Frontiers in Veterinary Science最新文献

{"title":"Equine maxillofacial intraosseous cystic lesions: a retrospective study of 17 cases.","authors":"Jennifer L Kelley, Jennifer E Rawlinson, Cynthia M Bell","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1644866","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1644866","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cystic and pseudocystic masses of the equine maxilla and mandible are rare lesions that result in clinically significant morbidity and/or mortality for the patient. Previous literature consists of case reports or case series. Few studies have addressed the variety of cystic lesions and comparative features. The aim of this study was to retrospectively describe the clinical signs, imaging findings, histopathologic diagnoses, treatments, and clinical outcomes for cystic masses in the equine maxilla and mandible.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cases were recruited from six sources including a pathology laboratory, universities, and multiple private practices. Inclusion criteria were cystic/cavitated lesions within the maxilla mandible, and/or incisive bones that had a complete medical record that included history, gross appearance of the mass, diagnostic imaging, histopathology report, treatments performed, and clinical outcomes. Primary sinus cysts and teratomas were excluded from the study.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Lesions were identified in 17 patients with 1 patient having multifocal maxillomandibular cystic lesions. The most common lesion location was the body of the mandible. Diagnosis of lesion etiology and type was made by assimilating histopathology with clinical findings and imaging results. The following cysts were diagnosed: dentigerous cyst (6), bone cyst (6), and radicular cyst (3). Two lesions were unclassified, radiolucent inflammatory lesions. Patients were treated surgically with marginal excision and/or aggressive cyst lining debridement for 16/17 cases with rostral mandibulectomy performed in 1/17 cases. Excisional biopsies were performed at the time of definitive surgery for 12/17 cases, which resulted in histopathologic diagnoses. Follow-up ranged from 0 to 872 days postoperatively with a mean of 200 days with only 1 case having no follow-up. Eleven out of 17 cases (64.7%) had no documented recurrence following surgical excision. The overall complication rate was 35.3% (6/17 cases) and included orofacial/oroantral fistula formation, sinus flap suture reaction, and sinus flap mycosis.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Diagnosis and treatment of equine cystic masses of the maxilla, mandible, and/or incisive bones were greatly aided by assimilating oral exam and diagnostic imaging findings with histopathologic results.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1644866"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457172/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148708","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":"Incorporating virtual fencing to manage yearling steers on extensive rangelands: spatial behavior, growth performance, and enteric methane emissions.","authors":"Edward J Raynor, Anna M Shadbolt, Melissa K Johnston, David J Augustine, Justin D Derner, Sean P Kearney, John P Ritten, Nathan D Delay, Pedro H V Carvalho, Juan de J Vargas, Sara E Place, Kim R Stackhouse-Lawson","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1637190","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1637190","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We examined the spatial movement behavior, growth rates, and enteric CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; emissions of yearling beef cattle in response to spatial distribution management with virtual fencing (VF) in extensive shortgrass steppe pastures. Over the 110-d grazing season (mid-May to early September), 120 British-breed stocker steers (~12 months of age; mean body weight [BW] 382 kg ± 35) were grazed with VF management (active VF collars) or free-range (non-active VF collars) in two pairs of ~130 ha physically fenced rangeland pastures (i.e., VF-managed vs. control). One pair was associated with a diverse mosaic of soil types supporting alkalai sacaton (&lt;i&gt;Sporobolus airoides&lt;/i&gt; [Torr.] Torr.), blue grama (&lt;i&gt;Bouteloua gracilis&lt;/i&gt; [Willd. Ex Kunth] Lag. Ex Griffiths), and needle-and-thread (&lt;i&gt;Hesperostipa comata&lt;/i&gt; [Trin. &Rupr.] Barkworth), while the other pasture-pair was associated with the Sandy Plains ecological site, primarily hosting western wheatgrass (&lt;i&gt;Pascopyrum smithii&lt;/i&gt; [Rydb.] Á. Löve), needle-and-thread, and blue grama. Within each pair of pastures, one herd was rotated among sub-pastures using the VF system, which focused grazing on varying native plant communities over the growing season. In control pastures, steers had access to the entire pasture for the grazing season. Spatial distribution management with VF maintained steers within desired grazing areas occurred 94-99% of the time, even though five of the 60 VF-managed steers consistently made short daily excursions outside the VF boundary. In all four pastures, an automated head-chamber system (AHCS, i.e., GreenFeed) measured the enteric CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; emissions of individual steers. Steers that met the criteria of a minimum of 15 AHCS visits in each of at least two VF rotation intervals were analyzed for spatial behavior, growth performance, and enteric CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; emissions. Screening based on AHCS visitation requirements resulted in 15 steers (nine VF, six control) in the diverse mosaic pasture pair, and 39 (17 VF, 22 control) in the Sandy Plains pasture pair. VF management significantly reduced growth rates for all steers across both pasture pairs by an average of 9%, resulting in steers that were 7.3 kg lighter than unmanaged steers at the end of the grazing season. VF management effects on enteric CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; emissions varied among rotation intervals and pasture type. In the diverse mosaic pair, VF management significantly reduced CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; emissions during the first rotation interval, when VF steers were concentrated on the C&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; grass-dominated plant community, but increased emissions in the second and third intervals when VF steers were concentrated on C&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; grass-dominated areas. In the Sandy Plains pasture pair, where cattle were rotated between sub-pastures with and without palatable four-wing saltbush (&lt;i&gt;Atriplex canescens&lt;/i&gt; [Pursh] Nutt.) shrubs, VF management reduced CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; emissions in three of four rotations as well as ","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1637190"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457158/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148672","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":"Protective effects of quercetin against glyphosate-induced nephrotoxicity in rats: role of oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptotic pathways.","authors":"Ashraf Albrakati","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1624763","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1624763","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide globally, accumulates in renal tissue causing kidney damage through incompletely understood mechanisms. This study evaluated quercetin's nephroprotective effect against glyphosate-induced kidney injury in rats.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Five groups of male Wistar rats (<i>n</i> = 10 each) received daily treatments for 21 days: control, glyphosate (25 mg/kg), quercetin (50 mg/kg), and quercetin+glyphosate at low (25 mg/kg) or high (50 mg/kg) doses. All treatments were administered by oral gavage for 21 days. Renal parameters, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory mediators, and apoptotic indicators were assessed using spectrophotometric assays, ELISA, qRT-PCR, and histology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Glyphosate impaired renal function, increased kidney weight, and elevated kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) levels. It suppressed antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GPX) and downregulated their mRNA expression (<i>Cat</i>, <i>Sod2</i>, and <i>Gpx-1</i>, respectively), while depleting GSH and increasing oxidative markers (MDA, NO). Notably, glyphosate reduced Nrf2 protein and <i>Nfe2l2</i> gene expression, disrupting this master regulator of antioxidant responses, with concurrent <i>Hmox-1</i> downregulation. Glyphosate upregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-<i>α</i>, IL-1β, IL-6), increased TLR-4 and <i>NOS2</i> expression, activated mitochondrial apoptosis by increasing pro-apoptotic proteins (BAX, CYTOCHROME C, and CASPASE-3) while decreasing anti-apoptotic BCL-2 protein levels, with corresponding changes in gene expression. Consistent with protein findings, <i>Bcl-2</i> gene expression was significantly downregulated, further confirming the shift toward pro-apoptotic signaling. Quercetin dose-dependently attenuated these alterations, with high-dose providing superior protection compared to low-dose by restoring gene expression and enzyme activities. Histopathological examination confirmed quercetin mitigated glyphosate-induced tubular degeneration and glomerular atrophy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Quercetin protects against glyphosate nephrotoxicity through antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms, suggesting therapeutic potential against herbicide-induced kidney injury.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1624763"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12458874/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148830","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":"Herbal essential oils improve growth, antioxidant response, and gene expression in Nile Tilapia fingerlings.","authors":"Malik Khalafalaa, Shaimaa M Shehab, Mohamed H Aboraya, Asem A Amer, Foad Farrag, Mohamed F Abdelghany, Badriyah S Alotaibi, Mohamed Abdelmegeid, Mustafa Shukry, Ahmed A Elolimy","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1620632","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1620632","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The increasing global demand for sustainable aquaculture practices has prompted the search for natural and effective alternatives to synthetic feed additives. Herbal essential oils (HEOs) have emerged as promising candidates due to their bioactive properties that support growth, health, and immunity in fish.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with blended HEOs-comprising carvacrol, oregano oil, 1,8-cineole, thymol, <i>α</i>-pinene, <i>β</i>-pinene, limonene, and propylene glycol-on growth performance, hematological indices, antioxidant status, immune response, intestinal morphology, and gene expression in Nile tilapia (<i>Oreochromis niloticus</i>) fingerlings. Over a 72-day trial, fish were fed diets with 0 (control), 30, 60, 120, and 240 mL/kg of HEOs.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion: </strong>The 30 and 60 mL/kg groups showed significantly improved final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Hematological parameters increased, while serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased. Enhanced lysozyme activity, phagocytic rate, IgM concentration, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) were observed in the 30 and 60 mL/kg groups. Additionally, these doses significantly upregulated the expression of growth- and immunity-related genes (GHr, IGF-I, IL-1β, TNF-<i>α</i>, ZO-1, and occludin) while downregulating HSP70, indicating improved stress resilience. Histological analysis revealed increased villi height and surface area in the intestine, suggesting better nutrient absorption. These findings demonstrate that dietary supplementation with 30-60 mL/kg of HEOs can enhance physiological and immunological health, offering a natural strategy to improve Nile tilapia aquaculture productivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1620632"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12458646/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148704","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 n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio on growth performance and lipid metabolism in nursery pigs.","authors":"Junjie Guo, Xiaoqian Chen, Huiling Zhu, Kan Xiao, Yanbing Zhang, Shiwei Zhao, Guoshun Chen, Yulan Liu","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1643724","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1643724","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The proportion of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in commercial pig feed is severely unbalanced. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios on growth performance and lipid metabolism of nursery pigs. A total of 240 nursery pigs (Duroc × Large White × Landrace) were fed diets with different n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios, including 10:1, 5:1, 3:1, and 1.5:1. Pigs fed diet with n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio of 1.5:1 or 3:1 had optimum average daily gain and feed to gain ratio (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The levels of serum lipids including total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein were the lowest in pigs fed diet with n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio of 1.5:1 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The concentrations of serum insulin, adiponectin and leptin were the highest in pigs fed diet with n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio of 3:1 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Pigs fed diet with n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio of 3:1 had the highest abundance of genes associated with fatty acid absorption and transportation (<i>FATP4</i>, and <i>PPARγ</i>), synthesis and storage (<i>FAS</i> and <i>GPAT</i>) and degradation (<i>ATGL</i>, <i>HSL</i>, and <i>MAGL</i>) in intestine (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Pigs fed diet with n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio of 1.5:1 had the lowest abundance of genes associated with fatty acid absorption (<i>CD36</i> and <i>FABP4</i>), synthesis and storage (<i>ACC</i>, <i>FAS</i>, <i>ACLY</i>, <i>PAP</i>, <i>AGPAT</i>, and <i>GPAT</i>) and degradation (<i>CPT1</i> and <i>HSL</i>) in gastrocnemius muscle (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The mRNA expression of genes associated with fatty acid metabolism (<i>FATP2</i>, <i>FATP5</i>, <i>FABP1</i>, <i>FABP4</i>, <i>LPL</i>, <i>ACS</i>, <i>ACLY</i>, <i>AGPAT</i>, <i>GPAT</i>, <i>CPT1</i>, <i>ATGL</i>, and <i>MAGL</i>) was up-regulated in liver and subcutaneous fat of pigs fed diet with n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios of 1.5:1-5:1 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In summary, diets with lower n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios improve growth performance, reduce blood lipids, facilitate lipid metabolism in intestine, liver and subcutaneous fat, and inhibit fatty acid absorption, synthesis and storage in gastrocnemius muscle in pigs.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1643724"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12454085/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145137224","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":"High prevalence of <i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i> in bats and pigeons is linked to human histoplasmosis in an endemic area of Ecuador.","authors":"Naomi Mora-Jaramillo, Solón Alberto Orlando, Mireya Rivera, José Echevarría, Elsy Carvajal, Sebastián Rodríguez-Pazmiño, Darwin Santiago Paredes, Fabricio Arcos Alcivar, Valeria Rebolledo, Tais Fuentes, Odalys Delgado, Pamela Valencia, Mirna Oviedo, Evelyn Barona Moran, Henry Parra Vera, Miguel Angel Garcia-Bereguiain","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1613841","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1613841","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Histoplasmosis, a systemic mycosis caused by the fungal pathogen <i>Histoplasma capsulatum,</i> is a global public health concern, particularly in immunocompromised patients. The global burden of this disease is estimated in 500,000 people affected annually with around 100,000 cases progressing to disseminated histoplasmosis, the most severe clinical form of the disease with 30-50% mortality rate in treated patients. Histoplasmosis is very endemic in areas associated with river valleys. In South America, histoplasmosis is one of the most important causes of mortality in HIV patients, accounting for approximately 30% of deaths in this population, and it is frequently misdiagnosed. The animal reservoirs for these pathogens include bats and birds like pigeons, and fecal deposition in areas with high density of those animals represents hotspots of fungal contamination. In this work, we studied the prevalence of <i>H. capsulatum</i> in bats and pigeons from Guayas Province in Ecuador by PCR. A total number of 61 pigeons and 213 bats samples were collected, and the overall prevalence was 13.11% (95%CI: 10.54-15.68) and 21.14% (95%CI: 17.00-25.28), respectively. Moreover, Sanger sequencing analysis was carried out for <i>hcp100</i> gene, followed by phylogenetic analysis including 17 sequences isolated from human patients in Guayaquil city (Guayas Province). Our results show that bats and pigeons are reservoirs for <i>H. capsulatum</i> linked to transmission to humans in Guayas Province. An integrative One Health surveillance and control program including animal reservoirs should be improved to reduce the burden of histoplasmosis, especially considering the high burden of HIV in Guayaquil city.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1613841"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12454044/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145137240","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":"Management and biosecurity practices associated with <i>Mycoplasma bovis</i> seropositivity in Swedish dairy herds: a questionnaire study.","authors":"Karin Alvåsen, Emma Hurri, Hanna Magnusson, Madeleine Tråvén","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1652374","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1652374","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong><i>Mycoplasma (M.) bovis</i> is a significant cause of pneumonia and mastitis in cattle worldwide and is recognized for its impact on both animal welfare and farm economics. In the absence of an effective vaccine or treatment, control and prevention efforts rely on identifying risk factors associated with both within- and between-herd transmission. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between herd-level <i>M. bovis</i> seropositivity and biosecurity and management routines in Swedish dairy herds.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>An online questionnaire was distributed to 146 dairy farmers in southern Sweden. The questionnaire contained 66 closed questions regarding external and internal biosecurity, calf management practices, milking routines and animal health. The targeted herds were already participating in another study, in which bulk tank milk and milk from primiparous (PP) cows were collected and analysed with IDvet ELISA to detect <i>M. bovis</i> antibodies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The response rate to the questionnaire was 79% (<i>n</i> = 115) and herds were categorized as antibody negative if both bulk tank milk and samples from PP cows were negative. Of the participating herds, 31% (<i>n</i> = 36) were categorized as antibody positive as they had positive bulk tank milk and/or positive PP cows. Many farm management practices, such as purchase of cattle, were similar between <i>M. bovis</i> antibody-negative and antibody-positive herds. As a result, few management factors showed a significant association with <i>M. bovis</i> status. For external biosecurity, affiliation to the national biosecurity program (\"Smittsäkrad besättning\") was associated with <i>M. bovis</i> antibody-negative status. Regarding internal biosecurity, feeding calves with milk replacer and housing weaned calves in groups of more than 15 were more common in <i>M. bovis</i> antibody-positive herds. <i>Mycoplasma bovis</i> status was also associated with animal health, as antibody-positive herds reported higher numbers of youngstock over 6 months of age that required treatment or euthanasia due to arthritis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings indicate that both internal and external biosecurity measures, including participation in a national biosecurity program and specific calf management practices, may contribute to reducing the risk of <i>M. bovis</i> infection in dairy herds.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1652374"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12456186/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145137272","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":"Lameness detection in dairy cows from overhead view: high-precision keypoint localization and multi-feature fusion classification.","authors":"Weijun Duan, Fang Wang, Honghui Li, Na Liu, Xueliang Fu","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1675181","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1675181","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Detecting lameness in dairy cows from an overhead view can effectively avoid occlusion caused by farm facilities or other animals, while suspended detection devices enable parallel monitoring without disturbing natural behaviors. However, existing methods from this perspective still face challenges in accuracy and generalization, largely due to the subtlety of back movement features and individual variability. To address these limitations, this study explores an overhead-view lameness detection approach based on RGB-D data.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We developed a high-precision keypoint detection method for the cow's back that models long-range spatial dependencies and optimizes structural representation. On this basis, six lameness-related features were designed to capture posture and motion abnormalities, including four newly proposed indices. Their correlation in classifying sound, mildly lame, and severely lame cows was systematically analyzed. To further enhance robustness, the Gini importance index from Random Forest combined with a permutation importance correction method (PIMP) was applied to construct an unbiased feature selection framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed keypoint detection network achieved a PCK@0.02 of 100.00% and an average precision of 95.89%, significantly outperforming the baseline model. In feature-based classification, back curvature, movement asymmetry index, and vertical oscillations of the back and head exhibited strong discriminative ability. Using multi-feature fusion, the lameness detection model attained an overall accuracy of 91.00%.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These findings indicate that overhead RGB-D imaging, combined with precise keypoint detection and feature fusion, provides a reliable strategy for accurate lameness detection in dairy cows. The proposed method offers valuable theoretical and technical support for health monitoring and intelligent management in modern dairy farming.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1675181"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12454108/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145137270","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":"A field guide for sampling bats (Chiroptera) for eco-epidemiological studies.","authors":"Shariful Islam, Napoko Malika Kangoyé, Andrés Velasco-Villa, Abdoulaye Hama Diallo, Robab Katani, Luis E Escobar","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1605150","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1605150","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bats serve as reservoir hosts for numerous zoonotic pathogens of public health significance, including coronaviruses, lyssaviruses, and henipaviruses, while simultaneously playing critical roles in ecosystem function through pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control. The increasing frequency of bat-associated disease outbreaks has intensified research interest; yet standardized protocols for safe and effective bat sampling remain fragmented. We conducted a systematic review of bat sampling practices and synthesized comprehensive guidelines for capturing, handling, and sampling free-ranging bats for epidemiological surveillance and outbreak investigations. Our framework emphasizes three key elements, including (i) biosecurity measures to prevent pathogen spillover transmission from bats to humans, (ii) biosafety protocols to avoid spillback transmission, and (iii) welfare considerations to minimize the impact on bat populations. Through analysis of published literature and field protocols, we identified significant gaps between recommended and common practices in bat research. We present evidence-based recommendations for capture techniques, specimen collection, sample processing, and storage methods, with particular attention to maintaining sample quality while ensuring safety. Additionally, we provide detailed guidance for field laboratory setup, personnel training requirements, and emergency response procedures. The implementation of these standardized protocols will enhance the quality and compatibility of bat research data while protecting both human and bat health. This guide serves as a foundation for safe, ethical, and effective investigation of bat-borne pathogen epidemiology and ecology, particularly in resource-limited settings where disease emergence risks are often highest.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1605150"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12456185/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145137238","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":"Detection of avian influenza virus in the alien invasive African sacred ibis (<i>Threskiornis aethiopicus</i>) in Italy.","authors":"Alessia Mariacher, Matteo Riccardo Di Nicola, Matteo Senese, Francesco Mariottini, Michela Maestrini, Federica Bellagamba, Carla Donnini, Alessio Capecci, Angela Salomoni, Maria Varotto, Calogero Terregino, Antonella Cersini, Maria Teresa Scicluna","doi":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1661089","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fvets.2025.1661089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The African sacred ibis (<i>Threskiornis aethiopicus</i>), a non-native bird species in Europe, has rapidly expanded its range in Italy, prompting the adoption of national control measures due to ecological and epidemiological concerns. As part of this management plan, 20 ibises were culled in February 2025 in Tuscany (Central Italy), and tested for pathogens relevant to wildlife and public health. RT-PCR and molecular analyses on tracheal and cloacal swabs, revealed the presence of low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) subtype H5N2 in 1 out of 20 specimens. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the virus was closely related to recent European LPAIV strains, with the PA gene segment clustered with Asian and Russian isolates from 2021-2022. Two mammalian adaptation markers (S155N and T156A) were identified in the HA protein. Although the detected strain poses minimal zoonotic risk, its presence in a highly adaptable invasive species, raises concerns about the potential role of <i>T. aethiopicus</i> as a bridge host in avian influenza transmission cycles. Given the increasing overlap between this species and poultry farming areas, and its scavenging behavior, continued surveillance is essential to assess its epidemiological role. Targeted control actions may be crucial in preventing the establishment of novel wildlife reservoirs and limiting viral evolution towards highly pathogenic forms. Surveillance of alien invasive species should be integrated into broader avian influenza monitoring strategies to protect public health and agricultural biosecurity.</p>","PeriodicalId":12772,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Veterinary Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"1661089"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12450672/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145130586","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}