Zhukoenig1816

Ticks transmit a variety of pathogens affecting both human and animal health. In temperate and cold regions of Europe (Western, Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe), the most relevant zoonotic tick-borne pathogens are tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Borrelia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. More rarely, Rickettsia spp., Neoehrlichia mikurensis, and zoonotic Babesia spp. are identified as a cause of human disease. Domestic animals may also be clinically affected by these pathogens, and, furthermore, can be regarded as sentinel hosts for their occurrence in a certain area, or even play a role as reservoirs or amplifying hosts. For example, viraemic ruminants may transmit TBEV to humans via raw milk products. This review summarizes the role of domestic animals, including ruminants, horses, dogs, and cats, in the ecology of TBEV, Borrelia spp., A. phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., N. mikurensis, and zoonotic Babesia species. It gives an overview on the (sero-)prevalence of these infectious agents in domestic animals in temperate/cold regions of Europe, based on 148 individual prevalence studies. Meta-analyses of seroprevalence in asymptomatic animals estimated an overall seroprevalence of 2.7% for TBEV, 12.9% for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), 16.2% for A. NVP-BSK805 cell line phagocytophilum and 7.4% for Babesia divergens, with a high level of heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses with regard to animal species, diagnostic test, geographical region and decade of sampling were mostly non-significant, with the exception of significantly lower B. burgdorferi s.l. seroprevalences in dogs than in horses and cattle. More surveillance studies employing highly sensitive and specific test methods and including hitherto non-investigated regions are needed to determine if and how global changes in terms of climate, land use, agricultural practices and human behavior impact the frequency of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in domestic animals.Background Bone marrow (BM)- and adipose tissue (AT)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are used increasingly for autologous cell therapy in equine practice to treat musculoskeletal and other injuries. Current recommendations often call for 10-100 million MSCs per treatment, necessitating the expansion of primary cells in culture prior to therapeutic use. Of concern, human and rodent studies have shown a decline of both MSC recovery from sampled tissue and in vitro proliferative capacity with increasing donor age. This may be problematic for applications of autologous cell-based therapies in the important equine demographic of older patients. Objectives To investigate the effect of donor age on the cellular proliferation of equine BM- and AT-MSCs. Study DesignIn vitro study. Methods BM- and AT-MSCs and dermal fibroblasts (biological control) were harvested from horses in five different age groups (n = 4, N = 60); newborn (0 days), yearling (15-17 months), adult (5-8 years), middle-aged (12-18 years), and geriatric (≥22 years). Proliferation of the cells was tested using an EdU incorporation assay and steady state mRNA levels measured for targeted proliferation, aging, and senescence biomarkers. Results The cellular proliferation of equine BM- and AT-MSCs declined significantly in the geriatric cohort relative to the younger age groups. Proliferation levels in the two MSC types were equally affected by donor age. Analysis of steady state mRNA levels showed an up-regulation in tumor suppressors, apoptotic genes, and multiple growth factors in MSCs from old horses, and a down-regulation of some pro-cycling genes with a few differences between cell types. Main Limitations Potential age-dependent differences in cell function parameters relevant to cell-therapy application were not investigated. Conclusions The cellular proliferation of equine BM- and AT-MSCs declined at advanced donor ages. High levels of in vitro proliferation were observed in both MSC types from horses in the age groups below 18 years of age.Canine distemper virus (CDV), belonging to the genus Morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae, is a highly contagious pathogen, affecting various domestic, and wild carnivores. Conventional methods are too cumbersome to be used for high-throughput screening of anti-CDV drugs. In this study, a recombinant CDV was rescued using reverse genetics for facilitating screening of anti-CDV drug in vitro. The recombinant CDV could stably express the NanoLuc® luciferase (NLuc), a novel enzyme that was smaller and "brighter" than others. The intensity of NLuc-catalyzed luminescence reaction indirectly reflected the anti-CDV effect of a certain drug, due to a positive correlation between NLuc expression and virus propagation in vitro. Based on such a characteristic feature, the recombinant CDV was used for anti-CDV assays on four drugs (ribavirin, moroxydine hydrochloride, 1-adamantylamine hydrochloride, and tea polyphenol) via analysis of luciferase activity, instead of via conventional methods. The result showed that out of these four drugs, only the ribavirin exhibited a detectable anti-CDV effect. The NLuc-tagged CDV would be a rapid tool for high-throughput screening of anti-CDV drugs.In the Desert Grassland, second and subsequent defoliations on perennial grasses during the active growing season can have substantial impacts on grass recovery and reproduction following herbivory. Land managers implement tactics to avoid multiple defoliations on plants by way of rotational grazing, reduced stocking rates, and/or reduced time spent within a given pasture. We explored frequency and rate of defoliation by cattle on perennial bunchgrasses within an 11-day grazing period in three pastures including distance to water (300 and 600 m) and plant height to determine their influence on animal diet selection. Results indicate that 32% of all marked plants were defoliated by cattle and only 5% of defoliated plants were defoliated a second time by day 10 of the grazing period. Defoliation patterns in the studied pastures did not differ between two distances from water, or in relation to plant height. However, at the second defoliation cattle grazed plants that were shorter than at the first defoliation suggesting a selection for high quality re-growth over larger forage on offer.