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Background Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) causes neonatal calf diarrhea (CD), winter dysentery in young cattle (WD), and respiratory system infections in cattle of all ages worldwide. The aim of this study was the detection, isolation, and investigation of the frequency, and molecular characterization of circulating BCoVs in cattle in the Thrace district of Türkiye. It was also aimed to determine genotypes and variants to include in vaccine and vaccination strategies. Methods For this purpose, a total of 47, including 12 integrated and 35 small-scale farms located in the Thrace district bordering European Union, were visited. A total of, 281 samples, consisting of 189 nasal/oropharyngeal and 92 fecal swabs were collected from calves exhibiting diarrhea and respiratory signs. RNA was extracted from samples and SYBR-Green real-time RT-PCR was performed. Phylogenetic and heatmap analyses were made using the sequences obtained from RT-PCR. Virus isolation was performed in HRT-18 cells using trypsin. Results BCoV RNA was detected in 22.06% (62/281) of swabs collected from calves under 6 months with enteric and/or respiratory signs. Detection rates were 21.69% (41/189) in nasal/oropharyngeal and 22.82% (21/92) in fecal swabs. The virus was identified in 95.7% (45/47) of sampled farms. Statistical analysis showed no significant association between BCoV positivity and the vaccination status of animals. Phylogenetic studies of S1 gene region have indicated that the samples detected in the Thrace district were clustered within the GIb subgroup along with European strains (97.6–100%, nucleotide similarity). These samples also exhibited high nucleotide similarity with HECV-4408 from human CoVs (98.28–99.14%) and DcCoV-HKU23 from other animal CoVs (97.85–99.14%). Despite being collected from distinct regions and years, two field isolates exhibited complete nucleotide identity. BCoV was successfully isolated from both nasal/oropharyngeal and fecal swabs. Conclusions This study indicates that BCoV remains a health concern in calves in Türkiye, with isolates clustering in the GIb subgroup alongside European strains. Strengthening biosecurity and regular monitoring should remain priorities; collecting immunologic and field-effectiveness data will help guide the development of regionally updated vaccination strategies. A One Health approach that combines full-genome sequencing with epidemiological studies would help assess zoonotic potential.

Background Feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) is a life threatening highly contagious virus in cats and typically causes upper respiratory tract infections as well as conjunctival and corneal ulcers. Genetic variability could alter the severity of diseases and clinical signs. Despite regular vaccine practices against FHV-1 in China, new FHV-1 cases still commonly occur. The genetic and phylogenetic characteristics of FHV-1 in Kunshan city of China has not been studied yet. Therefore, this study was planned to investigate the prevalence, molecular characteristics of circulating strains, and phylogenetic analyses of FHV-1. This is the first report of molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic characteristics of FHV-1 from naturally infected cats in Kunshan, China. Methods The occulo-nasal swabs were collected from diseased cats showing respiratory distress, conjunctivitis, and corneal ulcers at different veterinary clinics in Kunshan from 2022 to 2023. Clinical data and general information were recorded. Swab samples were processed for preliminary detection of FHV-1. Thymidine kinase ( TK ), glycoprotein B ( gB ) and glycoprotein D ( gD ) genes were sequenced and analyzed to investigate genetic diversity and evolution of FHV-1. Results The FHV-1 genome was detected in 43 (43/200, 21.5%) samples using RT-PCR targeting the TK gene. Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between age, vaccination status and living environment ( p  < 0.05) with FHV-1 positivity, while a non-significant correlation was observed for FHV-1 positivity and sex of cats ( p  > 0.05). Additionally, eight FHV-1 positive cats were co-infected with feline calicivirus (8/43,18.6%). FHV-1 identified in the present study was confirmed as FHV-1 based on phylogenetic analyses. The sequence analyses revealed that 43 FHV-1 strains identified in the present study did not differ much with reference strains within China and worldwide. A nucleotide homology of 99-100% was determined among gB, TK and gD genes nucleotide sequences when compared with standard strain C-27 and vaccine strains. Amino acid analysis showed some amino acid substitutions in TK, gB and gD protein sequences. A potential N-linked glycosylation site was observed in all TK protein sequences. Phylogenetic analyses revealed minor variations and short evolutionary distance among FHV-1 strains detected in this study. Conclusions Our findings indicate that genomes of 43 FHV-1 strains are highly homogenous and antigenically similar, and the degree of variation in major envelope proteins between strains is low. This study demonstrated some useful data about prevalence, genetic characteristics, and evolution of FHV-1 in Kunshan, which may aid in future vaccine development.

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a highly contagious virus in cats, which typically causes respiratory tract and oral infections. Despite vaccination against FCV being a regular practice in China, new FCV cases still occur. Antigenic diversity of FCV hinders the effective control by vaccination. This is first report which aims to investigate the molecular epidemiology and molecular characteristics of FCV in Kunshan, China. The nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from cats showing variable clinical signs from different animal clinics in Kunshan from 2022 to 2023. Preliminary detection and sequencing of the FCV capsid gene were performed to study genetic diversity and evolutionary characteristics. FCV-RNA was identified in 52 (26%) of the samples using RT-PCR. A significant association was found between FCV-positive detection rate, age, gender, vaccination status and living environment, while a non-significant association was found with breed of cats. Nucleotide analysis revealed two genotypes, GI and GII. GII predominated in Kunshan, with diverse strains and amino acid variations potentially affecting vaccination efficacy and FCV detection. Notably, analysis pinpointed certain strains’ association with FCV-virulent systemic disease pathotypes. This investigation sheds light on FCV dynamics, which may aid in developing better prevention strategies and future vaccine designs against circulating FCV genotypes.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to compare the postoperative metabolic and nutritional outcomes after transit bipartition with sleeve gastrectomy (TB-SG) and distal-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (D-RYGB).Materials and MethodsA retrospective evaluation was made of 109 morbidly obese patients who underwent TB-SG or D-RYGB. Primary outcomes included metabolic variables such as glycemic control and serum lipid levels, and secondary outcomes consisted of nutritional deficiencies and weight loss after surgical procedures.ResultsDuring the study period, 83 and 26 patients underwent D-RYGB and TB-SG, respectively. The preoperative characteristics and nutritional status of the groups were similar. D-RYGB resulted in significantly higher weight loss rates in the first 3 months, but the percentage of excess weight loss (EWL %) was not different in the 12-month follow-up period. Although D-RYGB provided faster glycemic control due to early weight loss, there was no difference between the two groups. At the end of the follow-up period, the TB-SG was associated with significantly less deficiency of vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and folic acid. Anastomosis leakage was more common in the D-RYGB technique. The overall complication rates of the groups were similar.ConclusionTB-SG is a safe and effective alternative to D-RYGB for the treatment of obesity-related metabolic disorders with fewer nutritional deficiencies.

Fowl adenovirus can cause important diseases in chickens such as inclusion body hepatitis, hepatitis hydropericardium syndrome, and gizzard erosion and ulceration. Inclusion body hepatitis has been regularly reported from many countries. This is the first case report from Turkey, describing an outbreak of inclusion body hepatitis in broiler farms due to fowl adenovirus-8b (FAdV-8b). Broiler flocks with mortality about 10% were visited in Turkey, and necropsy was performed on dead birds. Samples were subjected to PCR assay to detect FAdV and other viral pathogens. After sequencing, phylogenetic analysis was performed and the nucleotide sequences of hexon genes were compared with the FAdV sequences data available in GenBank. Clinical signs such as anorexia, depression, ruffled feathers, huddling, and greenish diarrhoea were observed. Mortality started at the 8 day of age and ranged from 10% to 14%. Necropsy showed severe hepatitis, jaundice, and pancreatitis. The main necropsy findings included a pale, enlarged, haemorrhagic, and friable liver along with swollen and haemorrhagic kidneys and spleen. PCR and sequence analysis revealed the presence of fowl adenovirus serotype 8b (FAdV-E). This is the first report on characterisation and the pathological lesions associated with FAdV in broilers in Turkey. Our findings suggest that FAdV strains could be an emerging pathogen in Turkish broilers and could actively contribute to hepatitis and immunosuppression.

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is one of the most important respiratory pathogens of cattle. In this study, frequency of infection, analysis of variants, and the immune status of vaccinated and non-vaccinated cattle were studied. Blood (n = 162) and nasal/oropharyngeal (n = 277) swabs were collected from 62 cattle herds in Turkey. Lung samples (n = 37) were also taken from dead animals and abattoirs. Antibodies to BRSV were detected in 76 (46%) out of 162 sera. The antibody levels in the vaccinated and non-vaccinated groups were statistically significant. Among 277 nasal/oropharyngeal swabs and 37 lungs, ten nasal/oropharyngeal and four lung samples were positive for BRSV-RNA. BRSV-G gene sequences of 5 out of 14 RT-PCR positive samples showed that all viruses clustered as Group-III in phylogenetic analysis with 88–100% homology. Similarity with previous Turkish BRSVs was 89–98%, and that with BRSVs detected in the USA and Czechia was 89.47–93.12%. BRSV continues to circulate in Turkish cattle, and vaccination seems beneficial in preventing BRSV. The diversity of the BRSVs found in this study needs be considered in vaccination strategies.

Background Fowl adenovirus-4 is a causative agent of hydropericardium hepatitis syndrome (HHS) in chickens and has been frequently reported from many countries. Fowl adenoviruses cause severe disease and mortality in broiler and layer breeders in Azerbaijan. Therefore, in this study, pathological lesions and the dissemination of fowl adenovirus-4 into the visceral organs of infected birds were investigated as well as molecular characterisation of detected strains. For this, liver, heart and spleen from 20 necropsied chickens originated from a broiler breeder flock and a layer breeder flock were embeded on the FTA cards and the samples were analysed for adenovirus-DNA by PCR and sequencing. Results The findings of necropsy in both broiler and layer breeder chickens were similar, and the liver was severely effected showing hepatitis, and the heart with hydropericardium lesions. The kidneys were swollen with haemorrhages and small white foci on the surface of the spleens were noted. Intestinal congestion and ecchymotic hemorrhages were also observed in some birds. Fowl adenovirus-4-DNA was detected by PCR in all collected organs of 20 birds. The sequence analysis revealed that fowl adenovirus-4 present in Azerbaijan and close similarity of the hexon genes of the adenoviruses existing in the Middle East, North America, far east and Indian subcontinent were determined by phylogenetic analysis. However, sequence diversity was detected from the adenovirus strains circulating in Europe, North and South America. Conclusions This study indicates the impact of fowl adenovirus-4 on the poultry health and production, and improved disease control and prevention strategies are necessary to reduce the HHS disease in chickens in Azerbaijan.

The study is aimed to investigate the association between different corticosteroid treatment regimens and clinical status, complications, mechanical ventilation requirement, and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in individuals diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19). This is a descriptive retrospective study. Patients admitted to the ICU for COVID-19 and treated with low- or medium-dose corticosteroid therapy (methylprednisolone at a dose of 0.5-1 mg/kg for 7-10 days) were compared with patients treated with high-dose pulse corticosteroid therapy (methylprednisolone at varying doses of 250 mg, 500 mg or 1000 mg for 3-7 days) in addition to standard therapy because of increased pulmonary infiltrate and elevated inflammatory markers during clinical monitoring. All demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, clinical course, laboratory findings, discharge status, 28-day mortality, intubation status, acute physiological assessment and chronic health evaluation II score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and sequential organ failure assessment score, were recorded. Corticosteroid treatment was administered to 689 (88.3%) of 780 COVID-19 ICU patients between April 2020 and October 2021. The overall mortality rate was 45.1% (n= 352). When the mortality rates of patients were compared according to the corticosteroid dose, the mortality rate in the low-to-medium-dose group (40%) was significantly lower than that in the high-dose group (76%). In addition, significant deterioration in laboratory and clinical parameters was observed in the high-dose corticosteroid group. High mortality, adverse effects, and complications were significantly increased when high-dose corticosteroids were administered. Corticosteroid therapy should be used cautiously according to the patient's clinical condition, disease stage, comorbidities, and systemic or organ reserves.

Since the first human case in 2013, H7N9 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have caused more than 1500 human infections with a mortality rate of approximately 40%. Despite large-scale poultry vaccination regimes across China, the H7N9 AIVs continue to persist and evolve rapidly in poultry. Recently, several strains of H7N9 AIVs have been isolated and shown the ability to escape vaccine-induced immunity. To assess the zoonotic risk of the recent H7N9 AIV isolates, we rescued viruses with hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) from these H7N9 AIVs and six internal segments from PR8 virus and characterized their receptor binding, pH of fusion, thermal stability, plaque morphology and in ovo virus replication. We also assessed the cross-reactivity of the viruses with human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against H7N9 HA and ferret antisera against H7N9 AIV candidate vaccines. The H7N9 AIVs from the early epidemic waves had dual sialic acid receptor binding characteristics, whereas the more recent H7N9 AIVs completely lost or retained only weak human sialic acid receptor binding. Compared with the H7N9 AIVs from the first epidemic wave, the 2020/21 viruses formed larger plaques in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells and replicated to higher titres in ovo, demonstrating increased acid stability but reduced thermal stability. Further analysis showed that these recent H7N9 AIVs had poor cross-reactivity with the human mAbs and ferret antisera, highlighting the need to update the vaccine candidates. To conclude, the newly emerged H7N9 AIVs showed characteristics of typical AIVs, posing reduced zoonotic risk but a heightened threat for poultry.

Abstract Introduction: Our study aimed to compare the short- and particularly long-term type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission prediction abilities of ABCD, individualised metabolic surgery (IMS), DiaRem2, Ad-DiaRem and DiaBetter scoring systems in Turkish adult type 2 diabetic morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery. Patients and Methods: Our study was planned as a retrospective cohort study. A total of 137 patients with T2DM, including 78 sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and 59 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients, were included in the 1st-year evaluation after bariatric surgery, and a total of 115 patients with T2DM, including 64 SG and 51 RYGB patients, were included in the evaluation at the end of the 5th year. Results: In the 1st year after bariatric surgery, area under the ROC curve (AUC) values for diabetes remission scores were 0.863 for Ad-DiaRem, 0.896 for DiaBetter, 0.840 for DiaRem2, 0.727 for ABCD and 0.836 for IMS. At 5 years after bariatric surgery, the AUC values for diabetes remission were 0.834 for Ad-DiaRem, 0.888 for DiaBetter, 0.794 for DiaRem2, 0.730 for ABCD and 0.878 for IMS. Conclusions: According to our study, the DiaBetter score provided a better AUC value than the other scores both in the short and long term but showed similar predictive performance to Ad-DiaRem in the short term and IMS in the long term. We believe that DiaBetter and Ad-DiaRem scores might be more appropriate for short-term assessment and DiaBetter and IMS scores for long-term remission assessment.