Animals with SARS-CoV-2–Infected Owners

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an infectious disease affecting bovine with severe symptomatology. The implementation of effective control strategies to prevent infection outbreak requires rapid diagnostic tools. Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), targeting different epitopes of the LSDV structural protein p32, and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were used to set up a colorimetric sandwich-type lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). Combinations including one or two mAbs, used either as the capture or detection reagent, were explored to investigate the hook effect due to antigen saturation by the detector antibody. The mAb-AuNP preparations were optimized by a full-factorial design of experiment to achieve maximum sensitivity. Opposite optimal conditions were selected when one Mab was used for capture and detection instead of two mAbs; thus, two rational routes for developing a highly sensitive LFIA according to Mab availability were outlined. The optimal LFIA for LSDV showed a low limit of detection (10^3.4 TCID₅₀/mL), high inter- and intra-assay repeatability (CV% < 5.3%), and specificity (no cross-reaction towards 12 other viruses was observed), thus proving to be a good candidate as a useful tool for the point-of-need diagnosis of LSD.

Due to its economic impact on livestock and its zoonotic effect, Q fever is a public and animal health problem. Information on this infection in Italy is presently supported by reports of reproductive problems in livestock farms and is, therefore, insufficient to properly understand the impact of the disease. This study aimed to describe for the first time the seroprevalence of Q fever in dairy cows and water buffalos in the Campania region (Southern Italy). A total of 424 dairy cattle and 214 water buffalo were tested using a commercial indirect ELISA kit. An overall seroprevalence of 11.7% confirmed the wide distribution of C. burnetii in this region. Several factors were positively associated with higher seroprevalence, such as species (higher in cattle than in water buffalo), age, and coexistence with other ruminant species. The final model of logistic regression included only age (older) and species (cattle), which were positively associated with the presence of Q fever antibodies. Our findings support the widespread presence of Coxiella burnettii in Campania and show a seroprevalence similar to that observed in previous studies in other Italian regions and European countries. Since human cases are typically linked to contact with infected ruminants, there is a need to improve surveillance for this infection.

At present, there are no data on the presence of bacteria in healthy canine and feline pregnancies at term. Here, we investigated the uterine microbiome in bitches (n = 5) and queens (n = 3) undergoing elective cesarean section in two facilities. Samples included swabs from the endometrium, amniotic fluid, and meconium, and environmental swabs of the surgical tray as controls. Culture and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to investigate the presence of bacteria. Culture was positive for 34.3% of samples (uterus n = 3, amniotic fluid n = 2, meconium n = 4, controls n = 0), mostly with low growth of common contaminant bacteria. With sequencing techniques, the bacterial abundance was significantly lower than in environmental controls (p < 0.05). Sequencing results showed a species-specific pattern, and significant differences between canine and feline bacterial populations were found at order, family, and genus level. No differences were found in alpha and beta diversities between feto-maternal tissues and controls (p > 0.05). Dominant phyla were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria in different proportions based on tissue and species. Culture and sequencing results suggest that the bacterial biomass is very low in healthy canine and feline pregnancies at term, that bacteria likely originate from contamination from the dam’s skin, and that the presence of viable bacteria could not be confirmed most of the time.

This study reports the first equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4) seroprevalence investigation in horse populations of Morocco in 24 years. It also aims to determine antibody titers in horses vaccinated under field conditions with a monovalent EHV-1 vaccine. Blood samples were collected from 405 horses, including 163 unvaccinated and 242 vaccinated animals. They were tested using a commercial type-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a virus neutralization test (VNT). Overall, 12.8% unvaccinated, and 21.8% vaccinated horses were positive for EHV-1. All samples were positive for EHV-4 when tested with the type-specific ELISA. In the vaccinated group, the VNT revealed a mean antibody titer of 1:49 for EHV-1 and 1:45 for EHV-4. The present study demonstrates that EHV-1 and EHV-4 are endemic in the horse populations in the north of Morocco, with prevalence differences between regions. Furthermore, horses vaccinated with a monovalent EHV-1 vaccine had low antibodies titers. This study highlights the necessity to establish and/or support efficient biosecurity strategies based on sound management of horses and characterize further and potentially improve the efficiency of the EHV vaccines and vaccination protocol used in the field.