Research Publications (Food Safety)

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Influenza A virus (IAV) was a neglected swine pathogen in South America before the 2009 H1N1 pandemic (A(H1N1)pdm2009). The A(H1N1)pdm2009 strain has widely spread among the Chilean swine population and co-circulates with endemic H1N2 and H3N2 viruses. The presence of IAV as a swine pathogen in Chilean swine before the 2009 pandemic is unknown.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Transboundary movement of animal feed and feed ingredients has been identified as a route for pathogen incursions. While imports of animals and animal-derived products are highly regulated for the purpose of infectious disease prevention, there has been less consideration of the viability of infectious agents in inanimate products, such as feed.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. There are no published reports indicating that African swine fever virus (ASFV) has been detected in feed ingredients or complete feed. This is primarily because there are only a few laboratories in the world that have the biosecurity and analytical capabilities of detecting ASFV in feed.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Noroviruses belong to a genetically diverse group of viruses infecting a wide range of mammalian host species., and those detected in cattle and sheep are classified within genogroup III (GIII).

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni), is considered among the most common bacterial causes of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The epidemiology and the transmission dynamics of campylobacteriosis in Egypt remain poorly defined due to the limited use of high-resolution typing methods. In this pilot study, we evaluated the discriminatory power of multiple typing ‘gene-by-gene based’ techniques to characterize C.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Avian influenza (AI) is an important zoonotic disease, which can be transmitted across species barriers to other hosts, especially humans, posing a serious threat to the poultry industry and public health.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Since 2014, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N6 viruses have been responsible for outbreaks in poultry. In this study, four H5N6 virus strains were isolated from fecal samples of sick white ducks and dead chickens in Shandong in 2019. These H5N6 viruses were triple‐reassortant viruses that have not been previously characterized. Their HA genes were derived from the H5 viruses and were closely related to the vaccine strain Re‐11.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Volume 68, Issue 1, Page 2-12, January 2021. In December 2016, low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) caused by an H7N6 subtype was confirmed in a grow‐out turkey farm located in Valparaiso Region, Chile. Depopulation of exposed animals, zoning, animal movement control and active surveillance were implemented to contain the outbreak.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Coxiella burnetii causes coxiellosis in animals and Q fever in humans, a potentially debilitating zoonotic disease commonly transmitted through domestic ruminants. To prevent transboundary spread of C. burnetii, animals may be tested prior to export. In alpacas, this process is complicated by the lack of scientific evidence for C.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a kind of prion disease caused by proteinase K‐resistant prion protein (PrPSc) in cattle. Although BSE has been reported worldwide, BSE‐infected cases have never been reported in Korea. In a previous study, we identified BSE‐related somatic mutation E211K in 3 Korean Holstein cattle. In Korea, the BSE surveillance system has been established.

Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important foodborne pathogen capable of causing severe gastrointestinal diseases in humans. Cattle and sheep are the natural reservoir hosts of STEC strains. Previously, we isolated 56 STEC strains from anal and carcass swab samples of cattle and sheep in farms and slaughterhouses.

During 2012–2017, a total of 1,144 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 outbreaks were reported in Taiwan. We conjectured the current 3‐km radius of the post‐outbreak containment policy could fail to effectively alleviate the current ongoing epidemics of HPAI H5 in Taiwan.

Among recurrent sanitary emergencies able to spread rapidly worldwide, avian influenza is one of the main constraints for animal health and food security. In West Africa, Nigeria has been experiencing repeated outbreaks of different strains of avian influenza virus (AIV) since 2006 and is also recognized as a hotspot in the region for the introduction of emerging strains by migratory wild birds.

Human astroviruses (AstVs) are usually associated with acute gastroenteritis. In recent years, atypical animal‐like AstVs have been identified but their pathogenic role in humans has not been determined. Starting from 2010, there has been a growing evidence that AstVs may also be associated with encephalitis in human and animal hosts.

Hepatitis E is a significant liver disease caused by infection with Hepatitis E virus (HEV). The risk factors for hepatitis E in developed countries include blood transfusion and ingestion of undercooked meat or meat products derived from HEV‐infected animals. Since 2000, there have been increased human hepatitis E incidence reported in Singapore. Although the causes of this increase have not been established, several studies have linked zoonotic HEV infections in humans to pork consumption.

Cryptosporidium parvum is a major zoonotic pathogen responsible for outbreaks of severe diarrhea in humans and calves. Almost all investigations of cryptosporidiosis outbreaks caused by C. parvum have focused on its IIa subtype family in industrialized nations. From December 2018 to April 2019, approximately 200 neonatal calves on a large cattle farm in Hebei Province, China were diagnosed with watery diarrhea and over 40 died.

Duck hepatitis A virus 1 (DHAV‐1) is a highly prevalent pathogen within adult ducks causing acute as well as chronic hepatitis which closely emulates the progression of human hepatitis. However, the underlying mechanisms of DHAV‐1 persistence and the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease are not well defined. The association between hematopoietic reservoirs of virus and persistent infection is increasingly concerning.

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.