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Globally, ruminants contribute largely to the livelihood and supply of quality food for human consumption. However, small ruminants face numerous problems, including infectious diseases, in lower- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Brucellosis is one of the important zoonotic diseases affecting the range of animals caused by Brucella species, including Brucella abortus and Brucella mellitensis . Although brucellosis caused by B. mellitensis in small ruminants has never been reported in the study areas, its zoonotic importance can never be underestimated. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the sero-molecular prevalence of B. mellitensis in small ruminants in districts Mohmand and Charsadda of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 400 blood samples were collected from sheep and goats (n = 200 from each species) and analyzed by Rose Bengal precipitation test (RBPT), the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( i -ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The findings of the study indicated 13.5% and 7% of sheep while 12.5% and 12.5% of goat’s samples by RBPT and (i-ELISA) respectively. The species-specific PCR confirmed B. abortus in 70% of sheep samples and 37.5% of goat’s samples and B. mellitensis in 25% of sheep and 62.5% of goat’s samples by targeting IS711. The findings of the study concluded that B. abortus and B. melitensis were circulating in sheep and goats with a higher prevalence in the study areas. This study detected the presence of B. mellitensis for the first time in small ruminants in the study areas.

Ticks are important vectors of pathogens affecting livestock productivity and public health, yet their bacterial communities remain poorly characterized in many parts of South Africa. This study investigated the bacterial diversity and potential pathogenic bacterial etiology associated with Amblyomma hebraeum ticks collected from sheep and goats in Mahikeng, North West province. A total of 168 adult ticks were sampled across four villages. Microbiome profiling was performed using high-throughput sequencing of the V3–V4 hypervariable regions of the 16 S rRNA gene on the Illumina MiSeq platform. High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing revealed 16,193 ASVs in goat-derived ticks and 16,510 ASVs in those from sheep. Proteobacteria emerged as the dominant phylum across all samples, with ticks collected from goats showing a particularly high dominance of Rickettsia spp. (51.64% relative abundance), suggesting potential zoonotic risks. In contrast, ticks from sheep harboured significantly more diverse and evenly distributed bacterial communities, as indicated by Shannon ( p  = 0.0138) and Simpson ( p  = 0.0233) diversity indices, despite comparable species richness. A core microbiome comprising 1,374 ASVs (32.3%) was shared across all ticks, alongside 1,504 and 1,372 unique ASVs in goat- and sheep-derived ticks, respectively. Notably, several medically and veterinary-relevant genera, including Coxiella , Ehrlichia , Staphylococcus , Bacillus , Acinetobacter , Corynebacterium , and Streptococcus, were detected across both host groups. While total species richness was comparable between hosts, alpha diversity indices that account for evenness revealed host-based differences, and beta diversity patterns further showed clear separation of bacterial communities by host species. This study indicates that the host plays a crucial role as an ecological driver affecting the diversity of microbial communities associated with ticks. This study improves our understanding of the diversity, composition, and abundance of tick-associated microbiomes and pathogens in South African small ruminants. These insights support the development of microbiome-targeted strategies for detecting and controlling tick-borne diseases.

Human brucellosis is re-emerging in the Chinese Southwest, and its epidemic characteristics remain unclear. Descriptive epidemiology, Joinpoint regression, spatial autocorrelation, serological surveillance and pathogen analysis were adopted to clarify the epidemiological evolution of the disease. Between 2004 and 2024, 9,822 brucellosis cases occurred, dominated by 7,270 cases in Yunnan. The epidemic showed a persistent upward trend (AAPC ≥5.28, P < 0.05), and 51 cities/prefectures were identified with statistically significant increse (AAPC ≥ 9.30, P < 0.05). Serological surveillance of 36,459 individuals revealed a seropositivity rate of 2.13% (95%CI, 2.00%, 2.26%), identifying 1,831 new cases. Sheep/goats seropositivity at 1.02% (95%CI, 0.97%, 1.06%) and cattle at 0.45% (95%CI, 0.42%, 0.48%). Sustained elevated human incidence was validated by serological evidence, and seroprevalence trends in sheep/goats aligned closely with human epidemic dynamics. Human brucellosis has evolved from random to significantly geographically and spatial aggregated, spreading continuously with intensified clustering in central-eastern Yunnan, the Sichuan basin and Tibet's Ngari-Qamdo axis, highlighting these as priority control zones. Human brucellosis has transitioned from sporadic to locally endemic, with phased progression and increasing geographical clustering recently. Human brucellosis in the Chinese Southwest is characterized by the persistent dominance of B. melitensis bv. 3, primarily represented by the co-circulating MLVA-11 genotypes GT116 and GT125, which form a stable, widely disseminated lineage across the region. From the re-emergence to persistent endemicity of human brucellosis in study area, the extensive distribution of B. melitensis with unique genotyping reveals a stable zoonotic cycle that requires coordinated regional control.

Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever which is a highly infectious zoonotic disease. C. burnetii has become one of the most important causes of abortion in livestock, which can lead to widespread abortions in these animals. There are very limited studies on the prevalence of C. burnetii infection in cases of animal abortion in Iran. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of C. burnetii in ruminant abortion samples in Iran. Abortion samples from cattle, sheep and goats were collected from different parts of Iran and were tested using Real-time PCR targeting the IS1111 element of C. burnetii. In this study, 36 samples (24.7%) of the 146 collected samples were positive for C. burnetii. The prevalence of C. burnetii was 21.3% (20 of 94 samples) in sheep samples. Also, 10 of 46 cattle samples (21.7%) were positive. All six goat abortion samples were positive for C. burnetii. The findings of the study demonstrate that C. burnetii plays an important role in domestic ruminant abortions in Iran, suggesting that more attention should be paid to the role of C. burnetii in domestic animal abortions by veterinary organizations. The risk of transmitting the infection to humans due to abortion of animals should also be considered.

Animal listeriosis is a sporadic bacterial infection caused by Listeria ( L .) monocytogenes and L. ivanovii. In Germany, only listeriosis caused by L. monocytogenes is considered a notifiable disease. The objective of this report is to analyze official surveillance data on animal listeriosis in Germany from 2024 to 2025 to assess the epidemiological situation and the spatiotemporal distribution of this One Health relevant disease. A total of 341 notifications involving 652 affected animals were reported. The highest number of cases occurred in food-producing animals, particularly cattle, followed by sheep and goats. Listeriosis has also been reported in pet animals, wildlife, and poultry. The epidemiological situation and geographical distribution of the disease have remained consistent over the past decade, with the highest incidences in Berlin, Bavaria, and Baden-Wuerttemberg. Listeriae cause disease in a broad range of hosts nationwide. Monitoring listeriosis in animals is crucial for public health and the safety of the food supply. Systematic collection of animal isolates is essential to understand transmission from environmental reservoirs to humans—a currently puzzling link. This knowledge is vital for protecting human health.

The genus Anaplasma includes A. marginale, A. centrale, A. bovis, A. ovis, A. platys, and A. phagocytophilum transmitted by ticks, some of which are zoonotic and cause anaplasmosis in humans and animals. In 2012, a new species was discovered in goats in China. In 2015, the same agent was detected in humans in China, and it was provisionally named Anaplasma capra, referring to 2012. The studies conducted to date have revealed the existence of A. capra in humans, domestic animals, wild animals, and ticks from three different continents (Asia, Europe, and Africa). Phylogenetic analyses based on gltA and groEL sequences show that A. capra clearly includes two different genotypes (A. capra genotype-1 and A. capra genotype-2). Although A. capra human isolates are in the genotype-2 group, goat, sheep, and cattle isolates are in both groups, making it difficult to establish a host genotype-relationship. According to current data, it can be thought that human isolates are genotype-2 and while only genotype-1 is found in Europe, both genotypes are found in Asia. Anaplasma capra causes clinical disease in humans, but the situation is not yet sufficient to understand the zoonotic importance and pathogenicity in animals. In the present review, the history, hosts (vertebrates and ticks), molecular prevalence, pathogenic properties, and genetic diversity of A. capra were evaluated from a broad perspective.

Livestock brucellosis is an endemic disease in many low-resource settings. Despite its widespread distribution, little is known about the scale of economic impacts caused by the disease. This study aimed to develop an integrated epidemiological-economic modelling framework to estimate production losses attributable to livestock brucellosis, using Tanzania as a case study. Data on livestock production and prevalence of exposure to Brucella spp. were obtained from surveys conducted in northern and central Tanzania between 2013 and 2019. A clustering algorithm was applied to classify households into pastoral and non-pastoral production systems. A Bayesian latent-class analysis model was applied to derive livestock brucellosis prevalence estimates. A herd-growth model was used to estimate production losses attributable to brucellosis. A total of 1,541 households (384 classified as pastoral and 1,157 as non-pastoral) contributed data on livestock production or prevalence of exposure to Brucella spp. The median (95% uncertainty interval, UI) individual-level brucellosis prevalence in cattle, sheep, and goats was 5.1% (3.4–6.9), 1.3% (0.1–3.0), and 2.5% (0.3–4.8) in the pastoral system, and 0.7% (0.1–1.6), 1.6% (0.2–3.8), and 2.5% (0.3–4.9) in the non-pastoral system, respectively. The median (95% UI) annual losses attributable to brucellosis in cattle, sheep, and goats, per infected animal, were 74.4 (26.2–211.7), 9.7 (3.4–23.1) and 10.6 (3.7–25.0) international dollars (int.$) in the pastoral system, and 62.3 (16.8–228.6), 6.3 (1.8–17.1) and 7.0 (2.2–17.9) int. $in the non-pastoral system, respectively. Household-level losses were equivalent to 4.4% (2.1–8.8) and 0.6% (0.2–1.6) of the median (95% UI) livestock-derived income in the pastoral and non-pastoral systems, respectively. This study did not capture the system-wide impacts of brucellosis, including on human health. The estimated losses are only a part of the full societal economic impact of the disease. These results can be used to inform cost-benefit analyses of potential interventions and guide policy development for brucellosis control.

Hemorrhagic abomasitis, also known as Salivary Abomasum Disease (SAD), is a largely under-researched condition affecting young lambs and kids, often leading to high mortality rates and significant economic losses. The disease’s etiopathogenesis, risk factors, and clinical features remain poorly understood. Existing studies have been limited and fragmented, leading to misdiagnoses and confusion about its true nature. Given the lack of a comprehensive investigation into SAD’s incidence, risk factors, and causative agents, this study aims to provide a thorough analysis through clinical, necropsy, histopathological, microbiological, and molecular examinations. This study involved 633 kids, with 323 in the SAD group and 310 in the control group. A multifaceted approach was utilized, encompassing clinical evaluations, necropsies, histopathological assessments, risk factors, and microbiological and molecular analyses, focusing on investigating virulence genes. During the kidding season, 323 deaths were linked to SAD, with a mean disease duration of 1.34 ± 0.54 days. The highest incidence occurred in the 8–14 day age group, accounting for 51.7% of cases ( p  < 0.05). The dominant clinical symptoms included weakness, lethargy, depression, failure to suckle, reluctance to move, significantly reduced mobility, unsteady gait, and a withdrawn demeanor. Necropsy findings consistently showed dark hemorrhagic content in the abomasum and characteristic “coffee grain” lesions, with no abnormalities in other organs. Escherichia coli was isolated in 63% of sampled kids, significantly more than in controls ( p  < 0.03), and confirmed through molecular analysis. Examination of virulence genes highlighted the presence of hlyA , stx1 , cnf1 , stx2 , and eaeA in complex combinations linked to severe abomasum damage. Poor bed and bottle hygiene were identified as the primary risk factors for SAD ( p  < 0.001), with risk escalating in the later stages of the kidding season as farm conditions deteriorated. This study thoroughly re-evaluates hemorrhagic abomasitis in young kids, delivering valuable and reliable insights into this fatal disease. Based on multifaceted analyses, it strongly indicates E. coli as the primary causative agent.

Background To address rising demand for dairy products, dairy goats are often fed high-concentrate diets, which lead to subacute rumen acidosis (SARA). The mechanisms behind individual variation in SARA tolerance are not well understood. This study aims to elucidate roles of rumen microbiome-host interactions in SARA-susceptibility and tolerance. Results Goats susceptible or tolerant to SARA were selected by feeding diets with different levels of rumen degradable starch. SARA-susceptible goats present prolonged periods of rumen pH below 5.8 and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) accumulation. Metagenomic analysis reveals a decrease in cellulose- and hemicellulose-utilizing bacteria and enzymes, along with increased lysozymes, suggesting disrupted rumen homeostasis. Transcriptomic and single-nucleus transcriptome analyses reveal upregulated Th17 cells, IL-17 signalling, and inflammatory pathways in SARA-susceptible goats. In contrast, SARA-tolerant goats maintain stable pH levels and enhance VFAs absorption. Bifidobacterium adolescentis and other beneficial bacteria are enriched in the rumen of SARA-tolerant goats. These microbes are positively correlated with 3-methyl pyruvic acid, a key metabolite involved in branched-chain amino acid synthesis and epithelial cell proliferation. Both microbiome transplantation and B. adolescentis direct feeding experiments confirm the protective effects of SARA-tolerant microbiota including B. adolescentis , promoting rumen epithelial VFAs absorption and reducing ruminal inflammation. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of Th17-mediated immune responses in ruminal inflammation and the role of B. adolescentis in regulating rumen epithelial VFAs absorption. Modulating VFAs absorption in the rumen epithelium represents a promising strategy for improving animal health and enhancing rumen fermentation efficiency.

Sheep and goats constitute a critical component of the Egyptian agricultural economy, serving as primary sources of milk, meat, and wool for rural populations. This study was conducted to detect and characterize infections caused by Borrelia theileri , Rickettsia aeschlimannii , Mycoplasma ovis , and Mycoplasma wenyonii in small ruminants from southern Egypt using molecular methods. The identification of these pathogens underscores potential threats to livestock productivity and raises public health concerns, particularly due to the zoonotic nature of Rickettsia aeschlimannii . The detection of these pathogens was performed using polymerase chain reaction assays targeting the flaB, gltA , and 16S rRNA genes, enabling precise identification and genetic characterization of the infectious agents. Confirmation and genotyping were achieved through bidirectional sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Blood samples were collected from 300 sheep and 300 goats across two governorates in southern Egypt. The overall infection rate of Borrelia theileri was 2.34% in sheep and 1.00% in goats. For Rickettsia aeschlimannii , the infection rates were 2.00% in sheep and 1.33% in goats. Mycoplasma ovis was detected in 1.33% of sheep and 1.00% of goats, while Mycoplasma wenyonii was present in 1.33% of sheep but not detected in goats. Genetic analysis indicated that the Rickettsia aeschlimannii gltA gene and the Borrelia theileri flaB genes were identical to those found in dogs, camels, and ticks in southern Egypt. The Mycoplasma wenyonii 16S rRNA gene matched cattle samples from the same region, and the Mycoplasma ovis 16S rRNA gene was identical to the one found in camels. Beyond confirming the presence of tick-borne diseases in small ruminants, these results show that tick-borne diseases are genetically related to other hosts present in the area. These findings highlight the need for integrated vector surveillance and host health assessments to evaluate zoonotic risk and subclinical impacts.