclusion, this study provides a better understanding of GINs and the environmental factors influencing their transmission dynamics.

Moniezia benedeni drives CD3+ T cells residence in the sheep intestinal mucosal effector sites.

T cells are the core of the cellular immunity and play a key role in the regulation of intestinal immune homeostasis. In order to explore the impact Moniezia benedeni (M. benedeni) infection on distributions of CD3+ T cells in the small intestine of the sheep. In this study, sheep pET-28a-CD3 recombinant plasmid were constructed and expressed in BL21 receptor cells, then the rabbit anti-sheep CD3 polyclonal antibody was prepared through recombinant protein inducing. The M. benedeni-infected sheep (infection group, n = 6) and healthy sheep (control group, n = 6) were selected, and the distributions of CD3+ T cells in intestinal laminae propria (LP) and mucous epitheliums were observed and analyzed systematically. The results showed that the rabbit anti-sheep CD3 polyclonal antibody had good potency and specificity. In the effector area of small intestine, a large number of CD3+ T cells were mainly diffusely distributed in the intestinal LP as well as in the mucous epitheliums, and the densities of intestinal LP from duodenum to jejunum to ileum were 6.01 cells/104 μm2, 7.01 cells/104 μm2 and 6.43 cells/104 μm2, respectively. Their distribution densities in mucous epitheliums were 6.71 cells/104 μm2, 7.93 cells/104 μm2 and 7.21 cells/104 μm2, respectively; in the infected group, the distributions of CD3+ T cells were similar to that of the control group, and the densities in each intestinal segment were all significantly increased (p < 0.05), meanwhile, the total densities of CD3+ T cells in duodenum, jejunum and ileum were increased by 33.43%, 14.50%, and 34.19%. In LP and mucous epitheliums, it was increased by 33.57% and 27.92% in duodenum; by 25.82% and 7.07% in jejunum, and by 27.07% and 19.23% in ileum, respectively. It was suggested that M. benedeni infection did not change the spatial distributions of CD3+ T cells in the small intestine of sheep, but significantly increased their densities, which lays a foundation for further research on the regulatory mechanism of sheep intestinal mucosal immune system against M. benedeni infection.

Molecular epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii infection in sheep and goats in Henan province, China

Q fever is a significant zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium. Although C. burnetii infection has been identified in various animal species, domestic ruminants serve as the primary reservoirs and main sources of human infection. Understanding of the epidemiology of C. burnetii in domestic ruminants is crucial for preventing and controlling of C. burnetii infection in humans. In this study, spleen tissues from sheep and goats were collected in Hennan province, China. Through PCR screening, C. burnetii was detected in sheep and goats in Henan province with an overall infection rate of 6.8%. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis revealed that all newly identified C. burnetii strains shared a close genetic relationship with those found in humans worldwide. These findings highlight the high risk of C. burnetii infection among slaughterhouse workers and emphasize the importance of epidemiological studies that investigate samples from both humans and animals within the "One Health" framework. Such surveillance will contribute to a better understanding of the epidemic situation and aid in the development of effective prevention and control strategies for C. burnetii infections in humans.

Large-scale serological survey on Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in sheep and goat herds in Sicily, Southern Italy.

Paratuberculosis (PTB) is a worldwide chronic, contagious enteric disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) mainly affecting ruminant species. PTB is a WOAH-listed disease with direct and indirect economic losses in the livestock sector, negative impact on animal welfare and significant public health concerns. In spite of this, MAP prevalence in small ruminants is still unknown and the prevalence appears to be underestimated in many countries. The aim of this study is providing a first large-scale serological survey on MAP infection in small ruminants in Sicily, a region of Southern Italy with the 11.3 and 8.9% Italian national heritage of sheep and goats, respectively. For this purpose, we analyzed a total of 48,643 animals reared in 439 flocks throughout Sicily. MAP seroprevalence was estimated both at herd-level and animal-level within breeds reared in all the nine sampled provinces. Our results revealed a high overall apparent prevalence at herd-level of 71.8% in sheep and 60.8% in goat farms with an animal-level prevalence of 4.5 and 5.1% in sheep and goats, respectively. Significant statistical differences were found between the provinces and within the breeds both in sheep and goats. Our study provides the first large-scale serological survey on PTB infection in small ruminants in Sicily and showed a high prevalence of disease depending to the species, breed and province. This study represents the first step to better understand the MAP epidemiology in a typical Mediterranean breeding context, suggesting the need of in-depth study on the herds risk factors, including the eventual presence of candidate genes for resistance/susceptibility to PTB in native breeds.

Detection of Campylobacter spp. in farmed sheep in Mymensingh division of Bangladesh: Prevalence, risk factors, and antimicrobial susceptibility status.

Campylobacter infections in sheep may be asymptomatic or cause enteritis, ileitis, infertility, and abortion. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in farming sheep and to detect risk factors, molecular patterns, and antimicrobial susceptibility status of these pathogens. Four hundred and eight fecal samples were collected from 12 flocks in the Mymensingh and Sherpur districts. Samples were tested by both basic (culture and biochemical tests) and molecular (initially 16S rRNA and later hipO gene-based polymerase chain reaction). Furthermore, the antimicrobial susceptibility status of Campylobacter jejuni was confirmed using disk diffusion. Flock- and animal-level data were captured using semi-structured interviews with farm owners under bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to confirm the risk factors for Campylobacter-positive status. The prevalence of C. jejuni staining at the animal and flock levels was 8.82% (36/408) and 66.70% (8/12), respectively. The age of sheep was identified as an important risk factor. Up to 1 year of age, sheep were 3.78 times more likely to be infected with C. jejuni (95% confidence interval: 1.0736-13.3146, p = 0.038). Of the 36 isolates of C. jejuni, all were found to be fully susceptible (100%) to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. In this study, three antimicrobial agents, oxytetracycline, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone, were fully resistant (100%). The majority of isolates were resistant to a combination of 4-6 antimicrobial agents. The present study highlights the predominant maintenance of zoonotic Campylobacter species in sheep, and their burden on human health is enormous. Therefore, environmental, animal, and human health needs to be focused under a One Health lens to mitigate the occurrence of Campylobacter in farm settings and to prevent further introduction to animals and humans.

Specific T-cell subsets have a role in anti-viral immunity and pathogenesis but not viral dynamics or onwards vector transmission of an important livestock arbovirus.

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an arthropod-borne Orbivirus that is almost solely transmitted by Culicoides biting midges and causes a globally important haemorrhagic disease, bluetongue (BT), in susceptible ruminants. Infection with BTV is characterised by immunosuppression and substantial lymphopenia at peak viraemia in the host. In this study, the role of cell-mediated immunity and specific T-cell subsets in BTV pathogenesis, clinical outcome, viral dynamics, immune protection, and onwards transmission to a susceptible Culicoides vector is defined in unprecedented detail for the first time, using an in vivo arboviral infection model system that closely mirrors natural infection and transmission of BTV. Individual circulating CD4+, CD8+, or WC1+ γδ T-cell subsets in sheep were depleted through the administration of specific monoclonal antibodies. The absence of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells was consistently associated with less severe clinical signs of BT, whilst the absence of CD4+ and WC1+ γδ T cells both resulted in an increased clinical severity. The absence of CD4+ T cells also impaired both a timely protective neutralising antibody response and the production of IgG antibodies targeting BTV non-structural protein, NS2, highlighting that the CD4+ T-cell subset is important for a timely protective immune response. T cells did not influence viral replication characteristics, including onset/dynamics of viraemia, shedding, or onwards transmission of BTV to Culicoides. We also highlight differences in T-cell dependency for the generation of immunoglobulin subclasses targeting BTV NS2 and the structural protein, VP7. This study identifies a diverse repertoire of T-cell functions during BTV infection in sheep, particularly in inducing specific anti-viral immune responses and disease manifestation, and will support more effective vaccination strategies.

Exploring AMH levels, homeostasis parameters, and ovarian primordial follicle activation in pubertal infected sheep on a high-protein diet

“Exploring AMH Levels, Homeostasis and Primordial Follicle Activation in Pubertal Infected Sheep on a High Protein Diet “.The first activation wave of ovarian primordial follicles is part of the onset of puberty and fertility. Abomasal helminth infection may cause an undesirable delay in puberty manifestation. Helminth-infected animals demand a higher amount of protein in their diet to repair the damage caused by the parasite in sheep's tissues, replenish the blood losses, and build the host's immune response. Helminths become resistant to drug therapy shortly after being exposed to a new treatment. Besides, there is the possibility of contamination by anthelmintic drugs in ovine products, possibly affecting human health and the environment. This study's objective was to evaluate if ovarian and clinical parameters can be improved by supplementing their diet with protein, offering a more sustainable management approach than relying on anthelmintic usage. We used a 2 × 2 factorial model where eighteen ewe lambs (Ovis aries) between 6 and 7 months old - born to the same ram - were fed one of two diet protein levels (12% or 19%). After 35 days on this diet, they were infected or left uninfected with 10,000 Haemonchus contortus L3 larvae. We evaluated Anti-Mullerian Hormone serum levels, blood cells and biochemical parameters at four different time points. Following 42 days of infection and 77 days on the diet, the lambs had their left ovaries removed, and we examined ovarian morphometrics through histological analysis. The groups Supplemented Protein-Infected(n = 5), Control Protein- Infected(n = 5), Supplemented Protein-Not Infected (n = 4) and Control Protein-Not Infected (n = 4) did not differ in their bodyweight gain. In the factorial ANOVA analysis examining the relationship between plasma protein, diet, and infection, the protein level of the diet showed significance (p = 0.02). Primordial follicle size varied with the interaction between diet and infection (p < 0.05), and oocyte size was affected by the level of protein in the diet (p = 0.047). Additionally, to understand how all homeostasis parameters relate to the primordial follicle and oocyte size, we applied an explanatory linear mixed model. In conclusion, serum AMH levels remained stable despite the infection and variations in diet protein levels, indicating its reliability as a marker for ovarian reserve in pubertal sheep. The number of blood cells, biochemical parameters, and primordial follicle activation were affected by both diet and infection.

Survey of antibodies to Peste des petits ruminants virus in small ruminants in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a viral disease affecting sheep and goats caused by peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) has a serious economic impact due to the restrictions on animal trade and animal movements and high mortality rates in small ruminant populations. The common clinical sings of the PPR are fever, muco-purulent nasal discharge, diarrhoea and abortion. Seroepidemiological studies of PPRV infection in sheep and goats in Turkey are scant. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of PPR in small ruminants in Turkey. Ovine blood samples were collected by random sampling method from sheep (n = 77) and goats (n = 61) from unvaccinated flocks (n = 40) in the Antalya Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) kit was used to detect antibodies against PPRV in sera samples. Out of 138 sera samples analysed, eighteen sera samples (13%, 95% CI: 7.4 - 18.7) were PPRV seropositive, of which 18.2% (95% CI: 9.6 - 26.8; 14/77) were from sheep, whereas 6.6% (95% CI: 0.3 - 12.8; 4/61) were from goats. Although PPRV seropositivity rate was higher in sheep than goats, it was not statistically significant (P = 0.07). PPRV seropositivity was higher in small ruminants older than 24 months (19.4%) compared with less than or equal to 24 months (7%) (P = 0.04). Although, there was no statistically significant difference between sexes, PPRV seropositivity rate was higher (14.5%) in females than males (10.9%) (P = 0.61). The flock-level seroprevalence was 30% (12/40). The result of the present study showed that seroprevalence of PPRV infection is high in sheep and goats in the Antalya Province. However, results of the study are not enough to determine the regional and country-based profile of the PPRV infection in Turkey. Further epidemiological studies are required to get more epidemiology data on PPR in Turkey.

The feeding of heather (Calluna vulgaris) to Teladorsagia circumcincta infected lambs reduces parasitism but can detrimentally impact performance

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections impact small ruminant health, welfare, and production across farming systems. Rising anthelmintic resistance and regulation of synthetic drug use in organic farming is driving research and development of sustainable alternatives for GIN control. One alternative is the feeding of plants that contain secondary metabolites (PSMs) e.g., proanthocyanidins (PA, syn. condensed tannins) that have shown anthelmintic potential. However, PSMs can potentially impair performance, arising from reduced palatability and thus intake, digestibility or even toxicity effects. In this study, we tested the trade-off between the antiparasitic and anti-nutritional effects of heather consumption by lambs. The impact of additional feeding of a nematophagous fungus (Duddingtonia flagrans) on larval development was also explored. Lambs infected with Teladorsagia circumcincta or uninfected controls, were offered ad libitum heather, or a control chopped hay for 22 days during the infection patent period. Eight days into the patent period, parasitised lambs were supplemented (or remained unsupplemented) with D. flagrans for a 5-day period. Performance and infection metrics were recorded, and polyphenol levels in the heather and control hay were measured to investigate their association with activity.The lambs consumed heather at approximately 20% of their dry matter intake, which was sufficient to exhibit significant anthelmintic effects via a reduction in total egg output (P = 0.007), compared to hay-fed lambs; the magnitude of the reduction over time in heather fed lambs was almost 10-fold compared to control lambs. Negative effects on production were shown, as heather-fed lambs weighed 6% less than hay-fed lambs (P < 0.001), even though dry matter intake (DMI) of heather increased over time. D. flagrans supplementation lowered larval recovery in the faeces of infected lambs by 31.8% (P = 0.003), although no interactions between feeding heather and D. flagrans were observed (P = 0.337). There was no significant correlation between PA, or other polyphenol subgroups in the diet and egg output, which suggests that any association between heather feeding and anthelmintic effect is not simply and directly attributable to the measured polyphenols. The level of heather intake in this study showed no antagonistic effects on D. flagrans, demonstrating the methods can be used in combination, but provide no additive effect on overall anthelmintic efficacies. In conclusion, heather feeding can assist to reduce egg outputs in infected sheep, but at 20% of DMI negative effects on lamb performance can be expected which may outweigh any antiparasitic benefits.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Chlamydia abortus Infection in Sheep and Goats in North-Western Italy.

Chlamydia abortus, although poorly recognized as a human pathogen, is a zoonotic microorganism that can cause many different symptoms in humans, including subclinical infection and fatal illnesses in pregnant women. C. abortus is one of the most common causes of ovine and caprine infectious abortion worldwide, known as the causative agent of the enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) or ovine enzootic abortion (OEA). To estimate C. abortus seroprevalence and the risk factors related to C. abortus in small ruminants, the sera from 3045 animals (both sheep and goat) belonging to 202 herds were tested and a questionnaire investigating flock management was administered. At the herd level, the true seroprevalence was 56.6% (CI95%: 46.9-66.3%), at sheep-farm and goat-farm level, the true seroprevalence was 71.4% (CI95%: 54.6-88.3%) and 44.8% (CI95%: 41.3-57.0%), respectively. The true seroprevalence was significantly higher among the sheep than the goats. The logistic regression model identified four factors associated with Chlamydia seropositivity: flock size (i.e., farms with >50 heads), contact with cattle, introduction of animals, and Coxiella seropositivity. The study evidenced a high seroprevalence of Chlamydia abortus in small ruminant farms in the Piedmont region. Considering its zoonotic potential and the health consequences in humans, communication to farmers on the importance of vaccination, as well as the sensibilization of farm vets, seem to be strategical.

Detection of Plasmodium in small ruminants in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, using a nested PCR assay

Abstract. Priyowidodo D, Wardhana AH, Sawitri DH, Prastowo J, Nurcahyo W, Awaludin A, Nugraheni YR. 2023. Detection of Plasmodium in small ruminants in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, using a nested PCR assay. Biodiversitas 24: 6722-6726. Limited investigation of natural malaria infection in small ruminants in Yogyakarta needs to be explored. Plasmodium sp., as the causative agent of malaria, has been proven to infect ungulates, including small ruminants. This study aimed to investigate the presence of natural malaria infection in goats and sheep in Yogyakarta. A total of 303 blood samples were collected from goats and sheep in this study from four selected areas by a cross-sectional study. A microscopic examination detected the Plasmodium stage in a thin blood smear. Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) performed molecular detection, targeting cytochrome b (cytb) as a gene target. It was found that no Plasmodium stage was detected in thin blood smears. However, three out of 70 blood samples from Girimulyo were Plasmodium-positive based on nested PCR assay. The results highlight that molecular assay by nested PCR is more sensitive than microscopic examination. Molecular analysis revealed natural Plasmodium infections in Ettawa cross-bread goats, with a proportion of 0.0429 (95% CI: 0.0089-0.1202). There was no statistical difference between sex and natural malaria infection in goats. This finding suggests that molecular analysis is necessary to detect natural malaria infection with extremely low parasitemia levels. Therefore, further study with larger sample sizes and broader geographical representation is needed to fully understand these malaria infections in goats and sheep.

First Report of Benzimidazole Resistance in Field Population of Haemonchus contortus from Sheep, Goats and Cattle in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Haemonchus contortus is a globally significant parasitic nematode in ruminants, with widespread resistance to benzimidazole due to its excessive and prolonged use. Given the extensive use of benzimidazole anthelmintics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we hypothesized that resistance is prevalent. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of anthelmintic resistance to benzimidazole in H. contortus from naturally infected sheep, goats and cattle in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the detection of the Phe/Tyr polymorphism in the amino acid at position 200 of the β-tubulin protein. From 19 locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a total of 83 adult H. contortus were collected from the abomasum of ruminants. Among these, 45 H. contortus specimens were isolated from sheep, 19 from goats and 19 from cattle. Results showed that 77.8% of H. contortus in sheep exhibited homozygous resistant genotypes at position 200 of the β-tubulin gene, with 15.5% being heterozygous. In goats, all tested H. contortus (100%) were homozygous resistant, and no heterozygous resistant or homozygous sensitive genotypes were found. Cattle had 94.7% homozygous resistant H. contortus, with no heterozygous resistant genotypes detected. In H. contortus from sheep and cattle, 6.7% and 5.3%, respectively, displayed homozygous sensitive genotypes. This study, for the first time, highlights the presence of a resistant population of H. contortus in sheep, goats and cattle in Bosnia and Herzegovina, using the rt-qPCR method. The resistance likely spread from sheep or goats to cattle, facilitated by shared pastures and the practice of transhumance, indicating a widespread and growing issue of anthelmintic resistance.

First serological diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in sheep in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.

This study aimed to diagnose Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infections in sheep in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. A total of 276 blood samples were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay IDEXX Paratuberculosis Screening kit, and 261 fecal samples were submitted for bacterial culture and polymerase chain reaction tests. An animal-level sero-frequency of 0.72% (n = 2/276) and a farm-level sero-frequency of 20% (n = 2/10) were found. All fecal sample cultures were negative, and molecular analyses were also negative. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of MAP infection in sheep in the state of Pernambuco and one of the pioneers in the country. It is an asymptomatic disease that is difficult to diagnose in this species because the susceptibility of sheep to the organism is lower than that of other ruminant species. However, the sero-frequency found reveals that there is MAP exposure in sheep flocks in the region. In addition, serological monitoring can contribute to the observation of the organism's behavior in herds. Our results support the potential risk of MAP infection in sheep in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.

Prevalence of Abomasum Nematode infection in Sheep from North of Iran

Abstract&#x0D; In many countries, small ruminants provide the primary source of human protein and play an important role in livestock production. Parasitic infections, especially gastrointestinal parasites, cause economic losses such as reduced fertility and milk production, damage to the leather industry, weight loss, treatment costs, and losses in severe infections. Thus, identifying and classifying these parasites, including the above cases, is essential for scientific research in any country. This study aimed to Prevalence of Abomasum Nematode infection in Sheep from North of Iran. In the present cross-sectional descriptive study, we have studied the prevalence of infection with abomasum nematodes in sheep in northern Iran from April 2020 to September 2021 in 2400 abomasum sheep slaughtered in industrial slaughterhouses in Gilan and Mazandaran provinces (1200 sheep from each province). With three age groups of below two years, two to four years, and above four years and gender segregation of hosts, after necropsy and preparation of sheep abomasal mucosa chip and isolation and segregation of samples, we studied the morphologic and morphometric characteristics of the samples. The actions were performed according to the taxonomic keys and using SPSS software V.16 and Paired Sample T-Test statistical test to determine the level of significance of the data (p &lt;0.05) to classify and compare the obtained data and examine the ratio. The sex of the host was determined by the age of the animal and the prevalence of the parasite at the mentioned ages. The present study results and comparison of the prevalence of infection in Gilan and Mazandaran provinces showed that Marshallagia marshalli had the highest prevalence of 94.6% and 91.9% in Mazandaran and Gilan province, respectively. The prevalence of Ostertagia circumcincta was 87.2% and 77.2% in Gilan and Mazandaran provinces. The prevalence of Ostertagia occidentalis was 86.9% in Gilan province and 78% in Mazandaran province, while the prevalence of Parabronema skrjabini was 86.6% in Gilan province and 61.2% in Mazandaran province. The prevalence of Haemonchus contortus was 66.8% and 60.5% in Gilan and Mazandaran, the lowest prevalence in these two provinces. The present study results showed the importance of combating the spread of parasitic infections with strategic treatment methods and biological control of these parasites. Also, various reports of drug resistance in abomasal nematodes should be emphasized more and more by competent bodies.&#x0D; Keywords: Abomasum, Nematodes, North of Iran, Parasitic infections, Sheep.

Exploring Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae NXNK2203 infection in sheep: insights from histopathology and whole genome sequencing

BackgroundMycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) is a significant pathogen causing respiratory infections in goats and sheep. This study focuses on investigating vulnerability of Hu sheep to M. ovipneumoniae infection in the context of late spring’s cold weather conditions through detailed autopsy of a severely affected Hu sheep and whole genome sequencing of M. ovipneumoniae.ResultsThe autopsy findings of the deceased sheep revealed severe pulmonary damage with concentrated tracheal and lung lesions. Histopathological analysis showed tissue degeneration, mucus accumulation, alveolar septum thickening, and cellular necrosis. Immunohistochemistry analysis indicated that M. ovipneumoniae was more in the bronchi compared to the trachea. Genome analysis of M. ovipneumoniae identified a 1,014,835 bp with 686 coding sequences, 3 rRNAs, 30 tRNAs, 6 CRISPRs, 11 genomic islands, 4 prophages, 73 virulence factors, and 20 secreted proteins.ConclusionThis study investigates the vulnerability of Hu sheep to M. ovipneumoniae infection during late spring’s cold weather conditions. Autopsy findings showed severe pulmonary injury in affected sheep, and whole genome sequencing identified genetic elements associated with pathogenicity and virulence factors of M. ovipneumoniae.

Distinguishing host responses, extensive viral dissemination and long-term viral RNA persistence in domestic sheep experimentally infected with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus Kosovo Hoti

ABSTRACT Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever orthonairovirus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne, risk group 4 pathogen that often causes a severe haemorrhagic disease in humans (CCHF) with high case fatality rates. The virus is believed to be maintained in a tick-vertebrate-tick ecological cycle involving numerous wild and domestic animal species; however the biology of CCHFV infection in these animals remains poorly understood. Here, we experimentally infect domestic sheep with CCHFV Kosovo Hoti, a clinical isolate representing high pathogenicity to humans and increasingly utilized in current research. In the absence of prominent clinical signs, the infection leads to an acute viremia and coinciding viral shedding, fever and markers for potential impairment in liver and kidney functions. A number of host responses distinguish the subclinical infection in sheep versus fatal infection in humans. These include an early reduction of neutrophil recruitment and its chemoattractant, IL-8, in the blood stream of infected sheep, whereas neutrophil infiltration and elevated IL-8 are features of fatal CCHFV infections reported in immunodeficient mice and humans. Several inflammatory cytokines that correlate with poor disease outcomes in humans and have potential to cause vascular dysfunction, a primary hallmark of severe CCHF, are down-regulated or restricted from increasing in sheep. Of particular interest, the detection of CCHFV RNA (including full-length genome) in a variety of sheep tissues long after the acute phase of infection indicates a widespread viral dissemination in the host and suggests a potentially long-term persisting impact of CCHFV infection. These findings reveal previously unrecognized aspects of CCHFV biology in animals.