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Background Prevention of diseases in the early rearing of calves is important, particularly because disease occurrence most often requires antimicrobial administration but reduction of their use in animals is a priority. Pegbovigrastim is known for its use as an immunoregulator in cows and heifers, but the effect of its administration on calves has not been fully investigated. Objectives Investigate whether administration of pegbovigrastim effectively stimulates nonspecific immunity in healthy calves. Animals Eleven clinically healthy 5‐week‐old calves. Methods Prospective observational study. Calves were randomly allocated to an experimental or control groups to receive pegbovigrastim or the same volume of phosphate‐buffered saline twice over a 7‐day period. To evaluate nonspecific immunity, the numbers of total leukocytes and cells in the appropriate cell fractions were determined. Cytometric analyses were carried out to identify cells expressing CD11b and to evaluate the phagocytic and oxidative burst activities of granulocytes and monocytes. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and selected cytokines were assayed using ELISA. Results Pegbovigrastim significantly increased the number of total leukocytes and of cells in all of the examined subsets (P < .05). The phagocytic activity of leukocytes expressed as mean fluorescence intensity was significantly potentiated after pegbovigrastim administration (P < .05). The cytokine response was modulated by pegbovigrastim administration toward anti‐inflammatory activity. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Pegbovigrastim effectively stimulated nonspecific immunity in clinically healthy calves, which in the long term could make the prevention of diseases during early rearing possible by strengthening the immune defense mechanisms of the host.

Mycoplasma bovis is a cause of bronchopneumonia, mastitis and arthritis but may also affect other main organs in cattle such us the eye, ear or brain. Despite its non-zoonotic character, M. bovis infections are responsible for substantial economic health and welfare problems worldwide. M. bovis has spread worldwide, including to countries for a long time considered free of the pathogen. Control of M. bovis infections is hampered by a lack of effective vaccines and treatments due to increasing trends in antimicrobial resistance. This review summarizes the latest data on the epizootic situation of M. bovis infections and new sources/routes of transmission of the infection, and discusses the progress in diagnostics. The review includes various recommendations and suggestions which could be applied to infection control programs.

[...]of this study, the suitability of the newly commercially released ELISA for the evaluation of subclinically infected animals and bull tank milk samples as well as for herd-level control was proposed. To prevent the transmission of M. bovis via the contaminated semen, the authors suggested using a higher than recommended combination of antibiotics added to the semen extender, or which would be the best solution to test bulls intended for artificial insemination for M. bovis and use semen free of the pathogen. Additionally, the genotype of all isolates based on the number and positions of single nucleotide polymorphisms (mutations) in the 23S rRNA gene alleles and ribosomal proteins was determined. According to the study, this pathogen was present in 40.9% of examined beef cattle and in 16.36% of dairy cattle.

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) represents one of the most significant bacterial pathogen groups affecting both animals and humans worldwide. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of MTBC species distribution across different animal hosts and evaluates current laboratory diagnostic methodologies for pathogen detection and identification. The complex comprises seven primary species: Mycobacterium bovis, M. caprae, M. tuberculosis, M. microti, M. canettii, M. africanum, and M. pinnipedii, each exhibiting distinct host preferences, geographical distributions, and pathogenic characteristics. Despite sharing >99% genetic homology, these species demonstrate variable biochemical properties, morphological features, and pathogenicity profiles across mammalian species. Current diagnostic approaches encompass both traditional culture-based methods and advanced molecular techniques, including whole genome sequencing. This review emphasises the critical importance of rapid, accurate detection methods for effective tuberculosis surveillance and control programmes in veterinary and public health contexts.

Mycobacterium is one of the most dangerous pathogens of both animals and humans. Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a disease caused by mycobacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), which spreads mainly among domestic cattle but also to mammals other than cattle. The transmission of MTBC between different species requires research and epidemiological investigations to control its spread. When multiple species are a reservoir of infection, it poses a significant public health and veterinary concern. In this study, the diagnosis of alpaca, cattle, horses, dogs, a sheep and a cat from one farm suspected of bovine tuberculosis was performed. The animals (except for one horse, the dogs and the cat) were euthanised after the intradermal tuberculin tests. Mycobacterial isolation from animal tissue samples was performed. The obtained Mycobacterium strains were genotyped using spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit–variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) methods. The isolates from a horse, two cows, a sheep and an alpaca were classified as Mycobacterium (M.) bovis. The single M. bovis spoligotype SB0666 pattern was isolated, and the MIRU-VNTR results presented the same 222632237401435 patterns. The molecular investigation uncovered information on the relationship of Mycobacterium bovis.

During the initial months of calves’ lives, the young animals are exposed to bacterial and viral infections, and during this period, crucial physiological changes take place in their organisms. Offering calves feed additives that will have a beneficial influence on their organisms and improve their growth while reducing the morbidity rate is the optimal task of feeding. This is the first study to investigate the effect of experimental supplementation for calves with the combination of two feed additives—one containing Lentinula edodes enriched with selenium (Se), and the second containing pancreatic-like enzymes, fat-coated organic acids, sodium butyrate, and silicon dioxide nanoparticles—on the serum Se concentration, selected immune parameters, and the average daily gains in the calves. During the study, the serum Se concentration was examined by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the immunoglobulin and cytokine concentrations with ELISA assays. The white blood cell (WBC) count with leukocyte differentiation was examined with the use of a hematological analyzer, and the percentages of subpopulations of T lymphocytes and monocytes, phagocytic activity, and oxidative burst of monocytes and granulocytes with the use of a flow cytometer. The average daily gains of the calves were also evaluated. In summary, the supplementation of the experimental calves with the combination of two feed additives resulted in significantly higher serum Se concentrations, and the immune systems of the calves were not suppressed while the examined feed additives were being delivered. Although not statistically significant, some positive effects on the calves were seen: a tendency towards the improvement of some of the immune parameters evaluated, and a tendency for higher average daily gains in the calves.

Two of the most important diseases of cattle are caused by mycoplasmas. Mycoplasma bovis is a world-wide bovine pathogen that can cause pneumonia, mastitis and arthritis. It has now spread to most, if not all, cattle-rearing countries. Due to its increasing resistance to antimicrobial therapy, vaccination is the principal focus of the control of infection, but effective vaccines are currently lacking. Despite being eradicated from most parts of the world, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, the cause of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), continues to plague sub-Saharan Africa, affecting at least 25 countries. Numerous new experimental vaccines have been developed over the last 20 years to improve on protection afforded by the T1/44, a live vaccine in continuous use in Africa for over 60 years, but none so far have succeeded; indeed, many have exacerbated the disease. Tools for diagnosis and control are adequate for eradication but what is necessary are resources to improve vaccine coverage to levels last seen in the 1970s, when CBPP was restricted to a few countries in Africa. This paper summarizes the results of the main studies in the field of experimental mycoplasma vaccines, reviews data on commercially available bacterin vaccines and addresses issues relating to the search for new candidates for effective vaccines to reduce economic losses in the cattle industry caused by these two mycoplasmas.

Gastrointestinal mycobacteriosis in horses is difficult to diagnose because of the pathogen's intracellular nature and the non-specific clinical symptoms. Effective accurate diagnosis facilitates prognosis and treatment. Current diagnostic procedures and methods of collecting material do not permit definitive antemortem diagnosis. However, culturing, acid-fast bacilli staining, histopathology, PCR and immunological marker evaluation may prove useful. Three horses were admitted to a clinic for intensive care and a final diagnosis. Physical examination and additional tests were performed. Unfavourable prognoses and lack of treatment response prompted euthanasia decisions. Necropsy was performed, as were histological, microbiological and molecular investigations. The clinical condition of the animals deteriorated despite therapy. Two horses were euthanised when they did not respond to treatment and had poor prognoses. Intestinal mycobacteriosis caused by subsp. was diagnosed postmortem using laboratory investigations. One horse's diagnosis was established antemortem by cytological and microbiological examination of biopsy material from an abdominocentesis, and this animal was also euthanised because of its poor prognosis. Mycobacteriosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic debilitating equine diarrhoea in addition to rhodococcosis, lawsoniosis, salmonellosis, gastric ulcers and food intolerance. Peritoneal fluid obtained by abdominocentesis proved to be an effective diagnostic method for microbiological and molecular identification of subsp. in horses with suspected enteric mycobacteriosis and concomitant ascites.

The presence of selenium in European soil is low and this causes its deficiency in livestock and, in consequence, in humans. This study aimed to obtain Lentinula (L.) edodes mycelium with the maximum content of selenium. This species was used for experiment based on its documented medicinal properties. Calves were fed with selenium-enriched L. edodes mycelium, and serum selenium concentration, average daily weight gains and selected immune parameters were estimated. The selenium-enriched mushroom was found to be safe based on cytotoxicity tests (MTT and LDH tests) and for this reason it was used for further experiments. The mean quantity of selenium in the serum of calves fed with selenium-enriched L. edodes mycelium was significantly higher than that of control calves. Additionally, the calves fed with selenium-enriched L. edodes mycelium had higher body weight gains than those of control calves. White blood cell counts and subpopulations of lymphocytes in the experimental and control calves were within the reference range. The administration of L. edodes enriched with selenium had a beneficial effect on state of health of the calves.

This study aimed to indicate the influence of infection caused by genotype II African swine fever virus (ASFV)–isolate Pol18_28298_O111, currently circulating in Poland, on blood counts, biochemical parameters, as well as inflammatory and immune responses. Blood and sera collected from 21 domestic pigs infected intranasally with different doses of virulent ASFV were analysed. The infection led to variable changes in blood counts depending on the stage of the disease with a tendency towards leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. The elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and microscopic lesions in organs confirmed the development of the inflammation process, which also resulted in an increased level of biochemical markers such as: Aspartate transaminase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), creatinine, and urea. Antibodies could be detected from 9 to 18 days post infection (dpi). Two survivors presented the highest titer of antibodies (>5 log10/mL) with a simultaneous increase in the lymphocyte T (CD3+) percentage–revealed by flow cytometry. Results confirmed a progressive inflammatory process occurring during the ASFV infection, which may lead to multiple organs failure and death of the majority of affected animals.