Sick Pigs Research Articles

Using imagery and computer vision as remote monitoring methods for early detection of respiratory disease in pigs

Respiratory diseases in pigs impact the wellbeing of animals and increase the cost of production. One of the most appropriate approaches to minimizing these negative effects is the early detection of ill animals. The use of cameras coupled with computer-based techniques could assist the early detection of physiological changes in pigs when they are beginning to become ill and prior to exhibiting clinical signs. This study consisted of two experiments that aimed to (a) evaluate the use of computer-based techniques over RGB (red, green, and blue) and thermal infrared imagery to measure heart rate and respiration rate of pigs, and (b) to investigate whether eye-temperature, heart rate and respiration rate assessed remotely could be used to identify early signs of respiratory diseases in free-moving, and group-housed growing pigs in a commercial piggery. In the first experiment, the remotely-obtained heart rate and respiration rate were compared with the measures obtained with standard methods, showing positive correlations (r = 0.61 – 0.66; p < 0.05). In the second experiment, pigs were recorded by overhead cameras and the remotely-obtained physiological measures were analysed to identify whether physiological changes could be detected in sick pigs before clinical signs were observed. The changes in eye-temperature and heart rate remotely obtained showed clear differences between sick and healthy pigs two days before clinical signs were detected. While significant changes in respiration rate occurred the day before clinical signs of illness were identified. The results of the present study indicate the possible use of computer vision technique for constant animal monitoring and rapid detection of physiological changes related to illness in commercial pigs. Further research is recommended to continue the development, automatization, and commercial practicality of this novel technology.

Torque teno virus from Korean domestic swine farms, 2017-2018.

BackgroundTorque teno viruses (TTVs) have been detected worldwide, from a wide range of animals. Up to date, few studies focused on the prevalence of TTVs in general and swine torque teno viruses (TTSuVs) in particular in Korean swine farms.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the appearance of TTSuVs and TTVs in sick pigs during the 2017–2018 period.Materials and MethodsMolecular‐based method using TTSuV1‐, TTSuV2‐ and TTV3‐specific primers was used to screen for the viruses from either sera or pooled internal organs of sick pigs. For genetic characterization, genomic sequences of TTVs were sequenced by a primer walking method. Several bioinformatic tools have been utilized to investigate the genomic organization and genetic relationship of TTVs.ResultsTwo years of prevalence survey reveal that the prevalence of TTSuV2 is about twice that of TTSuV1. Furthermore, we identified TTV of genogroup 3 in swine pooled organ samples. The genome of two strains, M265_Korea_2017 and N119_Korea_2018, are 3,817 bp in size; M265_2017 has three open reading frames (ORFs); and N119_2018 strain has four ORFs. The complete genome nucleotide sequencing of the two strains shows 98.4% homology, and the phylogenetic analysis of Open reading frame (ORF)1 indicates that the strains are located close to TUPB strain subgroup C of genogroup 3.ConclusionOur study provided the information of TTSuVs prevalence in swine farms in Korea and highlighted the presence of TTV genogroup 3 strains in pigs.

ПРОФИЛАКТИКА И МЕРЫ БОРЬБЫ С АФРИКАНСКОЙ ЧУМОЙ СВИНЕЙ

As a result of laboratory investigations, the Rosselkhoznadzor Maritime Inter-Blast Veteri-nary Laboratory confirmed the presence of DNA from the African Pig Plague (ACS) virus in the wild and in private accessories in the Primorsky Territory. In all of 2019, 50 APC flares were recorded, although the province was previously consid-ered to be a APC success. Veterinary specialists of the Primorsky Krai region in April 2020 man-aged to eliminate all pockets of African plague of pigs. In April 2020, the Russian veterinary spe-cialists of the Primorskaya Krai region managed to eliminate all pockets of African pig plague. However, by mid-2020, Primorje experienced new outbreaks of APC, with 45 cases recorded by early autumn. The disease can occur at any time of the year. The source of the ACS causative agent is sick and sick pigs. Since the virus can spread not only with infected viral animals, including the incubation pe-riod, but also through various infected objects, the products of the infected pigs are particularly dangerous (meat, meat products, lard, blood, bones, hides, etc.). Virus-infected food and combat wastes used to feed pigs without careful venting have in most cases infected pigs with the African plague. Natural and legal persons who are the owners (owners) of pigs are obliged to carry out pre-ventive measures to prevent the emergence and spread of ACS.

Molecular-based detection, genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of porcine circovirus 4 from Korean domestic swine farms.

Porcine circovirus 4 (PCV4), a novel and unclassified member of the genus Circovirus, was first reported in China in 2019. Aiming to provide more evidence about the active circulation of PCV4, this study screened 335 pooled internal organs and detected the virus (i) at a rate of 3.28%, (ii) from both clinically healthy and clinically sick pigs of various age groups, and (iii) in six out of nine provinces of Korea. The complete genomic sequence of the Korean PCV4 strain (E115) was 1,770 nucleotides in length and had 98.5%-98.9% identity to three PCV4 strains currently available at GenBank. Utilizing a set of bioinformatic programs, it was revealed that the Korean PCV4 strain contained several genomic features of (i) a palindrome stem-loop structure with a conserved nonanucleotide, (ii) packed overlapping ORFs oriented in different directions and (iii) two intergenic regions in between genes encoding the putative replication-associated protein (Rep) and capsid (Cap) proteins. This study also predicted the presence of essential elements for the replication of circoviruses in all PCV4 strains, for example the origin of DNA replication, endonuclease and helicase domains of Rep, and the nuclear localization signal on the putative Cap protein. Finally, based on the phylogeny inferred from sequences of the putative Rep protein, this study further clarified the genetic relationships between PCV4 and other CRESS DNA viruses in general and circoviruses in particular.

Effect of Pregnane X Receptor on CYP3A29 Expression in Porcine Alveolar Macrophages during Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae Infection.

Simple SummaryIn the currently intense production process, infection of swine with Mycoplasma pneumonia is common in pig farms around the world, and reduction in the feeding efficiency and the growth rate of sick pigs causes considerable economic losses to the pig-rearing industry. Our study aimed to determine the molecular mechanism by which Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae induces inflammation in pigs. Our study showed that Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae can regulate the expression of CYP3A29 by upregulating PXR during the inflammatory response induced in porcine alveolar macrophages. These findings may provide useful information for breeding pigs that are resistant to disease.Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae, Mhp) is the causative agent of mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS). M. hyopneumoniae infection causes inflammation in pigs and leads to considerable economic losses in the pig industry. Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a pluripotent gene regulatory protein that plays an important role in regulating cytochrome P-450 (CYP) in pigs in the context of inflammatory responses, drug metabolism, homeostasis, etc. We previously reported that cytochrome P450 3A29 (CYP3A29) expression was significantly upregulated in pigs infected with M. hyopneumoniae compared with healthy control pigs. This experiment mainly focused on identifying the role of PXR in the regulation of CYP3A29 and inflammatory factors after M. hyopneumoniae infection by establishing pig alveolar macrophage (PAM) cells in which PXR was overexpressed or silenced. Our results showed that the overexpression of PXR could significantly improve the protein and the mRNA expression levels of CYP3A29 with and without M. hyopneumoniae infection in PAM cells. After the expression of PXR was inhibited, protein and mRNA expression levels of CYP3A29 were significantly reduced with and without M. hyopneumoniae infection in PAM cells. Moreover, PXR can regulate the mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and IL-8 during M. hyopneumoniae infection of PAM cells. In conclusion, these results suggest that PXR positively regulates CYP3A29 expression during the inflammatory response caused by M. hyopneumoniae infection.

Genetic variation analysis of Type 2 porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in Guangdong Province from 2016 to 2018.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a notable threat to the pig industry. Long-term epidemiological investigations and genetic variation analyses of PRRSV isolates benefit PRRSV prevention and control. In our study, 43 PRRSV strains were successfully isolated from the lungs of sick pigs, and the genetic variations of these isolates were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates belonged to PRRSV2 and that lineage 8 (8.7) subgroup III strains remained the dominant type circulating in South China. In addition, sequence alignment analysis identified many novel deletions and mutations in the Nsp2 and GP5 genes. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis showed that highly frequent recombination events of PRRSV between different lineages might occur in Guangdong Province. These results may help to elucidate the epidemiology and genetic variation of PRRSV isolates in Guangdong Province. Keywords: GP5; Nsp2; phylogenetic analysis; sequence alignment; porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

Spread of tet(X5) and tet(X6) genes in multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains of animal origin

The recent emergence of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene tet(X) has challenged the clinical effectiveness of tigecycline as a last-resort treatment option. During 2017–2018, 336 fecal samples from sick ducks, pigs, chickens and geese in Guangdong, China, were screened for tet(X)-positive Acinetobacter baumannii strains. Their activities on tetracyclines were determined by microbiological degradation and mass spectrometry, followed by susceptibility testing, sequence typing, gene transfer, molecular location and genomic DNA sequencing analyses. A total of 10 tet(X)-positive A. baumannii strains were isolated from ducks and chickens, including eight plasmid-borne tet(X5)-positive and two chromosomal tet(X6)-positive isolates. All of them exhibited good degradation activities on tetracyclines by hydroxylation at C11a and were multidrug-resistant to tigecycline, tetracycline, florfenicol, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Genetically, they belonged to two sequence types (ST355, n = 8; ST1980, n = 2) that were consistent with their pulsotypes, revealing a clonal spread of ST355 A. baumannii. An ISCR2- or IS26-mediated tet(X) transposition structure, homologous to those of clinical A. baumannii strains, was also identified and ISCR2 could transfer tet(X5) into the recipient Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 at a frequency of (1.8 ± 0.3)×10−6. Therefore, more efforts are needed to evaluate the clinical impact of these tigecycline resistance genes.

Detection and phylogenetic analysis of porcine circovirus type 3 in Taiwan.

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is a newly emerging porcine circovirus that infects pig populations worldwide. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of PCV3 in Taiwan and analyzed the phylogenetic relationships between the Taiwanese PCV3 strains and those from other countries. A total of 463 clinical specimens from sick pigs were collected in 2016-2019 and analyzed for PCV3 by PCR. The positivity rate for PCV3 was 10.6% in 2016, increasing markedly to 34.78% in 2019. A phylogenetic analysis based on full-length genomic sequences of PCV3 divided the PCV3 strains into three clades, with the Taiwanese strains in clade 1.

Association between the use of colistin for short-term treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections and the emergence of colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in swine from selected swine farms in Thailand.

Long-term use of colistin for preventing Gram-negative bacterial infections in food animals was prohibited in Thailand in 2017, but it is permitted for short-term treatment. This study aimed to investigate association between the use of colistin for short-term treatment of infection and the emergence of colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in swine. The current study was conducted at 2 selected swine farms in Thailand. Neither farm has used colistin to prevent infection for longer than 1 year. Rectal swabs were collected from the same 66 pigs at birth, and on days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60. Colistin was used to treat sick pigs for up to 3 days. Additional rectal swabs were collected during colistin treatment. Rectal swabs were analyzed for colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and the mcr-1 gene. Results revealed that colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were absent at birth. Some pigs at both farms had diarrhea and received colistin treatment during days 2–27. Colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were detected in 13.3–50.0% of sick and healthy pigs. No sick pigs were observed during days 28–60, and colistin was not used during that period. Colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were detected in 2.8–10.0% of healthy pigs on day 28, and in 0–3.4% of healthy pigs on day 60. The mcr-1 gene was detected in 57.6% of colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates. Short-term treatment with colistin was found to be associated with the emergence of colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in swine. Colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae rapidly emerged after colistin use, and rapidly decreased or disappeared after its discontinuation.

Uncertainty-based concentration estimation of chlortetracycline antibiotics in swine farms and risk probability assessment for agricultural application of manure

Consideration of livestock farming practices is necessary for the reliable prediction of veterinary antibiotics concentrations in livestock manure and soil and characterization of their ecological risks. This study aims to predict concentrations of chlortetracycline (CTC) generated from slurry pit and evaluate its ecological risk in soil based on the European Medicine Agency guidelines by considering slurry pit farm practices such as cleaning water volume and those uncertainties. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was conducted on the exposure estimation of CTC in soil employing the Monte Carlo simulation. The predicted environmental concentrations of CTC in the slurry pit and soil were in a range of 0.54–5.64 mg/kgmanure and 3.42–67.59 μg/kgsoil, respectively, for a 90 % confidence level. The predicted ranges included the measured values reported in previous studies. The probability of risk quotient (RQ) exceeding one was estimated at 9.3 % based on the Monte Carlo simulation. The four most influential factors on the exposure to CTC in soil were identified as nitrogen in fertilizer/compost, cleaning water volume, ratio of sick pigs requiring antibiotics, and pit emptying cycles. The results indicate that the ecological risk of CTC in the soil is possible and can be controlled by slurry pit farm practices.

Efficiency of complex pig therapy with pathology of the distal department of the limbs

Studies have been conducted to establish the dynamics of the course of treatment of purulent-inflammatory process of distal limb in pigs. The treatment algorithm was presented by two schemes: classic (I – experimental screw) and experimental (II – experimental group). Among the morphological parameters investigated: hemoglobin level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hematocrit, leukograms, total erythrocytes and leukocytes in the blood. To determine the immunobiological activity of the body of sick pigs, serum T: lymphocytes (CD2, CD3), T-helper cells (CD4), T-suppressors/killers (CD8), IRI (T-help/T-sup.), NK cells (CD16), B-lymphocytes (CD22), immunoglobulins A, M, G, CEC and phagocytic index. Research objectives – determining the effectiveness of treatment regimens algorithm for morphological and immunological composition of the blood in different forms of lymphoma disease distal extremities in pigs. Manifestation effector function was observed a decrease in lymphocytes, proliferation and differentiation of corresponding antibodies of the immune system of pigs. Inhibition of regulatory function in the inflammatory process reduces the mechanisms of formation of biologically active compounds “chemotaxis factor”, “transfer factor”, “phagocytosis factor”, migration of neutrophils and macrophages. The decrease in the concentration of NK cells in 2 times, with the pathology open wound, indicates a decrease in the process of opsonization (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity) due to the lack of immune response to pathogens in the inflammatory cell. In abscesses, purulent pododermatitis and laminitis, NK cells decrease 1.5 times with the indirect manifestation of specific cytotoxic cells (B-lymphocytes, macrophages). It is determined that the drug “Trifuzol 1%” activates effector and reparative function of specific components of immune activity (T and B lymphocytes, population of T cells, NK cells). The results of these studies in the article thoroughly show the dynamics of changes in morphological and immunological status of pigs for diseases of the musculoskeletal system of the distal extremity. The results will facilitate the work of veterinary practitioners in the treatment of nosological forms of distal limb diseases in pigs.

Molecular Evidence for Intra- and Inter-Farm Spread of Porcine mcr-1-Carrying Escherichia coli in Taiwan.

From January 2013 to December 2018, 90 Escherichia coli isolates were collected from 90 sick pigs on 58 farms in seven cities in Taiwan. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the isolates to 14 antimicrobial agents were determined on the VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux, Marcy-l’Etoile, France), and the resistance to colistin was assessed via the reference broth microdilution (BMD) method. The mobilized colistin resistance genes (mcr) were determined for the colistin-resistant isolates, which displayed BMD MICs ≥ 4 mg/L. Genotypes of the mcr-positive E. coli isolates were determined by multilocus sequence typing, arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All of the isolates were tested for susceptibility to carbapenems. Fifty isolates (55.6%) were resistant to colistin, 39 of which (78%) were positive for the mcr-1 gene. E. coli isolates harboring mcr-1 were most frequent in 2017 (15/18, 83.3%), followed by 2018 (13/23, 56.5%), 2015 (7/21, 33.3%), and 2016 (3/24, 12.5%). A total of 18 sequence types (STs) were identified among the 39 porcine mcr-1-carrying E. coli isolates; 13 were ST2521 (33.3%) isolated in 2017 and 2018. Five genotypes (clones) were identified, and the same genotypes were in sick pigs on the same farm and different farms. This suggests intra- and inter-farm spread of porcine mcr-1-carrying E. coli. The results presented here indicate high colistin resistance and wide mcr-1 E. coli prevalence among the sick pigs sampled in 2015–2018 in different regions of Taiwan.

Histopathological changes in pigs infected with ileitis

Nowadays, the ileitis (proliferative enteropathy of pigs) is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases. The intracellular bacterium Lawsonia intracelluaris causes several forms of the disease. Histological examinations are the important stages in diagnosing and detecting profound pathological changes in sick pig organs, decreasing their productivity and causing the deaths. Swine proliferative enteropathy (SPE) has reported for the Ukraine since 2008. For SPE the early diagnostics with different test systems is relevant. We evaluated the sick, forcibly killed and dead piglets of different ages in Ukrainian pig farms during 2018-2019 in animal fattening groups. Materials were taken from piglets aged 120-150 days in farms where the ileitis was diagnosed. To assess the complex of pathological and anatomical changes detected during autopsies of piglets, V.P. Shishkov’s methods were used. Thus, we revealed a characteristic morphology of proliferative lesions. We believed that the histological examination can serve as an important diagnostic method and an alternative to direct isolation of Lawsonia intracellularis, which is very difficult to cultivate. We determined that the histopathological changes in pig organs indicated a chronic effect caused by animal pathogen. We revealed that Lawsonia intracellularis caused the profound pathological changes in pig digestive tracts, which affected the functioning of all organs and tissues of animals and lead to severe disease and possible animal death. We suggested that the histological examination is an important step in diagnosing and detecting profound pathological changes in the organs of sick pigs, which caused the decrease in their productivity and deaths.

Isolation and characteristics of multi-drug resistant Streptococcus porcinus from the vaginal secretions of sow with endometritis

BackgroundSow endometritis is a common disease in pig breeding farms after artificial insemination, which leads to gray-green vaginal secretions and decreased conception rates. It is important to perform an etiologic diagnosis for effective treatments and control of diseases. The aim of this study was to carry out a pathogenic detection in five specimens of vaginal secretions collected from sick pigs with endometritis, implement identification of the pathogens by phenotypic detection and 16 s rDNA sequence and phylogeny analysis, and determinate antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates.ResultsA Streptococcus strain was isolated and identified from all of the five specimens. The isolate was positive for Voges-Proskauer (V-P) and for the hydrolysis of arginine, esculin and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). Acid formation was observed for sorbitol, mushroom sugar, sucrose, and glucose. The 16S rDNA sequence of the isolate possessed 99.93% similarity to that of Streptococcus porcinus. The phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequence showed that the isolate belonged to the same clade as the S. porcinus strains from humans, pigs, and other animals. The isolate exhibited multi-drug resistance to aminoglycosides, quinolones, macrolides and tetracyclines except being sensitive to some β- lactams such as penicillin G, cephalothin, cefazolin, cephradine and cefuroxime.ConclusionsA S. porcinus isolate with multi-drug resistance was identified from vaginal secretions of sows with endometritis in one pig breeding farm, which suggests that the sow endometritis was caused by S. porcinus infection during artificial insemination. This study indicates that sensitive antibiotics such as penicillin G or some cephalosporins could be used for treatment of the diseases. In addition, the study hints that bacterial multi-drug resistance is a tough problem for disease treatment in pig farms.

On senecavirus transmission pathways and mechanism

Senecavirus infection is manifested by vesicular lesions of the skin of the distal parts of the limbs, patch and mammary gland in adult pigs and epizootic transient neonatal disease of newborn piglets. According to clinical signs and pathological changes, vesicular senecavirus infection in fattening pigs and adult pigs is indistinguishable from foot and mouth disease, porcine vesicular disease, porcine vesicular exanthema and vesicular stomatitis. The causative agent of senecavirus infection is a small, non-enveloped virus containing RNA coated with a protein capsid. Возбудитель относится к семейству Picornaviridae, роду Senecavirus. According to the data of 2019 senecavirus infection has been reported in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. There is a tendency to widespread senecavirus. A number of researchers believe that in the US, senecavirus infection has become endemic. Outbreaks of senecavirus infection in the Heilujiang province of China represent the greatest threat to pig breeding in the Russian Federation, since this province borders with Primorsky, Khabarovsk, the Jewish Autonomous and Amur regions. Experimentally proved the possibility of infection of pigs with senecavirus by alimentary route. It has been established that certain food ingredients are risk factors for the movement of viruses, including senecavirus, across the country and around the world. These results indicate a great risk of introducing senecavirus into Russia with feed ingredients. Isolation of senecavirus from samples of the lungs of sick pigs indicates a possible infection of animals by an aerogenous route. Senecavirus is excreted from the mouth out of the body of pigs, as well as with feces within 28 days.

THE PRESENCE OF A POTENTIAL PATIENT OF COLIBACTERISIS IN THE POPULATION OF PIGS OF LOCAL SELECTION OF UKRAINIAN MEAT BREED

Each year about 10 million piglets die all over the world because of oodema disease and postweaning diarrhea. These diseases associated with the adhesion of enterotoxic Escherichia coli on the surface of pig intestinal cells are called colibacteriosis. The disease exciter is enteropathogenic hemolytic strains of Eschenchia (E. coli). The enterotoxic E. coli O157 is able to produce specific adhesins in piglet colibacteriosis, the most important role being played by F18 and F4 (K 88). The genetic resistance of piglets to diarrhea is based on the lack of appropriative receptors on the surface of the intestinal cells of animals. It is practical interest in pigs breading to study using polymorphism of E. coli F18 and F4 (ECR F18/FUT1 and ECR F4/MUC4) receptor genes in the selection process associated with the occurrence of colibacteriosis in piglets. The studies were apropiate on the basis of a breeder reproducer of the Ukrainian meat breed pigs of Dnipropetrovsk state agricultural institute selection at "Lugovskoye" Ltd. of firm "Avias 2000" of Solonyansky district, Dnipropetrovsk region. Microbiological studies of the presence of E. coli O157 in the animals faeces were performed at the Department of Biotechnology of the Ukrainian Chemical Technology University, using a ready-made selective Compact Dry EC medium. Animal genotype estimation for FUT1 and MUC4 genes was carried out at the genetic laboratory of the Institute of Pig Breeding andAgro Industrial Production, National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, by the PCR-RFLP method. Studies have been conducted to detect enterotoxigenic E. coli O157 in a closed population of pigs of Ukrainian meat breed type of selection of Dnepropetrovsk state agricultural institute. 58.3% of clinically healthy sows were found to contain E. coli O157, while in the 5–12 days group of clinically healthy pigs the detection rate was 20.0% and in piglets with signs of diarrhea 44.5%. On 12th day the average weight of sick piglets was lower on 30.45% compared to the average weight of healthy individuals was found, and the losses among sick pigs at weaning on day 21 reached to 56%. The relationship between colibacteriosis piglets susceptibility with genotypes of FUT1 and MUC4 genes was identified. The studied population of pigs is unreliable for colibacteriosis, so a gene pool study for the presence of the desired colibacteriosis resistance genotypes of FUT1 and MUC4 marker genes, followed by selection of parental cross-breeding forms, should be included in the livestock reproduction program.

PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE SKIN OF THE GUINEA PIGS IN THE COURSE OF MICROSPORES

During the course of microspores on the skin, the balance between the species of saprophytic microorganisms and hypersensitivity as an integral part of the inflammatory reaction resulting from the presence of the pathogen in the skin is disturbed. The degree of expression of inflammation varies. Clinical manifestations of microsporia are manifested by erythema, alopecia, scaly and crust formation. The aim. Histological studies were performed to determine pathomorphological changes in the skin of guinea pigs during microsporia. The studies were conducted on clinically healthy and sick guinea pigs during the acute course of the disease, during regeneration and during recovery.And also carry out a description and characterization of the identified changes in the skin.The obtained research results showed that patients with microsporia had changes in the morphological composition of the skin, which were characterized by thickening and keratinization of the epidermis, there were small-focal polymorphic cell infiltrates, there was a violation of the microvasculature and the formation of micellar formations. Materials and methods. The material for histological examination(pieces of guinea pig skin) was fixed in a 10–12 % cooled solution of neutral formalin, followed by pouring into paraffin according to the scheme proposed by G.A. Merkulov (1969). Histomic sections 5–7 μm thick were made on the MC-2 dome microtome. Hematoxylin and eosin staining were used for the morphological evaluation of cells and tissue. Microscopy was performed using an OLIMPUS CX-41 microscope. Results. Signs of superficial inflammation with hyperkeratosis and desquamation of cells of the stratified epithelium, microcracks of the epidermis were found in the skin of the patient with microsporia of the tentacle during the acute course. Signs of inflammation of the follicles and surrounding tissues are visualized. Round-cell and plasma connective tissue infiltrates of the connective tissue of the skin were detected by lymphoid, histiocytic and other cellular elements. There is moderate leukocyte infiltration in the dermis. Signs of inflammation by type of infiltration around the hair follicles, enlargement of the blood capillaries and the presence of microabscesses. In the stage of regeneration during recovery, a clear contoured layer of epithelial cells is established. There are no signs of inflammatory reaction in the dermis. Conclusion. In microspores, inflammatory processes occur in all layers of the skin. The skin of sick animals loses its barrier function due to pathomorphological changes. The long-term consequences of the pathological process during the course of microspores can provoke the development of chronic dermatitis with scleroderma. During the course of microspores on the skin, the balance between the species of saprophytic microorganisms and hypersensitivity as an integral part of the inflammatory reaction resulting from the presence of the pathogen in the skin is disturbed. The degree of expression of inflammation varies. Clinical manifestations of microsporia are manifested by erythema, alopecia, scaly and crust formation. The aim. Histological studies were performed to determine pathomorphological changes in the skin of guinea pigs during microsporia. The studies were conducted on clinically healthy and sick guinea pigs during the acute course of the disease, during regeneration and during recovery.And also carry out a description and characterization of the identified changes in the skin.The obtained research results showed that patients with microsporia had changes in the morphological composition of the skin, which were characterized by thickening and keratinization of the epidermis, there were small-focal polymorphic cell infiltrates, there was a violation of the microvasculature and the formation of micellar formations.Materials and methods. The material for histological examination(pieces of guinea pig skin) was fixed in a 10–12 % cooled solution of neutral formalin, followed by pouring into paraffin according to the scheme proposed by G.A. Merkulov (1969). Histomic sections 5–7 μm thick were made on the MC-2 dome microtome. Hematoxylin and eosin staining were used for the morphological evaluation of cells and tissue. Microscopy was performed using an OLIMPUS CX-41 microscope. Results. Signs of superficial inflammation with hyperkeratosis and desquamation of cells of the stratified epithelium, microcracks of the epidermis were found in the skin of the patient with microsporia of the tentacle during the acute course. Signs of inflammation of the follicles and surrounding tissues are visualized. Round-cell and plasma connective tissue infiltrates of the connective tissue of the skin were detected by lymphoid, histiocytic and other cellular elements. There is moderate leukocyte infiltration in the dermis. Signs of inflammation by type of infiltration around the hair follicles, enlargement of the blood capillaries and the presence of microabscesses. In the stage of regeneration during recovery, a clear contoured layer of epithelial cells is established. There are no signs of inflammatory reaction in the dermis. Conclusion. In microspores, inflammatory processes occur in all layers of the skin. The skin of sick animals loses its barrier function due to pathomorphological changes. The long-term consequences of the pathological process during the course of microspores can provoke the development of chronic dermatitis with scleroderma.

Remotely Sensed Imagery for Early Detection of Respiratory Disease in Pigs: A Pilot Study.

Simple SummaryRespiratory disease in pigs causes suffering in infected animals and economic losses to producers. One of the most appropriate approaches to minimising these negative effects is by the early detection of infected animals. This pilot study aimed to use computer-based techniques to measure changes in temperature (eye and ear-base temperature), heart rate and respiration rate of pigs from thermal-infrared and conventional images. These measures, together with clinical observations, were obtained from pigs that were infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) and from pigs that were healthy. Infected pigs showed higher temperature and heart rate than healthy pigs across the period analysed. Respiration rate showed less difference between infected and healthy pigs. In addition, the biggest changes in these measures were recorded from six hours before the clinical observations identified sick animals. Results have highlighted that computer vision techniques can provide important and useable data regarding physiological changes that can indicate early signs of respiratory infection in pigs. This could aid the management of the disease, increasing the success of the treatment and decreasing the rate of severe cases and death.Respiratory diseases are a major problem in the pig industry worldwide. Due to the impact of these diseases, the early identification of infected herds is essential. Computer vision technology, using RGB (red, green and blue) and thermal infrared imagery, can assist the early detection of changes in animal physiology related to these and other diseases. This pilot study aimed to identify whether these techniques are a useful tool to detect early changes of eye and ear-base temperature, heart rate and respiration rate in pigs that were challenged with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Clinical observations and imagery were analysed, comparing data obtained from animals that showed some signs of illness with data from animals that showed no signs of ill health. Highly significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between sick and healthy pigs in heart rate, eye and ear temperature, with higher heart rate and higher temperatures in sick pigs. The largest change in temperature and heart rate remotely measured was observed around 4–6 h before signs of clinical illness were observed by the skilled technicians. These data suggest that computer vision techniques could be a useful tool to detect indicators of disease before the symptoms can be observed by stock people, assisting the early detection and control of respiratory diseases in pigs, promoting further research to study the capability and possible uses of this technology for on farm monitoring and management.

Simultaneous detection of classical swine fever virus and porcine circovirus 3 by SYBR green I-based duplex real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR

In the present study, the SYBR green I-based duplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was developed for simultaneous detection of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and porcine circovirus 3 (PCV3). The assay was used to detect both CSFV and PCV3 in one sample by their distinct melting temperatures (melting peaks at 87°C for CSFV and 81.5 °C for PCV3), and no specific fluorescence signals were detected for other non-targeted porcine pathogens. The assay had a high degree of linearity (R2 > 0.998) with the detection limits of 23 copies/μL for CSFV and 36 copies/μL for PCV3, and exhibited high repeatability and reproducibility with a low coefficient of variation below 2.0% in both intra- and inter-assay. In this study, 130 clinical samples collected from sick pigs in the field were tested by this assay with the positive rates of 9.23% (12/130) for CSFV and 21.54% (28/130) for PCV3 respectively, and the positive rate of CSFV and PCV3 co-infection was 6.92% (9/130). Our results showed that the developed method was a reliable diagnostic tool to monitor and survey CSFV, PCV3 and CSFV/PCV3 co-infection in the field.

The Yersinia high-pathogenicity island (HPI) carried by a new integrative and conjugative element (ICE) in a multidrug-resistant and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strain SCsl1

Multidrug-resistant and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) poses a significant risk to public health. To better understand the molecular characteristics of multidrug-resistant and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae of animal origin, fifteen K. pneumoniae strains from the liver, blood of sick pigs and chicken feces were collected. All K. pneumoniae isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, string test, multi-locus sequence typing and whole genome sequencing. Seven K. pneumoniae isolates were found carrying the mcr-1.1 gene. Among them, a multidrug-resistant and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae strain SCsl1 isolated from the liver of a diseased pig was found to harbor 16 resistance genes (e.g., mcr-1.1) and 16 virulence genes including aerobactin. Moreover, a novel integrative and conjugative element, named ICEKpSL1, was identified in SCsl1, which contains a full Yersinia high-pathogenicity island (HPI). This element could be excised from the chromosome to form a circular intermediate, indicating potential transmission of the Yersinia pathogenicity island. The emergence of multidrug-resistance and hypervirulence in K. pneumoniae from animals warrants further surveillance.