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Yeast-derived products containing β-glucans have long been used as feed supplements in domesticated animals in an attempt to increase immunity. β-glucans are mainly recognized by the cell surface receptor CLEC7A, also designated Dectin-1. Although the immune mechanisms elicited through Dectin-1 activation have been studied in detail in mice and humans, they are poorly understood in other species. Here, we evaluated the response of bovine monocytes to soluble and particulate purified β-glucans, and also to Zymosan. Our results show that particulate, but not soluble β-glucans, can upregulate the surface expression of costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 on bovine monocytes. In addition, stimulated cells increased production of IL-8 and of TNF, IL1B , and IL6 mRNA expression, in a dose-dependent manner, which correlated positively with CLEC7A gene expression. Production of IL-8 and TNF expression decreased significantly after CLEC7A knockdown using two different pairs of siRNAs. Overall, we demonstrated here that bovine monocytes respond to particulate β-glucans, through Dectin-1, by increasing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our data support further studies in cattle on the induction of trained immunity using dietary β-glucans.

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is the cause of a multisystem disease in domestic dogs and wild animals, infecting more than 20 carnivore and non-carnivore families and even infecting human cell lines in in vitro conditions. Phylogenetic classification based on the hemagglutinin gene shows 17 lineages with a phylogeographic distribution pattern. In Medellín (Colombia), the lineage South America-3 is considered endemic. Phylogenetic studies conducted in Ecuador using fragment coding for the fusion protein signal peptide (Fsp) characterized a new strain belonging to a different lineage. For understanding the distribution of the South America-3 lineage in the north of the South American continent, we characterized CDV from three Colombian cities (Medellín, Bucaramanga, and Bogotá). Using phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin gene and the Fsp region, we confirmed the circulation of CDV South America-3 in different areas of Colombia. We also described, for the first time to our knowledge, the circulation of a new lineage in Medellín that presents a group monophyletic with strains previously characterized in dogs in Ecuador and in wildlife and domestic dogs in the United States, for which we propose the name “South America/North America-4” due its intercontinental distribution. In conclusion, our results indicated that there are at least four different CDV lineages circulating in domestic dogs in South America: the Europe/South America-1 lineage circulating in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina; the South America-2 lineage restricted to Argentina; the South America-3 lineage, which has only been reported in Colombia; and lastly an intercontinental lineage present in Colombia, Ecuador, and the United States, referred to here as the “South America/North America-4” lineage.

Cardiac magnetic resonce (CMR) is an established tool for risk stratification in several cardiomyopathies, and its role in muscular dystrophies (MuD) looks promising. We sought to assess how CMR performs in predicting cardiac events in a real cohort of MuD patients. This is a prospective single-center study with the enrollment of consecutive adult MuD patients referred to cardiac screening from 2012 to 2018 with the collection of clinical and CMR data. During follow-up (FUP), major adverse cardiac events such as a composite of device implantation, ventricular tachycardia (VT), hospitalization due to heart failure, and death, were considered. Sixty-five patients were included (mean age of 32±16, 51% female); the majority had myotonic dystrophy (34; 52.3%); most were asymptomatic (60; 92.3%) and at sinus rhythm (64; 98.5%). CMR was abnormal in 23 (43.3%) patients: left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) <55% was found in 7 patients, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was present in 23 patients, mainly intra-myocardial or subepicardial (10 and 8 patients, respectively). During a median FUP of 77 months (interquartile range: 33), there were 7 deaths, 8 implanted devices, and one sustained VT. LVEF<55% and the presence of LGE were associated with the occurrence of all events (log-rank test, p=0.002 and p=0.045, respectively). LVEF<55% was associated with a 6-fold higher risk of events (crude hazard ratio of 6.15; 95% confidence interval of 1.65-22.93), which remained significant after adjusting for LGE presence (adjusted hazard ratio of 4.81, 95% confidence interval of 1.07-15.9). In our cohort, CMR LVEF<55% and the presence of LGE were significantly associated with adverse events during FUP, reinforcing the role of this technique on risk stratification of MuD populations.

Background: There is no standardized definition for metabolic health. Overweight and obesity are often linked to metabolic dysfunction. Bariatric surgery promotes body weight loss and cardiometabolic health improvement. Objective: We aim to characterize metabolic health using distinct definitions and evaluate anthropometric and cardiometabolic features, both before and after different surgery procedures. Methods: We studied 3313 individuals from CRI-O [Porto, PT; BMI 39.56 (42.60; 46.20) kg/m2; 36 (43; 51) y; 82.7% women] who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB; 61.7%), sleeve gastrectomy (30.9%), or gastric band (7.5%) surgery. Anthropometric and cardiometabolic features were assessed at baseline and at yearly follow-ups, up to 4 years; the same for cardiometabolic dysfunction characterization using NCEP ATP III, Karelis, Meigs, Khan, Pluemacher, and Schulze definitions. Results: Baseline metabolic health classification and metabolically unhealthy phenotype (MUH) post-surgery prevalence decrease show substantial variability depending on the definition used. Unlike relative body weight loss, the altered metabolic feature number in MUH remains unchanged. Changes in MUH prevalence do not reflect body weight loss, nor does the variation in MUH percentage fully align with changes in altered metabolic features. Blood pressure, C-reactive protein, antihypertensive medication, and HOMA-IR are key contributors to baseline MUH. Post-surgical changes in body weight, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein vary by procedure. RYGB yields greater weight loss and more often improves cardiometabolic markers. However, post-operative metabolic phenotype is independent of surgery type. Conclusions: Metabolic health phenotypes pre- and post-surgery vary by definition, and the latter are not solely driven by weight loss or surgery type. In this cohort, RYGB shows the strongest beneficial impact.

In 2015, Singapore had the first and only reported foodborne outbreak of invasive disease caused by the group B Streptococcus (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae). Disease, predominantly septic arthritis and meningitis, was associated with sequence type (ST)283, acquired from eating raw farmed freshwater fish. Although GBS sepsis is well-described in neonates and older adults with co-morbidities, this outbreak affected non-pregnant and younger adults with fewer co-morbidities, suggesting greater virulence. Before 2015 ST283 had only been reported from twenty humans in Hong Kong and two in France, and from one fish in Thailand. We hypothesised that ST283 was causing region-wide infection in Southeast Asia. We performed a literature review, whole genome sequencing on 145 GBS isolates collected from six Southeast Asian countries, and phylogenetic analysis on 7,468 GBS sequences including 227 variants of ST283 from humans and animals. Although almost absent outside Asia, ST283 was found in all invasive Asian collections analysed, from 1995 to 2017. It accounted for 29/38 (76%) human isolates in Lao PDR, 102/139 (73%) in Thailand, 4/13 (31%) in Vietnam, and 167/739 (23%) in Singapore. ST283 and its variants were found in 62/62 (100%) tilapia from 14 outbreak sites in Malaysia and Vietnam, in seven fish species in Singapore markets, and a diseased frog in China. GBS ST283 is widespread in Southeast Asia, where it accounts for a large proportion of bacteraemic GBS, and causes disease and economic loss in aquaculture. If human ST283 is fishborne, as in the Singapore outbreak, then GBS sepsis in Thailand and Lao PDR is predominantly a foodborne disease. However, whether transmission is from aquaculture to humans, or vice versa, or involves an unidentified reservoir remains unknown. Creation of cross-border collaborations in human and animal health are needed to complete the epidemiological picture.

Introduction Idiopathic left bundle branch block (iLBBB) is an uncommon finding. Its benignity has been increasingly questioned, though its natural history remains poorly clarified. Similarly, LBBB-cardiomyopathy (LBBB-CM) has been also increasingly recognized as a distinct entity, where electromechanical dyssynchrony seems to play a central role in left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) development. Still, it remains a scarcely studied topic. There is an urgent need for investigation and evidence reinforcement in these areas. Objectives: two main objectives: (1) to explore the natural history of “asymptomatic” iLBBB carriers; (2) to characterize the outcomes and therapeutic approach used in a “real-world” cohort of possible LBBB-CMP patients (pts). Methods: tertiary care centre retrospective study of pts with iLBBB and possible LBBB-CMP, screened from a large hospital electrocardiographic database from 2011 to 2017 (LBBB = 347). To assign the 1st objective, only pts with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 50% and available follow-up (FU) data were included ( n  = 152). Regarding the 2nd objective, possible LBBB-CMP pts were selected and defined as iLBBB pts with LVD (LVEF < 50%) and no secondary causes for LVD ( n  = 53). Data were based on pts’ careful review of medical records. Results: focusing our 1st objective, 152 iLBBB carriers were identified. Median FU time were 8 years, and 61% were female. During FU, approximately 25% developed LVD, 20% needed ≥ 1 cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization, and 15% needed a cardiac device implantation. The majority (2/3) of pts with LVD on FU ( n  = 35) had no secondary causes for LVD, being classified as possible LBBB-CMP pts. Time-to-LVD analysis showed no differences between pts with a known cause for LVD vs LBBB-CMP pts (Log-rank = 0.713). Concerning the 2nd objective, 53 possible LBBB-CMP pts were identified. Median FU time were 10 years, and 51% were female. During the FU, 77% presented heart failure (HF) symptoms, and 42% needed ≥ 1 CV hospitalization, mainly due to HF. Half presented severe LVD at some point in time, and 55% needed a cardiac device, most of them a cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device. Comparing CRT with non-CRT pts, no differences were found in terms of medical therapy, but better outcomes were observed in CRT group: LVEF improvement was higher (median LVEF improvement of 11% in non-CRT vs 27% in CRT; p  < 0.001), and fully recovery from LVD was more frequent (50% of CRT vs 14% non-CRT; p  = 0.028). Conclusion: our data strengthen current evidence on natural history of iLBBB, showing significant CV morbidity associated with the presence of iLBBB, and reinforces the need for a serial and proper FU of these carriers. Our data on “real-world” possible LBBB-CMP pts shows high rates of CV events, namely HF-related events, and supports the growing evidence pointing out CRT as this subgroup of pts’ cornerstone of treatment. In conclusion, our work sheds additional light on these largely unknown topics and underlines the urgent need for larger and prospective studies addressing the identification of LVD development predictors in iLBBB carriers, as well as the establishment of diagnostic criteria and therapeutic approach for LBBB-CMP.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiac disease. Recently, a connection has been observed between the presence of first-degree atrioventricular block (FDAVB) and cardiovascular outcomes, although the pathophysiology of this association remains poorly understood. Considering the period 2000-2023, we retrospectively included HCM patients at sinus rhythm at the first appointment and sought possible interactions of FDAVB (defined as PR interval >200 ms) with different clinical and imaging variables and with the occurrence of cardiovascular events, including atrial fibrillation (AF). A total of 97 patients were included, of whom 57 (58.8%) were men, with a mean age of 51±19 years, and 14 (14.4%) had FDAVB. During a median of 4.29 (percentile 25 1.92, percentile 75 7.67) years of follow-up, 35 cardiovascular events occurred, including 13 de novo diagnoses of AF, 8 hospitalizations due to heart failure, 8 new-onset strokes, 4 myocardial infarctions, and 2 implantations of cardio defibrillators in secondary prevention; no HCM-related death occurred. We did not find any association between outcomes and the presence of FDAVB. The role of FDAVB as a prognostic marker in HCM patients requires further investigation. We found that FDAVB patients were older, more frequently reported dyspnea, had a larger QRS duration, a higher ratio of early mitral inflow velocity to mean early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/e’), and lower maximal left ventricle wall thickness by magnetic resonce (p<0.05). After multivariable alysis, FDAVB was independently associated with a higher echocardiographic E/e’ ratio (p=0.039) (odds ratio=1.588). This is the first paper to document an independent association between FGAVB and a higher E/e’ ratio in HCM patients.

Background/Objectives: Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X-linked disease caused by the deficient activity of the enzyme α-galactosidase A. Cardiac involvement is particularly critical, often determining the disease prognosis. Epidemiological data on FD in Portugal are limited and inconsistent, highlighting the need for targeted screening. The F-CHECK study aimed to determine the prevalence of FD through the systematic screening of a Portuguese cohort of patients with unexplained cardiomyopathies. Methods: This multicenter observational study (NCT05409846) assessed the prevalence and clinical characteristics of FD in a Portuguese cohort (n = 409) of patients from 10 central hospitals who presented with unexplained cardiomyopathies, including idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), left ventricular hypertrophy, dilated-phase HCM, and dilated cardiomyopathy with late gadolinium enhancement in the inferolateral segment. Screening was performed using dried blood spot assays to measure α-galactosidase A activity and/or by GLA gene sequencing in whole-blood samples. Results: FD was diagnosed in 14 patients, corresponding to a prevalence of 3.4%. FD diagnosis was significantly associated with systemic manifestations such as acroparesthesias (p = 0.027) and angiokeratomas (p = 0.003), as well as an increased risk of prior arrhythmic events (p = 0.021) and cerebrovascular disease (p = 0.016). Most FD patients (57%) presented a non-founder mutation in the GLA gene; however, they were pathogenically relevant. Conclusions: The observed 3.4% prevalence highlights the importance of systematic FD screening among Portuguese patients with unexplained cardiomyopathy, extending beyond classic hypertrophic presentations to dilated forms. Specific clinical signs, electrocardiogram findings, and cardiac imaging features can serve as valuable indicators to guide targeted genetic testing for FD.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has emerged as an early indicator of cardiac amyloidosis (CA) caused by transthyretin-associated (ATTR) mutations, possibly linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This case series examines the relationship between idiopathic CTS and CA imaging diagnosis. Methods: Twenty-two patients from the cross-sectional study CarPoS (NCT05409833) were included. These patients underwent physical evaluation, laboratory exams, electrocardiography, echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, and scintigraphy with 99mTc-3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid. Results: Four of the twenty-two patients included had ATTR cardiomyopathy. These patients presented left-ventricle hypertrophy and signs of infiltrative cardiomyopathy in echocardiograms and late gadolinium enhancement in CMR images without having any cardiovascular symptoms. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a high prevalence of CA in patients with bilateral idiopathic CTS, highlighting the importance of screening for CA in patients with CTS. Early detection could significantly impact patient prognosis, underscoring the need for further research into diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Bovine besnoitiosis is a parasitic disease caused by the parasite Besnoitia besnoiti . It was classified as an emerging disease by EFSA in 2010, due to the appearance of new cases in several European countries. The clinical presentation can be acute or chronic, but most animals remain asymptomatic, acting as reservoirs. The disease is associated with important economic losses and strict control measures are necessary to mitigate the spread of infection. In recent years, the Health Defense Group of the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region in France has implemented a voluntary program to monitor the presence of the infection in dairy cattle, through the testing of bulk milk samples collected in dairy farms. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution and evolution of the disease from January 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. The official results of bulk milk tests from 7,552 dairy farms in all 12 departments of the region were analyzed. The milk samples were tested in certified laboratories using an indirect ELISA (ID Screen ® Besnoitia Milk Indirect, IDVET laboratory). Descriptive statistics, sample proportions and disease prevalence were calculated for each year and department. The effects of department, year of analysis, farm type, and number of analyses on the risk of a farm testing positive was investigated. In all the departments, more than 96.2% of active farms were tested in at least 1 year of the study period, with most departments conducting testing annually. Of the farms tested, 12% were positive in at least 1 year. Prevalence varied significantly over the study period and between departments ( p < 0.01). The lowest prevalence was observed in the Rhône department in 2021, at 0.36%, while the highest prevalence of 23.44% was recorded in the Savoie department in the same year, based on a testing coverage of 97.5% and 100% of active farms, respectively. The probability of a farm testing positive was 4.1% when only one sample was collected annually, increasing to 7.3%, 12.6% and 20.9%, when two, three and four samples were collected respectively. Farms with mixed production types had a higher probability of testing positive. The present study reinforces the importance of regular, repeated testing and focused monitoring of farms with higher risk profiles, such as mixed-production operations, to effectively control and manage bovine besnoitiosis.