Chronic liver inflammation has become a major global health concern. In the absence of clinical surrogate markers to diagnose inflammatory liver disease, the intervention with effective drugs in modern medicine tends to be late. In Sri Lanka, traditional medical practitioners prescribe herbal preparations from Osbeckia octandra for the prevention and treatment of liver disorders. To test the efficacy of such treatments, we have administered thioacetamide (TAA) to male Wistar rats to induce chronic liver damage (disease control; DC) and examined how various leaf extracts: crude leaf suspension (CLS), boiled leaf extract (BLE), sonicated leaf extract (SLE), methanol leaf extract (MLE) and hexane leaf extract (HLE) of O. octandra ameliorate TAA-induced liver disease. The CLS, BLE and SLE treatments in cirrhotic rats significantly attenuated disease-related changes, such as liver weight and hepato-enzymes. The mRNA levels of Tnf-α were significantly decreased by 3.6, 10 and 3.9 times in CLS, BLE and SLE compared to DC. The same treatments resulted in significantly lower (19.5, 4.2 and 2.4 times) α-Sma levels compared to DC. In addition, Tgf-β1 and Vegf-R2 mRNA expressions were significantly lower with the treatments. Moreover, BLE expressed a strong anti-angiogenic effect. We conclude that CLS, BLE and SLE from O. octandra have potent hepatic anti-fibrotic effects in TAA-induced liver cirrhosis.

Following the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster off the coast of Sri Lanka, a stranded spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) was recovered, and the cause of death was investigated. Post-mortem examinations revealed evidence of by-catch, but a natural coinfection with dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) and gammaherpesvirus was detected by further analyses, marking the first documented case of a dual viral infection in this species within the region. Molecular diagnostics, including PCR and sequencing, were performed on tissue imprints collected on FTA^® cards, confirming the presence of DMV in the prescapular lymph node and gammaherpesvirus in the lesions in the oral cavity. The concurrent detection of DMV and gammaherpesvirus raises significant concerns regarding the potential impacts of environmental stressors, such as chemical pollutants from the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, on exacerbating susceptibility to viral infections in marine mammals. These findings highlight the need for ongoing surveillance of cetacean populations in the Indian Ocean to better understand pathogen circulation and health and conservation implications of anthropogenic activities on the marine ecosystem.

African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread, threatening the global swine industry and endangered swine species. Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated south of India in the Indian Ocean. Here, we report the first detection of ASF in Sri Lanka. In September 2024, increased pig mortality was reported across the country, with initial confirmation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). Despite vaccination for PRRS, the mortalities continued to increase and therefore, tissue samples collected from dead pigs were subjected to ASF real-time PCR. ASFV genomic material was detected in most of the samples. The real-time PCR-positive samples were then subjected to genotyping by partial genome sequencing. All p72 and p54 sequences were found to be aligned with ASFV genotype II viruses, and CD2v sequences were found to be aligned with ASFV serogroup 8 viruses. The real-time PCR-positive samples were inoculated onto primary porcine leukocytes for virus isolation, and a selected number of tissues collected from dead pigs were subjected to histopathology. Histopathological studies revealed widespread loss of lymphocytes together with inflammation and extensive staining of ASFV antigens in tissue samples. Hemadsorption (HAD)-positive isolates were obtained from seven clinical samples, and three of them were subjected to whole-genome sequencing. Phylogeographic analysis of the whole-genome sequences showed that the virus is closely related to ASFV strains circulating in China and Hong Kong.

Viruses belong to the Family Adenoviridae can infect a wide range of vertebrates. These viruses are classified into different genera based on phylogenetic distance, genome organization, and host range. From those genera, Aviadenovirus only infect birds and are serologically different from other adenovirus genera. Fowl Adenoviruses (FAdVs) fall under the Aviadenovirus genus and have a considerably large genome. The FAdV genome comprises non-segmented, linear double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) of 43-46 kbp. The capsid of FAdVs is composed of hexons, penton bases, and fiber proteins, which are vital for cellular interaction and immune responses. Inclusion Body Hepatitis (IBH) is a significant disease caused by FAdVs, impacting broiler chickens primarily. Inclusion Body Hepatitis results in sudden mortality, poor growth, and other clinical signs, contributing to economic losses in the poultry industry, and is transmitted horizontally through contaminated excretions and vertically via embryonated eggs from infected parent flocks. The disease pathogenesis involves replication in the alimentary and respiratory tract epithelium, leading to viremia and dissemination to organs. Gross pathological findings mainly include swollen liver with necrotic foci and multifocal petechial hemorrhages. Histopathologically, degeneration, necrosis, and the presence of intranuclear/intracytoplasmic, basophilic/eosinophilic inclusion bodies are observed mainly in hepatocytes. Diagnosis of IBH involves detecting intranuclear inclusion bodies in hepatocytes, virus isolation, and molecular techniques like PCR for serotyping. Control strategies include strict biosecurity measures, continuous disease surveillance, breeder monitoring, and vaccination. Inactivated and live vaccines are commonly used, with autogenous inactivated vaccines prepared from prevalent serotypes for prevention in endemic regions. Since 2021, IBH outbreaks have been reported in Sri Lanka. The objective of this review is to provide a quick overview of the members and viral structure of the Family Adenoviridae as well as an in-depth review of IBH, one of the main diseases caused by FAdV in poultry.