ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Veterinary students in the UK must visit a slaughterhouse as part of their studies. There is currently limited evidence exploring how students perceive these visits or which activities have been implemented to support learning during a visit that may be emotionally challenging. METHODS: Veterinary students at the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Glasgow were invited to complete an online survey and participate in follow-up focus groups. RESULTS: Participants appreciated the important role that veterinarians play in the slaughterhouse. Most (69%) agreed that in-person visits are important and would choose to visit, with around half (49%) thinking it should be optional. Previous slaughterhouse experience improved students' views towards compulsory in-person visits. Teaching events covering the slaughter process, videos and discussion sessions were perceived as useful preparatory activities. Anxiety was the most common emotion associated with visits. LIMITATIONS: The response rate was low, at 15.6%, and a small number of students participated in focus groups. Data on diets and gender were not collected. CONCLUSION: Slaughterhouse visits are valued by students, although they can cause negative emotions. Managing expectations and increasing awareness of visitation requirements during the application process and subsequent studies may improve the educational and emotional experience of visits.
Subject(s)
Abattoirs , Education, Veterinary , Animals , Humans , Students/psychology , Learning , Focus GroupsABSTRACT
La incidencia de individuos con Trastorno Espectro Autista (TEA) va en aumento. Por lo tanto, es importante la detección oportuna de la condición y conocer los factores de riesgo asociado a nutrición, en especial porque se trata de una población nutricionalmente vulnerable. Desde la última década, las investigaciones han aportado evidencia sobre los mecanismos que subyacen al TEA. Se ha comprobado la coexistencia de diversas complicaciones asociadas al TEA, tales como: trastornos metabólicos, deficiencias nutricionales y condiciones asociadas a la microbiota y funcionalidad gastrointestinal, que podrían estar relacionadas con la etiología o comportamiento en este grupo en particular. Es de suma importancia realizar un resumen de la evidencia con la finalidad de entregar información relacionada a los factores alimentarios y nutricionales asociados a modificación de comportamiento en TEA y desarrollo del mismo, para llevar a cabo una evaluación e intervención oportuna e individualizada, con un enfoque multidimensional, sistémico, multi e interdisciplinario.
The incidence of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing. Early detection of the condition and recognizing risk factors associated with nutrition is essential, mainly because this population is nutritionally vulnerable. In the last decade, research has provided evidence on the mechanisms underlying ASD. The coexistence of various complications associated with ASD, such as metabolic disorders, nutritional deficiencies, and conditions associated with the microbiota and its gastrointestinal functionality, have been proven to be related to the etiology of behavior in this particular group. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to summarize the evidence to provide information related to dietary and nutritional factors associated with behavior modification in ASD and to carry out a timely and individualized assessment and intervention, with a multidimensional, systemic, multi and interdisciplinary approach.
ABSTRACT
Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) are notifiable diseases which are highly transmissible and have the potential for rapid spread regardless of national borders. Many TADs are shared between domestic animals and wildlife, with the potential to affect both livestock sector and wildlife conservation and eventually, public health in the case of zoonosis. The European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD), a commission of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has grouped six TADs as 'Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) And Similar Transboundary animal diseases' (FAST diseases). FAST diseases are ruminant infections caused by viruses, for which vaccination is a control option. The EuFMD hold-FAST strategy aims primarily at addressing the threat represented by FAST diseases for Europe. Prevention and control of FAST diseases might benefit from assessing the role of wildlife. We reviewed the role of wildlife as indicators, victims, bridge hosts or maintenance hosts for the six TADs included in the EuFMD hold-FAST strategy: FMD, peste des petits ruminants, lumpy skin disease, sheep and goatpox, Rift Valley fever and bovine ephemeral fever. We observed that wildlife can act as indicator species. In addition, they are occasionally victims of disease outbreaks, and they are often relevant for disease management as either bridge or maintenance hosts. Wildlife deserves to become a key component of future integrated surveillance and disease control strategies in an ever-changing world. It is advisable to increase our knowledge on wildlife roles in relevant TADs to improve our preparedness in case of an outbreak in previously disease-free regions, where wildlife may be significant for disease surveillance and control.
Subject(s)
Animal Diseases , Cattle Diseases , Foot-and-Mouth Disease , Rift Valley Fever , Sheep Diseases , Animal Diseases/prevention & control , Animals , Animals, Wild , Cattle , Foot-and-Mouth Disease/epidemiology , Foot-and-Mouth Disease/prevention & control , Rift Valley Fever/epidemiology , Sheep , ZoonosesABSTRACT
Listerial keratoconjunctivitis ('silage eye') is a wide spread problem in ruminants causing economic losses to farmers and impacts negatively on animal welfare. It results from direct entry of Listeria monocytogenes into the eye, often following consumption of contaminated silage. An isolation protocol for bovine conjunctival swabbing was developed and used to sample both infected and healthy eyes bovine eyes (n=46). L. monocytogenes was only isolated from one healthy eye sample, and suggests that this organism can be present without causing disease. To initiate a study of this disease, an infection model was developed using isolated conjunctiva explants obtained from cattle eyes post slaughter. Conjunctiva were cultured and infected for 20 h with a range of L. monocytogenes isolates (n=11), including the healthy bovine eye isolate and also strains isolated from other bovine sources, such as milk or clinical infections. Two L. monocytogenes isolates (one from a healthy eye and one from a cattle abortion) were markedly less able to invade conjunctiva explants, but one of those was able to efficiently infect Caco2 cells indicating that it was fully virulent. These two isolates were also significantly more sensitive to lysozyme compared to most other isolates tested, suggesting that lysozyme resistance is an important factor when infecting bovine conjunctiva. In conclusion, we present the first bovine conjunctiva explant model for infection studies and demonstrate that clinical L. monocytogenes isolates from cases of bovine keratoconjunctivitis are able to infect these tissues.
