Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Giovanna Massei
Summary: Current trends in Europe indicate that the impacts of wildlife will increase due to population growth and landscape development. Traditional methods like culling are ineffective, environmentally harmful and face opposition. Contraceptives could be an alternative. This review examines the effects, challenges, cost, and feasibility of using contraceptives for European wildlife. It also highlights the contexts and species in which contraceptives could be used to reduce wildlife impacts and provides eight reasons for Europe to invest in wildlife fertility control.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Beatriz Cardoso, Ignacio Garcia-Bocanegra, Pelayo Acevedo, German Caceres, Paulo C. Alves, Christian Gortazar
Summary: In the context of disease emergence, efforts have been made to develop wildlife disease surveillance (WDS) programs throughout Europe. A need for integrated wildlife monitoring (IWM) is identified, which should include passive disease surveillance, active surveillance, and population monitoring components to effectively assess epidemiological dynamics and outcomes of interventions.
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ming-Shan Tsai, Sarah Francois, Chris Newman, David W. Macdonald, Christina D. Buesching
Summary: Using European badgers as a wildlife model, this study examined the effects of various stressors on gammaherpesvirus reactivation. The results showed different risk factors between juveniles and adults, likely reflecting primary infection and reactivation. Factors such as poor body condition, age, gender, and social group dynamics were found to influence virus shedding in badgers.
Article
Microbiology
Sindy Burgold-Voigt, Stefan Monecke, Anne Busch, Herbert Bocklisch, Sascha D. Braun, Celia Diezel, Helmut Hotzel, Elisabeth M. Liebler-Tenorio, Elke Mueller, Martin Reinicke, Annett Reissig, Antje Ruppelt-Lorz, Ralf Ehricht
Summary: This study describes a strain of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a European badger, which belongs to ST425 and has a novel spa repeat sequence. It does not carry any resistance genes, but an uncommon enterotoxin gene see was detected in one of its three temperate bacteriophages.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aaron S. Bernstein, Amy W. Ando, Ted Loch-Temzelides, Mariana M. Vale, Binbin Li, Hongying Li, Jonah Busch, Colin A. Chapman, Margaret Kinnaird, Katarzyna Nowak, Marcia C. Castro, Carlos Zambrana-Torrelio, Jorge A. Ahumada, Lingyun Xiao, Patrick Roehrdanz, Les Kaufman, Lee Hannah, Peter Daszak, Stuart L. Pimm, Andrew P. Dobson
Summary: The lives lost and economic costs of viral zoonotic pandemics have been increasing over the past century. Some policymakers argue that future pandemic catastrophes should be addressed through detecting and containing emerging zoonotic threats. However, this article suggests that proactive actions should be taken to minimize the impact of future pandemics and proposes three practical measures.
Article
Agronomy
Ilias Karmiris, Thomas G. Papachristou, Dimitrios Fotakis
Summary: Silvopasture is a traditional agroforestry practice that plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and protecting species. However, the abandonment of this practice in Europe has led to changes in vegetation and wildlife habitats, potentially negatively impacting certain species' habitat use.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Michael A. Tranulis, Morten Tryland
Summary: Prion diseases are transmissible neurodegenerative disorders that can be transmitted to humans through consumption of infected ruminant species. The identification of BSE prions as the cause of vCJD sparked a food safety crisis and led to protective measures. CWD continues to spread in North America and the discovery of unrecognized CWD strains in Europe has increased concerns about its risk as a food pathogen.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marieke P. de Cock, Ankje de Vries, Manoj Fonville, Helen J. Esser, Calvin Mehl, Rainer G. Ulrich, Maike Joeres, Donata Hoffmann, Tobias Eisenberg, Katja Schmidt, Marcel Hulst, Wim H. M. van der Poel, Hein Sprong, Miriam Maas
Summary: Urban greening has both positive and negative effects on human and environmental health. This study investigated the association between urban greenness and rat-borne zoonotic pathogen prevalence and diversity. The results showed that greener urban areas had a higher prevalence of certain pathogens, such as Bartonella spp. and Borrelia spp., while the prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli and ratHEV was lower. Rat age was positively correlated with pathogen diversity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Parasitology
Barbara A. Han, Adrian A. Castellanos, John Paul Schmidt, Ilya R. Fischhoff, John M. Drake
Summary: The order Carnivora includes a wide range of species living in various major biomes. The high diversity of carnivore parasites may pose a risk for emerging diseases in humans. Research suggests that the transmission of zoonotic parasites within carnivores is influenced by the diverse traits of host species in behavior, physiology, and ecology.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Laura M. Bergner, Nardus Mollentze, Richard J. Orton, Carlos Tello, Alice Broos, Roman Biek, Daniel G. Streicker
Summary: The surge in metagenomic sequencing has improved understanding of viral diversity in wildlife, but determining the zoonotic potential of newly discovered viruses remains speculative. Machine learning algorithms offer a means to prioritize viruses for further study based on genome sequences.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Brian E. Washburn, David Maher, Scott F. Beckerman, Siddhartha Majumdar, Craig K. Pullins, Travis L. Guerrant
Summary: Avian radar technologies are important for studying bird movements and addressing human-wildlife conflicts. This study evaluated the performance of three radar sensors in tracking red-tailed hawks at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The results showed that as the distance between the hawk and the radar increased, the radar's ability to detect and track the bird decreased. The frequency of synchronization events for red-tailed hawks was low.
Article
Transportation
Samantha Ball, Anthony Caravaggi, Jeremy Nicholson, Fidelma Butler
Summary: Airfield environments are attractive to wildlife, leading to an increase in wildlife-aircraft collisions worldwide. Understanding the effectiveness of current mammal-exclusion and strike mitigation measures is important. This study collected information through an online survey distributed to airfield personnel in Europe and found that mammals were present at all responding airfields, with foxes and rabbits being the most frequently recorded species. The management of specific habitats, fencing, and grassland management were common mitigation measures, and managing water sources was the most successful measure.
JOURNAL OF AIR TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
David Nguyen, Tanay Wakhare, Jing Jiao, Kellen Myers, Oyita Udiani, Nina H. Fefferman
Summary: This research investigates the synergy between different seasonal demographic processes and epidemic dynamics in a two-host disease system, revealing the driving factors behind differences in disease burden between hosts and the profound impact of disease introduction timing relative to annual birth cycles on disease dynamics in both host species.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Miguel Delibes-Mateos, Jenny Anne Glikman, Beatriz Arroyo, Mario Solino, Maria Martinez-Jauregui
Summary: Europeans show low concern about the risk of zoonotic emerging diseases (ZEDs) but high awareness of climate change risks. Increasing awareness of the impacts of ZEDs is crucial and Europeans may be more supportive of sustainable environmental policies to reduce such risks, thereby improving human wellbeing.
Article
Biology
Amy G. Wilson, Scott Wilson, Niloofar Alavi, David R. Lapen
Summary: Macroecological approaches can provide valuable insight into the epidemiology of globally distributed, multi-host pathogens, such as Toxoplasma gondii. The prevalence of T. gondii in wildlife populations is positively associated with human population density and warmer temperatures at the sampling location, indicating a potential link between human activity and parasite transmission. Terrestrial species have a lower overall prevalence, but there are no consistent patterns between trophic level and prevalence.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Damien Barrett, AnneMarie Clarke, Kate O'Keeffe, Padraig Kellegher, John Comerford, Elizabeth Lane, Andrew W. Byrne
Summary: This study examined the seroprevalence of BVDV exposure in Ireland over a four-year period, identifying a declining trend in seroprevalence and varying risks at county- and herd-levels. The presence of a persistently infected (PI) animal in the herd of birth, herd status, and herd size were identified as key factors associated with BVDV seropositivity in study cattle.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Nuno Capela, Yoko L. Dupont, Agnes Rortais, Artur Sarmento, Alexandra Papanikolaou, Christopher J. Topping, Gerard Arnold, M. Alice Pinto, Pedro J. Rodrigues, Simon J. More, Simone Tosi, Thiago S. Alves, Jose Paulo Sousa
Summary: Honey bees are important insect pollinators with great economic and ecological value. Most current assessment methods for honey bee colonies rely on visual assessments, which are subjective and prone to bias. This study presents a new method that quantifies colony size based on bee weight and assesses brood and food storage through image analysis. The method is accurate, standardized, and independent of observer bias.
JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Jamie A. Tratalos, Helen R. Fielding, Jamie M. Madden, Miriam Casey, Simon J. More
Summary: We used logistic regression to investigate the relationship between the Ingoing Contact Chain (ICC) of previous cattle movements and the risk of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Irish cattle herds. We found that direct cattle movements into the herd were risk factors for bTB restrictions, with the number of herds that animals were coming from being the most important factor. However, less remote steps in the ICC did not result in better fitting models. Considering the bTB test history of source herds improved model fit, suggesting that bTB infected animals are often moving out of herds before testing positive.
PREVENTIVE VETERINARY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Simon John More, Vasileios Bampidis, Diane Benford, Claude Bragard, Thorhallur Ingi Halldorsson, Antonio F. Hernandez-Jerez, Susanne Hougaard Bennekou, Kostas Koutsoumanis, Claude Lambre, Kyriaki Machera, Ewen Mullins, Soren Saxmose Nielsen, Josef R. Schlatter, Dieter Schrenk, Dominique Turck, Maged Younes, Polly Boon, Gordon A. A. Ferns, Oliver Lindtner, Erik Smolders, Martin Wilks, Maria Bastaki, Agnes de Sesmaisons-Lecarre, Lucien Ferreira, Luna Greco, George E. N. Kass, Francesca Riolo, Jean-Charles Leblanc
Summary: Copper is an essential micronutrient used in farming pest management, but excessive exposure can have adverse health effects. This Scientific Opinion resolves the divergent existing Health-Based Guidance Values (HBGVs) for copper using a harmonized approach. Hepatic copper retention is identified as an early marker for potential adverse effects, and a daily intake of 5 mg/day is determined to not cause retention. Dietary exposure to copper does not exceed the HBGV in most population groups, except for infants and toddlers who are exposed to copper through formula.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Assel Akhmetova, Jimena Guerrero, Paul McAdam, Liliana C. M. Salvador, Joseph Crispell, John Lavery, Eleanor Presho, Rowland R. Kao, Roman Biek, Fraser Menzies, Nigel Trimble, Roland Harwood, P. Theo Pepler, Katarina Oravcova, Jordon Graham, Robin Skuce, Louis du Plessis, Suzan Thompson, Lorraine Wright, Andrew W. Byrne, Adrian R. Allen
Summary: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a costly, complex, multi-host, endemic disease, and understanding transmission dynamics is crucial for eradication efforts. In this study, whole-genome sequencing of Mycobacterium bovis isolates from badgers and cattle in Northern Ireland provided insights into disease transmission dynamics. The results suggest that cattle are driving the local epidemic, with transmission from cattle to badgers being more common than the other way around. The role of badgers in M. bovis transmission may vary depending on the context and is not a major factor in this study site.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Andrew W. Byrne, Stephanie Ronan, Rob Doyle, Martin Blake, Eoin Ryan
Summary: Dairy systems require annual calving for efficient milk production. Male offspring from dairy breeds in high milk production systems tend to have poor beef production traits and low economic value. Factors influencing early calf slaughtering have been rarely studied. This study analyzed national data on calf slaughter from 2018 to 2022 in Ireland. The dataset included 125,260 early slaughtered calves (1.09% of total births) from 1,364 birth herds. The study provides evidence for targeted interventions to end routine early calf slaughter.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Conor G. McAloon, Jamie A. Tratalos, Luke O'Grady, Martin J. Green, Lawrence Gavey, David Graham, Simon J. More, Guy McGrath, John F. Mee
Summary: Calf mortality rates decreased in Irish dairy herds between 2016 and 2020. Implementation of recommended biocontainment practices to control paratuberculosis in enrolled herds was associated with a reduction in calf mortality hazard.
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
P. I. H. Bisschop, K. Frankena, G. M. Milne, T. Ford, L. McCallan, F. J. Young, A. W. Byrne
Summary: The ambient temperature on the day of bleeding can affect the Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) result for bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Extreme temperatures lead to lower IFN-gamma levels, while moderate temperatures increase the probability of a positive IGRA result. Controlling the temperature of samples from bleeding to the laboratory is important to mitigate confounding factors.
VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Jamie M. Madden, Miriam Casey-Bryars, Simon J. More, Damien Barrett, Eamonn Gormley, Eoin Ryan
Summary: The pilot study aimed to investigate if the Enferplex bTB test could provide additional diagnostic benefits after severe bTB herd breakdowns. The study followed animals that tested negative to SICTT and IFN-γ test for two years. The results showed that there was no difference in the time to positive bTB diagnosis between animals initially classified as positive and negative by the Enferplex test. Further research is needed to explore the potential benefits in other scenarios.
VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
You Chang, Nienke Hartemink, Andrew W. Byrne, Eamonn Gormley, Guy McGrath, Jamie A. Tratalos, Philip Breslin, Simon J. More, Mart C. M. de Jong
Summary: This study aims to better understand the transmission of bTB between cattle and badgers through the environment in a spatially explicit context and identify high-risk areas. By developing an environmental transmission model and estimating transmission rate parameters using infection data from a badger vaccination trial, the study finds that the environment plays an important role in bTB transmission, with a half-life of M. bovis in the environment of around 177 days. The study also calculates the basic reproduction ratio within a herd and generates a map of high-risk areas.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
G. van Schaik, A. Madouasse, A. M. van Roon, S. J. More, D. A. Graham, J. Froessling, J. Gethmann, C. Fourichon, M. Mercat, E. agren, C. Sauter-Louis, G. Gunn, J. Eze, R. Humphry, M. K. Henry, M. Guelbenzu, M. Nielen, I. M. G. A. Santman-Berends
Summary: The STOC free project developed a data collection tool and a model for standardized and harmonized comparison of outputs of different control programs for cattle diseases. The model focuses on evaluating the probability of freedom from infection and compliance with EU standards. Bovine viral diarrhoea virus was chosen as the case disease, and detailed information was collected using the data collection tool. A Bayesian hidden Markov model was developed, tested, and validated using real CP data.
REVUE SCIENTIFIQUE ET TECHNIQUE-OFFICE INTERNATIONAL DES EPIZOOTIES
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Claire Mckernan, Catherine Lawler, Blain Murphy, Daniel M. Collins, Simon J. More, Sean Murray, Patricia Reilly, Rob Doyle, Natascha V. Meunier, Aiden Maguire, Locksley L. McV. Messam
Summary: This study examines the roles and challenges faced by dog welfare organizations in Ireland. The majority of these organizations have written protocols for important welfare actions and send dogs to various regions including Northern Ireland, Great Britain, and other countries. Challenges identified include lack of funding, limited public awareness, and insufficient capacity to handle the number of dogs. Solutions suggested by the organizations include subsidized programs and resources to educate potential owners. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for future research and policy development in Ireland.
IRISH VETERINARY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Sorcha O'Connor, Simon J. More, David C. Speksnijder, Carloalberto Petti
Summary: This study investigates the attitudes of Irish farm animal veterinarians towards antibiotic stewardship, their prescribing behaviors, opportunities for antibiotic reduction, and their attitudes towards future antibiotic use. The results of the survey show that the majority of respondents seek to use antibiotics as judiciously as possible and recognize that antibiotic overuse is the main contributor to antibiotic resistance. Possible solutions to reduce antibiotic use include developing antibiotic treatment guidelines, assigning one unique practice to each farm, and implementing compulsory Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses.
IRISH VETERINARY JOURNAL
(2023)