Contagious ecthyma (CE) is a widespread, highly contagious zoonotic skin disease of small ruminants caused by the Orf virus (ORFV), leading to substantial economic losses and welfare concerns. There is no specific treatment, with topical antiseptics and oral or parenteral antibiotics often administered for preventing secondary infections, risking antimicrobial resistance. This study assessed the effect of treating CE in lambs with an antibiotic-free topical anaesthetic/antiseptic formulation (Tri-Solfen^®; T-S; Medical Ethics, Australia/MultiSolfen^®; M-S; Dechra, UK). Serum amyloid A (SAA), a marker of systemic inflammation, was measured in both experimentally and naturally infected lambs allocated to treated and untreated groups. Samples were collected prior to (T0) and at 2 (T2), 7 (T7) and 14 (T14) days post-treatment in experimentally infected lambs and at T0, 10 (T10) and 20 (T20) days post-treatment in naturally affected lambs. In the experimental infection, SAA concentrations were lower in the treated group than in controls at T7 and significantly lower at T14. In the natural outbreak, SAA concentrations significantly decreased over time in the treated group, with a consistent trend toward lower values than in controls. These findings indicate that this therapeutic formulation reduces systemic inflammatory responses in lambs affected by CE, supporting its use as an alternative to antibiotics.

Enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma is a contagious neoplasm of goats for which early antemortem diagnosis remains challenging under field conditions. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of infrared nasal thermography for detecting the disease using histopathology as the reference standard. Eighty-six goats from a dairy herd with confirmed enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma were examined by infrared thermography one day prior to slaughter under standardized environmental conditions. Thermal images of the ethmoidal region were qualitatively assessed for asymmetry or focal hyperthermia. Following slaughter, all heads underwent systematic necropsy and bilateral histopathological examination. Twenty-three goats (26.7%) were histologically confirmed as positive with confirmation by RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction) from tissue samples. Infrared thermography showed a sensitivity of 82.6% and a specificity of 90.5%, with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 88.4%. Positive and negative predictive values were 76.0% and 93.4%, respectively. Agreement between thermography and histopathology was substantial (Cohen’s κ = 0.711; p < 0.001). Although thermography did not achieve the specificity of macroscopic post-mortem examination, its non-invasive and rapid nature supports its potential as a preliminary complementary antemortem screening approach, although its applicability at herd level requires validation in broader and more representative populations.

Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a globally distributed zoonosis associated with small ruminants. In Mediterranean regions, where extensive farming systems prevail, understanding environmental and management drivers of infection is essential for public health. This study estimated the seroprevalence and identified multilevel factors associated with C. burnetii exposure among small ruminants in Trás-os-Montes, Portugal. A cross-sectional study was conducted across 105 farms (n = 1827 animals; 1596 sheep and 231 goats). Serum samples were analysed using a commercial ELISA. Animal-, herd-, and management-level variables were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with seropositivity. Overall apparent seroprevalence was 40.7% (95% CI: 38.5-43.0), with apparent spatial heterogeneity in seroprevalence estimates across municipalities. Older age (≥18 months; aOR = 2.02), larger herd size (≥100 animals; aOR = 1.35), mixed ovine-caprine rearing (aOR = 1.58), and permanent confinement (aOR = 3.88) were associated with higher odds of seropositivity. Furthermore, the introduction of animals without prior health screening (aOR = 5.64; 95% CI: 1.40-51.4) and sharing of drinking troughs (aOR = 1.31) were associated with higher odds of seropositivity, whereas the absence of a maternity pen (aOR = 0.57) and participation in livestock competitions (aOR = 0.71) were associated with lower odds of seropositivity. The high seroprevalence indicates substantial C. burnetii circulation in the study region. Management characteristics, particularly confinement and herd structure, were associated with seropositivity, although these associations should not be interpreted causally given the cross-sectional design. These findings support risk-based surveillance and targeted biosecurity measures within a One Health framework to reduce zoonotic risk.