In recent years, the prevalence of pseudorabies virus (PRV) has caused huge economic losses to the Chinese pig industry. Meanwhile, PRV infection in humans also sounded the alarm about its cross-species transmission from pigs to humans. To study the regional PRV epidemic, serological and epidemiological investigations of PRV in pig populations from Yunnan Province during 2017–2021 were performed. The results showed that 31.37% (6324/20,158, 95% CI 30.73–32.01) of serum samples were positive for PRV glycoprotein E (gE)-specific antibodies via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The risk factors, including the breeding scale and development stage, were significantly associated with PRV seroprevalence among pigs in Yunnan Province. Of the 416 tissue samples collected from PRV-suspected pigs in Yunnan Province, 43 (10.33%, 95% CI 7.41–13.26) samples were positive for PRV-gE nucleic acid in which 15 novel PRV strains from these PRV-positive samples were isolated, whose gC and gE sequences were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all 15 isolates obtained in this study belonged to the genotype II. Additionally, the gC gene of one isolate (YuN-YL-2017) was genetically closer to variant PRV strains compared with others, while the gE gene was in the same clade with other classical PRV strains, indicating that this isolate might be a recombinant strain generated from the classical and variant strains. The results revealed the severe PRV epidemic in Yunnan Province and indicated that PRV variants are the major genotypes threatening the pig industry development.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly contagious pathogen responsible for devastating enteric disease and lethal watery diarrhea, leading to significant economic losses in the global swine industry. Understanding the epidemiology and genetic diversity of PEDV over the past decade is crucial for the effective prevention and treatment of porcine epidemic diarrhea. In this study, 1851 fecal samples were collected from pigs exhibiting diarrhea symptoms across 11 cities in Yunnan Province between 2013 and 2022. The prevalence of PEDV, along with other common swine diarrhea viruses, including porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine rotavirus (PoRV), porcine Sapporo virus (PoSaV), porcine stellate virus (PaStV), and porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV) was assessed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The results revealed a total detection rate of 52.94% (980/1851) for the six viruses, with PEDV accounting for 25.93% (480/1851) of cases. Further analysis showed that weaned piglets were more susceptible to PEDV than fattening pigs, with the highest prevalence observed in spring (61.52%, 275/447) and the lowest in summer (12.68%, 97/765). Dual infections were also identified, with PEDV + PoSaV being the most common combination (2.81%, 52/1851), followed by PEDV + PoRV, with a detection rate of 1.67% (31/1851). Phylogenetic analysis of the PEDV S genes revealed that the 28 epidemic strains in Yunnan Province shared a nucleotide sequence homology from 91.4% to 98.4% and an amino acid sequence homology ranging from 85.6% to 99.3%. All strains were classified as GII variant strains. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology of PEDV and its co-infection patterns with other common diarrhea-causing viruses in the swine herds of Yunnan Province over the past decade. These findings offer valuable insights for the development of effective prevention and control strategies to mitigate the impact of PEDV and other enteroviruses on the swine industry in Yunnan Province.

Porcine pseudorabies has long existed in China and is a serious threat to the Chinese farming industry. To understand the prevalence and genetic variation of the porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV) and its pathogenicity in Yunnan Province, China, we collected 560 serum samples across seven Yunnan Province regions from 2020 to 2021 and detected anti-gE antibodies in these samples. Sixty-one clinical tissue samples were also collected from pigs with suspected PRV that were vaccinated with Bartha-K61. PRV-gE antibodies were found in 29.6% (166/560) of the serum samples. The PRV positivity rate in clinical tissue samples was 13.1% (8/61). Two isolates, PRV-KM and PRV-QJ, were obtained. The identity of the gB, gD, and gE genes between these isolates and the Chinese mutants exceeded 99.5%. These isolates and the classical Fa strain were used to infect 4-week-old rats intranasally to assess their pathogenicity. All infected rats showed the typical clinical and pathological features of PRV two days post-infection. The viral loads in the organs differed significantly among the infected groups. Viruses were detected in the saliva and feces at 12 h. Significant dynamic changes in total white blood cell counts (WBC), lymphocyte counts (Lym), and neutrophil counts (Gran) occurred in the blood of the infected groups at 24 and 48 h. These results show that mutant PRV strains are prevalent in Bartha-K61-vaccinated pigs in Yunnan Province, China. Moreover, rats shed PRV in their saliva and feces during early infection, indicating the need for rodent control in combatting PRV infections in Yunnan Province, China.

Introduction: Erigeron breviscapus exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, protects neuronal cells and enhances immune function. Modern traditional Chinese medicine fermentation techniques can increase the bioactive compound content in Erigeron breviscapus. However, its potential therapeutic effects against the porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV) remain unclear.Methods: A PRV infection model was established in mouse trigeminal ganglion (TG) cells to determine the optimal antiviral mode of action of flavonoids from fermented Erigeron breviscapus (FEBF). Additionally, a PRV-infected rat model was developed to evaluate the in vivo antiviral efficacy of FEBF.Results: FEBF demonstrated a higher protective rate and a lower viral copy number compared to unfermented E. breviscapus flavonoids (EBF). The protective effect was most pronounced under toxicological and inhibitory conditions, surpassing the blocking effect. PRV infection upregulated TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB p65 protein expression during the pre-infection phase, followed by their downregulation after 12 h. FEBF regulated PRV-induced changes in protein expression, restoring them to near-normal levels by 36 h. In vivo assessments of pathological injury, PRV viral load, neuronal count, and neuronal apoptosis indicated that FEBF provided superior neuroprotection compared to both Minocycline (MINO), a broad-spectrum neuroprotective drug, and unfermented EBF. Mechanistic studies further revealed that FEBF modulated microglial polarization and regulated the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-10.Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that FEBF exhibits significant antiviral effects against PRV in both in vitro and in vivo models. FEBF represents a promising candidate for the development of anti-PRV therapeutics.

Background: To recover endangered green peafowl (Pavo muticus) populations, China has implemented ex situ conservation programs centered on captive breeding. However, captive-bred individuals frequently suffer from skeletal deformities, creating a critical bottleneck that compromises future wild reintroductions. Results: This study demonstrates that, although green peafowl possess species-specific genes (Igf2 and Ndufs2), they lack specialized allometric development of the cecum, suggesting that dietary disparities might play a more pivotal role in driving skeletal issues than innate intestinal anatomical factors. Specifically, wild peafowl naturally consume plants from the genus Pistacia, whereas captive birds receive a standardized diet dominated by Glycine. Reflecting these dietary disparities, captive-bred individuals exhibit significantly reduced gut levels of metabolites that regulate osteoclast activity, namely quercetin, taurine, urolithin A, and luteolin. Extensive evidence indicates that these specific metabolites directly modulate bone homeostasis during growth, meaning their reduction poses severe physiological risks. Furthermore, the abundance of these specific metabolites is directly modulated by gut bacterial communities, notably the genera Escherichia and Staphylococcus. We also found that dietary composition serves as a robust cue shaping gut microbiome assembly, acting independently of developmental stages. Conclusions: This study suggests that targeted plant supplementation holds promise in restoring the gut ecosystem and mitigating skeletal deformities, highlighting how diet-driven microbiome stewardship could advance the conservation and reintroduction of endangered species like the green peafowl.

Blastocystis sp. is a common intestinal protist colonizing humans and a wide range of animals, and pigs are considered an important animal host for several subtypes with potential zoonotic relevance. Although porcine Blastocystis has previously been investigated in Yunnan Province, contemporary information on its geographic and seasonal variation and regional subtype composition remains limited. In this cross-sectional study, 946 fecal samples were collected from commercial crossbred pigs and Tibetan pigs in six regions of Yunnan Province between April 2023 and December 2024. PCR and sequencing revealed the prevalence and genetic subtypes. The overall Blastocystis sp. prevalence was 39.43% (373/946, 95% CI: 36.31–42.55%). Pearson’s chi-square tests showed significant differences among geographic regions (χ² = 107.18, p < 0.001), seasons (χ² = 51.85, p < 0.001), and age groups (χ² = 14.81, p < 0.001). Regarding the regions, the prevalence in Pu’er, Honghe, Zhaotong, Diqing, Chuxiong, and Baoshan was 68.75% (66/96; 95% CI: 59.31–78.19%), 63.43% (85/134; 95% CI: 55.17–71.69%), 35.98% (127/353; 95% CI: 30.95–41.01%), 35.17% (51/145; 95% CI: 27.31–43.04%), 23.53% (40/170; 95% CI: 17.09–29.97%), and 8.33% (4/48; 95% CI: 0.22–16.44%), respectively. In terms of age, pigs aged >6 months had a significantly higher prevalence of 42.65% (316/741; 95% CI: 39.08–46.21%) than pigs aged ≤6 months 27.80% (57/205; 95% CI: 21.62–33.99%). Across the four seasons, the prevalence in spring, summer, autumn, and winter was 17.91% (36/201; 95% CI: 12.56–23.26%), 43.42% (208/479; 95% CI: 38.97–47.88%), 52.94% (27/51; 95% CI: 38.76–67.12%), and 47.44% (102/215; 95% CI: 40.71–54.17%), respectively. By breed, the prevalence was 40.21% (322/801; 95% CI: 36.80–43.60%) in commercial crossbred pigs and 35.17% (51/145; 95% CI: 27.21–43.04%) in Tibetan pigs. Three subtypes, ST1, ST3, and ST5, were identified, with ST5 being predominant (69.17%, 258/373), followed by ST3 (21.45%, 80/373) and ST1 (9.38%, 35/373). ST1 and ST5 were detected in all surveyed regions, whereas ST3 showed a more restricted geographic distribution. The detection of ST1, ST3, and ST5, which have also been reported in humans, suggests potential zoonotic relevance. However, the present findings do not establish direct transmission between pigs and humans. To our knowledge, this is the first detection of ST1 and ST5 in Tibetan pigs in China. Blastocystis was common in pigs in Yunnan Province. Its prevalence was significantly associated with geographic location, season, and age, and ST5 was the predominant circulating subtype. These findings reveal geographic and seasonal heterogeneity and regional subtype variation, supporting targeted surveillance and One Health investigations at the human–animal–environment interface.