Background and Aim: Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) causes a significant economic loss to cattle industries in many countries, including Kazakhstan. Although Moraxella bovis is recognized as an etiologic agent of IBK, other bacterial and viral agents have been suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease. This study aimed to evaluate samples collected from the eyes of IBK-affected cattle in Eastern Kazakhstan at different stages of IBK for the presence of Mor. bovis, Moraxella bovoculi, Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma bovoculi, and Bovine Herpes Virus Type 1 (BHV-1) and to characterize Mor. bovoculi pilA gene sequence diversity from Mor. bovoculi positive samples. Materials and Methods: Individual ocular swabs (n = 168) were collected from cattle that had clinical signs of IBK during the summer of 2022 on farms in the Abay region of Kazakhstan. Eye lesion scores (1, 2, and 3) were assigned depending on the degree of ocular damage. Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis-associated organisms were detected using a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. The Mor. bovoculi pilA gene was sequenced from Mor. bovoculi positive samples. Results: Mycoplasma bovis and BHV-1 were not detected in any of the collected samples. Mycoplasma bovoculi was identified in the majority of samples overall, usually in mixed infection with Moraxella spp. Moraxella bovoculi was detected in 76.2% of animals and predominated in animals with eye lesion scores 2 and 3. Mycoplasma bovoculi was detected only in association with Mor. bovis and/or Mor. bovoculi in animals with eye lesion scores 2 and 3. Moraxella bovis was found in 57.7% of animals and was always identified in association with another organism. Sequencing of the pilA gene in 96 samples from Mor. bovoculi positive samples identified five PilA groups. The majority belonged to PilA group A. However, three new PilA groups were identified and designated PilA groups N, O, and P. Conclusion: The results indicate a high prevalence of Myc. bovoculi and Mor. bovoculi in eyes of cattle with IBK on livestock farms in Eastern Kazakhstan. Additional novel Mor. bovoculi PilA groups were identified. Keywords: bovine herpes virus, infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis, Moraxella bovis, Moraxella bovoculi, multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction, Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma bovoculi.

Outbreaks of hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) caused by Pasteurella multocida serogroup B are endemic in Kazakhstan. These outbreaks have repeatedly led to mass mortality events among wild saigas and economic losses to farms. The aim of this study was to conduct the first whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and analysis of P. multocida genomes associated with HS cases in saigas and livestock in Kazakhstan. In this study, WGS was performed on 22 P. multocida isolates obtained from saigas and livestock. A comparative genomic analysis of P. multocida isolates from Kazakhstan and publicly available genomes was performed. All isolates belonged to the B:2:ST122 genotype and formed distinct phylogenetic clusters based on outbreaks in saiga populations and livestock. Clustering also corresponded to identified mutations in virulence genes. Isolates recovered from the 2015 mass mortality of saigas in the Betpak-Dala population were found to have a deletion of the flp1 gene. This observation emphasizes the study of the role of Flp pili in HS pathogenesis. Comparison of the P. multocida B:L2:ST122 genomes revealed low virulence gene diversity and an open pangenome. Prophage annotation did not identify virulence or pathogenicity genes. The obtained results will be useful for future studies of HS pathogenesis.

Natural saline–alkaline soils are widespread in Central Asia, yet microbial responses to salinity gradients and ionic composition remain poorly resolved. We profiled bacterial communities (16S rRNA V3–V4, Illumina MiSeq) in 20 topsoil (0–20 cm) samples from four regions of Kazakhstan spanning non-saline to highly saline conditions. Soil chemistry included pH, total mineralization (dry residue), and major ions (Na⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺). Alpha (Chao1, Shannon, observed ASVs) and beta diversity (Bray–Curtis; ANOSIM; PCoA) were evaluated across salinity classes. Soils were alkaline (pH 7.91–10.47) and covered a broad salinity range (256–26,312 mg/L), driven mainly by Na⁺ with chloride and/or sulfate. Alpha diversity remained stable across salinity classes, though dispersion increased under high salinity. Community composition differed significantly among classes (ANOSIM R = 0.428, p = 0.005), with partial PCoA separation and overlap, indicating gradual turnover along the salinity gradient. In contrast, fungal communities showed no significant response to salinity, with stable alpha and beta diversity across all samples and consistent dominance of Ascomycota. Communities were dominated by Actinomycetota (formerly Actinobacteriota), Bacteroidota, and Pseudomonadota (formerly Proteobacteria). Bacteroidota increased in highly saline soils (FDR q = 0.036), whereas Acidobacteriota decreased (FDR q = 0.052). Thermodesulfobacteriota (formerly Desulfobacterota) correlated positively with sulfate, and Cyanobacteriota negatively with chloride. Overall, Kazakhstan’s saline–alkaline soils show stable bacterial alpha diversity but moderate, ion-linked compositional shifts with enrichment of halotolerant taxa.

Background and Aim. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is one of the most important retroviral pathogens in domestic cats, causing immunosuppression, anemia, lymphoma, and leukemia. FeLV exists in two forms: exogenous (exFeLV), which is infectious and horizontally transmitted, and endogenous (enFeLV), which is inherited as integrated proviral sequences. Differentiating between these forms is essential for accurate epidemiological assessment and diagnostics, since enFeLV sequences can interfere with molecular assays and lead to false-positive results. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of endogenous FeLV sequences in domestic cats in Astana and to determine whether exogenous FeLV was actively circulating in this population. Materials and Methods. A total of 203 whole-blood samples from domestic cats were collected during routine veterinary examinations, and genomic DNA was extracted using a modified Kanai method. Two independent real-time PCR systems were employed: primers targeting the conserved env region to detect enFeLV, and primers specific to the U3 region of the long terminal repeat (LTR) to identify exFeLV. Amplifications were performed on the CFX96 Touch platform, and samples with quantification cycle (Cq) values <40 were interpreted as positive. Results. Of the 203 analyzed samples, 197 (97%) were positive for enFeLV sequences, confirming the widespread presence of endogenous retroviral elements in the genome of cats, while no amplification was detected with U3-specific primers, indicating the absence of active exFeLV infection. The Cq values for enFeLV-positive samples ranged from 11.24 to 37.04, reflecting variability in proviral copy number among individuals. These findings demonstrate that enFeLV is nearly ubiquitous among domestic cats in Astana, while no evidence of exFeLV circulation was detected. Conclusion. The results underscore the importance of using U3-LTR specific assays to reliably differentiate endogenous from exogenous forms of FeLV and to avoid false-positive diagnoses. Further studies should focus on monitoring potential recombination events between enFeLV and exFeLV, evaluating the expression of endogenous loci, and assessing their role in disease pathogenesis.

Anelloviruses have a broad mammalian host range, including Torque teno felis virus (FcTTV), a felid-associated member that remains undercharacterized. This is the first comprehensive study of FcTTV in domestic cats in Central Asia. We analyzed blood samples from 206 domestic cats from the large city of Astana, Kazakhstan, collected in 2023–2024. Using nested PCR we identified 63 FcTTV-positive samples (30.6% prevalence), and the sequences were compared to global reference strains. Potential demographic associations (sex and age) were assessed. The study revealed an overall FcTTV prevalence of 30.6%. Infection rates showed no significant sex-related differences: ages varied 4–168 months. ORF1 sequencing revealed multiple FcTTV variants in 27% of samples, with no demographic links. Phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct patterns at both nucleotide and amino acid levels: 3 groups of nucleotide sequences (max divergence 21.68%; intra-cluster 5.15–6.8%), and 3 clusters of amino acid sequences (max divergence 16.81%; intra-cluster 2.82–6.68%). Deletions were found in ORF1 in some variants. Global phylogeny aligned clusters with Asian/European strains (90–98% identity), confirming FcTTV1 affiliation and inter-regional transmission. Our study of FcTTV in Kazakhstan reveals moderate virus prevalence with considerable genetic diversity across viral strains and frequent co-infections with multiple variants.

Микоплазмы выступают как в роли секундарной микрофлоры, присоединяясь к патологическому процессу, вызванному другими микроорганизмами, так и в качестве первичных этиологических агентов на фоне ослабления общей резистентности организма животного. Вследствие широкого разнообразия микоплазменных патогенов, особенно актуальным становится своевременное выявление и видовое определение микоплазм вовлеченных в патологический процесс. В этой ситуации важным моментом является наличие у ветеринарных лабораторных специалистов высокочувствительных и специфичных способов диагностики.