Background/Objectives: This report documents the first confirmed case in Romania of fatal pneumonia and septicemia in a domestic rabbit caused by multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, highlighting both its pathogenic potential and One Health implications. Case Study: An 8-month-old male German Giant Spotted rabbit raised on a rural farm under poor husbandry conditions developed acute respiratory distress and died within 48 h. Post-mortem examination revealed severe pulmonary congestion, tracheal inflammation, serofibrinous pericarditis, and systemic vascular lesions. Bacteriological analysis confirmed E. coli from lung, trachea, and bone marrow samples. The isolate demonstrated strong Congo red binding, was confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and showed resistance to beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, macrolides, and phenicols, remaining susceptible only to aminoglycosides. PCR screening identified virulence genes (fimH, papC, iutA, ompA) linked to adhesion, immune evasion, and iron acquisition, with potential for horizontal gene transfer. Conclusions: This first documented case in Romania emphasizes the clinical threat posed by multidrug-resistant E. coli in rabbits and the importance of early diagnosis, improved biosecurity, and responsible antimicrobial use. The zoonotic and environmental risks in backyard farming underscore the urgent need for integrated surveillance. Alternative control strategies, including phage therapy and probiotics, should be explored to reduce reliance on conventional antibiotics.

Background/Objectives: Canine otitis externa (OE) is frequently complicated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infections, which are often associated with treatment failure due to intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of P. aeruginosa isolates from dogs with OE in Timiș County, Romania, with a focus on aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones, to provide region-specific, clinically relevant data and address potential public health implications. Methods: Exudate samples were collected from 435 dogs diagnosed with OE across multiple veterinary clinics between 2022 and 2025. P. aeruginosa isolates were identified using standard culture methods, and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the VITEK^® 2 Compact system according to CLSI VET01, Fifth Edition (2018) guidelines. Tested antibiotics included amikacin, gentamicin, enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, and pradofloxacin. Resistance profiles were analyzed at both the individual antibiotic and class levels. Results:P. aeruginosa was isolated in 14.0% (61/435) of dogs. All isolates were susceptible to amikacin and gentamicin, whereas resistance to enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin was 27.9%, and pradofloxacin resistance reached 63.9%. A total of 24.6% of isolates were susceptible to all tested antibiotics. The most frequent multidrug-resistant combination among fluoroquinolones was ENR (R) + MAR (R) + PRA (R), observed in 23.0% of isolates. Conclusions: This study provides recent, region-specific data on P. aeruginosa prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility in canine OE, offering clinically relevant insights into aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone resistance. The findings highlight the potential public health significance of resistant P. aeruginosa strains at the human–animal interface and underscore the importance of antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary practice.

Introduction: Ostrich farming is increasingly recognized for its economic potential but poses significant health challenges due to the risk of pathogen transmission, including multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli. Case study: This study reports a case of a four-month-old female ostrich from western Romania presenting with severe respiratory and digestive infections, progressing to septicemia and death. A post-mortem examination revealed extensive mucus in the trachea, pulmonary congestion, hemorrhagic enteritis, and approximately 1250 g of metal objects in the ventriculus. Pure cultures of E. coli were isolated from the lungs and bone marrow and identified via MALDI-TOF MS. The strain exhibited multidrug resistance to several antibiotics, including enrofloxacin, doxycycline, and amoxicillin, highlighting the critical issue of antimicrobial resistance in veterinary medicine. Discussions: This case underscores the need for enhanced management practices in ostrich farming to mitigate environmental and pathogenic risks, as well as the urgency of developing alternative strategies for controlling resistant bacterial infections in avian species. Conclusions: This case highlights the need for alternative treatments and stricter antimicrobial stewardship to combat multidrug-resistant E. coli in ostriches.

Streptococcus intermedius is a Gram-positive coccus usually found in the normal digestive or respiratory flora of humans and in some animal species, including rabbits. In conditions of immunosuppression, it can cause serious infections that can be difficult to treat or can even lead to death if not treated properly. S. intermedius-induced infections must be taken seriously, and proper treatment needs to be provided as soon as the patient is diagnosed, because otherwise, these infections can evolve in such a dramatic way as to result in the death of the patient. This study reports the case of a young 5-month-old rabbit that was kept in good living conditions by its owner; however, the rabbit developed a respiratory infection that was not treated properly and was at first ignored by the owner. Due to the poor management, the infection became serious and ultimately ended with the death of the animal. The infection was caused by Streptococcus intermedius and affected the lungs, in which a large lung abscess developed, eventually leading to the animal’s death. Even though the etiological agent is a commensal of the digestive and respiratory flora, it can induce lethal infections in some cases.

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne zoonosis with recurrent equine and human cases in Romania. Horses, although dead-end hosts, act as sentinels for local viral circulation. Farm-level risk conditions remain under-characterized. This pilot, exploratory cross-sectional study assessed 42 equine facilities in western Romania (2024). A standardized 10-item checklist was applied and a Composite Environmental Risk Score (CERS) (0–10, unweighted) was computed per facility. Spatial analysis in QGIS included distances to nearby water bodies. No serological or entomological data were collected; these are recommended for future validation. Stagnant water occurred at 71.4% (30/42) of facilities, uncovered rain-collecting containers at 64.3% (27/42), and outdoor housing of horses at 81.0% (34/42). Insect screens were present at 21.4% (9/42) and chemical/biological control at 33.3% (14/42). By design, the CERS ranged from 0 to 10; in our sample the observed range was 0–8 because not all assessed risk conditions co-occurred across sites. Overall, 42.9% (18/42) were classified as high risk (≥6). Neurological signs were reported anecdotally by some managers but were not analyzed. Mosquito-favorable conditions are widespread in Romanian equine facilities. CERS shows promise as a low-cost, rapid tool for routine facility-level assessment of environmental conditions favoring mosquito presence and prioritization of preventive actions. Integrating environmental risk scoring with entomological and serological surveillance could strengthen One Health early-warning systems. Such integration would support prevention of WNV and other mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogens in endemic European settings.

Wild boars (Sus scrofa) and their associated ticks represent important reservoirs and vectors for a variety of zoonotic pathogens, particularly Anaplasma spp. and Babesia spp. The aim of this review is to highlight the diagnostic methods employed throughout the past two decades to detect these pathogens in wild boars and their associated ticks, focusing especially on PCR methods (conventional and real-time), on sample origin (host or vector), and on specific primers. This review compiles data from studies conducted between 2005 and 2024, providing a comparative overview of targeted genes, such as groEL, msp2, and 16S rRNA for Anaplasma, and 18S rRNA for Babesia. Despite the prevalence of molecular diagnostic techniques, serological methods like ELISA have not been applied to wild boar or tick samples in this context. The review also analyzes geographical trends, with a higher research output noted in Central and Eastern Europe, Japan, and the United States. The performance of the methods is discussed based on reproducibility, sensitivity, specificity, pathogen prevalence, and technical variables. By synthesizing these findings, the review identifies methodological gaps and offers a reference framework for improving diagnostic accuracy in wildlife disease surveillance.