Research Publications (Food Safety)

Influenza A virus (IAV) outbreaks constitute a constant threat to public health and pose a remarkable impact on socio‐economic systems worldwide. Interactions between wild and domestic birds, humans, and swine can lead to spillover events. Backyard livestock systems in proximity to wetlands represent high‐risk areas for viral spread. However, some gaps remain in our knowledge of IAV transmission at the wildlife – livestock interface in Mexico.

Since 2013, H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses have caused considerable economic losses in the poultry industry and have caused 24 laboratory‐confirmed human cases. In this study, we isolated nine (B1–B9) H5N6 viruses from healthy ducks in Guangdong Province, Southern China from December 2018 to April 2019.

Since its first detection in 1998, avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H9N2 has been enzootic in Iran. To better understand the evolutionary history of H9N2 viruses in Iran, we sequenced 15 currently circulating H9N2 viruses from domestic poultry during 2017–2019 and performed phylogenetic analysis of complete genome sequences. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the Iranian H9N2 viruses formed multiple well‐supported monophyletic groups within the G1‐lineage of H9N2 virus.

Cryptosporidium is a common enteric parasite that primarily affects those immunocompromised susceptible individuals and newborns. Detailed investigations have revealed that Cryptosporidium (C.) oocysts contain dsRNA segments which are recently classified under the Partitiviridae family. The relationship between parasite and virus whether or not affect the clinical outcomes of newborn calf diarrhoea is not apparent.

Recently, a wound dressing formulation, (Tri‐Solfen®, Medical Ethics Pty Ltd, Australia; TS) registered for use in ruminant husbandry in Australia, was registered for Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease (FMD) therapy in large ruminants in Laos, following clinical observations of improved welfare and healing following treatment of FMD lesions.

Toxoplasma gondii may cause fatal infection in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus). However, the role of this parasite in terms of mortality rate in tularemia endemic areas, amount of parasites in affected organs and circulating genotypes, are still unknown. In total, 36 hares (killed or found dead) were submitted for pathomorphological examination as a part of the national tularemia and brucellosis monitoring.

Small ruminant brucellosis remains endemic in many low and middle‐income countries (LMICs), where it poses a major economic and public health burden. Lack of resources to support long‐term vaccination, inherent characteristics of small ruminant production systems such as mixing of different flocks for grazing and limitations of the vaccines currently available, which can induce abortion in pregnant animals, have all hindered the effectiveness of control programs.

Salmonellosis is one of the most important bacterial diseases in pigeons. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in domestic pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) in Poland, its antimicrobial susceptibility (both phenotypic and genotypic), and its capability for biofilm formation. The presence of selected virulence genes, nucleotide homology of selected genes, and susceptibility to bacteriophages were investigated as well.

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is considered a new circovirus and since it first description has been widely reported in most of the swine‐producing countries. Multisystemic inflammation and reproductive failure are consistent and concerning issues associated with PCV3 infection. This report describes the clinical and pathological features of a chronic reproductive disorder in a swine herd in Argentina associated with the presence of PCV3.

Mycobacterium (M.) bovis can infect cats and is a demonstrated zoonosis. We describe an outbreak of M. bovis in pet cats across England and Scotland associated with feeding a commercial raw food diet. Forty‐seven cats presented with (pyo)granulomatous lesions, lymphadenopathy, pulmonary and/or alimentary disease over a one‐year period where M. bovis infection was suspected or definitively diagnosed, and the cats all consumed the same specific brand of commercial raw venison pet food.

An introduction of a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) like African Swine Fever Virus (ASF) would be financially devastating. For example, ASF, a highly contagious pathogen with high mortality rates, is a World Health Organization reportable disease that has recently been spreading across Asia and Europe. Control of ASF would likely require mass euthanasia of infected and exposed animals similar to the United Kingdom’s elimination of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

Brucellosis in small ruminants caused mainly due to Brucella melitensis is an important zoonotic disease characterized by abortion, retained placenta, infertility, orchitis, epididymitis, and rarely arthritis. Small ruminants are the main source of economy for the rural and marginally poor farmers and brucellosis is resulting in huge economic losses due to abortions and infertility and causing public health concern among the small ruminant keepers.

In the last decade in Europe, the number of autochthonous cases of hepatitis E has significantly increased. Most of the cases arise from foodborne infections caused by the zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes HEV‐3 and HEV‐4. Several human cases have been linked to consumption of raw or undercooked animal products of both pork (liver sausages) and wild boar meat.

Following the increase in wild boar population recorded in urban and peri‐urban areas through Europe, the present survey aimed to assess the occurrence of zoonotic tick‐borne pathogens (TBPs) in wild boars living in southern Italy and in their ticks for evaluating the potential risk of infection for animals and humans. From October to December 2019, a total of 176 ticks collected from 93 wild boars and their spleen samples were molecularly screened for selected TBPs.

This study describes the pathological changes, antibody response, isolation and distribution patterns following exposure of non‐pregnant goats to live B. melitensis. Eighteen healthy adult female goats were divided into 2 equal groups. Group 1 was infected via conjunctival sac with 109 cfu/mL of B. melitensis while Group 2 was similarly exposed to sterile PBS. Serum and swabs from the eyes and vagina were collected at 5‐day intervals.

The H5 A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (gs/GD) lineage emerged in China in 1996. Rooted in the respective gs/GD lineage, the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) has genetically diversified into a plethora of clades and subclades and evolved into an assortment of sub‐ and genotypes.

Armadillos are specialist diggers and their burrows are used to find food, seek shelter and protect their pups. These burrows can also be shared with dozens of vertebrate and invertebrate species and; consequently, their parasites including the zoonotics. The aim of this study was to diagnose the presence of zoonotic parasites in four wild‐caught armadillo species from two different Brazilian ecosystems, the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) and the Pantanal (wetland).

This study reports outbreak of a new disease caused by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (S. pseudintermedius) in Raccoon dogs. The disease occurred in a breeding farm of raccoon dogs in Guan County of Shandong Province in China in August of 2019. 47% (425/896) of the raccoon dogs showed some abnormal symptoms; 17.6% (75/425) of which had sever skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), dyspnea and sever pathological lesions in lungs, livers, etc; and 4.2% (18/425) of which died within 4 weeks.

HoBi‐like pestivirus is an emerging atypical pestivirus in cattle and small ruminants, causing clinical signs similar to those observed in bovine viral diarrhea virus infections. Natural infection of HoBi‐like pestivirus has been reported in cattle herds and small ruminants in multiple countries in South America, Europe, and Asia. However, HoBi‐like pestiviruses were only identified from contaminated bovine serum and small ruminants in China.

The Strategic Alliance for Research into Infectious Diseases of Animals and Zoonoses (STAR‐IDAZ) International Research Consortium (IRC) coordinates global animal health research to accelerate delivery of disease control tools and strategies. With this vision, STAR‐IDAZ IRC has constructed four generic research roadmaps for the development of candidate vaccines, diagnostic tests, therapeutics and control strategies for animal diseases.

China has experienced a sudden multi‐focal and multi‐round of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks during 2018. The subsequent epidemiological survey resulted in a debate including the possibility of a transboundary spread from European Russia to China through wild boar. We contribute to the debate by assessing a hypothetical overland Euro‐Siberian transmission path and its associated ASF arrival dates.

Tracing and isolation of close contacts is used to control outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in China. However, risk factors associated with occurrence of COVID‐19 among close contacts have not been well described. 106 household contacts were included in this study, of whom 19 were developed into COVID‐19 cases and the secondary attack rate was 17.9%.

International travel may facilitate the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19). The study describes clusters of COVID‐19 cases within Chinese tour groups travelling in Europe January 16–28. We compared characteristics of cases and non‐cases to determine transmission dynamics. The index case travelled from Wuhan, China, to Europe on 16 January 2020, and to Shanghai, China, on 27 January 2020, within a tour group (group A).

Infection with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) induces the coronavirus infectious disease 19 (COVID‐19). Its pandemic form in human population and its probable animal origin, along with recent case reports in pets, make drivers of emergence crucial in domestic carnivore pets, especially cats, dogs and ferrets. Few data are available in these species; we first listed forty‐six possible drivers of emergence of COVID‐19 in pets, regrouped in eight domains (i.e.

Event‐based surveillance (EBS) systems monitor a broad range of information sources to detect early signals of disease emergence, including new and unknown diseases. In December 2019, a newly identified coronavirus emerged in Wuhan (China), causing a global coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic. A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the capacity of three event‐based surveillance (EBS) systems (ProMED, HealthMap and PADI‐web) to detect early COVID‐19 emergence signals.