PIWet - PIB

Antimicrobial practices for Mycoplasma infections in cattle: A survey of veterinary practitioners in light of current scientific evidence and national guidelines

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Antimicrobial practices for Mycoplasma infections in cattle: A survey of veterinary practitioners in light of current scientific evidence and national guidelines Saudoyez, Susan; Feberwee, Anneke; Bokma, Jade; Gautier-Bouchardon, Anne V.; Tardy, Florence; Dudek, Katarzyna; Ahmad, Ijaz; Hurri, Emma; Holstege, Manon; Manso-Silvan, Lucía; Catania, Salvatore; Barberio, Antonio; Wiegel, Jeanine; Becker, Claire A.M. Mycoplasmas are major pathogens in cattle, causing respiratory disease, mastitis and arthritis, and leading to significant economic losses. These pathogens’ microbial characteristics complicate diagnosis, treatment, and the performance of certain laboratory assays such as antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Based on a dedicated survey, this study is the first international investigation of diagnostic and treatment strategies used by cattle veterinarians to manage mycoplasma infections. It also assesses how closely these practices align with current scientific evidence and regulatory recommendations. The survey was led by the MyMIC consortium, whose primary objective is to standardize AST methods for livestock mycoplasmas. The survey collected 270 responses from cattle veterinarians across 40 countries worldwide. PCR was the most commonly used diagnostic method, while culture and AST were performed less frequently. Macrolides, florfenicol and tetracyclines were the preferred antimicrobials, in line with current guidelines. However, some prescription practices deviated from recommendations, including the use of ineffective antimicrobial classes (e.g., beta-lactams and trimethoprim/sulfonamides) or of critically important antimicrobial classes as well as inappropriate dosing or duration regimens. These findings emphasize the need for coordinated actions at multiple levels: promoting the use of AST by veterinarians, disseminating updated diagnostic and treatment recommendations, and developing standardized guidelines and procedures for AST in livestock mycoplasmas. The MyMIC consortium has established an inventory of veterinary strategies for antimicrobial use and diagnosis, including resistance surveillance, thereby contributing to improved antimicrobial stewardship and to the health of livestock systems affected by mycoplasmoses. Continued support of this initiative is strongly recommended.

Food contamination by Echinococcus and other taeniid species: Typically low egg numbers, as estimated by digital PCR

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Food contamination by Echinococcus and other taeniid species: Typically low egg numbers, as estimated by digital PCR Umhang, Gerald; Vanessa, Bastid; Henry, Leane Henry; Bastien, Fanny; Ahmed, Haroon; van der Ark, Kees; Berg, Rebecca; Bonelli, Piero; Deplazes, Peter; Deksne, Gunita; Van der Giessen, Joke; Jokelainen, Pikka; Karamon, Jacek; M'Rad, Selim; Maksimov, Pavlo; Oudni-M'Rad, Myriam; Pepe, Paola; Rinaldi, Laura; Samorek-Pierog, Małgorzata; Santucciu, Cinzia; Saarma, Urmas; Casulli, Adriano; Ligda, Panagiota; Sotiraki, Smaragda; Bournez, Laure; Lesellier, Sandrine; Barosi, Roxanne; Boue, Franck; Peytavin de Garam, Carine Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato are the causative agents of two major zoonotic diseases, alveolar echinococcosis and cystic echinococcosis, respectively, and are ranked among the four most important foodborne parasites worldwide. Although interest in food contamination by taeniid eggs is increasing, the estimation of the number of eggs present in food items is still lacking. Using E. multilocularis eggs isolated from fecal samples of experimentally infected red foxes, an average of 5261 (±1253) mitochondrial DNA copies per egg was estimated by digital PCR (dPCR). Based on this estimation, 47 taeniid DNA samples previously obtained from different food items and identified as positive for E. multilocularis, E. granulosus sensu stricto or Taenia species, were submitted to dPCR to estimate the number of eggs present. In 95.7% of the samples, the contamination was estimated to be caused by one to five eggs, with only one egg in 83.0% of the samples. As detection of such low-level contamination requires sensitive detection methods, a performance comparison between microscopy and molecular methods was conducted using 15 pellets obtained from lettuce wash residues spiked with 0 to 63 E. multilocularis eggs. Two operators performed blinded microscopy, followed by DNA extraction from the examined pellets for real-time PCR detection and then an estimation of the number of eggs by dPCR. A higher sensitivity was obtained with real-time PCR (88.5%) compared to microscopy (40%) in samples containing one to five eggs. The correlation between the number of eggs spiked into the samples and the estimated egg number was strong using dPCR (r = 0.99, p < 0.01), while only moderate with microscopy (r = 0.67, p < 0.05). Estimation of the number of taeniid eggs in food samples by dPCR provides the first quantitative basis for exposure assessment and is important for evaluating the risk of human foodborne infections, with future work needed to address egg viability.

Tick-Borne Pathogens in Wild Cervids from Poland: A Molecular Survey on Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Piroplasms

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Tick-Borne Pathogens in Wild Cervids from Poland: A Molecular Survey on Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Piroplasms Sel, Emily; Libertini, Giulia; Bertelloni, Fabrizio; Bilska-Zając, Ewa; Jodełko, Agnieszka; Ebani, Valentina Virginia; Guardone, Lisa ick-borne diseases (TBDs) are important infections affecting animal health, and some are zoonotic. Understanding the distribution of TBDs in wildlife is important to evaluate the role of wild animals in the maintenance and spread of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in natural ecosystems. This study investigates the occurrence of selected TBPs, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum and piroplasms (Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.), in three widespread wild cervids from Poland: red deer, fallow deer, and roe deer. Ninety spleen tissue samples (30 per species) were collected and analyzed by endpoint PCR and sequencing. DNA of A. phagocytophilum was detected in 54.6% of the samples, mainly in red deer (75.9%), followed by fallow deer (46.4%) and roe deer (41.4%). Piroplasm DNA was found in 30% of the samples, with the highest prevalence in red deer (47%), followed by fallow deer (27%) and roe deer (17%). Sequencing analysis showed the presence of Theileria capreoli and identified two distinct genotypes: “elaphi-CE1”, associated with red deer and fallow deer, and “capreoli-CE1”, associated with roe deer. The results update the epidemiology of TBPs in Poland, supporting the role of cervids as potential reservoirs of A. phagocytophilum and T. capreoli, confirming the need for surveillance in wildlife. Further studies are needed to investigate the distribution of T. capreoli genotypes across Europe.

Proteomic remodeling of the chicken spleen during astrovirus infection reveals coordinated interferon activation and stromal restructuring

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Proteomic remodeling of the chicken spleen during astrovirus infection reveals coordinated interferon activation and stromal restructuring Sajewicz-Krukowska, Joanna; Rożek, Wojciech; Malinowska, Agata; Domańska-Blicharz, Katarzyna Chicken astrovirus (CAstV) is associated with white chick syndrome (WCS), characterized by reduced hatchability, hypopigmentation, developmental delay, and increased early mortality. Although transcriptomic studies have provided insight into host responses to CAstV infection, protein-level mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we performed label-free quantitative proteomic profiling of spleens from CAstV-infected SPF White Leghorn chickens to characterize systemic host responses. Spleens collected at 4 days post-infection were analyzed by nanoLC–MS/MS. Among 1,118 quantified proteins, 34 showed significant differential abundance (q ≤ 0.05). Proteins with increased abundance formed a type I interferon–associated antiviral module, including IFI27L1 (ISG12), OASL, STAT1, MOV10, and IFITM1, consistent with innate antiviral activation. Proteins with reduced abundance were enriched for extracellular matrix and cytoskeletal regulators, including decorin, lumican, mimecan, and actin-associated proteins, suggesting remodeling of the splenic stromal microenvironment. Integration with previously generated RNA-seq data demonstrated concordant transcript–protein induction of interferon-stimulated genes alongside discordant regulation of extracellular matrix, cytoskeletal, and metabolic proteins, suggesting the involvement of post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. Together, these findings reveal coordinated antiviral, stromal, and metabolic responses in the spleen during CAstV infection and provide a proteomic framework for understanding systemic host responses associated with white chick syndrome.