Astrovirus induced nonpurulent encephalomyelitis in sheep: First report from Türkiye by high-throughput sequencing.

BACKGROUND: This study presents the case of non-purulent encephalomyelitis associated with astrovirus infection in a sheep from Eastern Anatolia, Türkiye. METHODS: A necropsy was performed on a sheep showing nervous signs. Afterwards, brain tissue samples were taken and examined with histopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular techniques. RESULTS: Neuropathologic changes included neuronal degeneration, diffuse gliosis, multifocal perivascular cuffing, neuronophagy and neuronal necrosis in the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the cervical spinal cord. Aerobic and anaerobic bacterial culture, selective culture for Listeria monocytogenes, and PCR analysis for rabies virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Türkiye encephalitis virus, small ruminant lentiviruses and border disease virus were negative. However, the presence of astrovirus RNA in cerebral, cerebellar and spinal cord samples was demonstrated by a pan-astrovirus RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical examinations revealed astrovirus antigens within the neuronal cytoplasm. High-throughput sequencing techniques identified the causative agent as a member of the genotype species Mamastrovirus 13 but representing a distinct genetic lineage with similarity to ovine astrovirus 1 in the open-reading frames (ORF)1ab region and muskox astrovirus in the ORF2 region. CONCLUSION: This report provides evidence that astroviruses are potentially encephalitis-causing pathogens in ovine populations in Türkiye, featuring an astrovirus strain distinct from those previously identified in sheep.

Neurological consequences after portosystemic shunt attenuation in cats: A meta-analysis study.

Neurological symptoms that occur after treatment of portosystemic shunts, in cats, known as post-attenuation neurological signs (PANS) can be quite severe. This study seeks to analyze a better understanding of the neurological outcomes that result from reducing portosystemic shunts in felines and provide insights that could guide future clinical approaches and treatment strategies for congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS).The research utilized the MOOSE Checklist as a guide. PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science ScienceDirect, Embase, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar were used. The study investigated diversity using variance, Cochran Q tests with Applied fixed effects, and random effects models. A meta-regression model identified contributors. Eggers test funnel plot and Beggs test for asymmetry addressed publication bias. 12 high-quality studies were discovered from 664 research papers. This research covered years, shunt morphology, and surgery. PANS occurred 38.9 % of the time in cats, while PAS occurred 20.2 %. The overall PANS mortality rate was 17 %, while PAS was 37.2 %. The complete ligation technique was most common in subgroup analysis. PANS occurrence ranged from 26.8 % to 56.5 % in cats with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts The cause of PANS in cats is still unknown, and there is only limited evidence to justify the use of preventive antiepileptic medications such as levetiracetam. The treatment primarily aims to control neurologic symptoms, and the long-term outlook varies, with the potential for the reappearance of symptoms.

Prevalence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Rickettsia infections in dogs in Iran: A meta-analysis study.

The current study aims to assess the prevalence of different genera of Rickettsiales, intracellular bacteria, in dogs across various regions of Iran. Rickettsiales, as zoonotic pathogens, can have various manifestations in different species, including immunosuppression, anaemia and neuropathy. Due to their close interactions with people and livestock, dogs can serve as reservoirs and transmit these pathogens to humans and other animals. The data from this research can be valuable for managing and controlling related diseases and complications in Iran and possibly neighbouring countries. Pertinent data for this study was gathered without time limitations until 1 March 2022, from different databases. Of all the inspected studies, 26 were eligible based on the inclusion criteria. The Egger test result and asymmetry in the funnel plot revealed significant publication bias; therefore, the meta-analysis model was corrected with the trim-and-fill method. After correction, the prevalence of rickettsial infections among dogs varies by genus - 20.1% for Anaplasma spp. and 10% for Ehrlichia spp. - with an overall prevalence estimated at 18.3% by random-effects analysis. The highest and lowest estimated pooled prevalences were associated with the southwestern (38.5%) and southern (0.3%) provinces of Iran, respectively. The pooled prevalence of rickettsial infection was higher in female dogs (OR = 1.198; p < 0.978; 95% CI, 0.842-1.705) and in dogs ≤2 years (OR = 1.014; p < 0.312; 95% CI, 0.598-1.72), but the difference was not statistically significant. Ultimately, the pooled prevalence of rickettsial infections among dogs is relatively low compared to other countries like Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which are nearby Iran. Given the significant clinical outcomes of this disease, necessary measures for prevention should be taken.

Effect of maternally derived antibodies on two commercial vaccines in changes of serum antibody titres against distemper in puppies.

BACKGROUND: Maternally derived antibodies (MDA) have protection against canine distemper virus (CDV) in the first weeks of puppies' life. However, MDA decreases with age. The most important and effective factor on immunization is timely vaccination. But in recent years, there were some outbreaks of CDV among puppies in Iran and this problem could be related to vaccine failure. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible effect of MDA titre on vaccines against CDV and the efficacy of two commercial vaccines by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). METHODS: In this regard, 24 healthy 8-week old terrier puppies were selected and divided into three identical groups based on a randomized, double-blind comparative trial. The control group was injected normal saline, and group A was vaccinated by the vaccine namely Biocan L (Bioveta, Czech Republic), and the group B was vaccinated by the other vaccine called Duramune Max 5 + LCI/GP (Fort Dodge Animal Health, USA). The vaccines were used for the puppies between 8 and 16 weeks of age and in every 4 weeks. RESULTS: The results showed that the response of both vaccines was satisfactory, and no significant difference was observed between them. Moreover, the MDA in the control group reached an unprotective level in all puppies prior to their 14 weeks of age. In the vaccinated groups, after the second vaccine, all puppies in both groups reached protective levels. DISCUSSION: This is the first study on evaluation of two commercial vaccines in changes of serum antibody titres against distemper in puppies in Iran. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that veterinarians during consulting use the ELISA to measure antibody titres to optimize the vaccination schedule and reduce the cost of vaccination failure. This is of paramount importance for puppies.

Seroprevalence of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection in cattle population in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is an important pathogen correlated with reproductive, respiratory, and gastrointestinal disorders in cattle. Furthermore, it causes endemic infections and significant economic losses in cattle herds worldwide. This review was performed to determine the pooled seroprevalence of BVDV infection and related risk factors among cattle in Iran. Data were systematically gathered without time limitation until 1 December 2020 in the Islamic Republic of Iran from the following electronic databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Elmnet, Magiran, Irandoc, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Civilica. According to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) and inclusion criteria, 28 eligible studies were obtained from various Iran areas. In total, the pooled seroprevalence of BVDV infection, using random-effect model, was estimated 52% (95% CI, 40.1-63.9) in cattle. According to serological detection methods, pooled seroprevalence was as follows: based on ELISA 53.9% and SVN 25.1%. The highest pooled seroprevalence of BVDV infection was in the southeast provinces of Iran (78.4%) and lowest pooled seroprevalence was in Southwest provinces of the country (28.5%). The pooled seroprevalence of BVDV infection in cattle ≤ 2 years was significantly lower than cattle > 2 years (OR = 0.606; 95% CI, 0.397-0.925), whereas the pooled seroprevalence had no significant difference according to other factors such as gender, herd size, and herd types. In conclusion, the pooled seroprevalence of BVDV infection among cattle in Iran is relatively high. The seroprevalence was different among geographical regions of the country. These results are desirable for managing the control programs of this infection in Iran.