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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lethargy, depression, failure to suckle, reluctance to move, significantly reduced mobility, unsteady gait, and a withdrawn demeanor.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.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a viral disease which primarily affects small ruminants, causing significant economic losses for the livestock industry in developing countries. It is endemic in Saharan and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent. The primary hosts for peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) are goats and sheep; however recent models studying the pathology, disease progression and viremia of PPRV have focused primarily on goat models. This study evaluates the tissue tropism and pathogenesis of PPR following experimental infection of sheep and goats using a quantitative time-course study. Upon infection with a virulent strain of PPRV, both sheep and goats developed clinical signs and lesions typical of PPR, although sheep displayed milder clinical disease compared to goats. Tissue tropism of PPRV was evaluated by real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Lymph nodes, lymphoid tissue and digestive tract organs were the predominant sites of virus replication. The results presented in this study provide models for the comparative evaluation of PPRV pathogenesis and tissue tropism in both sheep and goats. These models are suitable for the establishment of experimental parameters necessary for the evaluation of vaccines, as well as further studies into PPRV-host interactions.

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the epidemiology, clinical and pathological features, outcomes, and therapy for listeriosis in ruminants. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched with no publication date limits. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used to calculate the pooled effect size using morbidity and case fatality rate data. 63 and 38 studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. 56 out of 63 studies were published before 2016 when cgMLST was developed. A comprehensive analysis of historical data shows that the association of silage as a source of contamination in ruminants should be re-evaluated. The most common clinical presentation was encephalitis (64.8% of the animals, 1839/2837), followed by abortion (21.3% of the animals, 604/2837). The mortality rate was high despite treatment. Overall, the mean morbidity, case fatality rate, and abortion rate were 12.6%, 50.6%, and 12.8%, respectively. Meta-analysis of the subgroups revealed a Hedges' g value of −4.60 for the abortive form, indicating greater morbidity than mortality in this form. In contrast, the encephalitic form was characterized by a higher case fatality rate than morbidity (Hedges' g 9.46). Literature gaps exist since most reported outbreaks are from the twentieth century and only from a few countries. There is a lack of information on the current prevalence, consequences, and effectiveness of antimicrobial treatment of listeriosis in domestic ruminants. There is also an incomplete picture of the prevalence of Listeria infection worldwide.

Background Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed zoonotic parasite that affects both humans and animals, with significant implications for public health and livestock production. The current research aims to update the information on the present prevalence of T. gondii and the risk factors associated with the infection in domestic ruminants in Aswan, Egypt, from August 2024 to January 2025, using serological, histopathological, and molecular approaches. Methods The blood of 387 domestic ruminants collected during the antemortem examination from four central abattoirs in the Aswan governorate, Upper Egypt, was inspected for the occurrence of anti- T. gondii antibodies through a modified agglutination technique. Data were confirmed by a nested polymerase chain reaction that targeted T. gondii DNA ( B1 gene). Tissue specimens (heart and diaphragm) from seropositive animals were collected during postmortem examination and subjected to a histopathological and immunohistochemical approach. Results The overall occurrence of T. gondii was 29.5% (114/387), with seropositivity of 33.5% (52/155), 28.2% (22/78), 23.6% (21/89), and 29.2% (19/65) in cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats, respectively. The studied risk factors (age, gender, breed, body condition, and location) in this study were detected to be significantly related to the presence of T. gondii infection ( p ˂ 0.05). Histopathological examination detected tissue cysts in 38 out of 114 cardiac muscles of seropositive animals and failed to detect any cysts in the diaphragm tissue, indicated by encased, circular to elongated, basophilic cysts with many bradyzoites entrenched in muscle fibers by H&E staining, while showing intense brown granule staining of lymphoblastic cells by immunohistochemistry assay. Nested PCR confirmed the presence of the B1 gene of T. gondii in blood samples of all seropositive animals (100%). Conclusions The combined use of serology, PCR, and IHC demonstrates that T. gondii is present in slaughtered ruminants in Aswan and that viable tissue cysts are present in edible tissues. These findings highlight a potential risk of zoonotic transmission through the consumption of undercooked meat and emphasize the need for monitoring and control measures to reduce the burden of foodborne toxoplasmosis in Egypt.

Astroviruses are non-enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses known to infect various mammals and birds, including humans, often causing gastrointestinal disorders. In recent years, astroviruses have also been linked to neurological and respiratory diseases across several species, including ruminants, mink, deer, and other mammals. Notably, astrovirus infections in goats have been documented in countries such as Switzerland and China, where novel genotypes have been identified in fecal samples. However, their role in the context of disease remains unclear, and reports focusing solely on goat astrovirus in the United States have not been published. A necropsy case of a Boer goat kid with a history of diarrhea was submitted for investigation following death in January 2025. Fresh tissues were received and used for histopathology and enteric pathogen testing, including parasitic, bacterial, and viral workups. Metagenomic-based next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was also applied for this case. Histological examination revealed severe necrotizing enterocolitis. The small intestine exhibited epithelial ulcerations, villus atrophy, hyperplastic and dilated crypts with necrotic debris, few intraenterocytic coccidian parasites, and increased inflammatory cells in the lamina propria. The large intestine showed similar findings with pleomorphic crypt enterocytes. Standard enteric pathogen tests were negative except for aerobic culture that identified Escherichia.coli and Enterococcus hirae. mNGS and bioinformatic analysis identified a novel astrovirus in the intestinal content that showed the highest nucleotide identity (86%) to the sheep strain Mamastrovirus 13 sheep/HA3 from China based on BLAST analysis. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the newly identified caprine astrovirus IL90175 clustered with astrovirus strains from small ruminants in Asia and Europe. This research reports the discovery, histopathologic features, and genetic characteristics of a gastrointestinal disease-causing astrovirus in a goat kid, which had not been previously described in the United States.

Small ruminant babesiosis remains a neglected disease despite causing significant economic losses to sheep and goat herds in many regions around the world. The pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of ovine babesiosis are well-known, but there is a lack of information regarding caprine babesiosis. Since the discovery of the first Babesia spp. in 1888, several species/subspecies/genotypes, including Babesia aktasi , have been described. Our recent molecular survey revealed that the parasite is highly prevalent (22.5%) in indigenous goats from Mediterranean region of Türkiye. The aim of this experimental study was to determine the pathogenicity and virulence of B . aktasi in immunosuppressed (n = 5) and immunocompetent (n = 7) purebred Saanen goats. The goats were experimentally infected with fresh B . aktasi infected blood, and examined for clinical, parasitological, hematological, and serum biochemical findings throughout the infection. Following the parasite inoculation, intra-erythrocytic parasites were detected from the 1st day post-infection, followed by an increase in rectal temperature and parasitemia. The parasitemia was detected ranging from 4.3% to 33.5% in the immunosuppressed group, while it was 2.1% to 7.6% in the immunocompetent. Severe clinical symptoms characterized by anemia, jaundice, and hemoglobinuria developed in both groups. A statistically significant inverse correlation was observed between the increase in parasitemia and RBC, WBC, HCT, and Hb values in the goats compared to pre-infection levels. Values of AST, ALT, GGT, Total bilirubin, and Albumin showed a significant increase, with all the immunosuppressed goats dying on the 4 th and 7 th days post-infection, while four out of seven immunocompetent goats died on between 6-8 th days. Severe edema in the lungs, frothy fluid in the trachea, jaundice in the subcutaneous and mesenteric fat, and dark red urine were detected in necropsy. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that B . aktasi was highly pathogenic to purebred Saanen goats. Current work assures valuable insights into the pathogenesis and virulence of B . aktasi and serves as a foundation for future studies to develop effective control strategies against caprine babesiosis.

Brucellosis of goats is caused by Brucella melitensis. It is a re-emerging zoonotic disease in many countries due to transmission from domestic animals and wildlife such as ibex, deer and wild buffaloes. To describe the pathological changes, identification and distribution of B. melitensis in foetuses of experimentally infected does. Twelve female goats of approximately 90 days pregnant were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 was exposed intra-conjunctival to 100 µL of sterile PBS while goats of Groups 2, 3 and 4 were similarly exposed to 100 µL of an inoculum containing 10 9 CFU/mL of live B. melitensis. Goats of these groups were killed at 15, 30 and 60 days post-inoculation, respectively. Foetal fluid and tissues were collected for bacterial identification (using direct bacterial culture, PCR and immuno-peroxidase staining) and histopathological examination. Bilateral intra-conjunctival exposure of pregnant does resulted in in-utero infection of the foetuses. All full-term foetuses of group 4 were either aborted or stillborn, showing petechiations of the skin or absence of hair coat with subcutaneous oedema. The internal organs showed most severe lesions. Immune-peroxidase staining revealed antigen distribution in all organs that became most extensive in group 4. Brucella melitensis was successfully isolated from the stomach content, foetal fluid and various other organs. Vertical transmission of caprine brucellosis was evident causing mild to moderate lesions in different organs. The samples of choice for isolation and identification of B. melitensis are stomach content as well as liver and spleen tissue.

The present study determined the prevalence of hydatid cysts in different organs of slaughtered hilly ‘Gaddi’ breed small ruminants—sheep (n = 230) and goats (n = 197)—in Kangra Valley of the north-western Himalayas, India. Hydatid cysts were found in 12.2% (n = 28) of sheep and 10.7% (n = 21) of goats. Pulmonary echinococcosis was more prevalent in slaughtered sheep and goats (sheep 56.36%; goats 62.90%) than hepatic echinococcosis (sheep 43.64%; goats 37.10%). Fertility rates were higher in hepatic (81.25%) and pulmonary cysts of sheep (83.87%) compared to goats. Molecular identification and genotypic characterization of Echinococcus granulosus isolates were based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene ( mt CO1). The genotypic characterization identified the isolated strain to be closely related to the G7 genotype. Histopathological examination revealed a thick coat of granulation tissue, causing fibrosis and inflammatory reaction composed of fibroblasts and mononuclear cells around the cysts. In the liver, hepato-cellular degeneration was prominent at the periphery of the cysts. The present study highlights the molecular confirmation and phylogenetic analysis of E. granulosus isolates with the prevalence of hydatidosis in a naïve host species and in an unexplored region. The findings are of significant medical and veterinary importance regarding development of control measures to check dissemination of hydatidosis.

Background Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease primarily affecting goats and sheep, with clinical manifestations ranging from peracute disease to subclinical infection, particularly in atypical hosts such as cattle. The role of atypical hosts such as cattle to the spread of PPR remains controversial, with conflicting reports in the literature. Despite its worldwide significance, considerable knowledge gaps exist regarding the pathogenesis and clinical progression in both primary and atypical hosts. This study aimed to elucidate the tissue tropism, pathogenesis, virus shedding, clinical progression, and pathology associated with experimental PPR virus infection in indigenous goats and cattle. To this end, 32 animals—16 goats and 16 cattle—were intranasally inoculated with the Ethiopia/Habru/2014 Lineage-IV strain of the PPR virus followed by detailed clinical evaluations and systematic sampling at pre-established intervals to assess serological conversion, viral shedding, and the pathogenesis of the infection across both species. Results The results show that goats exhibited typical clinical signs 4 days post-inoculation, with seroconversion by day 6 and early detection of viral RNA in swabs and tissues by day 3 and virus isolation starting day 4. In contrast, cattle exhibited minimal clinical signs, with seroconversion occurring at day 8 with viral RNA detected in tissue samples at day 4 and virus isolation starting day 6 in tissues and in a single nasal swab at day 8. Clinical scores and tissue positivity rates significantly differed between goats and cattle ( P  = 0.007 and P  < 0.001, respectively). While goats exhibited expected gross and histopathological lesions, cattle showed only nonspecific lesions. Conclusions Together, our findings highlight the importance of comparative pathology studies for better understanding virus dynamics and transmission pathways that may help inform more effective PPR control programs. Future research should explore the pathogenesis of different PPRV lineages in cattle, assessing variations in disease progression and potential for epidemiological impact.

Orf is one of the most widespread viral diseases worldwide, affecting mostly small ruminants and, sometimes, other species, including wild animals. Of late, there have been an increasing number of reports of new species being affected by the disease, implying a dynamic host-pathogen interaction. The causative agent, orf virus, has been extensively investigated over recent years, owing to its zoonotic importance and ability to cross-infect other species sporadically. The evasive mechanisms that the virus has developed to adapt and grow in the presence of an active immune response helps to explain the ability of the virus to repeatedly reinfect the same host. The apparent diversity in the antigenic/immune targets of different orf virus strains involved in such repeat infections may also be contributing factors. Exposure of animals to stress or immunosupression as a result of therapy or primary viral infection can accentuate the severity of disease. Genes homologous to host cytokines or their antagonists, and which contribute to viral virulence, have been found in the viral genome. A combination of electron microscopy, histology and PCR is the most accurate laboratory approach for confirmation of the disease, although clinical signs are often typical. However, some infections may be confounded by similar clinical manifestations caused by other infections. This review presents, in brief, a recent understanding of the virus at the host-pathogen level, molecular biology of the virus, disease epidemiology, clinical manifestations in man and animals, diagnostic procedures, and the economic and environmental impact of the disease.