Journal of veterinary medical educationEnzo R Campagnolo, Gary L Welton
Veterinarians work at the intersection of animal, human, and environmental health, yet integration of public health and One Health competencies across veterinary curricula remains poorly characterized. An anonymous, cross-sectional online survey of DVM/VMD students enrolled in AVMA COE-accredited or provisionally accredited veterinary schools worldwide evaluated knowledge, perceived training adequacy, confidence, professional identity, and career intentions related to public health and One Health. The 32-item instrument was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis. A total of 262 students participated; because the number of students who received the invitation could not be determined, a response rate could not be calculated. Of the respondents, 80.5% were enrolled in US-based programs. Most intended to pursue clinical practice (77.5%); approximately 6.5% intended to enter public health or government careers. Antimicrobial resistance ranked as the highest perceived public health threat (mean rank 2.27/5), followed by zoonotic diseases (2.53). Self-reported confidence and perceived training adequacy were moderate across all assessed domains. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses identified five curricular-gap themes: limited awareness of public health career pathways, insufficient experiential and simulation-based learning, difficulty applying public health principles in practice, inadequate curricular emphasis, and gaps in One Health communication and inter-professional collaboration. The inability to calculate a response rate and the convenience-based recruitment approach limit generalizability; findings should be considered preliminary, exploratory, and hypothesis generating rather than representative. Expanded standardized One Health content, scenario-based instruction, and inter-professional experiences may strengthen veterinary student preparedness for emerging zoonotic and pandemic threats.
Medical and veterinary entomologyAbdAllah Samer, Hassan H Fadl, Hayam El-Hamouly, Mohamed G Nasser
Climate change poses significant threats to arthropod vectors of veterinary importance. Hippobosca equina, the forest fly, is an obligate ectoparasite of ungulates with demonstrated capacity for pathogen transmission. We employed maximum entropy modelling to predict current and future global distribution patterns of H. equina under climate change scenarios. Using 1195 occurrence records and five bioclimatic variables, we generated models for present conditions and future projections (2050s and 2070s) under SSP 3-7.0 and SSP 5-8.5 scenarios. Model performance was robust (AUC = 0.954, TSS validation confirmed). Mean temperature of warmest quarter, temperature seasonality and precipitation seasonality contributed most significantly to distribution patterns. Current suitable habitat centres in temperate Europe, with secondary distributions in western Asia and scattered localities globally. Future projections indicate poleward range shifts, with significant habitat expansion into northern Europe, Russia and North America, while southern temperate regions experience habitat contraction. Quantitative predictions indicate that suitable habitat may increase by up to 24.98%-28.81% and decline by up to 11.45%-17.53% relative to current distributions, depending on the emission scenarios, with the most pronounced turnover occurring under SSP5-8.5 by the 2070s. These findings provide critical baseline data for surveillance programs and inform veterinary public health strategies in regions facing imminent colonization risk.
Veterinary sciencesKrisztián Vribék, Máté Farkas, Szilveszter Csorba, Miklós Süth, László Gombos, Ádám Kerek, Evelin Imre, Zoltán Somogyi, Ákos Jerzsele, Zsuzsa Farkas
Internal biosecurity may be associated with antimicrobial use (AMU) in pig production, but observational associations, predictions and explanations of fitted models answer different questions. We analysed 1110 farm-month-age-group units from 18 Hungarian pig farms; an original post hoc restriction retained 939 units from 13 farms. The continuous endpoint was the natural logarithm of one plus a defined AMU index formed by summing substance-specific active ingredient mass-to-recorded-weight ratios. The study-specific biosecurity instrument was used for within-farm monitoring and was not externally validated. We retained a 2 × 2 matrix of unfiltered/filtered and composite/separate-variable models, with categorical animal-group separation, age-group adjustment and farm-cluster uncertainty. In the unfiltered separate-variable model, recorded separation code 2 versus code 0 was associated with a higher log AMU index (β = 0.205; CR1-t 95% CI 0.013-0.397; p = 0.037), although the wild-cluster p-value was 0.116 and sensitivity estimates varied with adjustment. Code 3 binary contrasts were too sparse for precise effect quantification. Four ML families were evaluated using nested farm-grouped and leave-one-farm-out validation. For the inner-selected biosecurity-plus-age procedure, the unfiltered pooled R2 was -0.101 and -0.187, respectively. SHAP retained an exploratory role in explaining held-out tree model predictions. The results identify model-dependent observational patterns but do not establish a causal biosecurity effect or reliable prediction for new farms.
ToxicsStefania Squadrone, Alessandra Griglione, Paolo Palmegiano, Stefania Gavinelli, Anna Riva, Leo Costa, Diana Giuffrida, Marcello Gigliotti, Chiara Marchese, Ros…
Understanding interspecies physiological variability, toxicokinetic pathways, and bioaccumulation dynamics is fundamentally essential for veterinary diagnostics, food safety assurance, and wildlife conservation management. This ten-year toxicological study (2015-2025) analyzed cadmium (Cd) concentrations in liver, kidney, and muscle tissues of bovines, cervids, and equines from northwestern Italy using ICP-MS. Cadmium distribution varied significantly by species and tissue. Bovines and cervids exhibited low, homogeneous burdens (bovine mean liver: 0.14 mg/kg, kidney: 0.60 mg/kg; cervid mean liver: 0.13 mg/kg, kidney: 0.72 mg/kg), and cervids showed wider ranges due to environmental exposure. Conversely, equines accumulated drastically higher concentrations in hepatorenal tissues, averaging 10 mg/kg in the liver and 53 mg/kg in the kidney. Muscle tissue concentrations remained minimal across all species (0.017 to 0.078 mg/kg). Principal Component Analysis explained 90.4% of total variance, cleanly separating equines from bovines and cervids based on hepatic and renal loads. Liver and kidney proved to be robust biomarkers for monitoring Cd exposure. These findings support the integration of comparative tissue metal profiling into comprehensive veterinary toxicology, veterinary public health, and wildlife health assessment frameworks.
The first epidemic of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in France was detected in June 2025, with a total of 117 outbreaks recorded by the end of the year. This fast-spreading vector-borne disease of cattle prompted the implementation of strict control measures, including total depopulation of affected herds, resulting in the culling of more than 3500 cattle. Over the course of the epidemic, this measure became increasingly unacceptable, leading to major protests. To contribute to this veterinary public health debate, we present a mathematical model, accounting for both cattle and vector populations, that compares within-herd transmission dynamics under selective or total depopulation strategies, and different vector control scenarios. The selective depopulation strategies are modelled based on a bi-daily test-and-cull approach implemented upon detection of the first clinical case in an unvaccinated herd, with imperfect diagnostic tests capable of detecting infection in asymptomatic cattle under different assumptions of test sensitivity and of time from infection to detectability. Our model shows that the selective culling strategy is insufficient to control the spread of the disease in the absence of vector population control, with the entire herd eventually becoming infected. In the best-case scenario with highly sensitive and timely diagnostic tests and an 80% reduction of the vector population, still 75% (95% simulation interval: 26, 100) of the herd becomes infected. Assuming more realistic diagnostic tests (30% sensitivity for detecting subclinical animals within 2-3 days before the onset of infectiousness), the model predicts that 94% of the herd (95% simulation interval: 44, 100) eventually becomes infected, representing only a marginal improvement over a total depopulation strategy.
BMC veterinary researchJustine Okello, Luke Nyakarahuka, Benard Agwai, Isaac Opio Okello, Felix L Opiyo, Ivan Ongebo, Glet B Kakuru, Beatrice Nanozi, Christabellah Namugenyi, Andrew …
INTRODUCTION: Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic viral disease of major veterinary public health and economic importance, transmitted primarily by mosquitoes and associated with significant livestock losses and human infections. Despite its epidemic potential and its demonstrated endemicity in western Uganda, data on its seroprevalence and associated factors from northern Uganda remain limited. This study determined the seroprevalence of RVF and its associated factors in unvaccinated livestock in Apac, Arua, and Lira districts. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in selected sub-counties of Apac, Lira, and Arua districts in northern Uganda. Blood samples were collected from 704 randomly selected unvaccinated livestock (cattle, goats, and sheep). Sera were tested for RVF IgG antibodies using a competitive ELISA (IDvet) kit. Data on animal and herd characteristics were collected through interviews of livestock owners using a structured questionnaire. A robust modified Poisson regression analysis was done to estimate prevalence ratios for the factors associated with RVF IgG seropositivity. RESULTS: RVF IgG seroprevalence was 28% (95% CI: 24.8-31.4). Seropositivity was highest in Arua (54.5%) compared to Apac (28.6%) and Lira (18.1%). Seropositivity was higher in cattle (31.3%) when compared with goats (23%). In multivariable analysis, cattle were more likely to be RVF seropositive than goats (aPR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.06-1.76, p < 0.05), while indigenous breeds had significantly lower likelihood of seropositivity than cross breeds (aPR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.29-0.56, p < 0.05). Animals with recent (in the past 8 weeks) illness had significantly higher likelihood for RVF seropositivity than animals without recent illness history (aPR = 3.66, 95% CI: 2.93-4.57, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is substantial RVF seropositivity among livestock in northern Uganda, suggesting possible RVFV circulation. Ecological factors, livestock species, breed types, and recent illness history are associated with RVF seropositivity, underscoring the need for strengthened surveillance and targeted control strategies.
Animals : an open access journal from MDPIByeong-Cheol Song
Municipal dog shelters are often grouped as outsourced facilities despite operator differences. We analyzed 33,875 dog admissions and 90 municipality-year observations from 2016 to 2025 across nine Korean municipalities, with three per operator category; operator type was fixed and nested within municipality. Among 32,838 known outcomes, live-release rates were 69.1%, 58.1%, and 40.0%, and euthanasia rates were 14.0%, 22.8%, and 42.5% in corporation-operated, veterinary hospital-operated, and individually operated shelters, respectively. The corporation live-release estimate ranged from 62.6% to 72.0% under alternative classifications of unresolved records. Small-sample cluster-robust comparisons were imprecise: the individually versus corporation-operated euthanasia odds ratio was 4.72 (95% confidence interval, 0.40-56.35), and every operator interval included 1.0. Contextual adjustment yielded odds ratios of 0.97 for both outcomes for veterinary hospital- versus corporation-operated shelters. Among 33,836 admissions with common 180-day follow-up, live-release rates were 59.9%, 53.0%, and 39.8%, and euthanasia rates were 9.1%, 16.7%, and 42.0%; annual odds ratios were 1.05 (0.93-1.19) and 0.90 (0.78-1.05), respectively. Results describe operator-linked municipal systems, not causal effects. Standardized follow-up, complete reporting, capacity monitoring, and larger prospective studies are needed.
Preventive veterinary medicineMariela K Gutiérrez, Daphne León, Luis M Jara
This study assessed antimicrobial prescribing practices and perceptions of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among veterinarians working in companion animal practice in Peru. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an open online survey administered between 2022 and 2023. Responses from 442 veterinarians were analyzed descriptively, and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with selected prescribing practices. Fever (82.2%) was the most frequently reported clinical indicator for initiating antimicrobial treatment. Approximately half of respondents reported always performing culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing before prescribing antimicrobials. Overall, 82.9% of respondents reported being unfamiliar with the WHO and/or WOAH classification of critically important antimicrobials (CIA). Regarding last-resort antimicrobial use, 29.0% reported having used these agents, including carbapenems, for severe clinical conditions. Prescribing patterns varied across clinical systems, with penicillins combined with β-lactamase inhibitors exhibiting the highest overall reported frequency of use, particularly in respiratory, dermatological, and urogenital conditions. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, frequent use of culture and susceptibility testing was associated with higher odds of last-resort antimicrobial use (OR = 4.30; 95% CI: 1.94-9.54), whereas postgraduate training was associated with greater odds of knowledge of CIA (OR = 3.29; 95% CI: 1.65-6.54). These findings reveal heterogeneity in prescribing patterns, substantial knowledge gaps regarding CIA, and professional factors associated with practices relevant to resistance selection, providing evidence to support the strengthening of antimicrobial stewardship strategies in companion animal practice in Peru.
Animals : an open access journal from MDPIByeong-Cheol Song
Municipal conversion of dog shelters from contracted to direct operation often coincides with changes in facilities, staffing, veterinary access, adoption practices, euthanasia policy, and record keeping. The primary objective was to evaluate associations with municipality-level disposition and throughput outcomes; a secondary exploratory objective examined dog-level adoption and euthanasia pathways. We analyzed 68,032 dogs from 22 municipalities in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea, during 2016-2025. The primary difference-in-differences comparison included four municipalities that converted around 2021 and nine contracted controls. Event-study, exact label-permutation, and comparison-pool analyses served as diagnostics. Estimates were imprecise, no exact permutation p-value was below 0.05, and adoption and euthanasia had different pre-conversion trends. Excluding five newly digitized controls changed the adoption estimate from +4.65 to -1.86 percentage points. Censor-aware analysis estimated 13.33 additional days without a recorded disposition during the first year, but uncertainty was wide and the day-365 unresolved difference was small. In the secondary 35,366-dog subframe, mixed/Jindo-type outdoor dogs had a lower adoption hazard ratio (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.35-0.45) and a higher euthanasia HR (1.61; 95% CI, 1.37-1.90). Direct operation was not supported as a uniform causal intervention; municipalities should evaluate welfare and management components and target support to dogs at elevated risk.
Tropical animal health and productionMuhammad Yasir Alhassan, Abdulhamid Abdullahi Ahmad, Mubarak Aliyu Danmaraya
Pastoral livestock systems in Sub-Saharan Africa face accelerating climate threats that compromise food security, animal health, and human well-being across millions of rural households. Rising temperatures, recurrent droughts, erratic rainfall, and floods degrade rangeland productivity, restrict pastoral mobility, and reshape disease ecology, driving outbreaks of trypanosomiasis, tick-borne infections, and Rift Valley fever. These biophysical pressures interact with governance failures, farmer-herder conflict, and weak veterinary infrastructure to generate compound vulnerabilities that extend well beyond livestock production. This review synthesizes evidence on the interconnections between climate stressors, pastoral livestock systems, animal health, and human outcomes across Sub-Saharan Africa, applying thematic synthesis to literature retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. A central contribution of this review is the development of a One Health systems framework that maps causal pathways from climate drivers through livestock and environmental systems to health outcomes, incorporating governance as a system-wide modifier of resilience. Indigenous adaptation strategies retain practical value but face structural constraints; technological and policy-level interventions show evidence of impact but remain fragmented across sectors. Transforming pastoral vulnerability into durable resilience requires integrated governance that bridges veterinary, public health, and environmental services, combined with investment in climate-smart livestock practices and regional disease coordination.
Veterinary sciencesUlrich Laaser, Nedjeljko Karabasil, Helmut Wenzel, Vesna Bjegović Mikanović
Global environmental change, biodiversity loss, emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and widening social inequalities increasingly interact to create complex risks for human, animal, and ecosystem health. Although international One Health frameworks and funding mechanisms are essential, implementation at national and especially community levels often remains uneven, fragmented, and weakly evaluated. This Perspective presents a structured, reproducible networking model designed to strengthen community-level One Health implementation through voluntary global collaboration among civil society organisations. The model connects bottom-up community mobilisation with interdisciplinary scientific support, shared evaluation templates, and iterative learning cycles. It outlines a transparent process for identifying and engaging One Health-oriented organisations and for organising their collaboration through thematic Project Working Groups that support situation analysis, strategic planning, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. The framework translates community action into seven intervention fields: surveillance and early warning, animal health and welfare, water/sanitation/hygiene, food safety and food systems, community awareness and education, environmental risks and ecosystem health, and multisectoral governance. By linking local practice to comparative synthesis, joint publication, and policy dialogue, the network aims to transform isolated initiatives into a coordinated learning system while preserving community and organisational autonomy. As a conceptual framework, the model is ready for empirical testing in diverse settings to assess feasibility, participation, and evaluation quality.
BMC veterinary researchSerdal Tarhane, Fatih Büyük
BACKGROUND: Conjunctivitis is a common clinical disorder in cats and dogs, frequently associated with bacterial and fungal infections. Accurate identification of pathogens and evaluation of their antimicrobial resistance profiles are essential for effective treatment. METHODS: Bacterial and fungal agents were analyzed using cultural and MALDI-TOF MS methods in conjunctival swab samples taken from 59 domestic animals (53 cats and 6 dogs) diagnosed with conjunctivitis and presented to veterinary clinics in Çankırı, Türkiye, during the period from 2024 to 2025. RESULTS: Among the 59 conjunctival swab samples collected from cats and dogs with conjunctivitis, 20 (33.9%) were positive for bacterial culture. Of these, 17 positive cultures were detected in 53 cat samples (32.08%), whereas 3 were detected in 6 dog samples (50.0%). No growth was observed in cultures for anaerobic and Mycoplasma agents, and no evidence of fungal agents was found. Multiple bacterial isolates were isolated in six (10.17%) animals [5 cats (9.43%), 1 dog (16.67%)]. Species identification by MALDI-TOF MS revealed a total of 16 different bacterial species with high confidence scores (≥2.0) across both animal species. The most frequently isolated strains were Staphylococcus epidermidis (n= 7), Corynebacterium mucifaciens (n= 5), Psychrobacter spp. (n= 5), and Streptococcus lutetiensis (n= 4). Rare strains such as Brachybacterium muris (n= 1), Micrococcus luteus (n= 1), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n= 1) were also detected. In cats, S. epidermidis, Corynebacterium spp., Psychrobacter spp., and Streptococcus hyovaginalis were the most frequently isolated strains. In dogs, Streptococcus canis, Enterococcus durans, Corynebacterium mucifaciens, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus hominis ssp. hominis were detected. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was evaluated according to EUCAST and CLSI criteria and interpreted based on the inhibition zone diameter. Of the 37 bacterial isolates recovered, 32 (86.49%) exhibited multidrug-resistant (MDR) profiles. Particularly noteworthy were the extensive MDR patterns observed in Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecium, Psychrobacter sanguinis, Streptococcus hyovaginalis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, which showed resistance to 10-12 antimicrobial agents from multiple classes, including penicillins, tetracyclines, and cephalosporins. CONCLUSION: Although no fungal agents were recovered, the study demonstrates that the bacterial species isolated from cats and dogs with conjunctivitis are highly diverse and that multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates are common. The antimicrobial susceptibility results provide valuable information on the resistance profiles of microorganisms associated with conjunctivitis cases in the study population. In addition, the detection of certain microorganisms with zoonotic potential underscores the importance of ongoing surveillance from a veterinary public health perspective.
Frontiers in veterinary scienceÁdám Kerek, Mátyás Ágics, Péter Máté, István Makkai, László Búza, Marietta Máté, László Ózsvári
BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial stewardship in pig production depends not only on which drugs are used, but also on how syndrome burden is recognized, when therapy escalates from individual to group level, whether bacteriological and susceptibility-guided sampling is performed, and how medicines are recorded, stored, and administered. We investigated these connected decision layers in large-scale Hungarian pig farms. METHODS: Between November 2020 and March 2021, a questionnaire-based, respondent-reported cross-sectional survey was conducted among veterinarians and, where needed, farm managers or owners from 16 commercial pig farms across five Hungarian regions. Four production-unit categories were evaluated-farrowing units (n = 14), nursery units (n = 16), finisher units (n = 12), and breeding herds (n = 14), resulting in 56 production-unit observations. Syndrome burden was scored for respiratory, gastrointestinal, joint/neurological, and urogenital disease groups, together with isolation practices, treatment escalation, bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and selected stewardship indicators. RESULTS: Antimicrobial decision-making was strongly syndrome- and stage-specific. Respiratory burden was highest in nursery units (93.8%) and finisher units (91.7%), gastrointestinal burden in farrowing units (100.0%) and nursery units (87.5%), joint/neurological burden in nursery units (100.0%), and urogenital burden in breeding herds (85.7%). Group treatment was common for gastrointestinal (76.9%) and respiratory syndromes (67.5%), but rare for joint/neurological syndromes (9.3%) and absent for urogenital syndromes. Bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were reported in only 46.2-61.5% of affected units, depending on syndrome group. Important stewardship gaps were also identified: only 41.1% of production units used electronic records, 62.5% stored antibiotics in locked locations, 60.7% lacked post-opening expiry labeling, and 16.1% acknowledged at least some reuse of expired products. CONCLUSION: Large-scale pig-farm antimicrobial management was not diffuse; it followed syndrome-specific therapeutic logics. However, the diagnostic and operational infrastructure supporting prudent use remained inconsistent. The most actionable gains lie in strengthening early segregation of clinically affected animals, susceptibility-guided diagnostic support, record quality, and the procedural discipline of medicine handling.
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Catch-neuter-vaccinate-release (CNVR) is recognized as a humane and sustainable strategy for controlling free-roaming dog populations and eliminating dog-mediated rabies. However, long-term evaluations incorporating spatial planning and community participation remain scarce. This study assessed a five-year zoned CNVR program integrating owner engagement and a peripheral buffer zone strategy in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, a religious heritage city affected by frequent puppy dumping and high densities of free-roaming dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2021 to 2025, sexually intact free-roaming dogs were captured along predefined routes with standardized effort, while owned dogs were voluntarily presented to clinics. The municipality was divided into three zones according to anthropogenic characteristics, and a surrounding buffer zone was progressively intensified. Population trends were analyzed using negative binomial regression models. A questionnaire survey conducted in 2025 evaluated anti-rabies vaccination (ARV) and sterilization coverage among owned dogs. Spatial and household-level factors influencing coverage were examined using generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS: The number of free-roaming dogs requiring sterilization declined from 1,368 in 2021 to 484 in 2025. Although annual declines in community dog counts per unit effort were not statistically significant, buffer zone interventions produced significant sex- and zone-specific effects, reducing male populations in zone 1 and female populations in zone 3. Owned dog numbers increased by 14.7% annually, primarily because female ownership increased by 24.1%. More than 78% of adult female dogs were sterilized. Questionnaire responses from 1,123 participants showed that 94.2% and 83.1% of owned dogs within and outside the municipality, respectively, had received at least one ARV, while annual vaccination coverage was 74.2% and 68.9%, respectively. Household-level analyses demonstrated that geographic location, rather than the number of dogs per household, explained most of the variation in vaccination and sterilization coverage, identifying several low-coverage locations that require targeted interventions. CONCLUSION: A strategically zoned CNVR program incorporating owner participation and a boundary-sealing buffer zone effectively promoted humane management of the dog population and improved rabies control. Spatially targeted interventions and continued vaccination and sterilization campaigns are essential for achieving sustainable elimination of dog-mediated rabies in culturally complex urban environments.
Veterinary parasitologyJingyi Wen, Chaoqun Wu, Wei Wei, Chengyu Ma, Zhengyi Li, Rigai Sa, Guoshuai Li, Yaxian Du, Rui Wang
Hyalomma asiaticum is a dominant tick vector in arid and semi-arid regions. It transmits multiple pathogens affecting livestock health and production. Long-term spatiotemporal patterns of this tick and associated pathogens remain poorly characterized across the Belt and Road region. We systematically integrated 1970-2025 Chinese and English language literature to construct spatiotemporal distribution and pathogen risk databases for H. asiaticum. Standard deviational ellipse (SDE) analysis, kernel density estimation (KDE), and centroid shift methods were applied to quantify tick expansion and pathogen distribution. Host composition and environmental and human activity-related factors were evaluated as potential ecological correlates. H. asiaticum showed a literature-derived apparent spatial expansion pattern over the past half century. However, this pattern may partly reflect increased sampling effort and publication intensity over time. Five key pathogen groups (CCHFV, SFGR, Anaplasma spp., Coxiella burnetii, piroplasmids) displayed heterogeneous spatial patterns. For comparative interpretation, these pathogens were operationally grouped according to their major One Health risk relevance, primarily related to livestock production and trade or to public health. Livestock-associated pathogens showed higher detection metrics in hub regions, whereas public health risk pathogens showed no significant hub-region difference and only a weak HFP-related trend. This study provides a comprehensive, long-term assessment of H. asiaticum and its associated pathogens, highlighting livestock interfaces as key risk areas. Findings support targeted tick surveillance and cross-border biosecurity strategies, offering practical guidance for veterinary public health management along the Belt and Road corridor.
One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands)Sherry Khoddami, Erin Fraser, Chelsea G Himsworth, Anya F Smith, Ellen Boyd
Premises Identification (PID) programs in Canada assign unique identification numbers to locations where animals, such as livestock and poultry, are kept. These programs are provincial and territorial, with a purpose of supporting various animal disease outbreaks, natural disaster emergencies, and animal traceability. While most PID programs have been operating since early 2000s, there has been no study reporting on PID programs in Canada. This qualitative study explored PID programs across Canada through the perspectives of government-employed stakeholders to (1) describe PID programs in participating Canadian provinces and territories, and (2) identify the strengths and weaknesses across PID programs. Stakeholders from nine provinces and one territory (N = 22) participated in online one-on-one interviews or focus groups. Data were analyzed inductively using codebook thematic analysis. Findings suggest that PID programs must build trust with farmers through transparent communication of intended data usage, ideally through familiar social networks. Furthermore, compliance with PID appears to be stronger when there are robust cross-compliance measures in place that have proportional incentives and enforcement measures. Programs with increased capacity and resources were better equipped to maintain data quality, which was achieved by some programs by narrowing the eligibility criteria for PID around the species of interest. This study provides valuable insights for improving the effectiveness of PID programs in Canada. Future research should explore the perspectives of other stakeholders, such as farmers eligible for the program.
Veterinary medicine and scienceSelçuk Alan, Gönül Damla Büyük, Seda Çavuş Alan
BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to reshape learning processes, especially through tools such as ChatGPT. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate veterinary students' attitudes towards AI-supported veterinary public health education applications, their anxiety levels and their experiences regarding the education process. METHODS: The study adopted a mixed method design in which quantitative and qualitative methods were used together. The study was conducted with final-year veterinary students (n = 60) enrolled in the Veterinary Public Health course. This study consisted of four phases: (1) the Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale (AIAS) was administered as a pre-test, (2) traditional face-to-face training was given, (3) the same topic was repeated with a ChatGPT-based AI-supported exercise and (4) after the trainings, the AIAS was administered again and post-test was conducted and a questionnaire consisting of closed and open-ended questions was administered to the students. Factor analysis revealed that the scale had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.90). RESULTS: Analysis of the scale scores revealed that veterinary students exhibited moderate anxiety towards AI and that AI-focused education did not significantly alter this anxiety in the short term. In the content analysis of qualitative data, students stated that they benefited from the aspects of AI such as fast access to information, practicality and time-saving; the same time, they expressed concerns about ethical concerns, information reliability and professional role change. CONCLUSION: Overall, the findings indicate a duality in students' potential attitudes towards AI. These findings indicate the applicability of AI-based educational practices in the context of veterinary public health education and point to the need for multidimensional evaluation of student attitudes.
This study evaluated the chemical and radiological safety of animal-derived food products from the Abai region of Kazakhstan adjacent to the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site. A total of 450 samples of beef, horse meat, mutton, poultry meat, and whole cow's milk were collected from the Abai, Ayagoz, and Aksuat districts, which differ in their degree of potential technogenic and residual radiological impact. Lead, cadmium, copper, and zinc concentrations were determined by anodic stripping voltammetry, while 137Cs and 90Sr activities were measured by gamma spectrometry and radiochemical beta counting. Non-carcinogenic risk was assessed using the Target Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index, and radiological risk was evaluated using the Annual Effective Dose and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk. Significant inter-district differences were observed, with the highest contaminant burdens generally detected in the Abai district and the lowest in the Aksuat district. Lead concentrations in whole cow's milk exceeded the applicable regulatory limit in all three districts, representing the most important food-safety finding of the study, whereas most other analytes remained within permissible levels. Despite these local exceedances, all calculated non-carcinogenic and radiological risk indicators remained below internationally accepted threshold values for adults under the assumed consumption scenario. These findings indicate a low overall health risk from consumption of the investigated products, while supporting the need for territorially differentiated and product-specific veterinary-sanitary monitoring in historically affected regions within a One Health framework.
Advances in virologySirwan Sleman, Basm Ali, Zaniar A Abass, Barham J Abdullah, Omed I Abid, Masood B Ameen, Rand Swara, Ali Sirwan
This study presents a new molecular epidemiology dataset on the prevalence of selected viral pathogens, including Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), feline calicivirus (FCV), and feline coronavirus (FCoV) (systemic feline infectious peritonitis [FIP]), in domestic cats in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan region, Iraq. From October 2024 to January 2025, a total of 145 clinically suspected cats aged 2-24 months presented to private veterinary hospitals were analyzed using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR) on blood, feces, oral swabs, and abdominal effusion. Our findings revealed that 86/145 (59.3%) cats were positive for at least one virus: FCoV (including FIP) was detected in 13/25 (52%) samples, FPV in 63/102 (61.8%), and FCV in 10/20 (50%). All categorical comparisons are presented with explicit numerical values (n and %), improving interpretability. Most positive cases were reported among younger cats (2-12 months). Additionally, infection prevalence was higher in nonvaccinated (25.9%) and stray cats (22.5%) compared with vaccinated cats (15.0%). Vaccination status was recorded; however, detailed vaccine type and schedule were not consistently available. These findings suggest a strong association between vaccination status and infection risk, underscoring the importance of immunization programs. This study establishes the first molecular baseline for feline viral infections in Sulaymaniyah and supports the development of targeted surveillance, vaccination strategies, and improved veterinary public health interventions in the region.
Veterinary sciencesGhizlane Larif, Nourredine Bouchriti, Rachid Khatouf, Oleya El Hariri, Said Dahani
Monitoring chemical residue levels in foods of animal origin is essential to ensure food safety and protect consumer health. Sulfites are commonly used in crustaceans to preserve quality; however, excessive levels may raise public health concerns, particularly for sensitive individuals. This study aimed to assess the compliance of shrimp from offshore and coastal fisheries in Morocco with current regulatory standards. A total of 60 samples were collected and analyzed for residual sulfite levels using the semi-quantitative strip test method. The results showed that sulfite concentrations ranged from 5 to 100 mg/kg in offshore samples, with a mean value of 41 mg/kg. Higher concentrations were observed in coastal samples, with an average of 172 mg/kg. Despite the observed differences between fishing origins, most samples complied with the established regulatory limits. These results support the importance of systematic monitoring programs within the fisheries supply chain to strengthen food safety control and contribute to veterinary public health protection.
Tropical medicine and infectious diseaseAbdullateef Abdullah Alshehri, Mohammad Y Alqahtani, Osman Ae Elnoubi, Mohsen A Qahtani, Dehiyyan E Alyami, Meshal M Alabbas, Mosa M Bahnass, Abdullah Alshehar…
Brucellosis remains an important zoonotic disease in southern Saudi Arabia; however, community-level knowledge, risk-related practices, and information pathways in Najran City are insufficiently characterized. This study assessed brucellosis-related knowledge, attitudes, practices, and information pathways among adults in Najran City to inform locally relevant One Health interventions. In this cross-sectional survey, adults were recruited using stratified time-location (venue-based) sampling across community and exposure-relevant sites in Najran City. A total of 608 adults completed a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Composite scores were calculated for knowledge (0-21), attitude (0-22), practice (0-64), and information-source breadth (0-6). Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, correlation analyses, and multivariable linear regressions were performed. The findings suggest that participants more commonly relied on interpersonal social networks, especially family and friends, for information related to brucellosis (53.9%), whereas formal sources were less commonly reported, including health professionals (7.9%), media (4.6%), internet sources (3.3%), educational institutions (2.0%), and agricultural or veterinary organizations (1.3%). Mean knowledge scores were moderate (10.7/21), attitudes were generally favorable (19.5/22), and practice scores were moderate (36.6/64). Exposure-related behaviors remained common, particularly the consumption of unpasteurized milk or dairy products (56.6%). The breadth of information sources showed a moderate positive correlation with knowledge (rho = 0.561), whereas attitude showed only small positive correlations with knowledge and practice. Finally, knowledge was weakly and inversely correlated with practice. Among adults recruited in this venue-based sample, favorable attitudes did not consistently correspond to safer practices. These findings support practical One Health interventions, including coordinated veterinary-public health messaging on animal abortion events, safe-dairy guidance at points of sale and community venues, workplace-based training for livestock-contact groups, and referral pathways linking suspected animal cases with veterinary services and human care-seeking. Because recruitment was venue-based and non-probability, the results should be interpreted as descriptive and hypothesis-generating rather than population-representative; however, they still identify practical communication and service-delivery priorities for future intervention studies in Najran.
Transboundary and emerging diseasesYiping Wang, Binbin Zhu, Fei Zhao, Zhiyuan Zheng, Senhong Zhao, Yi Zheng, Xiaobo Huang, Qin Zhao, Senyan Du, Yiping Wen, Rui Wu, Tongqing An, Sanjie Cao
Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an important swine pathogen that causes significant economic losses in the pig industry. In addition to its swine host, PRV also infects a wide variety of animals as well as humans, posing a threat to veterinary public health. Thus, the development of potent antiviral drugs against PRV is required. Bovine lactoferrin (BLF) is widely known as an iron-binding glycoprotein in the transferrin family, which gains great attention for biomedical applications due to its beneficial physiological functions to human health as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, and immunomodulatory agent. In the work described here, we identified BLF as a novel and potent antiviral agent against PRV. BLF exhibited strong antiviral activity against PRV infection in multiple pig, human, and mouse permissive cells. Systematic analysis of the effect of BLF on PRV inhibition revealed that BLF blocks PRV attachment to target cells. Through surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, BLF was demonstrated to directly interact with heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycan (HSPG), a primary attachment receptor for PRV. Addition of exogenous HS completely abolished BLF inhibition of PRV attachment, demonstrating that BLF represses PRV attachment by interacting with cell-surface HS. However, BLF failed to inhibit the attachment of a PRV mutant virus with the deletion of glycoprotein C (gC), the primary viral envelop component for HS binding, suggesting that PRV gC is required for BLF inhibition of PRV infection. Cumulatively, these findings demonstrated that BLF inhibits PRV attachment by binding cell-surface HS to block the interaction between viral gC and HS.
CABI one healthJakob Zinsstag, Andrea Ford, Saana Jukola, Salome Bukachi, Chris Degeling, Maxine Whittaker, Hugo Mantila Meluk, Kristina Pelikan, Martin Röösli, Christina Zin…
While clinical medicine essentially concentrates on the human body and its parts, public health focuses on the health of human populations and their social and environmental determinants. Integrated approaches to health extend the focus of attention to humans in their socio-cultural and ecological environment and their mutual interdependencies, paying attention to inter-species interdependencies. Since the beginning of the 21st century, ecosystem approaches to health (EcoHealth), One Health and Planetary Health have emerged as integrated approaches that relate to and expand public health and related fields. In this article, we aim at clarifying their respective definitions, philosophical foundations and methodological positions. This clarification is important because the way we define integrated approaches to health shapes research, teaching methods and their translation into policy and practice. Key methods and case studies are summarized and compared. Among the three integrated approaches, EcoHealth and Planetary Health operate largely in academic networks and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). One Health is currently operationalized at the level of international organizations, regional organizations and national governments. Integrated approaches to health require urgent adoption and implementation, as they are pivotal for complex problem-solving regarding challenges such as pandemic prevention, climate change, biodiversity loss and antimicrobial resistance.