Hematocrit estimates comparing centrifugation to a point-of-care method in beef cattle living at high altitude.

BACKGROUND: The hematocrit (Hct) or packed cell volume (PCV) reflects the blood volume occupied by red blood cells. The development of point-of-care (PoC) instruments can accelerate the ease of measuring Hct/PCV compared with traditional capillary centrifugation (TCC) methods. However, no studies have compared Hct/PCV levels in cattle at high elevation with other measurement methods. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to compare methods to estimate Hcts/PCVs of rangeland cattle at high elevation. We specifically wanted to determine if Hct/PCV levels measured with a commercial PoC instrument (i-Stat with CHEM8+ cartridges [PoCi ]) were comparable to Hct/PCV levels measured with traditional laboratory methods. METHODS: We assessed the Hct/PCV of 94 mature beef cattle (black Angus; Bos taurus) at ~2195 m above sea level using paired analyses of the PoCi and TCC methods from each animal. We used paired samples t-tests to compare mean Hct/PCVs. Correlation analyses relative to the line of identity and Passing-Bablok regression were used to assess systematic and proportional differences, respectively, and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess agreement between the two methods. RESULTS: The PoCi estimated a Hct of 28.2% ± 0.7% (SE), which was lower than the TCC estimated PCV of 39.2% ± 0.5%. The Bland-Altman plot revealed poor agreement between the two methods in addition to a -11% bias for the PoCi . The Passing-Bablok regression revealed both systematic and proportional bias between the two methods. CONCLUSIONS: Point-of-care blood instruments were not comparable to TCC methods for quantifying Hct/PCVs of cattle living at high elevations.

Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) affecting domestic and wild African ungulates: African swine fever, foot and mouth disease, Rift Valley fever (1996-2018).

Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) affecting ungulates are potentially epidemic diseases that are contagious or transmissible, and a concern for humans worldwide. While globalization has led to increased containment efforts at a global scale, additional local attention is needed as well for vulnerable pastoralist communities that are in close proximity to livestock. We reviewed and then summarized outbreaks, cases, and deaths for 3 TADs (African Swine Fever (ASF), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), and Rift Valley Fever (RVF)) affecting domestic and wild ungulates for all African countries from 1996 to 2018 by compiling data from two World Organization for Animal Health databases. For ASF, 22 countries had no data. Countries with the most ASF case were Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, and Nigeria. Greatest reported ASF cases in a year was Benin in 1997 (387,808), Madagascar in 1998 (153,229), and Democratic Republic of Congo in 2011 (112,775). For FMD, 10 countries had no data. Countries with the most FMD cases were Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, and Benin. Greatest reported FMD cases in a year was Zambia in 2004 (150,000). For RVF, 34 countries had no data. Countries with the most RVF were Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, Mauritania, and Kenya. Greatest reported RVF cases in a single year was Tanzania in 2007 (32,128) and South Africa in 2010 (12,569). Our spatio-temporal summary of these TADs can inform global containment strategies and prioritize local education efforts. Combined, this review enhances global awareness of TAD trends while facilitating education at the local level to prevent the risk of animal-to-human zoonosis through animal handling and management decisions.