Frontiers in Veterinary Science最新文献

{"title":"Integrative multi-omics and bioinformatics analysis of the effects of BaiRui YuPingFeng Powder on intestinal health in broilers.","authors":"Haonan Xu, Fang Zhang, Yan Che, Yu Cui, Qisheng Yao, Yueqin Guan, Hao Chen, Yuying Huang","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1606531","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1606531","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In recent years, global poultry consumption has increased rapidly, making chicken the most widely consumed meat worldwide by 2019. To increase livestock development, antibiotics are often added to animal feed as growth promoters. But overuse of antibiotics may alter the gut microbiota, make people more resistant to them, and raise the possibility that they will spread antibiotic resistance genes to the human microbiome. Therefore, identifying safe and effective alternatives to antibiotics in livestock production is crucial for maintaining and improving gut microbial balance, ultimately promoting poultry health. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms behind the impacts of BaiRui YuPingFeng Powder (TCYP) on intestinal health in broilers using combined metabolomics, bioinformatics analysis, and 16S rRNA sequencing.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a 42-day feeding trial, 300 one-day-old broilers were randomly divided into five groups (six replicates per group; 10 broilers per replicate) fed a basal diet with or without supplements: control (CON), antibiotic (ATB), and TCYP at 500, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg. Growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, intestinal morphology, cecal microbiota composition, and metabolomic profiles were analyzed. Bioinformatics analysis was used to identify potential targets and pathways, followed by qPCR validation of key genes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the CON group, TCYP administration dose-dependently reduced the feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) while increasing average daily gain (ADG), with the high-dose TCYP showing more pronounced effects (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Serum biochemical analysis revealed that TCYP treatment significantly decreased serum levels of total cholesterol (T-CHO), triglycerides (TG), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in a dose-dependent manner, while elevating albumin (ALB) content. These beneficial effects were particularly marked in the high-dose TCYP group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Histopathological examination indicated that high-dose TCYP significantly enhanced villus height and the villus-to-crypt ratio (V/C) in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum compared to the CON group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that TCYP treatment significantly modified the <i>β</i>-diversity of cecal microbiota (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Compared to the CON group, ATB treatment increased the abundance of <i>Faecalibacterium and Lachnospiraceae_unclassified</i> but reduced <i>Ruminococcaceae_unclassified and Firmicutes_unclassified</i>. Notably, dietary TCYP supplementation maintained gut microbiota profiles similar to the CON group, demonstrating its stabilizing effect on microbial community structure in broilers. Metabolomic analysis identified differential metabolites primarily involved in lipid and lipid-like molecules, organic heterocyclic compounds, and organic acids and d","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1606531"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213368/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Theaflavins enhances laying hen production performance and egg antioxidant capacity via improving antioxidant status and regulating lipid metabolism.","authors":"Ling Zhou, Pinyao Zhao, Jinwei Zhang, Jie Zhong, Yulin Rao, Jia Tang, Longsheng Jiang, Fen Chen, Lijuan Chen, Keying Zhang, Weimin Ouyang, Jialong Peng","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1566580","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1566580","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Theaflavins (TF), natural compounds extracted from black tea, demonstrate various beneficial functions including antioxidant properties and lipid metabolism regulation. However, their effects on laying hens remained unclear. This study investigated the effects of different TF levels on production performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, lipid metabolism in laying hens, and egg antioxidant capacity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 512 twenty-nine-week-old Lohmann commercial laying hens were randomly divided into four dietary treatments (0, 250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg TF) in a completely randomized design. Each treatment consisted of eight replicates of 16 birds, and the experiment lasted for 8 weeks. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan's multiple range test, with quadratic polynomial contrasts applied to evaluate dose-response relationships.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results showed that TF supplementation quadratically increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) egg production, egg yolk color, serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), hepatic T-AOC, uterine T-AOC, hepatic superoxide dismutase activity, serum total cholesterol (TC), hepatic TC, hepatic triglycerides, and the expression of antioxidant-related and lipid metabolism-related genes. It also enhanced the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, T-AOC, tyrosine, and tryptophan levels in egg yolks. TF supplementation significantly decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in serum, liver, ovaries, and egg yolks.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that TF improves laying performance by enhancing antioxidant capacity and regulating lipid metabolism, while simultaneously boosting egg antioxidant potential. Based on the quadratic regression analysis, the optimal TF supplementation level was determined to be 500 mg/kg.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1566580"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12218247/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Magnolia officinalis</i> enhanced immune responses and the resistance to <i>Vibrio harveyi</i> infection in pearl gentian groupers.","authors":"Yilin Zhang, Yuhao Li, Xinlan Xu, Luxi Xu, Weifu Li, Zhen Gan, Yishan Lu","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1603997","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1603997","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Magnolia officinalis</i> (MO) is a kind of traditional Chinese herbs, which has been studied for thousands of years in Chinese pharmacopoeia. In recent years, MO has been reported as an antibacterial agent in aquaculture, but the antibacterial properties of MO against <i>Vibrio harveyi</i> infection in fish remains unexplored. In this study, the effects of MO treatment on immune responses and the resistance to <i>V. harveyi</i> infection were detected in pearl gentian groupers. The results revealed that the expression levels of immune-related genes (<i>IL-12, TLR2, TLR5S, CD4, MHC-Iα</i>, and <i>IFN-</i> <i>γ</i>) in spleen, head kidney, liver and thymus, and the enzyme activities of CAT, SOD, LZM, and total serum protein in serum were significantly up-regulated at most of time points in MO -treated groupers. After being challenged with <i>V. harveyi</i> ZJ0603 at 28 days post-injection, the survival rate (SR) of groupers were 50.0, 60.0, 73.3, and 66.7% in MO groups at different concentrations, respectively, indicating that MO administration could improve the resistance to <i>V. harveyi</i> infection in groupers. The present study revealed that MO can be considered as a promising immunostimulant to induce the immune responses against <i>V. harveyi</i> infection in marine fishes.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1603997"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213365/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation and identification of <i>Mycoplasma hyorhinis</i> and virulence evaluation of its field isolates.","authors":"Fan Yang, Lijun Yang, Xuecheng Duan, Yulin Qian, Huifang Ma, Xue Jia, Xinyu Huo, Wenqi Dong, Huanchun Chen, Chen Tan","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1542992","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1542992","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>As a prevalent swine pathogen worldwide, <i>Mycoplasma hyorhinis</i> (<i>M. hyorhinis</i>, Mhr) is associated with various diseases, including multiple serositis, pneumonia, arthritis, and otitis media. It is also linked to the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong><i>M. hyorhinis</i> prevalence in 2022 Chinese lung samples was assessed by species-specific PCR, followed by isolation and purification of field strains, followed by genetic characterization via multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Pathogenicity evaluation of three isolates (ZZ-1, GD-1 and AH-1) was evaluated using controlled piglet infection trials.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mhr detection in clinical lung samples showed 31.77% prevalence. Three isolates (ZZ-1/ST166, GD-1/ST167, AH-1/ST144) were characterized by MLST. Piglet infection trials confirmed Mhr-induced polyserositis, pneumonia, and arthritis, with strain-dependent virulence variation observed.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This study confirms <i>M. hyorhinis</i> as a high-prevalence pathogen (31.77%) in Chinese swine herds. Animal infection models demonstrated virulence variation among different Mhr strains. These findings contribute to identifying and assessing the threats posed by different strains to pig health, guiding the development of clinical prevention and control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1542992"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213342/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Network analysis of farmed Atlantic salmon movements in British Columbia, Canada.","authors":"Ahsan Raquib, K Larry Hammell, Javier Sanchez, Nicole O'Brien, Krishna Kumar Thakur","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1568484","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1568484","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An inherent issue to the Atlantic salmon aquaculture production is the possible transmission of infectious pathogens due to the transportation of live fish. This study employed network analysis to model the contribution of Atlantic salmon transfers to the spread of pathogens. We used a publicly available salmon transfer dataset covering the period 2015-2022. Official records showed that 812 transfers of Atlantic salmon occurred between various British Columbian (BC) salmon production units in that timeframe. For the purpose of evaluating changes in the network structure of farmed Atlantic salmon movements, the daily networks were aggregated into two-year periods to generate a time-ordered series of biennial movements. The freshwater hatchery and marine netpen sites comprised the two types of facilities that made up the Atlantic salmon transfer network, which consisted of 99 nodes (facilities) and 350 edges (links) overall. All the networks showed both scale-free and small-world topology, which would encourage the persistence and spread of pathogens in the Atlantic salmon facilities while simultaneously making it easier to develop risk-based surveillance techniques by focusing on high centrality nodes. Additionally, the rare occurrence of high betweenness and reach, presence of disassortative mixing, negative correlation between the in- and out-degree and between ingoing and outgoing infection chain of facilities, and the identification of freshwater hatcheries as potential superspreaders all suggest that Atlantic salmon transfers might not play a significant role in the spread of pathogens between facilities in the British Columbian Atlantic salmon farming industry. Community detection revealed two or three communities persistently in the aquaculture management unit (AMU) level network, and it would be more effective to make zoning based on AMU. In conclusion, targeted surveillance efforts on high-centrality facilities can be employed to combat any infectious outbreak in the BC Atlantic salmon industry caused by live Atlantic salmon movement.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1568484"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12218256/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Probiotic administration correlated with reduced diarrheal incidence and improved gut microbiota diversity in young goats.","authors":"Mohamed Osman Abdalrahem Essa, Cheng Cheng, Jun Li, Xiao Han, Zhong Kang Wei, Layla Ahmed Mohammed Abdelhadi, Huda Ahmed Hassan, Saber Y Adam, Hosameldeen Mohamed Husien, Ahmed A Saleh, Darong Cheng","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1604638","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1604638","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Probiotic interventions in young livestock are gaining attention for their potential health benefits.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study involved 15 weaned goat kids (2-3 months old; 10-15 kg body weight), including 10 healthy kids and 5 diarrheic kids. The kids were divided into three groups: Healthy Control (H, no treatment), Probiotic-Treated Healthy (T), and Diarrheic + Probiotic-Treated (D). All kids were maintained under standardized environmental conditions and fed a controlled diet (60% corn, 15% pea skin, 15% silage, 5% hay and 1% vitamin-mineral additives). Probiotic bacteria <i>Enterococcus faecium</i> and <i>Bacteroides fragilis</i> were administered via oral gavage at a concentration of (1 × 10⁹) CFU/mL for five consecutive days. Fecal samples were collected for sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to analyze microbial composition.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Healthy groups exhibited significantly greater species richness and diversity compared to the diarrheal group (p < 0.01). The predominant phyla identified were <i>Pseudomonadota</i>, <i>Bacteroidetes</i>, and <i>Bacillota</i>.Increased levels of <i>Xylanibacter</i>, <i>UCG-055</i>, <i>Bacteroides</i>, and <i>Escherichia-Shigella</i> were noted in healthy treated kids, while <i>Prevotellaceae</i> UG_001 and <i>Proteus</i> decreased.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The findings highlight significant gut microbiota differences between healthy and diarrheal kids, suggesting that modifications in gut microbiota composition could alleviate diarrhea, contributing to preventive and therapeutic strategies for this condition.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1604638"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213349/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of dietary glycerol, vitamin C and niacinamide supplementation on liver of growing-finishing pigs.","authors":"Wenchen Sun, Linglan Deng, Wanjie Zou, Panting Wei, Shaobin Hao, Huadong Wu, Wei Lu, Yuyong He","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1620128","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1620128","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The influence of supplementing glycerol, vitamin C and niacinamide on the liver of growing-finishing pigs has not yet been examined. This study investigated the effect of 10% glycerol, 0.06% vitamin C and 0.05% niacinamide supplementation at single or combination on liver of growing-finishing pigs. Compared with pigs supplemented with 0% glycerol, 0% vitamin C and 0% niacinamide, pigs supplemented only with 10% glycerol had higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) TNF-<i>α</i> concentration, partially hepatic steatosis, higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) relative abundances of <i>Escherichia_shigella</i>, <i>Prevotellaceae_UCG_003</i>, <i>Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group</i>, <i>Coprococcus</i>, <i>Lactococcus</i> and <i>Megamonas</i>, lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) solute carrier family 7 member 11 (<i>SLC7A11</i>) expression in liver tissue. However, pigs offered the diet with a mixture of 0.06% vitamin C and 0.05% niacinamide had higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) relative abundance of <i>Faecalibaculum</i> and expression of <i>SLC7A11</i>, lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) relative abundances of <i>Staphylococcus</i> and <i>Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1</i> in liver tissue. Supplementation of 10% glycerol, 0.06% vitamin C and 0.05% niacinamide simultaneously to pigs increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) the ferrous ion level, the relative abundances of <i>Escherichia_Shigella</i>, <i>Lactococcus</i> and <i>Desulfobacterota</i>, the expressions of gene Cryptochrome-1(<i>CRY1</i>) and <i>SLC7A11</i>, but decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) the expressions of gene C-reactive protein (<i>CRP</i>) and galactokinase 1 (<i>GALK1</i>) in liver tissue. Supplementation with 0.06% vitamin C and 0.05% niacinamide can alleviate the damage in liver of pigs fed a diet containing 10% glycerol.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1620128"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213335/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the multivalent immune protective effects of the <i>Vibrio fluvialis</i> outer membrane protein VF17320, and its DNA and IgY antibody vaccines in fish.","authors":"Huihui Xiao, Pan Cui, Jing Chen, Libing Meng, Xixian Che, Zijian Ma, Xiaoqing Wu, Juan Lu, Shujun Sun, Guoping Zhu, Yong Liu, Xiang Liu","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1586258","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1586258","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Vaccines exhibit characteristics such as no residue, low drug resistance, and environmental friendliness, and demonstrate application value in aquaculture.</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>The protein, DNA, and egg yolk antibody (IgY) vaccines targeting the <i>Vibrio fluvialis</i> outer membrane protein VF17320 were immunized to fish (<i>Carassius auratus</i>) and subsequently challenged with <i>V. fluvialis</i> and <i>Aeromonas hydrophila</i>. The results indicated that the three vaccines enhanced the expression levels of immune-related factors of acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and lysozyme (LZM) (<i>p</i> < 0.01), provided immune protection against bacterial infections (<i>p</i> < 0.01), effectively reduced kidney bacterial counts (<i>p</i> < 0.01), and increased the phagocytic activity of white blood cells in <i>C. auratus</i> (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Furthermore, the three vaccines downregulated the expression of inflammation-related genes (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and antioxidant-related factors (<i>p</i> < 0.01) to mitigate the inflammatory and antioxidant response in <i>C. auratus</i>, respectively. Histopathology revealed that the three vaccines preserved the integrity of visceral tissue, and immunofluorescence demonstrated that the vaccines reduced apoptosis and DNA damage in the kidney cells induced by bacterial infection.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Overall, the three vaccines exhibit the potential to combat various bacterial infections and can serve as multivalent vaccine candidates for aquaculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1586258"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213336/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ixodid ticks of Western Palearctic bats: ecology, host-parasite relationships, geographic distribution and zoonotic importance.","authors":"Attila D Sándor, Cristian Domșa, Áron Péter, Sándor Hornok","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1517704","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1517704","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bats in the Western Palearctic are host for diverse array of ectoparasites, including three ixodid ticks (<i>Ixodes ariadnae</i>, <i>I. simplex</i>, and <i>I. vespertilionis</i>), which are highly specialized to parasitize these mammals. In this study we collected and analyzed 3,965 host-tick records across 31 bat species from published literature, online sources, and unpublished field data. Individual bat-specialist ticks showed distinct host preferences, with cave-dwelling bats accounting for over 90% of all records. <i>Ixodes vespertilionis</i> was the most generalist of them, with a broad host range and distribution, while <i>I. simplex</i> was highly host-specific, primarily parasitizing a single host species, <i>Miniopterus schreibersii</i>. <i>Ixodes ariadnae</i> had a similar host spectrum as <i>I. vespertilionis</i> but more restricted geographical range, likely influenced by seasonal and life history factors. Our findings revealed substantial geographical overlap in tick distributions across Central and Eastern Europe. Free-living tick stages were predominantly found in caves, and males were observed more frequently than females. Non-bat specific, as well generalist ticks such as <i>Ixodes ricinus</i> and <i>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</i> s.l. were rare on bats, with larger bat species being the more common hosts. These ticks may host DNA of several bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens, suggesting an important role in pathogen transmission to bats and possibly other mammals. This study underscores the ecological significance of bat-specialist ticks and highlights the need for further research on their distribution, host interactions, and role in zoonotic disease transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1517704"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213338/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and implementation of a TaqMan triplex real-time PCR assay for concurrent detection of pseudorabies virus, porcine teschovirus 1, and <i>Streptococcus suis 2</i>.","authors":"Ranran Lai, Chen Yang, Lili Wu, Weisheng Wu, Lulu Li, Wei Liu, Zheng Yan, Diankun Yu, Shengzhi Ren, Zhiqiang Hu, Xiaowen Li","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1589175","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1589175","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Porcine neurological disorders represent a prevalent clinical condition that leads to significant mortality and economic losses within the swine industry. Pseudorabies virus (PRV), porcine teschovirus 1 (PTV1), and <i>Streptococcus suis 2</i> (SS2) are key viral and bacterial pathogens implicated in the manifestation of neurological symptoms in pig populations. The overlapping clinical presentations and pathological alterations associated with these pathogens pose challenges in their clinical differentiation. Therefore, it is essential to develop a diagnostic method with high sensitivity and specificity that can simultaneously detect and differentiate these viral and bacterial agents.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A triplex real-time PCR assay using TaqMan probes was developed to simultaneously detect PRV, PTV1, and SS2. To assess the efficacy of the established assay, 30 clinical samples of animals with nervous symptoms were used to compare the results obtained from the triplex real-time PCR assay with those obtained from commercial singleplex real-time PCR kits. Furthermore, a total of 282 samples were tested and analyzed to validate the utility of the assay.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The triplex real-time PCR assay exhibited high sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability, with a detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁰ copy/μL. The triplex real-time PCR method and commercial singleplex real-time PCR kits showed complete concordance in detecting PRV, PTV1, and SS2. Clinical data indicated single infection rates of 8.16% for PRV, 26.95% for PTV1, and 7.80% for SS2. The observed co-infection rates were 7.45% for PRV + PTV1, 0.71% for PRV + SS2, 1.42% for PTV1 + SS2, and 1.77% for PRV + PTV1 + SS2, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The triplex real-time PCR method developed in this study effectively distinguishes PRV, PTV1, and SS2 simultaneously, serving as a valuable diagnostic tool. This method is anticipated to play a crucial role in preventing and controlling infectious disease spread and supporting epidemiological investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1589175"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213347/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}